Epilogue


Ayame unlocked the door to Yuki's apartment. He had been here before. Many times. They shared many a meal here together. Often Tohru cooked, while he and Yuki talked and played with Aoi. He walked around. Ghosts surrounded him. He saw shadows of the past. The last couple of years had been really had to swallow. First Tohru, now Yuki. Two out of the three most important people in his life were gone. Gone, so far away from him. Tears flowed freely. Ayame was not a man afraid of his own emotions.

Ayame walked down the corridor of the hospital. Hatori was waiting for him. He looked at his cousin. Ha'ri shook his head. Aya felt sick. They sat together at the waiting room.

'They will do an autopsy. But all the signs point to a heart attack. It was probably quick and he did not felt a thing.'

'But we just had dinner together. We celebrated Aoi and Jun. He looked fi…' Aya cried.

Ha'ri put his arm around his cousin.

He walked Yuki's study.

Aya was lying in bed, just about to wake up when the phone rang. The University adminstrator was on the line. He sounded excited, his voice was high. Aya's mind was still clouded with sleep. Yuki? Not in class? Found? As the information sank in, he sat up - fully awake.

It was the only room that truly reflected Yuki's character. It was simple. An Edo period table was used as a desk. An armchair from the 20's was the chair Yuki sat in while working. A bookshelf occupied a wall, it was filled with books of interest to Yuki. Ayame set himself into the chair. He felt so old. He looked at the paperwork on the table without comprehending. Then, his eyes looked at the rest of the table. That's strange. He thought Yuki had at least 10 pictures on his desk. They were always there, whenever he came. Pictures of the Junnishi, of Tohru and Aoi. But they were missing, except for one that was faced down. Ayame picked it up. He gasped. It was a picture of Yuki and Tohru in their high school uniform. Tohru had her silly smile and Yuki had a small smile. She was looking in the camera, he was not. He was looking at her. A look that was full of tenderness and love.

Ayame saw that the glass was stained with tears. The realization came suddenly and fast. It hit him like a stray bullet. 'Yuki! Oh Yuki…'

He cried for his brother.

Somewhere…

Yuki found himself walking. The forest seemed familiar, yet it was a place he has not been for quite a while. He could not place the familiarity. Then, it struck him. He was walking towards Shigure's house. The breeze was gentle and the sun was bright. Yuki stopped, he absent-minded walked to his secret base. The vegetables were newly planted. He was shocked to see leeks and strawberries. He stopped growing them since he found out about Ayame and Tohru. It was too painful. He walked further down the road. He opened the door to the house. 'Tadaima', he called out. The house was strangely silent. There was an absent of Shigure's incessant chatter and Kyou's loud voice. Yuki walked around the house and found noone. The furnishing was strange. They were the ones Shigure owned while they were in high-school. Yuki knew that Shigure had to replace quite a few things in the past years. What's going on? A fragrant smell came from the kitchen. Yuki walked in. There was Tohru. A younger Tohru. Gone from her face was the maturity that came with age. Gone too were the evidence of the dreadful disease that took her life. She smiled, 'Okaer-nasi, Yuki. Dinner is ready. It will just be the two of us. The rest will not be here for quite a while.'

He was home.