My life in vignettes By: A-kun

Eighth Part: Kioku IV: Shinigami (Memories IV: Mark of the Death)

That room was filled with crying. The pain and the suffering was something that was present in every one of their hearts. Somebody as far as we saw, died. With the death marks, the dark ribbons in the home and all the people dressed in that color, they were remembering the good, bad and even funny things that the wife of Dr. Andy Brown did in his life.

-No wonder the ones who're suffering more are her children

-Yes. Look at them

Two chubby ladies were talking of Ephram and Delia. In NY the people was invited to share the Brown's family suffering. But those ladies didn't understand what that meant. Ephram was still too close so he could hear that whisper, but he was so harassed by the death that he didn't even move to answer those hurting words. The tears didn't come out so easy for him: He had to be strong from now on, because Delia needed him to. Delia, as much of the ten years old girls knew what this means, and she was crying. She would never had his mom to cook for them again or to deliver them from the bad things. She would never had a friend in home to tell everything, or a sergeant to pick fights with.

Evan knew this. Ephram told him.

Two weeks passed out since that incident after the party, and from that time, Ephram did like nothing changed, for him everything was the same, there was no difference after ending up embracing his friend in the Saturday morning, with both of them naked.

But for Evan, it was kind of confusing.

He didn't understand quite well the situation; he didn't understand at all why his best friend kissed him and why now he was ignoring him. Evan now was stuck into it.

Death was now spreading them apart. For one side, the funeral was so dark and Evan didn't came to say "I'm sorry" to his friend. He didn't came because he tought he didn't need it. Once Once it happened, Brown family decided to move on, and to live in Everwood, Colorado. This town was the prefecture for his lovely wife, now six feet under the ground.

Well, something did happen in the process of the death and the kissing scene. Ephram wasn't ignoring him, not even evading. He just tought that it was better to forget, and Evan was so afraid to ask him. After they buried her, Evan came home, when the moving company was still getting into the trucks the Brown's family stuff. He went into the house and was asking to the men in there where he could find the family. They ignored or answered that they weren't there.

When he gave up, he sat down over the street, watching all those men moving the house. He saw the couch were they sat and talked like freaks in the middle of the TV shows. He saw the piano that Ephram used to play and he saw the fridge, the TV, everything. Then he heard a recognizable voice for his head, it was Ephram who was behind him.

-Look what cat's brought in

-Hey Eff-kun

-I was thinking on telling you that I was moving, but It was better if you could see it by yourself..

-Eff-kun, I came here for something

-About the other night, I'm sorry. I was drunk and I apologize. -He stopped for a second, and put his hands in his mouth as if he was praying. -I didn't mean to do something, or to hurt you. You're my friend and I was just a fool doing it, so I apologize.

-Yeah, apologize accepted.

Even when Eprham said something, Evan still knew that it wasn't the full truth and he knew that it wasn't what he wanted to hear, and yet he had accepted it, because in this world you cannot bind somebody to love you.

-Look, Evan-kun, I'm leaving now, I thought this'll never happened to me, but.

Evan then embraced him. Why he did it? The only reasonable answer came from the most unreasonable part of the body: the heart. Within their hearts they both knew that one of them needed a hug and the other was so desperate to give it, that instantly, both of them were surrounded by each other's arms.

-I know. You don't have to tell me, and I'm sorry - said Evan -I'm sorry I didn't came and I know that what you said just a bit ago is not true. I'll let you to continue with this faking, but I won't be faking my feelings. Ephram, you're my friend, the best of all them and I love you. I don't like guys, but I do like you and if I could have the chance to live my life next to you, then I will take it. I'm sorry 'bout your mom, and I'm really sorry because she was always nice to me even when she knew who I was and what I was expecting from you.

They released each others. Ephram was seeing Evan with other eyes.

-If you want to keep this fake, fine, I'll continue it with you, but please, accept that I love you and above of all, don't give up our friendship just for that.-said Evan

-Hey, I'll tell you what.

-Speak

-Look, we're both confused and definitively, we're weak right now so we cannot take a decision. Let's just leave it as friends, nothing else please, ok??

-I understand it. "suspended animation for the feelings"

-Kind of it

-You're trying to froze this stuff, and leave it as friends. Eff-kun, you didn't have to say it, we'll be friends until the grave, and even if the end of the world come, I'll still be you're friend, even if what you do hurts me, as what you did when you slept with me. Eff-kun, you'll be always my friend, remember that when you're in there, please

-I. I'm speechless

-You don't have to say anything

-I'm sorry, I didn't think that evading you will brought you this troubles. I'm. -said Ephram, and at the instant Evan shut him with his finger over his lips

-What I've just told you.? You're my friend and it doesn't matter!

-You're not a human. Humans will never stand it as you did

-I'm noble. Remember, "I have to keep my strength and nobility so my prince can come"

-oh.. Utena..

-Yeah, I'm following her rules, maybe one day I'll find my prince.

-Or you just found him, just that you're not sure 'bout him

-Whatever, doesn't really matters. I'll keep doing this and I'll be always acting like the prince, until I find my own.

-Oh! And by the way.

Ephram then entered the house and then exited with both tankoubans in his hands.

-Here, take this -said Ephram- I borrowed both of them, remember? And before I leave I give this to you. Here are four and fifth tankouban.

-Thanks Ephram-kun

-I'll be leaving at 7:00, what if we go to watch some mangas and then come back?

-It's 4:30. we still have plenty of time!

-Let's go

They spend all three hours watching the mangas, reading them, talking about characters and authors and above of it, they were both so into it that they haven't really realized of time. It was getting late when they both left the store and came to his house.

-Eff-kun, one thing before you leave -said Evan when Ephram was going to aboard Brown's family car. Inside Dad was driving and Delia was behind, watching the scene. -I have something to give you -

-What is it?

-Here.

He searched for his binder in the backpack that he always carry with him. Once he found it, he opened it and took some of the drawings. Ephram saw them before and he tought that Evan's gift was the ability to draw as well he played the piano. He then took out the sheet and gave it to him. It was a portrait of Ephram while he was sleeping.

-Remember when we came to my place to study math and you fell asleep in my bed?? Well, I never told you, but I drew you because I hadn't a camera.

-Wow! Just great -said an excited Ephram

In the draws, the more approach to the reality, the greater the lines become.

-but wait! There's more.

And he took another draw. It was plenty the same, but in manga style.

-and this is the manga style. Same scene

-Wow! I never tought that you'll be this good

-I'm not that good, I'm bad, there are plenty of details that I don't like 'bout it.

-I love it. Thanks Evan, I'll take these and I'll keep them until the day you come to Everwood.

-Don't forget me, please

-I won't

The conversation was cut because Andy was in a hurry. He started the car and with it he was saying "Let's go Ephram". They both understand it.

-I got to go -and Ephram left. A pair of tear appeared in his face, but he quickly cleaned them. He was walking towards the car and before he could step in, he wave Evan. It wasn't a goodbye, it was a "see you later in Everwood". Like a premonition, they both knew that one day they'll find each other. Evan answered to him with the same wave, and Ephram left. The car then was lost in the horizon.

-Sayonara, watashi no oujisama -said Evan. Those words, he watched'em in the Utena movie, and it was one of the final lines that Anthy said to his wicked brother at the climax of the movie.

-Good bye, my prince -He repeated in English this time.