Broken

Chapter One: Promises Made

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Summary: As children, Van and Hitomi had both made promises to be together when they were old enough to return and see each other once more. Van was certain that Hitomi would forget, but he was determined that despite that, he would keep his promises. Ten years later, Van is living the popular life in high school with a girlfriend, free of all guilt until a certain girl returns... who's to blame now?

Author's Notes: This is an AU (alternate universe for those who are wondering, which means that it is set in a different universe, hence alternate universe), so it will not follow the anime story line.

Disclaimer: Sadly, no, I don't own Escaflowne... let's all shed a tear.

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As he looked down upon her sleeping form, a frustrated sigh escaped his lips. Quietly, he climbed onto her bed, sitting down next to her. A heavenly smile was locked tight on her lips, and he knew instantly that she was dreaming. He did not want to wake her, but what he wanted to ask her could not wait.

"Hitomi," he whispered as he leaned down towards her ear. "Wake up. I really need to talk to you." He waited in that position for a while—just hovering next to her with his mouth near her ear—his eyes locked onto her peaceful face. When she did not wake, he gently nudged her with his head. "Hitomi, wake up!"

A pair of tired emerald eyes slowly fluttered open, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. Wearily, when her vision focused onto a boyish face, she smiled up at him, her arms reaching out to wrap around his neck.

"Finally," he muttered. "I really need to talk to you." With a sigh, he pulled away from her, breaking the link she had around his neck. With a dark stare, he sat back and fixed his eyes on her.

Hitomi, slightly confused at his mysterious behavior, sat up in her bed and nodded slowly, eager to find out what was bothering her best friend so much. "Okay. What is it?"

"You..." he started, his face hard and serious. "Why... why didn't you tell me that you were going to move?" he asked rudely, almost as if he wanted to hurt her. "You only have a week left here. Why didn't you tell me? When did you plan on telling me? Did you even plan on telling me?"

Awkward silence filled the air within the next few minutes. At fault, Hitomi knew she had a lot of explaining to do—she just didn't know where to start. But she knew that she would have to say something soon. Van was growing impatient, and she didn't like the sight of a very pissed off Van.

"Van," she said, trying to explain herself, her voice cracking. "I was going to tell you, I swear. Of course I was going to tell you! I... I just didn't want our last days together to be sad..."

The reasoning did make sense, but Van did not want to accept it. "So when exactly did you plan on telling me then?"

Hitomi's head dropped at the question, and answered honestly, "The day before I leave." She sighed, knowing that she should've told him when she first found out last week. She wanted to tell him, she really did. The problem was, she just didn't know how to approach him with the news. She didn't want to hurt him, and she didn't want the last few days with him to be depressing. "Wait," she said, suddenly looking up at him. "How did you find out?"

"It doesn't matter," he said apathetically. "I would've found out either way. I just hate finding it out this way. Not hearing it from you."

"Van, I'm sorry. It's just... it's really hard. I didn't know how to tell you." It was the honest truth. And if the saying 'The truth will set you free' was true, it would work right now.

Van looked away from her, suddenly feeling bad for approaching her so obscurely. He couldn't help it though. Hitomi had been with him for as long as he could remember back. They had been together since they were in diapers. Eight years it was that he had spent with her. It couldn't end now. It just couldn't.

She knew exactly how he felt, for she felt it too. With a sad look upon her face, she reached out to him once again, hugging him tightly and he fell down softly on his back, allowing her to lay on him. He looked down at her, seeing himself reflect in her eyes.

"You'll always be my best friend, Van," Hitomi assured. "Always and forever."

Though it was quite touching, Van knew that deep down no true promises could be made. He knew that promises were only made to be broken. For as long as he lived, he never once made any promises, despite Hitomi's pleads and cries. She, on the other hand, believed with all her heart in promises. She believed that if both parties truly meant it, everything would eventually work out in the end. Van always thought of her as foolish in that perspective.

"I'll never forget you either," she continued as she settled her head between the curve of his neck and shoulders. "Never. Ever. I promise."

"Hitomi," he growled. "I told you. You know how I feel about that. Don't."

She didn't say anything for a while, but reluctantly, she nodded her head slowly, her cheek brushing against his green shirt. "I know, Van, but this is my promise to you. You don't have to promise anything back." Though deep down, she wanted so badly for him to promise her the same thing.

It was surprising to most to find out that they were only eight years old. Well, to be exact, it was surprising that Van was. Hitomi acted her age nearly all the time, always asking pointless questions and bouncing off the walls. Van, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Apathetic, cool, calm, collected. Being clever and cunning didn't seem to hurt either.

"And I won't," he said coldly, causing Hitomi to move her head to look at him, hurt. "Promises are nothing, Hitomi. I told you. I don't believe in promises."

"But Van, this isn't—"

"No."

Annoyed that he would not listen to her, Hitomi sat up, glaring at him. "Van! That's not fair! Please... Van, this would mean everything to me. My world may depend on it. Promise me that you'll never forget me either. Just this once... please..." Her eyes began to water. She was utterly heartbroken. These were going to be her last days with him, and he couldn't even make one simple promise to her. One simple promise that may be her only hope of returning one day back to him.

Sadly, Van stood his ground and shook his head. "No, Hitomi."

His words came out harsh and final, and the poor little girl couldn't help but let her feelings come out; she cried. And when she stammered, asking him brokenly to leave, he obeyed without protest and left her alone in her room to grieve.

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"What's wrong, Hitomi?"

Her sobs decreased at the soft tone of her mother's caring voice. Sniffling, she looked up, though she was still blinded by her tears. When her mother took a seat next to her, Hitomi settled in close as she could to her, and then resumed back to her weeping.

"Don't cry, honey," the elder woman whispered as she stroked her daughter's hair. "Shh... it's okay. Quiet down, Hitomi, and tell me why you're crying."

"It's Van," she sobbed into her mother's shirt. "He's going to forget all about me when I leave!"

Appalled, Mrs. Kanzaki looked down at her daughter as if she had just cussed at her. "What in the world are you talking about, Hitomi? Van could never forget about you, even if he tried."

"Then why won't he promise me that?"

With a heavy sigh, Mrs. Kanzaki shook her head, trying to figure out how she was going to explain as to why Van was the way he was with promises. Hitomi looked up with curious eyes, as if she knew her mother was going to say something. Patiently, she waited, her sobs soon replaced with occasional sniffles.

"Hitomi," her mother started. "You have to understand... the reason why Van doesn't make promises is because he took a promise his dad once made to him to heart. His dad made a promise to him that he'd come to his sixth birthday party, and when that didn't happen, he promised Christmas. Well, Christmas came along... and his dad was nowhere to be seen. The poor boy hasn't heard from his dad since. It was only two promises his father made and he broke them. He ruined it for the rest of us, didn't he? But he especially ruined it for Van."

In a rush of anger, Hitomi squinted her eyes, and she let out a scream. "That's not fair! Just because his daddy broke his promises, it doesn't mean I will! That's not fair!"

Mrs. Kanzaki nodded, patting her daughter's back softly to ease her. "Calm down, Hitomi, I understand. But you see, Van's father promises made Van repel... er, hate against it. His promises, what was meant for good, turned out bad, honey. It hurt Van in the end, after all his high hopes. That is why he hates promises. He's scared. He's scared that if he accepts or make a promise, and if it is broken, it hurts."

"I know..." Hitomi said softly, calming down as she bowed down her head. "I know that... but I'd never hurt Van, Mommy. I would never do that! He's my friend. My bestest friend!"

A soft smile graced the elder woman's features. "I know, honey, I know. You would never hurt Van, and you know what? He would never want to hurt you. Maybe you should go tell him that you care... and tell him, tell him, Hitomi, do not promise him, and do not make him promise you back, that you will always remember him and miss him. Maybe then he'll understand, and maybe, just maybe he'll even truly believe you."

"No..." Hitomi shook her head, and with a sad frown, she closed her eyes, trying to suppress the new set of tears that threatened to spill. "Van doesn't want to see me..."

"You don't know that. I bet you he does."

Hitomi shook her head once again. "No, he doesn't..."

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A week had past by quickly, and on that morning, the morning that she was leaving, Hitomi sat on her front porch, praying for Van to come over. She waited for him to come over to say their final goodbyes, and if he allowed it, perhaps even promises. Eagerly, she fixed her eyes on the neighboring door to the right, awaiting for a dark-haired boy to burst out.

Come on, Van, she thought desperately. Will you not miss me? Do you hate me now? Please, Van... come out...

Time was running short. It would only be a few more minutes before she would have to leave and never to return again. Tears blurred her eyes, and shakily, she stood up, brushing herself off as she shut her eyes tight. After a few minutes of suppressing herself, Hitomi broke, bringing her hands up to her eyes, wiping the tears away angrily as she sunk into despair.

I'm sorry, Van... I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...

Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her waist. Hesitantly, she looked up. A pair of tired, distraught eyes bore down at her, and Hitomi found her heart skipping a beat as her throat tightened. She couldn't believe it.

"Van!" she sobbed happily as she quickly wrapped her arms around him, afraid that he would suddenly run away from her. "Van! You're here! I'm so sorry, Van! I really am! So sorry!"

"Shh," he soothed, patting her back softly. "It's okay, Hitomi. I'm sorry too." After a few seconds, Van slowly pulled her away from him, making her face him. He truly felt awful for making her cry like that.

"Van, I... I'm going to miss you a lot. And you're always going to be my best friend, no matter what. I'll come back to visit you, I prom—I mean... I will. I will definitely come back to visit you."

Van gave her a small smile as he looked down at her. "That's nice to know. I can't wait. When you come back, we can do anything you want."

Hitomi nodded. "Yeah, when I grow up... I'll come back, and then we can be together again. Together forever."

"Promise?"

Startled, Hitomi looked at him with wide-eyes, wondering to herself if her ears were deceiving her. Had Van just suggest in making a promise? "W... what?"

"You heard me," he stated solidly. "Do you promise?"

Delighted, Hitomi smiled the brightest smile she was able to muster. "Of course! Of course I promise!" She quickly extended her pinky out to him. "Promise me. I promise you."

Van linked his pinky to hers and returned her smile just as brightly. "I promise."

The sudden joyful moment didn't last long, however. Hitomi had abruptly stepped away, her smile fading away and in place of it was a deep frown.

"Don't break your promise, Van," she said seriously. "Because I mean it... when I come back, I really do want to be with you again."

Van almost wanted to let out a cynical laugh. Who was she to accuse him of breaking the pact? "I won't break it, Hitomi, I promise."

"Okay," she reassured. "You promised."

He nodded. "And so did you."

"Yeah," Hitomi said as she nodded too. "Yeah... I promise."

But deep down within himself, Van couldn't push away the feeling that kept nagging at him.

Hitomi, you promised, he thought solemnly. You better keep them... so don't forget. I know I won't... because I promised you. I'll wait for you to come back... please don't forget.

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Well, this chapter has been revised. Next chapter should be out shortly. Thanks to ALL who reviewed before! ^_^