Chapter 12 – The Reunion

The day for the autograph signing came, Shuichi arrived with Yumi just like he said he would. The line to meet the author was the longest line that he had ever seen. He couldn't help but thought that Yuki was an amazing person to have so many admirers.

"Shuichi, are you okay with this? I mean with Yuki?" Yumi asked the dazed Shuichi.

"Yeah, I'm cool. I've told you before that I'll be okay with this. Yuki and I…, we're over. There is nothing I can do or say to him and I have you now." He responded.

They were next in line, Yumi walked hand in hand with Shuichi to meet the author. Yuki looked up, his eyes wide opened as he stared at the couple in front of him, first at their hands, then up to meet Yumi. She greeted him with a smile. He trailed his eyes over to see Shuichi who quickly turned away and avoided his eye contact. He sighed and spoke to his younger cousin, "So, I guess you read the story?" She nodded her answer and Yuki asked again, "How did you like it?"

"I love it!" She said with her sweet, sweet voice. "It was a wonderful story. Somehow I felt a connection to this story like the name of the title, 'Reality'; it was more than dream or a fantasy; it made me felt like I was a part of it. I enjoyed it very much, but the ending was so sad, though."

"What if I tell you that the novel is based on a true story and the heroin is still waiting for her lover to find her?" Yuki asked his cousin and caught the corner of Shuichi's eyes looking at him painfully and again quickly rolled away.

"That would be so romantic if it is true, but a story is still just a story..." She continued and slipped a folded piece of paper to Yuki. He stared at it and didn't know what she was up to, but he accepted the paper and slid it into his pocket.

The young couple left right after the novelist signed his novel. Yumi held onto her possession, both the novel and Shuichi. She held tightly to his hand and thought to herself, 'The first step is completed.' She had decided to take K's advice and test her lover. Now it was time to move forward to the final step. "Shuichi, I would like to go to park tonight." She said to him.

"Tonight, why?"

"Just because…"

"Can you meet me there at eight o'clock? I have something that I must tell you."

"Couldn't you just say it to me now? Why at the park and at that time?" He asked.

"Just say yes… you'll know why when you get there, okay?" She pleaded.

"Okay."

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Night fell and the meeting time approached. Shuichi walked to the park and found Yumi sitting on the same bench with her head on her knees. He walked closer and found the concrete underneath her darken; it was moistened from her tears. "Yumi, what's wrong?" Shuichi sat next to her and wrapped her into his arms.

"Shuichi…"

"Yeah."

"Do you love me?" She asked still holding to her legs.

"I… I do." He said it with hesitation in his voice.

She dropped her legs and turned her body over. "Please tell me the truth… I need to know the truth…" She said as she buried her face in his chest. "I know that it was me who came on to you and it was me who said that I didn't mind to be second to Yuki, but…" She paused and looked up to meet his eyes. "But… I want to know how you feel about the whole situation. Can you really love me? Can you forget Yuki and move on?"

"Oh, Yumi… Please don't make it harder than it is. I'd already said that I'll never leave you." He responded.

"Yes… but this doesn't mean that you're happy with me. I want you to be happy. I don't want you to die."

"Die… What do you mean by that?" Shuichi asked confusingly.

"You're body may be with me, but your soul is dieing. You're draining and you don't even realize it." She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I don't want a body without its soul." She cried.

Shuichi squeezed her against him and fought his conscience, 'What can I say to her? It was my fault and not hers. I can't pursue Yuki after what I've done to her. It wouldn't be fair to her, but it's not fair to Yuki either. Why must this happen to me?'

Yumi released her arms and boldly she asked, "Shuichi, please kiss me…" His eyes immediately opened up unexpectedly. "You haven't kissed me since that night. If you love me then prove it to me. I need to know that you can accept me."

"Yumi… I."

"I must know." She pleaded.

Yumi looked beautiful with her eyes filmed with tears. This made him remembered the same pair of eyes that night; the night that he made love to his long lost lover. She was also crying demanding to know his true feelings. He lifted the chin of his present lover, 'I must do this. This is the right thing to do.' He leaned forward. She kept her eyes opened to capture this moment. Slowly he braced her lips and she locked them together. Suddenly, he felt an electricity shock ran down his body and he drew back gasping for air. His heart raced; it pounded harder and quicker. 'What's this? I'm perspiring.' He breathed heavily as he saw Yumi's shock response; her eyes trailed off to a distance. He turned around to see what she was looking at and saw someone that he didn't expected. "Yuki." He whispered.

Yuki was standing under a tree observing them. It was a dark night, but Shuichi could swear that he saw those golden eyes turned misty. Yuki turned and walked away. Shuichi automatically called his name, "Yuki! NO!"

"Go to him…" Yumi said.

"What?" His voice was low and she could barely hear it. "But, I can't, not after what I'd done to you." His eyes started to glow as he dropped his head and stared at the cold concrete of the gloomy park's atmosphere.

"Nothing happened. This is what I wanted to tell you that nothing happen." She said.

"Nothing…? No, but we were naked in bed." He argued.

"Yes." She agreed. "But, all we did was kissing. You're alcohol took over before anything else happened and you slept like a log until morning." She paused and looked away, "It was selfishness on my part. I wanted you to think that something did happened, so that you can forget about Yuki and move on with me, but… I was wrong. You can't forget him. I'm so sorry…"

"Yumi… No, I'm sorry." He apologized for not returning her feelings.

She shook her head and smiled, "Go! He needs you."

Shuichi ran as fast as he could. He spotted Yuki walking toward his car and screamed his heart out, "YUKKKIIIII!"

Yuki turned around and saw the young vocalist approaching him closer and closer. His eyes narrowed and his heart felt contented. He wanted to see those beautiful eyes again. He wanted to see them sparkled and focused only on him. He smiled as the young boy ran to him. "Shuichi…" He whispered as he opened his arms waiting for his lover to jump into his embrace.

Before Shuichi was able to reach his long lost lover, he was struck down by a familiar sound; thunder stroke, "BANG!"

"NOOO!" Yuki screamed. He ran to the young boy. "Shuichi!" He held the boy in his arms and squeezed his body as a dark fluid gushed out and stained his hands. "NO!"

"Yuki." Shuichi managed to get his attention. "I want to know… do you love me?" He asked.

"Yes… I do. I love you. I love you so much." Yuki cried.

"Then why? Why did you avoid me all this time?"

"I was scared. I didn't understand. Your eyes stirred up something deep inside of me, but I couldn't grasp it. I was confused. They were so beautiful, but at the same time, they were so terrifying. They looked so frightened whenever you looked at me, so I became hesitant. I wanted to remember, but at the same time I didn't want to hurt you, so I stayed away."

"They were frightening because of you; the fear of losing you was too much to bear in our past life. In the present, they were also frightening because you; the fear of your rejection made them burst out in tears. I've promised to find you and I longed to be with you. Though, I may not have realized it, but when we first met, somehow my feelings were trying to reach you, but instead it scared you away."

"I'm sorry… I should have remembered."

"No, please don't…" Shuichi said breathlessly. "I've finally found you… I love you so… so… so… much…" He blacked out and he collapsed in his lover's arms.

"Brat! No! Shuichi!" Yuki screamed as he clung tighter onto the lifeless body. "No, not now… I remember. I need you!"

Yuki sat with his lover in his arms. He couldn't move from the spot; he just couldn't believe what just happened. After all this time, He had finally regained his lost memories and his lover found him, why must they be part again? "Why!" He cried.

Foot steps approached the two silent lovers. Yuki looked up to found his cousin and an American with her. She smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Everything is alright. You'll see." She said softly.

"Yes… It's all part of the plan." The American smirked.

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Four Hours Later
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Yuki stared at the young boy lying on his bed. The boy was the most beautiful being that he had ever seen. He caressed the boy's face. "Please wake up. I need to know that you're okay." He whispered into the boy's ear.

Shuichi gradually woke up and slowly opened his eyes. "Where am I? Is this heaven?" He asked.

"Brat! You're okay!" Yuki exhaled his relief as he dropped his head down and gently kissed the soft lips before him.

"Yuki? Are you dead too?" Shuichi asked confusingly.

"No. You're still alive and I'm alive. We're both living." He responded.

"But, I thought…"

"It was Yumi; she planned this. She and her friend K got us together. The bullet that shot you was filled with some kinda weird morphine or sleeping potion. I don't know exactly what happened, but that's what K said and he said that you'll be fine."

"I'm so glad!"

"Yah."

"Yuki?" The boy sat up on his lover's bed and looked into his golden eyes. He reached up to hold his lover's face in his hands. "You're real! This is not a dream."

"No." Yuki quickly embraced the boy in his arms. An indescribable feeling of happiness filled his heart as he whispered, "Shuichi… I've waited for so long… my heart still belongs to you… and only you."

Shuichi wrapped his arms around his lover's neck. Tears of joy started to roll down his face as he pressed his lips against his destine love. "I've found you."

A smallest of a smile found Yuki's lips and his eyes were no longer cold. Shuichi glittered in happiness and his eyes were no longer terrified. They clung onto each other's warmth and blissfully found satisfaction.

…The End…