Raikou was gone. He had been for a while now. His smile, his kindness...all gone. Ripped away from them through the actions of a selfish man.
The two stood in front of a tombstone. Soft sobs came from the young girl's lips, her blond bangs covering her eyes as she squatted in front of her brother's tombstone. Gau stood behind her, back straight, hand raised to have black eyes stare at the bracelet that was permanently attached to his wrist. He forced back tears that threatened to fall onto the red Amaryllis that surrounded the two. "It's...already been a year...hasn't it?" The young Wakachi asked aloud. Only a small nod and more tears came as a reply.
Gau couldn't take it anymore. A swift turn on the heel, he turned his back on the ruins of the Shimizu family. He turned his back on the tombstone that held his best friends name. He turned his back on shirogamon, the blade that stood behind the tomb. With slow but steady footsteps, he left Raimei to cry, tears finally spilling onto the glowing red flowers he carefully tried not to crush.
A year, he had been without Raikou. A year, he had been with a broken heart. A year, the only thought that went through his head over and over was 'If only I had been there to take the blow for him, maybe he would still be alive today." Gau knew that Raikou would disapprove of this thinking, that he would scold him for it, but Gau thought it truth. Gently touching the scar that marred his chest and stomach, his eyes drifting up into the sky once the trees had finally cleared away to show the gray clouds.
"Raikou-san..." A soft whisper came from his throat, "Why aren't you here with me...?"
The pair moved onto the bus, their faces sullen. "So..." Raimei began, taking her seat at the very back next to Gau. "How are you getting along?" She looked to him, a few stray tears still on her cheeks. Gau reached out, gently brushing them away, giving her a forced smile. The time for mourning had passed.
"I'm getting along fine," he commented. "I mean, other than being a little lonely in the new apartment," a small chuckle emitted from his lips as he turned forwards, hands in his lap. "I'll probably start looking for a roommate soon."
"Good luck," Raimei said, trying to make her voice sound cheerful. "You know if you can't find one you can just come back and stay with one of us. I'm sure Tabari-sensei or Koichi wouldn't mind," kicking her feet gently, she looked away from the black haired boy. The conversation seemed to stop, neither of them really knowing what to say.
It wasn't long before the bus came to a stop, the duo getting off. They stood there for a few minutes, in awkward silence. "Well," Raimei began. "I guess I'll be seeing you, Gau," slowly she turned around.
"Yeah," the Wakachi said, rubbing the back of his head. "See you..." Turning around, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He could hear Raimei's footsteps receding as his slowly started, making the distance between them greater.