Bittersweet Chapter 29

YAAAY! I actually have a plot for the next four chapters after this. Yup, that's right, I'm extending it by 5 chapters + an epilogue after long thought. It's actually going to conclude! Ohemgee! I mean, when I started this I had no idea. Literally. I was bored so I created the first chapter of around 800 words, and gradually built up on it, blah I'll spare you the story guys. BUT NOW I (and hopefully you guys will figure it out soon) KNOW WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN! Yeaaaah. Let's be sure of one thing. No one is dying, I think that would just dampen the mood on this fanfic. No one is going anywhere (apart from Azusa and Ran) so don't worry. Plus I bet a load of you were mindblown about the crazy torched guy being a relation to Yoshikazu and the cursed bloodline..

"...and Byakudon High...St Cross...Pollawina...four of them."

Ayumi had not given up on finding out the connection between the four schools burnt down so far, and wasn't about to for anyone. It annoyed Yoshiki slightly that she spent a lot of her time just researching and writing, pointlessly, and didn't focus on other things. Sure the whole matter was important and interesting, but hello, it was their futures he wanted her to think about, not the CTG and Heavenly Host. He knew that she hadn't even asked her parents if she could move it yet, even though she had brought most of her stuff over and slept at his most nights and at weekends. But, who was he do talk about parents anyway? They'd probably got the message by now and had stopped asking her daughter questions, since She was 17 after all, old enough and independent to live by herself, especially with him who was used to living without parents. Surely she'd move in properly soon...

"Yosh," she called him over using her pet name for him. "Do you recognise any of these schools?"

"Well duh," he said, walking over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked over at it. "They've all been burnt down."

"I know that. Anything else?"

"Saint cross school, that's where Azusa came from, am I right?"

"Yes," Ayumi replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the mention of the transfer students name.

"Uh, I have to tell you something then, if it's going to help you get through this..."

Ayumi blinked at him rapidly, with fear and interest in the cool, clear eyes. She dreaded to think what was coming next, sincerely hoping it was nothing about the two new pretty girls.

"Er, ok."

"Azusa and Ran did the charm and came to Heavenly Host with us. The followed me and managed to escape some how, using the last of Yuki's spirit energy in order to."

"Oh, right." she replied, breathing a huge sigh of utter relief. That's how he knew them, they weren't his ex's. Thinking about it they wouldn't really consider Yoshiki a potential boyfriend, being a delinquent and all. "That explains everything."

"But, what I've thought about it more, Ayumi," he mused. "That's why Heavenly Host collapsed, because they used up all her energy. She couldn't rebuild it after we appeased Sachiko!"

"How long did you know this!?"

"Erm, I've just been mulling it over in the nights your not here. I wasn't sure about my theory though..."

"Your amazing!" She declared, hugging him on the spot. "Maybe this will relate to the Crazy Torched Guy and Yoshikzu's cursed bloodline, and help with the eternal collapse of Heavenly Host!"

"Ha..."

He couldn't help gazing at her joyful eyes, reminding herself how much this would mean to her if people remembered her lost friends and got their memories back. It would be very convenient, Yoshiki thought, but it would take a lot of effort for that to actually happen. He didn't think he would be able to do something like that, he had no idea where to start, but maybe Hinoe could help Ayumi. Of course Yoshiki didn't know all about Ayumi's visit to Ai's, all that he knew was that she helped her find out how to cure her bloodline. With that subject springing to mind as they happily embraced, Yoshiki decided to bring it up.

"Hey, did you get any further with breaking your curse?"

"Yeah, I gathered some stuff mentioned in the book..." Ayumi disappeared momentarily, returning with the hefty, thick paged book and various objects piled on top of it. She was about to put it on the table where Yoshiki was standing by, but tripped over, everything flying out of her arms. "Ack!" she yelled, hitting her arm on the floor clumsily. Ugh, she was never like this, it was Satoshi's job to be the one falling over all the time!

"Ayumi!" Yoshiki instantly rushed over to help her up, grabbing her by her hands and hoisting her back up. "Geez, you scared me there, be careful!"

"Ugh...Sorry."

"Are you hurt?"

"Your supposed to say that before you tell me to be careful!"

"Sorry...What did you trip on anyway?"

Yoshiki kneeled down on the floor, instantly spotting some sort of photos album Ayumi must of dropped. It wasn't him; he didn't like keeping stuff like that. Ayumi must have brought it over yesterday when she had gone to pick stuff up from her house.

"Oh, that's just an album. From this year, actually, though there's parts from decades ago hidden by my sister at the back."

"What do you need that for?"

"Evidence of the curse being done. I think my sister put a copy of our family tree in there as well as some old pictures with the men with their faces scribbled out."

"Can I see?"

Ayumi nodded, although she didn't see why he wanted to see those pictures. However, if they were going to break this curse together, she'd have to let him do a little bit of what he wanted. They sat on the couch and she opened the book, opening it on the page which stated the very start if the year when they had first formed the class 2-9. It was a picture of their classmates, them and the teachers. Where Mayu, Seiko, Morishige and Ms Yui once smiled was replaced with a dull black hole. Yoshiki quickly skipped past the page, not wanting Ayumi to relive any memories, and stopped on a page that didn't have any of the deceased on. It was a photo, much more recent, of the four friends at the pier, on the beach, before Ayumi had her vision and the day was ruined. Yoshiki was taking the picture, so his head looked really big, making him cringe just looking at himself. Ayumi had a hand playfully on his shoulder and was smiling, totally relaxed and happy to be by his side. Naomi was sat on the picnic blanket, posing sillily for the camera, where was Satoshi was not paying attention to the fact his photo was being taken, and he had his moth wide open, ready to eat an apple. That was typical of him.

"It seemed like such a long time ago, yet it was only a couple of months." Ayumi sighed, stroking the photo fondly.

"I love it though, Ayumi. Especially you, of course, you look so pretty in a swim suit..."

"Are you saying I'm not pretty when I'm not in a swim suit?"

"Eh, I just like you better that way!" he chuckled, turning the page again. This one was purely pictures of Ayumi and Hinoe. At the shops, trying out spirit items, smiling, laughing, no tension between them at all. Ayumi's heart sank as she saw each photo. She had been drifting away from her sister ever since she started dating Yoshiki, spending less and less time with her whether it be spirit related or not. She missed that closeness they had, before she felt that she could tell her anything without a doubt, but now there was more tension and silence between them now that Ayumi knew about the curse. And, of course, the fact that Ayumi was still with Yoshiki. Yoshiki glanced at her girlfriend, guessing what she was thinking about and felt sorry for her. He put an arm around her consolingly and turned the page yet again.

"Look, it's going to be hard to break your curse alone," he started, stroking the loose strands of hair away from her face. "You need your sister."

"I know..." she whispered. "I don't even think she knows that we are going to try and break it yet!"

"Then why don't your go home for a bit," he suggested, taking the album, book and various objects and stuffing them into Ayumi's school bag. "Ask your sister for some advice, and maybe it won't be so awkward between you."

"Yeah, sis has always forgiven me whenever we rarely had an argument."

"Then go!"

"You don't want me to stay here, do you?" she said, biting her lip.

"I do, but take this opportunity to say your moving in with...your smart and very good looking as well as heroic, awesome and practically irresistible boyfriend. Plus it's a step further to breaking the curse, I guess..." he laughed with a smug smirk.

"Haha as if. Dequlient, rude, rough... That's why I like you!"

"Those are the exact reasons why you didn't like me."

"..."

She was silenced by Yoshiki's soft lips, making her blush, but reach for his warm cheeks. Now, she was determined just to focus on breaking the curse, to make sure their precious relationship didn't break, or worse, be torn apart by death. Although Yoshiki didn't think so, Ayumi was thinking of her future, and it was very clear to her already what she wanted to do.

Eventually after a long kiss, Ayumi managed to drag her face away from his, making him chuckle slightly at her reluctance.

"See you later?"

"I don't know how long ill be..."

"I'll have food for you when you get back, 'Kay?"

"Yup. Don't you dare burn it Yoshiki or your dead!"

"Eh?"

Ayumi left the flat, her bag heavy with all the stuff she had in it as Yoshiki watched on, his eyes shining. They would break the curse. Ayumi would have a future, hopefully, with him...

"Another message...My, you've got lots of time to spare today Seiko!"

Another aeroplane had just passed through the window, with more scribbles from Seiko on the back. Her replies were usually short and not descriptive, but after all she was dead, so it wouldn't be too easy to write, especially in a place like Heavenly Host Elementary! This message read:

'Collapsing, need to seal it off. Talk to Ayumi soon she knows but she won't don't do it. Fighting her own demons right now. Love you, S'

Fighting her own demons right now...

Naomi wondered what Seiko meant, but whatever it was it seemed to be important. She quickly texted Ayumi, who she presumed was still at Yoshiki's. Now reply came back, so she reckoned she was probably busy with Yoshiki or something. Naomi would have to wait until tomorrow, Friday, at school unless she texted back later to talk to her. Picking up a pencil, she wrote a quick reply.

'Right, I will do! Can I talk to Mayu and Morishige like this too?"

She threw it out of the window. After a few short minutes if came back, hitting Naomi squarely on the nose with strange precision.

"Not you. One for each apart from Yuka who has Kurosaki."

One each. Did that mean everyone had a person, now spirit, each to write to? If that was the case, Ayumi would definitely have Ms Yui as they were quite close, but what about the boys? Yoshiki and Morishige weren't the closest but Mayu was closer to Satoshi then Yoshiki. Plus, who was Kurozaki? She had so much things to think about that she didn't even notice her mother walk in whilst she was writing yet another message.

"Darling, what are you writing?" she asked, coming to sit down on the bed with her.

"A message to...a friend."

"On an aeroplane?"

"Yes, that's the only way."

"Right...Anyway, I'd like you to come downstairs and help me clean up the kitchen if you will. And I think you have Science homework to do as well!"

"Yes mum..." she replied with a loud groan, throwing the folded paper out of her window, not bothering to watch it drift away into the sky and following her mother reluctantly. "I'm coming!"

Yup. Stuff is going to happen SOON