Chapter 3 - Seven Notes

Revised on 1/3/12.

7 AM.

Seven notes lay untouched on my desk, repeating the last words that he spoke to me at the end of every day that I saw him. It was a Sunday when I awoke to his hand resting on my head. When I opened my eyes and looked up at him, he looked startled, and then relieved. Upon seeing him, I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Pai-san…?" I asked hesitantly. I could see his face, but I thought that it must be a mistake, for I was not wearing my glasses.

"Good evening." He said slowly, his pronunciation a little off. I leapt up at the sound of the word 'evening'.

"Evening?" I frantically searched for my glasses on my bedside table, needing to see the time for myself. Just what time was it? When I finally got my glasses on, I grabbed the clock, examining it. 7:06 AM.

I then started to giggle, and Pai frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked, thoroughly confused. I showed him the clock and pointed to the time.

"It's morning, Pai-san, not evening." I gently corrected as he grimaced. "You must have mixed up the words for 'good morning' and 'good evening'." I explained, causing Pai glare at his feet. I felt truly happy with him there with me. It wasn't what I had imagined when hearing people talking about waking to the face of the one you love, but I was content, nonetheless.

I realized that my nightgown was starting to slide off my left shoulder, exposing half of my breast. I quickly pushed my sleeve back up onto my shoulder, covering myself again. I then looked back to Pai, blushing slightly. "So… umm… why are you here…?" I asked slowly, brushing my hair behind my ear. I chewed on my lip slightly, frowning. My tongue felt thick and disgusting in my mouth.

He glanced over at me briefly, and then rested his forehead in his hand. "I… was anxious about you…" I felt my heart begin to beat faster as he spoke.

"You… you were…?" My face was beginning to heat up. He nodded. I couldn't help but smile as I looked down at my feet. I started to twiddle my thumbs, not sure what to say. I heard his hair brushing on his shoulder as he turned to look at me, and then I felt his weight leave the mattress as he stood up.

I lifted my gaze to watch him. I realized then that he wasn't wearing anything but a loose pair of pants, not even his hair wrapping. I looked away again, crossing my arms against my chest. "Will you meet me later this afternoon?" He asked abruptly. I looked up again. I smiled.

"When and where?"

"Tokyo tower, 4 AM."

"You mean PM. Afternoon."

"Um… yes…"

"I'll see you then, Pai-san."

"Until then… Retasu…"

And with that, he disappeared. Long after he was gone, I could still hear the echo of him saying my name.

When I was on my way to Tokyo Tower, I met Shirogane-san. I hadn't really paid much attention to him before. I had noticed that he was nice, and he was cute, but that was about all. He was pretty much just my boss. On that day, however, I noticed that he noticed me. "Retasu-san!" He called as I walked past the convenience store that he was walking out of. I turned to him and smiled. "Good afternoon, Shirogane-san." I said. Very, very formal.

He had walked at a steady pace towards me, and I wondered why he would possibly want to talk to me. "Fancy meeting you here." Shirogane-san said to me, smirking slightly.

"Yes," was all I said as I looked down at my feet, blushing. I glanced up to see him looking elsewhere, rubbing the back of his head.

"Where are you headed to?" He asked.

I immediately began to panic. Where was I going, to see my boyfriend? Hah! As if! Shopping? No, no, that's silly. "I'm… uh… going to meet a friend." Was that the best I could come up with? Shirogane-san didn't seem too bothered.

"Really? Where?" He asked, only the slightest hint of skepticism in his voice. Stop asking me so many questions, please! You'd hate me if you knew the truth! Should I tell him? Should I not?

"Um… a café… Tokyo… tower…?" I replied hesitantly.

"Oh." He started to frown. I could see suspicion creeping onto his face. "Would you like me to escort you?" He asked. I shook my head desperately.

"No thank you. I should be fine on my own." I responded. "Well, I'd better get going." I bowed and turned. "It was nice to see you, Shirogane-san!" I replied as I began to walk away, smiling at him over my shoulder.

"Oh, goodbye then, Retasu-san," He replied. I waved and then turned to face towards the direction that I was walking in. I could feel my cheeks heating up as I continued to walk. I could almost see the frown that he had worn at my pitiful excuses. I tried to shove all images of him from my head, but this proved difficult since I couldn't think of anything else more interesting.

And then, I remembered the oddly attractive face that I would see soon- not smiling, but not sour either. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of him. However much Shirogane-san's smile might have pulled at my heart, I knew that it was nothing compared to the pure joy that I felt when Pai looked into my eyes. Before I knew it, I was at the same place that I had been a week ago, before he had taken me to see that ocean landscape.

With the blink of an eye, and the touch of a hand, the scenery changed again.

I smiled.

The landscape this time was not the same. In fact, it was not the same space at all. Everything was a fluid green, constantly moving, like clouds swirling in the wind. Rubble floated all around, remnants of some ancient, foreign ruin. After a few moments, I realized that Pai and I were suspended in mid-air as well. Instead of simply holding his hand, I desperately clung to his arm, afraid of falling.

I then heard an odd sound- a soft, dark chuckle. I looked up to see him looking back at me, a very small smile on his lips, making his scar look crescent-shaped. I thought I might melt. "Don't be anxious, Midorikawa-san." He said softly. "You won't fall." Soothed by the sound of his voice, I relaxed my grip and returned my hand to his. For the first time, I paid attention to the rough texture of his hands, taking in every small imperfection.

I felt the air move around us as we gilded towards a large piece of the rubble. He landed first, and then slowly pulled me down. When I was about a foot away from the surface of the ruin, gravity seemed to start working again, bringing me to the ground with a soft thud. "What is this place?" I asked as I looked around. He pulled his hand away from mine as he started to walk toward a doorway on the platform. "This is a different space from where you live." He said as he turned to look at me. "This is our habitat."

This is where they live? It seemed astonishing that anyone could survive in such a desolate place. "Umm…" I began, looking at my feet. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked. "You should meet your new comrades," he said, "since they have wanted to meet you outside of the battlefield for a while now." I smiled at the word 'comrade'. I honestly didn't know why, but it felt so right thinking of the aliens as my partners. I felt that I might relate to them more, since I was so different from the rest of the mews.

All of the rest of those girls, Ichigo, Purin, Zakuro, Minto… they all seemed so confident, whereas I questioned everything that I did and said… even when I tried to stand up for the aliens. When I really met Pai for the first time, I couldn't help but notice an air of insecurity about him. I could feel thoughts the same as mine leaking from his very being. Who am I? Why am I here? Do they really need me? Am I that important, or am I useless? Would the world be any different if I weren't in it?

I could see those words flitting across his eyes as he looked at me. We were so different, yet we shared those thoughts.

"Retasu?" I looked up to see Pai looking at me, violet eyes glowing under the shade of the arched doorway. "Do you want to come inside now?" He asked, and I nodded. I walked towards him, through the doorway after him, and into a deep maroon space. I saw two more sets of eyes glowing at me as I entered; Taruto's soft brown ones, lit up with curiosity, and Kisshu's sharp golden ones, filled with familiarity and anguish.

I never understood why Kisshu always looked at me like that. At least, not until I-