Ahahahahaha! Has the torture of the wait been enough? Well, here's a new chapter! It's shorter than the last few though.

… ENOUGH OF DISCLAIMERS!

"Who are you?"

The smile on Subaru's face vanished in an instant. Kamui – for once- lost his expressionless face and regarded Fai with wide eyes filled shock and disbelief. Kurogane stood staring at Fai. Even though he had expected things to be this bad, he would never anticipate the blonde having absolutely no idea towards people he once loved more than him.

Fai, on the other hand, just tilted his head towards the side in a cute way, his eyes twinkling and sparkling with a child's curiosity. "Hm? Do I know you?" he asked innocently, not knowing every single one of his words was like knives, stabbing again and again into the two visitors' chest.

They stood there, speechless. Unbeknownst to Fai, the atmosphere was completely tense. It was as if someone had thrown dead bodies into the room and chucked it into the freezer to die. All three of them froze on their spots, before Subaru, tears lining his eyes, dashed out of the room.

Ice.

Frozen.

Dead.

The world would never be the same again.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Kuro-chi?"

Kurogane turned to the blonde without a response. For some reason, he looked worried and on the verge of tears. Has he remembered? The moment when those two…

"Did I do something bad?"

Not a chance.

Kurogane sighed. The moment Subaru bolted out of the room, Kamui followed suit a few seconds later. The twins probably locked themselves in their room now, crying and pissed off respectively. Oh, yes. You've done some great damage. I know it isn't your fault but how could you not remember them I know you remember mer and I'm actually very glad about it but it's impossible for you to forget those two since they were among the only people who cared about you in your supposedly world of pain and suffering. For a moment, those words coming out of his mouth became unbearable for a second at everything that has happened…

"No, you didn't."

"Then why do the two of them look so upset? Have I… done something bad?" Those blue eyes were starting to fill with a new emotion: fear.

It reminded Kurogane so much of a child.

"No, you didn't," Kurogane repeated firmly. "You just look like someone he treasured quite a long time ago. Someone… who died just recently."

Fai stared at him blankly. "Oh," he whispered, and lowered his head. Underneath the blonde locks Kurogane knew grief and guilt was hidden. Fai always blamed himself for what happened, and he cared deeply for others more than he cared for himself.

… Even though with lost memories, Fai's true nature hasn't changed.

"Kuro-wa?" A soft voice asked. He turned to him questioningly.

"What… happened? I… don't remember. I mean, how did I get here? Why does my head hurt? Why are there blank spots in my head?" he moaned, falling back to the pillows, rubbing his temples. "My head hurts…"

Kurogane wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him everything, about Ashura, about Subaru, the Mafia, everything. But he didn't have the heart to see him cry again. He sat at the side of Fai's bed, and stroked his face gently.

"It's… hard to explain," he whispered. "This can wait. You need to rest now. I'll explain it to you once you wake up again."

Fai grabbed Kurogane hand weakly. "You'll… stay?" he muttered, slurring. Sleep was starting to get the better of him. Kurogane nodded, wrapping his hand around the smaller one. Fai gave a little smile before falling asleep.

Why was a part of him feeling so sad?

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Subaru's been crying."

"Hmph," he replied, knowing the witch was behind him. Not that he cared, but somehow he just needed someone… there. He'd been sitting here for hours, and longed for a distraction. Funny, how the few words of a man could bring such weight upon their shoulders. He stared at the blonde, who looked so innocent on the bed.

"Something's wrong, isn't there?" she asked, her face lacking the usual all-so-knowing smirk.

"…"

"Well, what is it?"

"… The idiot doesn't remember Subaru or Kamui, nor do I think he remembers what happened to him or his past." For once, he decided to reply honestly in a sentence without curses and obscenities. He needed an opinion, or some form of comfort. Yes, he admitted it. He needed to be comforted.

"And he remembers you?" she asked, her tone slightly amusing. Kurogane had the urge to punch her in the face, but decided against it. "Hmph," was all he replied. How could she catch on so fast?!

"So shouldn't you be happy?"

Kurogane didn't reply immediately, but turned to face the woman. "I was the root for most of his pain, and yet he remembers me. Those two doesn't deserve that kind of pain. He should remember them, not me; especially since the two of them had loved him so deeply, and him them," he said, letting a slight note of desperation slip out from him. Fai wasn't supposed to remember him! It should have been the others, people like Ashura, who deserved him.

Damn that stupid man and his dying wish.

"It proves how much Fai loved you more than the others."

… What?

"What did you just say?" No, it can't be right. The moment Fai found out he was the one who forced him into the Mafia in the first place, he went crazy and even a blind, old man can see how much he hated him by then. It was impossible.

"The blow Fai took must have been hard if it could wipe away his memory to such degree. But then, his remembering you means that his love towards you is far stronger than he had from all the others. He might not remember you completely, but he- and his heart as well- would tell him how important you are to him, and this kind of love, is powerful enough to let him remember you."

"How could he love me, after he knew what I've done?" he muttered miserably, hoping he could turn back time and erase the sins he had committed.

"Because he trusts you," said Yuuko simply. "You treated him as an equal, something nobody in his life ever had." She met those red eyes gently but firmly. "Even though the three of them loved and cared for him, they treated him more like a defenseless child than someone in their line. That, of course, can't be avoided since they were his caregivers, and loved him like parents loving a child, and there are times when they are not ready to let him go. Fai might have been frustrated at them treating him as a child even if his mental capacity is beyond that, and that, above all, upsets him because they don't know how much he is capable of and thus his worth," she stated flatly. "You treated him as an equal, as an adult, with respect and admiration, showed him a kind of love which he could control and give back equally with similar capabilities, and as an adult with absolutely no friends, that kind of respect means the world to him."

Kurogane gaped at the woman. What the hell… "But he loves them. They love him too! And you didn't see how obsessed that idiot was when we came looking for Ashura. All he thought and cared about was finding Ashura and rescuing him. Subaru and Kamui might mean something to him, but Ashura was someone special. Do you think he would actually forget him so easily?" he snapped.

Yuuko sighed. "I can't answer all your questions, Kurogane. I don't know myself. Ashura is linked to Fai's past, and it's been a long time since he last saw from him, heard his voice, even if he did meet him recently, but that's only a few weeks. Ashura, Subaru and Kamui are his past, a distant memory, whereas you're something new, the present. People are more likely to remember present things clearer than things in the past. He might end up remembering everything and everyone again, none of us know what would happen. But at least for now," she regarded the sleeping blonde sadly. "He's happy." She lifted her head and gazed into his. "Don't you think that's enough?"

Kurogane didn't reply. He just held the blonde's hand tighter.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next day, when dawn broke, Fai woke up and started pouring him with questions.

"Kuro-rin, what happened? Why am I here? What happened? Is this a hospital? Why does my head hurt? Is that a pink shirt you're wearing? Who are those people before? Where's the doctor? Where the hell are we anyway?"

Kurogane blinked once. Twice. Thrice. He took a deep breath, and just when his mind was trying to come up with a good lie, Kamui stepped in, face stoic as usual. Unlike the other day, he was wearing a doctor's suit (it really looked like Fai's chemistry labcoat) and was holding a clipboard in his hand. He regarded Fai with a serious look, before breaking into one of those cheap, fake smiles Fai always wore.

"I'm doctor Kamui, and you're in the private home of your boss, Yuuko Ichihara, do you remember?" he asked politely. The situation didn't need an expert to know that Kamui's making up a story and coming to his rescue, probably on Yuuko's orders or something, he didn't know.

Fai made a confused expression, his lips pursued in concentration. "Yuuko Ichihara… Ichihara… I think I remember a name like that… is it a woman with long hair and smokes a pipe?" he asked, staring curiously at Kamui.

The man felt a pang in his chest at the innocent look Fai gave him before answering. "Yes, that's her. She's your employer. You and the staff of Horitsuba Gakuen were on a holiday in Italy until some crazy guy hit you with a pole on your head. You were seriously injured and sent to my house by Yuuko since it was nearby," he explained, trying to convey some sincerity through his usually ignorant eyes.

"Oh," the blonde blinked, his large blue eyes staring at Kamui. "Oh," he repeated, hanging his head, shoulders shaking slightly. For a moment, the doctor's eyes soften, and stared at Fai with a sort of longing and sorrow Kurogane understood. The feeling of wanting to hold someone so close, yet so far, knowing the person would never be with him; that they were never meant to be together.

"I… think I'll leave now," he said quietly, looking at Kurogane before leaving the room. The message in his eyes was clear.

Take care of him.

Kurogane continued staring at where Kamui was moments ago, a pained look on his face. The world was just so unfair. Why couldn't people enjoy happiness just once? Both twins weren't some kind of sick bastard like Fei Wong, and they were sent to a worse fate than his. It was simply cruel. He turned his attention away from the door to the blonde, and was confused when Fai regarded him with a strange look.

"What?" he asked, irritated.

"It's strange, Kuro-wan…" he said, his eyes focusing on something beyond the tall man. "I can't seem to remember a lot of stuff… Don't you think it's weird?" he asked with a quizzical look on his face. Said man just couldn't… didn't dare answer and chose to remain silent. Thankfully, Fai was too absorbed in his own thoughts to actually expect an answer from him.

"But… I guess it's still okay, right? I mean, this is normal after an accident, right?" he stared at his lover with those achingly beautiful eyes. "I… I think I understand, but it's alright." Suddenly, a real, bright smile lit up his whole face, and for the moment, the blonde actually looked 10 years younger than the man had ever seen him. "As long as I have Kuro-sama with me…" He leaned up and wrapped his arms around the man, holding him tightly and breathing in his warmth, sighing peacefully with a very small smile on his face.

"I'm content."

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

For the next few days, everything proceeded calmly. Fai was mostly asleep and never asked any questions about the 'black spots' in his memories, too happy to even care about it. Kurogane spend most of the time in his lover's room, unwilling to part with him again, watching and guarding his beloved. The mysterious twins were mysteriously out of sight for the past few days, and the mood in the house suddenly turned… cold. It seemed the others, too, were mourning for the dead and lost memories…

The red-eyed man sighed and ran his fingers over the blonde's blood stained hair. His injuries had healed rapidly over the past few days, and for that he was thankful. He was thankful Fai is alive, thankful that he still remembers him, love him, and that he can hold him whenever he pleased. Heck, he might even accept being glomped by the little man everyday than not.

Sighing again, he stood up and headed for the kitchen, thirsty for water. It was late at night, but Kurogane wasn't going to break his promise. He swore to protect the moron, and he will, until he was capable of protecting himself. Besides, he might wake up in the middle of the night and start whining about being thirsty and hungry again.

And so, he walked into the hall to the kitchen, passing the living room and the twins…

Wait. The twins.

What the fuck are they doing this late at night?

"Oops, looks like we got caught, dear brother," a small and airy voice whispered in the dark.

His eyes long used to the dark, the tall man could see Kamui's outline as he turned around, his golden eyes glaring at him. Subaru was beside him, and they were both wearing coats, like they were about to leave. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few lumps of objects that looked vaguely like luggage. Narrowing his eyes, he spoke in a rough tone.

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business. Now leave us alone," Kamui hissed, his own eyes narrowing, clearly pissed off at the intrusion.

"It is my business if you're planning to leave Fai here all alone," Kurogane countered.

Silence.

They stared at each other, Kurogane glaring at the two suspiciously. However, instead of glaring back, Kamui closed his eyes gently and guilt radiate from every single corner of his pale skin. Seeing that his brother was refusing to explain, Subaru opted to speak.

"We're leaving," he whispered, staring at Kurogane desperately.

"He needs you," Kurogane stated flatly.

"He doesn't even remember us," Subaru spat, his temper rising a little.

"What if he remembers one day? Are you going to just run away and hide from him?" he barked, voice rising.

"Then give us a call," a hollow, annoyed voice interjected, and Kurogane found himself catching something in mid air. A card with a number on it. He lifted his head and stared at them, trying to convey his question through his red eyes.

Why? Why are you doing this? Why can't you stay?

"Fai's life with us… had been terrible," Kamui admitted. "We saw him cry, he heard him scream and we could see how he struggled desperately with his emotions and reality. Fai… was not made to have a life like this, and remember that we are partly responsible for his pain."

"I am too," Kurogane muttered dejectedly.

"But he loves you." The gruff man realized that it was Subaru who said it, eyes glittering with something akin to jealousy.

"He loves you, and that made all the difference in the world between us. We are guilty men, and yet his love towards you was enough for him to keep going. From what I heard from you, he never tried attempting suicide after meeting you, something he never did stop no matter how much we beg him. You, by just being there and existing, had given him hope that he could love, and this hope drove him to keep living. You want the prove? He remembers you even though he got he's head smashed so badly! By forgetting everyone else, he remembers you and your love perhaps not from his mind but his body! He loves you so much he just can't forget you!" Subaru almost shouted in the end, notes of hysterics in his voice. He hung his head sadly, and Kurogane felt a pang of guilt in his heart. After a long while, the kind man lifted his head again and stared, emotions roiling in his eyes: happiness, despair, anger, hope, thankfulness… so many.

"We're not the ones who were meant to be in his life. All he can associate his life with us is hell. You were the one he was waiting for. You are his life. He needs you, more than he needs us. Heal him; take care of him for us. Even if we want him… we're just not meant to be. Our fates were connected, but never intertwined." He didn't even notice Kamui opening the door. A cold chill ran down his spine as the harsh wind outside beat against his skin, but neither of them seemed scared about him.

"Love him. Care of him. Cherish him, and never, ever, let him go." The last words were whispered against the howling wind, and the both of them stepped out into the misty world ahead. Kurogane tried to move. He really did, but his feet were stubborn.

He saw them, tears in their eyes and sad smiles on their faces, footsteps retreating, their backs hunching into the dreadful cold outside. He could see their bodies and luggage in the darkness swallowing them, slowly, it just became an outline, and then…

Nothing.

They were gone.

Dooooooone! I'm sorry for the lateness of the chapter, but this story is going to end really soon. The next chapter is just a sweet and cute little chapter of their lives after a while and then comes the big epilogue (well, not really big, considering this really isn't some kind of A Class story XP). So I'm pretty sure this story is going to end by the end of January. See you next Sunday!