From Rain to Snow
Reason: Ryuchu's Under-Appreciated Vocaloid Pairing Contest.
Couple: Meiko and Meito
Quick Authors note: There is like, 1 story for this couple...I think it qualifies xD They're not related in this story even though I've used the genderbends. Anyways, please enjoy my one-shot - 'From Rain to Snow!'
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
Rain splattered everywhere. It trickled down the grimy window that I sat and stared out of, I'd ordered a small coffee but I'd been sat there watching the rain for what felt like a week. Couples holding hands and sharing umbrellas occasionally waltzed past as if to say 'look at us! We've got what you've always wanted!'. Countless business people hurried past in their designer suits, barking into their silly little iphones. I placed my head in my hands, I felt like I was stuck in a time lapse. Time would never move on and I'd not see the first snow of the year. Eventually a girl who was wearing the waitress uniform of this particular cafe brought over my drink.
"Maybe you should pull your skirt down a bit" I snapped angrily as she placed the drink on the table.
"Wha-?" She pulled the tray closer to her body.
"Some guys are looking at you like they're gonna kidnap you"
"Oh..." She looked down at her skirt and tugged at it a little. Tears formed in her turquoise-blue eyes "I'm sorry"
I sighed and placed my head back in my hands "No, don't be...I've been in a bad mood all day. You came over and so I took it out on you"
"Oh! Well, don't worry" She sighed. "I get told to pull my skirt shorter by my boss, I'm the only one here who brings the male customers in apparently"
"Yeah, that's understandble but I can't really say much" I looked at my clothes. I should've thought before I spoke, my red pencil miniskirt and red crop top that was zipped down to reveal half of my clevage was hardly appropriate for the weather or time of day. The girl giggled, she was younger than me, that much was obvious but something about her made her seem more mature than me. She wore her long turquoise hair in two bunches yet she didn't look like a child.
"Well anyway, I'm sorry, please don't take what I said personally, I would've said the same thing had that other girl come over instead of you"
"Ahh well Neru pulls her skirt up just because she's like that so to say that to her would've been more accurate"
"Sorry for talking to you for so long! I bet you have other people to serve right?"
"Nope! I just finished my shift, my boyfriend is coming to pick me up!" She giggled "Oh here he is now!" She waved to an older teenage boy who had blue hair. He walked through the door, smiling and waving at her.
"I'll be out in a second" She told him before removing her apron and disappearing behind to counter.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
I watched them leave. I'd never had that, no-one had ever come to pick me from my job or walked off hand in hand with me. I'd never had a real boyfriend. Don't get me wrong, I'd had a few teenage-love relationships but then again could you really call kissing the faces off each other behind the school building a real relationship? No...I doubt that. Those kind of boys had never taken me seriously. I know what my mother would say if I spoke to her about this, 'You have your whole life ahead of you' and 'you're young and beautiful - you'll find someone' but those are cliches, those won't help me in real life. She only says the things that she thinks I want to hear, she's never liked me. Rain still tumbled down onto the people passing by, I was more bothered about my leaky apartment roof. I pushed a stray stand of hair back into it's place, my short hair was both easy to manage and practical for everyday life. I sipped my coffee and let my eyes wander back to the little streaks of rain. If I closed my eyes, the pitter-patter of the rain hitting the glass was quite melodious and for a little while I could prentend I was somewhere else. But I wasn't somewhere else, I was in a plain and boring city, jobless and mainly relying on my Mother for rent money. It was mid September and so the wintery months were almost here, I think I prefer Winter to Autumn, Spring and Summer - mainly because Winter is the only time we get weather other than rain. When I was younger, I'd try to build myself a Father out of snow. I'd pretend that he read me stories and that he played with me but I always felt like I was missing something important from my snow-father figure. That's why I always look forward to the first snow, I always feel like...if I see the first snow of every year...I'll realise what I've been missing all these years. I looked down at my cup of coffee, it didn't taste nice. It never does, yet I always buy the same type, everytime time. I sighed, it was probably even worse now since I'd let it go cold. Looking up out of the window, I noticed something (or should I say someone) out of the ordinary. A man with chocolate brown hair was walking down the street dodging people who completely ignored him as he darted infront of them. Something about him intrigued me, I don't know what it was but for some reason I had this urge to follow after him. You can't, however, just chase some guy down the street. Atleast, thats what I should have thought. I should have just stayed and finished my coffee, I never should've allowed myself to leave. Thinking back on it now, it's completely absurd that I'd even think of following some guy.
"I must be crazy" I mumbled whilst getting up. I took out some money and placed it on the table, I then took out a pen and some paper and scribbled 'here is a tip for the turquoise girl'. I then thanked the owner before leaving.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
"Yo taxi!" I called out into the we aren't supposed to do that here but it's ok. I finally hijacked one and clambered into it.
"Hey follow that guy with the brown hair and red jacket for me" I ordered the driver. He looked around blankly, as if he couldn't see the man who was wearing a bright red jacket.
"...I don't think I'm allowed to do that for you Miss" He grunted back.
"But I know him" I quickly shot back
"Oh really?" The man said raising an eyebrow. "What's his name?"
"Seiji"
"Seiji what?"
"...Am..a...sa-wa? Amasawa!" I replied confidently "Seiji Amasawa!"
"That's the main character from Whisper Of The Heart" He looked at me.
"Fine!" I got out of the taxi and took to running after the guy instead. This was fairly difficult on my part because I couldn't run properly in the clothes I was wearing, well I could've but I doubt people would have wanted to see my underwear. Before long I'd lost sight of the boy.
"Hmph, and just when I thought I'd have a little excitement in my life" I sulked. Walking back to my apartment was probably the most painful 45 minutes of my life, it was pouring and so my milk chocolate hair was now dark chocolate in colour. It stuck to my forehead in little strips which only added to the painfulness of the journey. Every now and then a small drip would land on my nose, I was constantly wiping my face. Cars flashed past me, their frantic windscreen wipers catapulting rain off the windscreen like a child throwing toys around in their playroom. Occasionally someone would wind the window down and comment on my attractiveness, I replied with a word that shouldn't have been in my vocabulary. Like I care what I look like when it's pouring with rain.
"Ahh~ Finally!" I exclaimed with joy when I reached my apartment. I reached for my bag to get my keys. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. It took me several seconds to process what I'd done. I'd left my bag in the small coffee shop and that was a 45 minute walk away, "Oh my god, I'm the most stupid person in the world"
"Umm excuse me miss?" I heard a voice behind me. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah...I'm fine" I swivelled around and came face-to-face with a the chocolate haired man. "I'm totally fine"
"That's good" He smiled and I almost melted, "I was worried when I saw you stood alone in the rain"
"Yeah, I just...left my bag back in a coffee shop in town" I said looking at him with curiousity. I already knew, this was the boy who I'd wanted to chase only an hour ago.
"Oh really? What coffee shop? I'll come with you" He smiled again and I politely shook my head.
"Nah, it's close by and you won't want to go out into the rain again on my behalf"
"Oh I don't mind" He looked down at his clothes "I'm pretty wet already"
"It's only a five minute walk" I smiled gratefully.
"Well then! You shouldn't mind if I come" He was so persistant. I bit my lip,
"Actually I lied, it's on the other side of town" I looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry for lying, I didn't want you to get wet on behalf of me"
"But, to go all the way to the other side of town would be a 45 minute walk at the least! That's an hour and a half there and back! Now I'm definitely coming with you"
"Why is it now definitely? Shouldn't you be telling me that you just remembered you have to do Mummy's washing?"
"It's already dark! I could never allow a girl to go all that way on her own" He raised his voice as if he was really concerned about me.
"Well then, Mr Escort, lead the way..." I laughed.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
"So, you've always lived here then? In this town I mean"
"Yeah, pretty much" I sighed. This town, I'd been here my whole life. "What about you?"
"Oh, I've lived in various places, England, America, Australia, India, Germany, Brazil and now I'm here"
"Wow! That's pretty impressive for someone so young" To think that he'd lived in so many places.
"As a kid I moved around a lot, my parents had jobs that required them to travel so we were always moving" He looked at me almost as if to see if I believed him. "So what about you? What did your parents do?"
"Ah well, my Mother came from serious money so she's never worked, really she's like a spoiled child" I slowed my walking pace alittle bit. "And I've never met my Father, apparently he died before I was born but my Mother never speaks about it"
"Oh - I'm so sorry, I never meant to bring up sad memories"
"Nah, it's ok" I was used to this by now. "I've never had a Father right? So how can you miss something you've never had?"
"I see" He still looked sad and sympathtic. "What about siblings? Do you have any?"
"No, as a child I was put into the care of a team of caretakers, I barely saw my Mother but my personal maid was like an older sister to me"
"Your life sounded interesting"
"And very, very lonely" I pointed out,
"Yeah, it must have been" I looked up, the rain had stopped just as the shop came into view.
"WAIT HAKU! DON'T SHUT UP THE SHOP YET!" I shouted to the silver haired owner, running up to her and waving.
"Oh! Meiko!" Haku smiled looking at me. "I was going to drive to your apartment and drop off your bag that you left"
"Are you being serious?!" I collapsed on the floor.
"Meiko are you ok?"
"Well, well, well, who is this?" Haku said looking at my companion, he looked back in disbelief.
"This" I said pointing at the boy. "Is Meito, he offered to walk me to the shop when I told him I'd left my bag"
"So, Meiko is finally moving on in her life?" Haku patted me on the back. "And you got such a nice boy too!"
"Moving on?" I asked, folding my arms. "What's that's supposed to mean?" But Haku was too busy talking to Meito to be listening to me.
"So you...like sake?" She asked moving closer to him.
"I've never tried it" He smiled kindly at her.
"Haku, please could you drive us back to my apartment block?" Then I looked at Meito. "That is, is it ok with you?"
"Sure" As he shrugged his shoulders, his beautiful brown eyes closed slightly. I was staring at him, he noticed and smiled at me. That's when I began to panic. He was gonna think I was the weirdest woman alive now.
"Are you...ok?" Haku asked me.
"YeahI'mfineeverything' ?AreyouokHaku?DoyoulikepokemonbecauseIlikepokemone speciallypikachusinceit'sreallycut-"
"Meiko! Breathe!" Meito shook my shoulders playfully and I turned away, blushing awkwardly.
"Sorry, I had a Meiko moment then" I appologised to them both and began to giggle.
"Ok well, the car's parked just around here. Come on, I'll take you home" Haku said, leading us to her car.
Please don't say anything to make it awkward, please don't say anything to make it awkward. I knew that any minute, Haku would have a Haku moment and say something completely random and everything would go silent and then after 4 seconds...it would be awkward.
"So when's the wedding?" Haku asked, turning around to look at both Meito and I as she pulled up to a traffic light. HAKU YOU IDIOT! THIS WAS DEFINITELY A MOOD KILLER, THE ONLY THING SHE COULD'VE SAID THAT WAS POSSIBLY WORSE THAN THIS WAS 'WHEN'S THE BABY DU-'. I was cut off from thinking by Meito.
"Well, I'm thinking...in the spring" Meito replied turning to me. "That sound ok to you?"
"Sounds lovely" I smiled. Oh sweet baby Jesus, Meito you beautiful human being, thankyou for not letting the mood get killed. We stopped outside my apartment block, Meito and I climbed out of Haku's iron grey car.
"Let me know when the date's been decided!" Haku called as she continued down the street.
"Well, it's been fun meeting you Meiko, I'd like to go out places with you more often" He might've blushed but the dim light made it difficult to tell.
"Likewise, here..." I handed him a slip of paper, "It's my number so you can text and call"
"Yeah...see you later Meiko" I waited for him to walk away before I unlocked my apartment door. Once inside, I screamed, I pinched myself, I jumped off my settee. It was real. It was all real. A beautiful and nice boy had actually shown interest in me, not in my chest or my mouth. Me.
"Would you shut up?!" A muffled voice yelled from below me. "You crazy spinster"
"Spinster?!" I asked. "What even is a spinster?" I shrugged and then changed into some pajamas. Looks like that excitement I wanted in my life, was actually going to happen.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
October came and went pretty fast, Meito and I decided we'd make our meetings a regular thing. Every Saturday we'd go to the little coffee shop then go to the park. It was nice to see the change in colour of the leaves, every leaf that changed from green to golden reminded me...reminded me...that winter was close.
"I'll have two coffees please" I told the turquoise girl.
"You've been very thirsty this past month huh Meiko?" She giggled.
"Uhh, yeah?" I didn't get the joke but it was ok. I watched as she walked off. "What do you think of her?" I asked Meito.
"She seems nice but annoying"
"No, I mean...the way she looks"
"Oh right...well she's sorta pretty but she's not got a thing on you"
"I can't believe that just came out of your mouth" I laughed. "Mr Cliche"
"Here are your drinks Meiko!" Miku sang out as she placed the drinks on the table before skipping off again.
"That was rude, she didn't even say anything to you"
"Ehehe, yeah" Meito rubbed the back of his head. I brushed it off as nothing but I had a feeling it meant something. "Look at all the leaves everywhere!"
"I know, it's incredible. I love the colours of Autumn! I think the red, golds and oranges make the whole town look warmer, even when it's pouring with rain"
"I know what you mean, even though it's spitting outside right now, it looks nice"
"I wouldn't mind if it only rained in Autumn and Spring but when it rains even throughout the Summer it's just depressing to live here"
"What about now that I'm here?"
"It's much better - I'll give you that" I laughed and sipped at my coffee.
"There's a fireworks display on tonight - don't forget! We're going to watch it!"
"Like I could forget! I love Bonfire Night" I smiled. Every year I went, alone I might add, to go and watch the fireworks display held in Kuro Park. "November 5th, I love the smell of the night air" I covered my mouth, I'd said something weird infront of Meito again.
"Me too! It smells lovely when the bonfire is lit, don't you think?"
"Yeah!" I breathed a sigh of relief, thank the Lord he didn't think I was weird.
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Before long we were walking, hand-in-hand, in the park. Children ran past, some kicking in the leaves, some holding their parent's hands, it made my heart feel just that little bit warmer to know that those children would grow up in a loving family.
"It's gonna pour isn't it?" I looked up at the graphite grey sky and sighed, my walk with Meito would once again, get cut short.
"Yeah, the clouds are coming over thicker" Meito seemed sad.
"I'm wearing a coat, we can still walk in the rain" I suggested. For a split second Meito looked pained and then he feigned another smile.
"Sure, I'd like to talk you for as long as I can" Meito laughed.
"And why's that?" I asked. Meito looked up at the sky through the trees.
"Well...you never know when your last day on this planet will be, I don't know when we'll have to part ways so whilst I can be with you - I'd like to savour each moment" As soon as he let those words roll off his tongue, all sound stopped. A gentle breeze blew through his hair, ruffling it. After a second of silence all the noise came rushing back.
"Don't say that! If you think like that then...then...it's like your wishing death upon yourself"
"It's the truth. Even though it's sad to say outloud, it's the truth" Meito squeezed my hand tighter.
"It's too sad to think about and I'd rather not" I let go of his hand and folded my arms, "It's getting colder" I tried to change the subject but Meito hung back. I hung back too and allowed my fingers to entwine with Meito's once again.
"Like the transition from rain to snow" Meito whispered softly.
"What?" I asked puzzled.
"Like the transition from rain to snow" He said again, looking at me this time.
"What is?"
"Oh nothing really, I was just thinking about how you never know what date the first snow will fall on, you never know when the rain will decide to become snow. It makes me think of our time together. If one day, the rain just decides to fall as snow then what's stopping fate to one day take a human life? The loss of a loved one is the bitter coldness of the snow and the change is having to live your life without that person next to you"
"It's very sad if you think about it in that way"
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, to think that someone's fate is like the transition of rain to snow" I gently tugged at Meito's hand. "It's just makes me upset to think that one day I could be talking to someone and then the next they're gone from my life forever"
"Do you believe that? If I were to die within the next couple of days, would you believe that I've gone forever?" Meito's chocolate eyes were shimmering as he looked at me.
"I don't like hearing you say, 'if I were to die' - It's a topic I'd rather not discuss"
"The fact is, I'd hope that you would remember me, I'd hope that you would still find time in your day to think about me. If I were to die - just knowing that you'd be doing those things, that would make me very happy"
"Please Meito, stop wishing death upon yourself"
"Ok, for your sake I will stop" He placed his hand over his mouth and coughed gently.
"I have to go to the shop but if you want to go home now you can, you know" I laughed. "I don't want you to get ill"
"I won't get ill"
"I'll trust you then"
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
The small corner shop that was always full of hurrying people was unusually quiet. There was an old lady and a man with long purple hair in the shop, that was it.
"Oh, hey! You should buy this" Meito pointed to a bottle of sake. I walked over.
"I dunno, it looks horrible" I crinkled my nose and looked at it disgustedly whilst reading the label.
"I like it, maybe you will" He shrugged.
"I'm not in the mood for alcohol, buuut, when I do decide to try it - you can be the first to know"
"I'll be waiting" He winked at me. I melted inside, I couldn't believe that this was a guy I'd met only 2 months ago. It's hard to imagine back when I wasn't with Meito. Back when I was lonely, so, so lonely. I had a list of things I needed so I wasn't too fussed about time, afterall, it's as Meito said, who know's when our last day together is? I glanced at him, he seemed to be getting excited over one thing or another, I laughed quietly to myself. I'd miss him if he died, I'd definitely miss him if he died.
"Meito? Can I ask you somethin-" I felt myself wobble, I lifted my hand to my head.
"Meiko? Are you ok?" Meito turned and looked at me,
"Yeah, I think I'm ok" I steadied myself, the brief moment of sickness passed.
"Excuse me Miss, but are you ok?" A snowy haired boy who was stacking shelves beside me said.
"Yeah, I have Meito with me" I waved my hand in Meito's general direction. The boy looked where I'd gestured, stared straight at Meito and then turned back to me, smiling sympathetically.
"Meiko, lets go" Meito hurried me out of the shop.
"That boy was rude wasn't he?! He didn't even say anything to you!"
"Ehe, yeah - I guess..." He rubbed the back of his head as we walked along. "But he was just a teenager and you know how they are"
"Hmm, it's still rude, teenager or not" I mumbled under my breath.
"Hey Meiko?" Meito slowed his walking pace and gently turned to face me.
"Yes?"
"Why do you want to see the first snow so badly?" Time stopped, or maybe it was just me stopping, I couldn't tell. I'd never told Meito about loving seeing the first snow. My eyes blurred and Meito's features slowly slipped out of my vision, tears? No, it was more like disbelief.
"W...what gives you the impression I want to see the first snow?"
"Oh nothing specific really, it's just the way you act when I mention snow"
"Oh, well, it's kind of stupid really but every year I go and stand in the first snow as it falls to the ground" I closed my eyes and brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes.
"Oh really?" Meito looked at me, it was partly the kind of look that a mother would do to child but also partly the kind of look that an adult would do to a toy they had as child. I was slightly confused, I didn't understand why Meito would feel motherly or nostalgic towards me.
"Yeah, it's like, I was pretty happy as a child, you know? But, I always had an empty place, even now. The empty place is there" I placed my hand over my heart and it gently thumped against it.
"An empty place?"
"Yeah and...when I was younger I read a story about a girl who found what she was looking for in the first snow...ever since then I've gone outside every year to stand in the first snow - in hopes that I'll find my missing something"
"That's a pretty cute story Mei"
"My nurse used to call me Mei" Tears stung my eyes. Why? I didn't know and I still don't know now, something about Meito made me glad I'd met him.
"Hey, don't cry. If you cry then I'll cry and then we'll both be crying and we'll look super weird and then we'll have committed social suicide"
"That's...a little...extreme don't you think?" I laughed softly as I wiped my eyes on my coat sleeve.
"Maybe but I got you to laugh didn't I?" Meito gently squeezed my hand.
"That's true, you know...if it's not too weird then do you want to go somewhere tomorrow?"
"Sure, where do you want to go?"
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
"Oh god! I'm...I'm so sorry Meiko, I just rememebered that I have to go and meet an old friend tomorrow"
"Ahh no, it's fine - I can't expect you to come everywhere with me" I smiled as I turned to open my apartment door. "Wanna come in?"
"Nah, I'm gonna go now, see you soon Mei" He kissed my cheek and I hugged him, holding on tightly. He broke the hug and then turned to walk away, I grabbed his wrist.
"What is it?" He asked softly, the overhead light cast a shadow onto his face.
"It's just, I feel...that our time together is coming to a close..." I whispered gently. Meito didn't say anything, nothing at all. He just squeezed my hand and then left.
He'd been acting normally up until I asked him to come with me tomorrow. I asked him if he could go and visit my Maid's grave with me and then he just temporarily freaked out before telling me that he couldn't go. Tomorrow it would be 7 years since she'd died. I looked up at the wintery sky and sighed.
"7 years, 7 years since I was 15" I let out another sigh. "Luka, has it really been that long since you passed away?" It was hard to believe that it had been 7 years since the day I'd cried so much. I think, that day, I actually only stopped crying to breathe every ten seconds or so. I refused to eat, I locked myself in the room I'd once played so happily in. It's sad isn't it? How you can be perfectly well until you step into the doctors office and they tell you that you have an incurable illness? Yeah and the illness doesn't care who the person is, they can be a drug addict, a criminal, a homeless person, a lawyer, a kindhearted maid that made a small child happy but at the end of the day the illness doesn't care. It never has and it never will. A victim is a victim and inflicting pain on loved ones is what that illness does best. Something about the way the world works gets me thinking. It's strange to think that thousands die every day, to their family they're leaving pain and sadness but to someone like me, they're leaving nothing. People can mean so much to some and so little to others, does this make us (as humans) selfish creatures? What difference does it make if you know them or not, shouldn't everyone feel sadness when someone dies? Or would that create chaos throughout the world? I can't say, I just think that if a person dies, more people should know. Know what they did for someone, even if it was only one person. My mother was the least sympathetic person when Luka died, she didn't understand what Luka did for me and what she did for anyone who's ever met me. I wouldn't be the person I am if she wouldn't have been in my life. I'd have been ice cold and cruel to most people, the sad truth is, I'd have been my Mother. I'd never have met Meito and I'd never have fallen in love. I gasped. Love? Really?
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
What do you wear when visiting a grave? Black? I chose to, there's no harm in dressing formally when going to visit the dead. The sea of gravestones weren't scary or depressing as they tend to be shown. Infact, they were incredibly calming, the gentle breeze that ruffled my hair and rustled the leaves on the floor pulled me in through the rusted gate, it used to be well kept - painted a beautiful midnight blue colour and the floor was always swept, the place used to be breathtaking. The caretaker died and then I guess whoever was incharge of the place decided not to bother hiring a new one. I shivered slightly as I stepped inside, the rows and rows of gravestones looked back at me kindly, I smiled. I'm sure Luka found plenty of friends in a place like this. I'm sure she's still watching me today, helping me get through life.
"Hello Kaori, I've come to visit you" I smiled at the marble slab infront of me. "It's been such a long time since I've come to see you, I hope you aren't too mad with me"
I plopped down, and stared at the stone, tracing the loopy gold writing with my finger. Some form of dust gathered on my fingertip, wiping it away I continued to speak to the stone infront of me.
"You know, I met a boy" I laughed. "You always said that you'd have to approve of any boyfriend I got, so, if I tell you allllllllllllllllll about him, will you approve?"
And so, I sat. I sat and I talked for hours about Meito. I told her about the way he'd described the transition of rain to snow and how he'd linked it to death. I told her about how he'd made me happy once again, I also told her about the fact that I felt we'd no longer be seeing each other. As the sky began to darken I closed my monologue. Had Luka have been here she'd have smiled and told me that she approved. When I was first put into the care of Luka, I was incredibly rude towards her but never once did she say a bad thing to me. She always knew how to handle me, she was the perfect older sister I'd always wished for. Just as I was standing up, a smaller and less grand gravestone caught my attention, it looked as though no one had been to clean it up in years,
"People treat things with so little respect" I sighed and walked over to it. Crouching before it, I brushed away the leaves and wrappers that littered the area around it. I gently wiped over the stone face and began to read.
"My spoiled younger brother, you will be missed, have fun up there and be sure to wait for me! 1991-2008" I laughed softly, this person must've been loved when they were alive. And they died young, they were only 17, born the same year I was too. "Meito...Sakine" I read. But, that couldn't be...Meito, he...he wasn't dead! An old photo was curled up beside it, I lifted the rock that held it in place and picked it up. The photo looked like it had hardly aged, my guess was that it has been newly printed and placed on the gravestone when this boy was originally buried. On the back of the photo it said:
Meito and Kaito at Kaito's wedding 2008. When I turned it over I saw a 17year old boy smiling, he was wearing a suit - as if he'd been somewhere important and he looked exactly like a younger version of Meito. The other boy who I assumed to be his brother was both taller and better looking than Meito but the way they both looked showed that the family bond between them was very strong. Another piece of paper was fluttering in the wind, I released it from where it was trapped and looked at it.
"A newspaper article?"
"Read it Mei" I looked up and saw Meito smiling down at me but the smile held no warmth, he looked much, much sadder than before.
"Meito I-"
"Just...read it" He stopped me and waited both patiently and silently for me to read. Boy, 17, killed after brother's wedding. The article told of how a boy, Meito Sakine, was killed moments after celebrating his brother's marriage, he came out of the church to get some air and then when he refused to give his phone and money to a passerby, they stabbed him. He'd been in Intensive Care for several days before everyone's worst fears sank in, Meito was slowly dying, no one could help him. His parents were distraught and his brother blamed himself. One week after the wedding, Meito passed away, he left his brother a written message, sadly, his brother couldn't read what it said since the letter had gotten wet and so the words were illegible. The family of the boy tried to convict the murderer but he was found not guilty. In the end, Meito was another person dead, he meant nothing to the man who killed him, yet, he meant the world to so, so many others.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
"You...I..." I paused. "I always thought there was something slightly off with you"
"I'm sorry Meiko, I wanted to tell you, I wanted to really...but..." He stepped towards me, I stepped back. "You were so happy, if I was still alive, I'd truly love you"
"The taxi driver, Miku, the teenager from the shop, none of them could see you could they?"
"Meiko I-"
"Could they?!" My eyes were filling up with tears. I sank to the floor. "And Haku, you seemed genuinely surprised when she could see you"
"No, they couldn't see me and I don't know why she could see me, you'll have to ask her"
"Why wouldn't you just tell me? All those times I thought that they were being rude or ignorant. I never, never, suspected that it was because you were dead"
"There were complications in my transition" He stepped closer again and this time I stayed put. "I was told that there was something I was missing, something that I needed in order to enter life after death"
"Really? And what was that?" I asked cautiously.
"Love" He sighed. "You helped me Mei, you were the one who managed to complete my transition"
"But...I didn't do anything!"
"You did, you showed me how to love romantically" He held my hand in his ghostly one. "I'd always said when I was alive, that the only thing I'd wish for, is to feel romantic love before I die"
"Please don't leave me Meito, I love you too, I really, really love you" He pulled my head closer to his as if he was going to hug me, murmered a few words into my ear and then he was gone. I collapsed to the ground and clasped my hands over my face, my heart began to pour into them.
"You knew all along! You knew we could never be together...why did I have to fall in love with you?!" I sobbed. The sadness was overwhelming, it really was just like Meito had said, the bitter coldness of the ice-cold snow had entered my heart. Meito. I will always love you.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
My best friend Rin Kagamine who was 2 or 3 years younger than me shut the small book she was holding in her petite little hands.
"Meiko! This is by far your best book!"
"Ehe, you think?" I smiled as I looked at the cover. I'd written other books before this one and many, many after it but this one was my favourite. It showed the beauty of a relationship and the hardships involved with handling death.
"You have to finish it! I want to know what Meito said to Meiko before he disappeared!" She was really bubbly and, despite her age, always wore a large white bow that bobbed up and down as she moved. I took a sip of my coffee,
"If you want to know I'll tell you"
"I want to, I want to!"
"Meito said, that Luka approves" I smiled. Rin's expression was puzzled.
"What?"
"He said, that Luka approves"
"I heard you, I just don't understand you"
"Well, the Meiko said that the nurse would approve right?"
"Yeah..."
"And she did" I looked into my coffee cup and sighed.
"And what about Haku? Why could she see Meito?"
"Well, Haku is a psychic although you learn more about her in book two"
"Too bad it's just a book! It's really nice and romantic~" Rin sighed and held her hands over her heart. A bleep came from her pocket, she whipped it out and quickly tapped a response. "Agh! That was Len, it seems like Miku is having the baby! I'm taking this book over to the hospital with me! Miku'll love to know that she's in it!"
"If only it just a book" I murmered.
"Did you say something?" Rin asked as she stood up.
"No. Nothing important"
"Well, ok then - I'm so sorry for running out on you like this"
"No, don't be, I have to get home now anyway" I picked up my bag and my coat which was draped over the back of my chair. Yes. It was in a small coffee shop, just like this one, that, 5 years ago - I met the most wonderful person, someone who could never be replaced. Let everyone else believe that you are just a storybook character, but I know, that Meito - you exist.
~(.~) ~(o.o")~ (~.)~
I sat back in my red armchair and took a sip of my sake. You were right Meito, sake is really good - I could become obsessed with this. I had just begun to relax when my phone rang,
"Meiko, Meiko!"
"Rin, Rin!"
"Look outside, the first snow is falling!" My head snapped up to look at the window, sure enough, crisp white snowflakes were falling to the ground, twirling and dancing like little fairies. "Miku had her baby, she wants you to know that she loved your story!"
"Well I'm glad to hear that!"
"She had a baby boy and...she called it Meito" I froze. "Meiko?! Meiko?! Are you there?...Guess she hung up"
I snapped my phone shut and looked up at the sky. 5 years later and you are still impacting my life. Hey Meito? Remember when I told you that I've been looking for that something to fill the hole in my heart? I pulled open the door and stepped out into the first snow. I've found it, it was sake.
Wooooo! Finally finished this xD
Rosie-Chan xxxx