My Best Friend's Secret
Chapter Twenty One
When Misaki opened his eyes nothing but white besotted his senses. The pure feeling it sprang into him while he was crystallized with numbness throughout his whole body it was in that moment that Misaki really did believe that he was dead. Unknowingly he reached out his arm weakly before it flopped back down at his side. As minutes flew by he was starting to feel the effects of dizziness, faint beeping becoming fairly louder and the muffling of voices. Heaven was strange, this wasn't how he expected it to be at all.
The teen flopped his head side to side seeing restrainers at the edges of his bed and machinery everywhere. He wasn't in heaven; heaven was supposed to be dreamy and beautiful. Angels were supposed to be singing, he wasn't soaring through twilight galaxies and skies nor dancing with the stars, he was supposed to be truly free though most importantly he was supposed to see his parents which weren't anywhere in sight. With the drip going into his arm, bandages on his knees and the restrainers Misaki learned he was once again held captive.
"Nn-"
He struggled weakly to break out the many wires linked to his arms snaking through the many budded bruises on his skin. He tried pulling one away but Misaki couldn't even do that at first. Giving up, he leaned back to stare blankly at the ceiling. He didn't even know where he was, Misaki truly hated this. But he had to admit one thing; anywhere was better than the attic.
It was weird actually, no dust clogging up his lungs, there was light coming through the window not the small amount he was used to on a daily basis. Misaki could hear real living, breathing people. That scared him, he didn't understand were these the cold hearted strangers his brother had once warned him about when he was still a helpless little boy? Terror arisen in him, the teen began to shaft and shake in the bed causing it to rattle. Out of fright he clumsily ripped away a handful of the drips but once they torn his arms rushed with blood flowing through his palms and down the in-betweens of his fingers.
Misaki breathed shakily bringing his crimson hands right up his face. His lips were ajar slightly as rugged breaths escaped he gritted his teeth then screamed.
"What do you mean their house burnt down?!"
Akihiko was absolutely livid when he found out off surprisingly Kamijou Hiroki who knew someone living in the Takahashi's area. It was delicious gossip spreading round the town like hot cakes, something everyone knew. After the house had collapsed, neighbors were on their front porches some were crying others angry from the drama and some gob-smacked.
The old woman who had spoken to Akihiko not so long ago was stunned seeing the second body being pulled out the front door. Only to be revealed as Takahashi Misaki, neighbors who lived there for years had known the Takahashi family since they moved in. But the story of Takahiro's young brother had been a lie, everyone was disgusted and were so confused. She saw Misaki there on the stretcher, bruised, pale and close to death.
The Author tried milking every bit of information he knew about the situation, pushing and pushing. "I don't know anything else! He's your friend go find our for yourself!"
"Don't worry, I will."
With that putting the phone down Akihiko hurried and when he found out that not only was Takahiro in hospital with fatal burns but still alive the truth was shocking. He didn't want to believe it at first; his friend, his best friend was a liar, psychopath, a monster.
He asked nothing more he had his answer and that was enough alone. Akihiko walked around aimlessly for a good half an hour then resorted outside for a cig in the smoking area. Puffing a cloud of smoke into the chilly winter air he thought long and hard.
"What bullshit" He murmured.
"Absolute bullshit" Sounding angrier by the seconds Akihiko calmed himself within the next drag.
Making a "tsk" noise he flicked his cigarette to the ground and walked back into the building. Leaving the lonesome flame to sizzle but it was soon washed out with the swift rainfall that arose suddenly.
On the same floor Akihiko stepped out the elevator when all of a sudden he heard the racket coming from down the hallway. Nurses were running to the wreck of a teenage boy who was heading down their way screaming in blood.
They tackled him dragging him back into the room while he kicked and shouted sounding so frightened. Akihiko's eyes were the size of golf balls, he knew that kid, it was the same one he saw not too long ago in the house.
Knowing he couldn't exactly walk in he asked a couple of the nurses and doctors the situation only to be told that Takahiro's brother lost too much blood, he was under a healthy weight, mentally challenged and traumatized.
Akihiko blagged his way through getting information out of them, he was good at that. "He repeatedly told us to 'stay away, we were dangerous strangers who would hurt him'.. Do you know anything about this?"
She tilted head to the side cutely eyeing him up.
"Not that I'm aware of, no." He arched up an eye brow.
Akihiko stayed almost the full night and the next day he asked to see Takahiro. Doctors disagreed, it would be a couple of days yet and Takahiro didn't want to see anybody. Not yet.
Once he was available the Author stood at the end of his bed only be given the stink eye. Lay there with multiple burns covering his body he had been lucky to have made it out alive, stitches on his shoulder, bandages and a breathing mask.
"You're probably thinking 'why?' aren't you Usagi-san?" Takahiro sneered with a creepy smirk on his face however one side was destroyed from the fire the other clean as a whistle.
Akihiko frowned at him. "Don't call me that,"
"Hm? Surely old friend, you don't believe those rumors do you?"
"Honestly Takahiro, I don't know what to believe. But I know one thing, you're a liar and I no longer trust you."
He was stiller than ever at hearing his former friend's words, Takahiro closed his eyes before he responded with. "And why is that?"
"Because I know,"
"Know what?" His voice was croaky, it even sounded sore but he remained bitter as ever.
"Don't act stupid, I know about your brother Takahiro everyone knows." Akihiko's eyebrows crushed together into a hurt expression. "You lied about him being-"
"Dead?" Takahiro finished smoothly not even bothered. "I'm aware of what I said no need to repeat; besides I had to get rid of him, just like he did to our parents. My parents, how dare he defy them like that."
The Author thought back to those picture he found in his bedroom that day, the ripped photographs and marker scribbles, the empty house, all of it pieced together i one.
"They died in a car crash-" Akihiko clenched the bridge of his nose sighing. "Surely, you can't blame him for that. It was an accident and you're taking it out on him?"
He saw Takahiro's eyes narrow filling slowly with rage it only he could move without paining his fractured body he would take delight to swinging a fist at the other man now.
"You don't understand, Misaki plays mind games, he had control over all of us back then! I had to put him away, he was too dangerous to be around and-"
"Not what I heard," He shook his head. "Drop the act Takahiro, we all know you filled his head up with shit about men coming to get him if he stepped outside or tried to escape you. You took hostage of him and punished him simply because you couldn't heal your own wound. You miss your parents don't you?"
Takahiro turned his head away to watch the heavy rain patter on the window. Akihiko awaited his answer, it took nearly forever. He knew that his old "friend" was hurt over the loss of his parents still. He understood it was hard for him to get by, dropping out of school to find a job and taking over the house. That was no excuse for what he had done to his younger brother though. Akihiko didn't know half the story, in-fact he knew nothing really.
"Takahiro," He said somewhat softer. "It's hard isn't it, what happened to them shouldn't- Nobody should have to suffer what you and your brother suffered, it's hard but-"
"Oh fuck off Usami!" He growled. "What do you know about the hardship of life? You practically get everything served to you on a plate, what with your fancy car, stable job, both a mother and a father, money, opportunities!"
"You know nothing, literally nothing about the sacrifices I have had to make for my family! For the sake of Misaki-"
Akihiko felt a great big slap on the face from all of this he couldn't believe Takahiro was actually like this. "Not sacrifice, there's a difference between sacrifice and loss. You only know about loss, Takahiro sacrifice is a choice you make yes, you're right. But loss, it's a choice made for you."
The hospitalized man growled into the mask making a noise that sounded inhuman, god, he was furious.
"Nothing you can do will bring them back, they're gone and you need to realize that." Akihiko stopped.
"Only when you let go, you find peace."
"You'll never find peace by taking it out on others, just remember that Takahiro."
Takahiro heard the door shut quietly leaving him alone there in the bed. His lips began to wobble, then opened a jar and a small sob blew out. He didn't know what to think or where to begin, Takahiro wasn't sorry for what he had done to his brother. He realized now what Akihiko had said at the end was right, he desperately had to let go. Ten solid years had gone now, it still felt like only yesterday getting that phone call off the police around the late hours of the evening on the Sunday. Little Misaki, his baby brother pulling on his t-shirt wondering what had gone on and cried when he started crying down the line.
Little by little he closed his eyes, his pained body paralyzed still from his conversation with Akihiko yet another person he now lost. He had nobody, not even his fiancé, even that relationship was based on lies. She was nothing to him. He tried to sleep, it was difficult with all the memories and droning voices down the hallway keeping him awake. However when he did fall asleep; he slept, but not once though did he dream.
Akihiko wanted to slide down the hall wall and cry to in his knees. That's what he felt like doing, but instead he stood there as impassive as always, arms folded staring into space.
Takahiro deserved what he said, he deserved those burns on his body and deserved anything and everything that was to soon come his way. Akihiko just hoped it damn well hurried as well.
He hated how he still loved the man, they'd known each other for years and now this. Akihiko couldn't put up with anymore, he was exhausted, hungry and dying for a cigarette. Just as he was leaving he noticed that the end room was clear of the nurses. He went over to peer into the window, seeing it in darkness but the glow from the machinery hooked around the teenager was more than enough to see him.
It was late now, he knew that he could always ask the nurses if he was able to stay at the teen's side but Akihiko really needed to get back home. As soon as he was refreshed he would be coming back and the kid too once he was better.
"I can't leave him alone, not with him."
As a man who disliked others invading his own privacy and owned a spacious pent house all to himself; he could use the company now thinking about it. Plus he was practically homeless.
He took another sad look at him then turned on his heels. Come tomorrow everything was about to change, for both of them.