Warning: Un-betaed

Something was wrong. He couldn't reason why but he was sure of it. The feeling of dread wouldn't leave his mind, it settled in the pit of his stomach. Any minute now he expected something to happen. He just wasn't sure what he should do about it.

The worst was that he had no one to talk to. Who could he ask for advice? Sure, he had a loving boyfriend but said boyfriend knew very little of his past and would therefore not understand the graveness of his current problem. Takano Masamune was very likely to think him crazy as soon as he would hear about it. His good friend Yoshino Chiaki was not a choice either. He would probably believe him, but he would also very likely freak out and have a panic attack.

"Stop spacing out and do your work!"

He flinched at the harsh tone of his boss. Then he nodded hastily.

"I'm sorry" He shouted in reaction.

Onodera Ritsu knew that there was only one person who could help him. Even though it meant refreshing ties he had long ago cut. As soon as his work permitted, he sent a text message. It read:

Can you feel it too? Something's coming...

He was sure she would understand.

As soon as work was finished he headed over to the Emerald department where his boyfriend was working. In fact, Takano Masamune was the head of the Emerald department, which was in charge of shoujo mangas. Ritsu himself had been a part of the Emerald department a few years ago but he decided to change to literature after Takano and he got together. He just wanted to avoid the rumours that would have, without a doubt started. He had enough of people assuming that he was favoured because of his connections.

Masamune hadn't been too thrilled at first. He feared that he would lose the green-eyed editor as soon as he was out of his eyesight. After some time he realized, though, that their relationship progressed much better since he wasn't his boyfriend's boss anymore. This way they had other things to talk about than work related stuff.

If someone were to ask Takano Masamune, age 26, if his life could get any better, he would answer: Who knows? But he had everything that he wanted right here.

Even though they went through an ugly break-up when they were teenager they were now as close as ever. Masamune had to admit that it hadn't been easy to get Ritsu to fall for him again but in the end, the younger was worth all the effort he had put into it and all the rejections he had endured.

They were together again for one year now and were even planning to move in together. So, things couldn't be any better for Takano Masamune now.

"I'm heading home" Ritsu told his lover. "I could buy something to eat for us if you want."

It was still awkward, talking like they were an old married couple. He avoided it as much as possible but sometimes it couldn't be helped. After all, he would feel bad if he just left without a word. Plus, he knew how hectic life as a manga editor was so he kind of had to make sure that his boyfriend got something to eat. He would be a bad boyfriend otherwise, right? He was still so new to romance. It was awkward. Even after almost a year. He wondered if it would ever get better. But maybe that's what love was all about? Still feeling the thrill of each touch, each word, and each gaze?

"Hey, are you even listening?"

Ritsu quickly snapped out of his thoughts. They were irritating him anyway.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Masamune let out an annoyed sigh but inwardly he smirked over his flustered boyfriend. Boyfriend. How he loved that word. "I said that it's gonna be late. I'll heat something up. Now, go. You look dead tired." It was true. The stress of work and his worries were really getting to Ritsu.

"S-sure." He gulped. Then he looked if anybody was near enough to hear them. "I'll see you later then?" He already turned away when his wrist was grabbed. Annoyed he turned to Masamune only to be met with a pair of lips. The kiss was short but his face got beet red anyway.

"I love you."

Ritsu looked down and tried to hide his embarrassed expression. The other could picture it anyway.

"I love you too." It wasn't more than a soft murmur, barely audible. But Masamune heard it.

As soon as Ritsu was home he checked his messages. Then his heart tried to leap out of his chest. He was nervous. His guts constringed painfully. He wasn't sure if he would be sick because of it or faint. It certainly felt like he might. 1 message. He opened it with jittery fingers. Why was he so damn nervous? It was just a text message, for god's sake!

From: Sonomea The past's coming back to haunt you. I warned you. You wanted to start anew, without me. And now you need me? Jeez, you're a pain in the ass.

Now he could feel himself blanch. It felt like his world stopped. Guilt stabbed him in the chest and settled then in his stomach. What had he expected? He wanted to slap himself. Of course she would hold a grudge! He had cut her out of his life like she was a nasty habit that badly affected his health. Like Masamune's smoking, he thought. Then he reprimanded himself for this thought. He had to focus! He was about to type a response that would definitely include an apology, maybe even some begging when he was interrupted by an incoming message.

From: Sonomea I'll meet you in the park. Now. Don't be late. Bring me chocolates. You owe me.

Ritsu smiled.

He didn't need to ask for an exact location. After all the years they've known each other it could only be one spot. Their spot. Ritsu clutched his fingers around the bar of chocolate like it was a lifeline. In a way, it actually was. At least, to him it was. Chocolate might be the only thing that will get him to be in her good graces again. It was worth a try. But it could never make up for what he'd done. He knew it couldn't. He didn't expect it to. But it was a start.

She sat under the cherry tree and watched the petals that fell like soft snowflakes. It was a beautiful sight. Indeed, it was so beautiful that he almost choked on his amazement. She had always been graceful, almost ethereal but the surroundings gave her a glow that put emphasizes on her soft features. It had never occurred to her that she was beautiful. Her skin was too pale for that to be true, her lips too thin. But Ritsu would use exactly that adjective to describe her in that moment. He had always found her amazing and eye-catching just because she didn't fit the common description of beautiful. After all, it was her expressions that made him look at her in wonder. How she could be so stoical at times but then look so sad when she noticed that he was in pain. How she could put so much understanding and loyalty in one glance. How she could use words to heal and to destroy. How she carried on with her wounds in her heart and on her body as if she was completely unscathed just because she wanted to save her pride. Sonomea Lavender had always been someone precious to him and it seemed like that wouldn't ever change.

"You haven't changed at all" He told her after getting the courage to say anything at all. Her grey-blue eyes scanned him coldly but he couldn't look away. Warm peridot eyes melted some of the ice in her glance. She had always had a weakness for his eyes. Who could blame her? They were exceptionally gorgeous, after all.

"I would say the same about you but I wouldn't know, would I? I haven't seen you for the past four years. It's a wonder that I even recognize you. We're strangers now, after all, right?"

"I'm sorry." He meant it.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "If you were truly sorry we would've met under different circumstances."

At least, he had the decency to look guilty. Actually, he looked like a kicked puppy. "It wasn't exactly you that I tried to cut out of my life. But you were too... involved. Too involved."

She pondered over his words for a while. "We wanted different things back then. And we were both stubborn. I guess there was no solution" She admitted.

Ritsu allowed himself a small smile. It was a small triumph, after all. He dared now to move closer. But he wasn't allowed to sit beside her yet, that much he was sure of. "Back then. Are you implying that things are different now?" He asked hopeful.

Sonomeas smirk was anything but happy. "It has to be since you contacted me."

And his hope was gone. He should have known. She would never turn her back to the life he too had lived once. It was a mystery to him why, though. It wasn't like this kind of life made her happy. It brought justice on good days and grief and guilt on the bad ones but it always brought nightmares. So while he tried to escape this misery she stayed and faced it like it was her responsibility to do so. He never agreed with her.

"I am kind of forced to. It's not like I choose to get my old life back" He answered grimly. Just when everything was going well for him once, his world tumbled down and trapped him in the past.

"See it as a lesson. You cannot escape who you are."

"This" He hissed, "doesn't make me who I am. It doesn't define me. I won't give it that much power over my life."

"It doesn't define you" She agreed calmly. Her expression became sympathetic. "But it is part of who you are. You can't run away from it because it follows you wherever you go. That's just how it is."

How could she be so calm? Ritsu wanted to scream and curse the world or god or whoever had brought this fate upon him. He wanted to fight or at least punch someone to let of some steam. But he knew that nothing could resolve the tension. Whatever he did was useless. He couldn't change the way things were. Or how he was, to be exact.

"How did you come to terms with it? I know I've asked you this a million times already but I still don't understand it. Please, tell me how you do it, how to live with it." His voice almost broke at the end. There was the grief of old days that he had buried in the deepest layer of indifference that he got. It still haunted him from the grave he built for it.

"Oh, Ritsu." She took his hand and squeezed it. Even though it was warm outside, his hands were ice cold. "I know that I may never understand the extant of your pain but I will always be there to help you through it. Some people just have to experience more pain than others have to in their whole life. But that's just how it is. Life isn't fair."

A dry sob cut through the air like a knife. Sonomea could feel it pierce her skin. It hurt but it was just a phantom pain to her. No tears followed. Maybe he had no more tears to shed.

"It's bearable now. I can handle it. B-but it won't stay that way, right? I'm not that lucky?" It was clear that he was hopeful she would tell him that he was wrong, that everything would continue the way it was. But she couldn't deceive him like that. The truth may hurt but at least it didn't stab you in the back like betrayal does. Betrayal makes you defenceless but the pain truth brings is defendable.

"No, something's definitely going to happen. And it will happen soon. I was told so by many." He knew who her informants were. The thought made him shudder.

She tugged on his hand and made him sit beside her. Like in old days he rested his head on her shoulder in sought of comfort. She carted her fingers through his cinnamon locks. It was their ritual. When everything else was going downhill they had at least these moments of silence and tranquillity.

Ritsu thought about his life the way it was now. He was finally happy. He had gotten the love of his life back, had the job he dreamed of since he was a child and had managed to make good friends. Masamune was all he could have asked for and more, even though he would never admit it to him in so many words. Love wasn't something he had sought out actively but it just happened to him. At first, he had been so overwhelmed by it that he couldn't handle it. He had denied it because he hadn't known how to destroy it. He thought the feelings would go away eventually if he ignored them. It had been an act of self-defence. After all, he had seen too much to believe in love. In fact, he still had days on which he questioned the existence of love if it fuelled hate and jealousy and drove people to cruel actions. But he experienced that love doesn't have to be ugly. It could be quite wonderful if you handled it right. Maybe he was still a bit cautious of it because he never underestimated its power and always remembered that light brought shadows that he had to watch out for. But still, he fell hopelessly in love and loved with all his being. There were times that love brought out an ugly side of him but most of the time it showed him how rich life could be. He didn't want to give it up, now that he had had a taste of it.

For the time being I should sleep alone as much as possible. There goes our plan to live together..., he thought pitifully. "Tomorrow I'll know more. I'm pretty sure of it. I'll let you know then" He promised.