A/N: Recently, I read a very sad story where the characters keep dying. I got my heart broken, so I've decided to break more hearts. I got a bit of inspiration from Kagerou Days as well. It's always fascinating to write stories about time loops and endless predicaments. I chose Emil and Leon because...well, it never gets tiring to craft a bittersweet love between them. I hope this one won't make you cry too much. Reviews appreciated as always :)
(1)
The boy leant against the railing and peered down. The intersected streets formed a beautiful maze. Cars drifted past like a flowing river. People walked. People stopped. They talked. They met. They went past one another. They never looked up.
He climbed up and sat on the railing. His legs dangled in the air. Wind slapped his face. He closed his eyes and listened tranquilly to his own heartbeat.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sky was a cloudless blue. Spotless. Pure. Unlike his life, which was full of flaws and holes. He loosened his grip on the cold metal and spread his arms.
Seven floors up in the air. He wondered what would be the impact of his fall. How many bones could he possibly break? How much blood would he shed? How many tears would he cry?
It doesn't matter.
There was a dream down below. A dream he had been having repeatedly for a while. He wasn't afraid to embrace it.
Let the birds sing.
Let their wings flap.
Let the heart fly.
"Wait!"
Intervention.
He opened his eyes and frowned.
"Don't…Don't do that!" a voice quavered. "I'm begging you..."
He blinked. For once, he noticed the height and how dangerously he was hanging up in the sky. Like a thread, stretched to its maximum, ready to break.
He turned around and met those amethyst orbs for the first time. The boy had a head of sleek, silvery hair. His skin was pale. His eyes widened. Something sparkled.
Tears?
Why would a stranger weep for him?
Leon frowned.
"Come back down," the boy said, walking slowly towards Leon. "Take my hand."
He offered.
"Don't do something you'll regret," he added.
Leon didn't know what crossed his mind, but he had a hunch that this boy was different. Different from everyone else. He had met him before. Somewhere. He couldn't remember it though. Maybe it was one of his dreams.
He reached out his hand. The boy grabbed his wrist firmly and yanked him back. They both fell to the ground.
"Thank God." The boy heaved a sigh of relief and hugged him.
"Who…Who're you?" Leon asked. His heart wouldn't stop racing. The boy felt it too. The beating of his heart against his chest.
"I'm Emil, by the way."
And that's how they met.
How the story begins.
(2)
The bell rang. Students put away their books and scurried out of the classroom. The loud chatters filled the room.
Leon closed his book calmly and stared out of the window. The leaves were falling. They scattered on the ground. A shade of crimson.
"Hey, wanna grab some lunch together?" Emil poked him with a pencil.
He nodded and stood up.
"Let's go."
It had been three years since they met on the rooftop. Emil saved him that day, after he stormed of home. Nothing was right at that point. His parents had gotten a divorce. He had just moved in with his dad. Nobody talked to him in his new school. His grades slipped. He missed his siblings and the old neighbourhood. He wasn't sure why he went to the rooftop. There was a moment he thought something might happen there. It was as if someone was waiting for him.
A change.
A reason.
He got attracted to the view. He hopped over the railing. He thought he saw another world on the other side of the ground. Emil's voice was tender and comforting. He had heard it a thousand times before. When his arms wrapped around him, he felt nothing but warmth. A feeling of love.
Strange. They had just met. But they seemed to have been together for a decade… or more.
He grabbed a piece of pork with his chopsticks and placed it on Emil's plate. Emil smiled and handed him his cider.
"Try some?"
Leon took a sip of it.
"How's it going with your dad?" Emil asked, twirling his fork.
"Same as usual," Leon replied nonchalantly. "He, like, goes to work. I go to school. We, like, have dinner together. That's pretty much it."
"Have you been seeing your mum lately?"
"Yea, we skyped last Saturday," Leon said. "Nothing much to say between us."
Emil nodded and stared at his meal silently.
"Emil," Leon paused. His boyfriend looked up curiously and smiled. "Yea?"
"Which college are you, like, opting for?"
"Oh that…" Emil mused and fiddled with the rim of his glass. "I haven't had one in mind. Wherever you go, I guess."
"I'm actually, like, thinking I'll follow you." Leon chuckled.
"It doesn't matter then." Emil laughed. "We'll just pick the same one?"
"Yea."
(3)
He was the only one who would talk and spend time with him like a normal person.
They started dating last Christmas. Emil invited him over to his house because he didn't want to be alone. He came from the Northern Europe. His brother, Lukas, was studying in Norway. He stayed in England by himself. Every Christmas before he met Leon was always the same. He would spend it alone on video games, anime marathon, books and self-cooked dinner. His family would send him presents because they couldn't come to visit due to work. He would always leave the gifts till the end of the holiday and opened them. One by one. More cardigans, games and books.
They went out for dinner that night. Leon couldn't stand the cold. Before his parents got separated, he lived in Hong Kong. The lowest temperate in winter is around 8 to 9 °C. He wore layers of sweaters and a thick coat. Emil found it adorable when he shivered and sneezed. His cheeks were flushed and dry. It made him want to fondle them. When he cupped them, they were actually warm and soft. Leon had blushed and gaped at him. Emil asked him to hold his hand.
"It would be warmer that way," he had said. That was an excuse. He just wanted to hold his hand. He was delighted that Leon didn't reject him. The brunette grabbed his hand timidly and scooted closer to him. They strolled down the street like a couple.
After dinner, they went back to Emil's place. They played some games, watched some television and had desserts. Christmas pudding. Leon loved gingerbread. They had had a bit of champagne. Mathias, Lukas' Danish boyfriend, gave it to him as a birthday gift. He had never bothered to open it because there was no one to share. He tried a glass with Leon. They both couldn't take the alcohol and so ended up intoxicated. It was another beautiful accident, because the drunkenness gave him the excuse to peck at his lips. They kissed.
First kiss.
No…
Leon felt that they had kissed before. In his long, lost dream, he had held this boy's body and cradled him. He had tasted Emil's lips and got used to his scent. He had caressed those gorgeous, bright locks that were always in a cute mess. Emil hardly combed his hair. He enjoyed combing Leon's though. He liked twiddling his side bangs and tying his hair into a tiny ponytail.
Their lips brushed across each other briefly. They panted and blushed.
"Wanna do something more?" Emil grinned.
"Like, what?"
"I don't know." He shrugged and lay down on the mat they had put before the couch, along with lots of cushions and blankets for them. He dragged Leon down with him and snuggled up against him. "Your suggestion?"
"You know," Leon mumbled and touched Emil's face. "I feel like we've done this before…"
"Same here," Emil said. "So, it's not just me."
"From the moment you appeared on that rooftop, it's, like, we were meant to meet."
"Yes." Emil nuzzled his neck.
"I think I like you."
"I like you too."
(4)
Leon got the cone from the old lady and handed Emil his blueberry ice-cream.
"Caramel again?" Emil said. "Seriously, at this rate you're gonna get diabetes."
"Will you still love me then?" Leon giggled. "If I, like, ever get diabetes."
"Silly." Emil pinched him and took his hand. "Guess I'll have to help out a bit." He snickered and stole a big bite from Leon's cone.
"You're, like, the one who loves sweet things," Leon said, licking off the cream at Emil's lip corners. Emil blushed and looked away.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
No one was prepared for that.
They were near the bottom of a steep road. A honk pierced his ears. There were yells and shrieks from afar. A truck came rushing downhill. The tyres screeched. It attempted an abrupt turn. The ropes snapped. The cargo sprang off and went flying in the air.
Emil's eyes widened. He dropped the cone and shoved Leon away. The brunette stumbled back. The cargo missed him by several inches. A scream. Blood sputtered, tainting his ice-cream a scarlet red. He fell on his bottom. Emil's blood splashed on his face. Red. Red everywhere.
His pale hand stuck out from the gigantic cargo. His body was crushed. His eyes stared unblinkingly at Leon. Tears blended with his blood. He managed an agonising mumble.
"L-Leon…"
Leon gawked at his boyfriend. Petrified, he crawled towards Emil's mauled body and attempted to pull it out from the cargo. It wouldn't bulge. He remembered his own cries. He remembered how he held his head in his hands and shook it deliriously. How people had to drag him away and calm him. How…
He felt that a part of him was torn off.
Emil was rushed into the hospital. But long before he reached there, his pulse had stopped. Leon didn't wash the blood until the next morning. His father, Arthur, arrived at the hospital and hugged him.
He felt nothing.
Numb.
He refused to leave the hospital. They had to sedate him and let Arthur take him home.
Leon woke up believing that it was a dream. A horrendous dream. But it wasn't. When he opened his eyes again, Emil was no longer by his side. He was gone. He could no longer hear his voice; feel his touch; taste his lips.
He walked towards the window and looked out.
"Emil," he cooed. Tears streamed down his face. He clutched his chest and cried and cried.
(5)
He found the watch by accident.
Emil's family flew back to London. Precisely two weeks after his death, Leon attended Emi's funeral. He looked calm and peaceful. All the blood was gone. The wounds were hidden beneath the make-up. His face was pale, his eyes sunken. Leon leant into the coffin and kissed his forehead one last time.
When he got home, he went straight into the storage room. He was looking for a cutter when he came across the watch in the drawer. A golden, pocket watch, carved with patterns of roses and thorns. The rim was adorned with sparkling small jewels. Leon wiped off the dust and held it up. He pressed the button on top. The hands started moving.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
"Leon?"
Leon slipped the watch into his pocket and ran out into the hallway.
"Thank goodness." Arthur draped his arm around his son's shoulder. "I thought you ran out again."
He gave Leon a soft pat on his back.
"Come on, don't be too harsh on yourself," Arthur said. "He wouldn't want to see you like this."
Leon didn't say anything. He kept the silent tears to himself.
(6)
The light woke him. Leon sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes. He groaned. His body ached. He dashed into the bathroom and rolled up his shirt. A bruise ran from his left chest to his belly. He touched the new found wound. It looked raw, but wasn't bleeding.
He went back to sleep. His phone started chiming. His hand fumbled on the nightstand. He grabbed the phone and held it to his ear.
"Morning, sleepyhead."
His eyes widened. He nearly dropped the gadget.
"Just checking if you're up yet." Emil's voice wafted out from the other side of the line. "Remember we have a date today?"
Leon checked the calendar.
No…it can't be true.
He went back to the same day the accident took place.
"Hello?"
"No!" Leon yelped. "No, don't…don't go out, Emil."
"What're you talking about?" Emil asked nervously.
Leon trotted out of his bedroom and barged into Arthur's room.
"Leon? What're you doing?" Arthur watched his son apprehensively.
He snatched Arthur's phone and checked the date.
14th August.
No doubt about that.
"Leon? Leon? Can you hear me?"
"So it was a dream…" Leon murmured.
"What dream? Leon? What's going on?"
"No…nothing...I'm fine," Leon replied and walked out of his father's room.
"Okay then, let's meet up in Hyde Park at ten?"
"Yea…"
Still thunderstruck, Leon dropped the phone to his bed. He looked out of the window and saw nothing but a cloudless, blue sky.
The day was bright. Same as usual.
(7)
"Emil!" He ran up to his boyfriend and embraced him. Emil blinked in confusion but hugged back. Leon refused to let go. He burrowed his face into Emil's shoulder. He wished time could have ceased.
"What's wrong?" Emil frowned. "You're shaking…"
"Don't…leave me, okay?" Leon mumbled and hugged his boyfriend tighter.
It was real. Emil was real. His body was whole. He was still breathing. His heart was beating.
"You're acting weird today…" Emil chuckled and stroked Leon's hair. "Come on, let's go."
He took Leon's hand and pointed to the ice-cream shop across the street.
"Oh hey, look, wanna-"
"No!" Leon yelped and dragged Emil away from the shop. He ran and ran until they both ended up in the depth of the park.
"What's wrong with you?" Emil panted and wiggled out of Leon's grip.
Just then, he heard a thunderous noise. Broken glasses. Screams. Emil gasped and turned back.
As expected, the cargo went flying in the air. This time, it crashed straight into the wall.
Leon's heart skipped a beat. He watched in horror as people gathered around and yelled for help.
Emil glanced back at Leon. His feet were nailed to the ground. He couldn't move. Leon noticed this. He took the shuddering boy into his arms and mumbled, "Everything's okay now."
He had saved him.
(8)
A month had passed since the incident. Leon and Emil nearly forgot all about it.
They were walking down the street after school. Emil was humming and swinging his boyfriend's hand in glee. They got into their first college choice. They would be going to King's in September. They would move into the dormitory together.
Leon remembered that when he first arrived in London, he was lost. He couldn't handle the new environment, the new surroundings… He didn't want to start everything anew, when he had already had a bunch of siblings and friends back in Hong Kong. But then, he met Emil.
Everything changed.
His life had changed.
"Leon, watch out!"
He didn't see it coming. The metal pipe. They were doing a construction. Somehow, the string broke. The worker miscalculated where the pipe would land. It slipped and fell into the air.
Emil shoved him away. The pipe struck him directly.
Leon fell on the ground.
Blood. Tears. Emil's tattered body.
All over again.
"E-Emil…" he stuttered. Emil stretched out his shivering arm. Leon clasped it. He held his boyfriend close and sobbed, "It's okay…It's, like, gonna be okay…"
But it wasn't.
Emil smiled faintly before his body slumped against him.
"No!"
The same scene occurred. Emil was rushed into the hospital, but before he reached there, he had already lost his last breath.
Leon refused to let go of his hand. They had to sedate him before Arthur could take him home.
He attended the funeral two weeks later and planted a last kiss on his forehead. He went back home and into the storage room.
He was looking for...
Leon slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the watch. For some reason, he was tempted to press the button. The hands stopped moving all at once.
Press it again.
A voice echoed in his mind.
Press it. Let the hands move again.
He pressed the button. The hands started moving. He felt dizzy.
"Leon?" Arthur dashed into the room and caught his son before he fainted.
(9)
Leon woke up and groaned. He leapt out of bed and scrambled into the bathroom. He stared into the mirror. This time, a bruise appeared on his left arm. It looked like a very deep gash but it didn't hurt that much.
He ran back into his room and dailed Emil's number. He nearly cried when he heard his voice.
"Leon? What's the matter? It's six in the morning…" Emil grumbled.
"Oh God…oh God…" Tears wouldn't stop rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't believe it. He went back to that day!
"What's it? Are you crying?"
"No…Yes…I love you so much, Emil."
"Huh?" Emil gasped. Fully awake now, he sprang up in his own bed and listened to his boyfriend in puzzlement.
"I'll, like, never let you go," Leon sobbed. "Never."
And so, they started the day anew.
Leon took Emil to another path after school. They went straight home without any accidents. Leon cried in ecstasy when he reached home.
He had saved Emil again.
(10)
The third time happened while they were taking the underground. The platform was flooded with people. They should have avoided the rush hour. When the train came, Emil got pushed off. Leon tried to grasp his hand, but missed it.
He fell off the platform. The ground quaked as the train swished by. Blood splattered in the air. He could hear Emil's bones crack.
Leon fell to his knees. Screams. Yells. Chaos.
Tears.
He had cried so many times he had grown accustomed to it.
"Emil…" he wailed.
He could never forget the ghostly smile on Emil's face.
He stopped the watch. Pressed the button again. The hands started moving.
He woke up the next day believing it was a dream. Another terrible dream.
An enormous bruise appeared on his waist this time. He ignored it. He started the day anew. When Emil suggested taking the underground, he said "no".
He walked him home instead. The days rolled on peacefully. Another month passed. No one remembered what happened on the platform that day.
The bruises started aching.
Leon endured it.
(11)
Their graduation inched closer. Finally, it was the night of their prom. Emil took Leon out to dance. People clapped and cheered. He laughed at the way Leon stumbled in every move and blushed in embarrassment.
"S-Shut up," he said, his cheeks burning. "You're, like, obviously enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Sure." Emil chuckled. "It's fun."
"You know I can't dance," Leon said.
"I thought your gentlemanly father taught you?"
"I always spaced out in his lesson."
The party ended at midnight. They were both drunk. Emil was singing and spinning around. Leon was trying to maintain his balance and catch up with Emil.
No one saw that coming.
He recognised the guy as one of their schoolmates. A guy whom no one ever paid much attention to. He was yelling and babbling. People didn't take it serious until he took out a knife. They ran, but since it was right near the end of the party and everyone was leaving, the street was jammed with high school boys and girls. They shrieked.
The guy wielded the knife and stabbed whoever bumped into him. He waved the weapon in the air. Leon sobered up at once. He looked for Emil in panic.
"No!"
Emil hugged his boyfriend and spun him around. The blade delved into his back instead. Blood seeped through his lips. Leon gasped.
They both collapsed. Emil refused to unwrap his arms around Leon. The guy stabbed him in the back, over and over again. Leon couldn't move. Emil's body fell heavily on him. Blood kept trickling down his chin. Emil grunted.
Police sirens blasted down the street. Gunshots. More yelling. More blood.
Tears drenched his face.
Emil managed a smile.
"Don't worry…I gotcha."
"Emil…" Leon shook his head.
"I love you too," Emil hummed and leant against his boyfriend.
Damn it, Emil.
He never waited until they got to the hospital. No more funerals. No more delay.
He stopped the watch and started it again. A bruise stretched long on his back. Leon ignored the pain.
They went back to the prom. Everyone left at midnight except the two of them. Leon dragged Emil into the bathroom. They exchanged soft whispers, kisses and touches. Emil didn't know what was happening outside. Leon made sure he couldn't hear the screams. He made sure that his eyes only fell on him.
"May I?" Emil asked.
Leon didn't let him take off his shirt.
He didn't want him to see those bruises.
Emil didn't take off his shirt either.
They stayed in the cubicle and made love until dawn.
That's how it's supposed to be.
However many times it happened, he would keep going back to that very same day.
He would save his lover.
(12)
The fifth time came shortly after they evaded the knife incident. They went to the movies. A terrorist attack struck. A mini-bomb was hidden in the cinema and exploded. Leon had gone off to the bathroom at that time. When he returned, the room was blown into pieces. He couldn't even see Emil one last time.
He stopped the watch again and pressed the button.
They didn't watch the movie that night, despite Emil's protests. They went to the beach instead. Emil insisted on going to swim. He was a talented swimmer. Leon thought nothing could go wrong.
Wrong.
Again.
When Emil started convulsing, he was right in the middle of the sea. Leon threw himself into the water right away, but when he reached him, Emil had fallen deep into the ocean.
He stopped the watch once more.
They didn't go to the movies. Nor did they go to the beach.
"I'm, like, running a fever right now…can't go out," Leon said on the phone.
He had lied to Emil.
It was the first lie he had ever told his lover.
A week passed by without any events. They moved into the dormitory at King's. They shared an apartment together. And then…
An electrical fire broke out. Emil had asked Leon to run some errands. He wasn't present when the fire spread across the entire floor. Emil was trapped. When he was finally rescued, his entire body was covered in soot. Most of his skin was scraped and burnt. There was a peaceful smile on his face.
Leon collapsed to the floor and cried.
And so, it kept happening. Every time he stopped the watch and started it again, the time got reversed. He would try to save Emil. They would escape death. And then…it started again…
In a new, different form.
He wasn't going to give up. He would never give up.
More bruises appeared. They ached. Leon ignored them. When they made love, they never took off their shirts.
They would savour every single second of their time together.
Until the next tragedy struck, they would pretend that everything was a dream.
(13)
"No…not again…"
Leon snapped open his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.
What's it this time?
Oh yea…
A plank fell off a building. Emil had pushed him away. It smashed and cut him into half.
The deaths were growing more gruesome and unbearable.
The more times he reversed the time and tried to fix Emil's death, the more frequently it happened. The next death would follow the previous one shortly.
Leon was torn. Bruises were all over his body.
"No…I, like, gotta wake up and save Emil…" Leon forced himself up. He hobbled towards the door but Arthur blocked his way.
"I knew something was up." Arthur frowned. "Give me back the watch."
Leon blanched and stepped back from his father.
"Leon, give me back the watch!" Arthur howled. "I know you've got it!"
"No!" Leon yelped, automatically slipping his hand into his pocket.
"Leon!" Arthur stomped up towards his son and rolled up his shirt. "Damn it! How many times have you done it?"
"S-Stop…" The boy shoved away his father's hands and clutched the watch protectively.
"Did you try to reverse the time and save Emil?" Arthur gasped. "You did…didn't you?"
Tears resurfaced his eyes. Leon looked away.
"Listen to me, Leon! You must not use the watch again!" Arthur shook his shoulders.
"I have to…like…save Emil," Leon wept. "I won't let him die!"
"This watch gives you the power to change the course of history but it doesn't allow you to change the fate!" Arthur bawled. "If someone's meant to die, he's meant to die. Trying to save him will bring both of you trouble. Look at yourself! Look at your body! Every time you go back to save him, your lifespan will get shortened. The watch feeds on your time. It eats away your life. And because you try to alter Emil's fate, you will suffer in his place. See all those bruises on you?"
Leon bit his bottom lip. The bruises burnt like hell. He groaned.
"And if you use it inappropriately, time will overlap and get distorted. You'll end up in another dimension!"
Leon covered his ears.
"Give me back the watch!" Arthur bellowed and grabbed Leon's wrist. Leon wouldn't release the watch. He pushed Arthur away.
"Please, if you keep doing this, one day…one day you'll die!" Arthur cried.
"Even…even if I have to die…" Leon sobbed. "I'll save him..."
"Leon!"
"This is just a dream." Leon shook his head repeatedly. "When I wake up again, everything will, like, be totally fine. Emil will be right here, beside me."
"You can't change the fate," Arthur growled and ran up to his son.
Click.
Time ceased.
He was alone in the room.
Leon fell to the ground and squirmed in pain. A large bruise cut across his thigh.
That's okay…
Wait for me, Emil.
(14)
The plank wasn't going to hit him. He had taken a different route. They were supposed to be safe.
So why…
The flashing lights blinded him. The honking reverberated.
"Damn it, Leon!"
Emil thrust him aside. Leon fell back and landed on the ground. Hard.
Emil in turn got flung off in the air. He struck the lamp post. His backbone cracked. He collapsed in a puddle of blood.
"Emil!" Leon shrieked and ran towards the battered body.
Why…
Why…
I've reversed the time.
Why can't I save him?
"Geez…Leon, why…why would you do that?" Emil coughed. Blood oozed out of his mouth.
"What?"
"I was…trying to save you, love…" Emil mumbled. His lids drooped.
That was when he caught glimpse of Emil's bruises. There was one on his neck. He always hid it with his scarf. Another one stretched along his shoulder blades.
Leon gulped. He ripped open Emil's shirt. There were bruises all over his body. The very same ones that he had.
Something fell out of Emil's pocket. Leon picked up the silvery watch. It had long stopped ticking.
(15)
He stood over the railing.
The watch feeds on your time. It eats away your life.
He looked down at the two watches.
And if you use it inappropriately, time will overlap and get distorted. You'll end up in another dimension!
He wiped off the tears and stared at the sky.
Cloudless. Spotless. Pure.
Their first encounter.
Emil was trying to save him.
He was trying to save him back.
How absurd.
He was tired of watching him die.
"No wonder." Leon chuckled to himself. "It seems that we've been lovers for many years."
"You're, like, so selfish, Emil. Always have it your way. Ever considered my feelings?"
He fiddled with the two watches.
"But I guess, we're just the same."
Leon smirked.
"I'll save you no matter what."
Click.
Click.
He stopped both watches.
And pressed the two buttons together.
Everything went back to normal. To when they hadn't met.
He hopped over the railing and leapt into the air.
"And I'll always love you."
He smiled as he embraced the ground.
(16)
The picture showed a boy with dark eyes and choppy brown hair. Bouquets and candles surrounded the picture. Some students would stop and pay a silent tribute.
"Who…is he?" Emil asked.
"Oh…he's Leon," someone replied. "Leon Kirkland. Jumped off the roof last Friday. Oh wait…you came to this school last Friday, right?"
Emil frowned. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes.
He swore he had seen the boy somewhere. Way before they had even met.
Those eyes looked so familiar. It's as if…
"As if I've gazed into them a thousand times…" Emil whispered. He went forward and traced his fingers along the photo frame.
"Why…Why would he choose to die?"
Nobody could tell him why.
He went to the rooftop.
There was a man with messy blond hair. He stood facing the railing. His eyes were hollow. He was sobbing.
He heard that it was the boy's father.
Something glittery caught his eyes. Emil picked up the golden watch.
"Um…sir?" he stammered.
Arthur wiped off his tears and turned around.
"You dropped something…" Emil handed him the watch.
Arthur stared at the watch in perplexity.
"Strange…how did it end up here?" he said.
"What's it?"
"Oh…it's one of the family's inheritances. There are two actually, but my ancestor gave one away to another family," Arthur said and slipped the watch into his pocket. "It does magic."
"Magic?"
"Yes, you probably wouldn't believe it anyway." Arthur laughed bitterly. "Sometimes, things happen for a reason and we can't change it."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"He's always been lonely." Arthur mumbled and walked towards the door. "If only I had noticed his suffering sooner."
It hurt Emil to see Arthur's back. It hurt him to hear his voice.
He couldn't get rid of Leon's face in his head.
For some uncanny reasons, he felt ineluctably drawn to that boy.
He wanted to hold him, to kiss him, to tell him that everything would be okay.
He didn't have to die.
Because he would have saved him.
As Emil stepped closer to the railing, he caught sight of another watch. He picked up the silvery item.
"Um…sir?"
He spun around, but Arthur had already gone.
He looked down at the watch once more.
It wasn't ticking.
Press it.
A voice urged in his mind.
Press the button.
Click.
(17)
There was a boy sitting on the railing.
He looked so lonely and miserable.
So unloved and forgotten.
"Wait!"
The boy turned around. His eyes shimmered.
Before he realised it, Emil was crying.
He didn't know why he was crying for this stranger. But somehow, he felt connected to him.
"Don't do that! I'm begging you..." He shivered.
"Come back down." He walked towards the boy and offered his hand. "Take my hand... Don't do something you'll regret."
To both his astonishment and relief, the boy took his hand. He yanked him down and hugged him.
"Thank God."
His body was warm. His heart beat against his chest. His scent was sweet.
"Who…Who're you?" the boy asked.
"I'm Emil, by the way."
"I'm Leon…" the boy muttered back.
And that's how they met.
How the story starts all over again.