Chapter 6
So Sou wasn't the knight after all then who is? Sorry I took so long but a lot of other types of writing came up that had to take priority. Also this is the pivotal chapter of the story so I wanted to get it just right.
Friday
What am I doing? Mashiro thought as he sat in the back seat of a taxi with Kureha.
He had managed to get a few hours sleep after he'd returned to his room from dream class yesterday, but figured that was due to exhaustion more than anything else, but once he'd woken up everything thing from the pervious day came back to him.
The Knight wasn't Sou. The Knight wasn't Sou. That phrase had kept repeating in Mashiro's head it from the moment he'd woken up and he had no idea why. Siting up in bed he glanced over to the clock radio and noticed he had time to think before he'd had to start his morning routine to get ready for school. Breathing deeply Mashiro rested his head against the wall and began to go through all the questions in his mind.
Question: Why had Ai told him that the Knight was Sou?
Answer: Ai wanted me as faraway from Sou as possible and the best way to do that would be to me have believe that Sou was the knight who had caused me so much pain and suffering.
Question: Who really was the Knight if Sou wasn't?
Answer: except for the fact that Knight wants me and hates Sou there really isn't a lot to set him apart from the rest of the guys here. Not to mention no guy has actually shown that he knows about my body, apart fro Sou that is, which brought a lump to his to his throat.
Before Mashiro could go on to the next question his phone rang, this time he looked to see who it was. It was Kureha. She'll call back Mashiro thought to himself, if it's really important, but the phone kept ringing and Mashiro decided he should probably answer it.
"Kureha"
"Ah Mashiro-kun"
"What is it?" Mashrio knew he should be polite but he was already regretting picking up the phone
"Um... well you see I've managed to arrange to pick up a few things for Sou"
"You're going to come into the boy's dorm?" Mashiro asked
"No I'm going to his house" This statement distracted Mashiro, he was curious as to why it would be better to go to Sou house when his stuff would already in his room in the guys dormitory
"Why?"
"There was an arrangement with school Sou was given two terms see if he could settle in, guess he wasn't planning on it since he left most of his stuff at home"
Sou could have left at anytime, yet he'd stayed why?
"Anyway I was wondering, if you could come with me since you'd probably know what I a guy needs more than I would" said Kureha dragging Mashiro out of his thoughts
"I don't know"
This is so like you Mashiro-kun" Kureha said, her voice now containing anger
"What?" Mashiro spluttered
"Your are always trying to do what's right by every one"
"Kureha"
"But yourself… You're forever trying to be the perfect person rather an imperfect human being who is meant to make mistakes"
Mashiro breathed a defeatist sigh
"Look" said Kureha, the anger gone from her voice "You and I both know you're worried about Sou… and this is the only thing we can do for him until he wakes up"
"Do you think he jumped" Mashiro asked
"No, I don't" she replied.
The taxi had come to a stop in one of the richest areas of Japan and Mashiro found himself staring at one of the biggest houses he had ever seen
"Whoa" Mashiro said, he was stunned
"Are you going to ask me if this is the right house?" asked Kureha as she got out of the taxi and stood next to him
"No, this is defiantly the right house"
The house had white brick walls and a large black roof along with high brick walls like the house except that they were black like the roof and with a large iron gates between them however, even the beautiful garden that could be seen though the bars of the gates couldn't rid the sense of cold no more like lack of warmth the house had. It was the same sense Mashiro had got from Sou, but there was a difference, Sou did have some warmth deep down. This house had nothing.
"How are we going to get in?" asked Mashiro, he wasn't sure if there was anyway for them to enter the house without the neighbours thinking that they were doing something illegal
"The woman who cleans the house will let us in"
As if on cue the gates parted allowing them access. Mashiro looked down at his feet wondered if he really should be here at Sou's home the one place that Sou should feel safe from everything and he was about to go in. After everything that happened between them did he have that right?
"Mashiro-kun" Kureha shouted
Looking straight at the house Mashiro noticed that a small figure had appeared in the doorway. The taxi had gone as well. Guess I've got no choice, Mashiro thought to himself and he began to walk up to the house lacking warmth.
"I am so glad that Mizuashi-kun was able to make some friends since he always seemed to be on his own" said Hasegawa-san the woman hired to clean by the Mizuashi household
"Well Mizuashi is really nice once you get to know him" replied Kureha
Mashiro wasn't really listing to the conversation. He was thinking about Sou's room.
Mashiro had been surprised at how plain Sou's room had been, in fact if it wasn't for the large oak desk and the quilted bedspread Mashiro could have sworn he was in his own room back on campus. After they'd packed a bag for Sou Hasegawa-san had offered them a cup of tea in the living room containing a lot of different flowers.
If Mashiro hadn't seen Sou's room he would have thought that Sou was happy in the sweet scented house.
"Ichijo-kun are you alright sitting here for a while?" came Hasegawa-san's voice
"I think so" he responded to the woman
"Well in that case Fushjishma-chan can you help me pack a bag for my employer? Since she'll probably want to dash straight to the hospital when she returns tomorrow"
As the two woman's foot steps became distance Mashiro took in his surroundings and noticed that photograph he had seen or rather he hadn't seen was no longer on the mantelpiece, but a closer inspection revealed a rectangular shape in the dust, so the photograph had only recently been removed. As Mashiro made his way back to where he had been sitting he herd the phone ring.
"Hasegawa-san" he called out. No response
"Hasegawa-san" he called out louder this time. Still nothing
Mashiro decided that he would have to answer the phone himself
"Hello"
"Hasegawa?" said the voice at the other end of the line, it was similar to Sou's only more feminie, lest nice to the ears and very slurred.
"Ah no I'm Mashiro Ichijo, I'm a…a…a friend of Sou's from school"
"Oh Sou actually has some friends does he? I couldn't believe it when Hasegawa told me that he had… friends from…school asking if they could…could come round"
This woman is really drunk Mashiro thought
"Sou's a really nice person and a… good friend too"
"I always knew that he'd find people to get along with but…he was always d…distancing himself from others even though he takes after me"
Only in looks Mashiro thought but he didn't say it out loud
"He never visits me either and only because I let works take over just this one time and suddenly he decides to go to a school with dorms"
So Sou had felt lonely and abandon in this house no wonder he'd decided to stay at school. But there will still a few things Mashiro needed to ask
"So he's nothing like his father then?" Mashiro asked he knew it was really low to ask Sou's mother about him over the telephone while she was completely drunk but since Sou hadn't told him anything he figured this might be the only chance he had to learn about him
"Well I don't know… I guess he could take after him personality wise since Sou's so dower all the time … which can be really depressing if I think about it ,even though he used to be so up beat and laughing all the time"
"How can you not know if he takes after his father of not!?" Mashiro asked angrily
"Well obversely I don't know who his father the is" said the woman in matter of fact tone
"Oh God"
"It's not that bad, every one was doing it… well anyone who wasn't satisfied with their husbands that is ha ha"
Mashiro was shocked and was having trouble not slamming the phone down. But there was just one more thing he needed to know.
"So you were married then?" he asked
"What? O..oh..oh yes of course I was…course left when he found out that Sou wasn't his .Always had to make a big production of things did my ex-husband, I mean one minute he's playing with his son in the garden, but as soon as soon as he finds out about my little mistake he shouts abuse and hits him "
Mashiro was sure that this woman was going to get abuse shouted at her in a minute
"Anyway just remind Hasegawa to water the plants Mashiro…."
"Ichijo"
"Ah yes…Ich..ijo" the line went dead. Mashiro replaced the phone in it's originally position and breathed. He was unsure what to think, what to believe and he was overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions but at the same time he was completely numb. The sound of footsteps distracted him.
"Ready to go Mashiro-kun?" Asked Kureha at the top of the stairs
looking up he notice that Kureha seemed taller than she ever had and as she got closer to him she looked even taller. She's found the strength she needs said a voice inside his head. She can stand tall without your support.
But that fine because Kureha isn't the one you want to support and she isn't the one you want to be supported by.
"Yes I am" Mashiro.
Everything that had happened over the past few months between him, Kureha and Sou had lead to the events of the past four and a half days and the events of the past four and half days had lead him to this realisation and now it was time to turn realisation into reality.
In the hospital
Kureha had excused herself to go and buy some more flowers leaving Mashiro and Sou completely alone once again. Mashiro walked over to the bed and stood right next to it and he suddenly felt nervous even though he practiced so many times in his mind on the way here what he was going to say his mind had gone blank.
Stepping back from the bed Mashiro saw how different Sou look. His skin usually pale looked almost transparent, his think dark hair had become matted and looked lifeless. But wost of all the needles sticking into his arms and the oxygen mask on his face looked like they had been there all his life. Now Sou really did look like a dying man.
I can't let him go like this Mashiro thought with tears in his eyes, I have to tell him. With his hands griped together Mashiro walked back over to the bed and stood over Sou with his mouth next to his ear.
"Sou I know you can hear me and I know you can recognise my voice… I just wanted to say...wanted to say" damn why this was so hard Mashiro squeezed Sou's left hand tightly.
"I've been to your house I saw your room and…. spoke to your mother. She told me what happed… I know you were abandon buy your mother because her work was more important and that…you were abandon by your father because you weren't really his son and that he hit you because he blamed you when the only thing you had done was exist" Mashiro felt the familiar lump come to his throat he swallowed and continued
"And you know what? I'm glad you do, because… because you are the only person who has ever looked at me and seen just anther person not a guy or a girl" nothing happened Sou was still lying still in the bed Mashiro decide that he was going to say it once and for all!
"I know that you're not the Knight Sou… you never could be because your too kind and gentle to even dream the things he has. But I also understand why you didn't care if I thought you were the Knight. I had hurt you…badly, just like your parents did and just like when you were younger you closed yourself off from everyone including me…especially me, and you had taken a big risk just letting me see the really you, the kind gentle and loving you. I know I'm the first person you've ever let see the real you and then I rejected you in the worst possible way…I can only imagine the pain I must of caused you and I'd understand…. if.. if you want to….want to… want to die, but please don't. Stay here. Please! Stay here with me Sou …. Because I need you to be my source of strength and I want you to need to me to be yours… Because I love. I love you Sou Mizuashi with all my heart.
Meanwhile
"Sou you should go up stairs and get into bed I'll come up in a minute with some food for you" said his sister. Well this is it thought Sou as he looked around the flower filled living room
"Okay"
"Because I love you" said a familiar voice
"Ichijo?"
"Sou what are you taking about? Come on lets go up stairs" said his sister and she reached out her hand for his wrist. But as she did so a bright white light came from where her hand met Sou's skin forcing her against the wall
"How dare you" said the she said as she changed into the older girl
"I'm the only one who cares about Sou. I'm the only one who…" The light grew forcing Sou to shield his eyes. When he was able to open them again the flower filled living room was gone and was replaced by black and he was no longer the hurt young boy. He was back to being a teenager. The bright white light was still in front of him and the more he stared at it the more it changed and soon it was no longer a white light but a person surrounded by white light. It was Mashiro Ichijo dressed in his school uniform
"Please! Stay here with me Sou"
"What?!" Sou was taken back by this comment. The figure spoke again
"I need you to be my source of strength and I want you to need to me to be yours" as he said this a smile spread across his face.
This is Ai playing with my mind I know it thought Sou, but his left cheek felt damp and just as he was putting a hand to his face a tear rolled down it and on to the ground. But Sou wasn't crying. He felt his hand become warm just like before and he could hear weeping.
For some unknown reason Sou felt compelled to close his eyes, what he saw we he did astounded him. There was a dark haired boy in a bed with needles all long his arms and an oxygen mask on his face. Sou couldn't see the boy clearly but it looked like he was dying, but what surprised him the most was that Ichijo was there right next to this boy . Sou couldn't see Ichijo's face since it was buried in the pillow supporting the dark haired body's head but the weeping he heard was stronger than before, almost like it was right next to his ear then Sou notice that the area of the pillow where Mashiro head was had become damp.
Why is Ichijo crying? Sou thought, why is he even here? Sou looked at the dark haired boy's face a realised that he was staring at his own face.
I'm dying? thought Sou, then it all came back to. He had be on the roof of his dorm deep in thought but suddenly he'd felt hands push into him and he'd fallen off the roof and the last thing he'd herd was Ichijo's voice scream out his name and Ichijo's distressed face the last thing he saw. Then the darkness which had accompanied Ai had enclosed him but suddenly a brilliant white light had surrounded him instead and in that light had be Mashiro Ichijo who said that he had loved Sou but had that been a dream to combat Ai? Or did Ichijo really love him like Sou loved him?
Sou got his answer when Ichijo lifted his head which Sou saw had a look of despair and whispered something in the ear of the Sou in the bed which Sou heard loud and clear
"Because I love. I love you Sou Mizuashi with all my heart"
"I love you too Ichijo" Sou said but it made no difference Ichijo hadn't herd him and still looked like he was in despair and the Sou in the bed continue to lay there. How am I going to take away your pain? How am I going to tell you how I feel?
Sou felt his right hand become extremely warm and saw that Ichijo was squeezing the right hand of the Sou in the bed tightly. That's it thought Sou I know how I can tell him everything.
Sou was back in front of the Mashiro Ichijo surrounded by white light and they were both smiling this time
"I want say that I want to be your source of strength and I want you to be mine. But most of all I want to say I love you. I want to say I love with all my heart" said Sou, as he did so the figure stretch out his hand and said
"Well go on then" Sou took the out stretched hand in his and once again forced to close his eyes as the white light blinded him.
When Sou opened his eyes he found he was back in the hospital room but he was the dark haired boy in the bed which meant that he could return the squeeze Ichijo was giving him, which he promptly did so.
"Huh?" Mashiro said as moved his head up from the pillow. He could have sworn that he had felt his hand being squeezed.
"Sou?!" Mashiro yelled when his light brown eyes connected with open Sou's dark ones
"You're ok!" Sou nodded his head since he couldn't say anything with the oxygen mask on, it was a few minutes before Mashiro realised this.
"Ah…Sorry" he said as he moved to remove it. Once the mask was off Sou took a deep breath, lay back on his pillow and look up at Mashiro, who looked happy Sou guessed for the first time in days however he still had tears rolling down his face which Sou immediately removed with his free hand much to Mashiro's shock. But he didn't move and allowed Sou to rest his hand on his cheek
"Thank you Ichijo"
"Ah… I mean for what?"
"For saving me"
"What are you saying Sou?"
"I'm saying that you are my source of strength and I want to be yours"
"Sou"
"But mostly I'm saying I love you. I love you Mashiro Ichijo with all my heart"
"Sou" said Mashiro again as he bent down to embrace and be embraced by the one he loved with all his heart and nether of needed anything but each other to feel warm.
The End
There is a final chapter but that's going to be an epilogue to my main story. So what did you think of Coma did you love it or hate it either way I love all my readers with all my heart.
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