Up in heaven, Here on Earth

by dytia

chapter 2: Old friends

Rieko: TQ for reviewing.. Luv ur fic so much. so happy u are reviewing mine *tottemo ureshii*
Aiko: I'll put a little part where they were gonna pay a visit to Mi-ki and Ta-kun later because I wanted to focus on Meroko and Izumi first. Don't worry. It'll come up. Promise! What happen to them? Well, since this is set a few years after the anime, Mitsuki would be I think in high school by now and Takuto.. I like to keep his fate a surprise.
Midori Syosetsuka: Yup, that was what I think happen. Izumi accepted it and became cold and unforgiving. Meroko accept it but decided not to succumb to it. Takuto on the other hand live on denial over his shinigami status. In a way, they were being punished. My theory is that their punishment is to relive the pain that drove them into suicide. This might be un-canon-ish but that's what fanfics are for. This is my reinterpretation of the whole Full Moon o Sagashite theme.

I love almost all Arina Tanemura stories, they always have a beautiful sense of philosophy underneath it all. The way she sees the universe, is priceless. The story of Full Moon to me was actually about death, a grim and sad topic but the way Tanemura sensei did it, it was like death itself was beautiful. It was about accepting death and to understand that the important thing was to live your fullest. Not giving up no matter what.

So now on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Full Moon o sagashite manga, anime or even the soundtrack. You already know the great mangaka who does.

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" Izumi-kun?!! What.. what are you doing here..?" Meroko's eyes widened as she stared right back at Izumi. Izumi, reluctantly let her go. Jonathan came up from behind her. Meroko stared at Izumi. His face.. looking at her so tenderly yet mixed with disbelief. Then, she heard him, slowly saying her name.. " Me-chan..."

Izumi-kun.. remembered me...

" Me-chan.. you're so pretty with that halo on your head." A loud, familiar high pitched voice came from her behind, startling her. Meroko quickly turned around. " Oh it's you.. Jonathan.. You almost frightened me. You're still with Izumi-kun?" Jonathan nodded.She beamed at them, " Oh, it's so nice to see you two still together after all this years ne.. Why are you here? Working ne?? Are you posted here.." Her voice trailed off, she realized something, looking at Izumi, her face clouded as she anxiously said, " I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking with you." She moved away from them, ascending towards the clouds.

" I guess becoming a tenshi made you forget your old friends.. ne.. Me-chan." Meroko stopped. She shot a glance at him. "What do you want, Izumi?"

" Oh, I just want to see you again. We're old friends, right?"
" You can never be truthful, can't you, Izumi-kun?" Meroko glanced towards him. His face.. still the expressionless Izumi-kun she knew back then. Always has been like that, that face. " You did not stop me just because you missed me."

Izumi chuckled, " Me-chan always the one who understood me best." He stared at her." Since it was you, Me-chan, I'll be honest. Why did you save that girl? Her fate was to die. Her name was already written in the book." Meroko closed her eyes, Izumi was surprised to see such peacefulness coming over her. A strange feeling surrrounded them. A tenshi power?
" Fate can change, Izumi-kun. I thought Ta-kun and Mi-ki taught you that the last time we're together."
" But rules are rules.. You do not change rules over night, Me-chan."
" The rules did not change. But it is my job to protect them. Even if it meant from death itself."
" Why are you doing this for this insignificant human? They don't even realize you exist."
" Because it was my job ."

Astonished, Izumi glared back at her. " You are being silly, Me-chan. It's not your job protecting them from death. Tenshi has no power to change destinies."
" I have no power.. but those humans. They do."

" Enough!!" Izumi's eyes burnt with rage. Meroko slowly opened her eyes and looked right back at him. Their eyes met. Izumi was taken aback when he saw the way Meroko look at him. It was as if she pitied him. He looked away, smiling smugly. "Me-chan.. You cannot save everyone from death. Life and death go hand in hand. You cannot stop death. You're fighting a losing battle." Meroko smiled wistfully. Izumi was not amused. "What's with that smirk on your face? Are you mocking me?"

Meroko shook her head. " Izumi-kun is Izumi-kun... Still the same after all these years. I thought you'd changed.. but I was wrong." Then, she turned towards Jonathan. Jonathan hid behind Izumi-kun. He never saw Meroko this way, the old bunny girl have changed. She seemed to be wiser, more mature. And that scared him.

Meroko turned around, the small wings on her back grew larger and with one great flap, the wings propelled her upwards, fluffy white feathers trailed behind her. Before Izumi could even realized that she was leaving, she already disappeared into the clouds.

" Izumi-kun, should we chase after her?" Izumi-kun just stared at the clouds. His face grim. He shook his head.
" No.. We'll meet again for sure. The girl is our link, Meroko will come back for her. And that time we'll be waiting."

I waited for you...

now you have appeared...

but why...

this heart of mine still could not find peace..

* * * *

Above the clouds where heaven lies..

Meroko were looking at a pool of water which served as a window to the human world. But she was not watching Miyuki or any of her other charges. She was watching Izumi-kun.

I never thought I'd be happy to see him. After that day, I never even thought of him. I thought he might have forgotten about me.

But he didn't..

His voice ringing in her ears, calling her softly, " Me-chan."

She remembered how she used to idolize him then. Infatuated. Besotted by him. At the time, she honestly thought it was love.

But Ta-kun taught me what real love means.

So I knew those feelings I had for Izumi-kun weren't love.

But why am I still feeling this way? Why am I feeling this.. queer feeling when I saw him today? When he said my name, I was... happy...

She glanced at the window, to her horror, she saw Izumi was at the house where Miyuki were staying.

Izumi-kun could not possibly were up to something not good. He might be ruthless but he has a good heart. I know he did.

But he once made Mitsuki almost jump off the building. What if he wants to do the same thing with Miyuki? No, I must go to her.

Alarmed, she quickly stood and ran out of the room only to be stopped by a male tenshi. " Meroko, where are you going?"
" I think Miyuki's in trouble, Keichi-kun."
" I'll go with you. After all, I am your senior. Even though I admit you did a great job for the last few years, but you are still green in this line of work."
" I can take care of myself, really. It's something I need to do alone."
" Meroko.."
" Please.. I promise I be careful." Looking at her big lovely eyes, it's hard to say no. (me: ^-^)

Keichi reluctantly nodded. Meroko grinned. " I know you'd understand." On an impulse, threw her arms around him and kissing him on his cheek. His face reddens. " Thank you!!" she shouted as she ran out. As he watched Meroko leave for earth, he felt an ache in his heart. A feeling he always have when he was around Meroko.

Meroko caught his eye the day she came to heaven. He could not even believe this young happy go lucky girl used to be a shinigami. And to be promoted into a tenshi, it took great lenghts to do so. He was impressed when he heard about it but when they met for the first time, it was love at first sight.

She.. was the most beautiful thing he ever laid his eyes upon... That moment he knew that she's the one for him.

But he knew that Meroko did not share the same feelings. Keichi always sensed that there was always someone in her mind though she never said or even hinted about it. She kept it behind her sunshine smile, only to herself. Meroko was always like that. She never tell him about her past. She said she wanted to bury it all behind. But he knew she never did.

I want to be the wind under your wings

Your candle in times of darkness

My hands are yours to hold

For now and forever more

My angel..

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oooh.. I made an OC.. Keichi is a male tenshi, kinda like Izumi when Meroko first became a shinigami, but he's nicer. She reports to him and he assigns her jobs. He looked out for Meroko and covered for her when she purposely break rules. A love triangle?? hihihi...

Next chapter I'd write more about Miyuki and her reasons why she wanted to die. I modelled her from Mitsuki (hence the very similar sounding name) I know my this chapter very waffy. Can't help it I guess.. hihi...Until next time. Ja ne...