Title

心のなか, Kokoro no Naka, In My Heart

Summary

They were separated, physically and emotionally. They thought he was dead for goodness' sake. But deep inside, he knew that they knew that he would always be there for them... In My Heart. Ichinose/Aki/Domon.

ICHINOSE-KUN!

He wanted to scream sorry...

He wanted to turn back time...

He wanted to tell them that he was okay and that they had no reason to mourn for him.

Sighing softly, Ichinose rose from his bed slowly and carefully, ignoring the imaginary thorns that seemed to be burying themselves into his whole body. Wincing slightly, he walked to his bedroom window, looking but not admiring, nor appreciating the place that he so often played in with them.

Small children around his age were playing, running, enjoying life at the moment in that small park. Each child reminded him of the four of them. The supposedly inseparable quad.

Domon...

The blunette, he guessed - no, knew, must be mourning for his "death" as well.

"Save the tears, Domon," he said as though he was speaking to the person himself. He frowned deeply, feeling even more alone than he did.

He imagined all the responses his friend would've given him.

"But you're dead How could we not cry?" seemed the most probable.

"No, I'm not. I'm still here, you know," he responded to his own thought.

Great. So now I'm going crazy as well?

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Kazuya? Are you awake yet?" a soft and caring voice asked from the other side. Ichinose heaved a sigh before replying.

"Yeah, Mom."

"Oh, good. You must be hungry right now, Kazuya. I'll go get your breakfast for you."

"I can go down, Mom," Ichinose reassured.

"No, Kazuya. You're staying in bed," his mother replied sternly, leaving Ichinose inside the room looking dumb-founded.

So much has changed...

I wonder... What would Nishigaki do at a time like this? Ichinose asked himself, lying back down on the bed, still as careful as ever.

He was never much of a joker...

"I told you so," seems like the best line.

"You never told me anything," he replied to no one.

Yep. Definitely crazy. Geez, pull yourself together!

"As if I can do that!"

"Talking to yourself again, Kazuya?" a light female voice joked somewhere in the room. Ichinose looked about and saw his mother smiling at him sympathetically. She was holding a tray full of random breakfast food, ranging from bacons and eggs, rice, noodles, the usual.

"I'm fine, Mom, don't worry," he replied with a half-hearted smile.

"I hope so." She set down the tray on the bedside table carefully before looking back at Ichinose, trying to read him.

"I'm fine, Mom, promise," Ichinose sighed.

"You were talking to yourself yet again, Kazuya," she pointed out, her voice teasing.

"I've lost it, then."

"I don't think so."

"Then it's normal for me to hear their voices in my head? Let alone let myself reply to those voices?" Ichinose asked skeptically, baffled by his mother's comment.

"Well, no, but it shows that you're all close enough to know how the other will react. That is not normal, even between friends."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Yes, Kazuya." Her eyes wandered over to a framed picture on the same desk. Ichinose followed her gaze and his face became sad once more.

"I miss them," he said, looking at each of his friends closely, as though trying to memorize how they looked like... as though it was the last time he'd see them again."

"I know you do."

"Will I ever see them again?"

"It all depends on you, Kazuya."

"Do you think I should've said that I wasn't dead? Was it wrong for me to lie?"

"It would've hurt them to see you in that state, Kazuya," she replied quietly. Ichinose nodded in agreement.

"Mom, we will see them again, won't we?"

"I'm sure we will, Kazuya."

"I want to see them again," he said, sighing deeply. "I remember... a promise we made..."

"Hm?"

"Aki always said that we'll always stick together no matter what, and we made a promise as well. I just broke our promise," Ichinose said, his frown deepening.

"Well, Kazuya..." she began, "promises have loopholes in them, you know."

"Eh?"

"As long as you remain in each other's hearts, you'll always be together," she said wisely. "As long as you still value each other, as though your personal, irreplaceable treasure, then you'll always be friends."

Ichinose contemplated on this quietly. His mother smiled softly before walking towards the door once more.

"Mom?" Ichinose called.

"Yes?"

"I know that Aki and Domon and Nishigaki will never forget me," he stated with a grin. "And I know that they will always be in my heart." He placed a hand over his chest, feeling the beating of his heart.

"I'm sure of that too, Kazuya," she agreed.

Ichinose-kun, Aki's soft voice rang in his head, we will never forget you. You'll be in our hearts, and one day, we might meet again someday. One by one, Domon, Nishigaki, and Aki's bright smiles illuminated his memories, and maybe, just maybe, what Aki said will come true.

One day, minna. But in the meantime, you'll stay here, where you'll be safe and sound in my heart...

"Always, minna, in my heart..."

We'll keep our word until we are together once again...

"Tadaima, Aki..."

Mood:

Author Idol: don't remember (maybe Just-daydreamin' aka Rie?)
FanFiction Craze: Rekindled Memories (by Just-daydreamin') (Rie)
Artist/Singer: Cori Yarckin
Heavily Suggested Song: Together We Make A Promise (Cori Yarckin)
Obsessive Craze: xxx

Statistics:

Words: 860
Pages: 3
Disclaimer: Not own. Never will own. Shouldn't even.
Fandom: Pre-Inazuma Eleven - Original Series
Note: I appreciate you reading. I remember popping this up in a little more than three hours because I needed the song to play and play and play. It would be nice if you would listen to it as well.

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberries galore,
Raizza-chan xoxo