I can remember it clearly, as if it just happened yesterday. I remember that the roads were slippery due to the heavy rain pouring that night. I wish I could tell you every detail of what happened but honestly, I can't remember them all. However, what I DO remember is the one smile that I last saw and that I'll forever cherish in my heart. That last moment where everything you once treasured is stolen away from you.
It all started with a re-occurring dream I kept having awhile back. It was always the same. I'll find myself lying in a field of green grass and flowers blooming everywhere. I stand up. And right in front of me, a person is standing there with his back towards me. I open my mouth to say something, though I don't know what I would say. Then he turned slightly to look at me, as if to acknowledge me. And then he would look at me, with a smile. The sort of smile that would cause anyone to feel a bit of an ache in their chest. Before I am given the chance to ponder a bit more on this mysterious person, the rays of a orange sunset would blindly glare back at me. Causing me not to be able to see him clearly. I try to take a step towards him, instead I find myself frozen. I would look up in a sort of panic to this person standing in front of me, hoping to seek some sort of explanation. Nothing happened so I tried calling out to him, but he does nothing. Seconds later, he suddenly falls to the ground. Finally being able to control my legs, I run towards him, thinking that he might be somehow injured. Instead I'm met with that gentle smile and water streaming down his face. He pulls me closer to him and tries to speak. Although I can't hear him, I manage to see him mouth the words, "I'm sorry."
I would then wake up, finding tears upon my face and pillow. That dream had always left me wondering what it could mean. However every time I think about it, it hurts my head and I forget about it until it happens again. I always thought it was just a silly dream. Never did it occur to me that the dream that had plagued my nights would come and turn my life upside down. That one dream. That one -person-.
~*~ Chapter 001 ~*~
"Damn it. I'm late! I'm late!" Alfred frantically rushed to get ready for work. The night before, there was a movie marathon of old time classics that he couldn't possibly miss the opportunity. Which in turn he over-slept. He had to hurry. Today was suppose to be a big day. His bosses had arranged a meeting for Alfred to meet up with a new client. So he couldn't afford to be late and screw this up. He finally ran out the door with his tie fluttering in the wind.
He arrived at the cafe where he was to meet his client. "Thank god I made it. And just in time too." Alfred adjusted himself and walked in. The moment he stepped into the cafe he suddenly remembered something rather important. "Damn it. I forgot the documents on the table. Without it, I don't have any clue what the client's name is, let alone what he looked like. Shit." Alfred then took a seat close to the window and sighed in both exhaustion and disappointment. He had his head in his hands, muttering to himself when suddenly he heard someone speak to him.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you. But I was wondering if you were Alfred Jones?" Alfred sullenly looked up into the eyes of a kind face.
"Yea, who are you?"
"Oh, thank goodness I found you. I'm the person whom you're suppose to meet with. I'm sure your superiors told you to come meet with me?"
"Oh!" exclaimed Alfred, nearly scaring the client. Alfred stood up and held out his hand to the client, "It's nice to meet you, I'm sorry for being late."
The kind man shook hands and took the seat parallel to Alfred's. "Shall we get started on business then?" said the client.
"Totally."
"Hey, you have an accent?"
The man smiled. "Indeed I do. I was born in England. And then I came here to America."
"Oh I see. Cool. Welcome to America then."
"Heh. Thank you."
As Alfred shuffled through his paperwork, he noticed the man staring outside the window. He then noticed everything about this man. The way his thin pink lips were slightly parted. The way his blond hair looked a bit ruffled yet soft, which gave the man a bit of a cute look. But what Alfred noticed the most out of everything was those deep, dark emerald green eyes that looked outside. The man seemed to notice Alfred looking at him and caught Alfred a bit off guard.
"Is something the matter?"
"N-no. Nothing at all."
The man smiled.
Alfred then slightly blushed and tried to change the subject. "W-well it seems that everything is in order. All that's left is for me to give this to my bosses and for them to contact you about any additional information. S-so I believe this meeting is over."
"...I see."
Alfred begin packing his stuff and stood up to leave when suddenly,
"Excuse me, but do you mind having lunch with me? I'd rather have some company, if you don't mind."
Alfred was taken aback. Never had a client asked him to spend time with them, aside from all the meetings. Alfred didn't know how to respond, but he felt his head slowly nod.
"Terrific. Shall we go then?"
"W-wait...!"
The man smiled and then grabbed Alfred's arm and led him out of the cafe.
The man took him to a neighborhood restaurant. Sitting at a booth across from the man, Alfred felt nervous for some odd reason.
'Just who is this guy?' he thought to himself. As if his mind was being read, the man just smiled.
"Oh, I haven't formally introduced myself, have I? My name is Arthur. Arthur Kirkland. And thank you for coming along with me, Mr. Jones."
"S-sure... I don't mind coming along. Thanks for bringing me along."
"Hehe its my pleasure." Arthur smiled. Alfred couldn't help but smile back.
The server attended to them and the guys ordered their meals. After the meals came, the server then placed a bottle of champagne on their table.
"Um, excuse me. But we didn't order this. Right, Mr. Kirkland?"
The server just smiled while slightly blushing. "W-well, consider it on the house. I couldn't help myself. You two are such a cute couple, so I wanted to help the mood a bit. It's such a sweet thing to go on a date with an important someone."
Before Alfred could protest any further, the waitress had already left. "Heh. She must be delusional or something right?" Alfred said jokingly, in order to lighten the awkward atmosphere. But when he glanced at Arthur, he thought he saw sadness in that smile of his. And that sent a tinge of pain in his chest.
"I suppose so. If you don't mind, I'd prefer you call me Arthur. Mr. Kirkland is a bit too formal."
"Oh, sorry. Force of habit, one of my superiors made me take a class on manners. According to him, he said I didn't have any manners. And my boss agreed so it was decided that I had to talk to people, especially to clients with such formality." Alfred pouted his lips at the thought of those rigorous lessons his bosses made him spent hours on perfecting.
"But if you want, I can take the formalities off. It'll be more relaxing that's for sure."
"Yes, please do. Thank you. Well, now with that out of the way, I'm going to have some champagne." Arthur grabbed the bottle to pour some champagne into his glass when suddenly Alfred took the bottle and began pouring it into Arthur's glass.
"Here. At least let me do this for you. Arthur."
"Ah, thank you. ...Alfred."
They smiled at each other and sat in silence, finishing up their meal.
"Whoa. Would ya look at that sky? Ain't that a beauty?" Alfred said as he looked out the window beside them, hoping to clear up the awkward silence. "Well Arthur, thanks for the meal. Hope I wasn't too much of a bore to ya." He slightly scratched his head while the Brit smiled.
"It's not a problem, Alfred. I appreciate it. So thank you."
'Huh. Was I just imagining things earlier or did he really look sad?' This thought came to Alfred's mind when suddenly Arthur stood up.
"Well thank you for accompanying me to lunch. I do hope we see each other again, wouldn't that be nice?" Said the British man. All Alfred could do was nod. He suddenly felt shy and he didn't understand why. Then the Brit smiles at Alfred, waved then left the table with the tab. Alfred began gathering his things and thought about the British gentleman he had just met.
When he left, Arthur was nowhere in sight. 'Whoa. He's gone already?' He just sighed and went on his way.