Eight Hundred

(Based a little loosely on the song Eight Hundred by PinocchioP)
I don't like you Kido. Not at all. It's the truth; just as factual as the saltiness of sugar and the sweetness of salt.

I was lazing about in my room when Konoha suddenly appeared at my doorway. His white hair was slightly wavy and looked damp – I had guessed that he had just come out of the shower.
"I'm done," the android stated. "Your turn."
"Ah, thanks," I replied. I got out of my bed and headed for the bathroom.

However, before I could leave, I felt a hand grip my shoulder – stopping my movements.
"Hey, Kano…" Konoha began. His eyes turned toward me, then quickly glanced off to my right before resting on a spot on the ground where water droplets from his hair had accumulated. "I think… It's about time for you to accept the truth."

My eyes narrowed slightly.
"The truth, huh? I've been a liar all my life – it's sorta hard to start doing that now," I told him as I brushed his hand off my shoulder. "But, hm, if you want the truth… Well, I went out this morning. You wanna know what I saw?"
"Sure…" Konoha looked troubled (as troubled as an android could look), but I continued.
"Well, the streets were empty – like usual – and Kido was out feeding the birds. You would've thought that she was Seto or something. And she had this gigantic smile on her face; not as gargantuan as mine, but huge nonetheless. Then, she noticed me walking up to her and she waved at me. Didn't wave back, though. Why would I? I really don't like Kido that much."

I continued my ramblings for a while and Konoha's expression only grew cloudier with every word.
"Kano, you know that's not true," he interjected.
"Eh? Are you doubting me Konoha?" I looked at him meaningfully. "Everything I say is the truth – you know that."
Konoha only shook his head and walked away, shooting a quick "good night" over his shoulder. I chuckled – he was really a strange guy.

When I had finished my shower, I was ambushed by Shintaro and Ene on my way to the fridge. Shintaro sighed before he looked at me and began to speak.
"So, Konoha told us…"
"That you're still holding up that façade of yours," Ene said, finishing Shintaro's sentence. "Honestly, this is a little over the top. You need to stop this!"
"She's right," Shintaro murmured. "I mean, when you lose…"
"What are you talking about?" I asked, cutting off Shintaro's line of thought (the guy wasn't getting to voice his opinion much). "Lose? When have I ever lost?"

Ene looked angry as she pressed her pixelated frame against the screen of Shintaro's phone.
"It's not when – it's what," she exclaimed.
"What have I ever lost?" I thought aloud. "Well, a lot of things – my pencil, my pen, my homework. Especially history homework – I never was a fan."
"That's not what she means," Shintaro explained to me, a concerned-yet-unconcerned look on his face. "C'mon, Kano. Do you think that Kido-"
"Kido? I haven't lost Kido, if that's what you're trying to say. She's still around – why, she made me pudding for today's lunch. A real salty pudding, as black as the night. Then, she whipped up some pizza; a really sweet pizza. Just like normal, y'know? It was the same, hateful dishes as usual. I don't even know why she bothers – Kido's cooking is insanely dreadful. I ended up throwing up, though that was also no different from usual."

At that moment, Momo as well as Hibiya and Mary (Marry?) had been walking past. The blonde had overheard what I said, and immediately rushed up to me. The encounter ended with a red mark staining my face.
"You take that back!" she screamed.
"What do you mean?" I grinned.
"Leader doesn't deserve to be ridiculed like this by you!"
"Ridiculed? I'm just saying it like it is – and it's all true, after all."

Just as Momo as about to slug me in the face even harder than she had the first time, Hibiya stepped in to stop her.
"Just leave it, auntie," he played it cool, though I could see that his own expression was strained. "He won't listen to reason at this point."
Momo, though still harbouring her feelings of rage for me, decided to do as the kid said and left. Shintaro – and, subsequently, Ene – was dragged along with her, most likely to be used as her punching bag to release her emotions.

The only ones left in the kitchen were Kano and Mary, though that didn't last long as Mary quickly ran off along with the others. I was left on my own and decided to grab my milk and head back to my room. A glass of milk always tasted best after a shower.

As I was walking back to my room, my milk in my left hand and my phone in my right, I began to think about why the other members of the Dan had been so upset with me. Even Konoha had seemed like he had wanted to tell me something. However, there was nothing wrong. I was fine, the members of the Dan seemed healthy enough and Kido was most definitely okay. Though I didn't care, not for Kido. I wasn't the least bit interested in her; the overly healthy Kido and her happy-go-lucky personality and subpar cooking skills.

I had just entered my room with those thoughts lingering in my mind when I found Seto sitting on the edge of my bed – his green outfit had been replaced by a black singlet and khaki shorts. He looked ready to go to bed (and I knew he needed his rest), so why he in my room?
"Are you another one of those people on the 'accept the truth, Kano' committee?" I asked, gulping the last of my milk down. It left a sour taste in my mouth, though the expiry date wasn't until the day after tomorrow.

Seto stood up, his head towering over me, and proceeded to give me a hard look.
"Stop lying, Kano."
I shuddered. Seto didn't usually get this mad.
"I really don't know what you mean, Seto," I said. "All that's ever left my mouth has been the absolute truth."

"Kano, look at me."
I did as I was told.
"Konoha told me that you saw Kido this morning? Feeding the birds? With a huge smile on her face?"
I nodded.
"And Momo told me that Kido cooked you lunch today? Pudding and pizza? Both horrible at that?"
I nodded once more.

Seto sighed.
"Kano, you couldn't have seen that. None of us have seen Kido for two weeks. None of us have eaten Kido's cooking for two weeks," Seto stated. "Face it Kano, Kido is dea-"
"No, she isn't!" I yelled. "She's alive and well. She's still okay!"
"Kano…"
"No, stop it!"

I kicked off the ground and dashed towards the front door, exiting the apartment as fast as I could. I didn't know how long I ran for. I didn't know where I was running towards. I was just running. Finally, I had hit my exhaustion point and I stopped to catch my breath. When I realised that I was still holding onto my glass, I was about to throw it onto the pavement in anger when a voice stopped me.
"That cost 150 yen, y'know. Don't do it."

I stopped. The voice that had stopped me was so clear, so beautifully husky and so wonderfully warm. Tears began to fall from my eyes.
"Heh, what a strange sight. Even at my funeral, you refused to shed even a single tear."
I turned around, towards the vicinity of where the voice seemed to come from. I wanted to see her again; I needed to see her again.

"Where are you?" I voiced my question to the shadows.
"Who knows. Apparently, I was feeding birds this morning. Apparently, I was making lunch this afternoon."
My question had been ignored.
"Kido, please!" I must have seemed pathetic. "Please come back to the Dan! Once they see you, everyone will know that I was telling the truth – that you're really alive! So, please come back, Kido."

There was a pause before she spoke again.
"Kano, I can't. You know that. And there is no amount of lies that you could say that would change that."
"But Kido, they aren't lies!" my voice rose in tone, likely due to my desperation. "Y'know, winter is the hottest season of the year. And summer is so cold, you'd need to wrap yourself in bundles of clothing. The Sun actually rises in the west every morning and sets in the east every evening. And, when the moon appears on the sky, no-one knows this but a rabbit lives up there! It's true, it's really true!

"And you're alive, too, Kido. You're alive and well, and you can live your life until the end of time. Even though I may hate you, you're alive – you're still among those of us who are living, Kid-!"
"Kano, please. Stop."
There was a faint glow within the darkness and I walked a bit closer to see Kido. What I saw shocked me and caused my knees to go weak. Kido was crying – her eyes red and puffy.
"Why aren't you happy, Kido?" I questioned her. "You're alive – why aren't you happy?"
"Kano, answer me one question and one question only."
My question had been ignored again.
"Do you love me, Kano?"

I was caught off guard. It took me a while to regain my composure. Before I continued, I wiped the tears off my face and grinned at her.
"Why, of course no-"
"Kano."
At that moment I couldn't hold up the pretences anymore. The raw emotion within her voice was so powerful – it compelled me. Everyone had been asking for it all day. The truth, that was what she wanted.

"Kido, I love you," I stated, revealing to her my true self. "Kido, wanted to be able to love you forever. I wanted to marry you and start a family with you. I wanted for you to be happy but, more than that, I wanted you to be happy with me. There was so much that I wanted to do – I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, Kido. But I suppose that wasn't meant to be…"
I looked at the ground and my body grew numb. My hand released the glass cup and it shattered on the ground, the noise piercing through the night.

Kido chuckled, her shadowless form shook slightly.
"That's 150 yen, Kano," she stated matter-of-factly. Then, her expression softened.
"I had wanted to spend my life with you, too, Kano. I love you and I wanted you to know that before I left. But, Kano, I don't need you to lie for me. I'm dead, Kano, and I can't take care of the Dan anymore. But if it's you; if it's you, everything will be all right. You and Seto work hard now and take care of everyone in my absence."

She walked towards me and left a clumsy kiss on my lips and, though I could not feel it, the sheer emotions that were included with it were enough to send me to my knees.
"See ya, Kano."
With that, Kido faded and disappeared – leaving only lingering kiss on my lips. Reality hit me hard and I clutched my arms as my body was racked with pain.

I was still in the middle of my episode when I felt a hand reassuringly pat my shoulder before I was pulled into a hug.
"The truth, Kano," Seto said as he tightened his grasp on me. "How does it feel?"
I was silent – I quietly allowed myself to relax in the strong arms of my 'brother' before I spoke up again.

"The truth, or a lie?" I questioned. "I'm not really sure myself. But, I'm sure that when Kido left, the smile on her face was even larger than mine. And that's saying something – after all, my smile is gargantuan."
I pulled back from Seto and grinned. And he smiled back at me.
"I'll live on for her and, one day, I'll find her again. I've always been able to find her in the past, no matter where she disappeared to. This time should be no different," I told Seto, my usual cat-like grin appeared on my face once more.

I fingered my lips.
"And, this time, I'll be sure to finish what she started."
In the distance, though it was faint, I was certain I heard a beautiful, husky voice answer to my statement.

"I'll be waiting."