I actually expected worse for IBO's ending. But I guess I'm more of a villain than Rustal. I'm actually quite neutral about the ending; I paint it bittersweet. The only thing that really affected me was that Iok finally died. I rejoiced with a loud YES when he was crushed to death. Seriously, one thing that went right. lol Oh well. It's funny how I can invest feelings for fictional characters when people close to me are dying and I can't give a shit about real people.
Although I'm not really sure how many of the readers count really did read beyond the first word but hot damn, that read counter was a surprise. It's funny how people read fanfiction after every episode. It's like everybody is wishing that what happened didn't happen. Fan fiction is like your daily dose of denial. lol I feel you guys.
Can't stop, won't stop. Readers gonn read. Haters gonna read and then hate afterwards. lol Here's another chapter of saltiness for character deaths. No need to thank me.
This is about Aston by the way, on whose death I am especially salty for. Much saltier than Lafter's or Shino's.
Thanks!
"What took you so long?" Lafter angrily asked after seeing Akihiro by the door. She didn't bother to tie her hair in her signature pig tails nor did she bother finishing combing it. "Come on, what are you staring at? Let's go!" The anxious young girl pushed past her boyfriend, eager to leave the house that was overflowing with sweet violin music. It carried a sad note though.
"What about Aston?" asked Akihiro.
Lafter barely looked over her shoulder as she hurriedly paced through the building's hallway. "Leave him alone. He can take care of himself."
It wasn't the first time that Akihiro saw Lafter aggravated. He knew what made her tick. She calls it noise but to everybody else it was elegant music. Torn between the siblings he cared about, the muscle-bound lad chose to step into the apartment. A few steps into the hallway and he could hear the music become louder. They say that violinists, musicians in general, display intense facial expressions, funny at times, when they play and get carried away by a piece. But never did Akihiro see Aston do anything aside from his wistful expression. He'd seen him play many times. No matter how happy sounding a piece he plays, Aston would appear as if he was rejected by Fuuka.
Akihiro knocked on the wall, taking Aston from his forlorn reverie. The young boy brought down his bow and violin. Guilt-ridden at interfering with the practice, Akihiro rubbed his nape as he asked, "Aston, we're leaving. Do you want something, food or whatever?"
The green eyed boy's usual coldness were nowhere in his eyes. "I want some taiyaki... if you're going anywhere near the shop." Aston then flipped over the page of his score and got back to his rehearsal that Akihiro had interrupted. He placed his cheek close to the instrument with eyes focused on the notes. "Take care of Lafter. She gets mad whenever I practice violin." Then he smirked cheekily, "Like a dog who doesn't like the high pitched sound."
Akihiro raised his brow. Nevertheless he shared the same mischievous grin with the younger boy, "I'm gonna tell her that."
Aston closed his eyes. "Be my guest," and continued with the piece.
The older lad prepared to leave. Yet no more than two steps did he remember a far away dream. It was vivid, life-like. The pain and regret were too real. Remembering, he quickly turned on his heels with clenched jaws as his soul was befallen by great sadness. Akihiro's pained expression made Aston stop again.
"You okay, Akihiro?"
"I'm sorry."
"For interrupting me? That's okay. I don't get interrupted much by Lafter anyway." Aston was bemused. He never knew that Akihiro Altland, the big and intimidating upperclassman, also had a goofy side. He shrugged at the idea. Of course everyone has a side that miraculously appears from time to time.
"No, that's not it!" It then hit Akihiro, how much of a fool he was on acting on vague memories, memories he never experienced to begin with. He didn't know what to do now that he had started it. "I mean..." Thinking of ways to gracefully get out of the embarrassing situation proved harder than he originally thought. "Uh..."
The entertained smile on the green-eyed boy's face did not disappear. "Sweet potato." Then he raised his violin to his shoulder again.
"Huh?"
"Taiyaki filling. Sweet potatoes," clarified Aston. His cool green eyes had mirth in them where there usually was bitter contemplation. "You're weird today too, huh?" He closed his eyes. He was pulling up traces of dreams in his mind. To call them memory didn't sit right to him. "I once had a dream where I died in a weird place and time where gigantic robots were a norm. My heart swelled with sorrow and regret that I had to die so soon." Aston's eyes glared at his score. "Inexplicable emotions take you over when you awaken. And your dreams fade into the light of the morning, leaving behind a chasm that would have had explained the overwhelming sadness you felt."
Dumbstruck at the sudden eloquence, Akihiro could only mouth a wow. His silent admiration of Aston's many words and sentences was genuine, knowing that the younger boy barely spoke. Nevertheless, Aston explained what he felt. And in a grandiose way at that.
"Thank you, by the way. You always take care of us." Then the green-eyed boy waved his bow. Aston was tired of getting interrupted and had to shoo Akihiro away, concealing it with concern when he only really wanted to be alone. "Lafter might get mad again if you take any longer."
By the time Akihiro caught up with Lafter, the girl was no longer angry. And she had fixed her hair. She was by the elevator lobby, leaning on the wall, reflecting on her earlier tantrum. Following Akihiro's path in the room with her sight, she couldn't make a word to come out of her lips as the boy pressed the elevator button. Neither did Akihiro speak, leaving the topic alone until his girlfriend was fine enough. Or at least until Akihiro couldn't stand the silence.
The elevator dinged, signalling it was there, and the two filed against the doors. As they got on, Lafter slipped her arm around Akihiro's and leaned on him. Her sigh was heavy.
"I never asked before but... why did Aston choose the violin?"
"You know him. Even for a kid he's always practical. Violins were portable and there are many instructors is what he used to say. I think it suits him. He's always just so..." She looked up at Akihiro, as if his face would have the right word for her. "Sophisticated."
The description caused Akihiro to chuckle. The memory of his wide-eyed unconsciousness came back. Sneering, "Sophisticated, my ass. That kid suggested to kick me in the face the other day. What's so sophisticated with that?"
They got off the elevator, Lafter with an incredulous expression. "He did!?"
"And he called you a dog earlier." Yet Lafter only smiled at the insult, calling it quits.
Again, thank you for reading.
