Ahh! It's been awhile sinceI wrote a decent one-shot (my last one was "My Angel, Their God") and updated my major fic, "Summer's End". I'll update it as soon as I relieve the writer's blockage from my head. I am not impressed how it went and want to return to sole focus on the two characters. Alright, this one-shot is in Kureno's POV and it contains the major spoiler about Akito. This takes place after the curse has left everyone. Kureno tried to decided where he should do (or go) from there.

Open Doors

by Pocochichi

Don't leave me! I am begging you! Don't go!

"Leave."

"Demo...Ni-san..."

"I won't say it again because I knew I heard me correctly."

"I know. Demo..."

I couldn't just leave her like that...even after that has left her and them. She had nothing, just emptiness and darkness. Ever since then, he stood by her side. He also had no one. The three who lived with him left into a world of their own...exculding him. After learing how he had betrayed them, they acknowledged him no longer. His two confidants remained ignorant after learning of his betrayal, although they had exchanged a few words with no expression, nowdays.

I also have no one, but my heart was not empty nor dark. I still thought of the one who laughed and smiled with me. The one I longed to see...demo, demo...is it really alright to leave her alone with ni-san?

"Kureno. It's best that you find a life of your own. Just as you were before, all of us are free to be human."

"I don't think I could survive outside, Hatori-nisan."

"It not just a matter of survival, but a matter of living and learning to survive. Life is a time of infinative learning."

"I don't think I could leaver her, not like this..."

"Who said you are leaving her? I am not telling you to leave her. I am suggesting you to leave the pitness you built up all your life, surrounding her. Come back and see her when you wanted to, not because you pity her."

"Is Hatori-nisan leaving too? To learn how to survive?"

"I had to go or else she'll never let go. As I told you, I will return when I want to. Mostly for routine check-ups."

"All will be left is Shigure-nisan?"

All that is left is the uncurseddog of the zodiac, still loyal to his master. Hatori-nisan did not say anything about the intensions of that man. Although he said he loves her, another part of him want to break her. As though he wanted to own her. That was why I couldn't just leave her. She will break. Yet, I knew he was what she needed.

If you are not cursed...then why did you stay?

Long before everyone was released, I was solely free. No longer I could fly, no longer I could smile. Neither could she. So I stayed...just to see her smile. If I left what will happen to her? Will she falter or stay the same? Would she cry again?

"Kureno-chan, are you leaving too?"

"I don't know."

"Everyone departed to find their new direction in life. I am too, although it would be a little lonely."

"Lonely?"

"Hai. That special person in my life is no longer here. He had already departed with her."

"Kyo...ne?"

"Oh no, Kureno-chan knew all long! I am embarassed!"

"I think everyone knew."

"Well, I was pretty obvious, heh. However, I do believe I have to go or else... I'll drown my own tears. I'll find my smile again."

Loneliness had been my best friend since I made that decision to stay in my prision. That was...until I met Arisa. Her smile and laughter captured my heart and taught me to smile again. The chains I locked myself in kept me away from her.

Hey! Come see me!

I want to see her. I want to be with her.

I am on my knees... begging...
"It's time to go. It's time..."

"You are finally leaving me...ne, Kureno?"

"You don't need me anymore, Akito."

"Don't assume that! I still...need..."

"I have to go. If I don't...you'll never know..."

"Know what?!"

"How much I had sacrificed for you. I gave up most of my life for you. I gave up my freedom...when I was freed of the curse, long ago. And still...you..."

Those tears returned to her face as she stared at me with eyes stricken with fear. The same as that time.

"You regret it?! Staying with me?! Did I make you that miserable?"

"No, I made that choice myself. I only brought misery to myself."

"Then...why didn't you go!"

"Because you were crying..."

"Don't go!"
"...and I couldn't just leave you behind...alone. Now, because of that...you never learned why I did what I have done."

The real reason.

"It's because you were obeying me! You stayed because I told you to!"

"No, you begged me and I stayed because...I pitied you."

Just what I expected. A hard hit across the face with screams of denial. A hit of relief. Relief that she knows now. It pained me that it was the mere truth. Unlike Shigure-nisan, I do not love her. I pitied her. I pitied how she keeps all of us close to her, just so she could feed all of her suffering to us. I pited that she had to beg me for her own selfishness and I gave in like a fool. I pited her. I pited myself.

You should of left her during that time...
ShouldIleft her back then? Would it be different if I did? I learned because I didn't leave her, she never learned compassion or kindness or none of those feelings identified with love. She said and done the only things she knew -- selfishness andmisery. Therefore, causing misery to everyone along with my secret of being uncursed before all. In the end, I was at fault. I should of spoken of my freedom andI should have left her...

...through my open doors...

...wide open...

...to a blue sky.

To fly again.

FIN

AN: Yes, he did left her in the end of this fic. If you are updated with the current manga chapters: Akito's a girl. Kureno's uncursed. Shigure is in love with Akito.Kureno did questioned himself if he stayed with her out of pity. I do believe his real love is Arisa and he couldn't free himself from the cage he locked himself in. Angsty, ne?

Please read and review,

No flames,

Only technical truths!

Thank you for reading...

See you in my next writing!

Ja ne!