Disclaimers: Demon Diary belongs to me. (gets smacked) Wha~t? .;; What do you think I said? It belongs to Kara and Lee Chi Hyong and Lee Yun Hee. And Tokyopop too.
A/N: My very first Demon Diary fanfic and I'm GLAD they finally put up a section for it. .;; It's a oneshot for now… but I might turn it into a full fic if I get any more ideas. Tell me what you think. ^-^
This is written in Raenef's POV.
Warnings: Since I'm basing this on the translated versions because the original Korean manwha aren't available here, I've only read until the fifth volume (except the third… I still don't have it yet either ~_~;;). This is set after the seventh volume, though. I don't have it yet but I've accidentally read spoilers O_o;; So this might have spoilers too.
English isn't my first language, so please excuse all the grammar/spelling errors. ^^
Enjoy!=^^=
~*~ The Promise ~*~
Five days… It's been five days since I've kept coming back up here. I don't know why, but maybe it's because the view of the city when seen from up here is nice. When I first saw this spot from down at the streets, it looked awfully familiar. It's as if I've seen someone sitting here before and it made me feel like I want to be up here too. So I tried. The first time I climbed it was pretty difficult. I even fell down and landed on my butt. Hard. But now, after a few times I've gotten used to it.
"Oi! Raenef! What ya doin' up there?"
It's Chris. He's a cleric from the temple of Rased and he also helps me out whenever I get in trouble for stealing. He says it's because he's my friend. But, honestly, I don't remember any of it. Me being a thief… him being my friend… and even my name being Raenef… but that's what he told me. And that's how everyone here treats me. The townspeople shoo me away and the authorities are always chasing me.
"I was looking all over for you. I should have known you'd be here. Again." He climbs up too and sits beside me.
"What's up?" I didn't do anything again, did I? Unless… unless… I was sleepwalking last night and unconsciously stole from people again!!! Oh no! What am I going to do? I'm dead. They'll imprison me or… or… kill me or… or… feed me as a sacrifice to a demon lord!
"Waaahhh!!!! I'm so sorry! I promise I won't do it again! Help me! I'll do anything just—"
And he smacks me hard on the head.
"Hey! Relax. Geez… I just wanted to check on you. That old man can just get so bo~ring sometimes." He sighs exasperatedly.
"Did… Did you skip your lessons again?" Well, if I remember correctly, he's not supposed to be free right now. He has lessons from that other high cleric at this time.
"No way! I just… um… I just took a break because he… he… he had an important meeting! Yes, that's right! An important meeting!" He answers in a flash, waving his hands in the air frantically. "Anyway… why do you like staying up here all the time?" He asks all of a sudden.
"I don't know. I just… like to. I guess… Maybe before I used to stay up here all the time. Before, you know… Before I had anesthesia."
"You poor poor dear…" He pats my head.
"I know… It feels horrible not to remember anything doesn't it?" He understands how I feel. He really is my friend. I'm so lucky.
"No, that's not what I meant… You poor thing… You can't even tell a chemical from loss of memory. It's amnesia… not anesthesia. Idiot." He bursts laughing.
"Hey! I knew that!" No, really I did. I just… forgot. "What's the difference anyway? It's just the pron… pron… the way of saying it!"
"Whatever." He continues to laugh.
"How… How dare YOU laugh at ME, vermin!?"
Then all out of nowhere, something sparks in my mind.
Images…
Someone telling me never to apologize no matter what I do…
A face I've never seen before but…
The dark hair… Those eyes… And that rare smile that makes me feel so warm…
"Raenef? Is something wrong?" Chris asks me with a concerned expression.
"I… I think I just remembered a part of my past… There was this person that I saw… And he looks so… familiar."
I close my eyes and try to picture him again on my mind but the image doesn't come back. But the feeling whenever I remember something, especially that person, is always the same.
It's like, I keep longing for him….
Wishing for him to come…
Waiting… Waiting for him?
But why?
"Raenef… It's not like you to think so much, you know." He smirks.
"Shut up! Meanie…"
And he pinches my cheek.
"You're so cute when you're whining like that. Just like a girl…"
"Shut up!!!" I do not look like a girl.
"But really… who is this guy I keep seeing in my mind and just disappears after a few moments…?" I unconsciously thought out loud… making Chris abruptly freeze and look up at me in shock.
"What…?" He asks me, looking all serious now. Could it be that… that… he actually knows something?
"He looks like…" Think, Raenef, think! Christ might be of help! That man I keep seeing in my mind when I'm awake and even in my dreams when I'm asleep must be the key to my lost memories. And… And if Chris could tell me who he is… I… I'd be free.
Free from this feeling of emptiness…
"Wait… dark hair and…. And… that's all." See my head drop.
"Eclipse…" Chris mutters softly, but loud enough for me to hear.
"What? Wait… that name…" Why does it have an impact on me…? I'm sure I've heard it before. More than that I… I'm sure it has very strong attachment to me. But why…?
"Chris… What you said… That's a name isn't it? Whose is it?"
He faces me with a serious expression this time, looking at me straight in the eyes.
"I want to tell you but I think it would be best for you to find it out on your own. Besides… That man… If he isn't stupid, then I'm more than sure that he'll come back for you. Just wait, and be patient, Raenef. He'll come…" He holds my shoulder and smiles. "I'm sure of that."
I hope so. I've been waiting.
I close my eyes, and my right hand unconsciously rises up to my chest as I whisper. "Please… find me."
The next moment I feel Chris's arms around me. "He will. He should, or else I'll drag him all the way out here to get you back." He pats my head.
"Well, it's getting late. I better get going. You should too. It's dangerous to be out in the dark. Especially for someone like you." He smirks then pokes my nose. "I'll come back here and visit as often as I could. But if one day I don't see you in this town… I'm sure I know where to find you." He winks. "See ya!" And he jumps down.
"So there you are!" Oh… that's his teacher! "Hi! Mister.. um.. um… Mister Chris's teacher!!!" I wave at him.
"Oh hello to you to young one!" He waves back and smiles at me.
Chris abruptly looks back and his eyes widen so much it looked as though they were going to fall off the sockets. "Oh shoot… I'm in big trouble!" And he runs for it.
"Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I'm afraid I'll be busy tonight teaching Chris a lesson about skipping classes. I'll see you around, young one." He pleasantly smiles and runs after Chris with an expression that tells me he's ready to kill him any moment now.
Poor Chris… I knew it! He ditched them. Again.
I guess I better head home then. Better split before the authorities find me here and chase me all over the town again.
"Hey kid! Get down here you brat! I know you… you're one of those street rats!!!"
I hate it when I'm right.
Another one comes. "You there. Did you find another kid?"
And yet another one joins them. "Up there!"
Oh no… How do I get down from here? I'm dead… Chris isn't here. No one will help me. They'll get me for sure this time. I'm so dead.
"Leave him alone… Useless mortals…" Someone suddenly speaks from behind me.
Huh? But I didn't even see anyone climb up. Who…?
This guy…
"Who are you? Mind your own business, you… you… whoever you are! If you're not related to that kid it would be best not to get involved!" The guard yells.
"As a matter of fact, he is my business." He retorts with a calm voice yet a bloodcurdling look in his eyes.
But those eyes soften the moment he turns and looks at me. "Don't worry, my lord. I will to protect you."
Those words… it feels like I've heard them before. It's as if this isn't the first time he said this to me.
"Well, you asked for it! We have no choice but to arrest you as well!" The guard yells, again, and it snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Foolish mortals…" The mysterious guy looks down at them with a penetrating glare. "Go"
Then they're all gone.
Just like that.
"What… What happened?" In the blink of an eye they just… vanished!
"Please don't worry, lord, I just teleported them."
And he smiles at me.
This smile… could he be…?
"Mister… Are you… Are you the one I've been waiting for? Did you come for me…?" There's no mistake. It is him. It must be… because… because this feeling I have right now… is the same as what I've been having all this time.
"Yes. I came for you." Then he lays his hand on my head in a soft pat. "Because you called me."
Finally… I've been waiting. All this time… I've felt so hollow and now… it's all gone. Now there's only me and him and nothing else. Yes, nothing else matters.
He offers me his hand, palm face up. "It would be my honor to take you back home."
I move to take his hand, but when a sudden hesitation comes into my mind I abruptly stop without thinking.
"Um… Um… If I'll take your hand… Could you promise not to let my hand go?"
Then out of the blue, the image of a huge garden flashes on my mind and I suddenly see him and me together in that place.
~ Eclipse?
Yes?
I… I won't let you down. I'll do my best to become the greatest demon lord ever. Can you stay with me for as long as it takes?~
What was his answer then?
And more importantly… what would be his answer now?
He simply smiles at me and looks at me straight in the eye, his hand still waiting for me to hold it. "No, lord Raenef. I won't let go. Never. Because whatever happens, whoever tears us apart… I will never stop looking for your hand and hold it again, for I swore to be by your side. Always."
"Okay!" I smile at him and grasp his hand. His words were just what I needed to be reassured. More than from his lips, somehow I felt that they came from his heart.
Suddenly, he pulls me closer to him and hugs me tightly.
"I missed you so much."
And as he kisses my forehead, I slowly remember what his answer was before.
~Can you stay with me forever?
Forever… If you wish.~
~*~
=^w^= Phew ~_~;; typed this up in one sitting. And now I'm too sleepy to edit. I hope the errors were tolerable ^^;; I got the idea from a summary that said after Raenef has battled with his evil self, he lost his memories and was returned to the town where Eclipse found him. So there, it sparked a fic idea.
Very short… I know. ^^;; But I do hope you liked it. Please let me know how I did. (pleading eyes ^^;;)