Matsurei: Yo. Or something. It's been like... actually I don't know how many months/years since my last publish/update in this fandom, lol. So suddenly this idea jumped in, and... yeah. ...I think I've become even more socially awkward than before, meh.

...I am assuming Atsuya and Hiroto died at about the same time... according to the anime's time anyway (five years ago), I know the game said Hiroto died 10 years ago, but... you know. ...I'm sort of an anime person /slapped/

意味不明

Hiroto opened his eyes, confused by the fact that he could actually do that... wasn't he supposed to be killed or something? Yeah, that was probably what happened... there was no way he died of old age, come on, that much he remembered. "Yo, new guy." Hiroto looked to the side, but quickly scrambled back as the seemingly younger boy thrust his face almost directly into his, "Feeling any better? You were moanin' in your coffin!"

Man, this guy had a loud voice...

"...Oh, right, coffin." Hiroto repeated dumbly, looking behind him, finding himself facing his own gravestone. Well... at least he had a funeral... which was nicer than most victims with "undefined" deaths.

"Kira Hiroto, huh? I heard you died overseas~ that sure sucks, huh?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess?" Hiroto blinked, scowling slightly at the chattiness of this person, "I'm sorry, but do we know each other or something?" He asked, walking over (because he didn't feel comfortable with floating yet) and attempting to touch the flower bouquet that was set on his gravestone. ...They seemed fresh...

"Hm? Not at all!" The orange haired boy replied, floating on his back in the air as he watched Hiroto's actions with almost an amused manner, "But since we're the only kids here, we might as well get acquainted, right? The name's Fubuki Atsuya!"

"Uh, hi...?" The two shook hands awkwardly, "So, uh... Atsuya, you really have nothing else to do? I mean..." Hiroto looked around, suddenly alarmed by the lack of activity of their "own kind" despite it being a graveyard and all.

"Ah, well~" Atsuya was now turning a slow somersault in the air, "You see, I don't have an actual grave, so I can't really 'rest in peace', per se."

Hiroto frowned lightly, "Then what are you doing here?"

"My brother's hanging around here, you see, I'm just doing my duty as a ghost to look after him."

"Heh." Hiroto smiled in a slightly amused manner, "Your duty as a ghost, you say..."

"Speaking of which, that was some long sleep you had. Usually spirits who can not rest in peace emerge immediately after burial, but you... it's been almost fifty years, man. Or is this just a habit of yours? Sleeping overtime and such."

"Uh, you know... that might be it."

Atsuya arched an eyebrow at him in a questioning manner, "Not even gonna deny it, huh? I might be able to get used to that obedient personality of yours."

"No, actually, I... I can't really remember anything. I only know my name's Kira Hiroto because it's on my gravestone, but other than that... nothing."

"Maybe you died from some kind of disease."

"No, that's not it... I remember... 'something', that's for sure..." Hiroto's gaze wandered back to the flowers on his gravestone, "...Hitomiko."

"Huh?"

"Someone I used to know, I think..."

Atsuya stared at the guy a little longer, he cast his gaze over to a white building nearby before turning back to his new found buddy, "...Well, tell you what, since I have time anyway... why don't we go find this 'Hitomiko'? Who knows, she may be the reason why you're... well, in this state."

"Really? You'd do that for a total stranger? I mean, you have something you have to fulfill as well, right?"

"Yeah, I need a funeral performed on me, but it's not like I can do anything about that, so might as well help a buddy in need, right? Since we know each others' names already, we're no longer 'total strangers' after all."

"If you're really okay with that..."

"Great! I know just where to start!"

"Huh?"

"There's a family called Kira nearby that owns an orphanage called Sun Garden, come on!"

"Huh? Huh?!" Wasn't this a little too easy...?

Hiroto watched in awe as children, regardless of gender, played soccer together in the backyard, their innocent smiles almost blinding the two spirits. "...Soccer..."

"Brings back memories, huh?" Atsuya smiled brightly, but quickly recoiling back as a soccer ball passed through his head, "Man, this place is torture, let's go inside or something!"

"Wait, let me watch a little longer."

"...Whatever."

It was probably due to the fact that they were ghosts, but the two didn't seem tired at all just standing there watching the children continue their little game. Hiroto felt a strong urge to join, despite the fact that he knew he couldn't... Atsuya was probably feeling the same as his legs kept twitching while he stood next to the older boy.

"This... kind of reminds me of something... but..."

Murder.

"Hiroto?" Atsuya nudged the boy in the ribs, hard. "Hey, snap out of it! Even though I'm probably in no place to say this, but you're acting really creepy right now!"

"...I think... I was murdered."

"Who says that with such a calm face?!"

"...It doesn't matter."

The realization of the reason of his death didn't shake him as much as he thought it would... which meant there was something much more important he was supposed to attend to in order to rest in peace. "You're right, let's get inside."

"Huh? O-okay..." Talk about mood swings... but Atsuya couldn't blame him. Whenever he thought back about the avalanche, he goes around moping for a couple of days as well... and by moping, he meant taking over his brother's body and, you know the rest. Of course, he had already learned to deal with the shock without affecting the living, but that honestly takes plenty of time. Though the least he could do was stick around, it would be dangerous to leave a "new born" spirit alone like this, after all. He didn't want the same thing that happened to Shirou to happen again...

As Hiroto passed through the hallways, he noticed the pictures of previous orphans hanging along the walls on each end, and at the very end of the hall, there was a room with a little shrine inside. On it, stood a portrait of what appeared to be the founder of this orphanage who had already passed away for quite some time. "...'Kira'..."

"A relative, maybe?"

"My father."

"Whoa, you're remembering things way too fast, man!"

"No, it's just that... how could I forget the person who had cried the most on the day of my funeral?"

Suddenly, some sort of realization hit Atsuya, "...Yeah, you have no idea what he did later on, man..."

"What?"

"Well, uh... he built this orphanage, of course!" Atsuya laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head as he glanced casually towards a picture of Kiyama Hiroto and gang during the Aliea accident. Kira Hiroto didn't have to know about that.

"Yeah, it seems like a really nice place." Hiroto smiled faintly as he looked at his father's picture fondly. "...I miss you too, old man." He murmured, sitting down in front of the shrine, wishing to spend a few more moments with his father's formless spirit.

Getting the message for once, Atsuya exited the room, a new problem now emerged... for him, anyway. "If the problem really is that girl, Hitomiko... ugh, there's no way I can do this..."

"You know, Atsuya, my older sister used to give me tips on playing soccer, even though she's not exactly a player herself, she's a really bright strategist." Hiroto commented, his voice floating down the hall to Atsuya's ears.

"Oh, uh, yeah?" Atsuya replied, quickly swooshing back into the room just as Hiroto stood up, seemingly ready to leave the room.

"...Mhm. It's a real pity that we began to grow apart as time passed... I guess I was really too much of a child for her to handle. She was a really mature person, you know. ...Sometimes I wonder if she hated me... after all... looking at this room..." Hiroto looked around at the pictures of himself while he was alive hanging almost everywhere in the traditional style room.

"No... not exactly..." Atsuya muttered quietly, "...this was her room after all..."

"'Was'? I'm pretty sure this room didn't even exist while I was still living here."

"Uh, look, we're not entirely sure that your memory's completely patched up, right? So are you going to trust me or yourself?" Atsuya snapped, "Well, oh, look at the time, let's go back-"

"What are you talking about? It's not like we need sleep, right?"

"It's always a good habit to take naps and such now and then, right?!"

"Atsuya!" Hiroto grabbed hold of the other spirit's arm, stopping him from running away through the window, "What is wrong?"

"Oh, nothing really, maybe it's because I'm dead?!"

"Atsuya, come on... you're not being serious, are you?" Hiroto sighed, confused by the sudden outbursts the boy was giving.

"...Uggh... I can't... ugh..." Forcing his hand free, Atsuya floated out.

"...Huh...?"

"Feel like talking now?" Hiroto asked, walking over to the orange haired boy who was crouching underneath a mini-slide inside a children's playground in Sun Garden. The boy had been in there for the past couple of hours before Hiroto eventually found him.

"...That Hitomiko person... she was your sister, right?"

Hiroto's eyes widened in surprise, "...Yeah, I reckon she was. What is it, Atsuya?"

"Was she important to you?"

"Of course!" Atsuya glanced to the side, noticing a small smile was forming on Hiroto's face as memories of his sister came back to him, "She was more than a sister! She was my first playmate, my first teammate, and my first coach! But more than anything, she was also my first friend... and the person I respected, no, respect, the most... and if I could, if only I had a little more time... I wish I could had become the best soccer player in the world and tell her it was all thanks to her."

"Shut up!"

"Atsuya?"

"What the hell... just earlier you were a dumb little... thing that didn't even know his name, why... I should have never brought you here!" Atsuya attempted to run off again, but was pinned down by Hiroto who had quickly pounced on him.

"Look, I'm not going to let you go or stop following you until you tell me what's wrong." Hiroto stated calmly, drilling his green eyes into Atsuya's bright orange ones.

"Ngh..." It wasn't fair... if Hiroto's problem was solved, he'd be alone again... it'd be like losing Shirou all over again! It was too much... but more than anything, he was afraid that once Hiroto knew the truth, he'd be hurt... this wasn't a two-way street, God damn it!

Hiroto leaned down, touching his forehead to Atsuya's, "Come on, Atsuya... you said we're friends, right? Friends tell each other everything. From when you started talking to me for the first time, you've also become an important person to me, so... please don't look so troubled..."

"Aren't you the one making me troubled?!" This was unsightly... Fubuki Atsuya, crying in front of another person, or ghost, technically.

The older boy gently patted Atsuya's head, calming him down bit by bit as hot tears continued to roll down his cheeks, "...I don't like leaving things unresolved, Atsuya... so I'm begging you, please tell me what's wrong."

"..." Atsuya's bottom lip trembled as he opened his mouth once more after crying his fill, "...You... come with me."

The two arrived back at the graveyard, but Atsuya kept going. They then entered the white building, which Hiroto not recognized to be a hospital. Sliding into a room, Atsuya beckoned Hiroto over to the innermost bed where an old lady with spectacles and deep blue-green eyes was sitting, her head turned to the right to look out the window towards the graveyard.

"People normally don't like to be in here since it's right next to the graveyard, but this old lady especially requested her bed to be placed here. ...I don't suppose she has a lot of time left..." Atsuya murmured as they drew nearer to the bed.

The old lady's head turned around, for a moment, Hiroto thought her eyes were looking straight at him. "...H-Hitomiko?" Her wrinkled face broke into a smile, "...Hitomiko-oneesan..." Hiroto floated down next to her bed, "I-I have so many things to talk about with you!"

Atsuya leaned against the wall, watching as the two exchanged words. Well, Hiroto did all the talking, but Hitomiko seemed to be replying with tiny nods as Hiroto continued to talk enthusiastically about his experiences while he was overseas, the happy ones, of course.

Seeing this, it was obvious that there was a mutual desire to see each other between the two siblings, even after a long stretch of time, and even though Hitomiko wasn't able to express her feelings well back when she was still a young adult, it didn't mean she didn't care at all. In fact, she was probably the person who was affected by it the most. After all, normally people shouldn't be able to see them, but... it was obvious she was able to see Hiroto. She probably thought this was a dream, that was why she was reacting so calmly, but... it was still quite an amazing sight.

Atsuya felt like he still had so much to learn from the living... despite having been stuck here for the past fifty years.

The two siblings continued to talk until the sun went down, Hitomiko's eyes began to droop, though she was trying her best to keep them open, wanting to stay with her younger brother whom she hadn't seen for the longest time... "Heh, it's okay, Hitomiko... we can talk again some other time." Hiroto said, touching Hitomiko's cheek gently, despite knowing that she wasn't able to feel him even though she could see him. Some things just can't be bent after all, but this much of a miracle was enough. "...But... you'll have to come to me the next time, okay? Pinky promise." Hiroto smiled childishly, "I'll be waiting..."

"So... I guess that's that, huh?" Atsuya stated as he followed Hiroto back to his gravestone.

"Yeah, it's all thanks to you, Atsuya."

The younger boy let out a gasp as Hiroto pulled him into a hug. It was impossible, but Atsuya swore he actually felt... warmth, in that one hug. "...I didn't do much anyway. Besides, I must be the most difficult person you've ever met."

"Ha, I won't be so sure. The most difficult ghost though."

"Humph."

They separated, and Hiroto glanced up at the starless sky, "...I guess this is it, I can sort of feel it..."

"Yeah..." Atsuya felt himself choking up at the thought of the lonely path he'll have to walk again after this... who knew how many years he'll have to wait for another spirit to come along? "I guess this is... bye?"

"Atsuya... I told you, I don't like leaving things unresolved."

"...Huh?"

A strong spurt of light emerged from the dark clouds, and the younger boy found himself in the same pair of strong arms yet again, "I... wasn't able to make a lot of true friends while I was alive, at least not that I can remember well enough to call them my 'true' friends, but Atsuya... even though we've known each other for less than a day, I feel like... well..."

"Hey, I'm not good with mushy situations, man..."

Hiroto chuckled with amusement, his breath tickling Atsuya's ear as tears began to well up again, "Thank you for being such a great friend to a total stranger like me, Atsuya."

"You're controverting yourself, idiot." Atsuya felt his voice crack as Hiroto began to float up into the light.

"That's why, as my last wish on Earth... I want you to come with me."

"...What?"

"Come with me, Atsuya."

Hiroto's arms refused to loosen the hug as they floated towards what was said to be "God's garden"... together.

"...Stupid."

Somewhere on an island, a black haired boy with slightly tanned skin smiled as he petted a goat gently in his arms, "...And that is why... I'll stay here a little longer. Don't you agree, Imouto?"

Matsurei: The end! Sorry if it seemed really rushed, lol.

By the way,

Imouto = younger sister

if that wasn't clear.