Chapter 2

All around me there was a white blanket of snow. Why was I here? Slowly, my memories of this, empty, sorrowful world began to return. I had been in this world with a girl. She should have been right next to me. I remember us holding hands as we were both buried in the snow. However, she was not here, and I could not see her. I tried to remember where she would have gone. But, I couldn't recall anything. Was I now alone, as she had been, in this empty, sorrowful world? Alone, I tried to move. I couldn't. Without her it was impossible. She had made me. Now without her, did I have a use in this world? It was cold. Even if I couldn't physically feel anything due to my body, I felt cold. Was this what this world was without her? Cold? Did the world feel cold? Did the world feel anything at all? The questions within my mind continued circling, ever on and on. Maybe, just maybe, I couldn't move because of a paralyzing agony. If I forgot about her, my heart could vanish. I'd be void of this cold feeling. I might be able to move again. However, something within me told me that was a terrible idea. I once again tried to move my body. A finger lifted. Trying even more, my hand slowly started to move. It was not over. My long, long journey upwards… Had only just begun.

April 16th

I woke up as if it were any other day. Late. I changed into my uniform and made myself breakfast before leaving the house. Luckily my father wasn't here. I walked down the usual path to school. Just like normal, there were no other students around me. I was alone. Vroom vroom. I heard a revving in the distance. A bike?
"Tomoya! Look out!" I quickly turned to see the incoming bike, driven by none other than Kyou.
"Woah!" I tried to move out of the way before I was hit by her bike. But even with all my efforts it still hit. "What do you think you're doing riding a bike to school?!"
"Ah, sorry sorry. I got up late." She checked for bike for any damage.
"I could've been hurt!"
"Good, not a scratch. Guess I won't charge you for damages."
"Are you even listening?" I sighed. "Drive me to school while you're at it."
"Huh?" Her face seemed to go a little red from that. "Why should I have to?"
"Because you hit me. It's only fair."
"I'm giving you lunch, remember?"
"Isn't that to get me with Fujibayashi?"
"Ah jeez! You're annoying!" Kyou got on her bike and started the motor. "And… Call her Ryou…" She sped off on her bike towards school, leaving me behind. I didn't quite make out what she said as she left, but I think I heard her correctly on that I should start calling Fujibayashi Ryou instead. Ryou huh? I pictured myself calling her that. No way I could get used to it after calling her Fujibayashi after all this time. Especially if I was doing it because Kyou said so. I was now at the bottom of the hill that lead to the school where I met Tomoyo. Letting out a breath, I saw that a girl with brown hair stood at the bottom of the hill. A pang of nostalgia ran over me and my head started to hurt a little. Reaching to hold my head in my hands, I saw that the girl had disappeared. Had she already walked up the hill? Looking up the hill I couldn't see anyone. Maybe it was just my imagination. The weird sense of nostalgia was unsettling, but I chose to ignore it.

I arrived at my class by break, I sat down at my desk and lay my head on it. Fujibayashi came over to me and started talking to me.
"You're late again…" She sounded disappointed. Did she think that me arriving on time yesterday was a change and I would do every day?
"Don't sound disappointed. I woke up early yesterday. That's all." I lifted my head from my desk to look at her. I felt slightly annoyed looking at her. She hadn't done anything wrong, but Kyou wanting me to date her? "Ryou…" I quietly said her name aloud without thinking.
"Ah!" She squealed after hearing her name. "Y-yes, Okaza… No, T-Tomoya-kun!?" Fujibayashi had her head down to hopefully hide her flustered cheeks. But even with her head down, she yelled out the last part of her sentence, which just happened to be her calling me by my first name. The rest of the class started to whisper about us.
"Oi oi, is the class prez going at it with Okazaki?" "I thought Okazaki was going out with that junior. No?" "Of the sisters to go for it's the younger one?"
Tch, I can hear all of you. "Listen, Fuji…" I stopped midway when I saw the sad look on her face when calling her Fujibayashi. Guess there was no turning back from this one. "Nevermind. Ryou."
The class was silent. Everyone had quietened down. Even when I solidly decided to call her Ryou. Was it that shocking to everyone?
"So that's how it was…" A familiar voice cause both a flustered Ryou and I to turn and see Tomoyo standing there dumbfounded. "I'm sorry if I interrupted you two. Fujibayashi-san. Okazaki-kun." Her words were lifeless. Yet, the tone felt familiar to me. A lost, distant girl who had lost all she had. That is what I felt from her words.
"Tomoyo, wait!" I couldn't move from my seat. No, there were no excuses here. I just didn't. I couldn't push myself to chase after her and hurt myself in the process. What a coward I was. A warm sensation came across my left hand. Looking for the source of the warmth, I saw two hands encasing my own. Following the hand led to Ryou. For her to do this means I must have clearly shown some sort of pain on my face.
"Tomoya-kun. You did nothing wrong. It's alright." Had she read my thoughts? She did tarot readings, on playing cards of course. But was reading cards the same as reading people? Or was it just her maiden's intuition at work? However she was able to tell, it comforted me.
"Thanks, Ryou." The whispers started up once again throughout the class. I didn't care however. Not if I had Ryou by my side.

I didn't skip third or fourth period. Even with the number of stares and whispers that were directed at me. Focusing on the lesson itself was too much of a bore though. Instead I allowed myself to zone out in thought about the upcoming lunch with Kyou and Ryou. The bell for the end of fourth period rung, however I didn't seem to notice it as I was awoken from my daze by Ryou shaking me.
"Tomoya-kun!" She said my name with a pout, making her seem extremely cute. More so than she already was. Adorable even. Wait, when did I start thinking about her like this? And since she's twins with Kyou… That doesn't mean I think the same about Kyou does it? Of course not! What makes her adorable is that her personality shines through. "Tomoya-kun!" I was awoken from yet another daze by Ryou.
"Oh, right. Sorry. I was put into another daze by your cuteness." I said this with a sly smile, trying to emphasize it all I could. My efforts paid off as her face heated up into a fire red I had never seen before.
"T-t-tomoya-kun…"
"Well, we better head off before Kyou ends up killing me." I got a small giggle from her as we headed out of the classroom and into the courtyard.

Ryou and I finally found ourselves at the courtyard where Kyou awaited us with a… Picnic cloth?
"Hey Fu…" I caught myself before I said any more. "Ryou?"
"Yes Tomoya-kun?" With her response it felt like she had moved closer to me. Maybe it was just me.
"What's with your sister being so… Frankly, overboard?"
"Ehehe… She's just like that. I guess."
"You guess?" Before I could get any more answers from Ryou, I heard my name being called out.
"Hey, Tomoya!" It was Kyou. She waved to us as to say 'Hurry up.' And not with a good tone. "Take your time!" I could feel stares beginning to settle on me and Ryou. Looking down towards her, I saw that she had a lightly blushed face. The space between us now seemed less than before as well. I'm sure I wasn't imagining it. We made our way to where Kyou had setup. Ryou sat down first and I followed suite forming a triangle between the three of us.
"Wrong!" Kyou shouted as soon as I sat down and dragged me extremely close to Ryou. "Ah, much better. Right, Tomoya?" I didn't know what to think honestly. If me calling her cute made her the reddest I had ever seen, then this was on a whole other level. I wouldn't be surprised if steam was coming off her right now.
"Hey Kyou?"
"What is it?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Hm?" She replied briefly while setting up the lunch box. It was multilayered. Would we really be able to finish this?
"Aside from the lunch box. Why are you trying so hard? To get me with Ry-" A hand covered my mouth before I was able to finish. Even though I could understand why Kyou had done it, I think Ryou understood what I was trying to say. Kyou had come up close to me now that I was silenced.
"Take a hint dammit!" It was a whisper, but it still had that sharp Kyou tone that I was used to hearing. I tried to answer her by brushing off my question. But my mind felt pain and anguish. I thought I heard Kyou's voice. 'Honestly… I hoped you'd have turned her down. Then I could have been with you…' 'Tomoya… I love you.' Not knowing what I was doing, I pulled myself away from Kyou and stood up.
"You're just doing this for your own sake aren't you?" I didn't feel in control. The emotions I felt from Tomoyo's reaction just moments ago came flooding back. "Just stop lying and act for your own sake!" I needed to get away. I needed to get away, just so I didn't end up hurting any of them. I couldn't stop myself, my voice continued to lecture Kyou without me in control. I helplessly watched as I saw her face change from anger, to shock, then to a face I never wanted to see again. She looked like she was about to break down any second. And it was all my fault. I finally managed to snap out of it, and Ryou's arms found themselves around my body. Holding me in an embrace. Just like before, it was Ryou that had managed to calm me down.
"I… I'm sorry." I tried to move, but Ryou's embrace kept me well in place. She didn't want to let go.
"Tomoya-kun. Tomoya-kun!" She sounded like she was shouting as I tried to remove myself from her arms. Her voice wasn't loud, but the meaning behind it shot through me. The whole courtyard was now watching us. Kyou stood still in place with the same expression just helplessly watching as her sister tried to keep me from leaving.
"Ryou…" I said her name with a gentle voice, trying to tell her that I had calmed down. Laying my hand on hers, she loosened herself and began to let go.
"I… I'll be leaving now… Sorry, Ryou. Kyou." Ryou nodded and quickly headed over to Kyou to console her. I didn't know where any of that had come from, but I was frustrated. I hastily walked away from the two before I drew any more attention to them.
"Tomoya!" It was Kyou's voice once again. Unsure of whether she had called out to me, or it was in my head, I quickened my pace. Not wanting to know.

I needed a good place to lay down for the rest of lunch, maybe the final period too. Initially I thought the library would be a good place. But if I went there during lunch, I was sure to be sent back to class by a teacher. My next thought was the reference room. It would be a good quiet place to rest after all. Before I could decide, I heard a quiet voice call out to me.
"Um…" I stopped where I was and turned behind me to see Furukawa standing there. Seeing her sent a dull pain through my body. "Okazaki-san?"
"Yeah?" My voice sounded harsh and dead after what had just happened with the twins.
"Are you alright? I saw what happened in the courtyard from here and I wondered… Hehe." She laughed a little and smiled. Obviously trying to cheer me up. But I didn't feel right around her. It was almost as my body was telling me 'Stay away from her.' 'If only I never met her…' What was that just now? A thought of mine? I really needed to rest now.
"Sorry Furukawa, I don't feel well. Maybe another time."
"Ah… Alright. You can pop by my house anytime… Mum's been wanting to see you again." Sanae-san has? What a trusting mother. I thought of visiting again since I had declined her invite last time. Another pain rushed through my body again, repulsing the idea of it. Without responding to Furukawa, I rushed off home. Passing through the courtyard, I looked over where the twins were. I could see Ryou, and a less than happy Kyou. And it's all my fault. Shaking my head to rid myself of the event, I continued to the school gate. As I reached the road where Tomoyo and I first me, each step I took grew heavier and heavier, as well as had a tinge of sorrow to them. I really must be sick. As the distance to my house got shorter and shorter, I became weaker and weaker. Each step I took used a lot of energy to take. My vision had begun to blur and colours of summer and winter begun to flash back and forth in my mind. I could feel hot the hot summer sun in the summer images, and I could see snow in the winter ones. I never minded snow, but each time I saw the winter image in my mind, I begun to hate snow. I felt hot. I needed rest. I needed… 'RyKyYuMiKoFuNa' many names invaded my thoughts all at once. And my vision turned black.