Chapter 3: The Beginning

A/N: Since there are two NOWAKIs, I'll be calling the past Nowaki 'Kusama', while the present [the one involved in the accident] Nowaki 'Nowaki'. Only Hiroki will be calling them otherwise.

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Honk! Hoooonnnnk!!

A distant honking could be heard when Nowaki and Hiroki was crossing the road.

Both of them didn't hear it. They were in their own conversation, too absorbed too hear anything other then each other. Until it was too late.

But Nowaki saw it. He saw it coming straight for them. All he could think of was to push Hiroki out of the way. And all he saw was a big, black blur image right in front of him. Something that looks familiar to a monstrous truck.

Hiroki knelt on the concrete made of tar. He stood up and turned around. "Nowaki, why the hell did you--"

"Someone's hit!!" Hiroki heard a lady shriek.

"Call the ambulance!!"

Hiroki stared Nowaki, lying on the ground where they had been walking just before. His eyes widened at the sight- blood was gushing out from nowhere; the pool of blood threatened to drown Nowaki, and no one could tell where the blood was oozing out from. A crowd had started to gather.

The truck had swerved and hit into a lamp post, but Hiroki couldn't be bothered about that. He continued to stare at the bloody mess before him.

Nowaki…Nowaki…

"NOWAKI!!!" Hiroki cried in agony as he ran forward, pushing his way through the gathered crowd.

"Nowaki, talk to me!"

"H-Hiro-san…" Nowaki muttered breathlessly as he lifted his trembling hand that felt five times heavier than normal.

Hiroki caught hold of Nowaki's hand loosely and rested his cheek on it.

"Nowaki, don't you dare close your eyes now! And open your damn mouth and speak louder! I can't hear you!" The tears that stung his eyes before threatened to fall.

"H-Hiro-san," Nowaki began again. "W-Wait for me… …."

"N-No way…" Nowaki muttered under his breath, eyes widening with disbelief. "Then… aren't I supposed to be dead..?"

"No…wa…n…Nowaki…"

"H-Hiro-san?" Nowaki managed to mutter. He felt useless. He couldn't move. His eyes were not opening. His body was not his to command. His head felt ready to split into half. All he remembered was the incoming truck; he pushed Hiroki away, blood all over his body. He muttered something to Hiroki. Then blackout.

Nowaki tried to open his eyes again. He managed to open them half-way, but a blinding light forced them shut again.

"Nowaki…"

This time he heard it clearly. It's definitely Hiro-san! Nowaki mustered all his strength and stood up. He felt his body become lighter as he began to move towards… nowhere. Where was he? What happened to the light?

"Hiro-san!" Nowaki called out, trying to get a response from the darkness that threatened to engulf him.

"Nowaki…Nowaki…"

Nowaki saw it. The small light that flickered at the far end of… nowhere. He walked towards it, briskly but careful. He then slowly reached out his hand and touched it. Everything began to spin around him. He heard voices.

"I didn't hear anything about it!"

Hiro-san's voice.

"I am Kusama Nowaki, and you?"

Me?

"A blindfold is all you need…"

Hiro-san? Blindfold?

What really happened..? After that… I was following Hiro-san…

Nowaki snapped back into reality when Hiroki stood up abruptly. "Oi! What's this? Are both of you trying to play a prank on me?!"

If this IS the past, then Hiro-san should be…

"Well, I'll explain everything later, so why don't you follow Kusama first?" Nowaki said his name with an almost flat tone. Fancy yourself in front of yourself. Nowaki plucked the bottle from the ground, laid it on Hiroki's hand, and shoved him towards Kusama. "Here's your rocket!"

Nowaki watched quietly as Kusama too Hiroki by his hand and pulled him beyond the bushes. He went deep into thought as he strolled off when the two were out of sight. He took the route to his previous home-Hiroki's previous home-trying to absorb what he thought was most likely had taken place.

"I am Kusama Nowaki. And you are?" Still dragging Hiroki by his wrist, Kusama pulled him out into the open garden where a few old men sat on a mat. It took a while before Hiroki could react. "Kamijou Hiroki… Hey, wait! What the hell-"

"Kamijou-san, pleased to make you acquaintance." Kusama smiled warmly, but with his backed turned on Hiroki.

"What do you want?" Hiroki demanded, as he glanced over his shoulders. The evening sky was painted orange. Calming. But the man following behind him disturbed his peace.

The sound of crickets, along with their heavy footsteps, were the only sounds slicing through the heavy silence. "Ï heard you're a student from T University." Kusama's voice was seemingly loud in the still air. Hiroki quickened his pace, but Kusama still caught up easily- given his long legs- with little effort. "It's none of your business!" The older man kept his sentences short, determined not to disclose anything about him, except his name (Kusama overheard Hiroki about his school when he was talking to the old men, I suppose.). "Why the hell do you keep following me?!"

"Can you tutor me?" Kusama asked, keeping up his pace.

"I still have my senior thesis to write, so, NO." Hiroki refused flatly, but Kusama did not back down. "When you have the time, then."

"No! Find someone else!"

Kusama grabbed Hiroki by his arm, causing him to stagger backwards, but not enough to make him fall. It made him turn his head and look at Nowaki in his face, if all. "But, I want you, Kamijou-san."

"Wha- Let go of me!" Hiroki tugged his arm and was about to enter his home when he saw Nowaki standing in front of his door, blocking his entrance. Kusama almost walked into Hiroki when he stopped short in front of him. Nowaki stood up straight; removing his back from the door he was leaning against, and waved at the two of them with a smile on his face.

"Out of the way!" Nowaki did as he was told. Hiroki thrust his key into the keyhole none too gently and slammed the door behind him after he entered his home. He slumped against the door. "Those bastards…"

The NOWAKIs behind the door stared at each other. Nowaki smiled. He turned away from Kusama's stare and reached for the key fixed in the hole. Kusama gapped at him while he took his arm and placed the key into his hand. Nowaki's face turned serious as he pulled Kusama by his arm. "Now let's hurry before Hiro-san opens the door for his key in like, 5 seconds."

Kusama let himself be pulled along as he thought about how this double of his knew so much. Before he knew it, they already broke into a run.

Hiroki was cursing until he realised that he left his key outside. "Ah, my key!" he spun around and opened the door, but the key was nowhere in sight when he looked at the keyhole. "Damn!" He cursed one last time, before slamming the door shut.

"I'm Kusama Nowaki." Before Kusama could say anything, Nowaki continued. "And I know, you're also Kusama Nowaki." Kusama's eyes widened in shock as he saw Nowaki leading him straight to the front door of his home. He did not realise he was starring at the dull green door-which some of the paint had already fallen off-until Nowaki broke his train of thought. "Do you mind if I enter as well, before I explain everything?"

Kusama nodded, fumbling through his pockets for his key, while still clutching tightly onto Hiroki's. Nowaki stood beside him, patiently waiting.

Kusama fished the key out of his back pocket and slid it into the lock. The door opened with a 'click', and Nowaki entered after Kusama. Kusama turned right into what looked like a pantry, while Nowaki found space to sit by the small, chocolate-brown table.

Everything was like how Nowaki remembered. The room was small, but cosy and neat. The bed was at the furthest corner of the room, and the blankets on top were folded neatly. There was nothing more than the basic furnishings needed in a house. The orange light from the setting sun soaked through the thin curtains that covered the windows-lilting up the small room and filling it with warmth-as they fluttered along with the rhythm of the wind.

Kusama returned from the small kitchen, carrying a cup of tea. He placed it on the table in front of Nowaki, and proceeded to sit opposite him. "Here you go…" Kusama trailed off, confused on what to call his double. Nowaki laughed softly, not in the least mockingly, as he reached for the cup, and placed it between his lips, taking a small sip, and placing it back on the table. "Nowaki will do. Then I will call you Kusama, if it's alright with you?" Kusama nodded to show his approval.

Nowaki continued, his voice bright, despite the tense atmosphere around him. "You may choose not to believe me, but I'm you, six years from now." If Kusama was shocked, he did show it on his face. Instead, he kept silent, willing Nowaki to continue his part of the story.

"I got into an accident while trying to save Hiro-san…" Nowaki grimaced at the memory. "When I woke up, I was already here…"

"Hiro-san..?" Kusama gave Nowaki a questioning look. Nowaki chuckled. "It's a name you and I call-considering we are the same person-Kamijou-san, exclusively." Kusama began to catch on. Hiroki would still be with him, even after six years. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of it. It would be much more reassuring to know that you would be with someone six years later, since falling in love at first sight did not always work out.

"Now that this is settled, can I stay here? I have nowhere to go… I can take up the jobs that you're going to quit when Hiro-san starts tutoring you as payment for the rent, if you don't mind."

Kusama shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? But it's going to be squeezed, not that I mind. The futon's in the back…"

Eh? The jobs he is going to quit after Hiro-san tutors me..?

Kusama's eyes widened, as Nowaki smiled at him. "I know my ways around m-your house, so don't worry."

Well, staying with yourself isn't so bad after all… But this is a thought Kusama was going to keep to himself, even though he was pretty sure his double would know about it. It was him, after all.

I am sorry for the late update… But I will need to go slower, since I still have TONS of holiday homework still sitting on my desk, waiting for me to finish… *sniffs*

But I will try my best, so look forward to the next chapter! :D

This chapter is a necessity, since it took place at the beginning. I guess the next too chapters will be too. When I was plotting this story, I didn't plan the end, so I guess I'm going to have a hard time.

Other than that, please review. Thy are loved! Please do not favourite /alert add without reviewing. T_T

Critics, comments and things you like or suggestions are welcomed, so please do review!