Away from the Sun
CHAPTER SIX
"How can it be, that the happiest day I live is the day that I die."
Echizen turned to run, but tripped on a small stone. Karupin was sent flying.
He saw a dark hooded figure disappearing behind the trees.
And then it was all over him.
x
"You mean Ochibi went out in the middle of the night and you didn't chase after him! Momo! It's dangerous out there!"
"fshuu…… remember the bears?" Kaidoh asked.
"Oh dear, you mean Echizen-kun has been eaten by a bear?" Takashi asked worriedly.
"Kaidoh! This is serious, nya! Momo-"
"I made a mistake okay, senpai! Just drop it! We've got to find Echizen."
"What about breakfast?"
"Our teammate just got eaten by a bear, nya! There is no time for breakfast! Everyone start looking for Echizen now!"
With that, the whole team trudged out of the house to search for Echizen. No, wait- where was Fuji and Tezuka?
"Fuji, nya! I told you there was no time for breakfast!"
x
Ryoma got to his feet, brushing dirt of his clothes.
"Stupid wind." He muttered, looking around for his cap. "I knew something bad would happen."
Now he'd lost both Karupin and the trademark cap.
"Mada mada da ne," he muttered, turning and going back to the house.
x
"Found anything?" Momo called.
"Not yet!" Eiji yelled back.
He clambered up to the rock where Fuji was standing, looking amused.
"Fuji, nya, I know you're enjoying this, but if you know where Echizen is, please tell me and don't make me suffer like this!" Eiji begged.
Fuji put up both hands in an 'I don't know anything' gesture.
Eiji pouted.
"You'd better not." He said threateningly.
Fuji just continued to look amused.
And then he saw the cap.
x
Even the day seemed to be grieving. The sky was pouring with rain, mourning for their lost friend.
Takashi was trying to find Echizen's body parts. The dead body, so that it could be returned to Nanjiroh, and given a proper burial.
After Fuji had spotted Echizen's cap on a tree, and Karupin lying not far off, a sobbing Eiji had pronounced Echizen dead.
The wind was blowing strongly; Takashi had to hold onto the umbrella with both hands to stop it from flying away.
All of a sudden, he caught sight of a girl sitting on a bench with her eyes staring blankly at him. The girl was young and she looked to be around their age, or maybe a year younger. She was fairly pretty, and she was wearing a sundress with sunflower prints. Her eyes betrayed a sadness someone should never have known.
Taka immediately found a need in him to become her knight in shining amour. He hurried up towards her, and saw that the rain had washed her mascara down her pretty face, making it look like black tears.
"Hey…what are you doing out here?" he asked.
She didn't look at him. It was as though she had never heard him.
"You should go home, you know. Did you run away?" he asked gently. "Your parents must be worried; and maybe your boyfriend too? Lots of girls your age have boyfriends." He wanted to see some emotion in her face.
She didn't answer, just continued staring at the rain in the far distance.
Taka sighed and held out the umbrella. "If you don't want to go home, at least take the umbrella. I don't want to see you getting sick. Okay?"
Finally, she looked up at him. At first, she made no move to take the umbrella, but he continued holding it out to her and at last she reached out and took it from him.
Taka smiled. He turned his back on her and made his way back to the house. Echizen's body would have to wait. He was cold and tired, and he had a feeling that all his searching was in vain, anyway.
"Go home, okay?" he called over his shoulder to her.
She blinked and stared at him.
Taka quickened his pace. If he had looked back, he would have surely noticed her green eyes following his every move. But he didn't, and reached home in due time.
The girl looked down once he was out of sight. When she spoke, her voice was shaky, as though she hadn't used it for days.
"Takashi Kawamura." she said to herself quietly. "Tokyo, Seishun Gakuen. Age: 15."
"Okay." she said.
x
"Cruel, cruel, fate." Momo sobbed. "Why did he have to die?"
He was kneeling before the tree of which Fuji had found the cap hanging on.
I didn't even get to tell him -
"So, who is supposed to be dead?" he heard a voice ask.
Shishido was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, his eyes watching Momo with a tinge of amusement in them.
"You think it's funny that Echizen is dead? I always knew Hyotei was heartless, but this? You are so-" Momo was interrupted by someone who appeared behind Shishido.
"Actually, I think Echizen is-" But before Momo could find out what Ohtori thought Echizen was, Shishido stared the boy into silence.
Throwing his hands up in frustration, Momo went back to cry over the tree.
"Oh, Echizen, I didn't even get to tell you-"
"Senpai, it's already raining. You don't have to water that tree anymore." A familiar voice sounded out.
Momo spun around and came face to face with Echizen.
"Echizen! I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed, drying his tears so he could see properly. "I love you so much!" he cried, throwing himself on top of Echizen.
Ryoma had turned pink, but thankfully Momo didn't notice. He was too busy hugging the boy.
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" he yelled.
Shishido, shaking his head, went back into the house, followed by Ohtori. There was nothing more for them to see.
x
Tezuka was lying on his bed in the room he shared with Inui and Kaidoh.
Even in the darkness and without his glasses, Tezuka could see a smiling face.
He could hear the breathing of his roommates, silent and steady.
"Tezuka, do you like me?"
"We're friends, aren't we?"
"Iie….I mean more than that."
"What are you talking about, Fuji?"
"I really, really like you, Tezuka."
And Tezuka knew he was dreaming. And mentally, he slapped himself for thinking that way about Fuji.
Besides, it would never, ever happen.
But Tezuka could dream. And dream he did. Every hour, every minute, and every second of the day.
"Tezuka, are you daydreaming again?"
Tbc……
Whopee! Another chapter is finally up! I have so much to tell you guys! Guess what? I went to New York City! It's amazing! It was autumn there and all the trees were so beautiful! But I left a few days before the snow came- so, too bad.
I love you guys, so please review!
