die Folge version eins
Part One; Dramatic Image
Chapter Fourteen;
Hard Lovin' Loser
"When love is your greatest weakness, you will be the strongest person
in the world."
-- Garman Wold
It would be days before he remembered himself again: days before he caught up with the rest of the world. Time passed by with silent, indiscernible steps. Ran disappeared into the sky, and the light, and the sea.
(@)
Oniichan...
Aya exhaled softly, her breath frosting the window. She let the heavy cotton curtains drop and turned back to where Nagi lay propped up on the bed. His pale face shone in the half light.
" Do you need anything? " she asked.
Nagi slowly shook his head, no. " Do you know the legend of the white butterfly? " he asked softly.
" About the old man and the cemetery? " Aya sat on the chair next to his bed and drew her knees up to her chest. She tilted her head so her unbound hair slipped down her calves to brush her ankles.
" An old man lived his days by a cemetery in peaceful solitude, until one day when he fell ill. While his sister-in-law and nephew were tending to him, a large white butterfly came to him in his sleep. The nephew tried to shoo the butterfly away with a fan, but it kept coming back; as if it couldn't bear to part with the old man.
" Finally the nephew chased the butterfly out of the house and into the cemetery all the way to a well-kept and beautiful gravemarker, where the butterfly mysteriously disappeared. The nephew examined the tomb, reading the inscription that detailed the life of a young woman who had died young a long time prior.
" The nephew returned to the house, and discovered his uncle had passed away. When he described the gravesite to his mother, she related to him the story about the uncle and the woman who's grave he'd seen. They had been betrothed, but she'd died of consumption before their marriage. The old man had lived his life having sworn to love none but her. It was he who had tended to the grave so carefully, whether the air was sweet with summer breeze or thick with winter snow.
" Smiling sadly, the mother then told her son that the butterfly had been the spirit of the young girl from the story. Since the old man couldn't visit her during his sickness, she had come to him: and now, in death, they could finally be together. "
Aya watched him in silence, enraptured by his haunting voice through the retelling of the old legend. Nagi joined her in being quiet at the end of it, staring across the room with a distant look in his eyes. At length, he observed, " I think, life was much simpler then. "
Aya nodded.
Nagi's fingers traced the book in his lap, across the embossed title and the smooth jacket. " Arigatou... for the Christmas gift, Ayachan. "
" You're welcome. "
(@)
" I brought wine! " Youji announced with triumph, slipping his shoes off at the door and entering the warm confines of the kitchen. There he discovered Ken poking a tray full of roasting chestnuts in the stove with a wooden spoon of all things and Sakura cradling the telephone on her shoulder while she stirred something on the stove. He added with a grin, " and sake! "
" Oh, " Sakura said, " Youjisan is here. Hai! " she tossed the phone to Youji, who deftly caught it in one hand. " It's Omikun, " she told him and turned back to the stove to lift the pot that was just about to boil over.
Youji lifted the phone to his ear. " Yo-! "
" Merry Christmas! " Omi cheerily exclaimed.
" Same to you, kid. " Youji began hunting around for the corkscrew. " Listen, you're going to have to wait until you come down for New Years to get your present, alright? "
" You got me a present? "
Youji looked affronted. " Don't sound so surprised. "
" Youjikun, you've never gotten me a present, " Omi pointed out.
" Well, I'm getting you one this year. "
" Oh, okay... I got you something too, Youjikun. " Omi hastily replied, embarrassed at his rudely honest reaction. It was true that Youji had never gotten him anything in the past, but he felt badly for not accepting the surprise graciously.
Youji teased, " You're not just saying that to reciprocate, are you? "
" I got you something last year, didn't I? " Omi jeered in good nature.
" Oh yeah... "
In the background, Ken burned his hand and was sent whimpering to the sink by Sakura, who had a startling command over the kitchen. Youji popped the cork on the wine and began filling glasses for Sakura and Ken. The sake was for him, of course.
" So what are you doing for dinner, kid? " Youji inquired.
Omi replied cheerily, " Clarachan invited me to dinner with her family. "
" Clara? "
" Un, a classmate. "
" I see. Well, once again, Merry Christmas. Did you want to talk to Ayachan or Nagi? " Youji looked around. " Oi, where are they? "
" Upstairs. " Sakura answered. She reached out her hand, " Would you go let them know dinner's ready? I'd like to talk to Omikun again. "
Ken looked up from the sink where he was running his hand under the faucet, " Can Nagikun come down? "
" He said he wanted to. " Sakura took the phone from Youji. " Me again. When do you think you'll be home again after dinner...? " Her voice faded away as Youji headed upstairs.
Youji had only the thought of sake waiting for him to keep him from collapsing on the steps in a fit of depression. He stopped at his old room and was disgusted with his nostalgia. That had not been a happy time. It hadn't even been anything vaguely resembling a happy time. And yet... and yet... Youji tapped the door and edged it open. " Hairuzou~ " he proclaimed cheerily.
Aya looked up and smiled. " Maa, Youjisan. Merry Christmas. "
" Indeed, " Youji nodded. " Sakura says supper's ready. Need any help downstairs, Nagi? "
" If you could... " Nagi trailed off.
" I'll help too! " Aya hopped to her feet and moved soundlessly to his side. Together she and Youji aided Nagi carefully down to dinner, where Youji could drown his lack of holiday spirit, and hopefully manage until New Years.
(@)
Sometimes, she thought, what they had now was enough. But at the same time she just wanted to cling and cling to him until the emptiness went away. Even though, deep down, she knew in her heart that it never would. Life had become too difficult for such a simple solution.
(@)
It was a modest apartment building, and like most fathers he wished he could provide better for them. Ishida was a simple man, a startling bit of normalcy in the tumultuous and secretive world of Kritiker. He didn't even have a codename anymore; he'd been in the business so long he was afraid of forgetting himself. Ishida knocked once and entered the apartment, calling, " Shitsurei Shimasu... hello? Yasukosan? Takutokun? "
" Papa! "
From the kitchen came running a young boy with his mother's eyes and his father's hair. Ishida set down his bags and lifted his Takuto off the floor to embrace him. " How are you, my son? "
" I'm great! We're going to baasan's for a big dinner, and then to see fireworks at the park! "
" Maa, " Ishida exclaimed, " what an exciting day for you. "
" Are you coming to dinner, Papa? Are you? "
" Papa has a lot of work to do, Takuto, I told you not to get your hopes up, " Yasuko chided gently. She leaned against the corner and smiled at Ishida. " Okaeri nasai, an'ta. "
" Tadaima, " Ishida smiled back. " When do we leave? Atsumisan won't mind an extra guest? "
Takuto gleefully cried, " You mean you can come, Papa? "
" Well, I do so love fireworks, " Ishida said. He set Takuto down. " Go get your coat then, and we'll take my car. " While Takuto ran off, Ishida held his hand out to Yasuko in invitation. " I've come to realize that I haven't been following my own advice at work. " He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her fingers. " It's late, but... Yasukosan... I would be most honored if you would marry this old fool. "
(@)
" Kensan, did you burn your hand? You should be more careful. " Aya chided, observing the angry red that was spread across Ken's knuckles. He flushed under her concern and shifted his hand so that it was in his lap where she couldn't see.
" Ta-dah! Here's dinner! " Sakura proclaimed, entering with a platter of chicken.
" Whoa! " Youji exclaimed appreciatively, " you made all this, Sakura? "
She blushed. " Kenkun helped... "
" Oh, " Youji set down his chopsticks, " I might stick to sake then, if Ken had a hand in it. "
" Oi! " Ken's protested indignantly.
" Food isn't really my thing anyway... " Youji protested with a smile.
" Dammit Youji, " Sakura pushed some chicken onto his plate, " You're eating with us if we have to pin you down and force it down your throat. "
" Sousou! " Aya agreed emphatically.
Ken smiled wickedly. " You can't go against two such lovely ladies, Youji, it goes against your character. "
Youji smiled wryly. " Nothing to be done about it then, I'll eat just for you girls, but I expect to be rewarded sometime. "
Sakura dished him up some rice and jeered, " We're not eighteen yet. "
" Well actually, " Youji jeered back, " Ayachan technically is. "
Nagi looked at Youji sideways. " Erojiji. "
" HA! " Ken laughed out loud and tried to save face by drinking his wine.
(@)
" I do so love weddings, you might find that hard to believe. "
Ishida stopped his family on the apartment stairs. " Sch- Schuldich! "
" Ii naa, " Schuldich cooed, a predatory smile on his face. " I have an offer for you, Kritiker. "
" I will make no deals, " Ishida said firmly, " Not with Esset. "
Schuldich pushed his sunglasses to atop his head. " Not Esset, " he corrected with a leering tone of voice, " this is directly from Crawford. "
" What does Crawford want with me? " Ishida asked suspiciously. He was standing in front of Yasuko and Takuto, which was amusing Schuldich.
" Your life, " came the answer.
" Nani?! "
" You heard me, " Schuldich responded slyly. " Esset wants you dead; and if I know Stephan, your lovely soon-to-be wife and cute son would go with you. "
Ishida's defensive stance reaffirmed itself out of fear. " So? That doesn't explain why you're here. "
" Hn, " he acceded, " Crawford thinks you're still useful to the plan. Either that or he's doing that bastard friend of yours a favor. " Schuldich snarled, his eyes flashing at the mention of Honjou. " Either way, here's the deal; you keep Fujimiya in the business and don't let him go back to the life he desires with the Angel, and we provide you and your charming family with protection from Esset. Agreed? "
" If you hate Honjousan so much, why are you helping? "
Schuldich's face turned serious for a moment, and he held out his hand palm up. He repeated, " Agreed? "
Ishida's eyes narrowed. He wasn't accustomed to being ignored. " I want proof. "
Schuldich grinned again. " You want Manx, " he corrected. " Crawford's holding her as collateral for now, but it suits my purposes if she's out of the picture. Agreed. Merry Christmas. " Then he was gone.
(@)
Schuldich sauntered down the halls of Ikeda Enterprises, hands in his pockets. He was humming a random carol he'd heard on the street. He was in a good mood; seeing Crawford go against orders did that to him. It was proof that Crawford was human. Humans could be broken. Crawford could be broken, therefore. Schuldich was playing a new game with Crawford; now that he knew Crawford knew about the silence it wasn't fun anymore. So he was playing a new game. One that would ultimately make Crawford his, and only his. No more games, no more subservience. Schuldich's already short attention span had run out. It was time for a change.
He liked change. It made him smile.
But for change to go his way, he had to get rid of Honjou: and the only viable way was to get rid of Crawford's hold over him. Before Honjou's strange hold over Crawford interfered even more.
Schuldich opened an out-of-the-way door in an out-of-the-way corner of the building and cooed, " Oi, little kitten. Time to go home now. " He held out his hand to the small room's occupant. " Just remember, it was I who released you.
(@)
Ken crept down the stairs and into the kitchen lit only by the light in the hall. " Youji? "
" Hn? "
Ken flicked on the overhead light, and Youji winced. Ken walked across the kitchen, past the table laden with the evidence of Youji's drinking and sat down opposite him. In the centre of the table, Ken set down a thin box tied with a navy blue ribbon. " What the hell is this? "
Youji eyed the box balefully. " What does it look like? It's a friggin' Christmas present. "
" Is this a joke? " Ken chortled, sitting back. " Since when do you give presents? "
Youji smacked the sake bottle down on the table hard enough to rattle the present in question. " God dammit, I try to do something nice an' the both of you jump down my throat over it. Well never you damn well mind about it. I can assure you it won't happen again. " Youji drank bitterly.
Ken blinked at him, surprised. " It's just, well... " he trailed off, careful now of his words. " Shouldn't you be saving up for a new apartment? "
" I can't get a new apartment, " Youji snapped. " I can't go back to anything anymore. They think I'm dead, and you know what? I might as well be. Way my life is going now... " Youji slurred, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. " Christmas my ass. Consider it a parting gift then, since all else I seem to be able to give is grief. " He pushed away from the table and staggered for the stairs. " 'm going to bed. "
Ken was left in the brightly lit kitchen with a dark and guilty mood. He lifted the lid of the box and removed the plain but stylish sunglasses inside. He mulled over them, pondering why Youji would have chosen them, or, how Youji had known he'd like them. Ken set them back into the box and headed back to bed himself with a sigh. It wasn't the first time Youji had said something odd related to the apartment explosion. Ken morbidly wondered what was going on behind his back, fearing that in the end, he could probably guess.
(@)
Near midnight, Omi returned to his apartment. He fumbled with the keys in the half-light as the phone began to ring. Dashing inside he wondered why this always happened to him as he picked up the receiver. " Moshimoshi! " He sat down heavily. " Sakurachan? " he anticipated, but his eyes widened in surprise at who greeted him instead.
" M- Manx! "
~(@)~
~--------tsuzuku~
Translation notes;
Oniichan - Elder Brother
Arigatou - Thankyou
Sake - rice alcohol
Hai - here!
Hairuzou - 'I'm entering!'
Shitsurei Shimasu - 'please forgive my rudeness'
Okaeri nasai - Welcome home
An'ta - shorted form of 'anata' which is literally 'you' but in this
case is a term of endearment
Tadaima - I'm home
Sousou! - just an agreement
Erojiji - slang term for a perverted old man
Ii naa - 'how nice'
Nani - what
Moshimoshi - 'hello' used when answering the telephone
[Written by Inseiko, 2003]