Chapter 2

I saw the crash with my own eyes.

It was right there. Right in front of me. And I couldn't do a single thing to stop it.

We were taking a walk that morning. The memory's crystal clear.

-flashback-

"Rin, I'm losing circulation in my fingers…," Haru muttered. "Can you let up on the death grip just a little?"

I gasped and dropped his hand. He clenched and unclenched his purple fingers, wincing. "Sorry," I muttered.

He looked at me curiously, tilting his head cutely so that his hair fell in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean, 'what's wrong'?" I asked him sharply. "There's nothing wrong with me!"

"Well, it's just that my fingers are still purple. And numb. And I'm pretty sure you usually don't hold your boyfriend's hand this tightly…unless something's wrong."

"But-!"

"No, I can tell. Don't try to fool me. I know you better than anyone, remember?"

Blushing, I backed away and turned my head in embarrassment. "Dammit, it's like he can see right through me! Those gray eyes of his are like…like…I don't even know what to call them….Those beautiful, deep, gray eyes of his. I could stare into them forever…."

A shadow passed across my face. I blinked out of my trance. "H-Huh? What happened?"

"I said what's wrong?" repeated Haru, waving his hand close to my face. I smacked it away.

"It's nothing," I muttered, looking away. "Sorry about your hand."

He opened his mouth and breathed in sharply, but he exhaled and didn't say anything. Instead, he just laughed and patted my head. "You're adorable."

I looked up, and he was smiling warmly, the way he always smiles. But…I sensed he was hiding something from me. I ignored it, though.

"I want to go home," I told him blankly.

"Ok, let's go," Haru obliged, taking my hand gently and pulling me. I planted my feet firmly on the ground all of a sudden and pulled him around so that we were face to face.

I searched his eyes for something…anything…to help me figure out what this feeling was. All I could see was that he looked confused. I sighed in exasperation.

"What is this…?" I asked myself quietly. I shook my head, then whispered. "I love you. More than anything.

He just smiled at me tenderly and kissed me passionately.

We could've stayed there in each other's arms forever.

But before I knew it, he pulled away and whispered in my ear, "Let's get you home."

I was in a daze. The next thing I noticed was that we were crossing the busiest street in the town at this time of day. Haru pulled me across about halfway, then I heard him gasp. He pushed me forward as hard as he could, and I hit my head on the curb.

-SCREEECH!-

Everything went black.

Later, as I approached semi-consciousness, I heard whispering and conversation all around me. I glanced up weakly, and I saw about 20 people surrounding me, half of them on their phones. I heard the wailing of police sirens, and I immediately thought, "Haru…Haru!" I sat up quickly, and I heard a collective gasp from the crowd. I turned around, and there was an ambulance parked a few feet away. Someone was on the stretcher…I squinted. Closed eyes…blood seeping through a white shirt…piercing…black and white hair…. I processed all of these images.

Haru…no…!

Don't leave me!

I love you!

Everything went black again.