Sketching Tomorrow: A Clannad Fanfiction.
Chapter 34: Memories since past.
The two friends stood hand in hand as they viewed the real Fuko Ibuki. The girl that they had only know from interacting with a ghost or spirit and now they felt they had come full circle in visiting the real her.
She was wired up to a life support system lying down on a bed sound asleep almost as if she wasn't even alive.
"So-" James remarked out loud "This is the real Fuko!"
"This-this is bizarre!" Kotomi remarked trying to hold back tears as they walked towards the sleeping girl.
"I know Kotomi" James grasped Fuko's hands tightly as the machine began to ring out loudly as if sensing their presence
"Fuko we may never know what exactly is the cause of all of this but I promise you right here right now that myself Kotomi and the others will make sure that everyone receives a starfish carving to attend your sister's wedding!"
"Oh James!" Kotomi broke down crying as she buried her head in his shoulder.
As the two walked out James took one last look at Fuko.
"I pray that you will recover soon Fuko"
...
The two walked out of the hospital hand in hand remaining silent until they reached the bus stop.
As James turned around to talk to Kotomi he noticed the moonlight shining upon her as if she were a beautiful angel sent down from the heavens.
"Kotomi I-" James cleared his throat as his heart pounded finding it hard to breath "I've given it a lot of thought about what you said and-"
"Yes?" Kotomi's eye's widened as she looked at him.
"And my answer is yes!" he exclaimed blushing "I feel like since the day we met I've had a crush on you and I think you're amazing!"
Kotomi have a squeal of delight as she hugged him tightly.
"Your smart intelligent and beautiful and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world!" James was now burning up as he let all his emotions and feels from the past few weeks finally pour out in bucket loads "And I would be proud to be your boyfriend!"
And under the moonlight as the stars shined upon them they kissed each other signifying that the two friends were now a couple.
...
James!" Kotomi exclaimed shaking him.
James woke up feeling tired and groggy wiping the drool from his mouth and rubbed his eye's.
"K-kotomi?" James murmured in a half asleep tone of voice "What are you doing here?"
"I can ask you the same question!" she exclaimed "We're both on a bus heading back to our town!"
James bolted upright from his slouched position and franticly looked at his surroundings.
"W-what the hell are we doing on a bus?"
"I don't know!" Kotomi exclaimed "The last thing I remember is the two of us Nagisa and Okazaki going to see Miss Ibuki!"
"Yes!-" he mumbled "That's all I remember too!"
The two pondered for a long while as they tried to figure out why they were on a bus and after a while they even forgot why that had gone to see Miss Ibuki in the first place.
"Something about her getting married or something-" James thought "But what does that have to do with us being here on this bus?"
...
The bus stopped and James and Kotomi left.
"James what time is it?" she asked looking at the night sky.
"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed as he searched his pockets bringing out his phone.
"Crap!" he shouted as his voice echoed throughout the streets "It's almost twelve at night!"
"James this whole situation makes no sence!"
"I KNOW!" He shouted frightening her. He proceeded to take a deep breath to calm himself down "I'm sorry Kotomi!" he exclaimed grasping her hand "Look we'll try and figure this whole thing out tomorrow. For now I suggest we go home!"
He proceeded to take a few steps forward. "I'll walk you home" He gestured for him to follow her. "It's dangerous for a girl like you to be out here at this time of night on her own. I would hate myself if something bad were to happen to you"
Kotomi nodded in agreement "If you want to you can stay over at my place for the night" she said as her face blushed "Your flat is quite far away from my home and like you said I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you James because-" she paused for a moment glancing away from him. "Because I care about you and don't want you to get hurt."
"T-thank you Kotomi!" he gasped in awe thinking the situation through.
It'd be awkward explaining his absence when he returned home now let alone early in the morning and if his mum were to find out he'd stayed over a girl's house she might begin to (understandably) expect the worst case scenario.
A grin turned upon James's face as dirty thoughts entered his mind.
"N-no!" Kotomi would exclaim "James we-we cant do this! T-this is my first time..."
He suddenly slapped himself hard across the face disgusted over what his perverted thoughts had brought him.
"Gee-" he grumbled under his breath "I get the feeling that if I were to be in a relationship with this girl I'd have to be careful not to go too far with anything sexual."
"Look sorry Kotomi but I think it's best if I came back to the flat after escorting you home." he laughed nervously "I think both of our parents would have something to say about me staying round yours for the night"
"Yeah" Kotomi murmured knowing that she still held her big secret away from James.
"I really wish my parents could meet you James" she thought.
...
They reached Kotomi's home and the two prepared to part ways at the door.
"Well-" James coughed nervously "I'll see you tomorrow then!" he began to laugh nervously as he looked at the door "Maybe I should try and explain this situation to your folks-"
"No!" Kotomi exclaimed causing James to jump back.
"I-I mean-" Her eyes glanced away from his direction "They're still away. They go on a lot of business trips. I don't see them too often"
"Oh" James gasped "I'm really sorry to hear that" he sighed.
"It's fine don't worry" she murmured as she opened the door stepped inside and turned her head to face him one last time with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow at the usual place!" and with that she shut the door.
"Phew!" James sighed "At least I know she's safe!" he wiped his forehead with his sleeve as he checked the time with his other hand holding up his phone.
12:30AM
"Mum's gonna be pissed!"
...
James stopped for a moment to catch his breath as he coughed violently thumping at his chest as it burned painfully.
"T-t-t-this-" he gasped before proceeding to cough violently "This is why I hate running!"
He then rubbed his legs which ached terribly and proceeded to inhale and exhale deep breaths as he tried to ignore the pain.
Glancing to his left he saw that he'd stopped by a park bench and gave a sigh of relief "I'll just sit down for a few minutes!"
He gave another sigh as he fell back expecting to hit the hard wooden texture of the bench but instead he sat on something hard and heavy.
"AAARRG!" Both James and another voice cried out loud their voices echoing for miles ahead with birds flying away in fright from the sudden noise.
James attempted to run as fast as he could but slipped and fell head first onto the ground hurriedly trying to pull himself back up.
"I-I-I'm sorry!" he exclaimed in a shaken voice "P-please don't kill me!"
A black sheet fell from the bench near to James's feet and a loud yawn rang out "Is that you James?"
"Hmm?" James recognized the voice from somewhere and hurriedly brushed himself off to greet whoever was addressing him.
He turned his head to look and immediately saw sitting across the bench was Kappei.
"Oh it's you again Kappei!" he remaked feeling very surprised "Why are you sleeping in the park?"
Kappei gave a tired yawn as he straightened himself and rubbed his eye's.
"I kinda live here"
James raised an eyebrow "Live here?" he gasped as he realised what he meant "Your homeless then?"
Kappei nodded "Yep!" he replied with an embarrassed smile "I'm camping out here until I can find myself a job"
"And you've still had no luck?" he replied feeling incredibly sorry for him "Gee it must get cold sleeping out here"
"Sometimes-" he shivered.
"Ok that's it!" James exclaimed forcing Kappai to stand up as he gave a worried shriek.
"W-what?!" Kappei exclaimed "Did I do something?"
"Look I know you don't really know me too well but I don't like the idea of someone I know suffering like this!" James exclaimed as he straightened his flat-cap "I'm offering you to stay over at my place until you can get yourself a job!"
Kappei smiled as he gave a loud chuckle "Thank you James! If only more people were as kind as you!"
"Heheh!" James blushed with embarrassment "I know the feeling! I just hope mum is ok with this."
...
The two reached the flat and as quietly as they could opened the door.
"Ok!" he whispered "I'll show you how the shower works and then I'll prepare you some fresh clothes for tonight and tomorrow. You ok with sleeping in my room? I'll be on the couch outside"
"Are you sure?" Kappei asked worried "Wouldn't it be better for me to take the couch?"
"No cause if my mum wakes up and see's you there first thing in the morning she might flip out and mistake you for a burglar you imbecile!"
Suddenly the door to James's mums room opened with a loud bang and Victoria stepped out. She didn't look pleased.
"WHERE-HAVE-YOU-BEEN?!" She shouted loudly frightening the two boys.
"W-well-"
James tried as best he could to explain what had occurred between himself and Kotomi as ludicrous as it sounded and then proceeded to explain Kappei's situation.
Victoria gave a loud sigh as she twirled her hair "I see-" she murmured "Look I'm fine with your friend staying here for a while but James I do not believe for one second that you don't remember what happened between yourself and that Kotomi girl.
Victoria then gave a loud gasp as she grasped James's shoulders "You weren't doing drugs were you?!"
"N-no!" he exclaimed "Mum it's the honest truth I really cant remember why we were on that bus!"
Victoria gave another loud sigh proceeding to hug her son tightly "What am I gonna do with you James?"
Afterwards both James and Victoria helped Kappei settle in with Victoria assuring him that she and James would assist him in finding a job as best they could.
As James walked into his bedroom to find his spare pair of pyjamas he couldn't help but keep on pondering that he had forgotten something very important.
To be continued.