The Maple Tree Watches

Ayane Selznick

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STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLIED

Pairings: Mainly Satoshi and Risa also Daisuke and Riku (the Canon pairing).

Summary: He promised himself to establish a happy life whereas his deeds and decisions contradicted what he ought to do. She on the other hand found out that she cannot let him go.

Author's Note: This will take place after the last battle between Dark and Krad (also known as Light, in Tagalog Translation) wherein they have been sealed away. So don't expect to see Dark or Krad unless its flashbacks. Also, please bear in mind that this is my first EVER D.N.Angel fanfiction (not a one-shot) that concerned with my most favorite couple: Hiwatari Satoshi and Harada Risa.

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Stage 1 Shining Stepping Stone

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Everything has finally ended.

The cursed that once ran in Hikari and Niwa's blood has finally come at peace.

It was thanks to him and mostly for Niwa Daisuke, who had stopped him, made him cry and more importantly made him realize the importance of his own life despite his overwhelming past.

Daisuke aided him to walk on the shattered plains of their mansion. Once they stopped, they both watched the most beautiful sunshine that ever beamed after all the incidents and mishaps they have been through.

That moment, Satoshi affirmed what he has to do in his life.

"I promised that from now on, I will live a happy life…" He glanced at his side to find his close friend, Daisuke beaming a mature smile back on him.

The red haired young man nodded.

Then the Harada twins entered the scene, the older of the two ran towards Daisuke.

And Risa was left in a game of glancing with Satoshi.

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A new morning was born. It could be the moment of where they should have a new start, too.

After the short scenario behind him and Risa, Satoshi decided to return to his Chief Police exterior as he tried to balance himself while he turned to look around. Risa practically jumped in surprise when she thought that Satoshi was going to stumble. Satoshi just gave her a small nod, implying that he was okay.

Then she watched him limped pass her.

Where is he going now?

"Hiwatari-kun," she called out earning Daisuke and Riku's attention, "where are you going?"

His messy pale blue hair swayed when Satoshi looked at his side to where Risa, Riku and Daisuke are.

"I'm… I'm going to find my father." The last word he uttered felt into deep whispers.

Despite the feeling of being commanded, unwillingly do things, and gain anything that his father wanted him to have, Satoshi never thought of abandoning his father. Despite the feeling of being a mere servant of his foster father, his inner kindness reigned; pushing away evil plans of what he could do against his old man.

In fact, Satoshi was not the kind of kid who despises his foster father.

"We'll help you then." Daisuke offered when arrived beside him. Riku stopped beside Risa with a knowing smile.

Satoshi gently shook his head, "I appreciate your help, but I'll be fine." He gave Daisuke a small smile before he looked ahead wondering where his foster father could be.

"You barely walk on your own, Hiwatari-kun." Risa's voice chimed when she walked to him, lightly placing her fragile hand on his forearm. "We'll help you."

The sudden contact, in which she initiated, frantically alarmed his force of habit to brush her away. However, a strange feeling of flickering freedom that he so wishfully desired came up to his senses.

The force of pulling away lay forgotten.

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Risa was right.

He would have stumbled a lot of times if she weren't there supporting his balance. The long hike in which they have to hop, crawl and walk may have wore them down. Daisuke never showed his exhaustion despite the inflicted damages both Dark and Krad discharged. Using magic or being attacked by the same means would hurt the tamer.

Aside from Krad's incessant persistence against Satoshi's control, Satoshi almost collapsed during the ritual of his suicide. He drew the seal with his own blood. The pain it brought while he was inside that circle cost him a thousand painful lashes. He could still feel the pain and all his muscles were getting tired each passing minute. This was the reason why he barely walked on his own.

Riku and Daisuke hopped from one destroyed wall to another, rigorously locating their friend's father. Both have determined faces as they scan the perimeter. Daisuke could not remember well where Commissioner Hiwatari was last seen. But even if he knew, they would not probably be able to locate him easily because the entire building was in shambles.

Satoshi almost tripped when he stepped on a broken piece of wall that lay underneath the layers of wrecked cement. Impulsively, Risa held him around his waist and pulled him. They both winced in pain.

He breathed out an exhausted air, "I apologize for the inconvenience of your situation, Harada-san. I'm not worthy of your exertion by means of supporting me. If you are tired already you can set me down."

She used her right back hand to wipe away the trickling sweat on her forehead.

"If you're not giving up searching for your father then I won't give up helping you."

"Harada-san—"

"It's Risa."

Daisuke and Riku stopped their search when they heard the short conversation between Riku's twin sister and Satoshi. They would not think that they were verbally bickering, those two do not hate each other. It was only a strange scene because two different poles are adhered to one another.

"Satoshi-kun! Risa-san! Are you two okay?" Daisuke hopped towards them with a worried face.

Risa looked up to him with a nod, "Yeah." And she changed the topic, "Did you find Hiwatari-san?"

The red haired teenager shook his head, "Not yet." He looked at Satoshi who had his eyes settled on the broken stones and barriers on his feet. "Don't worry, Satoshi-kun, we'll find him no matter what."

Satoshi nodded at Daisuke's sanguine affirmation. They both stared at Daisuke's back as he returned to where he previously paused for searching. Satoshi exhaled once again. He blamed his low blood pressure and his previous actions that excessively contributed in his condition. Or maybe he could simply blame it all to himself.

"Are you okay Hiwatari-kun?"

No, I am not. I feel very much exhausted and I don't think I'll be able to move my body tomorrow when I get the chance to rest.

Instead of stating fact, he stated lies. "Yes, of course."

Risa arched up a brow at him. She noticed that he was not wearing his glasses and he only used Dark's coat to cover his upper torso. What happened to him?

"Hiwatari-kun…"

She seemed to hesitate and Satoshi easily pointed that she was trying to put all the pieces together. It was hard for her to understand everything… or perhaps it would be hard for her to accept everything. Either of the two, he did not care anymore. Krad and Dark are gone. There's nothing to reveal at this moment…

…Unless she pried herself on to it…

"What happened to you and why are you here with Niwa-kun?" She pulled herself backwards to look at Dark's coat. She remembered that it was Dark who used to wear the coat that Satoshi was wearing.

It had two holes that resembled where the wings should have sprouted. Unconsciously, she looked at Daisuke's back. It had the same tattered parts at the back of his black sleeveless shirt.

"Wait a minute." She continued, "Where did Niwa-kun get those holes?" She did expect Satoshi to answer.

"Wings."

Only one word that made her thinks about Dark.

She looked at him, bearing a withered sadness that plastered across her once cheerful face. Although she proclaimed to let Dark go, she could not let go of the fact that she was concerned for that man. Anything that associated to Dark will easily capture her attention.

But getting back at Satoshi's words… if he mentioned about wings then…

Oh my God.

"Niwa-kun has wings!" Risa put her hands on her mouth. She easily recovered though, when Satoshi almost fell forward when she released her hold. Expectedly, she apologized for her actions.

"We had wings." Satoshi emphasized the word which made Risa more flummoxed than before.

She stared at him for a long time. Satoshi knew that she was trying to comprehend what he was saying. It was so impossible for a cool, quiet guy like himself and the clumsy, cheerful Daisuke to obtain wings! Who on earth would believe him? Only Dark and Krad have wings!

He looked at her golden-brown eyes.

He needed not to explain any further. Just what he mentioned earlier, everything finally ended. There wouldn't be any clarification on the subject of the latter events. And this particular person beside him does not have the authority to know the in-depth piece of information about his and Daisuke's family.

And besides, would Daisuke allow him to share that little information to Harada-imouto? Would Daisuke let Risa know that he was Dark?

"Hiwatari-kun? Hiwatari-kun, are you listening?"

He blinked his blue eyes twice before looking back at her with a nod.

"So, when did you two have wings? And how did you get Dark's coat?"

Satoshi gave her a stern look before staring at her pallid hands that placed on his weakened arm.

Would he dare telling the truth? Would he dare allow her to know him more?

Frankly admitting, he did not think of revealing the truth most especially to these two people. Nonetheless, he was sure that Daisuke had let his official girlfriend, Riku, to know more about him. That includes Daisuke being Dark.

Satoshi, on the other hand, still had an inner struggle of revealing it or not. Risa was not his close friend, nor did he assert her to be his friend, so he should not feel obligated to tell her who really is Satoshi and Daisuke.

"I appreciate if you will let me know everything that happened, yet still I believed that… I'm in no position to snoop about that little information. Besides that," Risa beamed a shy smile on him. She even gently gripped at his arm, "we still have to find your father, right?"

Satoshi needed not to refute. "Aa."

To be continued…

Author's Note: Would he dare say it to Risa? Please Read and Review!