Flashes of my memories with Shiori spun around me, moving very fast, they came to a stop at a scene where she and I were sitting on our usual fountain. It was always so beautiful at night. The lights were changing all different colors of the rainbow, and the water was showering down, just inches from Shiori and the Yuuichi in this scene, the lights around the fountain shone and made Shiori's presence all the more beautiful. The snow falling gracefully on the ground worked beautifully with this scene, it was one that deserved to be put on a postcard.

"You're a strong person"

"You're the strong one"

"No I'm not, I've slit my wrist once before." The look on my face had been one of the most surprised looks anyone could ever have. I knew this was coming because it was just a dream of one of my memories, but it still surprised me to be able to look at her, see such an innocent and cute girl, and know she had such a dark secret. "The night I first met Yuuichi-kun, with a box cutting knife."

What pain had this girl endured, and the fact that she does it alone numbed my body a little.

"It was opening day of the third semester. I saw my sister leave my room, so I left my room too, with this shawl that I rarely used, my sister gave me this shawl exactly one year ago." When she spoke of the gift her sister had given her, those blue eyes of hers sparkled a little and she wore a small smile. "I begged for a present, and she gave it to me a day early" As her story went on I more and more sad, for some reason her talking of her sister saddened me a little, how selfish am I? "I bought a cutter knife at a convenience store, and bought many other things, even though I didn't need them. On my way home, while looking at the last scenery of snow, I met Yuuichi-san and Ayu-san. I remember that night, in my room with the lights turned off, all alone. I couldn't hear anything, see anything, or think of anything. I felt like I was cut off from the entire world, it felt like I had wandered into the wrong place. Right then, I heard some laughter it belonged to the people I had met that afternoon."

It was so unbelievable, how could she have done such a horrid thing. All while she was telling this story her blue eyes showed all the sadness that she had once held in. "I remembered their joyful faces and voices." Just as she said this, her eyes shone a little, was it because she spoke of me? "And then I found myself miserable, and then I started to laugh, and then tears that didn't even come out when my sister told me I wouldn't live until my next birthday came out. They were tears that come out from laughter, but I couldn't stop them. Then I realized I was crying because I was sad"

"Then … after I laughed my heart out I realized I couldn't cut myself anymore. Maybe that was the miracle"

"That's your strength"

"I'm weak; I'm a weak person who cannot live without support from others."

This boiled my blood, there was nothing wrong with her, and she wasn't weak at all. Why would she think that, How could she think that?

"That's fine! Everyone has to live with support from others" Shiori sunk her head in defeat, I couldn't let it end like that though "It's called a miracle, since there's a chance of it coming true."

"Maybe your right." Shiori agreed.

"Can you make a promise with me?" looking back I knew I asked this to comfort Shiori and for nothing more.

Obviously that wasn't what she expected, and it was easy to realize when she spoke. "A promise?"

"If a miracle does happen you'll treat me to a cafeteria lunch?"

In the gentlest of hushes, Shiori whispered "okay, I promise"

As if she were not just sad, her lips pulled up into a smile as she spoke "Yuuichi-san I had so much fun today."

"It was fun for me too" It was true and comforting, Shiori and I always enjoyed ourselves when we were together

"I'd like to go to that café one more time"

"Yeah." I actually wanted to say so do I Shiori but I wasn't sure if it was too much.

"And I'd like to walk through the shopping district with you" Did she mean as my girlfriend?

"Yeah." Was that all I could say at the time?

"Today I made a new friend at school, she said lets go out and have fun next time"

"That's great" I was really getting pissed off at myself. It seemed like I was incapable of expressing myself towards anyone, why?

Her eyes had lost their shine, her lips were still up in a smile, but her eyes…were like endless pits of despair. "There are so many places I want to go, and so many things I still want to do." Since I had no clue that a miracle was in store, all I could do was lower my head in guilt. She didn't deserve to do, not in a million years. "I think I don't want to die. I probably shouldn't have become so close to people." There was a small amount of regret in her voice.

"You think so?"

"Because I'll make those people suffer, like my sister will suffer" I could tell her sister was the last person she would ever want to upset, not to mention me and all of her new friends, she was far too caring to ever intentionally upset someone.

It looks like the Yuuichi in this scene made up his mind, his face very serious and his voice fiery with passion "I'm glad I got to know you Shiori."

The look on her face was as shocked as I've ever seen it. "Really?

Was she serious? "Of course, I'm not lying."

For a second she looked down, and her face looked really sad. Then her smile returned as she proceeded to say "Was I able to keep smiling?"

The water shot upward and back down into the fountain. If I didn't know any better I would say it was listening to me and Shiori's conversation.

What she said surprised me so much that I was speechless. "Was I able to keep my smile on the entire time?"

Why was it that she wanted to keep her smile on? Was it out of concern for others worries? "Y-yeah, you were fine." We both believed those were her few hours to live, I wouldn't have told her that she didn't keep her smile.

These words seemed to make her smile. "Really, I'm glad."

The Yuuichi of this scene fulfilled her wish for him to be like a big brother to her, wiping off the snow that sat atop her head her face going bright red upon his touch.

"It's almost time"

"Yeah"

"As soon as it twelve o' clock comes. I'll finally be sixteen years old".

"Yeah"

As we waited for the clock to turn hit twelve the snow fell gracefully, working with the fountain to create a beautiful scene. As the clock struck 12 I knew what came next, the Yuuichi in this scene went into his backpack and pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift. "Happy birthday Shiori!"

"May I open it?" Like a child on Christmas, Shiori's eyes shone with excitement.

Almost immediately I followed up. "Sure." When she unwrapped the art book her eyes became even wider and the smile on her face was beautiful. "Go ahead and fill those pages."

"Yes." She said as she embraced the book. "Thank you very much, I'll treasure it"

"Yeah" it was apparent that I was in pain as well, just continuously agreeing because my mind wasn't there.

"Yuuichi-san" She called to me in such a sweet voice.

"Y…" Shiori did what I hadn't planned for and kissed me on the cheek. It was very innocent and I kind of wanted one of those at this moment.

"I'll go get something warm, please stay here Yuuichi-san"

As she left me to sitting on the fountain, letting the snow fall gently down, the scene ended. I quickly opened my eyes and sat up, sweat coming down my forehead, I've got to leave.

"Dammit!" I swore as I just remembered something that my dreams were trying to tell me. I threw on my shirt, my school dress coat, and my shoes as I began rushing downstairs as quietly as I could. I hurried to the kitchen where I dropped off the ice cream bars I bought earlier. As I ran out the door and closed it quietly, I noticed the gate was frozen. As I swore in my head I put the handles of the bag containing the ice cream bars in my mouth, and grabbed on to the gate. Pulling myself up I couldn't get my mind off Shiori.

Rushing into market I felt cold air all around me, this didn't bother me though; the adrenaline filling my body would not let me stop because of some cold weather. I passed by all of the stores in market, none with flashy lights do to the time of night; it wasn't so beautiful looking outside at this time of night. As I passed the road where I first bumped into Shiori I couldn't help but feel some sorrow for not knowing she was so upset all those months ago. As I ran to the fork in the road that lead to Shiori's home, I turned left and kept going for about a block, passing nothing but tree's with no leaves and snow upon them. As I ran down another block I came to a stop in front of a huge house, the house was white with red edgings. It read Shiori's last name on the mailbox. All the lights in the house were out, but that was to be expected. It seems that Shiori's parents are quite wealthy, the house and its property had to be the finest in this small town, almost out of place with the town.

There was a latter on the side of the house, so I ran to the side and folded it so I could carry it with me to the back, and as I set up the latter in the back I could see Shiori's head in her window, a little relief washed over me, as I realized it could've been much worse for me; I could have looked into someone else's room and saw something I shouldn't have. I hastily climbed up the ladder to see the worst had been confirmed. Shiori was sitting on her bed in a t-shirt; she appeared to be staring into space, as her wrist was leaking crimson blood.

I skillfully opened and climbed inside the window, apparently surprising Shiori as I did so. "Yuuichi-kun? Why are you in my house, how did you even get here? Yuui-"I cut her off as I sat next to her and grabbed her left wrist; she didn't resist, and didn't speak.

I examined her wrist, the moonlight allowed me to see all I needed to see. There were 2 cuts, one that about 2 inches long, and it looked to be a few hours old. The 2nd cut however was twice as long as the older cut; and it was still bleeding, streaming down her wrists. My heart began to beat like I've never felt it beat before, it all came crashing down on me, it was my fault she was doing this. The reason this girl is not spending her time like other girls her age is me, my lids feel heavy, and my eyes begin to burn as it feels like I am about to cry, if it were earlier in the day I would scream, but I settled for pulling Shiori into me and burying my face in her hair. "Shiori, I'm so…so sorry."

"Yuuichi-kun, it's not your fau-"

"Shiori, that's a lie. I shouldn't have left you to walk home by yourself; I should have realized how you felt about me, and… I should have realized how I felt about you." I blushed as the last part came out, but I became alarmed as I heard silent sobs from the brown haired girl sitting next to me.

"I love you, so much. My body gets really warm when I even think about you, more so when I see you. You don't know how it hurts to see the person you love aching for a different girl. When I cut myself it was because I felt like it was the only pain I could control, and I felt so empty after the pain left, If anything is worse than pain, it is feeling nothing, feeling like you've never known emotion, feeling like your dead. I made my own pain so I wouldn't feel the emptiness."

"I'm a monster" I couldn't hold it in any long, so I wept, I wept for at least three or four minutes, Shiori had joined in seconds after me. I stopped before her and gathered the strength to talk. "Forgive me Shiori; you won't ever have the chance to do something like this again. From now on I'll be your protector rather than the guy who hurts you." My courage had risen, resolve again forged inside for me.

"Yuuichi, I love you, despite the loneliness, despite the pain, despite everything, I love you."

What I felt for Shiori at this moment was different than any other time we have spent, I was more than just a friend to her, and I will stick by her in every way possible. "Yuuichi-kun, stay with me for a few more hours, please?"

Before answering, for the 1st time since I woke up, I looked at my watch. It was 3:30; I could stay for two and a half more hours before I had to get home to change for school. "Yes, just for a few hours" I lowered myself down to sit on the floor by her bed.

"I'll go clean myself up; I'll only be a few minutes, okay?"

"Yeah" I sat there as Shiori got up from the bed and left out her bedroom door. Taking in her room for the 1st time since I entered it, I noticed there was no television here, what did she do with her off time? The bed was directly under her window, she had a small dresser on the side of her bed, with a picture of her, and her sister as well. There as a much bigger dresser across from her bed, decorated with stuffed animals, and… the drawing book I gave her, I stood up, and walked over to the dresser to look at her art book. There was only one picture, it a very child like drawing stood me and Shiori holding hands, and her sister in the back of her with a bento box. In the background, stood the fountain which was so beautiful at night.

As I heard Shiori's footsteps coming, I closed her art book, and then I rushed to assume the sitting position which I was in before she left. As she entered she had on a pajama shirt, and she looked much more alive. "Thanks for waiting Yuuichi-kun."

"I said I would stay the night." I said in a matter of fact type of voice. Shiori giggled and sat in between my legs, he back towards my chest.

I wrapped my arms around Shiori, and she rested her hands on top of mine before sighing. "It feels like I belong here" within 5 minutes of saying that, she was sleeping, snoring in a very cute way. I rested my head atop hers, knowing I couldn't sleep anymore. I had just over 2 hours before I had to leave.

"Never again will you have to feel alone. I'll stand by you." I said in a voice that I knew no one would hear. I was in Shiori's house, holding her in my arms, and thinking about her too. I however, was also think about Mai. -

And Cut. First off I would like to apologize for not posting a chapter in so long, I had a virus for like a month =/. I'll try hard to write in w/e free time I get. Second, I tried to make a long chapter for the people who actually like what I write. This chapter might be a little wacky, so I've decided that if people tell me what I need to fix, after I end this fic, ill make a revised version. Third, next chapter… might be from Mai's perspective. Till then, be safe everyone.

TkRawr[Trademark]