The rain coming down in long, narrow sleets hit Toki on his bald head, startling him for a moment with its harsh coldness. He looked up at the quickly-darkening sky; black clouds were moving swiftly to cover the entire expanse of what remained of a clear, blue sky. His expression was a mirror of the bafflement and surprise he felt at this drastic weather predicament. When he had started out this morning, to visit the cemetery which housed both his grandmother's and Takiko Okuda's grave, the sun had been shining brightly, almost scorching him with its intolerable heat. So how had the weather changed so drastically within the span of an hour?
He shielded his face with the back of his hand as the rain began to pour harder; the consistent pounding of the raindrops on the gravel beneath his feet sounded like bullets shot from a far-off gun in the almost deathly stillness of the cemetery. He silently cursed himself for not bringing an umbrella with him as he continued on his way to Takiko's grave.
Ever since that fateful day, several years back, when Takiko had started disappearing from the annals of history, he had begun to visit her grave whenever he went to visit his grandmother's, Suzuno's, grave. It had been a trying time and he was glad that it was over and no more such similar incidents had occurred.
He shook himself, trying to rid the old anxiety that resurfaced whenever he thought about the time almost three years ago when Takiko's presence and memory in the book had begun disappearing.
He shivered as wind grew colder, ruffling his long black robes. He sneezed once, the humidity of his surroundings catching up to him. He looked down at the bouquet of fresh lilies he carried in his right hand. The flowers were rain drenched, sadly drooping as each drop of rain pounded against their delicate petals with such turbulent force that it was a wonder that they were not torn apart yet. He always brought both graves fresh flowers whenever he visited, and today was no exception. But recently he had noticed fresh flowers being placed on Takiko's grave. It made him wonder whether Takiko Okuda could still have some family left. He knew it was a absurd thought since the late Einosuke Okuda had killed his daughter and then himself which made the possibility of any family left living utterly out of the question, but still something inside of him refused to rule out that possibility.
When he reached the steps that led down to a small group of graves, Takiko's amongst them, he stopped abruptly. A man in his early thirties was standing in front of Takiko's grave. He wore a black suit and held an umbrella in one hand, a suitcase in the other.
So this was the one who had been leaving flowers on Takiko's grave.
He didn't recognize the older man, but something about his demeanor suggested that this man had really cared for Takiko. Toki walked down the steps, smiling at the man.
"Friends of the family?" he asked his tone friendly as he placed the small bouquet of lilies on top of Takiko's grave.
"Actually," the stranger began, his eyes transfixed on the grave. He gestured towards Takiko's grave, "This girl used to be my daughter"
Toki's face registered shock and bewilderment.
"Then.. you mean to tell me that…" his voice trailed off, his mind unable to put into words his puzzled thoughts.
The man looked Toki in the eye, smiling slightly at the younger man's shock. It was a sad smile, which barely touched his pale grey eyes.
"Yes, I am Einosuke Okuda"
That night, something(that had nothing to do with a once-dead author) foul was afoot
Keisuke stood leaning over the counter, enjoying every minute of watching Mayo preparing dinner. She stood over the stove, a pink apron tied around her waist. She was cooking ramen, giving him uncomfortable glances over her shoulder. Keisuke laughed, understanding the look of discomfort in her eyes.
Mayo's cooking skills left much to be desired. The last time she had took it upon herself to cook something for him, to impress him, she had ended up setting fire to the kitchen. Ever since that day, Mayo had been downright uncomfortable to even step into the kitchen.
But he knew she was making an effort for him and he felt flattered by the thought even if the gesture didn't turn out perfectly just the way she had planned.
He walked around the counter and went to stand near her. He peered down at the soft tendrils of ramen to check to see if it was nearly done when an acrid smell teased his nostrils. He wrinkled his nose in distaste as he moved as far away from the stove as he could.
"Mayo, I think something's burning!" Keisuke yelled out as he looked around the small kitchen, trying to locate the source of the smell.
"But I didn't…." Mayo let out a gasp of horror as she lunged towards the oven door, which was just below the stove. She pulled it open. Thick, gray smoke filled the entire room making both of them cough. Her eyes filled with tears from the smoke, as she plunged her hands into the smoke and pulled out the remains of a thoroughly burnt chicken.
She placed the blackened trough on the counter. It was ruined. Her perfectly planned dinner was ruined now. Keisuke would never like her now. She walked around the counter, her shoulders drooping as she went to sit down at the dining table.
His heart wrenched just looking at her looking so dejected. He switched off the stove before walking over to stand behind her. He placed his hands on her small shoulders, squeezing them.
"I'm such a failure, aren't I?" Mayo remarked to him, as she looked down at her singed hands. In her haste she had forgotten the oven mitts, and now there was a black line running across her palm.
"Mayo!" Keisuke exclaimed as he knelt down beside her chair and examined the wound.
Mayo wrenched her hands away. Sure, the wound hurt but that was nothing compared to the pain of disappointment and anger she felt at herself. She could do nothing right. She always failed at everything she tried to do. Her eyes filled up with tears once more but this time they had nothing to do with thick layer of smoke that was still floating over them, near the ceiling. She felt despair and frustration coil into a thick knot in the pit of her stomach.
"Uncle Keisuke?" a child's voice called from out in the hallway. The next moment a small child of about five years old appeared at the doorway of the dining room. He had thick, brown hair and grey eyes- Taka's eyes. He looked up at the two adults with curious eyes.
An instant transformation came over Keisuke and he smiled down at the boy warmly. He had been so absorbed in talking with Mayo that he had almost forgotten that Taka and Miaka had left Hikari with him for the night, so they could have some private time to themselves. At first Keisuke had been pissed at having to baby-sit his favorite little nephew since he had finally gotten around to asking Mayo out on a real date. But Mayo, understanding Keisuke's situation, had generously offered to make him dinner in her apartment instead of going out to a restaurant as they had planned.
"Hikari" Keisuke walked over to the boy and picked him up. "You see aunt Mayo over there tried to-"
"KEISUKE!" Mayo yelled at him, coming out of her chair. Her eyes flashed with uncontrollable rage. "I don't want that kid to know what a failure I am!"
"Mayo, I wasn't-"
"You were!" she shouted at him before he could explain himself.
"Mayo, you are-"
"What? I am a what? A failure?"
"I didn't say that! Mayo you're acting like a child. And you're frightening Hikari" he chided her gently, his tone calm and a bit pleading.
Mayo's eyes filled with hurt. Keisuke had called her a child. That's how he viewed her. She was nothing more than a child to him. Not a woman of twenty-one, especially not as someone who would be suitable girlfriend material. He thought she was a child, someone he was forced to scold whenever she did something wrong. Well! She had had enough! Her anger now replaced the hurt and she turned away from Keisuke, untying her apron.
"Mayo, wait!" he called after her as she threw the apron on the counter. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."
He followed her as she made her way through her apartment. She picked up her purse from the coffee table in the living room and walked towards the front door.
"Mayo, wait! Where are you going? This is your apartment!"
"I'll go anywhere! As long as it's away from you!" she shrieked as she pulled open the front door.
He reached out to stop Mayo from leaving when suddenly she started glowing with a familiar red light. The light of Suzaku! His eyes widened in surprise. But… the legend has been completed! So why…? He looked into Mayo's eyes and he realized what was happening.
"Mayo! No!" He shouted out in desperation as he caught hold of her arm and held on tight for all he was worth.
Meanwhile, someone else was also trying to hold on to his love for all he was worth
Tetsuya was in the kitchen of his one-bedroom apartment, rummaging through the fridge for some beer.
"Ha, found it" he said to no one particular, as he pulled out two beers from where it stood partially hidden behind two cartons of leftover noodles..
He turned sideways to close the door, but when he did so something in his pocket pressed against his hipbone, causing him to yelp out in pain.
Damnit! Almost forgot about the ring.
He delved into his pocket and brought out the small, rectangular velvet box he had bought just that morning. He leaned his elbows on the polished surface of the small island counter in the center of the kitchen, looking at the box, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.
He was nervous and apprehensive about proposing to Yui. He knew he loved her and also knew that she felt the same way but he couldn't help feeling a niggling thought at the back of his mind that she might refuse him. The thought was ridiculous, he knew that too. He and Yui had been going strong for over eight years now. At first he had hated Yui for the despicable way in which she had treated Miaka when they had both been in the book, but as time passed and as she matured, learning from her mistakes and accepting her faults, he had felt a deep, inexplicable connection to Yui.
But recently he felt that something in their relationship had changed. Yui was hiding something and she was loath to telling him what it was that was bothering her. Whenever he had asked her about it, she lost her temper and flew out of the room in a rage. He had decided not to press the matter anymore and they had called a silent truce for now. But that didn't help ease the constant nagging thought that he was the cause of that anger.
He gave a resigned sigh, as he quickly pocketed the box. If she refused him and then broke up with him, then…. then he'd just… have to deal with it.
He picked up the beer bottles and went through to the darkened living room. A still picture of an unidentifiable monster baring its claws at the group of scared humans standing before it was displayed on the TV screen, apparently paused for the moment.
He and Yui had been watching a scary movie when Yui had declared that she was thirsty. Well, not really watching as much as making out. Tetsuya grinned goofily, his lips tingling with the memory of her kisses.
That was one thing that hadn't changed, and he was glad it hadn't. Yui, even if she seemed preoccupied with something, was as passionate as ever.
He walked over to where Yui was sitting on the couch and placed the bottles on the coffee table before plopping down beside her.
"Yui-chan?" he said, turning sideways to look at her.
"Yes?" Yui replied, smiling at him as she leaned forward to pick up the beer bottle.
She was in profile, her short blond hair glinting silver in the dim light of the TV. Her lips were parted, her green eyes sparkling with an inner light. She had never looked more beautiful than she did right now.
"I have something to ask you" he began, his voice shaking a little with nervousness.
He stood up without further preamble and bent down on one knee in front of her, taking both of her hands in his own sweaty ones. Stop sweating, you freak! he chided himself, She's your girlfriend. She won't say no…. hopefully…
"Tetsuya-kun… I" Yui began, finally understanding what he was trying to do.
"Wait, Yui! Don't say anything! Just look at the ring!"
He plunged his sweaty palm into his left pocket, searching for the velvet box. But it wasn't there. He delved deeper into his pocket searching for the box, but still he couldn't find it. He gave Yui a sheepish grin.
"I have it here, Yui! I know I have it here somewhere…" He turned away from her as he emptied his pockets, spreading out the contents on the carpet.
"Tetsu-" Yui began but she was cut off as a sudden pain filled her chest. She leaned back against the pillows on the couch, breathing hard as wave after wave of indescribable pain washed through her entire body. Her vision narrowed and she tried once more to call out to Tetsuya.
"Tetsuya…" her voice trailed off as she lost herself to the overwhelming darkness.
"Wait, Yui! I have it!" Tetsuya interrupted, jumping up in the air in victory.
When he turned around, he could see that Yui had fallen asleep, her head resting on the arm of the couch.
"Don't go falling asleep on me, Yui!" Tetsuya yelled at her, exasperated.
But she remained sleeping.
"Yui?" Tetsuya called out, softly.
He was getting worried now. She lay, barely breathing. When he reached out to touch her cheek, her skin was cold to his touch. He drew his hand away, looking down at her in confusion. What was going on? Yui had been in fine health just a moment ago, so what had caused this sudden attack? He lifted her wrist to check her pulse. It was growing fainter by the moment! A sense of dread filled his entire being.
"Wake up, Yui!" He shook her shoulders hard, hoping to rouse her from her endless oblivious sleep.
But she remained unconscious, barely moving.
A bright red light caught the corner of his eye and he turned towards the window. The fog clinging to the window obstructed his vision, but he would know that ominous red light anywhere.
The flame of Suzuka!