Chapter 3: Sayonara, Memories.
"Where. where am I?"
His voice. was like echo, and everything around him was blank. Nothing. Nothing at all. Sakuragi moved warily, and noticed that he was drifting slightly. Shock appeared in his eyes. "Sonna. Ore wa. tenshi?" He sweatdropped as he pictured himself with a halo and wings. Hastily, he looked behind him... Nope, no wings. He looked up. Nope, no halo either.
"Do'aho."
The familiar voice calmed him, even though he still felt a little insulted by it. Smiling slightly, he said, "Kitsune." The other boy was drifted down next to him out of nowhere. Sakuragi shuddered. "So. we." "Baka. We have already died." Pain radiated out of Rukawa's eyes and Sakuragi smiled at him gently. "Maa. Nothing else matters now." "So desu ka?" Rukawa raised an eyebrow. "So we're going to stay here. For forever?"
"Speaking of which, Kaede-kun. You know where are we?" Sakuragi asked, as his dark brown eyes looked about his body. Rukawa nodded slightly. "So?" "My grandfather had spoken of a parallel dimension. That should be where we are now. Spirits shall lost their memories forever and to the Earth again, they shall descend. That is what he always say. In case you don't understand, we will forget each other."
"Nani?" Sakuragi was bewildered. Rukawa gazed into his eyes. "Let's make a vow that regardless of time, regardless of space, may our souls be connected, for always." Sakuragi nodded. "I vow that our souls shall be connected always, no matter what. That way. Even if we could never find each other, you are still existent in my heart." A dim blue light appeared above them, and Rukawa tensed. "We are going to forget. soon."
"But our souls never will, Kaede-kun. Till our next lives. may we meet." Sakuragi took a last look at Kaede's teary-eyes and he blacked out. It was as if everything had faded away. Faded into the dimension and stayed there. Memories were starting to leave his mind. Tears appeared in his eyes and he felt himself falling. "Sayonara, Kaede-kun. Iya, Ja ne."
Memories were ripped out slowly. making Rukawa's heart more painful than ever. "I don't want. I don't want to leave Hana-kun. Matte kudasai." His body had been falling. and falling. into nothing. His 'falling' had slowed down, but the flow of his tears had not. "Sakuragi Hanamichi, aishiteru- yo." At the same time, both disappeared from the empty, blank space. into a new world, and a new life.
The young man awoke and broke out in cold sweat, feeling. somewhat depressed.
What is this?
He recovered himself and rose from his bed, heading towards the bathroom. Water gushed from the tap and he washed his face. Beads of water reflected the bathroom's light and the young man stared at the mirror, breathing heavily.
Damn.
Ever since he saw the red-headed guy, nightmares started to occur, and the worst thing is, he could not remember most of his dreams.
That idiot.
A knock. Now two. Then three. Rukawa wiped his face with the towel and hung it over his shoulder, and headed to the door. He turned the doorknob and opened the door, and found himself face-to-face with a girl his age. The girl reddened as she realized that Rukawa was not wearing a shirt.
"Sorry for disturbing you so early in the morning. I'm from the press. Namae wa Haruko."
"Go away," Rukawa said coldly as he turned to close the door. The girl stopped the door just in time and looked sternly at him. "Onegai, Rukawa- san. This is important." Rukawa looked at her curiously and sighed. "This is the army barracks. How did you get here? Come in first." Pleased that she got him talking at least, she flashed her 'professional smile'. "Never mind how I got here. I need some information from you."
"Kami-sama, don't tell me that you are a spy from China." Rukawa sat on his bed and put on a white tee-shirt. His bed was unmade, and his hair was unruly. Haruko noticed fatigue in his eyes, and wanted to let him rest badly, but if she did not get her job done. Shuddering at the thought, she continued to speak. "Iya. Don't be stupid. Watashi wa nihonjin desu ne. I just needed your biography. I'm from college, and I'm doing an internship. I'm studying Journalism, so."
"Ask away."
Haruko beamed and took out a note-book from her bag. "Ikimasu! What is your full name? Your date of birth?" "Ore wa Rukawa Kaede desu." At the mention of his name, Haruko stopped, her eyes wide in amazement. "Honto ni? In Heian history. there was a guy called Rukawa Kaede too. He had potential in being a top warrior, even the best in that period, but got executed due to unknown reasons. The weird thing is, the Emperor's nephew disappeared at the very same time."
"Sou desu ka?" Rukawa threw his towel into the bathroom and Haruko sweatdropped.
Matte, this sounds familiar. but I never took History all my life? I thought I took Geography instead?
Rukawa looked thoughtful and Haruko was careful not to interrupt his thoughts. At that very same time, she admired his beautifully sculpted features.
He's awfully handsome. I wonder where else I saw him before? He feels somehow familiar.
Rukawa stood up. "You asked enough?" Haruko shook her head. "Iya. I need your date of birth. your family background. militia background." Rukawa stared at her icily. "I'm born on the 1st of January. I cannot answer. My details are strictly confidential. I don't care whether you fail your term or not. Sumimasen, I have a war to fight. The war is no joke, you know. I'm fighting soon." Haruko noticed that Rukawa looked wistful.
Rukawa Kaede from the Heian period. Why does that make me feel sad? I am definitely overworked.
He turned and left the room. Haruko gazed as he disappeared at the door. Her eyes were shining and she blushed furiously. "What am I thinking." Haruko stood up as well and left the room. "Maa. I can ask other soldiers." Calming herself, she walked away confidently.
Sigh. Being a student during a World War is definitely not an easy task.
Akagi looked through the papers as Rukawa entered the door. "Rukawa Kaede reporting for duty, Sir." He bowed, fully clad in his green uniform. Akagi raised his head. "Rukawa, as for the battle today, you shall take charge for the Unit 731. I would be in charge of the operations for Nihon Kaigun."
"Hai!" Rukawa bowed again, stiffly, and left the room. Not again. He groaned inwardly. If he had to fight, he would have to face that red-headed baka again. At the thought of the "baka", he felt saddened. As if his heart was breaking. What am I thinking? If that do'aho want to fight for the Allies, so be it! Kuso, I don't even know his name. Why do I care so much? Silently, he walked towards his troops, who were standing stiffly, waiting for General Rukawa to give his next command.
"Where. where am I?"
His voice. was like echo, and everything around him was blank. Nothing. Nothing at all. Sakuragi moved warily, and noticed that he was drifting slightly. Shock appeared in his eyes. "Sonna. Ore wa. tenshi?" He sweatdropped as he pictured himself with a halo and wings. Hastily, he looked behind him... Nope, no wings. He looked up. Nope, no halo either.
"Do'aho."
The familiar voice calmed him, even though he still felt a little insulted by it. Smiling slightly, he said, "Kitsune." The other boy was drifted down next to him out of nowhere. Sakuragi shuddered. "So. we." "Baka. We have already died." Pain radiated out of Rukawa's eyes and Sakuragi smiled at him gently. "Maa. Nothing else matters now." "So desu ka?" Rukawa raised an eyebrow. "So we're going to stay here. For forever?"
"Speaking of which, Kaede-kun. You know where are we?" Sakuragi asked, as his dark brown eyes looked about his body. Rukawa nodded slightly. "So?" "My grandfather had spoken of a parallel dimension. That should be where we are now. Spirits shall lost their memories forever and to the Earth again, they shall descend. That is what he always say. In case you don't understand, we will forget each other."
"Nani?" Sakuragi was bewildered. Rukawa gazed into his eyes. "Let's make a vow that regardless of time, regardless of space, may our souls be connected, for always." Sakuragi nodded. "I vow that our souls shall be connected always, no matter what. That way. Even if we could never find each other, you are still existent in my heart." A dim blue light appeared above them, and Rukawa tensed. "We are going to forget. soon."
"But our souls never will, Kaede-kun. Till our next lives. may we meet." Sakuragi took a last look at Kaede's teary-eyes and he blacked out. It was as if everything had faded away. Faded into the dimension and stayed there. Memories were starting to leave his mind. Tears appeared in his eyes and he felt himself falling. "Sayonara, Kaede-kun. Iya, Ja ne."
Memories were ripped out slowly. making Rukawa's heart more painful than ever. "I don't want. I don't want to leave Hana-kun. Matte kudasai." His body had been falling. and falling. into nothing. His 'falling' had slowed down, but the flow of his tears had not. "Sakuragi Hanamichi, aishiteru- yo." At the same time, both disappeared from the empty, blank space. into a new world, and a new life.
The young man awoke and broke out in cold sweat, feeling. somewhat depressed.
What is this?
He recovered himself and rose from his bed, heading towards the bathroom. Water gushed from the tap and he washed his face. Beads of water reflected the bathroom's light and the young man stared at the mirror, breathing heavily.
Damn.
Ever since he saw the red-headed guy, nightmares started to occur, and the worst thing is, he could not remember most of his dreams.
That idiot.
A knock. Now two. Then three. Rukawa wiped his face with the towel and hung it over his shoulder, and headed to the door. He turned the doorknob and opened the door, and found himself face-to-face with a girl his age. The girl reddened as she realized that Rukawa was not wearing a shirt.
"Sorry for disturbing you so early in the morning. I'm from the press. Namae wa Haruko."
"Go away," Rukawa said coldly as he turned to close the door. The girl stopped the door just in time and looked sternly at him. "Onegai, Rukawa- san. This is important." Rukawa looked at her curiously and sighed. "This is the army barracks. How did you get here? Come in first." Pleased that she got him talking at least, she flashed her 'professional smile'. "Never mind how I got here. I need some information from you."
"Kami-sama, don't tell me that you are a spy from China." Rukawa sat on his bed and put on a white tee-shirt. His bed was unmade, and his hair was unruly. Haruko noticed fatigue in his eyes, and wanted to let him rest badly, but if she did not get her job done. Shuddering at the thought, she continued to speak. "Iya. Don't be stupid. Watashi wa nihonjin desu ne. I just needed your biography. I'm from college, and I'm doing an internship. I'm studying Journalism, so."
"Ask away."
Haruko beamed and took out a note-book from her bag. "Ikimasu! What is your full name? Your date of birth?" "Ore wa Rukawa Kaede desu." At the mention of his name, Haruko stopped, her eyes wide in amazement. "Honto ni? In Heian history. there was a guy called Rukawa Kaede too. He had potential in being a top warrior, even the best in that period, but got executed due to unknown reasons. The weird thing is, the Emperor's nephew disappeared at the very same time."
"Sou desu ka?" Rukawa threw his towel into the bathroom and Haruko sweatdropped.
Matte, this sounds familiar. but I never took History all my life? I thought I took Geography instead?
Rukawa looked thoughtful and Haruko was careful not to interrupt his thoughts. At that very same time, she admired his beautifully sculpted features.
He's awfully handsome. I wonder where else I saw him before? He feels somehow familiar.
Rukawa stood up. "You asked enough?" Haruko shook her head. "Iya. I need your date of birth. your family background. militia background." Rukawa stared at her icily. "I'm born on the 1st of January. I cannot answer. My details are strictly confidential. I don't care whether you fail your term or not. Sumimasen, I have a war to fight. The war is no joke, you know. I'm fighting soon." Haruko noticed that Rukawa looked wistful.
Rukawa Kaede from the Heian period. Why does that make me feel sad? I am definitely overworked.
He turned and left the room. Haruko gazed as he disappeared at the door. Her eyes were shining and she blushed furiously. "What am I thinking." Haruko stood up as well and left the room. "Maa. I can ask other soldiers." Calming herself, she walked away confidently.
Sigh. Being a student during a World War is definitely not an easy task.
Akagi looked through the papers as Rukawa entered the door. "Rukawa Kaede reporting for duty, Sir." He bowed, fully clad in his green uniform. Akagi raised his head. "Rukawa, as for the battle today, you shall take charge for the Unit 731. I would be in charge of the operations for Nihon Kaigun."
"Hai!" Rukawa bowed again, stiffly, and left the room. Not again. He groaned inwardly. If he had to fight, he would have to face that red-headed baka again. At the thought of the "baka", he felt saddened. As if his heart was breaking. What am I thinking? If that do'aho want to fight for the Allies, so be it! Kuso, I don't even know his name. Why do I care so much? Silently, he walked towards his troops, who were standing stiffly, waiting for General Rukawa to give his next command.
