A/N: Hey you mortals!!! Just kidding. SO, I really don't have anything else to say in this ficcie… Just "Please don't kill me just yet…" And did you guess what's gonna happen? Do you think in this chappy that Tsuzuki and 'Soka are gonna get together already? Ha, read to find out… Oh, did you likey my cliffie? ^o^ And I do hope my title for chappy 10 isn't lame…. I really like the song Don't let go by Weezer… so good to the ears… Why don't you guys go and listen to it? Hehehe… Actually, for those with the Long distance relationship in their lives, this song might bring them to tears… I didn't use the lyrics for the last chapter coz I don't have it… I'll try though.
And I know I know my last chapter sucks. I am so sorry. I did it with my writer's block so it kinda turned out bad… And its also kind of hard to put the scenes together, I mean, connecting this and that takes a lot of decision-making and a lot of discussions with me, myself, and duo-chan. He doesn't like yaoi, seriously, (he's my best friend… and a straight guy for that matter, but I'm trying to convince him that sometimes, straight rulers bend…^_^ Unsuccessful as of now… But its going 'there') and he doesn't know what to do also… Shucks…
And I know it's been so long since I uploaded, and I think its kind of dragging already… (Is it?) I needed to study… I have tests coming up…
Reviewers who so make me cry with glee:
Mandernaner: My favorite reviewer!!! You knew?! Yes! Someone got my clues!!! Or did you…? Guess who the assassin/s is/are and you'll be one of the few who actually get my VagueHints© and… no, actually, you'll be the first to be on the list of: The People Who had Guessed and Conquered My Stories Which are Totally Confusing… *phew* that was long. Need to change that… Oh, yes, you can help!!! Help!!! Lemons are tough for me to write… I'm still innocent, you know.
Kori: *snort* yeah right… Want a demonstration so you could write it? XD
Aki: That is so not funny… *clamps left hand over eyes* Not now!!! *Waves right hand at Kori* I'm trying to write a story here…
Hisoka: *blush*
Aki: Ne, Hi-chan, how come you're blushing? *Smiles innocently*
Hisoka: B-b-baka!
Kori: *rolls on the floor laughing* He… I…
Aki: He… What?! Look, guys, especially you Kori, Hi-chan's lemon with--- ack! Not again!!! *Runs as a tomato-red Hisoka runs after her with a bokken that magically appeared* See ya guys later!!! ^_^*
The rest of the reviewers: For those who have reviewed, I am so sorry, I haven't looked at my email yet, but I still thank you… Oh my eyes are welling with tears… I do hope somehow this chapter won't suck as the last one… I know I haven't been tying the story with the case, but it was necessary to give you at least a few details on how each person is… (I think…) And so, I thank you again, and I do hope you wouldn't kill me…
Warning: Cliffie. Angst… AND TSUZUKI TORTURE!!! WAHAHAHAHAH!!! NASTY ME!!! And morbid assassins… are they here yet? *Glances at the door nervously* Fluff? Yes, fluff!!! Lotsa fluffs! Okay, so maybe not exactly, but hey, at least Tsu and Hi-chan would get along in this chappy…
Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei is Matsushita-sensei's and my the rest of the OC's are mine… Especially said assassin (unrevealed) who oh-so-threatens-me to death if I don't at least mention him/her in a chapter. (I almost slipped there at the gender… whew!)
Chapter 11: Stage one, act one: Prelude of murder
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1
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~*~
Lunch finally came, and the students spilled out of their classrooms. Hisoka promptly stood up, walked towards the door, passing Tsuzuki without even glancing. Even a small flicker of the eye towards his direction, or even if it was blank or furious, just as long as Hisoka looked at him. Tsuzuki would've been happy if Hisoka even glared at him, but he just passed him… Which made his hopes of talking to the boy seem… more faraway as ever. But just as his hopes and confidence sank to the farthest ends of hell, Hisoka suddenly turned around before he had reached the outside completely. And he stared quite icily at Tsuzuki before saying:
"Hey, want to get lunch?"
~*~
This better be good… A pair of green eyes rolled in its sockets as the urgent banging on the door continued that day. They were not as eternally green as the spring; they were much darker than that. Like a forest of trees, when the sun isn't shining…
He approached the door and opened it. A panting child, long locks, hair loose from its holder, black as the night was standing at the door, hands on her knees trying to pull her self together.
Smiling, he motioned for the girl to come in. "What is it, Claire?"
"I… Here… Damn students…" Her tone was hurried. "Damn teachers… they think as if I don't know anything…here, I need to go back." Cerulean eyes were slightly irritated, cholerically glancing over her shoulders and he knows which teachers she was referring to. She held out her hand to show him an envelope. "I didn't open it. I swear." She smiled sweetly as she ran off.
"Thank you. Hope you don't strangle them today."
She gave him a thumbs-up sign.
He closed the door and sat down. It was addressed to him, and before opening the letter, he made sure that no one was looking. He was in the library, he was asked by the head librarian if he could look after it for a while. He wasn't doing anything remotely useful so he gathered a few books on a desk and read… Since there weren't any students, he figured, he could read the letter in peace.
Kori,
Please be aware that yes, I will; and of course, bring something that would amuse me… Or interest me more to do it… The bigger, the better… Or maybe the much more… Useful. Either which, meet me there. You know where.
That is all. Be looking forward to see you people again.
That was what the entire letter said. Kori smiled despite it. Short but to the point… or rather it was to the point for he was the only one who knows what the circuitousness concealed.
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It was about 8 in the morning when she finished her early morning practice with her sensei… (Or maybe she shouldn't be calling him that, since after all, he was Chinese, and her Kung Fu teacher…) Ai immediately went up the stairs to her bedroom. She was glad. Today was going to be special. She hoped. She did not have classes for the day, since the Principal had suspended classes for a week, since some student had blown up the Science lab, which quickly spread fire in the whole 3rd floor since the whole stretch of it were Science labs. She grabbed the Erh-hru, which was lying on a table separate from her worktable. It was the usual place because she always had to tidy the room… Which she rarely spends time in, because she either had things to do, or she wasn't in the country. If K, the big boss, saw that her things were lying around, he'd be so furious he'd throw them out. Which was unfair of course.
But since, another year was approaching, and that Ai had this knowing feeling that the year would end in the typical ceremony the 'Master' wanted it. Another business trip, if you consider it as one. It was more like… A stressing part of the year, that's why she didn't really feel enthusiastic about it. She had just started to pick the bow when a shout erupted from down the hall. Yes, she could hear it. Who wouldn't? The manor was always quiet, even the helpers and the nannies, (she dislikes the fact that she has one) the drivers, the staff, talk in hushed voices so that it was always quiet. Ai didn't mind. But it was unfair for them, she knows, and the only ones who should suffer there, was none other than her, her and her. She accepted that a long time ago. It was like a family grudge; his Uncle K, or Master as what he likes to be called, held this 'thing' against his father. Was it because he did something back then? Was it deeper than that? Better not to know that is what Ai always thought.
"Ai! Report downstairs immediately!" It was like a PA system attached all over the place. His uncle calls, her doom awaits. Again.
So she placed the instrument down on the table again, settled it in its case, and proceeded downstairs. Routine, that was what kept her from shouting back a big fat "NO I DON'T WANT TO, YOU BLOODY BASTARD!" Last time, when she got home very late due to the insistent demand of spectators to see her play, and because of the stress, she almost did so, but fortunately she tripped just in time to make her bite her tongue. Which hurt. Naturally.
She reached the landing and carefully made her way through the mirrors that adorned the big living room. The red carpet that draped the huge staircase was reflected easily, and she saw herself, almost not familiar with her own face. She shivered. She shouldn't forget her own face… She should stop this madness. She should be able to stop this if her brother gets well.
"Yes, sir?" She asked politely. She stood in front of a plump man, the one who always had his cigar in his mouth. She loathed him. She despised his presence. She hated his guts. To put it simply, she really hated him. Could anyone put it much better? I don't think so.
"How is it going?" He asked, not minding to look up at her as he continued to read a newspaper where he was sitting.
"Fine." Ai said tonelessly. Really, could anyone get excited over this kind of conversation?
"Tonight, tell Kori, you will go and have dinner. Make sure the meat is cooked so you won't get sick. Again. And your transport would be arriving at around… 10 pm." The man looked her straight in the eye. "Got it?"
"Yes. I understand. What time must I set off?"
He glanced at his watch. "You must leave now, so you could get reservations after looking for my watch. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Go on, leave now, and get dressed. You still have to do something before you go out for dinner. At around lunch. I'll tell you the details after you get dressed. And make sure this one is done well."
"As you wish sire."
Ai stared placidly at him before going up the stairs. She wasn't thrilled one bit. She understood pretty well what he meant. She reluctantly went up the stairs. Yes, her doom had come. Its not that she didn't want Kori with her but couldn't help to feel a little guilty about the last time. He had reminded her indirectly. He never fails to.
She reached her room; she picked up the Erh-hru, glided the bow over the strings, and let it murmur its soft, sad song as she sat on her windowsill, looking at the sky, and the snow started to fall again. Christmas is going to be sad again, not just for her, but also for the others…
She closed her eyes, and she could see nothing but the eternal snow in her mind.
~*~*~*~
Okay so maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.
Short wavy black hair flowing behind her, she walked her way to the coffee shop. The place wasn't crowded, so it was much more harder for her to find the person she was looking for.
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"5 more minutes and lunch is over… Oh man…" She breathed. "How am I supposed to do this if I can't even see him?!" She huffed.
"Looking for someone, miss?" The man at the counter asked her with a toothy grin.
"I… yes." She said. She flipped her shoulder-length hair and approached him, ignoring the delicate whipped cream on the drink he was mixing. She couldn't say no to coffee. But at this kind of situation, one must sacrifice. "Did you, by any chance see a man with---" She broke off as she saw him. Or at least, she thought she did.
She wanted to run, but it was hard, she was wearing stilettos! Damn things. Who invented them anyway? She wouldn't want to ruin the skirt, which, by the way, she hated dearly, because the maids are going to kill her. Rhetorically. So, she casually strode off, quite hurriedly.
"Thanks, I think I saw him already." She said as she pushed the glass door, careful not to take her eyes off the man's back. She clutched the book firmly in her hand, earlier forgotten due to the excitement of seeing him again, for the second time of the year. She was aware that she was still young, and she knew she had loved him dearly, and God knows that. Well, as a father that is. She waited anxiously for him to sense her following, and as expected, he turned around and gave her a smile. He knows. He remembers. She returned the smile, and she strode nearer. Those cold but wonderful eyes searching for something to distinguish her with finally saw what it was looking for. That familiar spot where at first glance a person would think that this fine young lady's skin was flawless, delicately pale, fair and smooth, would see at closer distance that it holds a certain scar at the base of her neck. Yes, the base, near the collar bone, slightly above her heart. He knows. She unconsciously touched the scar with nervous fingers, and clutched the book harder, her knuckles going white because of the pressure. She was half afraid she would ruin the black book's cover. As she finally stood in front of the man, close enough to embrace him, whom of course, she resisted doing anything on; she spoke.
"I brought it."
"Ah…" The man said. It was a sight, yes, for a person would think that they were more than just two people who just met. The older, the man, was tall, around the height of 5'8 or something much taller than that, had his hair falling in front of his other eye, and hands tucked in the pockets of his trench coat, which by the way, was white. While the young woman, with the short black hair, in a skirt and a plain white sleeveless shirt, with matching stilettos contained something underneath the skin, a sort of darkness and strength. They would pass for a father and daughter since she didn't look a day over 16, if not for the hair. Which was the opposite of the other. But since the man wasn't that old to have a child like her, or is it just that the man married a little too early?
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"Shall I tell you what he wants, or do you know it?" She walked past him, and he followed.
"I do not know anything about it. Maybe you could… enlighten me about this matter. That is why he sent you, right?"
"Yes. Of course, now if you just step inside the car, I shall tell you what, where, and who." She smiled, her lips aching to shout his name in glee, but careful not to disturb the peace of the other people who were walking down the street past the shop, and not to cause sudden havoc, she kept it shut. Oh, the first time this year that she saw him, she had almost lost herself, and was utterly embarrassed. No, she did not love him more like how a wife is to a husband, or how a girlfriend would to a boyfriend, but more like a teacher, a beloved part of her family… he taught her from almost the beginning, until he had to go and practice his course.
"That would be lovely."
She smiled ruefully. She shouldn't have donned the thing, she thought, looking down at her clothes. She was uncomfortable with it. And it made her more conscious than ever. She hailed a limousine and climbed in it when it stopped in front of them.
"Where do we meet?" He asked, his silver hair falling over his eye as he entered and sat next to her. He looked out the window as the driver closed the door for him. He faced her again.
"His office."
"Can you enlighten me a little to as what I have to do for you?"
"A little medicine magic, sensei. And a few killer smiles." She said, glancing at the folder she had just produced from the compartment beside her door. "To make the perfect kind of art…" She said, reading the profile out loud.
The white paper gleamed under the sunlight that fell over it, letter still visible, Muraki Kazutaka read:
Makino.
~*~*~*~
The 2nd of December. The very fist day of the month, which means that Christmas was near. And that this was the end of their first quarter classes.
And this is what she gets?! A failing grade in her latest Math quiz?! Wasn't Math one of her strong points? Wasn't it the one she had slaved over and after all these years, she had failed for the first time. And she wasn't happy at all. So maybe it was just one Math quiz. But it concerned her more than it will concern her if she fell down a cliff and get her arm broken. Or even her neck. Her dignity and class standing; oh such remorse she will have; she had blown her class standing and her dignity to little pieces that simply said "LOSER! LOSER!" whenever she looked at the cursed paper marked with an enormous and doleful letter F at the upper right corner of it, inked in deep crimson. What shame… And for her sister to find out… What a big disappointment it would be. Her sister had also labored over the same subject and helped her through it even though she knows it would be bad for her health to not sleep for 72 hours… each week… And it breaks her heart more to see her sister suffering like that. She closed her eyes to imagine the sight of her most hated person. She actually loathed his presence and she hated his guts. She hates him. Period. All because he, the 'Big Asinine Honcho' told her to do it; oh how she would love to crush his head down a flag of stone and make him eat slugs and leave him bleeding pro---
"Hey."
Leave me alone. Such an event needs to be lamented over…
"Are you going to stay there, like, all day or what?"
Wait a minute… Isn't that…?
"Hey kid!"
"Eh?" She opened her eyes. She was stood from where she sat, scilicet, the first step of the narrow stairs of the wooden door, which led to the hall annexing to the lockers. She came face to face to guy. With equally black hair and a slightly irritated state.
"Are you ever going to stand up?"
Cerulean eyes looked at the speaker indignantly. "No." She rolled her eyes, sarcasm dribbling from her words. "Why should I? I was sitting here."
"Well, if you don't I'll have to shove you out. I ask for your permission." She recognized the speaker who had so rudely interrupted her thoughts of slaughtering said Honcho as the football quarterback, Yokohama Rei asked her to get out of his way. And was smirking quite mockingly and she could just feel her Patience-o-meter going from 85 to –1000000000.
(A/N: He seems to be everyone's peeve, isn't he? Well, he's my peeve too. He waltzes in my room, and takes my PC games whenever he's around! The nerve! Now, I can't play my Resident Evil… He took it over a week ago, and hasn't returned it! GRRR! Just because they grounded him…)
"Well, you may not have it." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, sill staring indignantly at the quarterback. She even made her stance sturdier than before.
"Well, I'll have to really shove you out." Once the hand was placed on her shoulder, she grabbed it, and pried the knuckles off, expertly holding it in her hand, folding it, and feeling the bones crack underneath hers, sending messages to his nerve endings, making him groan as pain shot out from his broken fingers. And with a clear view of his groin, she kicked it. Hard.
Rei squealed, and dropped on the ground; she huffed and sent him a look of disgust as she finally picked up her things and walked off.
For Rei, it would've been embarrassing if people saw it. Good thing his dignity was still intact for no one saw it. Except maybe for one joyous person, with green eyes and wheat blond hair. Namely, Kurosaki Hisoka.
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2
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Laughter filled the air.
Tsuzuki Asato looked back at his partner who had happily followed shortly after he said he'd pick up his book from the lockers for awhile after asking him if he wanted to go out for lunch. They had taken the long way around the school so they could talk in private. Hisoka had stopped for a while, saying he wanted to see something, and now his mirth was genuine, no doubt about that. Tsuzuki should know.
"Why are you so happy?"
"I… I just saw Claire…"
"Claire?" Tsuzuki asked warily.
"Claire, that grade school kid who is the sister of Kori-san…" Hisoka was smiling. He was trying to control it but it was useless. He had just seen one impudent kid beaten by another who was younger, and a girl for that matter.
"What about her?"
"She just beat up Rei." Hisoka said simply.
"Good for him. How'd she do it?"
"Broke his knuckles and kicked his balls."
"Oooh…" Tsuzuki winced. "Must've hurt…"
"HA! I don't care about how it felt… He deserved it."
"So what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean what am I gonna do?"
"I dunno, because the way you're smiling now, you're more likely to announce to the whole school by the PA system how one grade school kid beat up the infamous Yokohama Reiji."
"Nonsense. I'm just going to congratulate Claire. I don't want him going after my neck, now would I?"
"You said you wanted to talk to me…"
"Someone's watching."
"Eh?" Tsuzuki glanced at his surroundings as the boy continued to walk beside him, head bowed down and eyes on the ground in concentration. "What do you mean?"
"Someone's been keeping an eye on the two. I can't really say which of the students are going to get killed. But one thing is for sure, one of them is a diversion."
"Oh… And… Do you know who's watching?"
"I don't… that's what I'm trying to do, to find out, but since I can't feel the assassin's presence, I can't do anything." They opened one of the doors leading to another hallway to the cafeteria, ignoring the curious looks of the students just coming out of their rooms.
"Well, I can't do anything else also… Except maybe see if there's anything odd in this school."
"… I think we should find out if there is someone odd…" Hisoka's voice trailed off. He hugged his books closer to his chest, and Tsuzuki couldn't help but think that the boy looked… kawaii… And then he remembered that the boy must still be mad at him… Wait, does that mean that Hisoka felt the same way as he did?! Yes… But… he seems normal… or maybe because he ran away when he should've been working… or maybe… or…
"Are you even listening to me?" Hisoka said slightly irritated. He had just opened the door to the busy cafeteria and proceeded to the counter.
"Ah, what did you say again?"
"I said, could you please do something useful today rather than staying in Meifu when you should be working?" Hisoka hissed as he reached for a tray.
Just as he thought: Hisoka was mad the other day because he stayed in Meifu while Hisoka must've worked his ass off the whole night looking for something… Or did he?
"Hai hai…" Tsuzuki smiled despite it. At least he could still be Hisoka's friend. He reached for a chocolate cake on the counter and put it in his own tray.
"And maybe you could cut on the assignments? I thought you would give them rather easily, but the Algebra assignments are giving me a migraine and I don't think yours is helping at all."
"Sure…" Tsuzuki smiled wider.
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3
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The night was rather more comforting now that he had Hisoka in his vicinity… Not waking up inside a room that felt empty, and he actually like their missions even though it meant enduring Tatsumi's reprimand every time he went over the budget when he was on the sugar high, and even if it meant getting hurt afterwards… He really didn't mind it since he would always have Hisoka there, whenever the nightmare comes, he would take Tsuzuki out of it… And he was always grateful for that. And that's also one of the reasons he loved him so much. He helped him from those nightmares and he helped him love again. Corny, whatever you want to think, but he was still thankful.
This is one of those nights, just watching the beautiful boy sleep, all worries and stress forgotten, face left without any trace of the days events. Who could ever see the beauty beneath the mask he puts on by day? For Tsuzuki it was rather hard to keep with how he really felt before. But as time grew, he got so used to putting on his cheerful face that he himself almost believes it. He was still happy with Hisoka here, right? So he didn't need to strain himself to believe that he was happy.
But you aren't happy.
Am too.
Are not.
What made you say such a thing?
Because you're hurting…
Why should I be hurting?
You ache because you want him more than this… You love him, and he doesn't love you… No one loves you… No one! Do you seriously believe that these people around you love you?
Muraki… What are you doing here?! Stay away from me! No!!!
It was like a living nightmare, he was suddenly drawn from his chair where he sat just admiring Hisoka's beauty where he lay sleeping contented underneath the sheets, and now, the darkness was starting to creep up to him from every corner of the room, the lights fading out, and he was losing sight of everything, until he was completely enveloped with it. He could feel himself falling endlessly, floating in a sea of cold wind, he opened his eyes, but all he could see was the nothingness he was sucked into, and he started to cry. His chest was throbbing with pain, his heart thumping fast, as though it wanted to wrench itself out of its cage. He wanted to breathe freely, but all he could take in was smoke, that came from nowhere, he wanted to scream but his voice was caught in his throat, as he felt something warm, sticky and glutinous run down his skin, his arms, his face, and the smell of blood stung his nose… He wanted to scream, oh dear Lord, he wanted to get out of there!
He cried, and he cried, he wanted to move, but he was paralyzed with fear as the darkness still surrounded him, blinding him, and the blood still trickling down covering his body. He finally was able to open his mouth and was about to scream, but then, laughter rang out, a very cold and evil laugh… it was like Muraki's… No it wasn't just Muraki, it was… HISOKA?!
He wondered, for a wild moment, when did Hisoka laugh like that? Why was he laughing? The darkness suddenly disappeared, and blinding brightness welcomed him cruelly as he saw, that it wasn't just Muraki who was bleeding from head to toe, silver eyes stained with red and silver hair streaked with crimson, porcelain skin bursting bright with the light tainted by the dark murky crimson color of blood, its odor hung in the air, making him want to puke. He was still falling, and he saw around him, all his friends, Tatsumi, Watari… Wakaba… Terazuma… Hijirii… They were all laughing maniacally… NO! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING! HE WAS GOING CRAZY! DEAR LORD! HELP!!! NO!
And there was no stopping the images that came; more furiously than ever, they came… His family… His friends… People he didn't know… they were all reaching out to him, laughing gasping for breath, and they were all blaming Tsuzuki for their death.
Hisoka was laughing, and he was wounded, his green eyes were now irises of concentration and now… he reached a clammy hand to Tsuzuki…
"I'm dying, can't you see? And it's your fault Tsuzuki… Why?!"
HELP!!!
"Wake up!"
HELP ME!!! OH ANYONE, I DON'T CARE WHO, HELP ME!!! KILL ME! PLEASE! HELP ME!
"Wake up!"
HELP ME PLEASE!!! HELP ME!!! HELP ME!!!
"WAKE UP!"
And with a crack, Tsuzuki awoke.
+*+*+*+*+*+
It had been just a few hours after he had fallen asleep. He was using his Chemistry book as a pillow and he was dreaming of going through a trip to England… It was weird, he didn't know why… But when he reached the airport, when he walked towards the customs lady with Watari, he heard a loud shout.
Someone was screaming… And he could feel the fear from that person screaming. And instinct or gift told him three things:
Tsuzuki. Danger. Help.
He jerked his eyes open and almost fell as he tried to get up from his chair. He saw Tsuzuki on the floor; his hair was in a tangle of brown. Basically he looked like a mess. Honestly. His complexion was paler than the moon, his eyes strained shut and he was rocking slightly in a ball, hugging his knees as if it was his lifeline, but he wasn't screaming.
He was screaming in his subconscious, you idiot!
He berated himself in unuttered words. He attempted to tear Tsuzuki's hands away from his hair now, for he was more likely to take it off of his head. And he was trembling; no he was shaking now, as if he was cold or something. Hisoka was careful to instantly jam his shields up.
Tsuzuki you better wake up!
Hisoka thought as he gathered the older man in an ardent embrace. He willed himself to plunge into Tsuzuki's mind and after a few seconds, he was there, in the same sea of blackness, and finally, he saw Tsuzuki, crumpled in a similar ball, a young Tsuzuki who was crying, and bleeding. For Pete's sake he was bleeding! He rushed to Tsuzuki's side and swooped him in a similar embrace in reality and rocked the boy back and forth, trying to wake him up.
"Tsuzuki, look at me, please…"
"Help me… They hate me… They're blaming me… They said I killed them… And it's all my fault…"
"No, you didn't, now please open your eyes and look at me… Please Tsuzuki, please…"
"'Soka-chan hates me…"
"No he doesn't hate you… he never hated you…"
"But they were all laughing… And they were all saying that it was my fault…"
The osanai opened his eyes and looked at Hisoka and sniffed, tears silently running down his face... He was a pitiful sight; his arms legs, and face covered by blood, but it wasn't his since he didn't have any wounds… And he was crying, those beautiful amethyst eyes screaming in pain. He was tired… Oh so tired…
"No… No… Your friends love you… It was just a dream… You're safe now… You're with me…"
"O…Okay…"
Tsuzuki closed his eyes and snuggled deeply in Hisoka's arms…
"Do you feel better now?"
"I am so tired… I can't sleep well… I tried but I couldn't…"
"Shh… Now all you have to do is close your eyes, and sleep, I'm right here… You're going to be fine… Okay?"
"…Thank you… 'Soka-chan… Thank you…"
+*+*+*+*+*+
And with a sigh, Hisoka was back in reality and was rocking a Tsuzuki in his arms. Tsuzuki's eyes fluttered and they opened, looking at him, tired and confused.
"'Soka… Promise me you'll never leave me…"
"…I won't leave you Tsuzuki… I won't…"
"Say you don't hate me… Please…"
"I don't hate you. Whatever made you think of that?"
Tsuzuki smiled. He closed his eyes again and he fell asleep in Hisoka's arms.
"I'm so sorry Tsuzuki…" Hisoka whispered.
+*+*+*+*+*+
The night was through and the sun was going to peek out from behind the curtain of clouds in a few hours; when a stern whisper came from the shadows of the old building, which had witnessed the time, go by, students graduating and cheerfully accepting their diplomas. Tonight, another memory would be stored with its own. A meeting. Quite strangely arranged. And at two in the morning, it was rather… Unnoticed… by the other living entities of course. (The dead? They'd rather sleep.)
"So… Guess she called you also. Who's here?"
"Just you and me I guess." A sigh. A shaft of light strewn on the grounds, but the two entities lay in the shadows, unseen, and voices low, breathing steady.
"So… What she just said was… That he just sent her there?! In the middle of the night?! ALONE?! WHAT THE HELL IS---"
"Mind your words. I thought I told you---"
"Okay I'm sorry. Where was I?"
"The part when you were cursing him."
"Oh. Okay. I mean, what is wrong with him? She couldn't keep those nightmares from her head by herself! She wouldn't be able to wake up! Like the last time when she woke up a week later, and he even had the nerve to make her work still. Just after she had woken up. Thank god she wasn't that absorbed in her little dreamland… Or Disney-land-that-turned-into-horror-and-grief-land."
"Well, she's there now and we can't stop her."
"She won't sleep. For a week."
"I think so too."
"Because if she does, she'll be… Oh man, that bastard! He can't do this to her! She'll be ruined! She'll be as ragged as hell again! That bastard! Couldn't get a life for himself! I hate him! He is such a… AAAAARGHH!"
"Hmm… I think bastard's okay. But it would be better if you could actually call that asshole, a big fucking bitch."
"Alright. Way to go…" The cheery tone earlier given was quickly replaced by worry, sadness, and anger.
"He can't do this to her! I'm going there too…" Shuffling of feet… the other was determined to go. A pause.
"Let me go, please."
Silence.
"Please? I must… I should... I mean… She's… Please!"
Silence. Then a response.
"As a sister, she wouldn't want you to get hurt. As I've heard, it is a very difficult one. You are inexperienced. And this is one of her challenges. If he finds out you have disobeyed his orders and she had allowed it, as a sister or not she will kill you if her brother dies."
"I… But I--- I--- only---"
A pause. A whimper. A cry.
The other one comforts the whimpering voice.
"I am sorry. But it should be that way. It had always been this way. He is her only hope. Real connection of the blood; remember, she lives for him, and he promised to live for her. And she believes that he is still alive."
"I only want to help!"
As the silence enveloped them again, the wind began to blow, the clouds shifted, and the shaft of light from the moon, obscured again, now gone, they sat in complete darkness, the other crying, the other silently welcoming her tears on his coat, and offering his shoulder as a hold.
+*+*+*+*+
Hisoka felt more relaxed now. Tsuzuki was silent in his arms, his head lying in his lap as Hisoka rocked him back and forth. Hisoka leaned back the chair Tsuzuki had fallen from, and looked to see if there were any cushions in it. He saw one and managed to reach for one to support the older man's head with.
"Don't worry… I'm here…" He cooed as Tsuzuki whimpered.
"Don't leave…" Tsuzuki grasped his shirt as Hisoka tried to stand up. Hisoka stopped and sat back down again.
"Thank you…" He whispered as Hisoka rested his arms on Tsuzuki again.
+*+*+*+*+
4
+*+*+*+*+
"There's something else in human beings that kept them connected to each other. Yes. There was. And it was remarkable. And sometimes, one could not help but feel that he or she was… less… human. An instrument to work, to live for others to survive, and something… discarded when not needed or unwanted any more…
Yet one keeps on living, to see others happy. To see others laugh, cry, not minding their own emotions, not minding themselves at all. And it hurt like hell, but hey, who cares? They chose that path, and they should suffer and endure it if they wanted others to smile. A simple gesture, affection, gratitude, was enough, yet one could not help but feel and ask for more. What God hath created was not enough at first:
On the first day of the creation, He who was almighty and righteous created the world, through his hands; on the second, he created what made it breathe life, what made the earth run wild, and what made it all sacred all together.
On the third, the fourth, the fifth, he thought that it was perfect but still when he looked it was not. It needed something that'll keep it in condition, make it better, make it grow; nurture it like the way he nurtured it at the first days of its life.
He created man, in his own image, man who will continue to nurture and from the world into what it is now. He gave them judgment of his won, he gave them the power to decide and think, just like him. They could never be perfect. But that is how things should be.
Man was perfect on being imperfect. That was the beauty of it. The world is beautiful because of its imperfectness… See how it is tilted? See how it would shatter at the very mere fact that the shields can shatter if a meteor, radiation, or great outer force strikes upon it. And God loves the way man is.
There is more to us, if you look just at the cover. And there is more to what a mere word can hold. An emotion is just a part of us, a mere fraction and it is what keeps us beautiful The way we react wrongly, correctly, abruptly, and absurdly, is what makes us alive. And that is what is more to us; complexity, at its most affectionate and most beautiful degree; a walking mass of complexity, a jewel to The Creator's eyes, a treasure…
Life."
A smile crawled over the delicate contours that showed white, gleaming teeth. He chuckled to himself a bit. He had just read a passage, and feeling odd himself, he closed the magazine he held; it came along with the package given to him earlier. The night's shadows adroitly glazed itself over him, and feeling one with it, he strode, not minding the cold gust that whipped back his hair and revealed his eye underneath the crescent moon's shine.
The moon pretty much witnesses everything, He thought grimly yet fondly to himself. But it doesn't see the anguish underneath the facades.
The passage was quite right. It was half wrong also. He neither agree nor did he disagree. He just acknowledged it. Remorsefully too.
He smiled wider as he reached the path that led him to a familiar place. He had been gone too long, and a worried face welcomed him in, with no hesitation, no words of comfort or whatsoever. And he thought he should pay his respects after reading the passage, and he should also thank the man, his best friend, his confidante, his witness, and his relative. A very far yet close one indeed.
He reached his room, the man who was disgruntled tsk-tsking at every foot put down on the floor. Why shouldn't he be? He was after all trailing mud all over his before clean floor. He felt a little guilty now for taking a walk in the familiar paths in between the trees and he had accidentally lost himself, killing an innocent rabbit on the way. Yet he loved the smell of the blood. But it wasn't as satisfying as human blood.
He smiled at the man, and lightly brushed his lips against his cheek, and as he closed the door and said goodnight, the stunned man blushed.
He turned and saw himself in the mirror,; silver-white hair, silver eyes, and robes lightly speckled with blood… Drying blood and mud.
The smell of life ebbing away was enough for him to be satisfied until the time comes again. And it seems to have landed on his porch effortlessly.
Muraki Kazutaka dreamed. And it wasn't pleasant at all. And it was almost unusual of him… He shut himself inside himself. After that, he awoke, and he couldn't quite sleep again.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+
Hisoka always loved Tsuzuki… And he never admitted it…
Hiding inside myself
Roses are red, violets are blue.
The day is cold,
And so are you.
You left me here,
In this abysmal hollow of my heart,
Where the darkness lies,
And worlds torn apart
Why, I wonder,
Why has this happened to me?
Why, I ask
Is there something wrong with me?
Will everything go back to the way they are?
Will my soul be able to let go?
Why I wonder, why this had happened to me?
My thoughts were complicated, yes
I know I shouldn't have left thee...
I am sorry for giving up,
I am sorry I never tried,
I wish you come back,
Even if I know this is a lie…
To hide inside myself,
That's what I should do
But I wonder more,
What did I mean to you?
Feelings can never be changed,
No matter what I want to say,
But all I can do is look back,
And hope day by day
I can never win you again,
So I'm hiding inside myself
Swimming inside this ocean,
Content in what I have
So I hide inside myself,
Dream as I sleep
And wait until you come back,
If ever there will be…
A time, a day, a moment like that
To cherish and restart and change the forgotten past,
So Now I shall rest,
Close my eyes,
Forget the tests
And wait until my time has come
And all in earth has become
Something more worth dying for,
Something more important than before…
And let me become more important once more
And be loved forever more.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
He could tell by the next few days, after this, Tsuzuki would still not realize what he had done. And Hisoka just became more furious that he felt guilty when he retraced his steps out of the room. With a last painful glance at he sleeping entity on the floor, he closed the door.
And at that, he hid inside himself.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+
~To be continued~
A/N: I'm nasty, am I not? I kinda liked the Tsuzuki torture… And the last torture here… I know, its getting confusing by the second. But look, just listen (read?) to how they talk to each other and you'll be able to see whom they are. It had let me vent out some bottled up emotions… Anyway, I do hope it was good enough… I do hope this chapter turned out better… Than the last… I know it sucks and kinda dragging… Okay, I thank you guys very much for supporting me… To all of you who have reviewed, I thank you again.
But first…
Questions from the insane mind of Aki Konoe:
1.Can shinigamis die again?
2.Can anyone give me good Japanese names, 'coz I really am running out of names… And it's really hard to come up with one when you have this migraine… Especially when you try to get them out of yer head by use of force. Namely, hitting myself with anything on the head just to get something good.
3.Can anyone give me a good name for a school? Japanese, please.
4.Did you likey my chappy eleven?
5.Did my last chapter suck, honestly?
6.Tell me, is it dragging already, 'coz I can fast forward the whole story…
7.Have you guessed who the assassin is?
8.Could anyone suggest me a good Yami no Matsuei fic? (Besides you guy's fics… I know you have good stories…)
9.What exactly is JUNE?
10.Do you really, really want to have Kori's pic…? (Oh, Manda, I'm really sorry, I haven't been able to send you the pic, because our phone's busted… Stupid PLDT bastards… They cut our telephone connection when I wanted to post up my ficcie and give you the pic…Grrr…)
11.Can anyone explain the whole story of X/1999? And I heard there's a new X… Do you guys know about it?
Gee, that's all for now, gotta go! Wish me luck on my exams! Ja! Ai-Shi-tE-Ru minna-san!! Take care!!! Cheerio!!!
MERCI!!! ^_^