Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

[if there are still any out there

Here is the last installment of my story, Those Few Moments. I'm sorry if it took me forever to update. Just so you know, I have been robbed of inspiration shortly after I finished the last chapter and now, I just got back to finishing the whole story.

I apologize for the OOC-ness, the typos, THE HUGE AND UTTER CHEEZY-NESS/SAP, and grammatical errors here and in the chapters before.

A huge thank you to those who reviewed.

And so we conclude this tale...

// Close your eyes

And I will be swimming

Lullabies fill your room

And I will be singing

Singing to only you

Don't forget I'll hold your head

Watch the night sky fading red //

"…"

PAUSE

Nuriko left the table early. He followed right after Hotohori. Could something be going on?

I scratch my head. And here I am walking aimlessly through the corridors pondering on something which isn't my business. Seriously, I shouldn't be involved with whatever is going on between them.

But… it makes me think…

I stop walking. It seems I've reached the exit to the palace gardens. Maybe a bit of air outside would be good.

Huh? Someone's out here already. It's Hotohori… and Nuriko. They look serious about what they're talking about. Damn it. I got to hide somewhere. They can't know I'm here. Otherwise, I'd crash the whole "moment".

I can't really make out what they're saying. If only I had the talent of reading lips. Hiding behind this bush is getting annoying. The branches poking me are making me feel itchy. To hell with that. I continue to watch the two of them.

Nuriko, he's crying. I find my mouth open and my eyes look away. Right then and there I had the urge to just dart forward and grab him, take him away from Hotohori. The emperor didn't deserve such a person. He took Nuriko for granted and that was just… wrong. Nuriko loved him for so long and now, he's breaking his heart.

Damn. That didn't sound right. Am I going all sentimental and… jealous? Strange. I'm not getting any goosebumps.

I guess I've come to live with the fact that I love Nuriko. It's sad really that he never looked at me the same way he's looked at Hotohori. Nuriko and I have been the best of friends. We had laughs, arguments, we had our own "moments" but nothing as sincere as the one happening in front of me.

PLAY

// But as you sleep

And no one is listening

I will lift you off your feet

And keep you from sinking

Don't you wake up yet

'Cause soon I'll be leaving you

But you won't be leaving me //

PAUSE

I felt something fall on my head. I pick it up and see that it's a straw hat. I looked up and saw Chichiri resting on one of the braches of the tree beside me. He whispered a sorry and asked for his hat back. I pulled him down from his little lookout post.

PLAY

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

"I thought something was up you know."

"Well you're not supposed to be here!!"

"Neither are you, you know. And why are you so worked up about it?"

"Because!"

PAUSE

I could see him raising his eyebrow at me. I pulled him back to the palace corridor and hid behind a thick pillar.

PLAY

"So, how much did you see?"

"Not that much, you know. They both probably think that they're cut off from the world right now but I doubt if that's ever going to happen in this palace, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that everyone's watching."

PAUSE

I felt something move behind me and the pillar we were hiding behind just gave a grunt.

PLAY

"Uhm, Tasuki, why is Nuriko crying? And why is Hotohori holding him like that? And why did they kiss?"

"Chiriko!"

"Ehem."

"Mitsukake! How long have you been there?"

"I, uh, was the pillar you hid behind."

"What!?"

PAUSE

I looked to the right and saw an open window with a hint of two pairs of eyeballs peeking out.

PLAY

"Uh-oh."

"Looks like we're caught, Tamahome."

"Miaka… Tamahome…"

"Toldya, Tasuki. Everyone's watching, you know."

"Well, the emperor and Nuriko deserve some privacy right now, so if you don't mind…"

"But Tasuki! You never even answered my questions!"

"When you grow up, Chiriko, you'll understand it better."

"But I am grown up already! And I do understand a lot of stuff too!"

"But not this so…"

"Ssssh! They might hear you guys!"

"Just go away already! Damn it!"

"But we want to know what's happening too, you know."

PAUSE

I took out my harisen and blew them away. Hopefully they'd stay away from now on. This is ridiculous. I heaved a sigh. I turned around to face Hotohori and Nuriko out on the gardens. I didn't realize that I wasn't hiding anymore. I was blatantly standing there, completely oblivious to the world around me. I got consumed in my thoughts.

Well Nuriko, as I said I just wanted to run out there and grab you, letting you collapse into my arms and let your feelings out. But I guess you wouldn't want to be disturbed. You were with the one you loved most of all and this is the best I can do to make you happy for now.

Then again, were you really happy? I see more and more tears streaming down your face. Perhaps I haven't seen or heard as much as the others but I'm smart enough to tell that you were hurting inside… terribly.

PLAY

// In the car

The radio leaves me searching

For your star

A constellation of frustration

Driving hard

Singing my thoughts back to me

Like watching heartache on TV //

PAUSE

I felt like I wanted to save you. It wasn't pretty being the outside observer, seeing the person you love get hurt. If it was some brute hurting you physically then I could have just stepped in and killed the guy but now it's Hotohori and I think the both of you are finally setting it straight.

I don't know if you've known about my feelings for you. They started over the first few months of us being together. I felt that I was comfortable with you and I was happy everytime you gave me that smile of yours. You were always cheerful. Sure, we both had short tempers with each other but hey, it's all in good fun, right? All our antics and bruises… the time you spent with Hotohori was nothing compared to the time we spent together. Ours was always filled with laughter and… I don't know how to say it but… when we're together the pieces just seem to fit.

So it makes me wonder why you still chose Hotohori even if you were uncertain of his feelings, even if you knew that he would most probably choose his country over you, even if he rarely spent any time with you, and even if he never knew you existed despite serving all those months in his harem.

I tilt my head a little and smile.

I was never really that smart. I was rash and never had that much training on good manners. I wasn't that rich or good looking. I was a bandit before turning seishii for crying out loud. Hotohori was emperor before all this happened and still is. He's got a lot more going on than me and you loved him first. That's a fact I can't erase.

But he's breaking your heart and I bet if you'd just come closer you could hear mine breaking, too.

PLAY

// But as you sleep

And no one is listening

I will lift you off your feet

And keep you from sinking

Don't you wake up yet

'Cause soon I'll be leaving you

But you won't be leaving me //

PAUSE

It makes me angry that I couldn't do anything more than be your best friend. I really wanted to become something more. I wanted to be the one standing there in front of you, kissing you like there was no tomorrow. I wanted to be the one sharing those few moments with you, those few moments of freedom… or so we believed.

But all I can do now is watch you and after all this is done, I'd be there to wipe away your tears and pick up the pieces, try to put them back together but know that after tonight, Nuriko still wouldn't be whole. That piece in your heart is still missing and even if I force myself in that slot, I still wouldn't fit since I belong somewhere else.

So I'd just continue to do what I do best – try to make you smile and forget about the hurt of the real world even if it's just for a few minutes. I'll be here to hold your hand and support you, not as a lover but as a friend who's willing to do everything for your happiness.

You may not know it, but I'm the one who's pushing you upwards to face new heights, the one who takes you away from the miseries below. Hopefully you'll realize that one day and see who you are to me and what I want to become to you.

PLAY

// Don't forget I'll hold your head

Watch the night sky fading red //

PAUSE

I heard my friend say that you shouldn't cry for someone who made you cry. I should tell that to you the next time we talk, which would probably be after Hotohori leaves.

I guess it's a tough time for both of you guys, you're both shedding tears now. Whatever's happening between you two must be heavy. It hurts.

I made a promise to myself, Nuriko, that I'd never let you down no matter what. On the battlefield or not, I'll be by your side. I swear I'd protect you.

And as if on cue, Hotohori heads back to the palace.

PLAY

"Tasuki…"

"Hotohori."

PAUSE

And we pass each other. I go near you, seeing you were still staring after him.

PLAY

"Hey."

"Hey Tasuki."

PAUSE

You manage a smile, greeting me in the same happy tone you use on everyone.

PLAY

"Did you see the whole thing?"

"Well… "

"We better go back in, it's getting cold."

"Nuriko…"

PAUSE

I stop you in midstep and just take you in an embrace.

PLAY

"You shouldn't cry for someone who made you cry."

PAUSE

And at that you weep all over again, this time harder than before knowing that your sobs are muffled by my embrace.

PLAY

// But as you sleep

And no one is listening

I will lift you off your feet

And keep you from sinking

Don't you wake up yet

'Cause soon I'll be leaving you

Soon I'll be leaving you

But you won't be leaving me //

STOP

To the gods I prayed that this moment of us being together could last forever. To myself, I wished that I was good enough. To you Nuriko, I hope you'll never feel unwanted.