One Snowy Night [One-Shot no. 7]
Title: One Snowy Night. [One Shot]
Author:aokihana8694
Pairing: TegoMasu
Rating: PG
Summary: A tragic incident that happened last two years kept on bugging and repeating…inside of Tegoshi’s mind and in the real world.
Note: Another fic which involves character death. Seriously, why do I like writing stories with character death??? Sorry for the grammar and the repetition of words. xD. As always.
+++
“Takahisa, w-where are we going?” He asks him, but he got no reply.
“Takahisa…I don’t feel good about this.” And they’d stopped walking.
“Taka…”
“Just wait, Tegoshi…It’ll show up soon…”
He heard Takahisa count backwards.
“10…9…8…”
He can’t explain it, the feeling, inside him. He doesn’t know… he’s so nervous about what’s coming…
“4…3…2…”
Takahisa removes his hands on Tegoshi’s eyes, the same time the fireworks starts to color the cold night of December. The year changes now…Another year has passed, another has come.
“How is it?” Takahisa asks him.
“It’s beautiful…” Tegoshi mumbles as he watches the bright colors spreading in the sky.
Takahisa sighs with relief.
“Thanks for this, Takahisa.”
Takahisa nods.
“It’s really beautiful, the way the lights and the colors spread throughout the night sky is very magnificent. It’s really relaxing.”
“Tegoshi…”
“Hmm?”
“Um, I have something to tell you…”
Tegoshi looks at him. “What is it?”
Takahisa gulps. “Um…ano…How should I tell this…Um…” He laughs uncomfortably.
“Taka, you’re acting weird.” And Tegoshi laughs.
Takahisa bit his lower lip. “I’m sorry…F-Forget it.”
Tegoshi’s eyes narrow. “Hmm…You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
“Eh?! Ah, n-no, o-of course! I-I’m not hiding a-anything from you! Of course not! Not at all. N-nothing at all!” He stutters, hiding his blushing face.
“Tell me what it is. I’ll listen.”
Takahisa slowly look at him. “You’re not going to laugh? Or something similar to that?”
“Of course. I may not be a good listener as Koyama, but come on. Try me.”
“Um…okay.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “Um, I have someone I like, l-love …I mean.”
Tegoshi’s eyes went wide. “Eh? Y-You’re in love?” He leans in to Takahisa. “Who? Who is she? Come on, tell me.”
Takahisa scratches his head. “Um, T-Tegoshi…He…”
“He?”
“Yeah. He.”
“He?” Tegoshi’s forehead wrinkles. “He…He…He…EH?! You’re in love with a…guy?” He whispers the last word.
Takahisa just nods, not looking at Tegoshi’s eyes.
“Hmmm…Lucky guy.”
Takahisa’s head snaps. “Huh?”
“He’s lucky…He’s going to experience an innocent love, a pure one. No lies, no pretending, simple and happy love. I wished I’m that guy.” He looks at Takahisa, the same time that Takahisa looks at him.
“Tegoshi…”
“Maa! I think it’s time to stop waiting.” Tegoshi straightens up and stretches his arms.
“Eh?”
“You have someone you love, so I think it’s better for me to stop waiting for you, right?”
“Tegoshi…? What-”
“I really like you, Taka…No, I really love you…Since the day we met.” He laughs. “Sounds odd, right?” He scratches his forehead. “Love at first sight. I’m keeping this feeling from you for almost five years. I thought you’re going to figure it out just by the way I’m so looking out for you. The way I’m so worried to death when your body hurts, the way I looked at your body when you invite me to swimming. The accidentally-brushing-of-fingers-thing, the I’m-so-tired-thing accompanied by resting my head to your shoulders.” He laughs. “All of that, I’m doing it on purpose…Just for you to notice my feelings for you… But it really sounds weird when a guy flirts with another-”
“No, it isn’t.” Takahisa interrupts. “I liked all of it. I loved all of it.”
“T-Taka…”
“The guy I’m in love with is…” He holds Tegoshi’s hand and squeezes it. “Is you…”
Tegoshi gapes.
“I…I love you…that is…” He says shyly.
Tegoshi smiles, as in fucking smiles as he hugs Takahisa tight. “I…I really like you, too, Taka…I mean…I love you, too.”
Takahisa smiles. “Thanks for waiting, Tegoshi…”
Tegoshi pulls himself away from Takahisa. “That’s Yuya for you…” And he leans in to kiss Takahisa.
“I promise I’ll never make you cry…” Takahisa mumbles after they broke the kiss.
“Then don’t leave me. Stay with me, forever…”
“I will.” And he leans in to catch Tegoshi’s lips.
+++
“Tegoshi, hurry!” Koyama calls him excitedly. “You’re so lousy, you know that?”
Shige elbows him. “Koyama, don’t push him. You know what he’s been going through, right?”
Koyama pouts. “But I just want Tegoshi to be happy.”
“Leave him alone. Let him be.”
“But the fireworks is about to-”
“Koyama,” He glances at his watch, “It’s only 9 in the evening. The fireworks starts at 12. Going too early there will just make us bored. We had nothing to do there but wait, and when the time comes that the display will start, I’m already asleep, and Tegoshi will beg you if he can go home, and you will have no choice but to follow us, because it’s not fun watching the fireworks without us, and you’ll just ruin your own mood and sulk on the corner because you haven’t witness the magnificent fireworks display.” Shige explains, crossing his arm as he finishes.
“Too much talk, Shige. You’re just jealous that my full attention now is on Tego.” He grins.
Shige’s face distorts. “Huh?”
“You’re jealous because the apple of my eye right now is Tego? Don’t deny it. You can’t hide it from me.”
Shige laughs from both amusement and frustration. “I’m not jealous. Tegoshi treats you like his older brother, and besides, he’ll never have a crush on you since his heart was already belonged to that person only.”
“Could you please stop talking about me?” Tegoshi says irritably as he approaches the two.
“You two are really nosy, you know that? Stop talking about people-Ah!” He failed to continue what he’s supposed to say when someone bumped him.
“I’m sorry, nii-san!” The boy bowed. “T-Taka! Come on! We’re going to miss the fun!” The boy shouts as he waves his arm.
“Yuu,” The other boy utters, “I’m tired, can we just stop and rest for a while?” He says, trying to catch his breath.
Yuya stares at them as he murmurs, “Taka…” slowly.
Koyama and Shige just looked at him with pity.
“Tegoshi…” Koyama says.
But Tegoshi lets out a soft laugh. “What the hell is happening?” He let his gazed fall on the ground.
“L-let’s go now, Tegoshi! T-the fireworks display is about to-”
“It’s my fault why he’s gone now, forever.”
“Tegoshi, it’s not your fault…” Shige consoles.
“Shige’s right. It was all an accident. You’ve done nothing. Nothing at all.” Koyama reassures him too.
“No, it’s…”
“Nii-san?” The boy named Taka, approaches him. “Are you alright? Why are you crying? Is it because my friend bumped you? I’m so sorry, nii-san, if that’s the case.” And he bows his head.
Tegoshi looks at him and smiles. “It’s okay…” He pats Taka’s head. “I’m not hurt.”
“Are you sure?” And Taka touches his hips, and it surprises Tegoshi. The gesture is so…Takahisa-like. He rememrs the time whrn he gives
“Does it hurt here?”
“Yeah…it hurts…very much.” Tegoshi mumbles silently, but audible enough for Taka to hear.
Taka frowned. He immediately turned his head and look at Yuu, who’s currently looking down on his feet, playing with his scarf.
“Yuu…Apologize to Nii-san.”
“Eh? But I-”
“Now.”
Yuu pouted. He walked slowly, to Tegoshi, not looking at him. “I’m sorry, nii. I didn’t mean that. It was just…the fireworks display’s about to start, I-I’m so excited that I didn’t noticed you there standing. I’m so sorry.” And he bowed.
Tegoshi remembered something…and it made him smile at the thought.
“It’s okay, really.” He tapped Yuu’s shoulder. “I’m not hurt, and that was an accident. You’ve done no harm.” He smiled.
Yuu smiled. “Thank you! Um…”
“Yuya, Tegoshi Yuya…”
“Thank you, Yuya-nii!” and he went to Taka’s side, and locked their arms together. “See, Taka? Yuya-nii’s not angry with me. And I didn’t mean to do it. It was just an accident!” He chirped.
Taka rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay, but next time, try to control your excitement, okay?”
And Yuu nodded, happily.
Taka looked at Tegoshi. “Yuya-nii,” He smiled before taking a bow. “Thank you. We’re going!”
“Bye, Yuya-nii!”
Tegoshi smiled and waved his hands. He followed the back of those two, and he smiled again.
“Those kids act just like you and Takahisa, did you notice that?” Koyama says, putting his arm on Tegoshi’s shoulder.
“Yeah… and that kid,” His smile went wider. “The one named Taka, he acts just like him.”
The other two just nodded.
The three of them just stand there when they hear a loud shriek not so far from where they stood. Crowds started to gather, and something hit Tegoshi’s mind.
“Takahisa…” He mumbled before going to the crowd.
“Where the hell is he going?” Shige asked before he ran after Tegoshi. “Koyama! Don’t just stand there, let’s follow him!”
Koyama nodded and they’d follow Tegoshi.
Tegoshi forces himself to the crowd, not caring about the people he’s bumping, or the yell he’s receiving. And as he got in the front on the crowd, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He saw the two kids, lying on the cold concrete. And the memories from the tragedy came back flying in his mind. He saw Yuu moving slowly towards Taka, who’s lying just a meter away from him, his clothes soaked in blood, his chest heaving.
“Taka! Taka!” Yuu shouted, as he got hold of Taka’s body.
“Y-Yuu…” Taka mumbled weakly, “Thank G-god, y-you’re…you’re safe.”
“Taka!” He cried. “Taka, don’t leave me!” He wrapped his arms around his friend. “Anyone, please! Help us!” It happened that Yuu glanced at where Tegoshi is standing, and he called him for help.
“Yuya-nii! Yuya-nii, please help us! Yuya-nii!”
But Tegoshi doesn’t move. He’s shaking, a lot. He doesn’t know what to do, he wanted to help Yuu, but he can’t move his feet. He’s afraid…of the blood, of what his eyes is witnessing right now… A dying person
No…no…no! I-It happened again! And he tears started to roll down his eyes.
“Tegoshi what-Oh my god!” Koyama rushes to the two kids, getting Taka out of Yuu’s arms and carries him. He immediately checks Taka pulse.
“He’s alive. He’s still alive…Shige, get the car! We need to bring these kids to the hospital now! Hurry!!” Koyama looked at the other kid. “Shige, help me here.”
Shige nods. He approaches Yuu and carries him. “Tegoshi? Come on.”
But it seems that Tegoshi didn’t hear him. He still can’t move.
“Tegoshi let’s get out of here, come on.” Shige says as he approached him and pushed him, out of the crowd.
“I…I’ve done nothing. I’ve done nothing…”
“I know. It was an accident, Tegoshi, don’t worry.”
“I need to see him…I need to see him if he’s still alive… I don’t...I don’t want something to…Shige…I…”
“Okay. Come on, let’s go to the car quick! Koyama’s sure is waiting.”
And they left the place.
+++
“Takahisa! Hurry!” Tegoshi wails. “Come on now! I don’t want to miss the display!”
“B-but…” Takahisa stops running. He’s tired like hell. “I’m tired!” He said voice hoarse.
“Taka!” Tegoshi, he walked back to where Takahisa is. “Taka, you’re ruining my excitement! Please! Please, let’s go!”
Takahisa sighs heavily. “Yuya, it’s only 10:30, we can reach the park even if we crawl. You know that, right? You’re such a kid.”
It made Tegoshi pout. “But Takahisa, I-I just-”
“Sshh…” Takahisa stops him. “Don’t you want to spend this night in a...more romantic way?”
Tegoshi’s forehead wrinkled.
“I mean…” He holds Tegoshi’s hand and kisses it. “Won’t you want to spend this night walking with me, holding hands, together? While walking under the snowy night? You like that, right?”
Tegoshi’s pout eventually disappears as he linked his fingers to Takahisa’s and pulls him.
“Of course I like that. I love that.” He says smiling as they continued walking.
Takahisa smiles too. “Are you cold?”
“Eh?” He shakes his head. “No I’m not.”
“Liar. You’re shaking. And you even forgot to wear your mitten.”
“Um, I was really excited to watch the fireworks display, so I forgot to bring it with me. It’s okay, don’t worry.” He says casually. “Ah…it’s cold.” Takahisa heard him mumbles.
Takahisa shakes his head. “Give me your other hand.”
“Eh?”
“Just give it to me…”
Yuya’s eyebrow creased, but he obeyed him anyway.
“God, it’s pale.” He immediately remove the mitten in his right hand and made Tegoshi wear it.
“Does it feel good? Are you still cold?”
“Hmm…yeah…but you’re warm, so it’s okay now…Um, what about your hand?”
“Oh…” Takahisa smiles before he put their entwined hands in the pocket of his jacket.
He looks at Tegoshi and smiles. “It’s okay now. Shall we go?”
Tegoshi nods. And they continued walking, again.
“I love you, Takahisa.” He whispers as he rest his head on Takahisa’s shoulder.
“I love you too. I love you more than my life.”
Tegoshi smiles. “I know that. But you should love yourself more, Taka. You can’t really love me when you don’t love yourself more.”
“That’s selfishness.”
“But we’re living here to be selfish, to be greedy.”
Takahisa smacks his head.
“Ouch, what’s that for?” Tegoshi caresses the part where Takahisa smacked.
Takahisa laughs uncomfortably. “Uh, ano… I…just feel like doing it.”
“Hitting me for no reason? You really are weird.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. If it is you, I liked being hit, every day, every minute, every second.” And they both laughed.
They continued walking as the snow continues to fall and touches their skin. It’s cold, really, but they didn’t mind at all.
The supposed to be romantic night will start to go downhill…
They’re almost near the park when Takahisa heard someone crying. He turned his head left and right and there he saw a boy, sitting like a lost puppy in a bench, crying.
“Wait here, Yuya.” Takahisa says as he pulls out their entwined hands from his pocket and let go of Tegoshi’s.
“Where are you going?”
“To him.” He points the boy and went ran immediately to the kid. It made Tegoshi smile. Takahisa’s really kind, he loves kids so much. He really loves it when Takahisa acts just like them, it’s very cute. Very Takahisa.
“Ne, what’s your problem? What are you doing alone here?” He heard Takahisa asked the boy with a sweet voice.
“I don’t talk to strangers.” The boy replied.
Tegoshi tries to stifle a laugh when Takahisa shows off a surprised face. “Taka, introduce yourself to him.”
Takahisa just scratches his head. “Um, okay. I’m Takahisa-nii, and he’s Yuya-nii. We’re going to help you with your problem.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Huh? Eh, no, no I’m not. I’m not lying when I told you that we’re going to help you.”
“That’s not it.”
Takahisa’s forehead wrinkled. “Then what is it?”
“Why did you introduce her as he, when you know she’s a girl?”
Both of them went silent. They shared a look before they laugh.
“What’s funny?”
“Um, sorry. Um, he’s not a girl. He’s a boy.” Takahisa stands up and touches Tegoshi’s chest. “See? He doesn’t have a bump, it’s flat, really.” As a result of what he has done, he received a hard slap in the shoulder from Tegoshi.
“Ouch, what was that?”
“You’re sexual harassing me! Why did you touch my chest?”
“But you don’t have breasts! You’re a male, Yuya.”
“Pervert.”
“What did you say?”
“Pervert!”
“I’m not!”
“You are!”
“I said I’m-”
“Could you please stop that?” the boy shouts at them. “I thought you’re going to help me! Stop acting like kids!”
They stopped and shared a look again.
“He thinks more mature than you, Taka.”
“Shut up, Yuya. It’s your fault to begin with.”
Tegoshi pouts. “I hate you.” And he crosses his arms.
“Ah, Yuya. I’m just joking.”
“So what’s your name?” He ignores Takahisa.
“Kenji.”
“Oh, so Kenji, why are you crying?”
Kenji started to sob again. “Yoshie-chan left me.”
“Yoshie-chan?” Takahisa repeated.
Kenji nods. “Yes. My dog, he left me when I’m supposed to buy her ice cream.”
“Oh.” He looked at Tegoshi, pressed lips and eyes gleaming. Tegoshi’s nostrils went big, but when Takahisa let’s out a silent ‘please’, pouting his lips, lets out a giggle.
“Okay, okay.” Tegoshi kneels down and pats his shoulder. “Would you mind if we help you find Yoshie-chan?” Tegoshi asks in his sweetest, flirty-like voice.
Kenji smiles brightly. “Really?”
Tegoshi nods. “Of course. Right Taka?”
Takahisa nods. “Yes!”
They both offered their hands to Kenji and he gladly accepted it.
They’d search for the dog, in the corners, near the restaurants, among the busy crowds, but they don’t find her.
Kenji started to cry again.
“Oh no…” Takahisa just mumbles, “Yuya, what should we do?”
Tegoshi just pressed his lips. He kneels in front of Kenji, taps his shoulder and smiles. “Takahisa-nii will look for Yoshie-chan, okay?”
Takahisa quickly turns his head on Tegoshi’s direction. “Eh?! Me?”
“Yes.” He glances to Kenji again. “We’ll wait for him here. I’m sure he’s going to find Yoshie, he’s good at it.”
Kenji looked at Takahisa with gleaming eyes, and Takahisa heaved a sigh.
“Okay. I’ll be back, Kenji, together with Yoshie-chan. Wait for me here, okay?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be back, Yuya.” And he smiles.
Tegoshi felt something stirring inside him. Worry? He doesn’t know. He just felt, he needed to stop Takahisa from going, away…from him… to his side…
He doesn’t even notice when a tear left his eye.
“Yuya? Yuya are you okay?”
“Taka…”
“Why are you crying? Baby, why?”
“Tell me you’re going back, please, you’re coming back to me, to my side. You belong to me right? You’ll never leave me right?”
“Sssh, Yuya. Why are you suddenly going hysterical? Of course, I’ll be back. I assure you that.”
“Just tell me you’ll come back.”
Takahisa sighs as he holds Tegoshi’s face. “Yuya…I’ll be back. I’ll be coming back to you. Just wait for me here.” And he kisses Tegoshi’s forehead and he left.
“Taka!” He calls. “I love you!”
Takahisa turns his head, and smiles brightly, the brightest smile he’d ever see.
“Takahisa-nii is kind ne?” Kenji suddenly speaks.
“Eh?” Tegoshi smiles. “Of course he is. Why say that all of the sudden?”
“I just think so… and he looks like it.”
Tegoshi smiled too.
Not long after Takahisa left, there’s a sudden crowd gathering not far from where they are seated.
“What’s happening, Yuya-nii?”
Tegoshi doesn’t speak.
“Ne, Yuya-nii?”
“Uh…um, let’s go there.” And they both went to the crowd.
“I wonder where Takahisa-nii is.”
Tegoshi just smile uncertainly. “Maybe he’s still looking for Yoshie. Don’t worry, he surely be-”
A bark coming from the crowd envelopes the place.
“Yoshie-chan? Yoshie-chan!” Kenji ran directly to the crowd.
Tegoshi just stood there, unable to move his feet.
What is this feeling? Why am I...
“Takahisa-nii!!!”
Tegoshi eyes went wide. “T-Takahisa…” and he ran through the thick crowd.
He can hear Kenji crying as he gets closer to the reason of the sudden gathering of the crowd. And finally…
“Yuya-nii!” Kenji calls one more time for Yuya when he finally gets to the front of the crowd.
Tegoshi on the other side…
He can’t believe his eyes. Blood covering the thick snow, car with shattered mirror, body lying limp on the cold concrete in the late December.
“Takahisa…” He uttered before rushing to his boyfriend’s side.
“Taka! Taka!” He held Takahisa body on his arms. “ Oh god! Taka please! Don’t leave me! Taka! Taka!”
He quickly pulls off his cellphone out of his pocket and dials Koyama’s number.
“Goddamn, Koyama, please answer it…” he curses as he waits for Koyama to answer the phone. “Fuck!” He puts down his phone as he’s back at Takahisa, caressing his pale cheeks.
“Takahisa, we’re going to go to the hospital, okay?” He looks to the crowd. “Please, anyone, help us! Call an ambulance! Please!”
“Y-Yuya…” Takahisa mumbles weakly.
Tegoshi smiles and he hugs Takahisa who’s currently trying his best to survive.
“Taka…” He says, voice shaking… “Taka, you promised me…You promised to stay with me, right? Taka, please say you’ll never leave me…” And Tegoshi cried.
“You’re being selfish again, Yuya…”
“But that’s the reason we’re here right,” He says between sobs, “…to be selfish…”
Takahisa coughs, and the blood from his mouth drips over, coloring his pale cheeks with blood.
“Taka, don’t talk, please don’t.”
“Y-Yuya…I-I think I can’t…”
“No, no, no…” And Tegoshi pressed his hand to Takahisa’s wound, hoping that the pressure will help Takahisa’s eyes to stay open.
“Y-yuya, it hurts…”
“Please, just bear with it until we get to the hospital…” He applied more pressure, eliciting a weak groan from Takahisa.
“I-I can’t…Yuya…I-I r-rea…lly can’t…”
“No!” He shouted. “Stay with me! You’re going to stay with me!”
“Y-yuya-”
“Shut up, Taka! You’re not going to die,” Tegoshi shakes his head violently and embraces him tightly, “I won’t let that happen! Fucking no!”
He lets go of Takahisa, sits with his back facing him. “Come on, Taka, we’re going to the hospital!”
“H-Have y-you been bad? W-we’re not g-going to-”
“We’re going to make it! I’m sure of that! Please don’t talk anymore.” And he carries Takahisa onto his back.
“Give way! Give way!” Tegoshi shouts at the crowd, struggling to keep his balance as he walks out of the crowd.
“Come on, Taka. Don’t give up, you have to fight! You love me, right? You don’t want me to get sad, right? So please, stay alive. For me, for us, for our fut-”
They stumble onto the cold concrete, but Tegoshi didn’t give up. He stands up, carrying Takahisa on his back. It’s cold, the snow continued to fall on their skin. Takahisa shivers on his back. His breathing getting slower and slower, his arms felt weak, eyes fluttering close.
“Y-Yuya…that’s enough.”
“No…” Tegoshi says firmly, but obviously he’s crying.
“Y-yuya, we c-can’t…” Takahisa trails off as he finally fell back to the concrete, back landing hard on the surface.
“Taka!” Tegoshi kneels and held Takahisa on his arms.
“Taka, please… Taka, we’re almost there.”
“Stop it now, Yuya, you’re only making things difficult to you, to me… I’m…I’m tired.”
Tegoshi gritted his teeth as he started to cry, hugging Takahisa tighter than he usually do.
“I-Is this the end…? For the two us? Hm…? Taka?”
Takahisa also started to cry. “I-I think so…”
“Fuck…” Tegoshi curses. “Fuck, I don’t want you to go, Taka.”
“Let me go now, Yuya… Let me…”
“Taka! N-No…”
“I’ll always love you… D-don’t ever forget that, Yuya… Please…c-continue…to be happy without…” He struggles to keep his eyes open. “Let the love bloom in your heart. Someday, you’ll find a person whom you will love endlessly and unselfishly, a person who will return all the love you’ve given to him…I don’t want to see my baby alone, lonely and crying...”
“But Taka, you’re the only one…”
“No…” Takahisa shakes his head slowly, groaning at the pain. “You have to, you’ll not be happy your entire left if you didn’t love someone…”
“Taka…” He palms Takahisa’s face and kisses his pale lips, sweet and deep.
Takahisa shows his bright smile as always as they broke the kiss, making Tegoshi smile…though he doesn’t want.
“Please wait for me, Taka…” Tegoshi says between tears. “I love…I love you very much…” He holds Takahisa’s hand and squeezes it tight. Takahisa squeezes back, weakly.
“I’ll surely wait…t-there…at the…” A tear escapes Takahisa’s eyes before it finally closes. His linked hand to Tegoshi goes limp, as it fell back on his side.
+++
He woke up to the voice of Shige calling him. They’re in the hospital now, the same hospital where Takahisa’s dead body was brought two years ago… He’s crazy, isn’t he? He still brought Takahisa’s body to the hospital hoping that he can still revive him even though he saw Takahisa’s life ended in front of him…In his own arms…
“Are you okay?”
“Huh?”
“You’re crying while you’re asleep. Aside from that…” He leans in close to Tegoshi’s ear, “You’re mumbling Takahisa’s name… Did you…dream…about that incident…again?”
Tegoshi presses his lips and nods. “By the way, how is he? The kid? Taka? Is he okay? What?”
Shige did not reply.
“Shige…? What?”
“Tegoshi…” Shige presses his lips, gathering all the right words in his mind so that Tegoshi will not throw tantrum if he finally reveals the truth.
“Tegoshi…Taka…He did not-”
“Yuya-nii!” Yuu calls him as he ran to his direction. “He’s alive! Taka’s alive! He’s okay now!” Yuu says happily and hugs Tegoshi.
Tegoshi looks at Yuu, then at Shige, and Yuu, then back at Shige.
“Is…Is that true?”
Shige sighs. “Well…Yes. I kind of wanted to tell you that he didn’t make it, but he suddenly rushes to you and told you he was okay, so- Ouch! Fuck, Tegoshi, that hurts!”
“That’s your punishment for making a fool of me.”
“I didn’t. I will.”
Tegoshi laughs. “Um, Yuu, where is he now?”
“He’s in a normal room now, not the one with many machines as where he is brought earlier.”
“Oh.”
“Yuya-nii?”
“What is it, Yuu?”
“Are you sad?”
“Why?”
“You’re eyes. It swells. Are you feeling bad about what happened to Taka?”
Tegoshi and Shige shared a look, and Tegoshi smiles.
“Yes…Sad that, he needed to experience this, but on the other side, I’m very happy that… he’s still alive. That he’s here by your side right.”
“I really love him.” Yuu says smiling.
“Eh?!” Shige shouted. “At a very young age? You’re thinking-”
“No, that’s not it.”
He cutely smiles, dimples at the right cheeks appears. “Taka is my one and only friend, my brother, my protector, my hero. So if he died because of the accident earlier…” He presses his lips for a while, and he sobs. “I just really can’t live without him, he’s so special to me. He gives me food when I’m hungry, he will be the one to hit those bully when I’m being bullied, he’ll be the one to accept and endure all the punches and kicks, he’ll risk his life just for me. Sometimes, he acts stupid, childish, easy-going, but he’s actually strong-willed person, he’s kind, brave, and very serious at everything he do. He’s also very strong!! Very, very strong.”
“Lucky you have someone to protect you.” Tegoshi says, smiling a bit.
Yuu smiles. “Don’t worry Yuya-nii, you’ll also find the right person that will protect you with all his might! I’m sure of that! You’re kind! Someone will be at your side, forever.”
Tegoshi’s smile fades a bit. “I found that person already but…that person’s already gone now…from my side long ago… but that person’s still protecting me until now.”
Yuu frowns, eyebrows nearly connected to each other. “I really don’t understand it. How can protect you when he or she’s far away from you?”
Tegoshi lets out a soft laugh. “Believe me, he’s still protecting me.”
Yuu just shrugs.
“Ah, can you bring us to the room where Taka is?” Tegoshi asks Yuu after moment of silence.
Yuu smiles brightly. “Yes!”
+++
“We’re here!” Yuu quickly opens the door to the room. He walks with spring on his feet as he went directly to Taka’s bed.
“Taka?” He whispers onto Taka’s ear. “I’m here. Yuya-nii, Shige-nii, and Kei-nii are also here. Remember them? They’re the reason why you survived. They brought you here in the hospital, so be sure to wake up quickly and thank them…” He smiles before he jump off of the bed.
“Thank you for your help.” Yuu bows. “I think you should go and get some rest now. It’s been a long day, right? Woah!” Yuu rushes to the window and his eyes crinkles when he looks back to them.
“It’s almost time!” He looks back to the window. “10…9…8…7…6…”
Tegoshi and Shige look at each other. “The fireworks display.”
“2…1! Here it is!”
And the fireworks lightened up the sky. Beautiful colors of red, blue, orange and yellow colored up the dark sky…
“It’s really beautiful! Right? It relaxes not only my eyes but also my mind and heart… Unlucky for Taka,” Yuu looks at his best friend. “He’s not able to see this.” He looks back to the window again.
“I wished Takahisa’s watching this from there…”
Shige puts his arms on Tegoshi’s shoulder. “I’m sure he is.”
They don’t even notice that the door opened behind them, Koyama entered together with the doctor.
“Shige, Tego- Uwaaah!” Koyama ran to the windows. “Ahh! I missed it! Ah!”
“It’s still there, Koyama.”
“I know but the first ones are the most beautiful and fantastic!”
Shige just rolls his eyes while Tegoshi laughs.
“Where did you-” Shige eventually stop talking. “Takahisa?”
Tegoshi looked at him before turning his head to where Shige’s looking.
He can’t believe his eyes. He can’t believe what he’s seeing right no. Is this true? Is the person in front of him is really…
“Hi. I’m Taka’s doctor.” And he smiles, the same with the smile that always made his heart flutter.
“Tegoshi. Shige. This is Dr. Matsushita. Dr. Matsushita, they’re my friends, Yuya and Shige.”
“Um, n-nice meeting you, Matsushita-san. I’m Shige.” Shige says, still shocked. Matsushita nods.
“And you must be Yuya.” Matsushita smiles and reaches out his hand to Tegoshi. It made Tegoshi’s heart pound.
“Let the love bloom in your heart. Someday, you’ll find a person whom you will love endlessly and unselfishly, a person who will return all the love you’ve given to him…”
Tegoshi smiles as he shakes hand with Matsushita. “Yes. Nice meeting you, Matsu…”
Matsushita laughs. “Giving me strange names, huh?”
Tegoshi laughs too. “It suits you better and you don’t look really old to be called Matsushita-sensei.”
“Hmm…It’s really strange for me to be called by a stranger in a strange name but, I think it’s okay.”
They look at each other’s eyes, not even blinking as the fireworks continue to color the sky, they hold each other’s hands like they don’t want let go of each other. As the sound outside continued to envelope the whole city, the pounding of their hands becomes louder and louder also. An instant connection had developed between the two of them, a connection that will lead to other beautiful things in the future…
Much to Tegoshi’s surprise, Matsushita links his fingers to his. He smiles to Tegoshi before looking at the fireworks outside. He looked at their entwined fingers, and it made him smile.
Takahisa…I’ll continue to be happy even without you by my side…You’ll be in my heart…always and forever…
---END---