The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live. ~Elbert Hubbard

Here's a little quote that reminded me about Subaru.

I've been really active lately. Maybe it's because of the upcoming exams and whatnot and now the stress is giving me ideas here and there or something..

I haven't read Junjou Romantica in a while so I hope the characters aren't OOC.


He saw him again.

The first time Akihiko had seen him was actually quite some time ago. He wasn't really sure why he had even taken notice of the guy in the first place. Sure, the guy was rather handsome by the society's standards but Akihiko had seen enough of good-looking people to notice this guy because of that.

The man had stood there in the middle of the park, doing nothing but staring at the clear surface of the pond.

He had worn a white trench coat along with a black shirt, his straight black hair blown by the small breeze. He was pale and skinny as though he had not been eating enough. Perhaps it was his eyes that had drawn Akihiko to this man. A pair of emerald eyes, the same color as his beloved Misaki's but yet there was something different about it that Akihiko couldn't place a finger to.

This time, although the man stood at the exact same spot as he did last time, Akihiko had almost walked past him without noticing him. It was as if his presence was gone, melted into the atmosphere. Was he thinking too much? Maybe it was just the fact that the man had changed tremendously from the last time he had seen him that he couldn't recognize him.

He was wearing all black now and he had grown out his sideburns. But what really shocked Akihiko was the fact that his eye color had changed. One of his emerald green orbs was replaced by a golden honey one.

It was impossible to change one eye color. Akihiko wondered if he was wearing contacts. But the strangest thing was that the man did not look at all out of place with two such contrasting eye colors but rather, it fitted him perfectly as if he was born with it the whole time. Or was it because he was living for the sake of those eyes?

The thought was so absurd and utterly nonsensical that Akihiko dismissed it immediately. Why would those eyes be any reason for living?

"Usagi-san!"

But speaking of reasons for living... Akihiko thought as he turned to the voice with a smile. He saw a brown-haired boy running towards him, his green eyes shone with urgency.

"Usagi-san! Hurry up! You said you wanted to come out to get ideas and we're done! So let's go back and get to work!"

When Misaki reached him, Akihiko fondled his head, chuckling slightly. Looking into his beautiful emerald eyes, Akihiko suddenly realized the difference between the man's eyes and Misaki's. He whipped back his head to the man at the pond.

Misaki's eyes were bright, innocent and full of life. But that man's eyes... Akihiko thought with a shiver. That man's eyes were empty, as empty as a void. Not a single shred of hope nor despair was evident in the dulled green and gold eyes.

These were the eyes of someone who had gone through too much and lost any reason for living. They were the eyes of a man who had given up living. They were the eyes of a man that was forced to live, a living dead man. He was like a doll, Akihiko realized. A broken one at that.

"Nothing is more painful than to wander in the world without your loved ones."

Akihiko wasn't sure where he had heard the quote from or even how the quote was relevant but that was all he needed to know.

"Usagi-san?" Misaki asked, glancing at the man Akihiko had been looking at. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just need to fill up on my Misaki." Akihiko purred, pulling said boy closer.

"Baka Usagi! We're in public!" Misaki hissed, breaking free and stomping off. Akihiko could see that his ears were turning red. How cute.

As Akihiko started following Misaki, he took one last look over at the pond. He realized that the man had also turned and with those mismatched eyes, he was looking at them with… with what seemed to be nostalgia?

Akihiko was caught off guard with the sudden display of emotions in his pale expressionless face.

Looking into his emerald eyes that had long lost its glow, Akihiko thought with a fiery determination. I wouldn't let Misaki end up like that. I wouldn't ever let his innocence be destroyed.

As if the man read his mind, he gave a slight nod and turned back to the pond.

Akihiko then turned back and caught up with Misaki. He passed an amethyst-eyed boy with messy black hair. He heard the boy mutter something like "Subaru?" and ran in the direction towards the pond.

"So have you thought of an idea?" Misaki asked, looking straight ahead.

"Oh yes, I have plenty of inspirations."

"Wha-" Misaki stopped, looking at Akihiko incredulously. "It better not be another BL novel!"

Akihiko just smirked and walked ahead, ignoring Misaki's outburst. Oh, how he loved playing with his head.

But as he thought of the lonely man by the pond, an idea slowly started forming in his head.

Ah, "The Broken Doll with Mismatched Eyes" would be a good name.


Well, that was a short one. Well, I DID do this in a hurry. Sort of. Anyway, I should just get to the point. How did you like it?

By the way, that quote was from one of the older CLAMP manga, I think it was RG Veda but I'm not too sure.