Chapter 2

She was talking to Eichi! I had never seen her happier. Because of that, I stomped my way over to her and wrapped my arms around her possessively. Meroko chased after me, calling for me to wait.

"Hi, Mitsuki."

She turned around and looked happy to see me.

"Takuto, this is Eichi!"

Eichi was very polite. He had been crying too. It seemed they were both very happy to see each other.

"Mitsuki, are you not happy to see me, too?"

She giggled, "Takuto, stop joking! You already know about Eichi."

I was going to lose my temper.

"Mitsuki, I can't take this anymore. I was so worried for you on Earth when I heard you were dying that I got myself killed! Please spare me, your husband, a thought instead of flirting with Eichi!"

"Control your jealousy! I won't allow you to force me to choose between Eichi and you. I love you both!"

Finally Eichi jumped in, "Takuto? It's nice to meet you, finally."

I rolled my eyes, "Finally?"

"Yes, I was the one who requested you to look after Mitsuki when I died. You were that shinigami who wanted my soul, right?"

I snorted at him, "Yes, so what?"

"When you asked for my soul, I rejected you. But, in return I told you to look after Mitsuki so you wouldn't leave empty-handed."

"I don't remember any of this!"

He smiled, "Thank you for looking after her. Now I can look forward to spending eternity with her."

I shouted, "Over my dead body! I'm the one who is spending eternity with her!"

A battle field was set up. A tiger symbol flashed behind me, while an angel's symbol flashed behind him. A ferocious anger overtook me, as I balled my hand into a fist. He wanted to take Mitsuki away from me, just like he did on Earth! As I pulled my hand back to punch him, I saw that there was no anger on his face. He really was completely like an angel. The girls grabbed us to keep from fighting, but I was determined to show Mitsuki that I was a man.

"I'm her husband! She is obligated to spend eternity with me!"

Mitsuki couldn't believe what was happening and fell to her knees. Our fight stopped, but neither of us moved to help her. She was going to have to stand on her own and make a decision. I didn't want to do this. But, she died before I could get to her. Before I could see her to say my last words to her, she left me for Eichi. Meroko sensed the tension and tried to ease it.

"Mitsuki, you have a room in that palace, in front of you."

She pointed to the golden castle and all the dreams of the young Mitsuki that were left unfulfilled.

"You may enter that castle with only one other person."

Mitsuki burst into tears, "One person? But, why?"

"We know who will spend eternity together. If the person wants to spend it with it with their family and friends, they are allowed to. Eternity is made to fulfill the heart's desire. The number is meaningless. You have only one in your heart, Mitsuki."

She had only one person in her heart? It couldn't be Eichi, could it? She thought about him as if he was an obsession. An obsession that lasted her whole life. But, I loved her! I was given a second chance at life to love her! I married her and gave her my name! I did everything for her to keep her alive, to keep her happy and by my side! She was going to choose Eichi over me? Did I waste my second chance at life to be with her and lose her to Eichi? No, this couldn't be happening. This time, I fell to my knees. Within seconds, two small arms raised me up. Meroko's gasp was very audible.

"Come on, Takuto, let's go."

I looked up at Mitsuki's tear-streaked face. She chose me? Eichi called out to her, as she led me into the castle. Meroko called out for me. It was funny that Eichi was calling for her and Meroko was calling for me. It seemed we both had others who wanted to spend their time with us. But, I wanted Mitsuki, so I turned to her. Her tears wouldn't stop. But, they were not the same tears I saw when she was with Eichi.

"Mitsuki, are you sure? Please don't do this if you'll regret it."

She swallowed hard, "You were there for me when I needed you. You were my husband when I was alive. You took care of me all this time. I am obligated to spend this time with you. Isn't that what you said?"

Behind us, Eichi shouted, "Mitsuki, I roamed eternity waiting for you! Please listen to what I have to say!"

Mitsuki had chosen me and I wasn't going to question her again. She had obviously made the right choice. Now no matter what Eichi said, she couldn't choose him.

"Let's go, Mitsuki. Our castle waits."

Eichi finally began shouting my name. I knew what he wanted, but I wasn't going to give it to him. I had won this battle with Eichi. I hugged her tightly and tried to walk faster. But the closer we got to the castle, the more Mitsuki hesitated.

My jaw dropped, "Mitsuki, you don't want to spend eternity with me, do you?"

She cried, "Of course I do. I'm just scared that I can't live on Earth anymore. This is really eternity."

I finally understood her thoughts. On Earth, Eichi was dead. Here, Eichi was standing in front of her wanting to be with her. But, I stood where Eichi was supposed to be. Her life on Earth was meant to be with me. But eternity was meant to be with Eichi. I stopped in my tracks and allowed Eichi and Meroko to catch up to us.

He was out of breath, "Mitsuki, please hear me out!"

Meroko was on the verge of tears, "Takuto, what do you think you're doing?"

I balled my hands into fists and turned to face Eichi.

"You bastard! Why did you have to ask me to do such a thing?! Why couldn't you have asked me to look after anyone else? Why her?"

Eichi was stoic, "Takuto, you were merely to watch over her and bring her back to me."

In a moment of rage, I shouted, "Why don't you let her decide if she even wants to come back to you?!"

We both turned to the girl in question. Who would she choose to spend eternity with? The man who caused her all the grief and pain in her life or the one who took it all away? Meroko held my hand as the most important decision in my afterlife was about to be made.

Mitsuki stood there in tears and reasoned, "Takuto, I love you so much! How am I going to make it up to you? But, it's true! I have always only thought of Eichi! I had moved on with my life and from Eichi, but I have always looked forward to spending my eternity with him!"

Eichi fell to his knees this time.

Meroko hugged me tightly, "Takuto! Are you okay?"

I held Meroko close to me, as Mitsuki walked over to Eichi bawling like the twelve year old I first met.

Eichi stood by her and began, "Mituski, do you remember our promise?"

Mitsuki couldn't speak through her cries, so she nodded her head.

"Mitsuki, we promised to be closer to our dreams when we met again. I'm high above the ground among the stars, watching them, just like I dreamed."

Mitsuki swallowed her sobs, "Eichi! I'm a singer just like I told you I'd be!"

Eichi hugged her, "I'm so happy to hear we've both accomplished our dreams."

Mitsuki cried harder, "Eichi, every song I sang was dedicated to you! Every tear I cried was for you! Every thought was just how much I wanted you by my side! Every ache in my body was waiting for you to hold me tight. Every breath I took was so I could see you again!"

Eichi hummed softly. I recognized the tune.

"You can hear that music up here?"

Mitsuki stopped her cries and sung along with his humming. Soon, I joined in too.

"I'm falling in love with you,

and which will come to pass?

Will the feeling do nothing but swell, or

Will you notice it

Even though I've never said anything?

Like snow, but quietlyIt continues to pile up

Hold me tight

if I think like this

I didn't want to know

What it was like to fall in love with someone

I love you;

my tears won't stop

Therefore, I should be free of you

How long will I keep thinking of you?

My sigh makes the window glass fog up

Now, a burning candle

Can't melt my shaking heart anymore?

Hold me tight,

strong enough to break me

If we meet in a biting cold blizzard

I won't feel cold, and

I miss you every time I think of you

This scarf that I knit for you

I'm holding it alone tonight

If there were an eternally falling snow

This feeling I have for you, could I hide it?

Hold me tight

if I think like this

I didn't want to know

What it was like to fall in love with someone

I love you; my chest fills up

I want to cry out to the winter sky

I want to see you now."

By the end of the song, I realized how tightly Meroko was holding on to me. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Takuto, you have no idea how long I waited for you."

As Eichi took Mitsuki's face in his hands, I clung to Meroko. I wanted her to be happy, so I let her go. Mitsuki never looked like that when I was about to hiss her. It was only Eichi's touch that could make her so weak, huh? Cursing, I turned to face Meroko to allow them their privacy. But, instead I found her trembling in my arms.

"Meroko? Are you all right? You're shaking."

"…Takuto…"

It hit me that her vibrations were just like Mitsuki's when she was in Eichi's arms. My heart sped up for a second. Meroko? My hold on her tightened.

"Takuto…please don't use me to replace Mitsuki…"

I took a deep breath, "…Meroko…"

Then, unconsciously, tears fell from my eyes, "Meroko….this is all I ever wanted!"

Suddenly Mitsuki and Eichi were in their own world in eternity. Just as Meroko and I were in ours.