Ch. 25: Dark Chocolate
"…and that just about does it for the day." Yukino said, closing her computer and putting it away in her bag.
Huh? Already? I thought to myself groggily as I yawned and stretched my arms above my head.
Squinting, I looked at the clock and noticed that the hour hand was pointing directly at the five. That could only mean one thing: club was finished for the day. As I got out of my seat, the last remnants of afternoon sunlight blinded me, the intense orange rays searing through my retinas like lasers. Clumsily, I reached towards my bag and pulled out a can of Maxx Coffee and a plastic baggie that held a capsule of my migraine medication. As I pulled the tab off the can, I saw Yuigahama clearing the table of leftover heart cards.
"Today was really slow." Yuigahama pointed out with a relaxed yawn. "There were no requests and not even a single person stopped by…"
Yukino moved over to the window and started closing the blinds, noticing that I had just woken up.
"I know. I'm actually quite surprised, given today was Valentine's Day." She said, patting me on the head and chuckling to herself. "Isn't that right, Sleepy-gaya-kun?"
I managed a low grunt while taking the pill out of the bag and placing it in my mouth, washing it down with some of Japan's finest iced coffee.
The past few days, I'd noticed an increase in the frequency and intensity of my migraines and I could feel my energy levels beginning to taper off. Even though I was still active and fit, daytime naps became more commonplace and caffeine was starting to lose its edge. All in all, I could tell that I was beginning to fall apart physically, even if the signs were mild and subtle. My days of living a normal, comfortable life were more than likely to come to a swift end within the next couple weeks. Regardless, I promised to fight until the end and I had no intentions of backing down on that promise. Although I was a bit unnerved by my current predicament, I had one last thing that I was looking forward to, and that was my commencement speech.
To my right, I saw Yuigahama holding two heart-shaped cutouts, a rather confused expression on her face.
"Do you want me to save the little cards or just throw them out?" Yuigahama asked curiously, looking at the neat stack she made on the table.
Yukino looked over from the other side of the room, eyeing the cards for a split second before going back to what she was doing.
"It's your call." She replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders as she carefully pulled the cord on the side of the window.
Yuighama nodded in response, opting to keep the cards and moving them to an empty spot on a nearby shelf.
"Alright, that just about does it." She said, dusting her hands off and grabbing her bag off of the floor. "Do you need help cleaning the rest of the room, Yukinon?"
Yukino looked at Yuigahama and shook her head.
"We already cleaned up for the most part. All I have to do now is put away the tea set." Yukino said, walking back towards the table.
"Alright, well I'll be on my way then. See you tomorrow, Yukinon, Hikki!" Yuigahama exclaimed before waving and slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Yukino and I waved in return, watching as Yuigahama left, gently closing the clubroom door behind her. Yukino stood by the sink, rinsing her china set and drying it with a cloth. As she began stacking saucers on the counter, she turned to me.
"Everything going well, Hachi-kun?" She prosed casually. "You practically slept through all of club period today."
That I did. Maybe it was because I didn't have any coffee after I got to school… I thought to myself dryly in an attempt to make light of my impromptu siesta.
"Yeah, I was a little tired. Sorry about that." I said, rubbing my eyes fuzzily.
"Don't worry. It wasn't an issue at all since nobody came in today." Yukino replied, carefully placing each of her tea cups into their appropriate boxholders. "Yuigahama-san and I sat around talking about Valentine's Day chocolate for the most part."
After Yukino closed the wooden box and placed it back on the shelf, she walked over and picked up her bookbag, placing it on the table. For a moment, she rummaged through her belongings, mumbling to herself as she did.
"Speaking of… Ahh, here we go!" She shouted excitedly, pulling out a small plastic bag that was tied closed with a pink ribbon.
Tired, disoriented and trying to figure out what was in the bag, I peered curiously.
Is that…
"I was planning on giving this to you during club, but you were napping the whole time." Yukino said, a warm smile forming on her face. "I hope you enjoy it."
Opening the bag, I realized that Yukino had indeed given me chocolate. It was Valentine's Day, after all.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." I responded, taking the piece out of the wrapper.
The chocolate piece was shaped perfectly like a heart, with a curled tip at the bottom and a bow-shaped candy piece sitting on the front. White chocolate outlined the contours of the whole piece, creating a glowing frame for the whole piece. Beneath the bow were the words "I love you, Hachiman" etched neatly in kanji. Impressed and flattered, I held it up to the light.
"Wow, did you make this whole thing by yourself?" I asked, taken aback by the effort that must've gone into making it.
"Yes, I did." Yukino replied enthusiastically. "Well, except for the little bow on top. I got that from a candy store. All in all, it took me about two hours to put together."
For a moment, I stared at the little heart as it sat on top of its wrapper, the pink ribbon laying off to the side. I was fascinated with how neatly it was arranged and how cleanly the words were inscribed into the chocolate. Yukino giggled as she motioned to her mouth.
"So, are you going to try it, Hachi-kun?" She asked, stifling another laugh.
"I don't know." I said, a small chuckle finding its way out of my throat. "It'd almost be a shame to eat it, really."
I took a small piece off the bottom and nibbled away, wrapping the rest up in the plastic bag and tying the ribbon around the top.
Bitter… But rich. I thought to myself, raising my brow and pursing my lips as I savored the taste of Yukino's homemade chocolate on my tongue.
"It's dark chocolate, 100% cacao to be exact." Yukino said, noting the puzzled expression on my face.
"Interesting… The taste of chocolate is so strong that it almost doesn't seem like chocolate." I replied, surprised that a thing like 100% cacao dark chocolate even existed. Yukino chuckled in response.
With that, I put the rest of the chocolate away and slung my bag over shoulder, ready to leave club for the day as Yukino dusted her hands and opened the door to the clubroom. As we exited the clubroom, Yukino pulled out her key, the lanyard still tangled in her pocket.
"Hey, Hachi-kun…" She mumbled, turning the key to lock the clubroom door. "You said you didn't have anything planned today after club, right?"
Correct, I arranged to free my schedule for the evening. Although… Yukino never told me what she was planning on doing for Valentine's Day. Maybe that should've been on me since I was supposed to be assertive as her boyfriend.
Nah… That ain't what I do and she knows it. I thought to myself humorously.
"Nope." I responded simply.
"Good, good. Our chauffeur is going to be here in just a few minutes. My father told me he had a surprise for us on Valentine's Day." Yukino said, a glint in her eye.
"A surprise?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the sunlight as we passed by windows in the hallway. Yukino nodded enthusiastically.
This should be interesting to say the least…
A gust of wind hit my face as Yukino and I stepped out of the limousine. Looking around, I noticed a series of parked luxury cars and red satin ropes that lined the sidewalk. Following the rope with my eyes, I eventually came across the tall building that stood in front of us. It appeared to be a highrise of some sorts, and a nice one at that. Captivated by the environment, I stood in awe for a second, taking in the place. A tall man wearing a dress shirt and a red bowtie came out and greeted Yukino and I, bowing slightly as he approached us.
"Ahh, Yukinoshita-san… It's a pleasure to see you." He started, pulling out a notepad and pen. "Is this the plus-one your father mentioned?"
"Yes, we're here to claim our evening reservation spots." Yukino replied simply. The butler-looking man turned to me and held out his hand.
"And you are… Hikigaya-san?" He said, scratching his head with slight embarrassment. Yukino chuckled a little and looked to me.
"Yes, that's me." I replied amiably with a quick nod. The man sighed breath of relief and scribbled something in his notepad.
"Phew, thank the heavens. Forgive me, Hikigaya-san, I'm terrible with names." He said, placing the notebook on an outward pocket that was clipped to his shirt. "Anyhow, come with me. I'll show you to your seats."
Yukino and I followed him inside and walked into the building lobby. The place felt very warm and alluring, with fancy silk drapes hanging by the sides of the windows and a mini koi pond in front of the receptionist's desk. As we made our way through the room, I noted the intricate wave-like designs in the wallpaper. The place was incredibly nice and well-put-together to the point of suiting a king. Taking note of the little pocketbook that the presumed butler had, I looked up and thought to myself.
I wonder… Was that a guest list? It seems to me that we were invited to a Valentine's Day banquet of some sort, but we're not exactly dressed for the occasion.
I looked down at my shoes and back up at Yukino's blazer. We definitely weren't dressed for any sort of special banquet or ball and there was no way that we'd be at such a nice place in our school uniforms if there was one, so that possibility was out of the question. As we approached an elevator, I turned to Yukino.
"Hey, Yukino. We aren't here for any sort of event are we?" I asked enquiringly. Yukino shook her head.
"Oh, dear no." She said, a hint of revulsion in her voice. "We wouldn't be allowed to act and dress so casually if that were the case. This will be more… relaxed. As my father intended it to be."
As we stepped in the elevator, the butler reached over to the floor buttons and pressed a button that read-
"Penthouse?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. The butler turned to me and nodded.
"Yes. The penthouse of this establishment usually serves as a lounge for business executives, but Yukinoshita-san reserved it solely in his name for four hours tonight. The suite diner, which normally only serves VIP members, will be serving you, free of charge of course." He said as we began our ascent. "All the usual amenities will be available, although you'll have to pay out of pocket for anything extra."
After a few moments, the elevator reached its stopping point and the doors opened. I did a double take as I walked into the room. All around us, the room was surrounded by windows, which panoramically flaunted the evening sunset and Chiba's stunning skyline. The furniture in the room was modern and sleek, with prism-shaped couches surrounding the shiny glass tables. To our left was a mini-bar and to our right was a set of doors that led outside to a balcony. At the edge of the balcony I could see a row of bonzai trees that lined a narrow path towards what appeared to be a helipad. The lighting was comfortably low, which made things easy on my migraines and I could hear jazz music playing softly in the background.
The butler led us to one of the tables where we took our seat. At the table were two menus that were so thick that they practically looked like catalogs. Pulling out his notepad again, he turned to me.
"What would you like to drink?" He asked, his pen at the ready.
Looking at the back of the menu, I read down the list of beverages until I found something that seemed enticing.
"I'll have the minted iced tea." I said simply. The butler scribbled on his notepad and turned to Yukino.
"And you?" He asked.
"I'll have a light marmalade." She replied, fingering through the other pages of the menu. With that, the butler closed the notebook again and walked into a hallway behind the minibar.
Looking out the window and noting the majestic sunset again, I turned to Yukino.
"This place is something else." I remarked, admiring the skyline. "How'd your father know about it?"
Yukino put her menu down for a second, taking a moment to gaze out at the view like I was.
"He and his business partners like to conduct meetings up here." She stated wistfully. "It's private and secluded as well as close to everything else in town, so it serves as sort of an ideal place to have formal gatherings. I've only been up here once before and that was years ago, so I'm as taken aback as you are that we're here."
Yukino sighed to herself. On one hand, she seemed to enjoy the relaxation of being able to conduct herself informally, but on the other hand, she had a pensive air around her. Certainly she was happy to be here, but she was lacking her newfound flair. Who knows? She was probably as exhausted as I was from school and needed a break.
"It's quite the sight, isn't it?" She jested, staring out the window.
"Yeah, it sure is…" I said, nodding in agreement. "It's sure as hell a prime location for a dinner for two as well. Nice view, nice food, nice music, nice environment, and it's just the two of us…"
Yukino giggled a little, lightly hitting me on shoulder.
"You're funny when you try being smooth, Hachi-kun." She exclaimed, picking her menu back up and trifling through the pages.
"Oh, c'mon. I was just stating the facts. I wasn't even trying to be 'smooth' or what have you." I protested playfully, making little quotation marks with my fingers.
Following Yukino's lead, I opened up my menu and looked through the colossal list of items. I was astounded by the sheer variety of entrées that this place had to offer. They had everything from poultry dishes to pastas to curries to calamari to-
Pufferfish? I thought to myself, raising a brow at a couple odd menu items that caught my eye.
"Sorry, Hachi-kun, they don't serve ramen here." Yukino said, friskily poking my shoulder.
Still taken aback by some of the menu items that I saw listed, I took my menu and showed it to Yukino, pointing at the entrée that I just examined.
"You see this?" I started. "They serve pufferfish here…"
Yukino simply nodded in acknowledgement.
"That they do." She said affirmatively. "This is one of the few restaurants in Chiba you can find freshly served pufferfish. My father tried it before, but I don't remember what he had to say about it…"
Overwhelmed with my options, I decided to stick with something that I could identify and run with and turned to Yukino.
"So, what are you going to get?" I asked, leaning to the side and placing my arm over the side of the cushioned seat.
Yukino pondered for a second, putting her index finger to her chin.
"Hmm… I think I'll have their shrimp fettucine alfredo dish. Simple, but particularly enticing at the moment…" Yukino declared, setting her menu facedown. "What did you decide on?"
"I'm having their filet mignon with garlic potatoes." I replied.
"Ahh, steak and potatoes… My mother always orders that when we go out, with garlic potatoes too." Yukino said, letting out a sardonic laugh at the specificity of my potato preference.
Just then, the butler came back with a shiny silver tray. Setting it down on the table next to ours, he placed our drinks in front of us and put a small platter of crawfish and sriracha sauce in the middle of the table. Pulling out his notebook again, he took our orders before giving us straws and heading back into the hallway, the silver tray tucked underneath his arm.
For a minute or so, Yukino and I sat in silence, staring out the window and admiring the scenery as the last bit of the sun dipped beneath the horizon. The sunset, the location, the smooth, jazzy music, the atmosphere… I couldn't be any gladder that Hiro Yukinoshita had chosen this place for us on this evening. It was a blessing, especially during such an upending time for both Yukino and I. Even if rough times and certain mortality loomed ahead, it almost seemed as if all was right. Just for this moment… All seemed right and all felt right.
Slowly, I could feel my gaze shifting towards Yukino, who was still looking out into the night sky, a peaceful, meditative look on her face. She seemed to be thinking about something, although I had no idea what that something was. The nervousness that she showed the other night at my house was nowhere to be found, however, and it appeared that she had found her own personal zen. As I watched the faint light reflect gently off her eyes, a single thought flittingly slipped into my head.
She looks beautiful.
Softly, I leaned in towards Yukino until I was a hair's width away and tenderly kissed her on the cheek. Blushing, Yukino turned to me, moving her hair to the side. Smiling, she put a finger to my lip and shook her head.
"You're a sneaky one, Hachi-kun…" She whispered serenely. "Let me show you how it's done."
Gradually scooting closer and closer to me, she wrapped her arm around me and caressed the back of my neck. Closing her eyes, she inched her way towards me until our lips met, slowly making contact. I followed suit, placing my arm around the small of her back. Our lips remained locked as we embraced each other. I lost myself in the softness of her supple form until we pulled our heads back and stared each other in the eyes, both of us star-struck. Sharing this little moment with Yukino, I couldn't tell if a Planck or an eon had gone by, although in actuality about twenty seconds had passed.
I never want this to end… I thought to myself, still caught in Yukino's soft gaze.
Relishing the splendor of the moment, I let Yukino rest her head on my shoulder. Although this sort of moment was only typical for people our age, we were both atypical, which made it all the more satisfying. In many ways, we understood each other better than most people could. Without even having to utter a word, we'd come to revel in intimacy.
As we sat enjoying the music and the view of the skyline, I looked at Yukino's eyes once more, noticing that her gaze rested somewhere out in the city. I wanted to know what was on her mind, even if it was boring and mundane. If she was having unpleasant thoughts, I hoped that she'd at least take solace in the fact that I was right next to her to make her feel better. I could talk with her for hours like this, even if we were discussing something as plain as the weather forecast. In any case, I didn't want to ruin the little moment that we were sharing, so I stayed silent and enjoyed myself, sipping on my tea and staring out into the sky without a care in the world.
After a few minutes had passed, the squeaky sound of a meal cart could be heard coming from the back hallway as the butler came out with two covered platters. As he approached our table, he pushed the wheel stops down with his foot and uncovered the plates, which were visibly hot still.
Quick service. I thought simply as he placed our food in front of us.
He produced a large candle and a lighter from his apron. After placing the candle in the middle of the table, he lit it and stowed the lighter back in his apron next to his pen and notepad.
"Alrighty, then. Enjoy your meal! I'll be right down the hall if you need anything." He said, bowing before walking back down the hallway.
"Wow, that was lightning fast." I pointed out, unravelling my utensils from the handkerchief. Yukino nodded in agreement, tying her handkerchief in a neat knot behind the back of her neck.
"Aye, that it was." She replied.
At that, we both dug in, savoring the simplicity and deliciousness of our meals. Although I'd had steak before, I'd never had the opportunity to try filet mignon, so as a new experience, it was pretty interesting. Even though it was cooked well-done, it cut easily and had a soft texture. Flavorless on its own, it seemed to absorb the flavor of the steak sauce fairly well and had an enjoyable feeling to it as I took each bite.
As we ate, I noticed that Yukino retained the same placid expression that she had earlier. However, something in her eyes looked a bit distant, almost like a thousand yard stare. It was identical to the look she had on her face when we talked at my house a few evenings ago. Something was clearly troubling her, and I had more than an idea of what that was. Still, this evening was probably one of the most lovely times I'd ever gotten to enjoy and I didn't want to ruin it by pressing any sensitive matters.
Clearing my throat, I turned to Yukino, thinking of something I could use to get her to loosen up a little like she was earlier.
"Hey, Yukino." I started, putting my finger to my chin as I pondered whether what I was about to ask was appropriate. "What are you planning on doing after high school?"
As if startled, Yukino inhaled sharply and looked at me with a blank expression on her face. Slowly, she tilted her head to the side and straightened her handkerchief a little. Looking down, she sighed.
"I've… I've decided that I'm going to pursue medicine. Oncological medicine to be exact." She replied gradually. "I'm fairly certain that I scored nearly perfectly on the science and math portions of all of my entrance exams, so I don't think that I'll have too much trouble in that regard. Plus, it just feels right to me…"
I nodded with a gentle smile. I didn't exactly know how to react, but knowing that Yukino had her mind set on what she wanted to do was enough for me. Surely I had my own role in of this, but that's not what I was thinking about.
"Being with you made me realize that I want to help people, you know. I want to serve in a way that makes a difference… a way that makes people smile like you made me smile." Yukino continued, still looking down at the table. Her voice seemed eerily calm and unemotional despite her body language and facial cues.
Made you smile… I thought to myself, curiously noting her past-tense usage.
"I might end up going overseas for secondary schooling since I have study abroad experience in America and a lot of their medical schools have programs tailored to what I'm trying to do. It'll be an interesting set of affairs, I'm sure, but it'll be worth it in the end." Yukino went on, finally looking up.
Her demeanor was stiff, but elegant and well-maintained. I couldn't tell if she was comfortable or not, but one thing I did know was that her bashful, relaxed air was absolutely nowhere to be found. Instead, she seemed cold and empty, laying out plain facts as if she were working at an information booth.
"It's strange, but I never could've seen myself doing this a year ago. I would've been appalled at going into the sciences since it was almost shoved down my throat as a set of career options that were handpicked for me already. It almost felt like I had no agency or free-will. No say in the matter whatsoever. But now, I couldn't really imagine doing anything else. Strange how things change…" Yukino continued, not even talking to anyone in particular anymore as her last words came out as a mumble.
The next few moments were spent sitting in awkward silence as I surveyed the situation and thought about what Yukino had just told me. It was clear that she had plans of her own at this point and it was comforting to know that she probably had her entire family's support on it. I, for one, supported her as well since she came to that decision on her own and seemed determined to see it through. Yukino's die-hard spirit was something that she would always carry with her and regardless of its origin, it was a part of her that I admired. Still, I could tell that her mind was fairly burdened and that she needed a break. That much was obvious for quite some time and I definitely understood.
Even so, there seemed to be something that she was still hiding. I had no doubt that she was being completely honest and open about everything that she said. There was no reason to believe otherwise. On a different note, she lacked emotional sincerity, or rather she seemed to lack emotion entirely. There was a reason why her sudden changes in behavior stood out despite being subtle in nature. She wasn't putting on a façade or putting on any sort of deceptive act. No, that wasn't in her nature and never would be. Rather, she was regressing back to a previous state of mind. The more I watched her recently, the more I could tell that parts of her were shutting down, and that was what worried me the most.
Concerned, but cautious of the circumstances, I faced Yukino and looked her in the eyes, searching for something that told me that she was all there.
"Hey, Yukino. Are you okay?" I asked slowly, putting everything down and focusing on her entirely. Yukino frowned for a second before giving me an affirmative nod.
"Of course I am, Hachi-kun. What makes you think otherwise?" She responded inquisitively in a tone devoid of emotion, her gaze amicable yet fixed.
"Well…" I started, carefully thinking about what I was to say next. I didn't know exactly what happened or what caused this, but somewhere along the line, Yukino clearly flipped a switch in her mind.
"It's just that you've been acting kind of strange lately…" I started. "You've been spacing out a lot and you get this worrisome look on your face when you do. I just want you to be happy, that's all."
Yukino nodded and closed her eyes momentarily. When she opened her eyes again I could feel her looking through me instead of at me. It was a rather chilling expression that I wasn't even sure she was fully aware of.
"Everything is fine, I assure you. There's no need to worry about me at all." Yukino retorted forcefully.
Taken off-guard, yet aware of the situation, I reluctantly decided to lay off. Although I worried about Yukino, I knew that this wasn't an appropriate time or place to open this up for discussion.
I trust you, but please don't keep what's bothering you from me forever… I thought, deciding to remain silent.
"…nevermind. I'm sure it's been a long week for both of us. My apologies if I'm being a little overbearing." I replied half-sincerely. Yukino let out a small chuckle before taking in a deep breath and leaning back against our seat.
"That it has…" She said, pretending to wipe her brow. "No need to apologize, Hachi-kun. I know you mean well. For what it's worth, I'm glad we got to end tonight like this, though."
Smiling, I nodded in agreement. That was something we both agreed on. As if the switch had flipped again, Yukino eased herself and looked out the window once more, admiring the illuminated city skyline. Once again we found ourselves engaging in light-hearted banter and overall having a blast. Although it was somewhat disturbing, I decided to roll with it since it meant that Yukino was alright for the time being. There were obviously repressed emotions and half-truths thrown into the mix and we were both ignoring the elephant in the room, but tonight was still a good night.
After dinner was finished, we were escorted back down to the lobby by the butler, who showed us out and wished us both a good evening. The car ride back to my house was fairly silent, mostly due to the fact that Yukino and I were both thoroughly exhausted from the day's activities. I didn't press her any further on my concerns, but I knew that I'd eventually have to have a sit down with her.
And by eventually, that means very soon. Ahh, today was an interesting day… I thought to myself as the chauffeur stopped the car, pulling to the curbside of my house.
As I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the car, Yukino tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hey, Hachi-kun…" She started softly. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't snapped at you like that."
"It's fine." I said, smiling in return and running my hand through her hair. "Don't worry about it."
As I moved to close the door behind me and walk towards my house, I noticed Yukino turning away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw what appeared to be a single tear running down her cheek. Pausing for a second, I wondered whether or not I should open the door and ask her if everything really was alright. The chauffeur made the decision for me, slowly pulling away from the curb as he opened his window and wished me a good night. Moments later, they were gone and I was left walking up to my front doorstep, keys jingling as I reached for them in my pocket.
After getting in, I walked straight up to my room, tiptoeing so I wouldn't wake Komachi or my parents. Although my body was in autopilot, my mind was racing. I hadn't felt such a vast mix of emotions in quite some time. From Yukino giving me her homemade pure cacao heart to the surprise dinner to the little moment that we spent before our food came, I felt a high that I hadn't known before. On the other hand, seeing Yukino shut down in such a callous manner was painful to witness. Most frustratingly, there wasn't anything I could really do for her. This was her war, not mine. My war was being fought on all fronts and I was already fighting to the last man.
Still… I pondered to myself, taking my medication out of each respective bottle one at a time, counting the pills to make sure I had the right amounts.
Now that I thought about it, the signs were there the whole time. Yukino seemed out of whack the whole day although it all fell apart shortly after we shared our little moment. I could tell that she wanted it to happen and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same. It was almost like she had it visualized in her head before it happened, not that I minded.
I wonder… Was it because she wanted something to distract her from her inner turmoil or was it because the time was right?
Both were influencing factors, although I couldn't really blame her for wanting to escape from her own mind. I had an idea of what she was going through, but only she knew her thoughts and motivations. As much as I'd always considered myself skilled at reading other people, I was human and I, too had limits. The monster of logic had its own flaws and shortcomings and the much larger behemoths of mortality and uncertainty that lay before it made it look like an ant in comparison.
After I finished brushing my teeth, I flipped the light off and walked into my room. As I closed the door behind me, I heard a faint, high-pitched tone coming from nowhere in particular. Ignoring it, I walked over to my dresser, searching for my pajamas. As I found them and tossed them onto my bed, the tone grew louder and louder. Dazed, I put a hand to my ear and covered it, noting that it did nothing to alleviate the perceived sound. I could feel blood rushing to my head even though I was standing straight up. My vision became grainy and my conscience began to feel cloudy. Careful not to panic, I took a seat on my bed, dizzy and disoriented.
This is not good… This is not good at all… I thought, mulling over my current situation.
Even if Yukino and I were fighting our own wars, we were still close allies. Even if it was largely for the sake of my own peace and closure, we had to come clean to one another. I didn't want to die knowing that she was still feeling conflicted over me and I didn't want her to have to carry such a burden knowing that we'd never have a chance to reconcile.
After a minute or so, the sound subsided and everything returned to normal. I slipped into my pajamas and got into bed, pulling my blanket over my body. A chill ran through my spine as I thought about how helpless I was against the illness that was beginning to spread fatally in my skull. Grabbing my phone from my nightstand, I thumbed through my contacts until I saw Yukino's name pop up. Taking a deep breath, I put the phone to my ear and hit dial.
A/N:
In response to ThienMaD and the others who've requested that Hachiman's illness be cured, I apologize but I can't follow through on that. The premise of the story from the very beginning had to do with the personal journey that Hachiman goes on while tragically accepting his own mortality. If I were to magically cure him of his ailment, it would go against everything that I'd written so far. I have entertained this idea as sort of an AU concept and will more than likely publish an after-story epilogue chapter as a standalone story going along those lines after I finish this story. Depending on how things go, I might turn it into a full-blown AU fic of its own, but that's pure conjecture at this point. I'm not making any promises. I do appreciate your support and feedback however and hope you understand my reasoning.
Concerning my mentions of gnt000q's stories in last chapter's author's notes, I set up an alternate account by the name of "gnt000q reuploads" where I was originally planning on uploading archives of gnt000q's fics, but gnt000q himself PM'd me personally and requested that I take them down. As such, I was honor-bound to remove them from this site. Much thanks to The Quotable Patella for having all the stories backed up and reaching out to me. Your efforts were a godsend and all of gnt000q's old fans (myself included) appreciate what you've done greatly.
For those of us who loved gnt000q's fanfictions and care about him as a person, the appropriate course of action is simple: share his stories discreetly and privately with other fans, but condemn their re-uploading on this website and call on those who do to remove them. If you're curious as to gnt000q's official statement on this matter, check his writer profile and you'll see that he was quite clear in stating his wishes.
In any case, it's nice to be back and I look forward to posting more in the near future. Bronze V Lee Sin out! Hikuu!