Sorry guys, I had my exams this week. Totally didn't have time to update. I'm glad some of old readers reviewed that this version is better. It's true that my last Blacklite Wings was terrible and way too rushed.
Well, about Koko's role in this fanfic, he is one of the main characters as stated in the description and he does have a slightly larger role than Natsume in this case. Sorry if I disappointed some of you. I started to ship Mikan and Koko at one point in this fanfic.
Chapter 21: All or Nothing
He blinked and noticed the darkness surrounding him. It didn't feel ominous or that something was out to harm him but there was a strange sense of power in that room. "Calm down, it's only me."
The voice relaxed Koko and he stayed lying down on the bed and his eyes remained opened in the dark. He could feel where Izumi is but he didn't have the strength to say anything. "How do you feel?"
Tired.
"And can you sense your powers?"
Weak.
"Your physical strength?"
Gone.
"What happened after you fell into the river?"
I was found.
Izumi smirked and folded his arms, surprised at the boy's attitude. "What happened to that talkative brat that dug out all my secrets about my family and my past?"
There was a short silence until Izumi heard Koko trying to move around as the bed creaked. He's…dead.
"You're saved now," Izumi said. "We found you just in time too."
That thing saved me… Koko said and he blinked a few times and sat up straight in a rush.
Izumi's eyes widened in surprised as he saw Koko flinching from the pain and a short shriek came out of the boy's lips. "I told you to stay down."
Where is he? It? That thing? Whatever it is! Koko shouted in his mind as he felt Izumi slowly helping him lie back down. As his head touched the pillows, he felt at peace but his body was burning from the pain it experienced earlier that day.
"That spirit… it left," Izumi said. "You're right. It saved you."
Yeah. He's a bugger too! Playing mind games with me right up till the end, like he just enjoyed seeing me suffer and in a dying state. The next time I see that bastard, I'll rip him apart with whatever spell I know…
Koko heard a light laugh and he knew Izumi found it amusing. "It looks like you're back to your old self," He said and Koko shuts his eyes. "I can't heal you properly this time. The pain your body took was too severe, you shouldn't even have been able to move. Your heart was supposed to-."
Stop… I know. It's supposed to have just died. I was stupid…I knew I should've just stayed back at home and let my dad and Jii-chan heal me properly…but I couldn't…
"What do you mean you couldn't?" Izumi asked and saw Koko raising his hand a little. He reached forward and grasped Koko's hand and visions flashed straight into his mind.
He's a powerful kid. He even knows how to play with memories… Izumi thought quietly.
…
"Dad!" Koko shouted, pleased with the man that entered the hall.
"S-Sandaime!" The crowd of men that sat in front of Koko bowed and were completely on their knees.
"Kokoro," The man said as he walked into the room and sat by his father. "Otou-sama," He greeted with a bow and Jii-san patted his back.
"It's good to have you here," The old man smiled.
Koko was beaming as he saw his father sitting next to his grandfather. Both powerful witches and power users and their presence itself terrified the members on the clan. Koko respected his father in many ways, he turns into a child whenever he's around him. Until now, he still considers his father to be the most powerful witch in the Yume gumi.
"Sandaime, are you well?" Narumi asked and Koko's father's attention turned to him.
"All of you have such little faith in your leaders," Koko's father said aloud. "You doubt my father as he is old and you doubt my son as he is young. You looked down on me after I lost my powers and the deaths of my sons were merely stepping stones for all of you."
Koko could feel the anger boiling and he stayed quiet, still particularly happy that his father is fighting for him. "My father did his best to maintain the peace but behind his back, all of you poisoned the gumi's name. Seeking other gumi's for help… you're low and worthless beings…" His words caused the room to shake and Jii-san touched his son's shoulder.
"Calm your anger, my son," Jii-san said and turned back to the members. "It's true I should be angry at these men for treating our name so carelessly…but we have no worries of them taking the gumi." Jii-san said and puts on his evil gaze. "If they think our reign is over, they've got their own tombstones waiting for them on the other end."
I nearly forgotten why Jii-chan is one of the most terrifying leaders around, Koko thought quietly and gripped his fist tightly.
The room was silent and Koko blinked, realising all eyes were on him. "E-Eh?" He muttered, confused.
"Kokoro Yume," Jii-san turned to his only grandson and held out a silver scroll. "Do you accept your appointment?"
"Wai-wha…" Koko's eyes widened and locked with his father's.
You're more powerful than you think, Kokoro. Accept the title and we'll help you lead the gumi back to the top. He said in his mind and Koko couldn't stop looking surprised.
"I-I'm not ready!" Koko exclaimed and the members chuckled.
"He's still a boy, Nidaime. He won't be able to handle the work!"
"I have a son who can assist him, Nidaime. Together, they'll be of full use to the gumi!"
Koko could hear the comments of the members and he bit his lips. "Kokoro," Koko's father called and he looked at his father with the most confused eyes ever. "Aim and conquer." His father said and Koko's mind shuts.
He knew that phrase, he knew it all too well and it made him smile. He had heard his father say those thing to his brothers almost every day all his life and he knew what he had to do.
"Trust me, Nidaime. Kokoro will make a good leader! If all of the families gather and unite, we shall-."
BOOM!
There was a sudden burst of power that smacked the floor underneath the gumi. More exploding sounds were heard and the ground shook. The members panicked but the three leaders sitting before them remained still.
They had their eyes on Koko and saw Koko giving one of his famous smirks as the last shot of power caused a strong wind to slam against the members. They were all on their backs, groaning in pain and Koko stood up. He bowed in a perfect right angle and smiled as he stood back up straight. "Aimed and conquered."
Jii-san then tugged on Koko's kimono and told him to sit back down. The gumi started to get up, shocked from the incident that just occurred and they expected their leaders to have stopped the boy. "He's powerful and still untrained." Jii-san said and looked at the members. "I wish to have all of your consent in making my grandson the new yondaime."
Without another word, without hesitating, they all agreed and bowed. They had their head on the ground and Koko could see them shivering from fear. Now that's a yakuza's power. "With all due respect, Nidaime," One of them voiced out. "I am not against the young Master's title but as you said, he is still untrained. What would become of him if he remains in such state?"
"He will go to a community, of course," Koko's father answered. "We will enrol him in a community. He will participate in all of the overseas trading and meeting while my father and I take over his work here in Japan."
The members didn't go against him and nodded their heads like loyal puppies. "Now that it's settled," Jii-san said. "Kokoro Yume, fourth grandson and dark witch. You are now…the gumi's yondaime."
…
"I see," Izumi muttered and let's go of Koko's hand. He was already asleep and his hand fell straight down onto his stomach. "So you're just like me. It looks like Mikan has to live with people leaving her all because of these powers."
Izumi glanced at his own hands and chuckled. "Fate's a bitch, huh, Yuka?" He chuckled and shook his head. "And this kid is already suffering at his age."
After checking on Koko's wounds for the last time, Izumi walked out of the room and headed to the living room where the Hyuuga boys gathered.
"Ah, Sakura-san," Youichi waved. "We already told Koko's grandfather that we've found him. Some of the power users under the Yume gumi are starting to erase the memories of the forest rangers from knowing Koko's one of them."
"Alright then," Izumi smiled and ran a hand through his hair. He took a look at the brothers and snickered. "So I'm assuming all of you know about Koko's leave?"
"Yeah," Natsume nodded. "That's kinda the reason why Mikan ran off."
"Yeah, I thought so. She's like her mother at times, stubborn and doesn't want to face the truth until the last crucial moment," Izumi sat down and buried his face in his hands.
"What should we do?" Ruka asked. "Can't you train Koko? He doesn't have to leave!"
"No, I can't," Izumi leaned back on the chair. "To earn the iris, you have to go to a community. If you're caught using your powers without an iris, they'll rip your powers out of you…in other words, they'll kill you. It's a treaty made between the witches and humans way back in the past."
"So you really can't do anything about it?"
The boys turned their heads to the door way and they saw Mikan peeking out from the pillar. Izumi sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, I have no power to do anything."
"Can't…you get him to join a Japan community?" Mikan asked, trying her best to keep her peaceful life.
Shaking his head again, Izumi patted Mikan's head. "Japan has no witch community to control that boy's powers."
"Is he that strong?" Youichi asked.
"He owns a spirit. He's one of the strongest I know," Izumi chuckled.
"But…how could he have known how to summon a spirit?" Youichi asked.
"It's not his. It's his father's…or grandfather's. One of theirs. Apparently after they made Koko yondaime, they have claimed Koko to be the most powerful in the gumi so the spirit follows the next in line." Izumi said. "Somehow or other, when Koko was dying, I believe he made a pact with the spirit so now both their souls are linked until the next heir is born."
"The next heir, eh?" Reo asked and smirked. "So that's what the spirit meant by I'm in debt to you."
"Exactly," Izumi nodded his head.
"Wait, what?" Natsume looked at his cousin and Izumi, confused with their words.
"I'm guessing that spirit will only be able to exist in the world if the generation of the one who summons it continues. If Koko had died, so would the spirit," Reo said. "It was just helping itself."
"Precisely," Izumi agreed. "Had Koko died, not only will the gumi be taken over by those thieves of a family member, but the spirit would have disappeared along with him. I had spoken to the spirit while Koko was unconscious. He's not an evil spirit."
"But the fact that he's a spirit on Earth means he must've been an evil one," Youichi said. "The good spirits would never need to be summoned."
"He was evil," Izumi admitted. "Right until the first generation head of the Yume gumi summoned him. The spirit was pleased to be summoned by a yakuza, and him being a powerful witch was a bonus. But the spirit saw how the yakuza treated his family and how he raised his gumi from nothing. You could say the spirit had a change of heart and decided to help the gumi to his full power to repay his debt."
"So he only follows the direct descendent then, right?" Natsume asked. "That's probably why he just had to save Koko. I know the other family members only considers the Yume name as a source of income instead of family, the spirit is probably angry if they were to take over."
The room was quiet again and you could hear each one's breathing. Glancing up, Natsume's eyes caught Mikan's short gaze at him and they both turned away without a second thought. "Now…what's going on here?"
Everyone turned to Reo who had one of the cheekiest smiles plastered across his face. Reo was glancing from Natsume to Mikan and he caught that short eye-lock earlier and he knew something was up. "W-What?" Natsume stuttered and Reo smacked his back.
"YOU DID SOMETHING NAUGHTY DIDN'T YOU?!" Reo shouted excitedly. "I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T HAVE LET THAT CHANCE GO!"
Natsume gritted his teeth and avoided eye contact with Izumi, feeling a bit embarrassed at what the nonsense his cousin was spouting. "You guys play along," Izumi stood up. "I'm going to check the boy again in any case his power is recovering."
Once Izumi was out of sight, Natsume jumped on Reo and pushed him off the couch. "HEY!" Reo shouted back and smacked Natsume's face with the cushion.
"DID YOU FREAKING HAVE TO ACT LIKE AN ASS LIKE THAT?!" Natsume shouted.
"WELL YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MADE IT SO OBVIOUS BY BLUSHING!" Reo shouted back.
"I. WAS. NOT. BLUSHING!" Natsume shouted and pulled the cushion from Reo's grip and smacked his cousin as hard as he could.
"He kinda was."
"Yeah I saw his ears shot up and turned red."
Natsume's gaze swiftly turned to Ruka and Youichi whom were talking behind his back.
"Can you guys stop?" Mikan said in a soft voice and they all glanced at her. "It wasn't a big deal. This isn't the time to be fighting about stupid things like this."
"Mi-chan," Ruka's voice trailed off and nodded. "Yeah, let's just stop all of this. We should all take a rest, it was a long day."
"But what exactly happened with you two?" Youichi asked. "You two won't stop avoiding each other and then I see you looking at each other…"
"Why are you even noticing all of this?" Natsume asked. "Like she said, it wasn't a big deal. Let it go."
"B-But…" Mikan suddenly voiced out and Natsume stared at her, wondering what she had to say. "I'm serious about what I said earlier."
"And what was it that you said?" Natsume asked.
Mikan stuttered and her face flushed. "Mi-chan?" Ruka walked towards Mikan and she shook her head.
"-suki ," She said under her breath and Natsume's eyes widened. "I don't understand it myself…but I feel like it's right." She said and clasped her hands together. "I know it's weird. It's only after you kissed me that I realised I had feelings for you. I mean…it had always been there but I always had something to cover it so I didn't understand it clearly."
Ruka and Reo were staring at Natsume intently after Mikan mentioned 'kissed' but they heard Mikan continued talking.
She was staring at Natsume now and he was just sitting frozen on the couch, legs apart and eyes wide. "I liked how you were Ruka's friend, I liked how you commented on my singing voice… I liked how you were competitive in sports… I just really liked how you are with your brothers too. It's just… I have nothing that I hate about you."
Natsume stood up and scratched the side of his head with his other hand in his pocket. "Just because you don't have anything about me that you hate, it doesn't me you like me," Natsume explained. "Look, what happened was a mistake. I did a stupid move and now, all I see is someone taking pity at me. You're the one person who had to see me at my worst, the person who had to see how I am around my father and brothers. I don't need pity."
"I'm not pitying you!" Mikan said in a louder voice.
"You're making me a substitute!" Natsume shouted.
"And you said you were okay with that earlier!" Mikan shouted back. "You remembered what you said…don't you?" Tears were slowly falling down her cheeks and Natsume swallowed.
He walked towards Mikan and hugged her as she cried on his chest. "Yeah…yeah I remember," Natsume said quietly. "I promised I'd be with you for however long you need me." Mikan gripped the back of Natsume's shirt as she continued crying and Youichi heard their thoughts and understood the situation.
"Oh…" Youichi muttered and walked towards Ruka. "We should leave." Youichi said and tugged on Reo's pants to follow him out of the living room.
Feeling all confused, the three of them left and saw Koko standing next to the staircase. Youichi's eyes widened and Koko had a weak smile plastered on his face. How long have you been standing there? Youichi asked.
Long enough, Koko answered and turned his back around to climb back up to the room he rested in.
Youichi was holding his breath and finally breathed after Ruka patted his back. "Are you okay?" Ruka asked.
"Y-Yeah," Youichi answered.
"What was that all about?" Reo folded his arms. "I didn't think Natsume would be all over someone crying…"
"Shut it, will you?" Youichi muttered. "This is getting so complicated."
"What did she mean by substitute?" Reo asked and Youichi dragged the two guys to the kitchen.
"Koko's leaving…remember?" Youichi asked and Ruka understood the whole situation already. Reo merely nodded.
"So apparently, Natsume considers himself Koko's substitute when Mikan wanted him," Youichi said.
"But that would mean Mikan has feelings for Koko," Reo said matter-of-factly and after seeing Youichi and Ruka's faces, his eyes widened. "Wait, what?!" He shouted and Youichi smacked Reo's lips shut before he said anything louder. "But Koko was just standing…he heard?!"
Youichi nodded and Reo smacked his forehead. "Holy hell…it's one trouble after another."
"You said it," Youichi agreed.
"I'm just worried about Koko now," Ruka folded his arms and sighed.
…
This is what you expected, wasn't it?
I mean…you didn't think she'd wait years for you, did you?
I mean…you DID play around with Anna Ichijou in front of her just to show her you're not interested, didn't you?
I mean…fuck it. I've been screwing with myself all these years.
Koko was at the balcony and he sighed, staring at the moon in the sky. "I knew she'd fall for someone one day. I knew it wouldn't be me…I had just…hoped." He buried his face in his hands as he tried to delete his own memories but failed to do so.
We had been together for so long…I already realised my feelings… but I didn't want to make a move. I didn't want you to get sucked into my family's business. But that's all a lie… if you had realised first and if you had wanted me…I'd have dumped my whole family for you…
Koko's eyes were moist and he knew what people meant by being 'heartbroken'. It was eating him. The feeling of knowing someone will never be yours. That crushing feeling when you find out that all hope it lost.
He started to whistle as he gaze into the sky. As he blinked, one teardrop fell and he smiled.
"It never crossed my mind at all
that's what I tell myself
what we had had come and gone
you're better off with someone else
It's for the best, I know it is
But I see you
Sometimes I try to hide
What I feel inside
And I turn around
You're with him now
I just can't figure it out
Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you
(eh eh eh oh eh eh eh)
Not over you
(eh eh eh oh eh eh eh)
Memories
Supposed to fade
What's wrong with my heart?
Shake it off, let it go
Didn't think it be this hard
Should be strong
Moving on
But I see you
Sometimes I try to hide
What I feel inside
And I turn around
You're with him now
I just can't figure it out
Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you
Maybe I regret
Everything I said
No way to take it all back, yeah
Now I'm on my own
How I let you go
I'll never understand
I'll never understand
Yeah, oooh, oooh, oooh
Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
I'm just a little too not over you
Tell me why
You're so hard to forget
Don't remind me
I'm not over it
Tell me why
I can't seem to face the truth
And I really don't know what to do
I'm just a little too not over you
(eh eh eh oh eh eh eh)
Not over you
(eh eh eh oh eh eh eh)
Koko shook his head and grabbed the phone on the bedside table after he closed the balcony doors. He dialled a number and breathed out.
"Hello?"
"Dad… it's me," Koko said quietly and shuts his eyes. "How soon can the community take me?"
…
Monday morning turned out to be a beautiful day. The birds on the trees chirping and sun rays between the leaves touching the forest's ground. What would make Monday even better if it wasn't for missing classes?
The boys and Mikan had woken up and sat around the villa's dining table. Everyone was quiet after Koko walked in. Mikan was the first one to rush to him and hugged him. Apologizing over and over again and cried.
Koko was in a better condition now after he had his long needed rest and he joined the rest for breakfast. "Well well, Ruka. Your first day of college and you're already skipping," Natsume snickered and Ruka threw a piece of blueberry to Natsume's face.
"Who told you to make plans for my life? Are you my mom?" Ruka joked and the room had a peaceful ambience.
"So we're all…okay now, right?" Youichi asked and everyone glanced at him. "I mean, when you think about it, what got us all close was after Mikan, Ruka and Koko joined Natsume's band."
"Blacklite Wings basically united us," Natsume chuckled, embarrassed he said such a thing.
"Things happened these past few days and months," Youichi said, referring to Koko's family gradual change. "But we're all okay now. All our problems are sorted and I don't think we'd make it through if we didn't have each other."
"That's right," Ruka said with a smile. "We all had a part to play and we're all part of each other's lives."
"Yeah," Natsume agreed. "We're all part of each other's lives."
"Nothing can break us apart!" Youichi said cheesily and raised his glass of orange juice.
"Hear hear!" They all cheered and clanked their glasses together.
There was a knock on the door and Izumi appeared behind them. There was a man that walked behind Izumi and he bowed in the presence of the boys. Koko's eyes widened and he stood up abruptly. "D-Dad." He muttered and his father smiled.
The boys and Mikan bowed after seeing the Yume gumi's sandaime and Natsume stared at how tall and elegant-looking he is. "It's time." Koko's father said and Mikan kept staring at the two of them.
"I didn't think soon would mean this fast," Koko chuckled and turned around to see Mikan's horrified face. "You knew I was leaving sooner or later." Izumi and his father walked back out to the living room so Koko could say his goodbyes.
"You didn't say today," Mikan corrected.
"I didn't at all say when…but you knew this was coming," Koko mustered up a smile as he looked at Youichi. "Thanks…for your words today. It was probably hard on you to know what's going to happen."
Youichi nodded and managed a smile. "You're stronger than I am, Kokoro Yume. You're a copying witch. You can do whatever spell that's casted in front of you without even trying. No wonder Izumi-san agrees you're strong."
"Ruka Nii," Koko turned properly and bowed. "Thank you…for being a brother to me."
"It's tough taking care of both you and Mi-chan at the same time, I'm going to miss it," Ruka chuckled and walked up to Koko and hugged him. "Take care of yourself, kid."
"No words of appreciation for me?" Reo asked, snickered when Koko shot him a glance.
"I gotta thank you," Koko started. "You warned me and you actually cared for me yesterday. Enough to make me realise you're not that bad of a person as much as people said you are. Thank you, Reo Hyuuga." Koko bowed his head lightly and finally turned to Natsume and Mikan whom were standing next to each other.
Natsume understood Koko's look that he knew what had happened. "I'm sorry," Natsume started.
"Don't be… I'm glad it's you rather than anyone else," Koko waved his hand.
"I'm glad to have met you, Kokoro Yume," Natsume held out his hand and Koko shook it.
"I'm glad to have met you too…though you should be gladder that you turned out to be my friend… if you hadn't, I'd probably have killed you along with your fa-." Natsume pulled Koko for a tight hug and Koko smiled. Take care of her…Don't ever let her cry. Don't you dare hurt her.
You sound like her dad, dimwit! Natsume chuckled after their last mind-reading exchange. "Now be a good witch and control that family of yours."
"Hey, we still have a deal between our families, right?" Koko pointed and Natsume smirked.
"Not until you take the whole gumi in your hands…and until Persona makes me the head in a branch," Natsume smiled.
"Deal is still on, then!" Koko laughed and suddenly Mikan ran up to him and embraced him. "H-Hey! Stop crying! All I see you do now is cry! Where is that stuck-up bitch around people that I know and love?"
Mikan had the ugliest expression on her face and made Koko laugh even harder. "Don't you dare forget me!"
"As if that's possible!"
"Don't you ever forget to visit me!"
"I'll visit every single time I come back," Koko promised and Mikan sobbed harder.
"Don't you…leave me."
Her last words broke Koko and he kept it inside. He had to hold it in, this was the toughest moment. If he had cried, Mikan will never let it go. He would never let himself go so he had to be strong. He had to. "I'll never leave…" Koko smiled and tilted Mikan's chin up. "I'll never leave your heart."
Their lips met for a second and everyone's eyes in the room widened except the two kissing. Koko was holding his breath and after he lets go, he saw Mikan's face flushed and felt his own face heated up.
They were quiet…and awkward and Koko gave a swift glance to Natsume. That was only once. You kissed her twice so you still have the upperhand.
Natsume smirked. Idiot, I'm going to have her for as long as you're gone. By the next time you come back, she won't even remember this. Think of it as my parting gift.
Bastard, Koko snickered and Mikan touched her lips with her fingers. "Koko, you…"
"Always have," Koko finished her trail of thought and smiled. "Always will, Mi-chan."
…
They saw the car leaving into the distance. That was the last time they saw Koko that year. Mikan held in her feelings and tried her best not to run out and chase after her best friend. Her first love. Natsume holds her hand just before she cracked and she turned to look at him.
"He gave us his blessings though," Natsume muttered and Mikan glanced at him.
"That's just like him," Mikan smiled. "Koko will always put others before him. Even when facing death."
"So do you think you can get over him quick and stay with me? Or do I still have to wait for a couple of years?" Natsume joked and saw Mikan blushed.
"I-I-I…"
"You don't have to answer that," Natsume brushed it off. "Let's start it all over." He lets go of her hand and turned to see her properly. He bent down lightly so his face was on the same level as Mikan's. "Hi, I'm Natsume Hyuuga."
"Mikan…Sakura." She introduced and smiled.
It's the first time for everything. The first time I'll be independent from Koko. The first time I'll have to start my social life in school all over again. The first time I'm using…my actual name. And the first time…I'm going to accept his love.
HEY GUYS.
Yeah.
OK.
I'm 100% sure all of you are going to kill me for ending it like this.
IM SORRY! IM REALLY SORRY! I DIDN'T EVEN PLAN THIS OUT! IT JUST HAPPENED. IM SO FREAKING SORRY!
But worry not, it's only the end. There will be extra 'future' chapters if any of you would like me to write it out. IM STILL SO SORRY GUYS!
Thank you for sticking by Blacklite Wings all this while. Thank you so very much. [By the way, the song Koko sang is David Archuleta's A Little Too Not Over You. My favorite unrequited-love song]