Change of Heart
Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own the FY characters.
Prologue: Mourning
I ran towards him, waving my arms in the air. Didn't he see me? I called his name.
"Ryuuen!" He didn't seem to hear me, so I tried again. "Ryuuen, wait a minute!" He stopped and turned around, smiling at me. "Ryuuen, wait for me!" I giggled. He did wait, and I had almost caught up with him. Suddenly a look of horror crossed his face as a shadow fell over me.
"Kourin, watch out!" Ryuuen cried, diving in front of me. He pushed me away from him with that Suzaku-given strength and I fell backwards, hitting my head on the hard-packed dirt road. My vision was veiled by white for a moment as I lay on the ground.
People had stopped to watch the commotion, but I took no notice of them. The only thing I could see was him…lying there, so still on the ground. A small stream of blood went from his temple to his cheek, covering the small mole below his eye.
I carefully sat up and looked at him. His clothes had town in the commotion, and the willow symbol glowed faintly on his chest. I knew he was hurt…badly.
"Brother…" I whispered, crawling towards him, putting a hand on his cheek. "Ryuuen." He slowly, painfully opened his eyes –eyes almost identical to mine- and smiled at me.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. I felt tears in my eyes and bit my lip, nodding.
"I'm fine…what about you?"
"Don't worry about me," he assured me. "I'll be okay."
"Good." I smiled. "Because you have to live to protect Suzaku no Miko when she comes to this world." I carefully put a finger in the fading crimson willow symbol to remind him of his duty. "Promise me that you'll live…promise that you'll protect her."
"Kourin…I promise," he told me. His voice was growing weaker…some part of me must have noticed it, but I didn't want to believe it. I pushed the idea out of my mind.
I looked around…no one was doing anything. No one went to get a doctor, or asked if we were okay. No one apologized for hitting him…no one seemed to care. All they could do was watch. I put them out of my mind and looked at my brother. His eyes were closed now…he must have needed a bit of rest.
Ryuuen was very, very still. I called his name once…twice…and he didn't answer. He didn't move.
Some time later, our parents came along and found us. Rokou came too, and watched as our father picked up Ryuuen. He and I followed.
I think I chose not to notice the tears in my father's eyes as he carried my brother home.
~*~
It couldn't be true. The doctor had made some kind of mistake. He had been there only moments earlier…living and breathing, smiling. He had smiled…
How could he be gone?
"Ryuuen," Rokou whispered.
"Why are you crying, Rokou?" I asked, my voice trembling. "What's wrong?"
"He…"
"He what? " I saw the look in his eyes and shook my head, eyes wide. "N-no, that's impossible," I explained. "It's not possible, Rokou! He was just here…he was…he promised! He told me that he wouldn't go…he promised that he wouldn't die! He can't die…he has to protect Suzaku no Miko!" Rokou only lowered his head, letting tears flow freely down his cheeks.
Our father left his room and looked at me with tears in his eyes. I couldn't bear to see him cry…he was always the strongest of us. Even stronger than Ryuuen. That's when I knew…but I didn't want to believe it.
I turned around and ran into my room, slamming the door with strength that I didn't even know I possessed. And I didn't leave for three days.
~*~
The idea had been growing in my mind for several nights…and suddenly, I sat up in bed. I tugged at my nightgown and saw it: a reddish glow on my chest, the willow symbol…
It was Ryuuen.
The rest of my family was asleep. I quietly walked into the room that my two brothers shared and looked at Ryuuen's empty bed…suddenly, I knew what I had to do.
I changed out of my clothes…out of Kourin's clothes. I put on Ryuuen's nightclothes and got into his –my- bed, and went to sleep.
Rokou was tapping my shoulder.
"Kourin?" he asked, his voice hushed. I opened my eyes and bright sunlight made me shut them tight again.
"What's wrong, Rokou?" I asked, sitting up a few moments later. He just stared at me like something wasn't right.
"What…what are you doing, Kourin?" I faltered.
"Rokou…what did you say?"
"I asked what you were doing," he told me. "Kourin…"
"Why did you call me that?"
"That's your name, Kourin! What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me, Rokou! I think you're mistaken…I'm Ryuuen! I know we look alike, but-"
"Ryuuen died, three days ago. Don't you remember?" I jumped out of bed and shook my head furiously.
"No, I didn't die!" I shouted at him. "Kourin did! I tried to save her…tried to push her out of the way of that horse…but I was too late. Kourin died, Rokou! Not me…Kourin!" And I stormed out of the room.
Rokou was in denial. That had to be the problem. Why else would he think that Kourin was still alive? He was just confused! Ryuuen had to live so he could protect the Miko once she appeared in this world…
And the symbol of the willow belonged to Ryuuen, not to Kourin.
To be continued (?)
Okay, review time! Please leave me a review and tell me if you'd like for me to continue this. Or even if you don't. ^_^