mind.tricks.
You can't call someone crazy when they're seeing things.
//people.
You can't call them paranoid when they know someone's watching.
//who shouldn't be there.
And you surely can't call them careless if they already cared.
//for that person.
-
-
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Because.
-
It was a winter's night in the streets of Tokyo. More like the early morning. Ume had been wandering with some friends, club to club, bar to bar.
and now its past 2:30 a.m.
She was walking alone now, that everyone had gone home.
Her head was slightly aching and maybe she was a little uncoordinated from all the intaking of alcohol.
And maybe she was doing things she shouldn't have.
And just maybe there was a reason for the dagger in the front pocket of her jacket.
As snow was falling down, flake by flake. It looked so dry. But looks are always deceiving now, aren't they?
She looked back behind her to see if there was anyone following her.
//paranoia//
There was just one gloomy figure behind her that stood out among anyone else walking.
Who's darker outlined figure seemed a little contrast with all the illuminating street lights.
Of buisnesses that happened to always be buzzing and working at this hour. Her head ached... so maybe, just maybe.
She was seeing things.
And maybe, just maybe... it was her memory playing tricks on her.
Since that happens to the best [andworst] of us now
doesn't it?
And sometimes our mind plays tricks
won't it?
And sometimes we fall for them as something in reality
don't we?
It happens.
She looked back again, as the figure seemed to come closer.
She rubbed her eyes and walked a little faster, then heard footsteps.
And a strong scent was near. It was so farmiliar.
Very farmiliar.
Ume's head turned and didn't even have to look all the way back, the figure was next to her now.
Her hand grew warm as she looked down at it.
//this figure was a person?//
She raised her head to look at this person's face.
Very farmiliar.
... also.
A signiture smile grew across the face...
And a mutter came out from Ume's mouth...
T... ta...
" . . . T a k e o ? "
"Ume."
Her face seemed frozen, and her feet planted into the ground.
Like they were growing roots deep into the sidewalk.
His feet stopped.
Maybe his were feeling the same way.
//but his face didn't show like it.
! - "Takeo? Is that you?"
" Y e a h . S u r p i s e d ? "
--A nod, and a seemingly blank stare in shock.
In amazement.
A blank stare from behind eyes glazed over.
//Soaked in alcohol.
"I... wow.... I am."
A half smile as he stands there, just as still as her, just as close.
Not too close for comfort.
"Well... no need to be . . . "
"b-but... I... I thought you were... "
"Dead? Yeah. Me too."
A blink over eyes, maybe to clear a view.
And a hand still warm from being held.
"... How... wha--"
"... I don't know how I'm here either, Ume. But I missed you."
"... I missed you too..."
Her gaze falls to the ground, looking at feet and concrete.
And another hand lifts her chin back up, also seeming to pick the gaze back up to a face.
A softer face, with a gentle smile and deep eyes.
You can never say you've been lost in someone's eyes until you'd stared into ones deep enough, and had to remember to breathe by reminding yourself.
" I m i s s e d y o u r e y e s , U m e . "
"I missed yours too, Takeo."
A smile grows across her face as a slender hand rests on his shoulder.
"I missed your smile, too."
" I missed everything. I missed staring at something and still knowing where I was. "
"Heh... I didn't miss being lost. I just missed being lost with you. But... how did you come back? Come out of a grave or something?"
" I don't know... maybe second chances are possible..."
"But... I didn't know that second chances were given to criminals."
" I didn't think they were. I don't know how I'm here."
"What about the wound?"
" Oh..."
"...?"
" I t ' s , t h e r e . "
The wound in his heart, the one that killed him.
Immediately Ume's arms were thrown around him as if my reflex or instinct alone.
But it was something protective.
And so he did the same.
//but wasn't he just a mirage? wasn't she just seeing things?
What about her mind playing tricks on her?
He felt real.
He looked real.
He sounded real.
He even smelled real.
And he was saying things that she could know he would say.
" Ume... can we please go somewhere? I miss it, too."
"Where do you want to go, love?"
" I want to go to our h o m e . "
A smile and nod. "Of course."
A walk home of hands still together, and fingers still laced.
Words escaped mouths from choked up throats all the way home.
To say what they felt much better saying.
Rather than sobs over a death, and screams and cries over an empty void in a life.
And small kisses shared on cheeks and the top of a head.
Of one shorter than the other.
//but he wasn't really there. was he?
A n d f i n a l l y .
H o m e .
Two tired bodies seemed to walk in as they always did.
//Even though that was a year and a half ago. It still seemed like yesterday.
Ume shed her jacket and scarf, and immediately took hold of Takeo's hand again.
He'd already done so, he was anxious.
Ume had smiled.
It had been awhile.
a L O N G t i m e .
Just since she smiled with a reason to.
The two had somehow made their way through the house, fooling around as it had been all that while ago.
Being wound up and being able to mess around at three in the morning.
Since it's what they always did.
-
One would chase the other, and it always ended up the same...
That one was standing ready on the oppisite side of the couch than the other.
And would always leap over onto it to lay down, where there other one would laugh and lay down.
And wrapped in the arms of one another...
They wouldn't watch the television.
They wouldn't sleep.
[//For at least another few hours.]
And they wouldn't be bored.
They'd just talk.
Just, talk.
With little lines about each other.
Flattery.
things of
You're so b e a u t i f u l .
And then queue the blushing.
Queue the "I love you"'s shared from mouth to ears.
And whispering things to each other, even though they were the only two people in the room.
Because it was fun to whisper like that.
-
And now one chased the other, to a hallway.
Where Ume immediately stopped running and turned back to Takeo.
Small laughs exchanged, and a small kiss.
A grin and then a body running into the bedroom, leaping out and landing belly-down on the bed.
Ume climbed back up and began jumping on the bed.
A smiling Takeo stood in the doorway, and finally gave in.
He ran over and joined in with her.
More giggles, chuckles, and smiles until both fell down nearly simultaniously.
Catching her breath, Ume pulled up covers.
Takeo [as always] followed suit, and layed there with her.
Again arms seemed to wrap around each other.
Like vines seeming to grow where they're comfortable.
And their arms were comfortable, like those vines. In farmiliar terrirory.
Where they could stay like that for h o u r s .
Not hurt, not ache, not loose circulation.
Everything was just so.
. p . e . r . f . e . c . t .
But minds weren't focused on shallow things.
Shallow things that everyone else wants.
They weren't focused on sex, but on deeper things than that.
Things that had more emotional meaning to them.
Thus, quite few articles of clothing were removed.
Just enough to be comfortable.
But Takeo is the first to finally say something...
"So what have you been up to the past while?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing at all?"
"Well, some things."
"Like what...?"
"Friends... I suppose. We just, go places now."
"Heh... that's nice to do, right?"
"Its boring..."
"How is it boring?"
"You aren't there... You weren't. And I don't know if you're here now."
"Does it matter?"
"... Kind of..."
"... Why does it matter? You can at least remember me, right?"
"... Yes."
"You can feel me right?"
A hand rests on her face.
"... yes."
"And you can see me... right?"
"Yes..."
"You can hear me just fine?"
"I can."
"So I seem real enough, don't I?"
"But..."
"But what?"
~Confusion~
--
Ume's hand moves ever closer to Takeo's chest.
But feels nothing.
After her hand had no choice but to move up his shirt, to feel the same place...
~~There's a slight dip in his chest.
"Ume..."
"... Take.. Takeo..."
"Please don't focus on that..."
".. Its hard not to..."
"Please? ... For me?"
"... Okay..."
"... Thank you, Ume."
"Its okay."
Her hand moves around to his back.
And her head rests back his chest...
Like they were used to.
It was what they both missed.
Even if he wasn't real, and if it was just her mind playing tricks.
Or if she was just dreaming...
But things are always possible in this world. Our mind just sets boundries as to what's possible.
As to how things work...
Maybe he came back from the dead, for her.
Those things can be possibe, can't they?
Maybe he wanted to see her again?
Maybe he wanted to love her again?
Maybe he wanted to live again?
They were all possibilities.
But for now it was wonderful enough.
Since it's surely something when two bodies together are so comfortable.
Almost like coordinating puzzle pieces.
So maybe he wasn't real.
But dreams can be good enough.