I'm really glad that everyone loved the previous chapter!
I was also kind of hoping that you'd remember the green tea scent. It was already mentioned in the early chapters along with the cypress tree, Wataru's handkerchief, and the continuous mention of the forecast that it would snow. Remember?
Anyway, here's the latest chapter.
Disclaimer: ONLY THE RING FINGER KNOWS does not belong to me. All elements below belong to Kannagi Satoru and its proper copyrights. The only things I do own are my original characters.
Note: These are not, I repeat, these are NOT the actual events of the fourth novel. This is what I guess you could call an alternate storyline. Please do not rely on this fic for information about the fourth novel or on any of the books, although I will be borrowing some scenes and events that took place there.
"Yuichi…" she paused as she took a deep breath, probably wondering how to say it without startling the boy. "Wataru is missing. He's gone and no one knows where he is."
"What?"
"His sister doesn't know… his parents don't know… even Kawamura-kun doesn't know… They're already calling up as many people as they can, asking if anyone knows where he is."
Hearing of the young boy's condition, Yuichi felt something inside him crack. Without another word, he hurried to the closet and pulled out his heavy brown coat, and quickly put it on. Shohei, snapping out of his daze, noticed Yuichi's actions and called his attention. "What are you doing, otouto?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Yuichi replied, already opening the door and stepping outside. "I'm going to look for Wataru!" With that, he slammed the door shut, venturing out into the cold night in search for his beloved.
THE UNTOUCHED RING
ChapterTwenty-Two: Finding What Is Lost (Part 2)
Kazuki stood in the middle of the pitch-black room. The only light illuminating the area was the soft glow from the street lamps below. It had felt like ages since he last felt the hard floor of his apartment. Everything was exactly the way he had left it. The magazines were scattered on the coffee table, some rumpled clothes lay discarded on the floor, and the bed was still in a tussled state—the aftermath of his last intimate encounter with Wataru. But even with the time that had passed, the unmistakable scent of amour still lingered in the air.
"Wataru…" he mumbled; tiny beads of sweat formed on the thin line of his forehead. He had run all the way here, and his chest was heavily breathing. The last time Wataru had gone missing, he found the boy waiting at his doorstep. He came here with a tiny shred of hope that perhaps he'll find him here again. But he was met with disappointment when only an empty room—devoid of any life—greeted him.
His eyes scanned the room again, adjusting to the darkness. The book was still there on the desk, and no doubt, Mizuho's postcard was also there. He picked it up and flipped it open, and sure enough, the postcard came into view, sticking out like a sore thumb. Kazuki mentally berated himself. Why did he keep such a thing? Why didn't he just dispose of it the moment he got it? He let it lie around where it was bound to be found and by his lover no less. This postcard was basically the root cause of it all.
He never should have left.
But how did Mizuho know about him ranking in the Top 30 National Mock Exam? He hadn't been in contact with her ever since their break-up. He clicked his teeth together. Surely, Shohei had some role in that as well, but he doubted it was intentional. Shohei hadn't known about him and Wataru until the past few months. But nevertheless, whether it was intentional or not, it still caused a rift between him and Wataru. He settled the book back down on the desk, leaning over it with his back hunched like an arch. The sounds of the late-night traffic resonated in his ears, and with a clenched fist, he pounded hard against the wooden board of his desk.
Wataru! Where are you…?
There was a creak of the wooden floor, and the swinging of the door was heard. Someone was entering. Kazuki whipped his head around, hoping it was Wataru, but all too soon those hopes were cruelly shattered.
"Asaka-senpai…"
"Kazuki-kun," the older man greeted, ever with that smooth smile. "What are you doing standing here in the dark?"
"I should ask the same thing," he replied, and turned to face the man entirely. "This is my apartment. How'd you get in? And how'd you know where it is?"
"From Shohei-san. He told me what happened… Oh, and the door was open so I let myself in."
"……"
"Shohei maybe a lot of things, but he's still your brother. He's concerned about you. And, believe it or not, he's also concerned about Wataru-kun. He called me up to ask about him…"
"Oh, that's typical!" Kazuki spat, interrupting Asaka. "He brings you into this. He's probably hoping that you somehow manage to sweep Wataru off his feet! That man… really has no pride left in him!"
"Kazuki-kun… I already knew about Wataru's condition even before Shohei-san called me."
"……"
"Mitsuki was with Kawamura-kun when Karin called him. Naturally, she was worried so she decided to call me as well. Honestly, I was also in the middle of finding him when Shohei-san phoned me."
"……"
"He asked me to make sure you're all right. That's when he gave me your apartment's address, figuring it'd be one of the places you'd go to."
"How nice…" the younger man drawled. "Aniki is playing the role of the kind, older brother, while you're being the concerned senpai… This is too much that it's almost hilarious."
"You think I'm not capable of concern?" Asaka crossed his arms. "You're my kohai, Kazuki-kun. I will show concern for you whether you like it or not. The same goes for Shohei-san."
"Well, I'm flattered!" Kazuki raised his voice again. Outside, a long honk of a car horn was heard as it swerved around the corner. The headlights flashed through the window, momentarily filling the room with light—imaging the features of both men for a split second—and then fainted back into a dimly-lit darkness. "That's very noble of you," he continued. "But I still haven't forgiven you for playing along with this underhanded scheme!"
"Scheme…" Asaka uttered. "Are you referring to Shohei asking Wataru to pretend to be my lover?"
"……"
"I admit it was a very tempting offer, but I assure you I had no role in it. Wataru-kun never consented to it either. Everything I did was done according to my impulse, and not according to Shohei-san's scheme."
Kazuki stared at Asaka's framed silhouette, his eyes gradually narrowing. Even though he had admitted it countless of times, it still doesn't change the fact that Asaka Masanobu is indeed a very annoying thorn in his side. Both men fell silent again; their ears being filled with the sound of the Tokyo streets. Their eyes mirrored each other in an intense and heated gaze.
Finally, Asaka let out a heavy sigh, and brushed away his hair with his long fingers. "Look," he spoke. "I'm sure you and I have lots to talk about, and we can really argue the entire night. But perhaps we can do it some other time. The important thing is to find Wataru."
Kazuki shifted his gaze from the man in front of him to the room he stood in. Everywhere he looked there were traces and remnants of Wataru in the room. His spare clothes were tucked away in the closet, and some of which were lying forgotten on the floor. His comics and reviewers were mixed in together with the magazines that were scattered on the coffee table. In the bathroom, inside the medicine cabinet, Wataru's red toothbrush was tucked comfortably in a glass cup next to Kazuki's blue one. Over there in the kitchen were two sets of utensils, and there was a big, white mug with Wataru's name written on it.
This place had Wataru. Everything in it reminded him of the boy. The sight, the scent, even the sounds of the late-night traffic below reminded him of Wataru. If not for the boy then Kazuki would consider this apartment as just another room, no different from the one he had at home. The reason why loved being in this place so much is because he knew Wataru would be here. It always gave him something to look forward to. That's what he wanted—what he missed. And he'll do anything to get it back.
"All right," he finally answered. "Let's go."
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A line of sakura trees grew freely by the station. Although there weren't any blossoms now due to the season, surely when spring arrives, flowers will bloom on its branches once again. And people will come stop by to look at them, marveling its beauty as part of yearly tradition. But for now, it's where the entire gang meets up to share the fruits of their search for Fujii Wataru.
"Everyone is here," Kazuki said, astonished to see even the members of Asaka's circle gathered there. Karin and Kawamura, he was already expecting to find there.
"Didn't I tell you?" the older man replied. "Mitsuki was the one who called me. She was so worried that she called the others as well."
"Ah, Asaka! And Kazuki-kun is with you," Mitsuki called out, noticing their presence. She waved to them to come closer, which they did. "Asaka, how'd it go? Were you able to find him?"
"No luck," he sighed. "How about you guys?"
Each member of the Renovation Club shook their heads with disappointment. They too had no luck in finding the boy. Kazuki bit down his lip to show his frustration. The late-night traffic was slowly lifting, and gradually less and less people were seen walking in the streets. It was getting very late. If he was to close his eyes, he could clearly hear every sound and tap of footsteps on the sidewalk. But none of them matched the familiar ones that he had grown accustomed to.
"This… is…" Kawamura drawled out through clenched teeth; his hands were clasped into tight fists. With a look of absolute fury, he bolted for Kazuki and grabbed the older boy by the collar. "This is all your fault!" Everyone turned their heads to the enraged boy, surprised by his outburst. Even Kazuki was stunned. "I knew it. I just knew that something like this would happen!"
"Ka…Kawamura…" Mitsuki tried to calm him down, but it had no effect.
"I maybe invisible to you…" the young boy continued, still gripping tightly on Kazuki's collar. "I maybe nothing to you and I don't mind that. But I absolutely won't forgive you for hurting Wataru like this! I thought something bad might happen when I heard you were going to see your ex. But I didn't say anything because I thought that it was just me worrying over things. But apparently I was wrong!"
"……"
"You have absolutely no idea what Wataru has been going through these past weeks! And it's all because of you! You don't deserve him, you bastard! Don't you know that practically everyone in school is hounding him for truth about your so-called mystery girlfriend? Do you even know that Wataru hasn't been home since his parents found out about both of you?"
"W-What…?" Kazuki who had been silently accepting all of Kawamura's insults, silently perked with attention at the revelation of a certain fact.
"You don't know…" the young boy scowled. "You honestly don't know… And you're supposed to be the person closest to him!"
It took a while for Kazuki to process everything said. His eyes wandered to the others, particularly to Asaka, and saw that the man held no surprise in hearing of Wataru's home-situation. In other words, he already knew about it. Kazuki mentally slapped himself. He was the last to know. He was the person who cared the most about Wataru, but he was the last to know about something so important.
Shame, guilt and regret tainted his eyes. With a look of utmost sincerity, he spoke, "You're right. I am the biggest jerk right now. And I probably deserve a punch or two. But my only true concern at the moment is to look for Wataru."
Kawamura lightened his frown a bit, searching the taller boy's eyes for any trace of a lie or indecisiveness. When all he found was utmost sincerity, he loosened his grip and finally let go. "Fine," he mumbled, clearing his head a bit. It would take a while before the fact that he had nearly picked a fight with Kazuki—the Kazuki Yuichi—sunk in. But he was too caught up with worry to even bother with that fact.
"Well, I'm glad we didn't have a street-brawl," Karin breathed a sigh of relief. A fight was definitely the last thing they needed, especially between two very important people to her brother.
"Anyway," Kazuki said, fixing the crease on his clothes caused by Kawamura's grip. "What made you think that Wataru was missing?"
"He was supposed to go home today," Kawamura answered, regaining his composure. "He called me and said he was going home and that he'll just leave his things with me in case things don't go smoothly. After that, I didn't hear from him again. At first, I thought they had patched things up, so I tried calling him. But I couldn't get through to his cell. So I called up their house."
"But Wataru never came home," Karin added. "If he did, I'd know. Trust me, he never came home. So when Kawamura-kun called up, I was really surprised. We started calling up a few friends and acquaintances, asking if any of them have seen Wataru, but they all said they hadn't."
"I… I see…" Kazuk drawled.
"Even otousan and okaasan are worried," the young girl added rather faintly. "They're really not that mad at him. Okaasan is at home waiting, just in case he decides to come home. Otousan is driving around town looking for him."
"If all else fails," Kobayashi said. "We'll have to file a missing person's report."
"Whatever, let's just find him!" Kazuki snapped.
"Right," Asaka immediately cut in, sensing the tension radiating from his young kohai. "I brought my car so I'll drive around as well. The rest of you try circling around a bit more. Call if you find anything."
With that, they dispersed, each disappearing down their own chosen route. Kazuki turned to leave as well, but Asaka called out to him, stopping him. Kazuki turned to look back at the older man, his eyes narrowed with a sharp-pointed glare. "I know," he said, beating the man to the point. "I know I shouldn't have snapped at Kobayashi-san like I did. I just…"
"I'm not going to criticize you for you worry over Wataru-kun," Asaka answered, his voice ever sounding smoothly, but it was also tainted with concern. "But please remember that everyone is doing their best to find him. The others are quite fond of him too. So let's keep our heads clear, okay?"
Oh, how Kazuki truly loathed this man at the moment. Even until now, Asaka was still able to keep a calm and cool head. That showed the maturity gap between them, and the thought that it was Asaka instructing him to calm down was very infuriating. With a grunt, he sped off down the opposite direction.
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Hours and hours of searching had begun taking its toll on him. Kazuki had been running across town, looking at every place he could think of, searching every nook and cranny he could find. It was getting very late, and it was also considerably getting colder. The number of pedestrians out in the streets had considerably decreased to the point that they could be counted in one hand. But that didn't stop him in his search. Where else could Wataru go at this hour?
Kazuki listened as silence began to dominate the streets. If someone whispered in the distance, he might actually hear it. He tilted his head upward and gazed at the night sky. Something caught his eye. He had to blink twice in order to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Was it… snowing?
He extended his hand out and watched as that tiny, fluffy white substance settled down in the middle of his palm. The moment its coldness met with the warmth of his hand, it instantly melted. Yes, it was definitely snowing. And quite beautifully, he might add. They were like tiny white lights illuminating the dark and quiet streets, covering the concrete pavement in a vast blanket of whiteness. Kazuki closed his hand over the tiny flake that had landed once again, feeling his own emotions melt away.
He faintly thought, wouldn't it be nice if he could be watching the falling snow with Wataru? Could the boy even see these gently falling white lights wherever he is? Kazuki could only wonder…
In heavy and blank silence, he resumed walking, not following any particular direction but just aimlessly wandering. His eyes would stray once in a while, trying to catch any sign of life—any sign of Wataru. But there was none. Before he knew it, all of his constant walking had led him back to a familiar sight of hydrangea bushes shriveled up due to the cold, and an empty playground. The moment he laid eyes upon it, he thought he would cry.
He was back at the park where he and Wataru had first confessed their love to one another. He had no idea why his legs brought him here, but he just had this fleeting feeling of hope that perhaps the boy would be here. But instead, he was met with a lonely and empty playground.
He breathed a heavy sigh and trudged over to the swings; his feet were already tired. The chains gave a rusty squeak as he sat down on one of the swings. He looked down on the ground, as if expecting all the solutions to his problem would be written down there on the dirt. He closed his eyes for a moment and contemplated the many encounters he had with Wataru in that park. They would always be filled with laughter and emotion, but more importantly, they were always happy. In that park, they shared their first "real" kiss. They had exchanged rings and professed their love there.
It was also there that they first thought of sleeping together. Even until now, Kazuki could still feel the anxiety that had coursed through his veins when he suggested that. "Let's go to bed," he could almost hear his old-self saying it. He was worried about Wataru's answer, let alone his reaction. What would Wataru have thought about him—suggesting they sleep together to kill his insecurities regarding their relationship? It was a stupid suggestion no matter how you look at it, but Kazuki had suggested it from the bottom of his heart. And he could still feel the heat, the tension and the stimulation built up inside him at the time.
As he continued with his musings, light footsteps approached, along with the sway of fabric. Kazuki looked up, and a long scarf was draped around his neck, and he found himself staring into brilliantly black eyes that not too long ago were filled with pain and agony.
"Mizuho…"
The older woman bent down to his level to look at him in the eye. Her hands softly held his cheeks; the warmth of her hands contrasting the cold of his skin. "It's enough, isn't it?" she spoke, heavy breaths forming at the edge of her lips. "It's very late. You're tired and you haven't had dinner. It's getting colder as well. Come back inside to warm yourself up."
"How can I?" he said in a low whisper. "…when Wataru could still be out there?"
"I'm sure he's fine," her gentle voice assured him, sounding like a soft melody. "Wataru-kun isn't a child. Surely, he must be lodging in with a friend or something. Yuichi, if you stay out here for too long, you'll catch a cold, worse, pneumonia. Rest now and resume searching in the morning."
Kazuki covered her hands, which were still pressed up against his cheeks, with his. He could feel the warmth gushing from her fingertips and on to the palm of his hands. As if in slow motion, he detached those hands from his face, pushing them away, and shaking his head in disagreement. "No," he muttered. "I can't stop now…"
"Yuichi…"
"I need to know he's all right. If he's staying somewhere, all the more reason for me to go find him. I won't consider him safe unless he's back in my arms."
"……"
"My, what a touching scene," an amused voice called out to them. Both Kazuki and Mizuho turned to look at the tall man casually approaching them with a large smirk on his lips.
"Aniki," Kazuki narrowed his eyes, as Mizuho stood up and patted the snow off from her skirt. "What do you want?"
"What a dangerous glare," the older Kazuki mused. "Relax, otouto, I'm not here to cause trouble. Just waiting for Masanobu…"
"Really… What for…?"
"Oh, just to check a few things for me."
Before Kazuki could say something in response, a silver station wagon pulled up, and the driver immediately stepped out. "Shohei-san, I came as soon as you called," Asaka said. "You found something?"
"Well, it's not really something, but I think it's worth looking into."
"What's worth looking into?" Kazuki cut in, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.
Asaka shifted his gaze to the young boy for a moment before answering his query. "Not long after we split up, obaasan called me. She said that Hongo-san had called her up as well, and was rather panicked. Apparently, Sayuri has gone missing."
"Sayuri?" Kazuki knew he heard that name before. "Your fiancé?"
"Ex-fiancé," he corrected. "Anyway, it's too much of a coincidence that she's gone missing at the same time as Wataru has. Considering how things have been going lately, it's highly likely that they're together."
"So how does aniki fit in all of this?"
"It makes sense, actually," Shohei cut in. "After you left, I made a few phone calls. Do you know of the highway currently undergoing renovation near Tsukimine Shrine?"
"Highway 54?"
"A group of workers there swear they saw a ghostly apparition right before they left for home. They said that a young girl wearing white with long black hair was walking down that street. The strange thing was that she wasn't at all dressed for winter and she was barefoot. The workers were a bit drunk so they didn't bother confirming whether it was a real person or not. They just scurried away from there."
"…And you think that 'ghost' is Sayuri?" Kazuki asked, catching on to where the conversation was headed.
"It might be her or it might be not," Asaka explained. "But it's still worth looking into. And if we're lucky, Wataru might be with her. What do you think?"
"That's fine. But I'm coming with you."
"Yuichi…!" Mizuho exclaimed. She had stayed silent all throughout the conversation, but she couldn't keep quiet when she heard the young man would be going as well.
Kazuki ignored her, and took Asaka by the arm. "Let's go," he said, dragging him back to the older man's car. Asaka merely shrugged, and followed, getting in the driver's seat. Shohei stood there, silently watching his younger brother. "Are you going to stop me?" Kazuki asked, noticing the gaze planted on him. Shohei shrugged and replied, "I have no reason to stop you." Hearing those words kind of lifted something heavy from Kazuki's chest, if not momentarily bringing him relief. With a small smile, he said, "Thank you, aniki." And he got into the passenger's seat. At the start of the engine, they drove off.
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Kazuki had always seen Asaka's car, but he never rode in it. And he never expected that a day would come wherein he would be sitting in the passenger seat of that man's car. One of the first things he had noticed about the interior was the refreshing scent of green tea-coming from the air-freshener. The scent was rather strong and distinct—it reminded him of something.
"You like it?" Asaka asked, opening conversation. "The air-freshener, I mean. You've been looking at it for a while now. Wataru-kun seems to like it too."
"Wataru?"
"He's ridden in my car before, you know."
Kazuki frowned. He could swear that Asaka was gloating as if he had an advantage over something. So Wataru's ridden in the older man's car before. So what? It's not like he didn't know about that. "Are you trying to say something to me, senpai?"
Asaka chuckled lightly. "Oh, nothing. I was just musing at how un-cool you were a while ago… admitting that you're a jerk in front of everyone."
"Impressing you is the last thing I want to do, so I guess I'm fine with that."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken. I am quite impressed with you, Kazuki-kun."
"……"
"To have someone like you suddenly admit your flaws and imperfections… Surely only Wataru-kun could ever make you do such a brazen thing. But I completely understand. He has the same effect on me. Maybe that's why I desire him so much."
Kazuki frowned and crossed his arms together. "I thought we weren't going to have this argument now."
"It's not an argument, Kazuki-kun," Asaka replied, making a turn at the intersection. "It's a discussion. And we're bound to have it sooner or later, so I think all cards should be laid out on the table before anything else happens."
"…Fine," he grunted, turning to look at the passing buildings and fading street lamps.
"I've never denied that I was the one who instigated this whole fiancé-charade to Wataru-kun. But I have to admit that I did have an ulterior motive to it."
"Why am I not surprised?" the younger man asked dryly.
Asaka chose to ignore that comment. "The truth is, I thought that there would be a chance—even the slightest chance—that Wataru-kun would fall in love with me. If he wouldn't, at least I'd get the chance to pretend, even just a little, that we were mutually in love. Although Wataru-kun did show slight hints of attraction towards me, he kept completely devoted to you."
"……"
"The one that makes him smile, laugh, cry and mad… is you…"
Kazuki's eyes sparkled the moment he heard those words. He felt himself ease and relax against the back-rest, like another burden was lifted from him. "Asaka, you…" he spoke, carefully choosing his words. "Because you know you can't have Wataru… that's what's spurring you further to pursue him."
Asaka flinched a bit, and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "That's… probably true," he murmured. "But I assure you that I am truly in love with Wataru-kun. He is not a replacement for Yuina."
"…And neither is he a replacement for Mizuho," the younger man added.
Asaka glanced at him for a moment, and returned his gaze on the road. He sighed and gave a light chuckle. "That means my efforts were in vain, weren't they? I even went through the trouble of asking him to bed…" Kazuki immediately coughed and sputtered after that statement like the wind was knocked right out of him. He turned to Asaka with big, wide eyes like saucers. The older man was apparently anticipating that reaction. He laughed loudly then said, "Relax, Kazuki-kun. I assure you, nothing happened between Wataru and I. Didn't I tell you that he remains devoted to you?"
"……"
"Wataru-kun never betrayed you."
Kazuki settled back on his seat. "I know… I'm the one at fault…" He trailed off, leaving the conversation hanging. Asaka must've gotten the hint, because he did not attempt to start another conversation after that. They continued the drive in silence.
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Kazuki looked at the sky, noticing it had stopped snowing. Everywhere he looked there was a cape of white draped over. And the silence lingering in the car seemed eternal—the only sound that could be heard was the shifting of the wind-shield wipers. The smell of the air-freshener filled his nostrils, taking in the scent of green tea. And for a fleeting moment, he thought of the forest.
Beyond the horizon, he could clearly see the blackness of the night slowly fading. The sun would be coming up soon and it'd be morning. They have practically been searching the whole night. They hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, they were overrun by worry. But all of that seemed irrelevant. What seemed more important was to find the young boy. Kazuki closed his eyes and imagined Wataru in his arms. The smell of his hair, the scent of his cologne, and that tiny lithe body pressed up against his. He'd wrap his arms around that small figure, trap him in his embrace, and keep him there where's he's safe.
As the sun's rays slowly began to creep into view, Kazuki could feel it hit his closed eyelids. He opened them, and caught the sight of the amazing sunrise. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Asaka asked. Kazuki nodded in agreement. As they drove down Highway 54, they searched for any sign of this 'ghostly apparition' that the workers spoke of.
"See anything?" the older man asked.
Kazuki kept turning his head, looking for a better view. He bit his lip in aggravation. There wasn't anything. There was… "Wait!" he murmured as something caught his eye. "What's that over there?" He pointed into the distance. The sun's rays were in their sight so it took a while for their eyes to focus properly. And when it did, they clearly saw the outlined figure of a person in a tattered white dress, black hair swaying against the wind.
The moment realization dawned on them, they sped off to where that person was, and came to a screeching halt. The girl yelped in surprise, but remained on the ground even as the two men stepped out of the car. Kazuki was the first to approach her, stretching out his hand to help her up. "Are you all right?" he asked. The girl shifted uncomfortably before accepting his hand and used it pull herself up. The moment their hands made contact, Kazuki could feel the cold emanating from her fingertips. But she was far from a ghostly apparition. She was real.
"My goodness…!" Asaka exclaimed, hurrying to her side as well. "Sayuri, what happened to you? You look like you crawled under a rock!" He scrutinized her from head to toe, noticing her shivering figure in a tattered nightgown. He also noted the tiny cuts and scrapes on her hands, knees and feet as if she clawed her way out of something.
"Masanobu-sama…" she murmured; breathless. She was still holding on to Kazuki's hand. And the moment the heat from his palm penetrated through the cold on her skin, she came back to her senses and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Wa…Wataru! He… He's down there!"
"What?" The moment he heard Wataru's name, Kazuki seemed to have been jolted with life. "What do you mean down there?"
"Down… We fell… I'm so sorry… We spent the night… He's down there…" She went through all sorts of hysterics that Kazuki had to clasp her arms to calm her down.
"Calm down," he said. "Calm down and tell me what happened slowly."
Sayuri licked her lips, gathering herself, and forming coherent sentences in her mind. "He's down there… in a cave… it's not far… He has a fever… you have to help him!"
That's all he needed to know. "Asaka, you take care of her."
With that, he climbed over the ledge, but before he could make another move, Asaka's voice stopped him. "Kazuki-kun, what are you doing?"
"I'll go down and get Wataru," he explained. "You take her and drive down. This highway connects to the main road. We'll meet you on the other side."
"What? Wait! You're going to climb down? Isn't that dangerous? Let's just drive to the main road and look for him from there."
"That'll take too much time! We'll go faster if we do it this way. Besides…" he looked at Sayuri's shivering form. "…She seems to be rather shaken up."
Asaka looked at Sayuri as well. He sighed and removed his coat, and draped it over her shoulders, slightly startling the young girl. "All right," he answered. "I'll see you there." He led Sayuri to the passenger seat of the car where he inspected her hands. He was pretty amazed that she managed to climb all the way up. "Masanobu-sama…" the young girl murmured, clutching the coat tighter around her small frame. Asaka took notice of the way her entire body trembled and shivered from the cold. With a small smile, he gently placed his hand on her head. "Good girl," he said, stroking her long tangled hair. "You did good, Sayuri-chan." Her eyes glittered with life upon hearing that, but he pretended to not notice. He got on the driver's side, and they drove off.
Meanwhile, Kazuki began to climb down the rocky steep. He felt the cold breeze against his back, but he didn't tremble. He gritted his teeth and continued to climb down. He lost his footing once, and slid down. But luckily, he grabbed hold of something and was able to prevent himself from having a nasty fall. He hissed in pain as he felt the stones prick his fingers. But he didn't care about the pain. It was nothing compared to what Wataru had probably gone through.
With careful ease, he settled firmly on the ground, sinking to his ankles in the vast blanket of snow. He found a trail of footprints on the ground, probably Sayuri's, and followed it back, hoping to be led wherever Wataru could be. He came to the small cave that the young girl had uttered earlier. He peered in and an overwhelming emotion took him.
"Wataru!" he called out, approaching the young boy.
Upon closer inspection, he came to know that the young man was fast asleep. "Wataru…" he called gently, pressing his forehead against his. Just as Sayuri had said, the boy was burning with a high fever. Kazuki immediately took off his own coat and wrapped it around Wataru, trying to keep him as warm as possible. As he did so, he noticed the tiny bloodstains on the boy's sleeves. His eyes instantly lit up with worry.
"Idiot," he spoke, his warm breath reaching the young boy's nose. "You got yourself hurt again. Why can't you be careful?" He took him in his arms, embracing him tightly. "Wataru…" Holding him closely, he could clearly feel the young boy's heartbeat. He softly caressed him, and continuously called out his name, seeking a response of any sort. Like a prayer being answered, he felt Wataru stir. For a brief moment, he saw those tender black eyes open and gaze at him softly. Those cold lips moved, uttering only one name, "Yuichi…" And the boy sunk back into unconsciousness.
Kazuki held him tightly and then lifted him, carrying him bridal style. "Wataru, it's okay now…" he whispered softly. "You're safe now…" They exited the cave and began to trudge the outside, following the pathway that would lead them to the main road, and leaving heavy footprints on the snow as they did so. All throughout the trek, Kazuki held him tightly in his arms, not attempting to let go even for a single moment. Amidst the sea of pure white color, only the two of them existed.
It wasn't long until the main road came into view, along with it, Asaka's silver station wagon parked at the side with its hazard light blinking. Kazuki clearly saw the man standing beside it, and the moment Asaka caught sight of them, he waved his arm, directing them towards him.
Asaka quickly came upon them; taking in Wataru's sleeping form. With a light and gentle caress, he ran his hand through Wataru's messed dark locks of hair. The boy stirred ever so slightly, and worry sparked in Asaka's tan eyes once again. The scene played so beautifully that it was like a spell had been cast and only silence could be heard. "Senpai," Kazuki spoke, breaking the spell. "Can you drive us to the nearest hospital?"
"…Of course," he replied, also breaking himself free from the spell. He opened the back door for them, and helped them get in, while Sayuri remained comfortably tucked in the front-passenger seat. Asaka went over to the driver's side and started the car again. He glanced at his rear-view mirror and took in the sight of Wataru peacefully slumbering on Kazuki's lap. Kazuki as well, had his arms wrapped tightly around the young boy's figure, embracing him closer and closer.
He didn't want to let go… He wouldn't let go… He'd keep holding Wataru like this to keep him warm—so that he wouldn't get any colder… so that he wouldn't get anymore hurt. He'd hold him forever.
To be continued…
So it was Kazuki! Is that a relief to everyone?
Ha-ha! I hope you all got it. The green tea scent stuck on Kazuki and that's what Wataru smelled in the previous chapter. You thought it was Asaka, didn't you? Anyway, I hope this chapter somehow filled you. It's not a cliff-hanger… well, for me it isn't a cliff-hanger, but it just seemed the right place to end the chapter. Although, I'm sure lots of you would disagree with me and would've wanted me to end it with reconciliation between the two lovebirds. XD
But if I did that… then what would be left for the next chapter? The question is… will they reconcile? Like I said, I still have one or two more surprises left in store. Don't forget to review!
Next chapter: Beyond All Truths. Reunion? Forgiveness? Reconciliation? What will happen next?
I also won't be updating for a while due to some other commitment I have. Truth be told, I haven't even begun writing the next chapter yet. Don't worry, though. Just be patient with me. I promise I'll finish this story no matter what.
