Kazahaya collapsed against the tree, sinking to the ground.

Everything had moved so quickly over the last couple of days… his feelings…

It was too confusing. Too fast.

Just 48 hours ago he was ready to kill Rikuou, so how could he have gotten so close already? And… just what had they done?

He sighed, drawing his knees in and burying his face.

So much for not getting close to anyone… How was he going to live alone now after all this? How was he going to live with Rikuou? They were never going to be friends now… even enemies seemed too close…

"Dammit…"

Why did he have to do something so stupid? He wasn't absolutely certain what that something had been, but still… He was sure it hadn't been good…

-

At lunchtime…

Rikuou glanced over his shoulder, Kazahaya walking gloomily in his direction.

"Kaza-"

"Don't talk to me."

The darker haired boy blinked, watching the other boy walk straight past him to the buffet. What was that all about? Was he still down about last night?

The best thing was usually to just leave him to grumble quietly in a corner somewhere until he had cooled off enough to see sense… But he seemed different than usual… Not angry…

He really should have just left him alone, but for some reason Rikuou found himself walking over.

"What's wrong with you?" He murmured, Kazahaya keeping his back to him.

"I told you to stay away from me. Don't talk to me. I don't want to see you, hear you… Sense you in any way possible ever again, Ok?"

Rikuou smirked, "Melodramatic aren't we?"

"Shut up and get the hell away from me."

"Fine. We're leaving tomorrow. The sun sets at 8pm tonight. We'll get the flowers then."

"Whatever."

The darker haired boy raised an eyebrow before sighing, walking away.

Wow, he didn't yell once…

This was serious…

Kazahaya closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. Everything had changed because of one moment's stupidity. It wasn't like they were that fond of each other anyway, always arguing like that… But he could not help but feel that they had lost something because of it…

He had to find out what they had done…

-

The curtains billowed gently in the dusky breeze, the scent of the room's flowers carried lightly upon it...

Kazahaya crouched down to stare at the floor.

That was where it had happened… wasn't it…?

Whatever it was…

He would be able to find out by touching the soft, whitish carpet…

But…

But then what?

Surely finding out what had happened would make things even more difficult… even more awkward between him and Rikuou… Wasn't it bad enough as it was?

Carefully, he withdrew his hand.

He didn't want that… If he found out what had happened, it would change everything… He didn't want anything more to change between them both…

He didn't want to loose Rikuou like this….

Because of this…

Of course things were going to be awkward… for a while… But they would just have to work through it, right?

Because if they didn't have each other…

Who would they have?

-

The sun had just set, Rikuou waiting outside the woodland.

He hadn't seen Kazahaya since lunchtime and was starting to get a little worried as to the lighter haired boy's whereabouts.

He wasn't certain what had happened either, but even if they had gotten close it couldn't have been that bad… Why should things get so difficult just because of a drunken mistake?

Neither of them had retaliated, right? No one was to blame… so why did he get so upset about it? It wasn't like it had meant anything… had it...?

Kazahaya appeared over the horizon, walking sullenly over to where his companion waited.

"Ok, I'll search this side of the path you search-"

"Got it…"

Rikuou blinked.

Looked like he was still down about it…

Never mind. He glared briefly before beginning the search.

Kazahaya sighed, venturing further into the undergrowth.

Getting things back to how they used to be was going to be harder than he had thought… Every time he saw or even heard Rikuou, a sense of despair consumed him from within…

Suddenly he stopped, finding himself in a dark clearing.

How far had he gone?

He was beginning to get a tad nervous about being alone in the dark when he spotted a soft white glow, not too far away, amongst the bushes.

"Huh?" He blinked, wondering cautiously over.

When he got closer he found that the glow was in fact coming from a host of snowdrop like flowers, growing in the shade of the other vegetation…

And the aroma…

It was so sweet and inviting… He couldn't help but lean further forward to smell it…

Sweet… comforting… Relaxing…

It filled his mind as the glow vibrated his senses, the darkness fading and his vision becoming consumed with nothing but the flowers…

Slipping away…

Only the flowers…

Only the scent and soft glow…

Going…

A warm darkness filling his mind…

His mind slowly slipping away…

And then he was gone…

-

The darker haired boy sighed, looking about. Kazahaya had been gone for some time now, and he still hadn't found the flowers.

If something had happened…

No, he was probably just taking his time.

"Idiot…" Rikuou shook his head, proceeding to investigate the vegetation on Kazahaya's side of the path.

If he was taking his time, he was just going to have to help speed things up.

"Oi? OI? Where've you gone" He called, looking about. He had to be around here somewhere… "OI? Where are you, idiot"

Just ahead he spied the lighter haired boy, lying silently on the ground.

What an idiot…

"What, now you're sleeping on the job? At least you actually found the flowers…" Rikuou stalked over, glaring first at the softly glowing flowers, then at the smaller boy's still body. "Oi…" He gently nudged the form with his foot. "OI, wake up will you"

Maybe… he had expected… no, perhaps hoped… somewhere at the back of his mind for his companion to snap at him… wake up immediately and yell, and scream, and… And just be him

Be Kazahaya…

The body remained still.

"Kazahaya?"

Rikuou blinked, crouching down to stare at the motionless form. "Kazahaya? Kaza…KAZAHAYA?"

No response.

The taller boy's face suddenly sharpened in fear, quickly shaking the other boy's shoulder.

"KAZAHAYA, WAKE UP!"

This was getting more than a little worrying. Kazahaya was so still… pale… his lightish locks limp about his face… But worst of all… What caused Rikuou's pounding heart to freeze in his chest…

He wasn't breathing…

-

"KAKEI!" Rikuou yelled desperately into the phone.

"Ah, Rikuou…! How're things going? Hm? Is… something wrong?"

"I…Its Kazahaya…"

The darker haired boy turned to stare with fearful eyes at Kazahaya, laid limply on the bed.

CPR had failed…

It was only after finding one of the flowers clasped tightly in the smaller boy's hand that he realised ordinary kinds of revival weren't going to work…

"I see… Do you think he smelt the flowers?"

"Maybe… I don't know… What can we do? Is there anyway we can save him?"

"Did you get the flowers?"

"Yeah…" Rikuou swallowed hard, apprehension coursing through his veins, "Yeah, I got some… about 3…"

"Ok then… Rikuou, listen very carefully," Kakei continued, "You have to get him back here as soon as possible. There should be a train back to Tokyo in an hour or so… Get the bus to the train station IMMEDIATELY… We don't have much time…"

"Right…"

"I'll see you soon. Goodluck ne?"

He hung up.

Rikuou sighed, slamming the phone down in frustration before turning to Kazahaya.

"… Idiot…" He whispered.

-

It was just gone midnight by the time they got back…

Kazahaya had been taken to their room and was currently laid on his bed with Rikuou standing watch nearby as Kakei investigated the situation…

Eventually he spoke, letting out a long, disappointed sigh.

"Dead…"

"Huh?" Rikuou blinked, eyes widening, "You mean he's actually?"

The shop's owner shook his head sadly. "This wasn't supposed to happen… It wasn't his time."

"What do you mean 'he's dead'? He can't be…"

"He's clearly been poisoned by the flower's pollen… No breathing, no pulse… His lips are even starting to turn blue…"

There was a loud thump as the taller boy slammed his fist into the wall angrily.

"So FIX IT."

"Rikuou, please calm down. Getting worked up like that isn't going to help Kudou-kun at all."

"Is there a way?"

Kakei tilted his head thoughtfully, the light wisps of hair falling over those mysterious eyes. "Yes… But it could be dangerous… And only you can do it…"

"I don't care what the risks are. Just tell me what to do." Rikuou said firmly.

Kakei closed his eyes, smiling pensively. "You really do care about him… Don't you?"

-

After death, a person's spirit remains in their body for at least 10 hours afterwards. It could be seen as a way to allow them to say 'farewell' to that life…

It takes approximately 3 hours for the soul to fully separate and thus enter inexistence… And in that time the soul will wander the path that leads to this… And once they reach inexistence, any chance of re-entering their body will be eliminated…

3 hours to find him…

3 hours to bring him back…

-

Rikuou sat beside Kazahaya's lifeless body, watching him with a melancholy gaze.

"Remember, anymore than 3 hours and you'll be a goner too." Kakei warned from nearby, "Any questions before you get going?"

"Lets just hurry."

"Okay then. The soul usually exits through the left hand so… Take his left hand with your own… Did you inhale the diluted pollen?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now we just have to wait for it to kick in so to speak."

The taller boy closed his eyes.

He wanted this to be over as soon as possible…

And for the darkness to hurry…

Hurry and consume him…

But most of all to hurry and save Kazahaya…

Black…

-

Shadows…

Kazahaya walked slowly down a path…

He was in a forest wasn't he? … Why was the sky above black?

But he had been here before hadn't he?

That place…

He had been there before…

A soft, soothing voice called to him…

Familiar…

"Kazahaya…!"

"Ah…" The lighter haired boy blinked, looking about himself…

That voice…

It came again, calling to him… playfully…

"Kazahaya, hurry…!"

"K…Kei?" He blinked.

"Kazahaya…!"

The voice was distant…

Yet…

All around him…

"Kei! Wait!" Kazahaya called back, running down the path…

Running further into the forest…

-

Rikuou looked about himself.

He was on a path. It only seemed to lead one way… forward.

Further into the forest…

This place was a forest, wasn't it? The trees and plants were lush and green… Yet the sky above was a sinister black…

And the air was cold…

He was cold…

"Kazahaya?" He called.

His voice echoed all around him.

No good staying in one place…

Quickly, without looking back…

He ran.

-

"Kazahaya…!" Came Kei's voice once again.

The smaller boy continued his chase, rushing desperately down the path.

He wasn't fully aware what was happening… Was this a dream? An illusion?

"Kei! Kei, wait!" He called once more.

"Faster, Kazahaya! Hurry!"

"Kei!"

-

Rikuou charged onward.

It felt like he had been running for hours… The further he got, the darker his surroundings were getting… The plants around him seemed to be dying, and the sky above was still as black as ever…

And where could Kazahaya be? He hadn't had that much of a head start… And there couldn't be much time left now…

No more than an hour, if that…

Suddenly a young girl's giggling echoed all around him… in his mind…

"Rikuou…! Ne, Rikuou come this way!"

"Huh?" The taller boy blinked… that voice…

The giggling came once again.

"Rikuou hurry up!"

"Tsu… Tsukiko?"

"Come on!"

Rikuou paused.

It couldn't be her…

She…

"Rikuou!"

The darker haired boy closed his eyes, tensing all over.

"Tsukiko…"

"Come on Rikuou, hurry! This way!"

No…

This couldn't be happening…

How… How could she…

Why now? He had to save Kazahaya!

It may have been too late for her, not for him!

"Rikuou! You're going to be late…!"

He clenched his teeth hard, whispering to the air…

"Gomen… Tsukiko…"

"Rikuou!"

He ran onwards.

It couldn't be real… All of this… It just couldn't be…

A single tear traced its way down his cheek as his legs carried him desperately forward.

He had to save Kazahaya now… Tsukiko…

"Gomen…" He whispered…

-

No more than half an hour left now…

-

"Kei! KEI!"

The young girl's giggling continued to echo around him.

"Kei! Where are you?" he yelled, coming to halt. The trees around him were dead and brittle looking, with dark, claw like branches…

Why did he feel so at peace here?

The young girl stepped out from behind one of the trees, resting her hand on the trunk.

"Kazahaya! You came back!"

The lighter haired boy blinked. There was a soft glow around her form… And her eyes…

"Kei…" he whispered, stepping forward.

"Come on, Ni-san!" Kei smiled, holding out her other hand, "lets go…"

The lighter haired boy stared with quivering eyes before relaxing, smiling with a nod.

"Un…"

He slowly reached out to take her hand.

"KAZAHAYA!"

"Huh?" Kazahaya turned in surprise to find Rikuou…

Watching him with those eyes… And… emotion… What was that emotion?

"Rikuou? What're you doing here?"

"Come on, we have to go!" The taller boy yelled, rushing forward.

"But…!" Kazahaya turned back to Kei, still holding out her hand.

"Don't go with him Kazahaya! Come here…! Come this way…!"

"Kazahaya, if you don't come now, you'll DIE…!"

"Di…Die? But…" The smaller boy smiled, "But Kei's here… I can't just-"

Rikuou grabbed his hand, pulling him forward angrily so that they were face to face.

"You want to die?" He growled.

"Ri…Rikuou…"

The darker haired boy glared, eyes tainted with sorrow, "You may be okay with leaving me, but… I'm NOT…"

"Huh?"

"Kazahaya, you CAN'T die… If you die now then everything… EVERYTHING will have been for nothing…" Rikuou's grip tightened, "Kazahaya… please…Don't die…"

Kazahaya stared back in shock, eyes quivering hard.

"Rikuou… You…"

"Come on Kazahaya…!"

"Kazahaya…" The taller boy closed his eyes, grip loosening"Do you remember? Christmas eve... when we first met?"

The lighter haired boy nodded slowly, a little uncertain"u...un..."

"You said didn't you?" Rikuou continued, "That night... you said, 'No matter what...I wont die...'... Right?"

"I…"

Kei called once more"Please come now Kazahaya!"

The smaller boy shut his eyes tight.

To die… No, if Rikuou was telling the truth then… Then that couldn't be Kei… She would never let him die… So…

He clutched his hands over his face, taking a deep breath.

"I can't die…"

"Ni-san!"

He shook his head, rushing forward.

"Rikuou, what do I have to do?"

"Come on!" the darker haired boy grabbed his hand, running, "We have to get back!"

"UN!"

Kazahaya followed, shutting his eyes tight.

"Kei…"

-

The lighter haired boy collapsed weakly to his knees, crying out.

"I… I can't run…" He stared up at his companion with fearful eyes, "My legs… they won't work!"

Rikuou glared down at him.

He still felt alive… Mobile… Yet all that must have been due to the dilute pollen formula he had inhaled… This was more of an outer body experience for him than anything…

But Kazahaya…

He was dead… His life was supposed to be spent…

He was supposed to stay…

"I won't leave you here…"

"Huh?" Kazahaya gasped as the taller boy scooped him up into his arms, continuing to run desperately onwards, "Rik…Rikuou…?"

"We're nearly there, hold on!"

"……" The lighter haired boy smiled sleepily, closing his eyes, "Un…"

-

Kakei stared patiently at his watch.

11 seconds left…

There was a sudden gasp for air as Rikuou's back heaved with the filling of his lungs, the taller boy suddenly leaning up.

"Ah, Rikuou…! How did it go?"

"I…Kazahaya…" He gasped, turning desperately to the smaller boy's motionless body.

He had to have made it…

He just had to!

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1…" The shop's owner became silent.

Rikuou continued to watch expectantly…

The form remained still…

Silent…

Lifeless…

"Kazahaya… KAZAHAYA?" The taller boy yelled, shaking the body roughly, "GET UP!"

Kakei stood silently, walking away quietly with an unreadable expression crossing his calm face…

"Not yet…" he murmured.

Rikuou collapsed back into the chair, one hand tightly clutching his hair.

"IDIOT!"

How could he have given up like that? He'd been so close, and now…

He took a long, shaky breath, tears forming in his eyes…

"Idiot…"

"…Te…me…"

"Huh?" Rikuou blinked, swiftly looking up.

Had he…

His hand… the lighter haired boy's fingers twitched…

"Kaz…Kazahaya…?"

The taller boy scowled hard, eyes still filled with tears before an annoyed smile formed on his lips. "IDIOT…"

"…Te..me…"

-

Kazahaya was asleep for practically all the next day…

But…

Alive…

Rikuou was a little suspicious as to why Kakei hadn't seemed too surprised when he had heard that he was alright…

Not that it mattered…

He decided to get back to work anyway…

-

Night…

Rikuou walked back up to the room.

He hadn't thought that Kazahaya could have been that strong… His face didn't show it, his body was so slender and delicate… Yet his will to keep on living…

He opened the door carefully, looking inside.

"Huh?" He blinked.

Kazahaya's bed… was empty?

-

On the roof…

The lighter haired boy sat watching the stars in reflection, jacket pulled around him.

Rikuou had… had come to save him…

Even after he had died, that guy had continued to protect him…

Risking his own life…

He smiled sadly, hair blowing gently about his face…

He really did care for him… despite everything… All the teasing and insults… he wouldn't leave him to die…

A distance behind him, the darker haired boy stepped up onto the roof, observing the smaller boy briefly before calling.

"Oi! Dinner's done! Move it!"

People sometimes find it hard to express themselves until it really counts… But when all was said and done…

He wasn't such a bad guy…

"Are you deaf? Don't blame me if its gone cold by the time you get down here!"

The lighter haired boy closed his eyes, smile widening.

"Jerk…"


Owari .