A/N: Nyleve requested this from me in 2007. I hope it's what you wanted.

Kisarazu Atsushi stood next to his twin against the back wall, watching the large crowd mingle. He was only marginally less in shock than Ryou. The funeral went on around them; friends, teammates, school friends, teachers, their old coach had come here to say good bye to a good friend. He even thought he'd seen Fuji Syuusuke, hanging around with Atsushi's own former junior high tennis team manager, Mizuki Hajime. Which, if he weren't so in shock, would certainly blow his mind.

"I can't believe he's gone," Ryou mumbled, much as he had the last few days since they'd heard the news of Saeki Kojirou's death. Atsushi merely patted his brother's arm; he didn't have any more reassurance than that. Ryou sounded so lost.

"I'm going to go talk to Mizuki," Atsushi said. "I'll be right back."

Ryou looked at him - or rather, through him - and gave a weak smile. "I'll be fine, Atsushi. I won't break."

Atsushi nodded, keeping his worries to himself. He didn't know how much closer Ryou and Saeki had gotten in the few years since they graduated, but he did know how close they'd been in school. "Sit down, at least," he said gently. "You look like you want to fall over."

Ryou snorted a soft laugh but moved toward an empty chair.

Atsushi walked toward Mizuki. He stopped not too far away when he realized that his former manager hadn't even seen him, and he clung to Fuji with a death grip.

"There are no ghosts," Mizuki said, his voice betraying his panic. Atsushi stared, stunned. Ghosts? What was this about ghosts? They didn't exist. "Usually there are ghosts at a funeral, people who came to give their respects, to be with loved ones left behind for a short time, to help transport the newly dead. There are no ghosts but for hers." Mizuki pointed a shaking hand at a young woman Atsushi didn't know, standing some distance away from them. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place her.

"What does that mean?" Fuji asked, watching Mizuki closely and without the animosity Atsushi remembered between them.

"I don't know, but I don't like it. It doesn't make sense. I've never been to a funeral without ghosts before." It was just so unbelievable, so out of character, Atsushi could only stare and try to understand what he'd just heard. Mizuki believed in ghosts?!

By the time Atsushi had gathered himself together again Fuji, Mizuki, and the girl were making their way toward the door, far enough away that Atsushi knew he wouldn't reach them before they left. At least, he couldn't without making a scene. He watched to make sure they did leave, didn't stop and talk to anyone else, and then went to find Ryou as soon as they were gone.

The twins left not long after that, and Atsushi watched his brother climb the stairs to his second story apartment. He moved so slow, like he'd aged three decades since he'd heard of Saeki's death. Maybe because the police had said it was unnatural. He'd been murdered. It was the only answer, really; there was no way Saeki had drained his own blood and left no wound and no blood. Just... not possible. The police hadn't had any answers, either, and that just made it worse.

Ryou called him the next morning, sounding more out of it than Atsushi had ever heard him. "Hey. I dreamed about Saeki last night," he said, and then Atsushi heard a thud.

"Ryou?" Atsushi demanded. When Ryou didn't answer, Atsushi panicked. By the time he got to Ryou's apartment, his twin was up and moving and could let him in, but still. It just felt weird. Something had happened, and Ryou was even more pale than before.

"What did you dream?" Atsushi asked.

Ryou looked up from where he sat on a chair in his front room. "That he came and talked to me."

"What else did he do?" he asked.

Ryou flushed - sort of. He didn't have as much color as Atsushi had seen in his brother's face when he was embarrassed. "He held my hand. And... kissed it."

Atsushi frowned. "Held your hand?"

Ryou shrugged. "I never claimed my subconscious was sane."

Atsushi rolled his eyes, grateful to Ryou for breaking the tension. "You never claimed your conscious mind was sane," he said, and Ryou laughed.

After the fourth such phone call from Ryou, Atsushi called Mizuki. He didn't know who else to call. After all, Mizuki believed in ghosts.