A Twist Of Fate: Part Nine: Epilogue: Only An Ocean Away II
A few days have passed after everything's happened. And everything was back to normal.
It was morning and Sanzo found himself awake even before sunrise. He hated that this had become a habit of his. But he could never go back to sleep. He was outside, standing and watching the dark skies blanket the whole earth with shadows. He took out a cigarette and started to smoke.
He couldn't help but think of his younger brother. It wasn't so many times when he cared. And when he did, they take the person away. It wasn't really fair but there was nothing that he could do. There still was so much he could have done. It wasn't like him to end it there. Or was it? Maybe he was tired.
''Can't sleep anymore?'' Hakkai asked as he stepped up behind Sanzo.
''Ever since that incident, I keep waking up at this hour. I can't stand it.'' He answered.
Hakkai laughed softly and smiled.
''Eh. No wonder you're extra irritable when we go our way.''
Sanzo didn't answer, he only looked up.
''You're still thinking about Toki-san.'' Hakkai asked again as he took Sanzo's hand in his and clutched it tightly yet gently. ''Can't help it.'' Sanzo answered, clutching back and taking his hand, pressing it lightly on his cheek.
''You really did love him, didn't you, Sanzo?''
''I guess he was a part of me I couldn't ignore.''
''I'll take that as a yes.''
''Did you love him?'' Sanzo asked looking at Hakkai still holding his hand.
''Eh?'' Hakkai blinked and then smiled. ''Yes, I suppose I did care for him. And a part of me did love him, because there was a certain strength in him that reminded me of you.'' He paused again and looked up. ''I can't help but wonder and think.''
''Nanda?''
''What exactly did he feel for me? He never really got to tell me anything. I was kind of sad when you came back without him.'' He sighed and looked ahead. ''I wanted to tell him so many things myself.'' He looked at Sanzo. ''Do you think he did love me?''
''I don't know. I'm not really him to decide what he felt. Maybe there was something that he saw. That he loved about you.'' He nodded. ''That time, Ming-Ue was targetting the people he cared for. And she had gotten you because she knew it'd affect him - because he gave a damn.''
Hakkai smiled and nodded. ''And that isn't much people. he kind of reminds me of you sometimes.''
Sanzo smirked and looked ahead.
''Maybe it's his being stubborn.'' Hakkai continued.
''Toki risked everything. he knew as long as you got better, everything would be alright.'' He shook his head. ''I just -'' he stopped himself and took out another cigarette.
''You wish he did come back with you.''
''Aa.''
''It's a stupid question, but what were you thinking when you were about to leave him?''
Sanzo paused and looked up.
I lost something that I thought I never had.
It felt terrible. Something taken away from you. When you've just begun to care.
I wanted to run back and save him.
But it looked like he didn't want to be saved.
Was he satisfied that he'd done his purpose.
Or.
''None of your business.'' Sanzo snapped. Hakkai only laughed and nodded.
''He had a lot of strength in him and he didn't even know it. He kept guarding himself he didn't know just how much.'' He said.
''He kind of sounds like someone I know.'' Hakkai laughed softly as Sanzo glanced at him.
''I think he would have liked to hear you say that.'' Hakkai said as he looked ahead himself. ''He always thought that you were so much stronger than he was. And he envied that of you. He thought that you had made An-Mei- san proud and he hasn't done a thing.''
''Baka da. Of course he has.'' Sanzo whispered.
Be strong, Onisan. Stronger than I ever was.
''That's why I said he wasn't so bad.''
The blonde looked up again at the stars in the sky.
''This couldn't have been the end of him.''
Hakkai smiled at Sanzo and nodded. He knew Sanzo meant something else upon saying that, but it was better not to pry it off him.
''Should we go back inside. I should ask the inn keeper's son if we could use the kitchen.'' He said. ''It's better if I make breakfast this early already.''
''Aa.''
Hakkai smiled gently at Sanzo and leaned over to kiss him softly before they turned to the door and walked back inside.
Be strong, Onisan. Stronger than I ever was.
Toki. You are my younger brother.
And I'm glad that it was you.
***
From a far the inn, someone stood and watched the two young men walked in. He smirked as he blue eyes gazed at them and he turned back and looked ahead.
I think it's better off this way, Satori.
There were some bonds that were meant to stay together.
Which is you, Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku.
And there are some which are just better apart.
And that's you and I.
He looked up and started to walk off, the cool morning breeze blowing gently and softly. He looked back behind him and smiled slightly before walking off completely.
He laughed softly and nodded.
Hakkai. I do care for you.
And I'm sorry I was never given the chance to make it clear.
But things are better this way, like I said.
Maybe I'll get to tell you another time.
But I doubt that.
That couldn't have been the end of me.
That would just be giving up.
And as the wind blew, he walked faster. Clutching the brown pouch in his hand.
I think I've spent enough time of my life being angry.
I think it's time I lived for myself.
Satori. Sanzo. Onisan. You're my older brother.
And I'm glad that it IS you.
And the sky was still dark and stars were still twinkling, shadows covered the land as he walked off further and further, not looking back or hesitating to live his life, holding the piece of parchment that could cost him everything, without another word - he went off silently. And from above two goddesses smiled upon this young man's path.
~OWARI~
A few days have passed after everything's happened. And everything was back to normal.
It was morning and Sanzo found himself awake even before sunrise. He hated that this had become a habit of his. But he could never go back to sleep. He was outside, standing and watching the dark skies blanket the whole earth with shadows. He took out a cigarette and started to smoke.
He couldn't help but think of his younger brother. It wasn't so many times when he cared. And when he did, they take the person away. It wasn't really fair but there was nothing that he could do. There still was so much he could have done. It wasn't like him to end it there. Or was it? Maybe he was tired.
''Can't sleep anymore?'' Hakkai asked as he stepped up behind Sanzo.
''Ever since that incident, I keep waking up at this hour. I can't stand it.'' He answered.
Hakkai laughed softly and smiled.
''Eh. No wonder you're extra irritable when we go our way.''
Sanzo didn't answer, he only looked up.
''You're still thinking about Toki-san.'' Hakkai asked again as he took Sanzo's hand in his and clutched it tightly yet gently. ''Can't help it.'' Sanzo answered, clutching back and taking his hand, pressing it lightly on his cheek.
''You really did love him, didn't you, Sanzo?''
''I guess he was a part of me I couldn't ignore.''
''I'll take that as a yes.''
''Did you love him?'' Sanzo asked looking at Hakkai still holding his hand.
''Eh?'' Hakkai blinked and then smiled. ''Yes, I suppose I did care for him. And a part of me did love him, because there was a certain strength in him that reminded me of you.'' He paused again and looked up. ''I can't help but wonder and think.''
''Nanda?''
''What exactly did he feel for me? He never really got to tell me anything. I was kind of sad when you came back without him.'' He sighed and looked ahead. ''I wanted to tell him so many things myself.'' He looked at Sanzo. ''Do you think he did love me?''
''I don't know. I'm not really him to decide what he felt. Maybe there was something that he saw. That he loved about you.'' He nodded. ''That time, Ming-Ue was targetting the people he cared for. And she had gotten you because she knew it'd affect him - because he gave a damn.''
Hakkai smiled and nodded. ''And that isn't much people. he kind of reminds me of you sometimes.''
Sanzo smirked and looked ahead.
''Maybe it's his being stubborn.'' Hakkai continued.
''Toki risked everything. he knew as long as you got better, everything would be alright.'' He shook his head. ''I just -'' he stopped himself and took out another cigarette.
''You wish he did come back with you.''
''Aa.''
''It's a stupid question, but what were you thinking when you were about to leave him?''
Sanzo paused and looked up.
I lost something that I thought I never had.
It felt terrible. Something taken away from you. When you've just begun to care.
I wanted to run back and save him.
But it looked like he didn't want to be saved.
Was he satisfied that he'd done his purpose.
Or.
''None of your business.'' Sanzo snapped. Hakkai only laughed and nodded.
''He had a lot of strength in him and he didn't even know it. He kept guarding himself he didn't know just how much.'' He said.
''He kind of sounds like someone I know.'' Hakkai laughed softly as Sanzo glanced at him.
''I think he would have liked to hear you say that.'' Hakkai said as he looked ahead himself. ''He always thought that you were so much stronger than he was. And he envied that of you. He thought that you had made An-Mei- san proud and he hasn't done a thing.''
''Baka da. Of course he has.'' Sanzo whispered.
Be strong, Onisan. Stronger than I ever was.
''That's why I said he wasn't so bad.''
The blonde looked up again at the stars in the sky.
''This couldn't have been the end of him.''
Hakkai smiled at Sanzo and nodded. He knew Sanzo meant something else upon saying that, but it was better not to pry it off him.
''Should we go back inside. I should ask the inn keeper's son if we could use the kitchen.'' He said. ''It's better if I make breakfast this early already.''
''Aa.''
Hakkai smiled gently at Sanzo and leaned over to kiss him softly before they turned to the door and walked back inside.
Be strong, Onisan. Stronger than I ever was.
Toki. You are my younger brother.
And I'm glad that it was you.
***
From a far the inn, someone stood and watched the two young men walked in. He smirked as he blue eyes gazed at them and he turned back and looked ahead.
I think it's better off this way, Satori.
There were some bonds that were meant to stay together.
Which is you, Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku.
And there are some which are just better apart.
And that's you and I.
He looked up and started to walk off, the cool morning breeze blowing gently and softly. He looked back behind him and smiled slightly before walking off completely.
He laughed softly and nodded.
Hakkai. I do care for you.
And I'm sorry I was never given the chance to make it clear.
But things are better this way, like I said.
Maybe I'll get to tell you another time.
But I doubt that.
That couldn't have been the end of me.
That would just be giving up.
And as the wind blew, he walked faster. Clutching the brown pouch in his hand.
I think I've spent enough time of my life being angry.
I think it's time I lived for myself.
Satori. Sanzo. Onisan. You're my older brother.
And I'm glad that it IS you.
And the sky was still dark and stars were still twinkling, shadows covered the land as he walked off further and further, not looking back or hesitating to live his life, holding the piece of parchment that could cost him everything, without another word - he went off silently. And from above two goddesses smiled upon this young man's path.
~OWARI~