It's so dark in here… I can make out the shape of trees. The trunks look like they have faces and they're… howling. Wait… This place looks familiar. I've been here before. When? I can't even remember…
I'm scared… Why am I all alone in here…? Where's everyone?
Of course… They're all gone…
Grandpa Genkaku…
Nanami…
And…
Jowy…
All gone…
I'm left behind…
But why? Why in this dark, desolate place? It's so creepy in here… Where's Victor? Flik? Even Shu…? Everyone… Why do they always leave me behind? I'm so scared… I want to get out of here… Someone, anyone… Please… Take me home…
I don't want to be alone anymore…
You promised you'll never leave me alone…
You promised you'll stay by my side… Always…
Where are you…?
Jowy…
"Kenji!"
Someone's shaking my shoulders…
"Kenji, wake up!"
That voice…
"Kenji… Kenji!"
"Jowy…?" Force my eyes open. "Jowy… Jowy!" My arms just throw themselves around him before I even knew it. "You… You're really here! I thought…"
"Shhh…" He pulls me close. "It's all right… It was just a dream…" He strokes my hair. "I heard you calling for me. I'm here… I'm right here…" Then he pulls away and cups my face. "Do you want to talk about it? Your dream-- Um, nightmare anyway."
"I…" He's looking straight into my eyes. And his smile is as kind as it always was. I really missed his smile… A smile that never fails to tell me everything's going to be okay. "I was in a dark woods… Lost and all alone… No one was there… You weren't there… And it felt horrible… Scary…" Then without thinking, I take his hands and hold on to them desperately, as if he'll disappear if I let go. "Don't ever leave me again. Please?"
And he pulls me into a hug again.
"Never. I promise." Then he pulls away and looks at me straight in the eye, his face is gentle but his eyes are gleaming with determination. "And if you ever get lost, I promise, I'll find you."
When I look around, it's only then that I notice I'm actually in my room. The fact that I'm not in the castle is roof enough that everything wasn't a dream. It's all true. I'm with Jowy again. So that means…
"Jowy, is…" Why do I suddenly feel like me heart is beating faster…? I take a deep breath and force myself to continue. "Is… Is Nanami…"
As if he already knew my unspoken question, he simply holds my shoulder. "Yes, she's here. Do you want to see her now?"
"Yes." I nod.
I push back my blankets then hastily get out of bed. Jowy walks ahead and I follow behind him. But when we reach the wooden dividing wall partitioning my room from Nanami's, I don't know why but my feet abruptly decided to stop. My hands then unconsciously reach out to grab the back of Jowy's favorite blue turtleneck shirt.
"Kenji?" He looks back at me, apprehension written all over his face.
"I don't know… Jowy, I… I don't think I'm ready to face her."
When I bite my lower lip, Jowy chuckles softly. "Silly. It's just Nanami. You don't have to be nervous."
"But… but…"
Then he takes my hand. "I'm right here if you need anything, okay? Don't be afraid. Besides…" He turns to face me and his other hand touches my cheek. "If you need to… You can just cry again. You've been through so much. It's okay."
"Jowy…"
And I feel my face light up into a smile.
When we step out into the kitchen a familiar aroma welcomes my nose. It's Nanami's curry. Looks like I'm right. There she is, her back is on us as she continues to stir the contents of the cooking pan.
"Hmm… smells like someone's trying to burn something in here." Jowy smirks.
The next moment a piece garlic collides with his forehead.
"Shut up, you!" Nanami turns to us with a furious scowl in her face. "I'm trying to cook a delicious dinner for us and this is how you… KENJI!!!!!" He runs to me and before I have time to react she wraps me in a tight embrace. "Oh you're all right! I was so worried about you! Shu told me you weren't getting enough sleep! Did you even eat right? And oh, I told him! If he wasn't taking good care of you I'll beat him into a bloody pulp!"
This is Nanami all right.
"Oi! If you don't stop that you'll end up killing him yourself." Jowy laughs, still nursing his forehead.
"Oh, little brother." She pulls aways and ruffles my hair. "I'm so glad you're all right now."
Then out of the blue, my stomach growls. What a way to ruin the moment.
Jowy bursts into a fit of laughter. Followed by Nanami. And, much to my chagrin, even me.
Still… It feels really good. We haven't laughed together like this in a very long time.
~*~
Over dinner, Nanami explained everything to us. How she planned the whole thing with Shu and Dr. Huan to tell me that she… died. And it was all because she thought that she was just holding me back so she decided to just come back and wait for me here in Kyaro instead.
I'm happy that she's alive and well. But… I told her I won't talk to her for a month. Punishment? Maybe. Hey, what she did was no joke. It hurt. A lot. But when she promised never to do it again, I can't help but forget about it. So I decided to let her go. For now.
If she ever does something like that I'd personally kill her.
After dinner we decided to pay a visit to Grandpa's grave. When I was young I always told him everything that happened. Except of course those things Jowy and Nanami made me swore never to tell. And now, I really feel like I have so many things to tell him. So much has happened. The last time I've been here was before everything all this happened. Jowy and I have been proclaimed as spies… Then there was this war against highland… A war that nearly tore our friendship when I became leader of the Orange army and Jowy the king of Highland…
All this… All this happened the moment we left Kyaro. Our home.
And now that it's all over. We're back here again. Now I think I know what it means when they say "Home sweet home.".
Yes, Grandpa, this place where you took us under your wing… This will always be our home.
When I open my eyes after offering a silent prayer for Grandpa Genkaku's soul, there are only two of us left outside.
"Jowy? Where's Nanami?"
"Oh. She went in ahead. She didn't want to disturb you because she knew you wanted to catch up for the time you haven't talked to Grandpa Genkaku." Said Jowy, sitting cross-legged just a little away from where I'm kneeling. "Are you done?"
"Yes." I nod at him.
He gets up and reaches out a hand to me. "Want to come with me?"
I wanted to ask him where but I think the question showed on my face before I asked it out loud so he adds "To our usual place."
And I understood so I take his hand.
There's this big tree behind our house where Jowy and I used t hang out together when we were kids. We'd just sit here and talk about anything or just simply enjoy companionable silence. Sometimes we'd escape our training in the unicorn brigade and take a nap here, but then whenever Grandpa Genkaku found out he'd punish us by giving us extra hard martial arts training called household chores.
Sometimes we'd even climb up the tree. I even remember one time I slipped and Jowy jumped down just to catch me. He really takes care of me like I'm a baby. And maybe that's why I love him so much… Wait a minute… Did I just say…
"We're here." Jowy stretches. "It's so nice to be back here again, eh Kenji?"
"Huh? Uh… Y-yes…" I'm stammering, I'll give myself away like this.
Jowy sits down and leans on the wide trunk of the tree and gestures for me to do the same. "Come on." He taps the space beside him.
"Okay."
The moment I sit down, Jowy wraps an arm around me. So I shift a bit and lean on his shoulder.
"We shared so many memories here…" He sighs.
When I glance up at him he's looking up at the stars, looking meditative.
"Yeah…" I look up too just in time to see a shooting star. It passed faster than the blink of an eye that I'm glad I didn't miss it.
"Kenji, you saw that too, right?" He looks at me. "Let's make a wish then."
"Right!" I close my eyes and wish for only one thing. The only wish I've always prayed for all my life. That Nanami and Jowy will always be safe so that we can be together… Always…
"Hey! You two! It's getting pretty cod out there. Aren't you ever going to come in!?" Nanami yells from the back door.
"All right, all right! We're coming! Geez…" Jowy answers.
So I get up, chuckling a little. "Come on." I reach out a hand to him. Jowy grabs my hand.
Then all of a sudden pulls me back down. "Hey!" That startled me.
And he laughs.
"Jowy…" I pout, playing along. "That was mean."
It makes him laugh even more. "You're so cute when you do that."
It's a good thing his back was on me when he said that because I don't think it's a very good sign that my cheeks feel like they're on fire. Besides, it'll make him laugh at me more than he already did too many times tonight.
"Hey… What did you wish for?" He asks me as we both get up.
"What else would I wish for when I have you and Nanami…?" I tell him, smiling. "What about you?"
He looks at me with a serious expression and I feel like his eyes can see through my soul. He comes closer to me and wraps his arms around my waist. The next moment comes in a blur… It feels as though everything around us disappeared and the only thing real was his lips… gently, softly brushing against mine.
Like Jowy said… We shared so many memories here… Right under this tree.
But I think this is the best one yet.
~*~
Tbc…?