Remember Me.
"The cherries…" murmured Tenpou Gensui, as he approached the window frame. His emerald eyes fixed firmly at the sakura trees – which have been standing there all these years, silently watching over every single incident that has occurred within the Western army.
'Sakura… The tree of mortality… It is so ironic that a place like heaven would have such a thing.' A tiny smirk grew across the marshal's lips at the very thought. 'And ain't it irony as well, since I am taking such a great liking to this idea of retreating to the under-heaven.'
Tenpou Gensui reached out his pale hand. The pink monochrome shaded on each sakura's petal was always attractive. It was so peculiar that these trees could "…remain beautiful even tonight…"
Nonetheless, before the pale fingers could touch any of those fine petals, a husky voice from behind drew the marshal back to reality. "Whether they look beautiful or not…" began Kenren Taishou as he fetched a cigarette pack out of his trousers' pocket. The tall figure made a couple of long strides across the room, picking up the lighter in the process, and came to a stop beside his superior officer.
"…May depends on how you're feeling right now," finished Kenren as he placed one of the cigars in Tenpou's hand. The general lit up his smoke. He briefly stared at the placid sight beyond the wide open window, before turning his back to it. The man leaned backward, pressing both his elbows against the frame, and puffed out rings of smoke.
No matter how hard he looked at them now, all he could see were just falling petals….
They kept on falling… One after the other…
As if to remind him of the ephemeral nature of life…
"I agree…" responded Tenpou shortly afterward. Those sharp emerald eyes contracted a little, and with a slight tilt of his head, they were now hidden completely under the thick reflection from his lens.
For an unknown reason… As soon as he heard his underling's words, it suddenly sent a chill down the field marshal's spine. 'Whether they look beautiful or not is depended on how I feel...?' Tenpou mused, squeezing his cigar absentmindedly.
'Thus, the fact that I am seeing them beautiful – just like usual… would mean that I am feeling indifferent?' The green eyed god tucked the cigar into his mouth. He rampaged through all his pockets, searching for a lighter. When he could not find one, the marshal just simply leaned into his general. The two cigar butts met, as well as the two smokers' eyes.
'You could have asked, you know' thought Kenren. His grey eyes glared right into the depth of green, and the green pierced right back.
Emerald. The color which he found most enchanting. There was something in it. Something sacred… Something mysterious... and it suited this man well…
God. After having revolved his life around this person for over… well, a decade..? Nah… perhaps two. The general now acquired the ability to read certain emotions off those green eyes… and as for today, they were both telling the same thing.
'Something… Something is off.' The general knew it. 'Something is wrong.'
The marshal was feeling uneasy. Something was bothering his superior.
'He probably is worried about tomorrow,' his subconscious told him and Kenren was more than willing for that to be the case. However, deep down… the general knew that it was not. 'There is no way in hell that a man like Tenpou would regret what he has done… This guy knows no fear… not even death… and whatever happened tomorrow would not have any effect on him… Then what...? What in the name of heaven is bothering him?'
Nevertheless… with all due respect… Trying to get things out of Tenpou Gensui's mouth was not always a wise idea. So he would rather choose to remain silent.
'Que Sera, Sera... Whatever will be, will be…' The general closed his eyes and took a drag from his cigar. The cool breeze blowing from the outside was quite soothing. No matter what happen tomorrow, let alone what is bugging his superior… As long as the man in front of him is still breathing, everything would be fine.
"Kenren," 'and here we go, Tenpou would probably tell him what is wrong'
"Hmm…?" Kenren let out a sound. He shifted his cigar to the edge of his mouth to prevent himself from taking another drag. 'This is not the moment just yet'
"Do you remember?"
And a long pause fell between the two. Neither of them has spoken a word. They just simply stood there, savoring the tranquil of the night. Both lost in their own thoughts.
'Do you remember…?' The marshal's words rang clearly inside Kenren's head. 'Remember…? Remember what?' The man was so keen to ask.
The general opened his eyes. He felt the sudden need to have a better look at a person he desperately wanted to call friend.
Tenpou Gensui, Marshal of the Western Army, the elite amongst high ranking officers, was now taking a drag at his smoke. Those sharp green eyes were somewhat empty, signaling the spacing out status of the marshal.
'He seriously needs to snap out of this habit… It really is annoying sometimes,' Kenren thought in dismay, before uttering out a line which fortunately pulled his superior back to reality once again. "The first time I met you, you mean?"
"Eto…That?" Tenpou emitted in an unsure manner. His brows furrowed a little as he tried to recall their first encounter.
'The first time we met huh?' He pondered as he took another drag at his cigar. 'That is a hard one indeed. Hmm... So when was it…?' The marshal puffed out a faint ring of smoke.
'Ah.. Jeez… I'm beginning to mix one thing with another now. After all, this spoiled brat and I have been together for such ...such… a long time…'
And those emerald gems began to wander off once again. The room – his room was a total mess. Books and scrolls were literally everywhere. On the shelves. On the desk. The couch. The floor… and even the chair.
'Thank god… well that god is probably him... for preventing these books from making their way into the bedroom, or else Konzen-dono would be ranting on me right around now…' Those green eyes glistened gently in amusement, before narrowing down as they noticed a single sakura petal on top of the frog ashtray.
'Was the cherry blossom in bloom back then?' He questioned in silent. 'Yes perhaps… or else this sensation that of as if I am living alive would not pop up only when he is around… He is as beaut as a spring'
"I don't remember it myself much, to tell you the truth." Or so said the marshal.
"Well, that's because you were half-asleep, obviously…" The general rolled his eyes. A dry grin flashed up briefly. He should not have asked. His superior was hopeless with this type of thing. There was no luck hoping he would remember such a trivial matter. Still, Kenren hoped he did.
Although the taishou had to admit that their first meeting was a little bizarre, still that tiny event has changed his life forever.
Who would have known that by knowing this man, the womanizer would have learned to appreciate other types of relationship other than lovers.
Who would have known that by knowing this person, the hellion would have grown this soft even to the extent of knowing the word caring.
And who would have known that… the sloppy jerk back then would turn out to be the one person Kenren Taishou was willing to die for.
"But if that's not what you were talking about…" Grey eyes came to a stop at the funny-looking frog ashtray. "Then is it that time you snuck our whole squadron down to earth for a yakiniku party?"
"Oh yes, that did happen"
And as soon as he heard the reply, Kenren Taishou just suddenly flinched. It was as if he has been drained out of all his energy. Oh my, oh my. He now remembered the reason why they held a party that time… It was to celebrate Tenpou's …life. A celebration to his escape of death.
'Not too long ago…' the marshal's feeble voice still rang clearly within the general's ears.
'…I let one of my men get killed' Tenpou Gensui was seen sitting at his desk... a rather rare sight. His hand held a cigar loosely to his mouth. He was wearing that same impassive look. However, his eyes… those clear emerald gems… have betrayed all that guy's makeup.
It was the first time, Kenren Taishou would say, that he was able to see through this person's mask. Tenpou looked so fragile. He looked so vulnerable that the general was so afraid that his superior might just break down in pieces.
Those eyes were full of emotions. The green eyed god must have been wrecked between pain and guilt for all these times. He must have harbored this fault, blaming himself for not being able to save his subordinate's life, all along.
"Well, I was about to let my superior officer get killed" is all Kenren could say.
…
And another silent fell between the two. Somewhat the cigar tasted so bitter tonight. Thus, Kenren decided to start the talk once again.
"I never dreamed that you'd really make me pay for the whole group." He said it lightly, trying his best to get that frustrating memory out of his mind.
"Fifteen of us, weren't there?" Tenpou responded, a mockery tone could be heard distinctly. "And you ate enough for three. I couldn't pass off the bill from a yakiniku restaurant as entertainment expenses either…" Jeez.. He just could not understand, well… not really not understand. It was more like he did not want to admit the fact that the lower world's stuffs cost more than their actual values.
"Ah…" And how did it turn out to be that expensive… So pricey that he had no guts to turn the bill in to Goujun-Sama. "I still get mad thinking about that."
"Okay…" Kenren said with a simper. 'Sorry for devouring too much… that I have to pay it all by myself. But still… if it isn't the party…' "Then what are you talking about?" He inquired. Nonetheless, the general would never receive any answer in return.
So the time just kept on ticking away… and the sakura petals just kept on falling. Falling. Falling. As if life is eternity.
'What's with him?!' Kenren thought, after a long silent, he was beginning to feel irritated. 'Why does he have to space out all the time?' The general could not fathom. The man eyed his superior sidewise, before finally turned that gesture into a fixed stare.
"What was it?" Tenpou turned to his general at last. His face showed a clear sign of confusion. He has certainly lost himself in his own little world awhile back… "I forget"
'And here we go again' Kenren sighed. The tall figure leaned further backward. His head tilted down to the point where his cigarette's butt nearly made it to his chest. He no longer wanted to continue this meaningless conversation. "… Never mind" and so he said in resignation.
But suddenly, Tenpou's gentle yet resolute voice resonated. "…Actually," the cool breeze blew, bringing along with it the sakura's petals which both of them were so fond of. "Anything's ok."
The two sets of eyes glared down at the scattered flowers on the floor…
"As long as you just remember, whatever it may be…" and with that statement, Kenren just simply placed his rough hand over Tenpou's.
The warmth received from the man besides reassured the marshal of the validity in his spoken words. Even though he knew full well that his statement contained no logical sense. Nevertheless, as long as this guy… this spoiled brat remembers something relating to him, everything would be fine.
'Remember me, Kenren.' Tenpou moved his hand slightly, not knowing what he should do. Should he pull his hand back... or should he just leave it there, since this warmth… this serene sensation… and the squeezing of that man's hand are so precious to him; and Tenpou was so afraid of losing them.
To be honest… He did not want to let go. This person – General Kenren Taishou of the Western Army was everything that this field marshal lacked. He was his other half, one could say that, and most likely the girls in the under-heaven would scream at these words.
'Boy love, they would say.' That was what he read from one of those earthly mangas. Still, he was not quite sure if his relationship with this person was to that extreme.
More time… If only they have some more time. Perhaps he would be able to sort out his feelings. If only…
"Really...?" And the marshal drew his hand back. His emerald eyes gazed to the leather clad figure standing a few inches away from him.
"Yes, really…"
'As long as you remember me.'
Owari.