Like Fate's Red Strings Tied Together
A Oneshot Dedicated to Angel Beats!
MindyMesmerized
"Yuzuru, I came to this world because my longing to thank you for the new lease of life you had given me so immensely… But I'm glad, because I managed to fulfill that, and it also gave me a chance to realize that…"
"I love you, Yuzuru."
"I'm going to be late…" The white-haired girl whispered under her breath as she quickened her pace, causing her hair and white sundress to flutter in the breeze. She didn't want to be late – she had already made an appointment with her best friend, whom she hadn't gone out with for more than a month, and she only had five minutes left to reach their promised meeting place.
The constant clicking sound of her heels against the floor reminded her about the dull, throbbing pain at her ankle. She had sprained a few days ago during Gymnastics, but she decided that she couldn't wear sandals with such a pretty white dress, could she? Not that Yuri would mind, though, she had never cared much about looks. All she wanted was a true friend that she could trust.
Just then, someone had gently grasped her shoulder, causing her to flip her head around. She saw a red-haired boy looking at her with confused, but determined-looking eyes. "Have I met you somewhere before?" was the first thing he said, his voice deep with genuine curiosity.
She looked at him and blinked. Nope, she didn't think she had ever seen someone that looked like him before. "I'm sorry, you must've gotten the wrong person." She smiled at him, unknowingly dazzling him and leaving him stunned for a few seconds. I have to hurry… She turned and began to walk away briskly, only to be stopped by him once again, his hand firmly clasped around her wrist. "Don't go." That one touch, seemed to spark up something in her mind. Only what? She couldn't recall. A faint memory attempted to surface in her head, but quickly disappeared once again, leaving her head throbbing slightly.
The amber-haired boy seemed to be confused at his own actions as he awkwardly let go of her hand, "Nevermind. I just thought you looked so familiar… even though I can't recall…"
"I'm going to meet my friend, if you have nothing on, would you like to come along?" The words left her lips before she could consider them properly – What on earth was she thinking? Bringing a complete stranger to meet her best friend, who would certainly not appreciate the extra company. Nonetheless, the words had already been spoken, so she had to stay true to them.
"S- sure…" He followed after her as they walked at a face pace, but in silence.
"By the way, I'm Kanade. Tachibana Kanade." She said, turning her head and smiling.
The boy stopped for a second. Tachibana Kanade… that name echoed in his head, seemingly trying to remind him of something, trying to make him realize something very important. "What's wrong?" Her words broke his train of thought.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about how pretty that name was." Gah, there was it all over again. He didn't even know what he was saying anymore, quickly adding something to cover up the embarrassing situation, "I'm Otonashi Yuzuru. Pleased to meet you."
"I'm pleased to meet you too. Now, if we don't hurry, I'm afraid my friend would be very upset." She muttered, motioning for him to walk faster.
"Yuri!" Kanade waved cheerfully at a silky red-haired girl, who was wearing a small frown on her face and scowling at her. "You're late!" She lifted her hood from her head. A white, ribbon blouse, a black hoodie and grey shorts. Like always, Yuri always liked to dress up in her own style.
"I'm sorry… I had some… Issues." She said as she looked at me. "And uhm… this is Otonashi Yuzuru. And my friend here is Yurippe, even though she's mostly known as Yuri."
Yuri raised an eyebrow at Kanade, but then turned her attention on Otonashi and stared… for a long time. "Eto… Yuri? I think you're scaring him." Kanade said sheepishly.
"Oh. Don't take it to heart, yeah. I was just wondering why you looked so familiar." Yuri said casually, slapping Otonashi on the shoulder. "It's like I know you from a past life or something. Funny, huh."
Past life…? Another thought sprung into Kanade's head… this time clearer, still blurry, but she thought she could images of her laughing… fishing, probably, with some friends. Only that she didn't know them – for sure, they looked familiar, but she didn't know them. Maybe she had forgotten, but she had never gone on a fishing trip.
"Well then, I shall just overlook the fact that you decided to bring someone else to our lunch date." Yuri rolled her eyes as she picked a table nearest to the window. Both girls briefly glanced at the menu, flipping the pages at lightning speed, but never really reading them.
"Well, you want Mapo Tofu, don't you?"
"And you, Beef Stew, am I right?"
And they both burst into hearty laughter, simply enjoying being in each other's presence.
"Otonashi-san, what would you like, then?"
"Well, I'm fine with anything, but Mapo Tofu… I guess I'll try something new for today then. I'll have the same as you, Tachibana-san."
But when the tofu entered his mouth, the flavor burst in his tongue so strongly that he had to gulp down mouthfuls of water. Now why then, did he find the taste so nostalgic? It didn't taste entirely new to him – fresh, but it's taste was somehow locked in some distant part of his mind. Did he ever try eating Mapo Tofu before? The dish that was well-known for its utter spiciness.
And as the day passed, he watched as Kanade and Yuri chatted leisurely and laughed, caught up in their own world, apparently forgetting about his existence. He didn't mind, though, somehow he found himself contempt listening to them, their voices ringing in his ears. Like church bells… they seem to radiate a soothing feel. A smile crept up onto his lips.
"Ah… it's already so late." Yuri suddenly stood up, staring at her watch anxiously. "I'm sorry, Kanade, I need to rush home. My siblings are waiting for me to read them another story book, and I can't possibly keep them waiting, I have to be a good older sister, after all, don't I?" And with that, she promptly paid the bill for the whole table and ran off.
"Well, now it's just you and me." Kanade smiled, grabbing his hand and walking out of the shopping mall, towards the train station.
And for some reason, Otonashi thought that he wasn't going to wash his hand when he got home.
"It's never been so crowded before." Otonashi groaned as the duo tried their best to keep sight of each other while jostling in the crowd. "mmsfsiyoa."
"What?"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" She nearly shouted across to him, a few people separating them now.
"NEVERMIND!" He shouted in reply, as he reached his hand out towards her. She nodded and reached for him too, desperately trying to get closer. And when their fingers touched, he pulled her towards him, unfortunately with too much force, as she landed squarely on top of him.
"Itai…" He rubbed his head and looked down to see Kanade, her ear pressed against his chest.
"I hear you." The whole world seemed to come to a stop at the moment, as if someone had pressed the "stop" and "mute" button. Her whisper was so audible in his ears. "I hear your heart beating." Tears streamed down from her eyes as memories flooded their minds, playing the times which they used to have together, the obstacles that they overcame together, and the very last moments that they had spent together. It was only then that they realized. Maybe this was all meant to be, their seemingly coincidental meeting, her acquaintance with Yurippe, everything, was all already set in fate's hands – a love so powerful, that it could even transcend time.
And so, she thought, she would tell him the very same words that she had told him that day. Those words that bound their souls to each other for all eternity.
"I love you, Yuzuru."
Author's Note.
Hello! :D I simply adore this anime. It had one of the best endings you could find in an anime. This is like the continuation of the Angel Beats! Anime but with an unexpected twist to it – I'll decide whether to continue it by the number of the reviews, so if you guys/girls like it, please remember to read, review, favourite and alert it because it makes authors very happy when you do so, really. Especially reviews, because they're feedback and motivation (: