Part 3 Shiroi Kaze
School was normal and Fuu seemed to bug Ferio about his delinquent problems less and less, however, Ferio started missing Fuu's attention. But that also gave him time to analyze his feelings for Sara and Fuu. He has noticed before that his relationship with Sara was like normal lovers, nothing particular and he was satisfied by it. But about Fuu, he can feel a bond that tied him to her, she was almost a part of him, she was his conscious and he felt a desperate need to make her happy and ensure her happiness.
"Spiritual love…that was never my cup of tea…" Ferio shook his head to clear his thoughts and Fuu looked at him questioningly.
"Nothing…" he reassured her and she nodded then continued with her chores.
Fuu was granted access to Ferio's room as she always offered to clean the house for him. She was sweeping the floor and the broom hit is shelf accidentally, a shoebox fell and, hit her head and everything scattered on the floor. Hearing the noise, Ferio ran into his room to see Fuu rubbing her forehead as well as trying to pick the contents up.
"See, no bruises…" Ferio said as he brushed her hair aside. Her eyes widened and blushed at his gestured.
"Just some old letters that doesn't matter." He reassured her and started picking everything up with care. Fuu knew what those were, the letters she wrote to him before she died and it touched her that he still kept them. His eyes were gentle when he fingered each letter.
"Mind rearranging them for me? I'll tell you the story of those letters." Fuu looked at him, a warm glow in her eyes and rearranged everything by date. She remembered everything she has written to him by heart. The Ferio in she knew in her lifetime was always gentle and caring to everybody and she can talk about him about anything. The last letter she wrote to him was about the man who dumped her sister and her sister was in a bad state. Fuu was in a rage at that time and in the letter she wrote that she disliked all men, forgetting the fact that Ferio was a male as well. And in Ferio's letter, he wrote
"Most of them are disgusting, but not all of them. You might meet someone later, and the someone will only wish for your happiness." Ferio was only eleven at that time.
"Want to know who the person was who wrote me all these letters?" Ferio asked as they settled on the sofa, a Christmas carol can be heard from the T.V.
Ferio smiled and said "I met her today, 14 years ago. Her parents were doctors who moved around to different hospitals. That night, her parents were off for an urgent call for a patient and she was left alone with her sister."
Fuu remembered that, her sister was trying to cheer her up by reading to her, but because of the cold she had caught, it was almost impossible to cheer her up.
"We were having a little party but I ran out of the house, because it was my father's party, it was full of his friends." Ferio said in distaste.
Fuu interrupted and said Try understand your father, he still cares about you a little and improving your relationship can not be bad, will it?
Ferio nodded and almost ignored her and continued "I ran into her backyard and her sister almost kicked me out as if I am a thief." Ferio smiled at the memory. "But after some fighting with the sister, I get to see her. She was not happy and I have a strange feeling that I have to cheer her up, so I did everything bizarre I can imagine." He was almost laughing as he remembered he tried demonstrating eating pudding through the nose. Fuu nodded and remembered that all too well, it was in her greatest effort not to laugh. "After that, we became great friends, we went to the same kindergarten and we almost did everything together. Until we reached the first year of primary school. Her parents has to move away and we can do nothing about it." He said with lowered eyes. She nodded in understanding and sat nearer, patting his back.
"But I did ask her something. I proposed to her." Ferio said almost proudly. Fuu blushed a little, she remembered that as well. They just hooked their little fingers and Ferio asked her to marry him when they grew up, he also said that he will not make her cry the way his father made her mother cry.
"But that is no longer a promise, she simply disappeared, I think her parents moved away or she no longer wanted to write to me. She no longer sent me any letters six years ago." He said as he closed his eyes and let Fuu put her arms around him comfortingly.
"Her name is Fuu Hououji, same as you." He said as he rest his head on her shoulder.
"Its Christmas tomorrow, what are you going to do that day?" one of Fuu's girl friends asked another when they were preparing for their first lesson.
"It's so lucky that this year's Christmas's in Sunday, I can spend my whole day whole night with Tatsurou. I will give him everything!" one of them said dramatically. All of them blushed and laughed.
"How can you!" another one of the girls protested, still blushing, Emi, she decided people can only have a sexual intercourse after they were married.
"Emi-chan! We are eighteen! Girls our age are doing it already!" the dramatic one, Manami, told her, fussing with her hair.
"The only one in our group who is forbidden to do it will be Fuu! She just turned fifteen." Manami continued.
"Anyway, I am going to give you some tip about this activity." Manami offered and everyone was blushing furiously until the morning bell stopped ringing.
Through those months, Tsuyoshii and Shin became even closer. Fuu was eating with them to escape from Manami's lectured about sexual affairs as Ferio was watching her all morning and if she was still blushing in the afternoon, he will consider bringing her to the doctor. And she can not go, or her cover will be blown apart as she has no heartbeat.
"Did Manami, our class sex machine tell you anything this morning?" Tsuyoshii asked.
Nothing of particular. Fuu lied with her hands, but she was still blushing.
"Fine, you're not saying…" Tsuyoshii muttered.
"Is anything wrong with you and Ferio-kun?" Shin asked in concern.
Nothing happened. Fuu's sign said, but she did see something in Ferio's eyes that she could not read.
"Ferio-kun looked lonely, even when he is civil to everyone and have some friends, he looked lonely." Shin said.
"Are you too sensitive?" Tsuyoshii asked as he took a piece of apple from Shin's bentou. "About what?" Shin asked.
"Ferio's loneliness, how can he be? He has his fan club, everyone is satisfied with his behavior. How lonely can he be now?" Tsuyoshii questioned.
"But-Fuu-san seemed to be separated from him nowadays. She did not run around searching for him and he might miss that. As I always thought that Ferio-kun liked Fuu-san." Shin said. Fuu frowned and blushed a little.
"Okay, do you like Ferio-kun?" Tsuyoshii asked bluntly. Fuu nodded.
"And you don't want to sleep with him?" Tsuyoshii asked when Shin was almost sputtering.
Sleeping, whereas? Fuu asked, tilting an eyebrow.
"Sexual intercourse, these things start early for girls." Tsuyoshii had the grace to blush. Fuu shook her head.
"So… this is weird…" Tsuyoshii frowned.
"Can you live without him?" He pressed, more protests from Shin. And Fuu nodded.
"You two can live your life apart from him and you don't want to sleep with him… So this is all spiritual, is it?" Tsuyoshii asked. Fuu thought for a while and nodded.
"You're in for a lot of trouble then. Ferio-kun knew nothing about spiritual love." Tsuyoushii sounded sympathetic.
"But Ferio seemed to treat Fuu different from the way he treat other lovers." Shin pointed out.
"What do you know about treating girls?" Tsuyoshii asked, his eyes unreadable. Fuu was watching with an 'oh-well' expression, their rumor seemed to be at least half-true.
It was after school and Fuu was still blushing, she made a mental note to herself that she will never listen to anything Manami has to say ever again. Ferio approached her and touched her forehead. She blushed even more and looked up at him, he was measuring his own temperature then said "No fever…" he muttered. "Lets go and shop for some clothes, you don't even have a warm coat." Ferio said as he pulled her away from the classroom.
"Its silent night, don't you have to spend some time with Sara sansei?" Fuu asked as Ferio led her to one boutique to another, shoving (expensive) clothes at her for trying on. He turned to look at her Who told you about Sara?" Ferio asked.
Isn't that quite obvious? Fuu asked with her hands.
"You…" he muttered.
Sara sansei wa totemo yasashii. (Sara is very nice) Fuu smiled. Ferio smiled briefly and nodded then looked thoughtful once again.
"After all this walking about, you only bought a white duffel coat!" Ferio protested when Fuu pulled him towards the church.
Shopping can wait. Fuu insisted and continued pulling him. He walked half reluctantly and half willingly, he will do anything as long as Fuu is happy. The priest was talking on and on. There was an echo in the church and Ferio heard nothing. He himself did not understand why Fuu wanted to go to church, she can not hear what the pastor was saying. However, being in church with Fuu did make him feel cleaner. He clasped his hands together, and said silently "Loving 2 women is a sin, however can not leave anyone of them. Please grant me the power to protect them, the power to make them happy." A little vibration from his cell phone yanked his eyes open and he pulled it out of his pocket to see a message from Sara, asking for help from her house.
Ferio gripped his cell phone the dashed through the door of the church amidst everyone's stares. He jumped into the taxi and dialed Innova's office's number and Innova's voice was heard after the third ring "Hello, this is Innova of …" he started when Ferio cut him off.
"This is Ferio, will you pick Fuu up by the church near my apartment?" Ferio asked as he paid the taxi driver.
"Too busy having an affair with a woman to pick her up yourself?" Innova asked.
"I have no time for this." Ferio told him soberly then hung up. Innova at the other end were staring at the phone incredulously.
"What is this PEST doing?" he muttered.
His hands were clenched tight when he followed the older and well built man into a dark alley. Ferio can not get the picture of Sara, shuddering in the corner of her couch, arms and feet bleeding, her face bruised and curling into herself, out of his head. "I will protect her, no matter what I have to pay." Ferio clenched his fist even tighter, drawing blood.
"Masa!" Ferio called, his voice cracking with rage.
"She was my girlfriend before you came… she belongs to me!" Masa's eyes were burning with madness. Ferio rolled the sleeves of his sleeves up, showing the sheen of perspiration that covered his lean muscles.
Fuu was still wondering why Ferio ran away as she walked out of the church when the head lights of a Mercedes Benz shone on her. Innova was leaning on the car, attracting quite a lot of attention from both sexes. Innova was very appealing, no matter in male's point of view or female's point of view. Fuu went to him, a part of her wanted to find a hole to hide as all attention went to her when Innova opened the car door to her, no matter what he does, Innova does it gracefully.
"Where does my lady wants to go?" Innova asked, seeing that Fuu did not really want to go home yet.
"To find the child she has to protect?" Innova asked with a smiled and saw Fuu's determined look from the rare view mirror and she nodded.
Fuu pulled the hood of her new coat over her head when the snows started falling as she ran up the stairs to Sara's apartment. Sara opened the door timidly and peek out. "Fuu-san?" Sara asked as she almost collapsed from relieve, then tensed at the sight of Innova. Fuu was shocked at the scene of Sara, she was totally wounded.
"Daijoubu desuka?" Fuu asked with her hands in concern, helping Sara back to the couch, she was all the more sure that Ferio ran away because of this.
"I am sorry to barge into your house like that, my lady, but I am Ferio's guardian, therefore I have to accompany Fuu-san in the search for him." Innova knelt in front of Sara and kissed her hand lightly, his silver head bowed.
"I…" Sara started and blushed when Fuu's hands asked Where are the bandages? Sara pointed towards a little white box and Fuu went to get it.
After bandaging all the wounds, Sara explained what happened to her and Masa through sobs and shudders. Innova passed her a warm cup of tea to sooth her nerves as well as encouraging her to continue. "Then Ferio came in then the two of them said in quiet voices about going somewhere to 'take care' of the matters between them." Fuu nodded as she gave her teacher a hug then said with her hands I am sure they are near, we will find them. She assured Sara.
"How?" Sara asked tiredly.
"Two people angry with each other seldom go very far." Innova explained with a polite smile.
Please rest well and relax, we will find them. Fuu said with her hands with a reassuring smile and went out of the door.
"You're sweet even to your rival, anata wa totemo yasashii… (you are so very gentle)" Innova smiled.
She is the only one who can give Ferio his happiness. Fuu's hands said, her face blank then added Sara sansei ga suki desu, daisuki desu. (I like Sara-sansei very much) Fuu smiled.
"Use your powers for them then." Innova said as he stared straight ahead. His slight form glowed as beautiful white wings bloomed from his back.
"Hai, tenshi-chou-sama. (Yes, arch angel.)" Fuu bowed her head and said with her soft and gentle voice as white feathered wings sprang from her back.
Ferio screamed as the knife sliced against his skin, blood seeping through his clothes and dyed the pure white snow a dark crimson. He doubled over when a fist was slammed into his stomach and a kick kit him hard on the head.
Fuu…Fuu… don't come! he thought before he passed out. He thought he saw a figure in pure white gliding towards him, snowy white arms spread wide, standing protectively between him and Masa.
Get lost! Masa screamed as he charged towards Fuu. Yet she stood there between them, not even budging. Her eyes flashed when a gust of green wind formed under Masa, whipping up the soft and fragile snow. The snow turned into a huge wall that knocked Masa to the floor. Fuu knelt down, gently lifting Ferio's head up from the snow to her warm lap, the blood he coughed up staining her white coat. She took her coat off gently to wrap around his cold body, stopping the life slip away from him as she let her healing powers seep into him.
Innova was calling the police when something glinted in the dark alley. Fuu was unaware of the still moving figure behind her as she nursed Ferio. Yet Ferio saw it and pulled Fuu into his arm and reversed positions with her. His scream of pain rang in the cold night air when he fell into Fuu's lap.
"Innova-sama!" Fuu screamed when Innova landed one hand on Masa's neck and Masa to fall straight, head first into the snow. Then Ferio thought he heard a thunder clap.
"I washed his memories, so he will not remember you using magic." Innova said softly as he watched Fuu crading Ferio. She looked so much like a mother cradling her child in that instant. "I called the police, I will stay here, get him to the hospital. Quick, or else people are going to know your true form." Innova said soberly as Fuu pulled Ferio deep into her arms, nodded to Innova then took off to the air.
Fuu stopped by an empty room and put Ferio on the bed as she used her healing wind to cure the wounds. "Fuu… Tenshi… nano… " Ferio mumbled. Fuu bit her lip as she poured more powers into the wound in his lungs. Why do you have to save me? She asked him silently, desperately as she concentrated harder.
"Fuu… mamote… (Fuu…protect)" he said softly as he opened his eyes and reached up to touch her face.
Innova walked into the room quietly, and saw the scene, his form glowing with power like Fuu, just that his power seemed to be much brighter. "You have two choices, one, let him die. The second one is give up the flame of life that is in yourself, in other words, give your life to him. If you choose the second one, there is a chance that he can activate your power in his body to cure all the wounds within one month. If you can get that power back within that time, you are not going to die. Or else, you are going to disappear forever, your existance will be unmade." Innova said professionally. Fuu smiled at him gently and nodded as she lifted Ferio from the bed so her forehead touched his, her form was glowing brilliantly in the life transfer.
Innova watched the two younger people with a slight smile on his face. He always knew that Fuu would have done what she just did. The reason he was sent to earth was not because of his attitude problem, but the way he can see through others, it is much too dangerous to have someone who can tell exactly what was in kami-sama's mind. "Rest well, little angel." Innova pulled an extra blanket out and wrapped it around Fuu who fainted right after the brilliance of her life died out and was transferred to Ferio. The hospital's midnight bell was ringing from a distance. Innova pressed the emergency bell to call a doctor and lifted Fuu off from her position on the bed and flew out of the window towards his office. "Merry Christmas" he said softly.
Ferio blinked his eyes open after 3 days of unconsciousness to see his sister's worried eyes. "Innova and Fuu-san found you by the alley fainted and they sent you to the hospital." His sister explained.
"Tenshi…" Ferio murmured as he sat right up and felt his chest, there was a little ache and a warm power radiating.
"Where is Fuu, is she alright?" Ferio asked.
"What are you talking about?" Emeraude asked, slightly mystified.
"She…" Ferio started then stopped as he realized that no one understood what he was saying.
"She is with Innova right now, they were talking about how you got hurt. Really, Ferio, I know you often go to the edge of everything, but try to make Fuu's life easier for her. She was only a little girl, and Innova said that she has been here looking after you until she fainted, she has a cold." Emeraude said in a scolding tone, yet the hand that pushed his hair away from his face was gentle.
"When can I see her?" Ferio asked softly.
"She will come and see you." Emeraude's eyes were smiling as she asked the next question.
"Feel something for her? She is like a family to you?" Ferio smiled and nodded.
Fuu was kneeling on one knee in front of Innova, letting the arch angel's power seep into her.
"How do you feel, child?" Innova asked as he laid a hand on Fuu's blond head.
I am fine, your holiness. Fuu answered.
"Sit down on the couch then." Innova pointed to the seat comfortable covered with cushions. Fuu sat back down and received the first question from her supervisor, arch-angel Innova-sama.
"Didn't you say that you can live without him?" Innova asked.
Is there any connection to what I have done? Fuu asked, slightly mystified.
"Well, didn't you risk your own very existence to save him? If he failed to save himself, you are going to perish with him." Innova told her.
I trust him, I will not have to die. He will trigger the power of the angel and cure all the deadly wounds and at that, I can go back. Fuu smiled.
"How?" Innova asked.
I knew him as a child, he used to cherish all living things. I believe that life-loving spark has not died and never will die, therefore I can bet anything on that, even my existence. If he can trigger the power, it means that his injured heart is cured complete therefore my task is finished. She smiled.
Innova looked at her and asked, "This is getting dangerous… I knew you just said that you will go back to the heavens, but you are starting to love him, you realize that?"
Fuu smiled Concerned about me? Thank you for your concern, but I know what I am doing. I am not as fragile and weak as most people think. She said.
"Answer my question." Innova pressed.
Okay, my home is in the heavens, I can not stay too long. And also, because I love him, I have to ensure that he has a good life. The life under constant support from an angel is not a good one, that means he can not stand up himself and must be under my nose for always. People must depend on others in life, but they can not depend everything on others, he has to live his own life and that is the happiest life for him. Fuu explained.
"That is why you gave over your place in his heart to Sara-sansei?" Innova asked. Sara-sansei earned his love herself. I know she is not comfortable with Ferio and me, but there is a subtle difference between his feeling for her and for me. Ferio need constant reassuring from Sara-sansei that she loved him but he does not need it from me. There is a mutual bonding between us from the day we met when we were children to this day and the bond will only get stronger as time goes. Even when we are not together, we knew what each other was doing, and we will want to live a decent life for each other. Fuu explained.
"This is a little beyond me…" Innova said as smiled slightly and nodded "But then it sounds wonderfully spiritual, you two were as if you don't even have to touch each other to feel the other half." Innova said. He knew, from the first time he saw Fuu, that he will be able to experience something he has never seen or read or foretell and that is what really bonds him to the young angel. She represents change and surprise for him.
Fuu visited Ferio the next day and he did not know what, but he felt that Fuu was fading. Fuu always had a presence about her, and he somehow get the picture that she was disappearing.
"Fuu!" Ferio called gently as he held her hand.
Innova stared at them and said "Don't start having weird thoughts about your nurse." as he arranged his flowers (white lilies, of course). Ferio blushed, but did not loosen his hold while Fuu was not even aware of what Innova said, as she was deaf.
"Fuu, do you feel well?" he asked, he did not know why but there seemed to be something about her that suggested that she was ill, or even worse. Fuu nodded, but her eyes were wary.
"Your cold gone?" Ferio asked again, and she nodded. "Is there something you are hiding from me?" he asked as his hand tightened on hers. She looked at him, her pale lips parted as if she wanted to tell him something, but stopped when his attention turned from her to the figure by the doorway. Innova looked at them, then arched an eyebrow, bowed at Sara, then left the room with Fuu. Ferio was staring at Fuu's retreating back when she closed the door. Fuu never once looked back at him when she leaves.
"Ferio…" Sara started as she came nearer to him.
"Hai, sansei?" he asked playfully and grinned boyishly.
"Are you…" she started as she stepped all the more nearer.
"I'm not dead." He said gently as he felt her warm tears fell.
"Gomen ne." she said softly as she cried in his arms.
"I wanted to protect you." He said softly as he tilted her chin to kiss her.
"Do you love me?" she asked in a trembling voice. Ferio smiled and nodded.
"Enough to marry me?" She asked. Ferio closed his eyes and nodded, but there was a very slight reluctance in it, however, Sara missed it.
Fuu was walking through the snow covered streets with Innova, her hands shoved deep in her coat pockets, her face hidden deep in the hood. Innova did not know why she has to spend so many on having the blood cleaned from the coat as the coat does not cost much. He glanced at her sideways and sighed as he laid a hand on her head and both their forms glowed.
"Tell me what's wrong." Innova said, his hand stayed on her head as they walked into the park by Ferio's apartment. Fuu said nothing as Innova proceed to lead her to the park bench.
"Say something." He said softly.
"I could have expressed myself much better if I can speak to him." She said softly as she pushed the hood off her head.
"What do you want to say to him?" Innova asked.
"I don't know…" Fuu answered simply as she closed her eyes.
"Will crying help?" Innova asked as he looked at her face. Fuu smiled and nodded. He smiled and stroked her hair brotherly as he glowed.
Fuu has not cried from the day she died, angels can not cry. A tear dripped and another dripped.
"Do you want them together?" Innova asked as he stroked her hair brotherly. Fuu nodded.
"What have you been saying to yourself all these years? A person can not be so selfless. What do you want to say to him?" Innova asked gently as the smaller girl continued to rub her eyes.
"Chotto sabishii ne…" Fuu whispered softly. "Don't laugh… I told myself to give Ferio over to Sara-sansei, but deep inside…" she smiled a little.
"Deep inside what?" Innova asked.
"Deep inside, I said 'If I have to give Ferio over to someone else, I'd rather kill him then kill myself' but, I didn't do it at the end." She smiled through her tears. Then sighed "Demo ne, chotto sabishii ne…"
"Sabishii? You are not a lonely person, you do not even know what really is lonely." He said softly as he looked at the heavens, deep in his own thoughts. Fuu blinked as she looked at him and wiped her eyes completely dry with the sleeve of her coat. He smiled and turned back to her, patting her head and said "You are not a lonely person. I knew it from the first time I saw you. You have the strength to stand up to loneliness and fight it, you are not going to go out of your way for any evil, and do you know what?" she looked at him and asked "What is it?"
"The greatest evil of all is loneliness, because of the pain cause by this feeling, people do immoral things. You might think that it is power or money that corrupted people, but it is loneliness that caused the corruption. People want to join into a party, some without the strength to fight loneliness will turn immoral or cruel." Innova explained.
"Why do you say that I do not know what is loneliness?" Fuu asked.
"People with the will and strength to fight it will never feel it and never know it as it will never come close to them. You are sensitive to others feelings and you know that people are suffering. It might be wrong to say that one must feel the pain to heal it. You never know loneliness, but you healed others, just by being there. I think your mission here is to make you realize this strength in you as well as to finish your unfinished business." Innova said softly.
That same night, Tsuyoshii and Shin went over to her apartment to visit her, both of them noticed that she was not her normal self ever since Ferio went to the hospital, even after knowing that Ferio survived.
"We're visiting." Tsuyoshii told her as he went right to the den and Fuu nodded.
"So Ferio-kun lived here." Shin walked around.
"Are you okay?" Tsuyoshii asked when Fuu looked questioningly at him.
"What Tsuyoshii meant is that he's worried about you." Shin said softly and chuckled "I do as well." He looked at her seriously.
Gomen ne… Fuu apologized.
"Something about Ferio?" Tsuyoshii asked.
Sou… Fuu nodded, and this made Tsuyoshii and Shin looked even more amazed.
"You have never been so honest in all your life…" Tsuyoshii told her, his eyes wide.
What? Fuu asked almost peevishly.
"Just that…" Tsuyoshii started to blush as Shin took Fuu's hand and smiled.
"You saved my life… I will do anything to help you." Shin smiled.
"So don't look so lonely." Tsuyoshii rose from his seat and patted her head.
"We're friends, right? We will not leave you lonely." Shin smiled and cocked his head as Tsuyoshii went to the door.
Fuu smiled and closed her eyes "Watashi wa… Hitori janai"
Ferio laid in bed, wide awake at night. "Fuu…" Ferio called softly in his head. "Are you hiding something from me?" he asked silently. Then something struck him, the teenage Fuu now looked exactly like the child Fuu he knew. Ferio smiled as he realized something "You two are the same person, ne? You are always beside me, at least in spirit… always, and forever will be" He said to himself and smiled.