Same Ground
Disclaimer: yeah right… dammit! How in blazes did this thing got in yu-gi-oh isn't mine! No! no! no!
It was a Tuesday morning. Both Amane and her mom were going to the shop the former was talking about by the seaside. They were to get their gifts for Ryou's birthday using a Honda-civic car. Her mom drove through the highway, taking little notice for a cargo truck of boulder in front of them.
"I would buy my oni-chan the most wonderful gift of all!" Amane said cheerfully.
"Yes. Then I would buy oni-chan the second most wonderful gift of all!" Her mom smiled.
A split second later, Amane shrieked as she saw the rope binding a group of boulders in the truck ripped apart. One of it's cantaloupe-size rock tumbled towards the car's windshield and hit it at an impact speed of almost 100 m.p.h. The boulder hit her mom's head. The car swerved and spun around, hitting the side walls. The airbag sensor switch hit the inflation system so Amane's airbag opened. She fought the airbag that saved her as it deflated slowly. She thought that if she's alive, then her mom did too. She turned and saw her on top of the driver's stirring wheel. As she pulled her off her position and discovered that the airbag didn't work on her, she sobbed. Her mother's face was covered in blood. She could see part of her brain. She cried even harder as if someone threw open the switch of her memories.
"I'll miss them," she thought, "the times when she smiled, hugged, kissed, took care of me."
Shortly afterwards, reality came back and she thought she should find a way to get out of the car. Tears streamed down her eyes as she untied her seatbelt. Suddenly, the engine of the car blew and our car caught fire. The glass shards blew towards her. Few of which thrust through her arms and face. She screamed in agony and for help, feeling trapped. She felt her body burning. While the whole thing was happening, her side door opened and two hands grabbed her.
Amane's POV
Oni-chan…
Where are you…?
I left that hospital, even though I can still feel my whole body's pain. My bruises are swollen and my wounds are still fresh. Blood keeps on coming out of them. I clutch my injured leg as it ached for every step I took. The moon kept as my guide in dark places. I felt my head ached and leaned to a wall beside me.
Where is Ryou oni-chan? I want to see him! It's his birthday and I took mom to her death…
How will he ever forgive me?
Then, I grew familiar of the roads. The houses and the signs were very much printed in my memory. I've been here before. I know this place. This is the street where we live in. This is it! I never thought that I would really reach this place, but I did! I'm so happy, despite of all the agony and pain I feel!
I turned to the right and saw the large and famous Kaiba corporation. I look at the other street and saw at the end of the road my house!
"I'm home…" I whispered weakly.
I summoned my last remaining energy and ran towards the gates. The gates were unlocked and so I came in. I saw the white hair of my oni-chan and felt hope came back to me. I took a step and lost consciousness.
Oni-chan…
The early morning sun slowly lighten up the surroundings when I opened my eyes. I can feel the cold morning dew on our lawn. I lifted my face up and saw my brother still standing there on the stairs in front of our door. I stood up, still feeling my body ache all over. He looked at me.
I'm scared…
His beautiful, long, white hair…
Some strands that stood up…
That look he gave me…
The unusual red eyes glared down on me…
His face… his expression….
No sign… no sign of worry… happiness…anger
Oni-chan….
That terrifying aura he gives off…
He won't forgive me… ever…
I sobbed as I look up to him on the bottom of the stairs. I buried my face to my bruised hands.
Never… no… forgive…
I felt his hand pat my head and brush my messy waist-length black hair. I looked up again when I felt his hand leave my hair. I saw him climbing up the stairs.
"Oni-chan… wait…" I called to him.
He didn't stop. He opened the door and closed it as soon as he entered.
"No! He must be angry!" I whispered.
I ran towards the door and reached for the doorknob. As I enter, I heard my dad and oni-chan having a conversation.
"The funeral for them will take place later this morning," I heard my dad say with every note of sadness.
"I figured," came the reply of my oni-chan.
I saw dad look at him and say, "I'm sorry this has to happen on your birthday…"
"Amane-chan…" oni-chan started. I don't want my oni-chan to mention my name like that! It sounded so… so… sad… and dead! No! I wanted him to say Amane cheerfully! I covered my ears and ran to my room. I threw myself to my pillow and cried.
"Don't say my name like that oni-chan!"
I sat up and wiped my tears. Maybe oni-chan would be happy to see me clean! Maybe that's why he was so cold towards me minutes ago! I was always neat in front of him!
I took a bath and got myself my best dress. I covered my bruises with some Band-Aid. I headed for the lounge where oni-chan would be.
"Oni-chan!" I called.
I ran outside to mom's garden and saw him there. He turned to me as if feeling my presence.
"Oni-chan, look!" I grinned at him.
He continued to stare at me with those red eyes.
"Oni-chan…" I repeated, "don't be mad. I'm so sorry. I caused you so much sorrow." I tried to keep my tears from falling until he said…
"What are you doing here?" He said slowly and coldly.
I felt my tears streamed down my face, "Oni-chan, what do you mean? Aren't you happy to see me? Do you blame me for causing mommy's death?"
I ran towards him and hugged his waist, "Oni-chan! I'm so sorry! I know I shouldn't be alive but —"
Oni-chan suddenly interrupted me and said the most surprising statement.
"But you're not alive…"
"Oni-chan, I live. Look at me! I'm talking to you. I cry. I breathe. I feel pain. I feel!"
I chuckled, "I get it! You're making fun of me!"
He continued to stare down at me. "But I don't… I don't feel you at all."
"You…see me…"
He patted my head and turned.
"Oni-chan…" I whispered.
He turned again. His face back to normal. His eyes turned to the familiar brown again. He wiped his eyes and look past me. He…
He walked right through me.
I fall on my knees and sobbed. No! I'm not dead! Oni-chan's making fun of me! That oni-chan with red eyes… that oni-chan with red eyes…
I walked weakly to the house. I saw dad sitting on a couch with his eyes closed.
"Daddy!" I called to him. "Daddy! Oni-chan's making fun of me!"
He won't budge. He can't hear me. No one can hear me… 'cept oni-chan with red eyes.
How come? I asked myself. While I was thinking of that, I felt my oni-chan walked past me.
"ONI-CHAN!" I called once again. "Oni-chan! Answer me! Can't you hear me? Please… oni-chan…"
At that moment, the main door opened. I saw mommy's dead body… followed by mine…
No… this… can't be.
I ran upstairs to my room. I threw myself to my bed and cried.
Cried…
And cried…
And cried…
And if crying could kill, I'll be dead. Maybe for the second time…
Through my blurry vision, I managed to see a paper on top of my study table. I took it… and began to write.
Oni-chan,
Happy, happy birthday! I'm glad you reached this age! Mommy and daddy said you're sick. I knew they were joking!
I'll miss the times when you would hug me and watch over me in my sleep. I'll miss those smiles you always give me. The happy memories we shared together. The happy memories we treasured together.
Mom and I were about to go to buy you presents. I was about to give you a pretty li'l shell from Hawaii! I know you'll love it! It's adorable! It suits you, oni-chan!
The events that happened afterwards, oni-chan, is sad and painful. I'm regretful of persuading mommy. Please don't blame me. Please don't be mad at me.
Don't think of how I did this, oni-chan…
Live, oni. Live long and find yourself real friends! Be happy!
My love for you will always be…
Arigato!
Aishteru always,
Amane-chan
Two drops of tears fell over my letter. I heard the door opened and looked around. It's oni-chan. I paused and turned once more to my letter just to notice that my tears disappeared. And so did my fingers…
Then my arms…
Then my body…
Then my remaining life…
AN: Aiyah, spare me the flames! I dunno much 'bout Amane-chan. I dun know much 'bout funerals. Dun kill me for how Kura acted, dammit. Dun kill me for the bad grammar! Nooo! it's not my first language!
Anoo… what's the japanese for 'welcome back?'
And yeah, first post here in Yay for me! Please read and review.