"Marco, Marco, calm down!" Jean gripped his crying friend's shoulders as he looked at him straight in the eye. "Marco, listen. Listen to me."
Marco kept quiet and listened, biting his lip.
"It's going to be fine, okay? Everything's going to be fine," Jean spoke slowly.
Marco forcefully nodded.
Jean heaved a sigh of relief but Marco only broke out in tears again.
"Eh? Marco? Hey, stop…"
"I can only feel your hand on my left shoulder…"
"Ehh?! Wa-"
Marco wiped his tears away as he tried to calm himself down.
There was just sniffing echoing through the room for the next few seconds as Marco closed his eyes and cleared his mind.
Jean sat down on the chair, "Everything's gonna be fine." He repeated.
"Trust me," he added as a side note.
Marco looked up at him with pitiful eyes which were seeking for more comfort.
"B-Besides, you're not going to die yet, so don't think about it too much, 'kay?" Jean was bad at comforting people, even though Marco said otherwise before.
"Mm…" Marco hummed back in return. "Sorry… I caused so much trouble."
"No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's okay, alright? I'll be here with you."
I'll be here.
Trust me.
Marco hummed again and that was like music to Jean's ears.
"If you need anything, just call me," Jean assured him. "I know what you're gonna ask. 'But I don't have a cellphone' right? Don't worry, I bought one for you."
Jean reached into his bag and pulled out a simple looking box.
It was a Sony Ericsson.
"This ain't such a good one, though," Jean said as he pressed some buttons on it. "There, I've saved my number inside. So if you need anything, that's the only person you should call."
Marco took the phone and looked at the contact list. There was only Jean's.
"Anyway, unfortunately, I have to attend an important lecture by Professor Levi today. He warned that if we don't go, he'll make sure we run around the school campus ten times."
Marco chuckled, "It's alright. You can go."
Grinning from ear to ear, Jean jogged out of the ward, waving to Marco.
It was soon the week after, and Marco couldn't be any happier. Jean had planned to bring him out that day to Inokashira Park to view cherry blossoms, which was something neither Jean or Marco had done before.
When Jean came walking into the ward, he was pushing a wheelchair he had so-called borrowed from the hospital. Marco was already propped upright on his bed, all set and ready, and even dressed up in a plain T-shirt and long pants. "Hoho, all ready, huh? You sure are excited, aren't ya?" Jean teased him as he pushed the wheelchair to the side of his bed. "Yes!" Marco replied enthusiastically.
Jean grinned as his heart fluttered. A smiling Marco was his only remedy.
"Here, I'll carry you onto the wheelchair," Jean said as he slid his arms under Marco's knees, lifting him up princess-style while Marco flushed a little. "Thanks, Jean," Marco said. After making sure he was comfortable on the wheelchair, Jean hung his bag on one of the handles of the wheelchair and off they went.
They alighted at Mitaka Station and started to walk from there. They first passed by the Ghibli Museum, which was almost a dream come true for Marco as he loved, loved, loved its films. They spent about an hour there, mostly sightseeing. Marco was always the first to spot the oh-so-familiar characters, like the life-sized robot soldier in Castle in the Sky. There were gift shops and even though Marco insisted on Jean not spending any more money on him - since he spent time making bento for the both of them - Jean still bought something for him, a Totoro plush toy. It was as big as Marco's torso and Jean said that he "could hug it to sleep every night now" and that he "wouldn't be that lonely anymore".
Jean added after contemplating, "Also, whenever you miss me, you can just look at it. It'll remind you of me, won't it?"
Marco blushed and nodded shyly.
Next, they - or rather just Jean - walked to Inokashira Shizen Bunka-en Gardens. It was basically a zoo with tons of greenery and animals. They first went to the squirrel trail where they could get close up and personal with the energetic yet shy squirrels. One of them even climbed onto Jean's arm, and Marco, who was holding onto Jean's cellphone at that time, managed to snap a picture secretly.
They spent a long time at the zoo, and it was almost lunchtime soon as they stepped out of the zoo.
On the way to the rental boat office where they planned to have their lunch on the swan boat, they stopped by the Benzaiten Shrine.
"Shall we go pray first?" Jean asked Marco.
"Sure."
The shrine was pretty empty at that time, since most of the visitors were off having lunch elsewhere.
Jean stood beside Marco as he rang the bell.
Clap clap.
Followed by silence as they both prayed.
Thank you so much, god, for giving me this chance to come to this place and spend quality time with Jean. It is the best time of my life and I wish it could last just a little longer. I'm glad that I am able to spend my last moments with him. Thank you.
It was not exactly a prayer from Marco, but it works.
If a god exists... Or even a miracle exists, please grant Marco a chance to live on in this world until old age. I don't want to see him off yet. Not just yet. Not ever, actually. If a miracle exists, please, please, please let him live on in this cruel world. It may be a cruel world, but I'll protect him. Please help him. He's a nice and smart boy, so please, just help him.
For Jean, it was the complete opposite: He prayed. Hard. With all his heart.
After they were done and were off on their way once more, Marco suddenly asked, "What did you pray for, Jean?"
"Eh?" Taken back, Jean hesitated. "Well... Nothing much..."
Marco tilted his head up, and smiled at Jean, "It's okay if you don't want to say it." Pausing, he looked straight ahead and continued in a softer, and somewhat embarrassed voice, "For me, I thanked God I was able to spend time with you... Before I leave."
The last three words were forced out and Jean knew it. Jean's eyes softened upon listening to Marco, and felt the sudden urge to just pounce on him and hug him with all his might. However, despite the urge, Jean did not say anything and continued walking towards the boat rental office.
After they had finally reached the rental boat office, the owner said there was one swan boat left and Jean panicked. "I- We'll take it, please!" Jean even forked out money almost immediately. The owner laughed and told him to calm down as he received the money and led them to the single remaining swan boat. Pushing the wheelchair near to the edge of the wooden platform, Jean lifted Marco up again princess-style and onto the right seat of the swan boat.
Turning around, Jean asked the owner, "Is it okay if I leave the wheelchair in your care?"
"No problem, mister."
Relieved, Jean took his bag and hopped onto the swan boat, next to Marco.
Waving back at the owner, Jean pedaled off while Marco held onto the bento. "Up ahead are the cherry blossom trees already. Let's hurry up so we can eat while viewing them," Jean said.
As the boat moved down further along the river, it got narrower and narrower and the cherry blossom trees became closer and closer. Pink petals swirled and danced around in the air as it landed on the water silently, forming tiny almost-invisible ripples in the water.
"Uwaaa...!" Marco gasped in awe, eyes glittering at the breathtaking sight of the pink cherry blossoms. "They're so beautiful! I can't believe I'm actually here!"
"I know, right?" Jean was looking up at the cherry blossoms on his side as he steered the boat to the right a little more so Marco could go closer to the trees. Every now and then, he would look over to Marco and a smile would subconsciously appear on his face. Marco was like a little child who had discovered something new and was freaking out and being all excited and happy about it.
Marco was his only remedy.
Jean slowly stopped pedaling and Marco looked over. "Let's eat, shall we?"
"Of course!" Marco opened one of the bento boxes with one hand to reveal a cute cat made out of rice and small thin strips of seaweed and sesame seeds . It was surrounded with broccoli and carrots. It was a simple and healthy containing lots of greens.
"It's... It's so adorable!" Marco exclaimed, looking up at Jean who was blushing away.
"Th-Thanks..." He muttered.
"How long did you take to make this?"
"Eh? Ah, well... Uh, 2 and a half hours in total, I guess?"
It was actually about three hours.
"W-Well, as you know me, I'm really clumsy when it comes to food so I kinda screwed up a few times..." Jean added upon seeing Marco's shocked and surprised face.
Many times, actually.
Hiding his hands under his thighs, Jean looked away, gazing at the falling petals, absent-minded. There was a short moment of silence until Jean could feel Marco touch his arm as gently as a feather, "Let me see your hands, Jean."
Damn, Jean thought. He had wanted to hide it all the way, hoping that Marco would miss it out from viewing the cherry blossoms, but it seemed like his plan had to backfire on him.
Pulling his hands out from his hot thighs slowly, Jean held them out for Marco to see.
It was covered in small plasters and had tiny cuts here and there, especially at the fingers.
"Jean, you-"
"Don't say anymore!" Jean suddenly interrupted. "I know what you're going to say, but don't say it, okay? Today's a happy day and I don't want to upset you! A-And I didn't screw up just 'a few times', it was more than that, alright? I... I'm really sorry, but I didn't want you to worry so..."
Jean wanted to continue but Marco had brought his bruised left hand to his lips and kissed - or rather pecked - it gently. He stayed like that for a second or three before putting it down, saying in an angelic voice - it was through Jean's voice filter, "Please don't do something like that for me again, okay?"
Jean could feel hot water being splashed onto his cheeks as blood rushed to make up for his beating heart, "Y-Yes, okay."
Marco smiled and fished out a pair of chopsticks.
"Ah... Erm, can you help me separate it?" Marco asked. Jean took it and broke them apart but he did not give it back, even though he knew Marco could use chopsticks with his left hand now.
Well, he is well-trained by Jean, of course.
"Let me feed you. It's been quite some time since I last did, because you can eat on your own now," Jean told him, holding the pair of wooden chopsticks away from Marco on purpose.
"Fine..." Marco gave in, sensing the sincerity in his voice.
Jean then took the bento box and started to feed him, reliving the days when Marco had no choice but to let him feed him.
Every now and then, Marco would praise Jean on his food, saying that it was perfectly seasoned and that it was still fresh. Even though Marco had repeated it over and over, Jean was unwilling to believe him.
"How can it still be fresh after it had gone all the way from my kitchen?" Jean disagreed as he stuffed a big broccoli dipped in light soy sauce - Marco loves those - into Marco's mouth.
"Mmpf... Ith thill freth!" Marco said with his mouth full.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, idiot!" Jean chuckled as he stuffed some rice into Marco's already full mouth on purpose. Marco chuckled back, too, but it was no more than some air rushing out of his nostrils.
Soon, Marco finished his bento and Jean moved on to his own. He had to pedal and eat at the same time, and even assure Marco, "It's a good way to lose some weight at the same time, isn't it? Besides, you get to view more cherry blossoms now that it's moving."
Marco tried to protest but Jean came up with a better excuse, "The cherry blossoms up front are more beautiful than the ones we saw behind."
Marco sighed and Jean smiled, "Don't be a worrywart all the time, man. Be more carefree, like me!"
The black-haired man could only grin upon hearing Jean say that, hugging his Totoro plush toy closer to him.
Jean finished his bento quickly and set it aside as he kept up the pace. Marco was silent throughout the whole journey, just staring intently at the pink cherry blossoms flutter down from the branches.
As the river got narrower, Jean slowed down to let him enjoy the scenery.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes as the aroma engulfed him.
When he was about to exhale, Marco muttered, "I wish I can touch the water from here..."
"Eh?" Marco was sitting with his right side to the water and Jean was starting to regret letting him sit on the right seat. "Sorry, Marco. I shou-"
"It's not your fault, Jean. At least, this way, I can touch you easily."
And feel your precious everlasting warmth.
"T-That's what I've always loved about you, Marco... Your optimism really..." Jean said as he grinned sheepishly to himself, feeling Marco smile along with him.
"Hey, Jean..." Marco said shyly.
"Hm? What is it?"
Neither of them was looking out at the cherry blossoms anymore and they were focused on each other.
"Can I... Can I kiss you?" Marco started out as soft but soon grew confident.
"K-K-Kiss?" Jean stuttered over the word. "B-But I've never kissed anyone before, so I might not be able to..."
"It's just a peck," Marco whispered gently.
Jean gulped and stole a glance up at Marco's face.
"F-Fine, I'll try..."
Jean leaned closer to him, trying his best not to breathe too hard as he aimed for Marco's lips which were pulled into a thin smile. Marco closed his eyes and Jean told himself that it was all going to be okay and that it was going to be "just a peck".
Closer, closer.
Jean's lips were almost grazing Marco's when he stopped for while to look at Marco.
His freckles were clearer and more obvious now, and Jean realized how smooth and bright his skin was. He then shut his eyes and snapped back to reality where he was about to kiss him.
He slowly pushed his lips against Marco's, feeling the warmth and softness envelope his.
Jean held there long enough that he began to tremble ever so slightly that he pulled away almost immediately, afraid that Marco might have felt him shiver.
After he drew back, he constantly rubbed his cheeks, trying to cool himself down - but to no avail, of course - as Marco chuckled at him.
"Thank you, Jean."