The Fireworks Scarred the Sky

by Aki Midori

disCLaiMerS: Standard disclaimers apply.

WARNINGS: Angst. This is an experimental fic, and you might not like what I did to those guys. Be warned for jerks. Nothing personal, so don't go flaming me that I turned your favorite characters into jerks. I repeat... NOTHING PERSONAL. Flames will go down the drain.

Shinri: Oi... could you like... analyze this one using our training? I'd be so grateful, I'm not going to pick on you for a two whole days. Wait... make that a whole week. Tempting deal, huh? Oh, and the whole copy of 'fragmented' is written at the SenRu Notebook of Impending Doom, and could you like critique that one, too, during Nat.Sci class? Huh?

Blah:

For everyone who's interested in Aki Midori's lunacy. ^__^ Mwah.

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The Fireworks Scarred the Sky

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/there's an orange moon outside

and the sky has become purple

it was never blue

never have been

never will be

orange glares and glares/

-excerpt from 'fragmented' by Aki Midori

**********************************

Fireworks are hypocrites.

They were used for happy occasions. Fired up into the air. Mere powders, combined together to form the most beautiful patterns one could ever see. Blue, green, red, orange, yellow. Beautiful. Bright against the dark purple sky. Alive. Loud. Wholesome.

And then they're gone.

Just like that.

When they shoot up and explode, the sky would never be the same again. Ever.

***

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Kaede."

"Forever?"

"Longer than that."

***

"Are you cold, Kaede?"

"Yes."

"Come here and I'll keep you warm."

"Thank you."

***

"Ice cream, Kaede?"

"I don't eat ice cream."

"Aaaaw, come on! It's delicious! Here, taste mine."

"..."

"Well?"

"I suppose you're right..."

"Sugoi! I'll buy you some!"

***

"They're beautiful."

"Ha! I told you so, Kae-chan! Look at that one! Sugoi! It's blue!"

"Fireworks are just... fireworks."

"Ah, but they're much more than that. They liven up the dark, gloomy sky. They're so beautiful, you could never forget how they look like. They're so pretty, you feel all warm and fuzzy when you watch them play around in the sky with someone you love."

"But they're just colors... and they're gone too soon, no matter how beautiful they are. Fireworks are only temporary things, Akira."

"But what matters is what they leave behind."

"What do they leave behind?"

"The feelings, the warmth, the memory of their beauty. So much more..."

"Akira... I love you."

"I love you, too."

***

"Akira, where have you been last night?"

"Out with friends."

"Okay.

***

"It's true, kitsune! I saw them kissing!"

"No."

"Oi... Megane-kun, Mitchy, koi, tell him. You were with me."

"It's true, Rukawa-kun."

"Liar."

"Stop being such a goddamned martyr!"

"Hana... koi... that's enough. It's painful enough as it is..."

"Demo, Haruko-"

"Enough. We're sorry, Kaede."

Liars.

***

"Akira, Sakuragi said he saw you with a woman..."

"Oh, that one. She's just my friend from elementary."

"Okay."

***

"Akira, you didn't go home again last night."

"Listen... don't you go monitoring my activities, okay?"

"Okay."

***

"Akira, there would be fireworks tomorrow night at the park. My friends and I will go see them. Would you like to go with me?"

"Sure, koi. Of course. You go ahead. I'll be late."

"You'll go, too?"

"Of course. Wait for me. I'll be there."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

***

"The fireworks show's over, kitsune. Let's all go home."

"But Akira promised me that he'd follow. I'll wait for him."

"Rukawa-kun, he's not going to come anymore. Maybe something important came up and he forgot to tell you. Let's get you home, ne?"

"Thanks, Kogure-sempai, but I'll stay."

"Rukawa..."

"He promised, Mitsui-sempai. He promised."

"Kitsune, he's making a fool out of you!"

"Hush, koi... I'm sure Sendoh-kun has his reasons."

"But look at him, Haruko! He's-"

"I could wait alone. He's going to come. You can leave me alone now."

"Kitsune..."

"He promised."

***

"You said you'd come last night."

"I'm sorry, koi. I-"

"It's okay.

***

No it's not okay.

Bullshit.

***

"I love you, Kaede."

"Okay."

***

I love you, too.

***

"Where were you yesterday? It was our anniversary."

"Something came up. I'm so sorry, love. Let me make it up to you?"

"Okay."

***

But it's not okay.

Never was.

Never will be.

***

"I'm leaving."

"What do you mean, Kaede?"

"I meant what I said. Good-bye, Akira."

"No, wait! Kaede, please be reasonable. What happened to forever?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"But I love you!"

... No more lies...

"Kaede, wait, please! I'm sorry! I love you!"

... No more...

***

I let you go.

***

Fireworks are hypocrites.

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o.wa.ri

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21 July 2003