Chapter 11 – The Novel of the Past

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One Week Ago (After Yuki left Shuichi to meet Touma)
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Yuki walked heavily to spring the door of his brother-in-law's office open. "Touma, tell me what happened!" He demanded.

"This is a surprise. Why so late?"

"Don't play games with me you asshole! Tell me what happened six years ago." Yuki took Touma by his collar and pulled him up from his desk.

"Why are you curious now? You were never interested in it before?"

"I must know. There is someone that I must figure out…"

"You had a car accident." Touma started.

"I know that. What are the missing pieces of my memories?"

"Haven't they come back to you yet? I thought that they should have come back to you by now."

"No." Yuki replied and looked away for a second, 'Have they?'

Touma observed his brother-in-law's silence and frankly he filled in the gap of his missing memories. "Your memories of our past life… You were a woman. You and I, we were engaged and were about to wed, but…"

"But what?"

"You never love me, just like in our present life; you couldn't love me or anyone else. You sealed off your heart just like you promised him. You promised to wait for him and until he finds you; you'll never open your heart for anyone else. He is the only key to open your heart."

"Don't give me such bullshit!"

"What a stupid promise!" Touma ignored his brother-in-law's attitude and continued. "Because of this promise, you've became cold and the total opposite of whom I remembered. You used to be just… the opposite."

"Shuichi." The name suddenly slipped out of Yuki's lips.

"Yes, the first day that I met him, I knew that he was the key to your heart, but I didn't have the courage to accept it. After Mika told me how disoriented you've became lately, I've couldn't stand it anymore. That's why I gave you his song; the lyrics of his song reminded me of your promise and I was hoping that you could remember him."

'This all sound familiar.' Yuki thought. "My story…" Since the day that Yuki meet the pink haired vocalist; his head was constantly in pain. While he was writing his latest novel, images from nowhere appeared before him and he wrote them down bit by bit, formulated them into his story.

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Present Time
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Hiro and Suguru had announced their new relationship. Shuichi and Yumi had also been seeing each other. Shuichi felt responsible for what happened and asked her out. He appeared to be happy, but she could see that he was still troubled inside.

'Should I ask him?' Yumi thought to herself. She had been coming to see Shuichi everyday after school and he walked her home every night after practice. She looked through the glass wall and saw that Shuichi laughing with his friends. He had been very cheerful since that night at the pool party and had not even mention once about Yuki.

"Yo!" K greeted Yumi in the studio. "What's wrong? You looked weary?"

"I…" She started.

"Is it about Shuichi?"

"Yes." She replied half heartedly. "The pool party…" The words slipped out of her pink lips.

"Darn it! I'm still pissed that I'd missed that party! Mr. Sakano and I had to work on the production issue of our up coming album and we couldn't make it. I wished that I was there. It appeared that everyone had so much fun." He paused for a second examining her sad face. "Why are you spacing out? You've got what you wanted. Aren't you happy with Shuichi?"

"Huh?" She wasn't listening.

"Do you need any help?" K asked.

"Help?"

"Yes. What is it do you want? I can help you if you tell me what's on your mind." K explained.

"I want to know what Shuichi is thinking right now."

"What do you mean?" K asked with a frown.

"I want to know if he could seriously take me into his heart. I've told him that I don't mind being inferior to Yuki, but I want to know if he could love me. He hadn't spoken about Yuki since the party, but he hadn't said that he loves me either, nor even kiss me for the matter."

"Well, we could test him."

"How?"

"What will you do if the test result is not in your favor? There is a fifty-fifty chance here. Are you going to gamble? If he chooses Yuki; will you give up on him?"

"If he doesn't love me, then he should be with Yuki. I don't want to burden him or force him to be with me just because he thinks that he's responsible for what happened."

"Alright, then here is what you need to do….." K whispered into her ears.

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Shuichi walked Yumi home as usual. "Yumi, do you mind if we take a detour to the park?"

"No." She replied.

They walked along the concrete path until Shuichi found the bench where he first saw Yuki. They approached the beach and sat down for a breather.

"Shuichi?"

"Yeah."

"There is an autograph signing on Monday, could you come with me?"

"Sure, what's it for?"

"It's a new romance novel that was just released on Friday. I'd bought a copy and read it. The story was amazing, but the ending was so depressing."

"What it's about?" Shuichi asked while staring at the spot where Yuki was standing when they first met.

Yumi started to summarize the novel.

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The story took place thirty years ago in an unknown town lived a beautiful young girl in a wealthy family. She was the older of the two sisters. She had a younger sister that looked exactly like her named Naomi. Naomi was in love with a young man that they grew up together, but the young man was in love with the older sister and asked for her hand in marriage. Their parents accepted the wedding proposal and arranged for the older sister to marry her best friend, Tomo.

The older sister didn't love Tomo and was confused. One day she went to the confession booth to ask the priest (father) for advice, but her confession reached another young man who happened to be cleaning the booth at the time. He was stunned to hear such a beautiful voice on the opposite side, but didn't know who she was. After the confession he followed her to the front of the courtyard where she was admiring the lovely spring flowers. He fell in love with her at first sight; her beautiful long blonde hair blowing in the air and her smile captured his heart. He approached her with a daisy and said, "This is you."

She looked at the flower questionably, "A daisy?"

He replied, "Yes, simple, yet warm and gentle and the most beautiful of them all."

She blushed at his comment and looked up to meet his dark amethyst eyes; it was the most attractive eyes she had ever seen. He gave a grand smile and made her heart raced. From that day, they would often meet at the church. She learned that he was an orphan and he lived in a nearby orphanage. He would come by every weekend to help clean the church as a gratitude for their donation and support to the orphanage. He was a year older than her. He learned that she came from a wealthy family and was about to be wed to the most prosperity family in town. She was out of his reach, so he kept quiet.

A week before her wedding she asked him to meet her at a park nearby during a late night. She confessed her love to him and asked the older man before her if he felt the same. He refused her, "I can't."

"Why?" She asked. "Is it because you don't love me or is there something else." Her golden eyes narrowed as tears fell from her lovely face.

He reached out his hand to wipe her tears and caressed her gorgeous sad face. She stood on her feet tippy-toed and pressed her lips against his. He was so overjoyed with the sudden aggressiveness and immediately held onto her body tightly as he deepened the kiss. He sank deeper into her mouth exchanging his warmth for her. They melted away underneath the moonlight, on top of the grassy cushion and continued kissing. Little by little, they moved forward touching and sliding their hands underneath each other clothing. They made love; it was the most breath taking moment that they shared in and on each other skins. "Oh… Yumi-chan." The young man groaned. "Shu-kun." The young woman whimpered his name in their kiss.

The young man stood up on his hands, over his lover's body and smiled. "I love you." He said as he ran his fingers into her bright silky blonde hair.

She smiled back, "Please take me with you."

"Where?"

"Anywhere, as long as I am with you; I'll be happy wherever we go." Her words were sweet and gentle. "I'll be yours and only yours. My heart belongs to you. My body belongs to you. Every part of me is yours to take. Please…take me away… one more time..." He melted in her words as they continued sharing their body underneath the bright moon. "Shu-kun… please don't stop…" She moaned.

The night fell dark as they clothed themselves and exchanged glances of happiness. They had made plan to meet each other again tomorrow night and leave town together. Yumi came home and told her younger sister about her plan and wish Naomi luck with Tomo.

Naomi couldn't help but to call Tomo and let him know what was happening

The next night came and it was a foggy and gloomy night. Shu-kun waited for his lover underneath the tree where they agreed to meet. A body emerged from no where and stood before him, "Are you going to take her away?" The manly figure asked.

"Who are you?" The younger man asked.

"I'm Yumi's fiancé, Tomo and I'm not going to let you take her away from me!" The man walked up closer. He was older than Shu-kun with fade blonde hair and green eyes; the coldest pair of eyes that Shu-kun had ever seen. He looked like he was going to kill someone. "I've known her for years and I love her. How can she be in love with you? She had only seen you for just a few weeks."

Yumi came at a distance and saw Tomo and her lover staring at each other. Then she caught Tomo holding something behind his back. 'No…' She thought as she ran as fast as she could and shouted, "Shu-kun!"

Yumi found her way in front of her lover and instantaneously the sound of thunder stroke, "BANG!"

"NO!" Tomo screamed.

She collapsed in her lover's arms as she reached up to touch her lover's face. "I'm sorry…" She coughed. "If I hadn't existed, then you and Tomo wouldn't…"

Tomo stood frozen, dazed at what was happening in front of him. 'What have I done?'

Shu-kun embraced his lover in his arms, squeezing her body tightly against his chest, "No, you're the best thing that ever happened to me." He said as his arms soaked in her blood. "It's me, it's my fault, I couldn't… NO! Please god, don't take her away from me!" He sobbed.

"Shu-kun… Please don't hate him; it's my fault…" She whispered into his ear. "He did this for me because he loved me… Please love… forgive and forget…"

"Don't leave me!" He screamed louder, feeling his lungs squeezed for air.

"I only wished that we had more time together." She said softly. "Don't be sad. Death does not part us; we'll always be together if not in body then in spirits. I'll always be with you."

"No, I cannot live without you. Please wait for me. I'll come with you shortly." He stuttered his words onto her lips, kissing them, and licking her tears with his; bitterness was all he felt.

"No, please live on for me… Remember if one doesn't treasure its own existence then, it shall not continue to exist. Please live on… If there is another life, then I promise to wait for you. You must live on…" She clung closer to his chest. "My heart belongs to you and only you… I will shut it away and only open it to you." She coughed out blood and continued slowly, "I'll wait for you… No matter where… No matter when… No matter how long… I'll wait for you."

"I'll find you, wherever you may be." Shu-kun agreed. "Even if it takes the rest of eternity."

She tilted her head up wanting to see her lover's beautiful eyes one last time as she said her last words on earth, slowly. "I'll wait for you… for only you… Please… find… me."

"No!" He screamed and the last thing she was able to grasp was his eyes; they were the most terrifying sight that she had ever seen, so frighten that it took away her last breath away...

"NO! NO! NO!" Shu-kun kept on refusing his lover's death and shook her body hastily.

After what seemed to be no more hope, he sharply stared at Tomo.

Tomo's heart was also broken. He was jealous so jealous that he was about to kill the most important person that Yumi loved. Instead he failed and killed the most important person that he loved. There was nothing that he could do now that could help her or her lover. He wanted to die. He placed his gun on this temple.

Shu-kun angrily kicked the gun away and shouted into his face, "She asked me to forgive you! She asked me to forget! And now you're going to waste your life! No! You need to live on and atone for your sin. You need to live with this sin for the rest of your miserable life!" At that he left Tomo and cradled the body of his lover up in his arms. Slowly, they disappeared into the dark.

"I will live on… and I promise to help you find your happiness in another life… if there is another life… Yumi… YUMI!" Tomo screamed and his life was considered dead from this point on.

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"It's an amazing story. I've never read anything like this before. It felt so real like I was there myself, but of course the Yumi in the story couldn't be me." She said.

Shuichi froze from the moment that Yumi started the story. All his dreams were now connecting together; flashback memories of his past life came clear as day and a chill ran down his spine. Yumi was the name of his lover. He had promised to find her. Tomo was his rival; those same green eyes belong to Touma. He turned over to meet Yumi's eye. He felt no connection with her. 'This Yumi is not my Yumi. My Yumi… The Yumi… that I need to find… is Yuki…' He thought to himself and felt bitter. 'But, I can't be with him not anymore, not after what I've done.'

"Can you believe it?" Yumi started to observe Shuichi's reaction. "This story was written by Eiri Yuki."

Shuichi immediately looked away and cupped his face into his hand to hide away his tears. The name echoed into his head. Eiri Yuki. Eiri Yuki. 'My Eiri Yuki…'