It all started that day.
* * *
Abe runs as fast as he can, cursing his bike, cursing his alarm clock, and wondering whether he can make it till Nishiura before he gets exhausted. The streets are empty enough for a friday morning, and speed is no big deal for a sportsman like him, but Abe has to cover some distance before he can stop and safely thank his luck for helping him get to his school right on time.
Abe is always right on time.
The tournament has matches scheduled week by week, and although they're winning, they're getting exhausted as well. Of course, Abe knows he can't blame it on the tournament only, it was his fault too; he should've been more careful, and less sure of his waking up early, less sure of his not being too tired, and remembering that his bike got destroyed just a week ago by his own dear teammate.
He has learned his lesson since, never to trust Tajima with anything, but till now he has had to pay for his mistake. There never goes a day without his cursing Tajima.
Some days, it may seem funny how when you think of someone, that someone has to appear. Usually, it isn't that amusing.
The next moment, Tajima is there, peering at a bemused Abe and waving his hand excitedly. His cycle wavers but somehow Tajima manoeuvres it and comes right to where Abe is standing frowning.
"Late?" He asks a bit unnecessarily, and knowing this, he doesn't wait for a reply, but asks, "Need a ride?"
Abe gives him a look, a look that should remind him of the damage he caused to Abe's bike, but Tajima is oblivious, and Abe sighs. He looks at his watch, and there's only five minutes left till the bell will ring, and he knows that the distance is short enough for a bike to cover it in five minutes flat, and so he'll be late anyway so there's no harm if he goes with Tajima, right?
For a moment, he doubts whether there will be no harm. But Tajima is looking at him impatiently, moaning, "Come on, hurry up, answer!" like a miracle could be there to save them, so Abe does what he has to do and says yes at the risk of his life.
Sure, he is still a bit doubtful as he climbs onto the hard "seat" behind Tajima, his bag safe in his arms. But right now, Abe just can't think of an excuse for being late (not that the teacher will let them off anyway).
Because there's a familiar figure riding past the two. Mihashi is on his bike, pedaling as fast as his sleepy and tired body will let him, the sweat running all over his face. At a time like this, Abe notes indifferently, he looks even more his usual anguished, tearful self.
The next minute, he's cursing himself for making notes when he should be taking some action. Tajima decides that he needs more company, and taking advantage of the fact that Abe is lost in thought he starts calling out to Mihashi.
Mihashi hears his voice as he takes a turn, slowly registering that it's Tajima, and looks back.
It happens all too suddenly.
The dark vehicle coming down the lane is obviously speeding, and the driver realizes a bit too late that there's someone ahead on such an empty street. Mihashi turns his head, and he sees the light flash and the blare of the horn before the vehicle hits him. The impact of the collision is enough to send both him and his bike flying and he lands with an audible thump on the tar road, groaning in pain. The vehicle swerves to avoid him, and with a last guilty look at the victim the owner drives away.
Everything seems to go slowly then.
Mihashi lands right near the spot where Abe and Tajima are standing. Abe's eyes move from his pale face, to his bruised body, to the red, red blood, that has his boots sticky. He looks into Mihashi's eyes.
Mihashi's watery eyes. They close.
From the corner of his eyes, he can see Tajima kneeling down near Mihashi's body, panicked, scared, and useless. He can hear Tajima's cries for help, overpowering the deadly silence of the empty street, sounding almost helpless and desperate. He can see Tajima feeling Mihashi's pulse. He can feel Tajima's agony.
Abe blinks, and looks straight ahead.
Just minutes later, he hears the blaring of an ambulance from not the other side of the street. Once again his eyes flit around Mihashi to where Tajima is. A young, burly man comes to kneel beside Tajima, blank eyes staring at Mihashi.
He blinks, and his eyes irritate him, and then there's a warm wetness on his cheeks.
Abe puts his hand to his cheek.
Suddenly, his eyes widen.
And suddenly Abe is wide awake and he realizes that it isn't a dream. It's reality. Mihashi is hurt, Tajima is crying and, and ---
He's standing there, petrified. His face is white as a sheet, and his eyes are disbelieving. He sees the accident, Mihashi's suffering, Mihashi's lifeless body.
And he's doing nothing. He can't do anything.
His heart lurches, he starts running. Running as fast as he can, faster than just five minutes ago, fast as if his life depended on it. Even though it's such a short distance, and the streets are not so empty anymore.
He rushes through the milling crowd, through the anxious whispers to where Mihashi is, lying on the stretcher that two men carry. His vision is blurry, but he manages himself enough to clutch Mihashi's shirt, shaking the boy lightly, ignoring the men shouting around him, and screams, "Wake up, you idiot!"
He doesn't pay heed to the silence following his outburst, and continues, "Wake up! I said, wake up! Why don't you listen to me?"
He doesn't know why he's saying this. Mihashi's hurt, unconscious, maybe --- no, he can't convince himself that there's something wrong with Mihashi, and the tears are flowing steadfastly and he knows he's not acting like his usual self, and he doesn't exactly care about that. He impatiently shrugs off the hand on his shoulder, and clutches Mihashi's blood-soaked shirt tightly, his hand red and hurting.
"Wake up!" He screams, half-hoping that Mihashi will redden and bawl and stutter at him.
Two gentle hands firmly tug him away, and his hands lose their grip on Mihashi. He is pulled away. The young man who was with Tajima just a moment ago smiles at him, a weak smile, and follows Mihashi into the ambulance.
The ambulance is gone; the street is empty once more save for a few who mill around or help clean the mess of the accident.
Abe looks down at his shoes. Sticky and Red.
He feels Tajima's hand on his shoulder and instantly knows that it should have been vice-versa, that he should have been the one to do something for Mihashi, that Tajima should have been the one crying out to Mihashi, that he should have been the one comforting Tajima.
Instead, he covers his face with his hands.
They're late for school.
---
Rambly, over-dramatic chapter~ :sweats: