Chapter 31 -Waiting for you-
It was a promise, Kanda remembered. A very important promise.
It was almost as if everything was flipped all of the sudden; the feeling of confusion and realization came up all at once.
He remembered, thirty five years ago, he remembered it all. The very important promise that he must complete... To protect that boy.
To protect "Allen".
He finally remembered everything.
"You... What is your name."
Lenalee frowned, her hands placed together. So many things have happened already, when will this nightmare end? She finally got over his death, now it is Allen... She could only hope for the best.
"Lenalee," Marie called.
"Yes?"
"Apparently your brother have called for an emergency mission..."
"...?"
-.-.-
"Junior... Is not dead?" Dumbfounded, she stared at her brother as if he was crazy, "He's... Alive?" Komui nodded, a glint of hope in his eyes.
"Apparently... There are traces of him in the town nearby the fight with the Level 4, according to his finder squad."
"R-really?!"
Komui smiled, "And for that reason, I want you four," he gestured towards the four exorcists, Krory, Chaoji, Marie, and Lenalee, "to go find him. I'm still worried though, due to the fact -even if he is alive, why isn't he back?- I think it have something to do with the Innocence. Here," he took out a few files, and handed it to them, "in the town nearby, there are these sightings of a young boy around the age of twelve... With white hair, pale skin, and emerald eyes... I have my suspicions, so I will have you four to go check it out."
"Y-yes!"
"And... Um..."
"Nii-san?"
"Take care, alright?"
She smiled, "I'm off."
-.-.-
It was so many years ago, maybe ten... Since I met him.
That time, I always thought he was only six years older than me... Like a big brother, but I was mistaken. Years passed since I "joined" the Black Order, slowly, I realized that he was an exception. He never grew any older, and I... I grew older, leaving him behind.
I still remembered his words that time, when I was so little. He never looked at me differently, even if I grew older and older... He simply just acted the same as usual.
I learned that he was very old, older than my brother, though younger than General Yeegar. Around... Forty? I think. Talking to him made me feel ease...
"There was a person who I liked," he once said, when I was twelve, "looking at you reminded me of her... I guess that's why?" He laughed, a bit of sadness lurking in his silver eyes. I learned that her name was Road, many years ago. Just like that Noah's name... Road.
To me, he was just like Komui, a big brother type of figure. Within my few years without my brother, he was there, along with Matron... Kanda... But slowly, I lost myself due to pain and homesickness.
I wanted my brother.
Just like how he wanted his family.
After Komui-nii came to the order, becoming supervisor, he stated that this place became much brighter. In the past, even parties never happened.
We were just like a happy family...
For his birthday, once, to thank him for taking care of us, Komui-nii decided to make a piano. It wasn't the traditional one, an electric one, using the machine pieces he used trying to create... Something.
I asked, why a piano?
He answered, because he came from a family of musicians.
Finally, it was that day, December Fourth, we made a surprise party, he was around... Forty four years old, I think.
He was really happy.
Very happy.
"This... My first present since then..." We could all tell that he was very, very happy. Smiling, we all sang the birthday song for him.
He was happy.
"Go on, play it!" Komui-nii said. He was a bit hesitant, because he haven't touched a piano since so many years. He only have a right hand, I remembered.
Ting... His finger pressed the white key...
As if something bloomed inside of him, he smiled, his eyes...
Contains sadness.
"Hmm... What song should I play? I mean... I only know two..." He laughed, wiping away imaginary tears.
"Just play one of them!"
"Hmm... Then, Lenalee!"
"Yes...?"
"Please be my left arm!" He grinned.
It was my first time playing the piano, too.
We played a song... He instructed me what to play.
"..." He hummed along, as if remembering the lyrics. But he never sung it out. "It's a song that I remembered by heart..."
It was really fun, playing it together. It was smiles and laughter in the air. This dark place was illuminated, so happily...
But after a few weeks, the piano got destroyed, because every night he would play a very creepy song -that he defines as his favorite, because I heard the person he likes hums that tone all the time-; Kanda destroyed it.
And yes, he was pretty sad about it. But Kanda didn't care.
Come to think about it...
Why haven't I realized it?
That time, playing the piano the first time...
It was that song.
The fourteenth's song.
-.-.-
"Let's go, Lenalee," Marie said, Lenalee nodding.
"Um... I heard this 'Junior' was an exorcist here?" Chaoji asked. Lenalee smiled, nodding.
"You two are newer here, so I suppose you don't know," She said to Krory and Chaoji, "you see... Junior... He left for a mission before... Well, right before... Allen-kun joined the order."
Same silver eyes.
Lenalee blinked.
Eh?
"Lark is... A very particular boy," The woman smiled, stroking Larsee's hair, "I wish we can find his family sooner..."
Allen looked down, "... I see..."
creak...
"I'm... Home!" Lark's voice called. The woman quickly stood up, and walked towards the door, "Oh Lark! Welcom- oh... Who is this?"
"Hm...?" Allen followed the woman, stepping closer to the door and that was when...
"Ah. Moyashi the third." Kanda said blankly, pointing at the white haired escapee.
"..."
"..."
"BAKANDA?!" 'Why the long name?!'
Thank you for kind remarks!
Working on the doujinshi for D. False Memories :3 Though currently still working on character designing, etc~ Thank you for the support!
D. Gray-man belongs to Katsura Hoshino 星野 桂