Title: You were there and I was here.
Author: Yufi
Chrono Cross does not belong to me.

-AD 2339-
"Serge!"

A man with blue hair looked behind him and saw a long haired woman running off to him. As soon as he spread his arms, she hugged him as they spun and she giggled. When the man let her down, she was putting both of her hands in front of him and winked at him. The man just shook his head.

"Leena, shouldn't you be helping us? You won't get your presents until tomorrow. Your birthday is tomorrow after all," another man with silver hair said, throwing a luggage to the girl. Then he stood in front of her with two of his hands on his hips.

"Ouf! Glenn! You're awful! I miss Serge!" Leena took the luggage and pouted. The blue haired man just smiled.

"Geez, you'll talk to him again later after we're back home."

"I said I miss him," Leena had emphasized the word miss, just to annoy Glenn.

"Whatever," Glenn rolled his eyes and looked at Serge, "buddy, don't forget come back by eight later." Serge just nodded and took his small luggage.

"What's that? Where is Serge going?" Leena took a peek behind Glenn but Glenn just shrugged it off and told Leena to call the butler.

Serge took one last look at Glenn and Leena quarreling and slowly faded from the scene. Serge walked and walked, with no destination. He slowly recalled what Glenn had said to him before their trip back in the aircraft. The memory was so clear to him.

-Before the trip, time: 0008, seating-

"Serge, are you awake?" Glenn gave Serge a nudge in the shoulder. Serge opened his eyes to see they were still sitting in the waiting area. He took notice everyone was still asleep. "Sorry, man, didn't mean to wake you up like that."

Serge took a proper seat and looked at his best friend in confusion. He noticed Glenn was sweating and tried to hard to keep his cool.

Serge smiled, "After knowing you for too long, you want to say something?"

Glenn looked at Serge with doubts but was soon changed to smile. His body didn't turn to relax though and said, "You changed though. You always give people the silent treatment or was always shy in saying things. After knowing you and everything, I never expect you could make normal conversation like everyone." Serge chuckled.

Glenn looked at Serge seriously, "What would you do if I were to fall in love with your fiancée?"

-Reality-

Serge's walk turned to run. Everyone around the streets looked at his way. Running was uncommon in the region and time of year. He looked at the sky and cursing at the fine weather. Couldn't the weather give him some sympathy and rain? His pace suddenly lowered down and soon to stop.

I want to just end my shallow life, he thought. Serge didn't notice around him wasn't the upper town where the rich were. He was infact at the lower area where there were thieves but strangely enough, he didn't get attacked nor robbed; a place where his status didn't belong.

"You smell nice," he looked his right where the voice came from and saw a blonde girl in braid sniffing at him. "What is a person like you doing in this low area?" She looked into his eyes. Serge looked in her blue eyes, unable to reply. "Are you deaf or something?"

-Before flight, 0025, in aircraft-

"I don't tend on saying sorry, Serge, you know how I am," Glenn said as he looked through the touchable screen in front of him.

Serge was looking at the window, "Leena is precious."

"You don't love her."

"I do, really do, Glenn."

"But not the way she loves you and definitely not more than an ideal sister."

Serge looked fierce fully to Glenn while Glenn was already looking at his direction, serious.

-Reality-

Serge was walking around the street with the blonde following him behind and sometimes beside him. Serge didn't know what she wanted but he let her. There was a silence between the two of them as they walked until they heard Serge's growling stomach. Serge blushed on his improper sudden hunger attack.

"I know a good place!" The blonde smiled and went ahead of him. She stopped few steps away from him and jumped to call him to follow her. Serge normally believed the motto 'Never Follow Strangers' but he had a feeling she meant no harm on him. Without question, they went inside a restaurant that was near to the upper area.

Serge was greeted by the aroma of ocean and a soft singing voice with a gentle guitar as music background. He looked around and spotted the blonde taking a seat already. Aware of the unfamiliar atmosphere, he followed what the girl did and sat near her. After he ordered his food, the girl vanished. Serge looked around just to find the busy crowd busting the performers on stage. A moment later, he felt a sting on his neck and his mind went black.

"WAKE UP!" A man's voice was heard outside of Serge's mind as he felt his body shaky. With a small attempt, he could only groan. "Great, you're alive," the shake stopped and soon, Serge was able to open his eyes and saw the fuzzy background image of unfamiliar place. Weakly, he tried to sit up and looked clearly onto the man. The man appeared to be thin, wearing 'clothless' in black and red, as well as dark brownish short hair.

"You got bitten by the virus. Luckily, it didn't bite you that long to get you infected," the man looked at Serge, "You're in a hospital now. The doc said you can leave two days later. Want me to call someone for you or you want to do it yourself?"

-In the aircraft, 0055-

"Glenn," Serge called his friend as he looked at the window frame, eyes covered by his bangs. Glenn looked at his friend and waited for him to continue. "Do you think you can make her happy?"

Glenn sighed, "Look, Serge, I was out of my mind when I told you. I don't want our friendship to go because of the lady. She's yours-"

"I want a moment to think about it. There's something bugging me since we were little. Something's on my mind that I know I've forgot. Give me time to think," Serge looked back to Glenn with plead in his eyes. Glenn was taken aback.

"Something we all seem to forget." Glenn added with melancholy.

-Reality-

"Did you just call yourself Serge?" the man who happened to be named as Nikki asked. Nikki was the one of the performers who played the guitar on stage in the restaurant with a lady who was the muse. The lady wasn't around to meet or help Serge. Serge just nodded his head in response. Nikki burst out laughing with tears. Serge raised his eyebrow on Nikki's burst. "Wow, Serge, just wow. That's a classy name. What were you doing in downside of the town anyway? Don't tell me you were lost?"

Serge nodded.

"You really can't say anything else beside your name?" Before Serge could answer the question, Nikki just sighed. "Just looking at you makes me feel more miserable. Man, I feel powerless…" Nikki bowed his head down with both of his hands covering his face as he sat down. Serge didn't say anything but let him grieve while he, himself, grieving over his own problem.

Meanwhile, in Leena's mansion, Glenn was pacing back and forth inside the casual room, looking more worried over his best friend. Leena, who sat on a sofa, dully stared as Glenn's behavior and rolled her eyes.

"Geez, Glenn, it's just eight. Why are you looking so worry over Serge?" Leena put both of her hands on her hips. Glenn looked at Leena for a moment, and then shook his head. Leena, seeing the actions, pouted, "What was that for?"

"I'm just worry about him, okay? It's not like him to not be here before the exact time."

Leena rolled her eyes, "It IS like him to be late, y'know. He never even wakes up early or be punctual! You should know him better!"

Glenn frowned, "This would show you two might be meant for each other."

"What the- GLENN!"

"Leena, is that you? Oh! You have a guest," a sweet voice was heard over the giant door behind them. Her ginger hair was tied in one long pony while she was dressed like a gypsy. She walked next to Leena and gave them her angelic smile. "Is he your fiancé? He looks so different from what you told me."

"No, Miki. This is Glenn. He came back with Serge and after Serge left, he's been acting like a worried mom." The lady, Miki, just giggled.

Glenn coughed, "Little introduction to who she is please?"

Leena rolled her eyes, "Miki's a dancer in some places. She's a noble so we've been hanging out when you two were gone. And Glenn," Glenn looked at Leena with question, "Don't fall for her or I'll kill you." Glenn frowned at her warning.

"So where's this Serge guy?" Miki brightened up the atmosphere.

"He's out on stroll. Probably will be back by night," Leena cheerfully answered. Both of her and Miki continued to talk about things of what had happened as Glenn tried not to worry about simple matters.

"Then Nikki left to bring that guy to the hospital, with my card though. Sometimes, I wonder if he dates me for my cards," Miki sighed. "It was surprising there was a virus in that restaurant. The only person I know who had the virus was Kid and she's still in coma."

"Kid?" Both Glenn and Leena asked in unison.

After an hour, Serge was still lying in bed. Nikki just left the room to call Leena's parents. He looked the room in a feeling like he knew the place. Minutes by minutes, Serge couldn't hold on to his strength but fell into a slumber.

"Serge? How are you feeling?" He heard a girl's voice. Her voice sounded sweet and tender, as if she was being gentle to him. "I miss you. I'm sorry for being reckless but I'm glad I can see you once again already." Serge wanted to open his eyes but they were too heavy. "I've been lonely. Things weren't the same anymore." Serge wanted to ask but his mouth couldn't even form a curve.

"Hey, buddy." Serge heard another voice, a man's voice that he knew so well. "I'm sorry for being stupid. You shouldn't have taken it so seriously. I treasure our friendship more," Serge could hear hazy in his tone, as if he could cry anytime soon. "I've been lonely too, without you to joke around. I miss your silence treatment and sarcastic remarks." Serge felt like holding his friend's arm to say it was alright, to say it wasn't his fault.

In the background, Serge could hear a crash, followed by a woman's voice calling "Nikki! Stop!"

"Why the hell should I stop, Miki! DOC! Didn't you say he wasn't affected!"

"S-sorry. I didn't realize there was a slight infected in his blood," a voice he never heard said nervously.

"Please stop," the woman's voice was in plead and small. She sounded weak.

"Thank you for telling us before we couldn't get the chance. Serge's a very close friend of ours. We were wondering what had happened to him after no contact for a month. T-Than-" Leena's voice was breaking up. She started to sob.

After a moment of silence and sobs, he heard footsteps. Fragile footsteps that seemed to caught his attention. Slowly, the door cracked opened as if the person never opened the door. The footsteps sounded louder and louder as it went near while he noticed the others didn't make a sound or seem to question or say about the new comer. Soon, it went to a halt when Serge felt small fragile fingers holding his hands. That moment, Serge felt the familiarity.

Days by days, he could only hear the girl's voice. He knew other people visited him, even his mother. It was the first time he heard his mother's voice after years of no contact. He heard his father was missing from his mother and she was still looking for him. Soon, he was visited by his other colleagues. He couldn't count the time. He felt in his mind, he's living in endless time. All he cared about was the girl and her voice.

"You were there and I was here," she always started the conversation that way. Serge couldn't stop but feel empathy to her sadness, as if they were trying to reach out each other even before. "Today, I'm making a muffle for you. It's going to be winter, aye mate? Don't start complaining how bad my masterpiece will be but what the heck. It's just you and me; and no one should care."

"You were there and I was here," she started another conversation one day again, "Mate, I came back again. Can you believe how stingy the nurses are here? They say I couldn't stay with you! Geez, they're trying to break us apart, I tell ya. Dang, we were so different when we were kids, 'aye? I remember I chased you around with a cat. You always wore that stupid coat, and boy can I tell you how horrible it looked with you. Do you remember the last time we see each other? Of course you didn't. Not even that brat and princess of yours."

"You were there and I was here," another day, she began again. "Remember Dario? That guy sure had guts, unlike his bratty brother, Glenn. He saved me from the scientist from giving me that virus but guess he failed in saving you guys. He took the virus in my place. I owe him one, though it seems too late now."

"You were there and I was here," she said once more after she told him she put flowers in a vase. "Would you remember all those things I told you? Doc told me you're listening like I did when I was in coma. Now you mention it, Kid is a funny name, aight? I guess people couldn't think of any other better name and call me Kid whenever I stole their stuffs, huh. You never call my name though. You thought I was lying."

She told him countless stories of our past which I had forgotten. The memories were slowly developing in his mind as she told him. She wasn't lying. Serge remembered who she was.

Then one day, Serge heard her cry, her plead, and her only wish, "Dammit, Serge! Wake up! Don't leave me here!" He didn't wake up at the exact time; He couldn't. "I freakin' miss you, mate! I want to hear your voice! I want to see your smile! I want to sit next to you! Or go on another stupid adventure with you! I miss you badly!"

"Kid! Don't lose yourself!" Serge heard Leena's voice and could tell she was holding Kid back from screaming once again. The room was filled with two sobs.

"Serge?" Glenn's voice pointed out as he looked in Serge's direction. Slowly, the two girls looked at Serge's direction and a smile from the blonde's face was forming with more tears streaming down.

Comments and critics are welcome. Thank you for reading.