Life force part 3

After another hour of sitting in the coffee shop, arguing with Kanae and setting things up in case she died, Kyoko was strolling down the streets of Tokyo. She had the day off and had originally meant to go shopping for food. Those plans had changed when she'd awoken from her dream in a cold sweat and unable to force anything down.

Not that food will matter much. thought Kyoko. She was unsure how close the vision was to the present. It could be a few days, or even a year before she died. In the dream, she had appeared around the same age as she was now, but appearances could be deceiving when one was a ghost. Kyoko had quite a few conversations with women who had died in their 60's yet looked like middle school children as they haunted the streets.

Kyoko remembered a particular spirit with fondness, the woman one of her first friends. An 'imaginary' friend, her mother had called it. Kyoko had talked to the woman for hours, listening to all sorts of stories and laughing together. The friendship hadn't lasted long, however, as Kyoko's mother had put an end to it. She'd also told Kyoko to stop or else Kyoko would go without food for the day. Again.

And so had begun her spiraling tale of desertion and betrayal at the hands of her abilities. Saena Mogami had been person to burn Kyoko with their scorn, but she hadn't been the last. Classmates, random people in the streets. Shotarou. Each had eventually left her because of her abilities… all save Kanae.

I wonder if Ren would have been different. Had he met me when I was alive. Would he have scorned me as well?

Something flashed in Kyoko's head. She winced, one eye open as she watched a bill fluttering on the side walk in front of her. It swept through someone that walked in front of her, vanishing a second later.

Kyoko stopped, watching that same spot as people passed by, a few murmuring for her to stop blocking the path. But she kept waiting. Watching and then…

There!

It was the bill again, fluttering to the ground. This time she saw where it had come from. It had slipped from the pocket of a woman who was hurrying down the street, yacking away on her cell.

Kyoko quickly scooped up the money, briefly noting it was a 10,000-yen bill. In a few quick steps, she reached the woman, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," said Kyoko. "You dropped this."

"What!?" snapped the woman. "Can't you see that I'm- oh!" Her eyes widened as she saw the bill, patting her pocket quickly. "Shoot, where did it - Did you take my wallet?"

"Excuse me?"

"My wallet!" snapped the woman. "I had it here a second ago. Were you trying to steal my money?"

"I'm trying to return your money," said Kyoko, holding up the bill. "I saw that you dropped this."

The woman snatched the bill, still eying Kyoko with distrust as she shoved it into her bag and then walked away.

Kyoko just shook her head, wondering why she kept hoping for a different result. What was it Kanae kept saying? 'She was optimistic to the point of stupidity?'

She's not entirely wrong.

Her eyes focused on her surroundings and Kyoko gasped, realizing where she was.

She stood outside his building. Ren's. The place where he worked. It was a tall structure, each story walled in blue tinted glass windows that shimmered in the light. Kyoko remained rooted as she stared, soaking in the details. She recognized the covered entrance, the valet parking, heck even the doorman dressed in his business black. It all screamed to her the reality of her dream and the inevitability. She had been passing his workplace every day for years, never knowing the person that worked inside!

As she continued to stare, a certain black vehicle approached the separate valet entrance. She immediately recognized the license plate.

Ren.

And there he was, stepping out of the car with the grace of a model. He looked as handsome in person as he had in her dream. Dark hair artfully fell in front of his eyes, highlighting a straight nose the Greeks would be envious of. His every angle of both body and face were lines of perfection, strong and sharp. Surrounded by a few other businessmen, his height was more apparent as he towered over them.

She soaked up these details and more, staring across the entrance. She watched as he dropped his keys in the hands of the valet, noting the flash of his cufflinks in the bright sun. Cufflinks his father had given to him as a graduation present.

I need to talk to him.

The thought jerked her back to the present. He was starting to walk away. To enter the building. She might not get another chance.

She took a step forward - then stopped dead.

What was she going to say? What could she say? That she had seen their future in a dream? She knew what would happen if she told him the truth. If she told him about her dream. He'd think her insane. Unbalanced.

She'd heard those words and so much worse time and time again. Endured it from strangers, from family and friends, but to hear it from Ren?

She took another step. Then another. Like a string pulling her forward, it ignored all her internal fears and whisperings that this could not go well. Yet she had to press forward. To see him, talk to him. Something. Anything.

Someone brushed past her.

Images flooded her vision. A man dressed in a business suit. A briefcase. The ticking of a clock inside, wired to homemade explosives. The timer reached zero and the building ignited as a consuming fire took the lives of thousands.

Including Ren's.

Kyoko didn't even think. The second her vision returned to the present, she wrenched the briefcase from the man. He yelled for her to stop, but she was already gone.

She sprinted down the street, hugging the briefcase to her chest. She felt each imagined tick of the clock that was already set. Already activated. She had to get it away. To get somewhere where there were less people. Less casualties.

Kyoko bawled people over, hollered for them to move. Most didn't, forcing Kyoko to push past them. She careered into a large man, bouncing off his huge girth. Her shoulder slammed into the ground, concrete biting her skin. She rolled out of the fall and continued onward, heart hammering.

Where could she go? Everywhere she looked there were more people. More potential deaths. She could see the headlines for tomorrow. Terrorist attack on streets from suicidal madwomen. The police would think she had done it out of anger, revenge on the world that had rejected her. Only Kanae would think otherwise – oh Kanae. Her friend was going to kill her.

A hysterical laugh burst from Kyoko. She swallowed it down before it could turn into sobs and blur her vision. Now was not the time to reminisce. She had just thought of a place to go. Where she could place the bomb. She must have instinctively known to run in this direction for she was almost there.

Her feet pounded the concrete as it changed from sidewalk to brick. It was a smaller bridge that passed over a river, connecting two different parts of the city. This would be the best place.

A shout caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder and her stomach plummeted.

The man was still following her, a silver knife in his hand.

Kyoko sped up, the footfalls behind her growing closer. She was almost to the middle of the bridge.

Kyoko swung the briefcase back, then hurtled it forward as her fingers released their hold. The case arched high into the air, reaching its peak before it started to descend.

Pain erupted in Kyoko's back. It was hot, searing as she stumbled forward.

Everything exploded.

Kyoko found herself on the ground, the world white. Her ears were ringing, brain disoriented. The metallic taste of blood was sharp in her mouth. She couldn't think. Couldn't register what had happened. There were other sounds. Other shapes and things moving around her, but she couldn't see them. Couldn't concentrate. Her head was still spinning.

At least… I'll get to see Him again.

As something loomed over her, Kyoko closed her eyes, descending into darkness.

Kyoko woke up.

That alone wasn't what surprised her. She had expected there to be some sort of awakening. Some sort of moment where she came back into consciousness. What surprised her was the accompanying feelings that greeted her. The sensations.

She felt stiff, a discomfort originating from somewhere on her upper back. As she inhaled – something no spirit should ever need to do – smells assaulted her nose. The sharp scent of antiseptic was heavy, along with bleach and clean linens. What was going on?

Kyoko opened her eyes.

A white pocketed ceiling greeted her. A fan turned lazily, blowing a soft breeze onto her face from where it sat in a corner. Different needles and tubes stuck out of her arm, a machine monitoring her vitals. She was in a hospital.

Kyoko squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. Nope, still in the hospital bed. Dividing sheets lined around her, ending at the foot of the bed. Her eyes continued to trail around, freezing at what she saw.

Ren was there.

He was seated, head down as he read from a book. One hand rested on the side table, cupping what appeared to be a covered cup of coffee.

She must have made a noise, for he looked up.

"You're awake."

Kyoko continued to stare as he closed his book, casually taking a drink from his cup. What was Ren doing here? Why wasn't she dead? This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to die and then haunt him.

She wanted to speak his name. To reach for his hand and hold it to her heart, but she held back, knowing he would pull away. He didn't know her. Didn't know their future, if it was still their future. Somehow, everything had changed. She hadn't died.

Ren placed the cup down, now giving Kyoko his full attention. She stared back at him, sure the extreme confusion she felt was written all over her face.

He looked well.

That thought managed to break through her stupor. There were no dark circles or tiredness that hung from his shoulders. He sat straight in his chair, though there was something off. A hesitance. Yes, that was it. When had she ever seen Ren look unsure of something?

"How are you feeling?" he asked. "I can grab the nurse if you're in pain."

"I'm fine," said Kyoko, then winced when pain shot through her chest.

Something flashed in Ren's eyes, vanishing before Kyoko could identify it.

"I'm supposed to call the nurse in if you woke up," he said. "As well as the policeman stationed outside. They're going to have a few questions for you."

"Oh."

Kyoko chewed on her lips. Even if she managed to live, it didn't stop her involvement in the potential terrorist attack - the attack!

"Was anyone hurt? Is everyone okay?"

"Don't worry," he soothed. "There were a few minor injuries, but no one was severely hurt. You got the worst of it."

Kyoko sank back into her pillows, relief flooding through her. "I'm glad." At least she had managed to save everyone.

The chair creaked beside her as Ren stood, walking a few steps from her before he turned. A hardness entered his posture, making his movements seem stiff and almost uncoordinated.

"You're lucky to be alive," he said. "Do you know what would have happened to you if that bomb had gone off just a few seconds sooner?"

"I wouldn't be here, that's for certain."

Ren didn't answer, neither agreeing or disagreeing with her. He just stared, as if trying to read her. Trying to see through her.

"How did you know about the bomb?" he said.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

Kyoko let out a bitter laugh. Here it was. The reason she had never told him how she died. Because he would then know about her abilities. Her abnormality. If it had taken him a week to believe that she – as a ghost – wasn't a figment of his imagination, there was no way he would believe her right now. Believe in the supernatural.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "What's important is that everyone is alright."

"You're lucky you're not handcuffed to the bed," he said. "No one died, but there were still plenty of damages. The police are convinced that you had some part in this. That you knew and then backed out last minute."

"I would never do something like that," she immediately protested. "I couldn't - to try and take so many lives like that? It's pure evil."

"Then what happened? How did you know to take the bomb away?"

"I just did, okay?"

A pout entered her voice as she folded her arms and looked away. Why was he so insistent on this? Why was he even here? He didn't know her. Had no obligations to watch out for her. She glared at him, frustration with the situation making her temper rise. This was not how it was supposed to go.

He was waiting. Watching as she ground her teeth in his direction. He was wearing his annoyingly impassive face, the one that said he was in for the long haul. He was going to pester her until he got the information he wanted. Idiot. Kyoko could be that stubborn too if she wanted to.

But did she want to?

His earnest stare was crumbling her defenses. She remembered a time when he had always looked at her like that. Like he valued everything she said so he would wrangle every syllable he could from her. Her memories of the future were effecting her judgment of the present.

Why not just tell him?

Kyoko couldn't banish the voice inside her. The ache to talk to him like she normally would. To stop hiding who she was. If there was anyone in the world she wanted to understand and accept her for what she was, it was him.

Kyoko took a breath, knowing she'd probably regret this.

"When I was outside your building," she said. "The man carrying the briefcase brushed past me. When he did… I sort of saw what was going to happen. I saw a vision of the future."

Kyoko watched closely as Ren's expression changed. While she expected skepticism or astonishment, she didn't expect his face to soften. What was that about?

He ran a hand along his face, a large sigh escaping his lips.

Then he suddenly returned to the seat, elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, face carefully neutral.

"These visions," he said. "Do you ever have them in the form of dreams?"

"In the form of…"

Kyoko's eyes widened, implications whizzing through her head. She just gaped at him, afraid to speak, to ask the questions she wanted to in case her suspicions were wrong – oh gosh, she hoped she wasn't wrong.

Ren must have seen something in her gaze, for he smiled. It wasn't a polite smile like the ones he wore for his clients. It was genuine. Bright.

"I had a very interesting dream last night," he explained. "A dream where a particularly annoying female ghost haunted me. Over the series of weeks, we became closer until I finally fell in love with her, but just as I realized this, she was taken away."

Moisture filled Kyoko's eyes. She could barely see Ren as he continued.

"She sacrificed herself to save me," he said. "I'm not one to believe in magic or visions, but after that dream... After meeting her, it made me want to change."

Kyoko gave a weak chuckle, whipping the tears from her face.

"An entire day," she said. "That's a lot faster than a week to believe in the supernatural. What made you change your mind this time?"

Ren eyes twinkled with mirth. "I saw her, causing a commotion and sprinting down the street as someone followed. When the bomb went off, I knew what must have happened. How you had died Kyoko."

Kyoko.

It was as if her name was the switch, the trigger that brought it all together. The strange wall between them was broken, and she was seeing him as she had seen him in their dream. Open. Connected.

Her Ren.

Somehow, they'd had the same dream. Both of them, from their own perspective. She knew her vision had been strong, but for it to be strong enough to unconsciously share it with the other person it concerned? That was incredible.

But because of this, the future had changed. They had known each other by sight. When she had taken the briefcase, Ren had followed. He had saved her life. Altered the future.

Ren reached out, taking her hand in his. He pressed his lips to her palm, leaving them there with his eyes squeezed shut. His lips and breath tickled Kyoko's palm as he slowly broke away, heaving a long sigh.

"Better than I imagined," he breathed.

The tears were falling as her fingers curled around his, pressing her eyes to their hands.

"It's why I didn't tell you," she whispered. "I hate my abilities. I hate seeing so much death and misfortune. Because if I don't help, I hate myself. It forces me to act even when it pushes people away. I didn't want you to become one of them."

Fingers brushed under her chin, gently giving a suggestion. She followed it, tilting her head up to meet Ren's eyes. They softened at the edges, their depths pure and overflowing with joy.

"Your abilities brought us together, didn't they?" he said.

Kyoko found a smile on her own face. "I guess, they did."

For that, she may begin to hate them less.

Ren leaned forward, and Kyoko naturally let her eyes close shut. His lips met hers, pressing into a chaste kiss. Ripples of happiness seeped down her spine and exited out her toes. She couldn't help smiling as they separated slowly. Savoring the taste. Afraid that the illusion would break. Their breaths mingled, lips brushing his as she spoke.

"I love you, Ren."

He kissed her again and Kyoko knew this was no illusion. That this was real. This was true. He was here for her, and this time, she wouldn't disappear.

Thank you for reading!

And thank you my wonderful lovelies that have taken a time to leave a review. You are all contributors to us authors in ways you don't understand unless you write a story of your own and post it. XD

I want ya'll to know, I almost wrote this as a tragedy, but then decided not to do that to you. (At least, not with this story.)

For the fans who are waiting for The Prince's Concubine to start back up, I apologize, but it will be a bit longer. My outlining has failed me. I'm this close to just chucking it in the air and seeing where things fall. Before you tell me to do so, realize some unintended cards will fall into the fire if I do that. XD

-Blushweaver