Can you feel it guys? I can, its the last official chapter of Tsubasa No Yumeeee! And yes, I'm a bit kinda sad too, I worked a few nights and days for this and now we gotta say good bye again. I never get used to this for making you guys wait, I had my exam week and it was freakishly hell like, I swear and today an internet cafe which I asled to print something from my USB got ninety nine percent of my filkes deleted, imagine my horror guys, my lovely stored songs and school works got deleted, so yeah while I am uploading this I am waiting for my USB to recover the files inside, and yes I AM SLOWLY LOSING HOPE(gambare kicchin TT ^ TT ). Anyways thank you to our reviewers, those who sticked with till the end and tp those still reading this. I never imagine we'd come to finish this story, I thought at one point the readers will lose interest then leave us(Yeah I'v thought of that one point or the other) but here we are! We've reached this far yet again, and THANK YOU EVERYONE, the readers and reviewers who takes time in their day to actually read Tsubasa No Yume, thank you very much. Just reading this story does a lot for me, and yes you, yep, you. Thank you, from the bottom of Kicchin's heart! Tp veiled curiosity, I shall not leave you hanging anymooore, sorry for the wait and thank you very much for reviewing! To Bubbles9595 ahahaha yes, we shall find out about the guy Mebuchi found. AHAHA yes, Midotaka was like my (failed) love story, he was the quiet, unfriendly, Midorima while I was the chatty, loud, mischievous Takao, then since I was so talkative our adviser thought 'hey since you're so chatty let's put you somewhere you cannot initiate a conversation' so she placed me next to that person, and that's how it started-but LOL that love story was a fail-of course my MIDOTAKA wouldn't be like. I'd make them happy. To AJ-san HAHAHAHA let's see about your theory. Ahahaha and your request, YES! Ahahaha actually I've been thinking of doing something like that for a long time now, I'm just a bit hesitant, I made a story(not a fanfiction) about celebrities and all those stuffs but I suddenly fell in love with fanfiction and I forgot about that(the account actually). So YES let's give it a shot!
Aww and we're down to the last official chapter-there's a epilogue guys*winks*
I hope you enjoyed reading Tsubasa No Yume as much as I enjoyed writing it! Again thank you, and I hope you support my future and currently on-going works!
Thank you, Ciao!
Chapter 21: HOME
Two months had passed since the Tokyo Tragedy, it was like a frightening dream, that in a week people had forgotten. There were no visible marks of the frightening incident in the progressive city, it was drowned in many other things, exams, work and so on. People continued their lives like the usual, the streets in the morning were filled with people, students rushing to school and businessmen hurrying for their appointments. The first month was difficult for Furihata though, when Kuroko came back, seeing him felt like staring at the door behind your fear, whether it is really there behind him or not was something that boy only knows. He is happy that Kagami finally found Kuroko finally but he was scared of the things he will tell him about Akashi. He was trembling then as Kuroko spoke of the things he remembered, he was the last one to see Akashi, the only one who perhaps know what happened. He remember the frown and guilt painting those powder blue eyes as he spoke. It was as difficult as it is to him.
"He…he's gone."
The words felt painful, he trembled and shook, his inside were denying it, however his logical side of the brain was saying it was only possible, it was the reason why he didn't visit his brothers, why after all the hussle and Kuroko's disappearance he didn't show. Because… he is gone. It felt like opening that door and seeing all that he feared there, attacking him all at once. It was difficult for Kuroko, he can see it, that was why he tried not to cry in front of him. He smiled and tried to keep himself composed. He'd want that, Akashi dislikes it when he cries. He could only wish his soul rests in heaven, his home.
"I…see." Furihata murmurs, a sad smile in his lips, "He's in heaven right?"
Kuroko nodded, "He is kind, but my brother never believed that, Akash-kun always thought he is the evil one, but…he isnt. Truly, his heart is kind. I am happy that someone like Furihata-kun had seen that."
Pass all the thick skin, that glares and strict words, Akashi is a kind man. He was just unsure of how to show them. He may have sinned before, but that doesn't define Akashi as a whole. "You give too much credit to me." Furihata said trying to lighten up the mood, he can see that Kuroko ws being very careful with his words, it was not to further hurt him. Furihata understood now why Akashi liked this boy the best, he is a very sensitive one. Somehow looking at him and listening to him reminded Furihata so much of Akashi, of the one who got away.
Kuroko shook his head, his hands in his lap. Kagami was in the kitchen making something for the guests to eat later, soon Kise and the others will arrive, Kuroko purposely asked Kagami to call Furihata earlier than the others for this. Kuroko looked up and shook his head, a sad smile in his lips almost reflecting Furihata's, "You have no idea, how long my brother had suffered. For so long…I have never seen that kindness in his eyes until you came to his life." Kuroko said, "My brother was always the one who is good in hiding that soft interior of his, but you shed all that hard pressuring shell of his and showed him his true kindness. Furihata-kun…thank you."
Honestly, Furihata wanted not to hear those, it felt like his and Akashi's story was quickly ended there and then. It felt like a nail straight in his heart. All the things about Akashi was washed away that moment, a soft echo in the back of his mind kept repeating, he won't be back, he's never coming back. It shattered him more than it seems. After the celebration of Kuroko's return he returned home, the moment that he found himself alone in the street, he felt tears streaming down uncontrollably, he slightly praised himself for all the courage he summed out to held and keep himself from crying and ruining the mood in the room. He cried, he cried for all the things that he could have told Akashi, he cried for all the things they could have been, he cried for all the pieces of him that had gone away with Akashi.
For a week he cannot find to be the way that he was when Akashi wasn't there, back when he hasn't met Akashi yet. He tried his best, even with Kuroko's constant concern of him he tried his best to smile but it never convinced Kuroko, not even the oblivious Kagami. He remember crying one time in front of Kuroko as the boy tried to comfort him. He failed yet again with his tears, he could only wish his heart was as strong as Kuroko.
When the school started he barely had time to think of Akashi, but when he did, again it would bring tears in his eyes. It was almost any time when he had some time to spare, and again it would hurt, it would hurt like poorly stitched scars reopening again and bleeding. When others had learned of this, they started trying to divert his attention elsewhere. Kuroko took a job where he would, in the local library and at the café. Kise would sneak in their school during Wednesday since there was no practice in basketball in the pretence that he would want to speak or just see Kuroko, however, Furihata was always with them. During weekends, Murasakibara and Himuro would sometimes invite him for a dinner, Himuro would sometimes asked him to stay for him to assist him in making his new recipes. Takao and Midorima were usually busy with the clinic but when they weren't they call the others to have a dinner or two, including Furihata and it looked like a family dinner minus one.
They say time heals up wounds, but not all the time. After that one whole month of grieving he came to realize, that there was no getting back all those things, there will never be the happy ever after. Sometimes he misses him, that was just all there was, he loved him but he is gone now and there was no bringing him back. He would live in his heart with all the short days they had, with the exchanged laughs and heartfelt words. It doesn't hurt as much as it did the first month, but sometimes he would find himself crying over the thought of him. Sometimes when he works at the library and see the books he read, see his handwriting in the back with his name, he found himself wanting to have known more of him. Sometimes he'd read the books he read before, wishing to retrieve all those pieces that was gone with the man as he left him, but it was impossible.
It was like wishing to fly when he had no wings and no sky to soar.
Sometimes he'd found himself walking in the same streets he walked with Akashi, sometimes he'd find himself standing at the train station after school for no reason. Maybe deep within he was still hoping to see him.
Because he wanted to be well again. He wanted to be alright again. To be okay. And he knows he cannot be with half of himself emptied. When Akashi left, he took half of him with him. Stupid, Furihata mutters as he stood there in the same spot just as those days. It will be eight minutes before the train arrives. Furihata searched for a bench, when he found an empty one he placed his school bag and sat there. It is one of the rare days when none of Akashi's brother would ask him to come over or visit him at school. He also had a day off from work. He sighed and found his breath fogging the in the air, in a few days it will be Christmas, he wasn't actually born Christian but Akashi's brother were insistent on celebrating the special occasion. In Kagami's new apartment Kuroko had settled a little Christmas tree he bought with his first pay, while in Takao's clinic a lively Christmas lights had been put in the front door of his clinic with the melody of some English Christmas song. They all agreed to celebrate in Kagami's apartment, Kise and Aomine promised to bring the drinks and the cake, while Midorima and Takao would help with the cooking, Murasakibara and Himuro will be attending a pastry competition that day but promised to come and bring their trophy as Christmas gift for all. Furihata had already started buying gifts for them, he heard it was a tradition to exchange gifts. He got Kuroko and Kagami a small stuffed animal, it was such an irony, since the stuff animal is a dog which Kagami hated to his very core but Kuroko loved very much, and it has the same eyes as Kuroko. It will surely be funny. He got Kise a fashionable Fedora and Aomine a fine set of headphones, he bought Takao an album of his favourite band, and Midorima a book, he bought a matching scarf for Himuro and Murasakibara. It didn't caused him much, he had enough for him for his grocery for the whole month, he wondered if they'll agree if he volunteer to host the New Year's party.
Kise had taken a job as a model, he helps with practice in Too sometimes as well. Murasakibara decided to help Himuro in his baking, they are planning to build a cake shop next year, and right now were keen on joining baking competitions. Midorima assists Takao in his work and was earning money from becoming a private tutor of children from first grade to forth grades. Even how much he denied enjoying kids, Takao would tell how much he would so nice with little kids.
So many things happens that was why, Furihata told himself he cannot loose against the past. He lets it slide sometimes just like this, but never too much.
Furihata cringed as he heard a familiar ringtone turning to his bag he slid his hand in its front pocket and took his ringing phone, looking at the caller ID he smiled and answered.
"Furihata-kun?" Kuroko's voice resounded in the other line.
"Ah, Kuroko, what's up?"
"Sorry for disturbing you, what color do prefer the most, red or…yellow?"
Furihata raised a brow, why is Kuroko asking that suddenly, "Eh, uhm…I think I like red—"
"No yellow definetly looks better on Furihatacchi!"
Furihata's eyes widen as he heard a voice in the background, that…nickname, Kise? What is he saying?
"Shut up you idiot, he might hear you!"
"But your color choice is so lame!"
"I agree with Kise though."
Furihata almost felt a sweat dropped from his cheek as he heard two more familiar voices in the background, one is definitely Aomine, the other must be Takao. "Uhm…Kuroko are you—"
"No, Furihata-kun you can't know or else it won't be a surprise anymore."
Furihata chuckled, somehow he can feel that pout there in Kuroko's voice he hummed. He was too busy talking to the phone that he didn't heard the announcement of the train's arrival. He listened as Kuroko hushed the people in the background, the boy was still new with electronics, he didn't know that he can cover the microphone part of the phone so he wouldn't hear the rest of the conversation. "Anyways, Furihata-kun we'll see you on Christmas eve, alright?"
"Yeah, say hi for Kise-san and others for me."
"Yes. Take care Furihata-kun."
With that the call ended, Furihata placed his phone back to his bag, he realized he needed to wrap his gifts for them as well and he was quite hungry. Standing up and putting slinging his bag in his shoulder Furihata heard the sound of the doors of the train opening, accompanied with the sounds of people chatting as they got off the train. For some reason something stopped him from walking away.
He is here…
Furihata blinked, that voice…he heard it before. that small voice in the back of his mind like that time…like that time with Akashi. This voice…Sara's voice.
Look…he is here…don't…leave…yet
Furihata didn't know, he didn't want to listen, this will give him false hopes again, he needed to leave now, he had been fine now all these past days, and he didn't want to bring or reopen the wounds he had. But he couldn't move, his legs were frozen in the ground.
Then it happened—
He came back.
.
.
.
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2 months ago, Kyoto
Mebuchi had never in his life saw a man on fire, like literally on fire. But he was sure that when someone burns, they shouldn't look flawless, or content, or sleeping, they should look pained, they should be screaming, because, damn, they are damn burning. But no, this guy is strange, the fire was burning the court which made Kotaro shriek in panic, Mebuchi was shock and in panic as well but he was so alarmed his brain was suddenly frozen. When his head came back to reality the first thing came to him is they need to put out the fire. Taking off his jacket he ran to the unconscious figure and quickly tried to put out the fire with it.
"Call an ambulance!" Mebuchi exclaimed to his teammate who rushed to call help from his mobile phone. When the fire was finally out he looked at the boy, there wasn't any visible burns in his skin, although he could say that his clothes were rather tattered. Where did he came from anyway, Mebuchi looked up at the gym's ceiling, there isn't a hole, and honestly it was pretty high ceiling, falling from that height is gonna kill a human. "Hey, you okay, there?" the stranger didn't respond, aside from the his clothes looks, he didn't look much like he's injured. What on earth.
In a few minuted the ambulance came and drove the three to the hospital, it was difficult when they had no idea who the guy was and the nurse was raising a brow at them at their jumbled stories. Of course, who would eevr believe a guy suddenly came and dropped inside a closed gymnasium from the ceiling, without anyone noticing if the guy entered beforehand. After a few minutes the doctor came asking what happened.
"H-He fell from the ceiling!" Kotaro said, "O-Or so that's what we heard, we heard something like a loud explosion then BAM! We heard another one but this time it sounded like a person falling from a height!"
The doctor gave them a weirded out look, "Do you mind asking me how tall is the ceiling of your gymnasium?"
"A-about three storey?"
The doctor hummed, "Is there any way someone may climb there or fall from that height?"
Mebuchi swallowed a lump in his throat, "No."
"And you said…he was on fire when you saw him?"
"YES!" the two said in unison.
"H-How is he, is he alright?" Mebuchi asked.
"Yes," The doctor said, "I'm not sure if there was really a fire, you see, he's perfectly fine, no burns, no bone injuries, not even a concussion, are you sure?"
"Yes!" Mebuchi said, he didn't like being thought of as a liar. "We really saw him. I-I don't know how the hell is that possible, but he was burning when we saw him, l-like a m-meteorite!"
The doctor smiled, "Its alright, you must be just tired, boys." He said, "He will wake up soon, I advise you two to rest as well."
The next day Mebuchi returned back to the hospital on his own, he went to speak with the attending doctor first and was told that were nothing much of the problem to the patient, aside from a few bruises and a concussion, the boy didn't exhibit and the test didn't gave out anything that may appear life threatening. However, there was one thing. Mebuchi stood outside the opened door, staring at the patient sitting on his bed eyes staring right at the window, eyes blank. The morning light shined in the room, making the patient's feature glow, his skin lighter and his scarlet hair like fresh blood and fire. And his eyes, heterochromatic eyes with other gold as the color of the sand in the high afternoon and red as the a red rose in full bloom. He seems indifferent of his surroundings.
"It seems like he doesn't remember his name, or anything about himself." The doctor said as he slid his hands in the pockets of his lab coat, "We tried to remind him of the incident where you found him, however, his answer didn't change. He said he doesn't remember."
"He…doesn't know his name?"
"Yes, or his family, or where his home is."
Mebuchi looked at the boy again. What happened for him to forget about his past? Poor boy, Mebuchi could only sympathize. "Can I uhm…talk to him, maybe?" Mebuhi asked hesitant. The doctor nodded saying it may help the boy before excusing himself. As the man left Mebuchi knocked on the door before entering. The blank mismatched eyes turn to Mebuchi, blinking the boy watched as every step he took as he stepped in. He had a smaller frame than the man, however, the boy had such air of authority in the way he brought himself and looked at the man. And in the corner of those was wary, cautiousness towards him.
"Hi," Mebuchi said awkwardly, "I'm uhm…Mebuchi Reo, you can call me—"
"Reo." The boy said, Mebuchi blinked and chuckled, well that doesn't matter though. His voice was cold and authoritative, if not commanding.
"Yeah, you can call me that too." He said chuckling, "So hm…what should I call you?"
The boy stared at him as if expecting him to have an answer to that question. He stared almost unblinking at the man. When Mebuchi didn't speak he turned away back at the window. Mebuchi was stunned as he found something in those eyes, they were painted in a longing. It was almost painful to watch. Mebuchi wondered how can a man without a memory look so sad. Wasn't it supposed to be easier, to live without remembering all the regrets of your past? Wasn't it easier to live without the burden of remembering? "How are you feeling?" Mebuchi asked trying to break the forming heavy silence.
The boy didn't answer again, he just stared at the window, like a bird longing to soar the sky. Strange.
"…I feel like…I need to remember…about it."
"About what?"
"…I don't know." The boy answered, Mebuchi cringed, "I don't…remember…what I need to…remember or why."
Mebuchi didn't know what it feels like to lose memory, however, he came to understand that maybe, just maybe it's not as easy. Waking up and losing everything that made you the way you are till that point. Not remembering and yet feeling it there, like losing your eyesight for the first time, knowing how it looks but not actually seeing it. He doesn't know about the things this man lost, but Mebuchi saw in those eyes that they were his everything, they were now empty like they were emptied that moment. His eyes were beautiful, but they were empty.
"Then, until then, you can stay with me."
The first month, he just stayed there at home most of the time just sitting next to the window, if not he would be reading Mebuchi's old textbooks in silence. He barely spoke, he barely made anything that looked like he feels. He ate like a robot, like he was doing it because he needed to live, if it wasn't required he probably wouldn't. He lived like an empty shell. Even how much Mebuchi tried to make a conversation it would always ended in as one-sided. As if lost in his own the boy felt conflicted about everything. When he would speak in his own accord he would say something about how he want to remember but couldn't remember that one thing. Mebuchi wondered how those eyes would shy if they weren't empty, how they were back then. He wondered about this boy's family, were they looking for him as well? They must be worried sick.
As Mebuchi prepared their dinner, he briefly wondered what it was to be in that boy's position. Was the world much frightening, or was it less? Was the pain worst or less when you do not know? As he finished, he turned and found the scarlet haired boy sitting in the couch with a random book in hand. He didn't look like he was enjoying it, actually he didn't look like he was even feeling anything.
"Dinner is ready." He said. The scarlet haired boy stood and walked towards the dining table. Their life had been a routine, almost repeating in a cycle without fail, during the morning, before making breakfast Mebuchi would go to jog outside, while the boy would wake in along the process, he would be dressed and had taken a bath the moment Mebuchi had returned, Mebuchi would take a bath then cook, then they'd eat breakfast, Mebuchi would attend school and return around four if there wasn't a basketball practice, if there was, he'd leave a food in the fridge for the smaller male to heat up later. When Mebuchi returns after school, without a basketball practice he'd cook while the boy would read a random book he found somewhere around the house.
Mebuchi didn't mind an extra presence at home, honesty, living in his own had been quite lonely, it used to be a bit lively before, until time happens, his upperclassmen friends graduated. Having Akashi reminded him of his younger siblings who had now grew a bit distant to him. He was used with taking care of people as one of the eldest in their basketball club, a quiet scarlet haired boy isn't a big deal as much as others think.
When Akashi took his seat, Mebuchi followed, he was now used to the silence and one-sided conversation, he thought speaking even without the other having the need to actually reciprocate may help the other to connect, so despite the silence, Mebuchi talked. He talked about school, or the people he saw on the way home during dinner.
"Itadakimasu!" He said cheerfully as he took his spoon in his hand and the bowl of rice in the other. He continued to talk about some old couple down the street, that he talked with in his way to school, they were around there before Mebuchi even entered Rakuzan—which is the name of his school. Mebuchi chuckled as he spoke only to pause as he realize something off. He stopped and turned towards the boy across him, his eyes were wide as he stare at the food in front of him. He can see something akin to anxiety in them. "Hey…is something the matter?"
The boy didn't answer as he stare at the bowl of soup in front of him. The smell, he knows this food, his hand started sweating and he can feel something inside him, he can feel his pulse rising. A flash of picture appeared in his mind, a wooden table, a muffled voice of someone speaking—no chuckling, then dinner… a dinner was set for two people, for some reason he knew he didn't need to eat however that person kept cooking for him.
Who…
He felt a kind of itch, the itch to split open his mind because his whole senses was screaming at his mind, he gotta remember—
"You should stop cooking for me."
"But why?"
"Its no use, it is not like I need food to sustain my physical body."
"But you can eat."
Stubborn, yes, that's right, that person is stubborn. He stared at the food, this food he—
"Tofu soup."
"I like it."
"Hey!" his heterochromatic eyes widen as he was pulled out of his reverie, Mebuchi was now standing next to him. He blinked and stared at the bowl of tofu soup in front of him. "Are you okay?"
He nodded. The itch was still there however, inside him—he knows the answer is with him. Right at him. "…he cooked…for me…before." he didn't know who he is, but he remember the feeling of sitting there, listening to him, he remember the feeling. That fleeting skip of his heart just by hearing his chuckles. It was that That was who he has to remember.
"Who?"
The biggest question was that, who. He wanted to know as well, who was that person that had that effect in him. That strange feeling making his inside all giddy, all contented, all…safe—at home. He needed to remember.
.
.
Another month passes, aside from that memory of a dinner with that person, he never gained another fraction of his memory, however, things had improved about him. Like something was pieced to his life that day, he started feeling a lot more, he smiled at Mebuchi's stories during dinner, he helped the man with his homework which he was sometimes too tired to even read. It kept him busy, it kept him thinking about that hole in his soul that he noticed that day he remembered about that dinner. He cooked that soup for him because he liked it. Mebuchi's chattering kept his mind out of that yearning in his chest, for that voice, for the same chattering voice, for a chuckle that felt like it just punched a hole in him. In the night when Mebuchi had already fallen asleep and he was left in his own with the company of silence he would silently contemplate about that fraction of memory, a fraction of his home. He wondered of that person, who he is, what he is to him, what they did, what he felt for him in all, was that person ever wondering where he is now? He wondered while he lay there in the unfamiliar futon, wrapped in the sheets he doesn't recognize the scent, he thought that if he met him, he'll know, he will remember the same want to hold just as he had in that memory…right?
Whenever he closes his eyes he wished that in his dreams, he'll be visited by the memories of his past, he didn't know what they held but he was scared to lose all of it, because in the corner of his mind he knows that whatever they were, those memories were something important, it was all that he had. Sometimes he wondered too if he had a family, Mebuchi once mentioned about his siblings, he wondered if he had one. He wondered what his parents might have looked like, was his father as funny as Mebuchi's or was he serious like that old man across the street, was his mother an old lady or a charming woman in a dress like in the television shows. Was he a younger or older brother, or was he a lone child? Did he had friends?
Some people thought that not knowing is better, but the uncertainty, the feeling of something being torn from you has its own torture. It wasn't as easy as one would simply think to restart, especially when at the depths of your consciousness you know that yes, this isnt what you had before, you had something else, and maybe they were dying to see you, or maybe they are dead, or maybe they were not looking for you, not knowing any of those was frightening. Not knowing is like walking blindly, you know there is a ground however, you don't see it. It was just strange.
And every time he wakes up, he can feel that hole in his chest, for some reason he can feel the want to be next to that one person that he couldn't even say the name of or describe. It was infuriating.
"I'm home!"
Mebuchi closed the door behind him as he walked towards the scarlet haired boy watching TV, seemingly annoyed at the game show's contestant's lack of ability to discern the right answer which was practically being spoon fed to her. The boy looked up and gave a quiet, welcome back to the man. It was getting colder and school will be done in a few days, Mebuchi had somehow decorated the house in garlands and Christmas balls. "Hey look." He said and raised a paper bag in his hand.
"What is that?" the scarlet haired boy asked raising a brow, "There is a lot of decorations as it is already."
"No," he said before putting the bag in his lap, "I thought you might be bored so I got you those."
When the boy opened the paper bag, his eyes widen—
"I thought you might be bored here."
"These are…"
"Books!" he said cheerfully, "I noticed you like reading, and I bet you finished all the books here anyways."
"Where have you got them?"
"Eh, the library, I go there before when I have some free time to spare, I like to read too."
"An…archive?"
"Yeah."
The paper bag fell from his trembling hands and into the floor, the books laid there, they were the classics, they had them too, he thought, he borrowed those too for him. The Secret Garden, Picture of Dorian Gray, The Happy Prince…these books, right. YES, that was right, he met her in an archive right? Met…
"S-Sara…I am…Sara, d-daughter of Samuel of Galilee."
He blinked…Galilee, why…why was he in Galilee? How was that possible—
"I forbid all of you to interfere with human lives from now on."
Father. His father…he is…
God.
And he had brothers too, four of them. The reason why…the reason why he is here—He gasp as he was flooded with the sequence of past events rushing all together to him. Sara died, he said no to his Father's orders and he was punished, he fell and arrived to earth and he met him. Brown hair, and butterscotch eyes, quivering lips and fragile little frame, soul as bright as true as the waters, voice as melodic as the harp, his name…his name is—Furihata Kouki. The name clicked, and just as he thought he felt it, the want to run right away, to see him, to bring him in his arms like those times. Furihata Kouki, the name was as kind as all that he is. The boy who looked at him like he was the greatest thing that had ever graced his presence, the boy who cried and injured himself just to ensure he was safe, the boy that was worth all this pain. His home.
That was right, he died, he died saving his brother and the world that his Father created, the world where a certain Furihata Kouki existed. But he was here…His father…brought him back? He didn't understand, the last thing he remember was speaking with his father in his version of heaven, however his father failed creating his ideal heaven. The conversation ended and…this.
Could it be…
"I…I am…alive."
Mebuchi stared at the scarlet boy murmuring something, was something the matter about the books he brought? Akashi raised his head and stared at Mebuchi, yes, he is alive, a second chance. This is a second chance, just like Gadreel said, the fall is their second chance in life. "I…I am…I need to find Kouki!" was the first thing he found himself saying. How can he forget him, forget the only thing that loved him outside his family, the only one who believed in him, the man who shed light in his pit of darkness. How can he forget, how dare he forget about him?
"H-Hey, what are you saying?"
"M-My name is Akashi Seijuuro, I-I need to go to Tokyo now!"
Fate has a funny way of bringing people together, and honestly even God himself is amused. Sometimes it might seem like a coincidence, but in this world, there is a reason for everything. Sometimes it difficult to understand the reason why good people suffer, why some men just live their life like there's no tomorrow. Sometimes we meet people at the most unexpected times, but fate knows what she is doing, trust her that she will not do something that is not worth it, the key is not giving up.
The moment you give, is the moment you lose the game with her. She gives up on you as well, in making your life better. However, even if you give up…He is there watching you. He loves his children…all too much.
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.
.
Furihata didn't see it coming, not at all. He stopped giving himself false hopes, he stopped trying to look so strong. He was ready not see him anymore. But he was there standing at the platform, watching slowly as the crowd disperse around him and a mop scarlet hair running at him, he was mouthing his name and it looked like a dream. Like a…strange dream. His feet was frozen and he was cursing inwardly at how this is a bad joke, a really, really bad joke. It would hurt too much, this would hurt like it had the first month, and he'd cry again. He doesn't want to cry, he sick and tired of it. But there he was again, doing it anyways, his eyes streaming with tears, body trembling, sobbing as that familiar face walked briskly at him. Why, he was dead right, he is dead, so how? How can he be here, he must be an illusion. A stupid work of his imagination because deep inside he still misses him. And it was cruel, cruel work of his imagination.
Because Akashi Seijuuro is gone and will be never coming—
"Kouki!"
His breath was caught in his throat as his voice reached his ears, he trembled about to fall in his feet. He wanted to run away now from this but at the same time he wanted to stay to make sure. Why…why is this happening, he's gone and never coming back, he can't be here again. He can't—Furihata tensed as he felt the familiar arms wrapping around him, squeezing gently, a warm breath against the skin of his neck as he buried his face in his nape. This scent, this warmth…this was surely…Akashi, but how, why, where had he been? Furihta couldn't control the tears as he cried shaking as he grabbed the back of Akashi's shirt. "I…I'm home." He whispered.
"Where have you been?" he cried, "I-I thought, I-I was starting to believe them, I thought y-you're never coming back! D-Did you know how scary that was? Did you know?! Every day I thought I lost you, y-you just left!"
"I'm sorry."
"W-When K-Kuroko-kun said you're gone…I-I believed him, a-and I-I didn't know what to do without you! H-Have you thought of it Akashi-kun, o-of me, o-of how will I go on without you?"
It pained Akashi hearing all of this from Furihata, he can feel all the fear in the way he clutched his shirt like he'll be gone when he let go, the shaking of his arms and his tears, and all of those were because he thought he was gone for good. He had never thought of actually meaning so much to someone, he thought for a moment that if he was a human and he met Sara, if he died instead of her, would she cry like this? He realized that the pain was real, the pain when he lost Sara was maybe the same as what Furihata is feeling then, if not worst. He brought a hand to his head and softly calmed the brunette as he pets his head. Akashi could only apologize, he had been sefish, he didn't think of his feelings, what he was thinking was how to relieve himself of the guilt that may come when the world ends with Furihata. He whispered apologies in his skin as they stood there. All of those didn't matter, Akashi thought…he's back home.
"I-I waited here for you, e-every day! B-Because I…I prayed, I wished that one day, you'll just return from a trip from somewhere. And every day that hope dies!" Furihata's anger drowned in his tears and he quickly succumb into the crying mess that he was. Akashi wanted to tell him how difficult was it for him too. To lay there thinking about that missing piece in his heart, that love he could not remember or even name. But it didn't matter. He slowly pulled away and kissed his forehead, he pulled away and brushed the stray tears away.
"…Sorry…" he said, "I didn't mean to hurt you, its alright if you are mad at me…I was dead," he admitted making the brunette's eyes widen in shock, "however, Father brought me back…his reason I still am not sure."
"He…brought…back?"
"Yes, and for some reason I ended up in a school gymnasium and I—" Akashi hesitated but decided to tell Furihata anyways, "I lost my memories until…today. I ran and took the train back here I was planning to go to your house but found you here."
"Since then I waited here…because I…prayed, or more likely hoped that you were merely in a trip and one day will come back."
"I am back." Akashi said a faint smile in his lips as he cupped his small face in his hands. He missed this, for a moment he thought he wouldn't be able to see those beautiful brown eyes that looked at him like he was the only thing important in the world, the eyes that shined with sincerity and kindness. Yes, this is his Kouki. The one whom he loved, the one who made him see better, pulled him out of his misery, and held him dear more than anything. How can he dare forget about him at all, this precious existence, just how, when he was everything good that has ever happened to him?
"Kouki?"
Furihata looked up at Akashi, "W-What is it?"
"I never told you I love you, did I ?"
Furihata's face flushed red at the sudden confession, he pulled away a feet from Akashi. "W-What…I mean, I-I think I—"
"Do you not feel the same?" Akashi asked quite wary, "I…I'm sorry I…I think I mistook your—"
"I-I love you too."
Akashi blinked, despite the announcement ringing, and the sound of the closing of the train's doors, Akashi heard it loud and clear, that faint whisper of those words. "I-I was just a-a bit shock, I-I never thought…I-I mean…I—" Akashi didn't wait for the explanation, there wasn't any need. He pressed his lips against his in a chaste kiss. It was evident, in his concern, in his actions, he saw it, he knew…he loved him as much as he did. The spark was there, that feeling was all that he needed to know to confirm it, yes indeed, he is madly, irreversibly, helplessly in love with Furihata Kouki. Akashi pulled away and smiled to the boy before placing a hand in Furihata's chest, closing his eyes he could feel his heartbeat almost in synch with his. Furihata blushing madly and was confused with Akashi's action looked at him puzzled. And Akashi smiled, the biggest smile he had ever let anyone see—
"This is my home."