az: Had to say that looping a death scene is detrimental to health. Reviews are definitely pleasant!

I got an almost heart attack when I saw this shot being posted in the Hidarime FB. Please... if you have any questions, PM me or leave me a review. XO. Even anon ones had the email option should you want a reply. At first I thought someone was sporking this shot. XO

The Last Goodbye

Written by Izzu alias honou-no-izumi

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It's over. It's really... really over. And here I'll be dripping slowly to my death, with this empty room and 'fine' view to accompany my passing. So this was the kind of slow death that I had looked forward to?

"Brother..."

Am I dreaming? Do people have weird hallucinations before they died? Then, this was one pleasant death indeed... ironically for a person like me.

The approaching footsteps told him differently as Yumehito tried to lift his head to look behind him. But wasn't it funny? He didn't even have any strength to lift his head over an inch towards the direction that he wanted to move.

"Ainosuke...," Yume managed to say. "...what are you doing here?"

He couldn't see but Ainosuke probably had started pouting cutely at him, as his little brother had prone to do so often. Or probably make some kind of face at him. Heaven knows how he wanted to cry now.

"Of course I'll be here. I have to send you to the hospital!"

"Live. And atone to your sins properly..."

He would have laughed if he could.

"It's already useless..."

I'm still going to die... I've lost so much blood already.

Even as that thought entered his mind, Yume felt the strength suddenly being robbed away from him as his body sagged on the couch. Without warning, he felt Ainosuke grabbing his hand and slung it over himself; before Yume realized that his brother had managed to clumsily get his body onto his back. It was indeed very clumsy of Ainosuke, as Yume couldn't help coughing when he felt blood coming out through his throat; almost choking him. It looked hard, from his perspective... as Ainosuke shakily tried to make his way towards the stairs.

Yume tried to laugh but it came out as a strangled cough.

"Ainosuke... don't tell me that you intended to carry me down these fleets of stairs and still believed that you could get me to the hospital in time?"

Ainosuke strengthened his hold on him as he stubbornly take his steps down the stairs and still not letting his body fall.

"Of course! This is nothing. If I keep continuing this pace... I should not even notice your weight to let it bother me."

Yume grinned. How silly... what kind of logic was that?

"Ainosuke... you do realise if I get any lighter—to the point that you would not be able to feel my weight, that means that most probably I already had all my blood drained out of me. That should also mean, I should be dead by then. If so, there's no point of you taking me to the hospital."

"DON'T SAY THAT!", the young one cried as Ainosuke staggered slightly at the last step on the floor they were on. He continued making his way down again as if Yume's earlier statement did not bother him a bit.

"You'll live. I'll make it so! Don't say something stupid like dying! You can't die... you cannot leave me like this."

If he had any tears left right now, he would have shed a few. Unfortunately, there weren't any.

"You know... regardless of what happened after this, I'd still love you. I love you so much anyway, not even death could change that fact."

Ainosuke sniffled, he was very sure about that. This sweet little brother of his had tried so hard to be strong for him, it gave him very strange feeling in his heart. Strange... because he was dying right now after all. How could you describe this warm feeling yet knowing as well that you would definitely be leaving this world shortly after? And realising, without a doubt... the eventual sorrow and and dread of the other person the moment he would leave this world.

"Idiot! I know that... but that's not why I needed to save you! Do you have a problem with that?"

Hehe..., his brother was so adorable. No wonder why he loved him so much.

"Ne... Ainosuke, your teacher... Sayama Hitomi, wasn't it? Tell her that I'm sorry... I had to let her watch over you a lot longer. You don't cause her any trouble, 'kay?"

That managed to cause his brother to laugh a little as he jeered at him.

"What the—sensei does that to herself without needing my aid! And brother... tell her that yourself. Because I'll definitely... definitely save you. So enough saying depressing things!"

They've finally reaching the end of the stairs, as Ainosuke carried him out of the building and into the clearing. And still his perseverance had not wavered. Yume smiled crookedly.

"Isn't it funny? I used to carry you around like this when you were little... and now, you're doing the opposite for me. How sweet. I suddenly felt like a child again..."

He laughed, and somehow this time he really sounded like he's laughing.

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing. I would still do this regardless of the situation!"

He smiled. What kind of 'carrying him' did he have in mind?

It was strangely peaceful around them, like that time when he had fooled the entire city of a deadly virus outbreak. The scene was strangely... beautiful.

"Everything is safe again..."

"It's all thanks to your left eye..."

Eh?

"Left eye?"

"The left eye that you gave me... had always given me a lot of hints. That's why! I could always find out about your plans beforehand and stop it."

"Deep down in your heart... you must have wished for someone to stop your plans. That must be why my left eye... allowed me to see the same vision as you have seen it..."

Was that the reasoning? Wasn't it very hopeful of you?

"Oi... oi, are you an idiot?"

Don't tell me that from the very beginning, you had wanted to stop me in order to save me?

"Why do so much for me?"

Ainosuke panted and gasped again as he continued to drag his feet forward and keep walking.

"Brother... was the only family I had left."

He smiled, even if Ainosuke might not be able to see that.

Gomen ne... Ainosuke. And thank you. You are indeed a brother that I've cherished for a long time. But truthfully Ainosuke, I wished I could have hang on to you a bit longer. I really wished...

Damn everything else... I'd just be fine with you only. But I can't... I really can't.

Thank you...

xxx

Ainosuke paused as his brother's weight suddenly got lighter. He glanced down to see his brother's arm hung loose. He glanced to his side as his brother appeared at rest. And without warning, his brother's whole weight shifted and his body fell onto the ground.

Still, Yumehito did not move. Ainosuke felt his heart stopped beating for a moment.

"Oi!"

No... this can't be. This can't be happening right now!

"Brother?"

Ainosuke tried his best not to cry. No... it's a lie... a lie!

But as he lifted his brother's face towards himself, he knew it. He couldn't feel his brother's breath. A sign that he was still alive.

Right away his tears started to fall, as he cradled his brother closely to his side. His brother felt strangely cold now but he didn't care. Brother can't leave him like this! He could not stand the thought of having to bury his brother again for the second time!

"Niichan... NIICHAN!"

It was really no use! No matter how much he cried... no matter how many times he kissed his brother's cheeks right now, he could not bring his brother back to life again. He really was alone now, his brother really died. There was no lie or trick on this death, this time...

He cried.

He didn't remember how long he had cried. Even when it felt like he couldn't cry any longer...

Ainosuke barely noticed it as the ambulance gradually passed by, noticing him with his dead brother; before taking him away towards the hospital.

This was it. This was really the last time...

Goodbye...

My most beloved, precious... treasured person in this whole world.

Jaa ne... oniichan.