A/N: Why can't you put periods in chapter titles?
-November 11, 2013-
(Rikuchi)
...
...
...I feel...different...
I think I was...catching fireflies...and then...pain.
The pain's gone now, but my body...it doesn't feel right. It's lighter, and I can't feel the ground...
...The police are here, talking over me. They're ignoring my questions.
There's a scream.
Kana?
Kana, what's wrong? Kana?!
...She ran off. I guess I'll...follow...her...
...What...?
Rikuchi stared at the body lying in front of him. His body. Looking at his hands, then back to the body, suddenly the strange feeling and officers ignoring him made a lot more sense.
Shaking off his shock, he turned and headed in the direction Kanade went. Moving took some getting used to, but he was quickly able to get the basics of floating and moving. Eventually, he reached the Otonokoji home and started searching for Kanade, and he found her in the backyard, crying and talking to Shiro, her family's White Shepard. Worried, he moved closer so he could hear her.
"*Sniff* It's not fair! Why do I have to get the short end of the stick all the time! First Mom gets custody of me even though she neglects me, then I lose the only friend I have! Why me?! What did I do?! *Sob* Shiro...you and Dad are the only people I have now...but I almost never see Dad and I'm not allowed to be near you, so most of the time, it was just me...but that was fine, because Rikuchi cared! He cared about me and was with me for every step of the way but now...he's gone..."
Kanade continued to cry, talking about how unfair her life was and how unlucky she's been, calling the day her worst birthday ever. Rikuchi frowned. He hated seeing her like this. It was the same way he saw the day they became friends, sad and lonely. "Kana," he mumbled lowly. He wanted to let her know he was there, like all those years before. He knew it was futile, but he kept trying, calling her name louder and louder. He froze when he saw her take a knife out of the kitchen. She was trembling as she scribbled out a note and when she put the knife up to her throat. He had to stop her. He screamed her name again and again, begging for her to stop. Shiro was still outside, trying and failing to get in, as she had closed the doggy door to prevent him from doing anything. Rikuchi glanced at him for a second, and Shiro was looking right back at him, dead in the eye. That was all the proof he needed to know that he could be seen. Kanade had the knife less than an inch from her throat, but was hesitating to actually commit suicide. This was his chance. He needed to reach her, no matter what. He screamed and shouted over and over, wishing from the bottom of his (figurative) heart for her to hear him.
"KANADE!"
And finally, Rikuchi's voice was heard.
And Kanade dropped the knife.