KuroShin AU for Furi on Tumblr.

- Mira

The silence in the room was unnerving. Darkness coated the bedroom in a thick blanket, windows shut and lights silenced. Even the computer, that which the occupant had grown attached to, was shut down. Alone on a bed sat a boy, a teen with dark hair and eyes, altogether completely average in appearance. He stared unseeingly at the floor, arms wrapped around his legs. For hours now he had remained like this, the ritual unbroken by all.

Outside the door to the room lay an empty house. His mother was out, shopping or crying, he didn't know. The boy's sister, Momo, was at school, something the boy himself had abandoned long ago. Honestly, he couldn't care less where they were. Those outsiders meant little to him in his current state.

A mere few months ago, during the pinnacle of the summer season, he had quit school. The reason was quite simple- he couldn't stand it anymore. Being around his callous classmates was insufferable, the only three friends he had were long gone. One died of a disease. Another of her illness. The third, the girl closest to him, of her own hands.

Really, it was his fault. He had seen the signs, found her crying alone in the empty classroom, but had done nothing. It was his personality, a cruel and cold one. Shintaro was the kind of callous calculating genius no one wished to associate themselves with. He had never cared before. Now he did.

If's continued to fill his mind, regrets piling up and repeating over and over. If only he had said something. If only he had been truthful. If only he were kind. If only he had tried. If only he had never met her. If only. If only. If only. If only. They were never enough, only pushing him further and further over the edge.

He was fine on his own, he should never have let her get close. If he had not let that girl peck her way into his heart, one slow day at a time, this would not have happened. She would be happy and alive. He would still be alone, but guilt-free. Things would be better if he had never encountered that girl.

"Mm, this is…"

A sudden baritone voice sliced through the silence in the room. Shintaro didn't bother to raise his head, keeping his eyes averted and to the ground. In consequence to this, he did not notice the strange new figure in his room until it was much too late.

In the corner of the room adjacent to him, a dark mass began to form. It took a mere few seconds for the creature to materialize, sickly yellow eyes gazing around the impeccable room. On the desk, the boy's computer began to go haywire, the screen turning on and off with flashing colors and images. The digital clock on the bedside continued to tick on unperturbed, though.

The creature, tall and dark in every aspect, grinned as his eyes landed on the dark-haired boy occupying the bed. With a slow and steady gait he approached the other, staring the unaware youth down. As soon as he came within arms reach of the other, the man lashed an arm out and grabbed at the boy's hair.

Shintaro gave little to no reaction as his head was forcefully pulled up. His blank black eyes met amused gold, face remaining passive as he gazed back at the intruder. This caused the man to laugh, a horrible short bark of a laugh. Sneering at the boy, he spoke, "You pathetic little thing, aren't you ashamed of yourself?" he questioned. At the lack of reaction, he only laughed more, "Ah, then again, you seem to be one of those. Hmm…my favorite kind," the man smirked.

"…" Shintaro failed to respond, keeping his silence in an almost resilient manner.

"You know, you remind me of someone I once knew…In fact, you might be…" the taller spoke, nostalgia painting his voice for a mere moment. Quickly shaking it off, he continued, "Say, how about this. You and I make a contract. I'll do anything you wish in exchange for something I want," he purred.

For the first time in months, the boy's eyes showed interest. Staring up at the other, Shintaro asked, "…Anything?"

The other nodded, grin spreading once more, "Anything, as long as I get what I want."

After a moment, the boy nodded, "Deal. …What is it you want?"

"Your soul, after you die, I want your soul for eternity," the older stated, a sick sort of glee in his eyes.

"I don't care. As long as you grant my wish, you can have it," the teen replied easily. With this wish he could bring her back, everything would be fixed again. What did it matter if he gave up his soul? She was the only thing that mattered.

"Pleasure doing business with you. Call me Kuroha, Shintaro," the man, Kuroha, said.

How the other knew his name, Shintaro didn't know. Perhaps he was a demon, if anything, that seemed to be the case. Even if he had to make a deal with the devil, the boy didn't care. It was all for her. Anything to get her. Looking the other straight in the eye, he demanded, "Bring her back."

"Oh, you mean the girl? Hm, I suppose I could. Even if she comes back, you'll still be mine in the end. Alright, Shintaro, you've got a deal," the taller male smirked, holding out his hand, pinky extended.

Shintaro stared at it for a moment before he understood what the other wanted him to do. Nodding his head, the boy reached forward and linked his pinky with the other's. A sharp burning sensation filled his hand the moment they touched, and before he knew it he was passed out, the sound of sharp laughter staining his ears. The clock stopped.

When he awoke, it was morning. A vague memory of the night before filled his mind, and he dared to hope for a moment. Had it really happened? Was she really back? Slowly getting up, the boy fished around for his cellphone. If he were able to get a reply, maybe she was back. Maybe it hadn't been a cruel dream.

Scrolling through his short list of contacts, Shintaro stopped on the name of his most important and only friend. With shaky fingers he moved, slowly reaching out and clicking the call button. The phone rang for a few turns, the teen holding his breath as he waited. When the receiver picked up, he almost cried out.

From the other end, the voice of an adult male answered. The hope within him soon deflated, and he spoke to the voice on the other end, "Is this…Ayano Tateyama…?" he asked.

"No, I'm her father," the man replied.

"Oh…" Shintaro mumbled, more to himself then to the male on the other end of the line.

"If you're wondering how she's doing, the nurses say she's fine and should be out soon. Since she woke up this morning, they're allowing regular visits if you wish to come," Kenjirou informed the boy, a small smile making its way to his face. Usually he would try and keep boys away from his little girl, but this boy was Ayano's best friend. After all that had happened, he deserved to know that his friend was okay.

"…" the teen's eyes widened at the words, the phone dropping from his grasp like lead. He stopped breathing for a moment, staring at the wall adjacent to him. Last night hadn't been a dream. He had brought her back. He had saved her.

"…Hello?" the teacher on the other side called out, wondering if the male was alright.

"Y…Yes, I'll be over right away," Shintaro replied shakily, a rush of emotions running through him. The male had never felt like this before, for the first time he felt a tingle of joy within him. Quickly exchanging farewells, he hung up the phone and slipped his clothes on.

The cool fall air greeted him as he stepped out onto the sidewalk, red jacket on for the first time in months. Almost as if he were in a daze the boy moved, making his way across town and to the city hospital in the blink of an eye. After inquiring at the desk for the girl's room, he quickly shuffled his way up the elevator and to her room- number 107. Collecting himself, Shintaro took a deep breath and opened the door slowly.

"Shintaro-kun…!"

As he walked home, Shintaro couldn't help the small smile from leaving his face. At the hospital the two had talked, he had apologized for his behavior for years and she had forgiven him. That moment when he had walked in, the smile she flashed, it was all worth it. She was alive. She was alive. Even saying it didn't help quell the elation within him.

Crossing the intersection, the teen smiled as he thought of what the two would do from now on. Even though Takane and Haruka were still gone, he still had her. From now on, he would make new memories with her. Happy ones for them two, maybe even confess his feelings to the shorter girl.

So caught up in his thoughts was he that Shintaro failed to notice the oncoming car. The sound of a blaring horn snapped him from his thoughts, a flash of red shown in the side of his vision coupled with an agonizing pain in his side before everything went black.

People screamed as blood painted the pavement, a young girl and boy stood to the side watching in confused horror. The red sky above them all blazed with heat uncharacteristic of the fall season. Chuckling to himself, a dark and invisible figure slinked from the shadows and approached the corpse of the boy. A pale hand reached out and caressed the other's soft skin, a grin painting his features as blood smeared his hands.

"Welcome home, Shintaro."