Angel in Black - 生きてる (2/4)
Title: Angel in Black
Chapter: 生きてる
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: Meeting the white feather.
Author's Note: 生きてる just simply means to live. And this chapter is just simply fail.
♥ Prologue ♥
In the vastness of light, a young man in black is deep in thought as he watches the sun rising behind the coated mountain in the distance. The air has the scent of a cold morning, but it didn’t bother him, in fact, he can’t feel it at all. Even his heart was the infinite emptiness, as if a whole galaxy could be condense in it. The only thing that made him feel alive was perhaps the white fog spilling from his breath as he slowly exhales. Staring down at his hand, the same flesh color, the same beautiful thin and long fingers.
“How was it?”
The casual voice of his friend, the same question he’d always ask. His shadow looms in the distance, and in a blink of an eye, already next to him.
“I’m tired.”
And the same answer escape from his lip. Standing next to him, the young man in pure white simply gives him an understanding smile.
“It’s our sin, we have to live with it.”
“I know, but it’s hard when I see them cry and beg.”
“Deal with it.” The usual advice, like a piercing icicle, stabbing his heart. But he knows it meant well.
He sighs, not caring to argue back.
“Ryu.” Prodding inside his white coat, his friend takes something out and gives it to him.
He stares at it, a pure white feather. He can feel the back of his brain crying in protest.
“It’s also our punishment.” Another cold word. And in a split of a second, the one in white was gone as quick as he’d appeared, leaving him grasping the white feather tightly.
“It is our existence.”
She was sitting at the window when he arrives, starring at the blue sky of a new day. A light breeze caused the white curtain to flutter, and so did her straight, black hair. Like a falling sakura petal, a cute girl. She was young, about his age, that is, if he was still human.
Noticing a stranger in the room, she turns to him, acknowledging his existence, but not at all surprised.
“So you’re here.”
He gave her his usual gentle smile, but didn’t reply. Like always, it’s hard on him.
After that, there was silent. Both of them turns to the window and watch the rolling white cloud float by in the azure sky. In the distance, a flock of birds fly, disturbed by the sound of the bell, signaling the hour.
“I want to go somewhere!” The girl suddenly said. He nods.
“You know, Mama and Papa used to take me here.” The girl can’t stop talking, “Ah, there’s a balloon!” She laughs brightly as she chase after it, he follows.
“I used to go on this ride. It’s one of my favorite rides.” While they stood in line for a roller coaster ride.
“Hey, how come you don’t say anything?” She asked. He gave her the same gentle smile.
“What’s your name? I’m Mirai, Shida Mirai.”
People never tell him their name before, but he refers that.
Knowing a name mean a relationship, an attachment.
“My friend called me Ryu.”
“Your last name?” The girl asks, but he stays silent.
He can’t remember.
“Oh well.” The girl shrugs, it’s not important anyways.
She quickly pulls him along from one ride to the next. Not caring about the people around her as she enjoys herself. She laughs openly. Her laugh was strong as it resonance through the air. For the first time in years, she was able to play as hard as she like without the usual shortness of breath, lighthead-ness, or the excruciating pain in her chest. All of the memories of her terminal illness were gone. She was happy.
Suddenly pointing at the sky, “I never went there! Let’s go there next.”
He nods in agreement.
They sit next to each other in a car of the Ferris wheel. Side by side, her arm linked onto his, holding tightly on.
“Hey! Are we close to heaven?” She asked curiously. They look above them, more sky and more clouds.
He laughs, “Heaven is pretty close, but it’s not there.”
“Are you saying it’s down there? That’s hell isn’t it?” She jokes. Both of them look down to the ground. They were too high above that the people on the ground seem like ants, scrambling along.
“Even if it’s hell,” watching them, she sighs wistfully, “I’m really jealous of them. They can continue on living.”
Then, putting her head on his shoulder.
“It’s funny isn’t it?”
“What is?” He asked with a gentle voice, though he already knew the answer.
“Mirai, it means future. But I actually don’t have a future.” Her eyes begin to water and hot tears stream down her porcelain face.
“A Mirai without a future. How funny.” She laughs again, but quickly chokes on her tears.
He strokes her head gently, another canyon growing inside his stomach, but it’s the least he could do.
“I still have many things I want to do, many people I want to meet.” She said between her sobs, “I still want to get married and have a family. So why? Why did it have to happen to me?”
He didn’t know how to answer her. Life is indeed unfair.
“Hey, Ryu.” Shifting her head as she gazes at him.
“Huh?”
“How is heaven like?”
“It’s a wonderful place.” He lied.
He actually never has been there.
Pausing a bit with uncertainty, “Will I be able to see you again?”
“Yes.” Another lie.
But she smiles through her tear stained face, already satisfy. “I’m ready.”
Back in the room, the curtains open to show the last sunset. They watch it together. It was her wish.
“Can I ask you something?” She turns to him as day become night, “Why do you wear black? Wouldn’t it be better if you wear white? You’re an angel after all.”
He chuckles, she has so many questions.
“Hey, tell me! Or else I won’t be able to go.” She pouts.
A gentle smile, but his eyes are full of sorrow.
“It’s the one thing I don’t want to lie.”
She smiles, as if understand, and then she was gone.
Next to him, on the bed, she’s sleeping soundly. The piercing sound of the machine notifies everyone of her passing. He watches as people rushes in, trying to call back her existence. But that can’t be done. She is already in a deep sleep.
A sleep that can never be awaken.
Taking out the white feather in his pocket, it quickly disintegrated in his hand into millions flakes of light.
With a grim expression on his face, he turns to leave.
Chapter: 生きてる
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: Meeting the white feather.
Author's Note: 生きてる just simply means to live. And this chapter is just simply fail.
♥ Prologue ♥
In the vastness of light, a young man in black is deep in thought as he watches the sun rising behind the coated mountain in the distance. The air has the scent of a cold morning, but it didn’t bother him, in fact, he can’t feel it at all. Even his heart was the infinite emptiness, as if a whole galaxy could be condense in it. The only thing that made him feel alive was perhaps the white fog spilling from his breath as he slowly exhales. Staring down at his hand, the same flesh color, the same beautiful thin and long fingers.
“How was it?”
The casual voice of his friend, the same question he’d always ask. His shadow looms in the distance, and in a blink of an eye, already next to him.
“I’m tired.”
And the same answer escape from his lip. Standing next to him, the young man in pure white simply gives him an understanding smile.
“It’s our sin, we have to live with it.”
“I know, but it’s hard when I see them cry and beg.”
“Deal with it.” The usual advice, like a piercing icicle, stabbing his heart. But he knows it meant well.
He sighs, not caring to argue back.
“Ryu.” Prodding inside his white coat, his friend takes something out and gives it to him.
He stares at it, a pure white feather. He can feel the back of his brain crying in protest.
“It’s also our punishment.” Another cold word. And in a split of a second, the one in white was gone as quick as he’d appeared, leaving him grasping the white feather tightly.
“It is our existence.”
She was sitting at the window when he arrives, starring at the blue sky of a new day. A light breeze caused the white curtain to flutter, and so did her straight, black hair. Like a falling sakura petal, a cute girl. She was young, about his age, that is, if he was still human.
Noticing a stranger in the room, she turns to him, acknowledging his existence, but not at all surprised.
“So you’re here.”
He gave her his usual gentle smile, but didn’t reply. Like always, it’s hard on him.
After that, there was silent. Both of them turns to the window and watch the rolling white cloud float by in the azure sky. In the distance, a flock of birds fly, disturbed by the sound of the bell, signaling the hour.
“I want to go somewhere!” The girl suddenly said. He nods.
“You know, Mama and Papa used to take me here.” The girl can’t stop talking, “Ah, there’s a balloon!” She laughs brightly as she chase after it, he follows.
“I used to go on this ride. It’s one of my favorite rides.” While they stood in line for a roller coaster ride.
“Hey, how come you don’t say anything?” She asked. He gave her the same gentle smile.
“What’s your name? I’m Mirai, Shida Mirai.”
People never tell him their name before, but he refers that.
Knowing a name mean a relationship, an attachment.
“My friend called me Ryu.”
“Your last name?” The girl asks, but he stays silent.
He can’t remember.
“Oh well.” The girl shrugs, it’s not important anyways.
She quickly pulls him along from one ride to the next. Not caring about the people around her as she enjoys herself. She laughs openly. Her laugh was strong as it resonance through the air. For the first time in years, she was able to play as hard as she like without the usual shortness of breath, lighthead-ness, or the excruciating pain in her chest. All of the memories of her terminal illness were gone. She was happy.
Suddenly pointing at the sky, “I never went there! Let’s go there next.”
He nods in agreement.
They sit next to each other in a car of the Ferris wheel. Side by side, her arm linked onto his, holding tightly on.
“Hey! Are we close to heaven?” She asked curiously. They look above them, more sky and more clouds.
He laughs, “Heaven is pretty close, but it’s not there.”
“Are you saying it’s down there? That’s hell isn’t it?” She jokes. Both of them look down to the ground. They were too high above that the people on the ground seem like ants, scrambling along.
“Even if it’s hell,” watching them, she sighs wistfully, “I’m really jealous of them. They can continue on living.”
Then, putting her head on his shoulder.
“It’s funny isn’t it?”
“What is?” He asked with a gentle voice, though he already knew the answer.
“Mirai, it means future. But I actually don’t have a future.” Her eyes begin to water and hot tears stream down her porcelain face.
“A Mirai without a future. How funny.” She laughs again, but quickly chokes on her tears.
He strokes her head gently, another canyon growing inside his stomach, but it’s the least he could do.
“I still have many things I want to do, many people I want to meet.” She said between her sobs, “I still want to get married and have a family. So why? Why did it have to happen to me?”
He didn’t know how to answer her. Life is indeed unfair.
“Hey, Ryu.” Shifting her head as she gazes at him.
“Huh?”
“How is heaven like?”
“It’s a wonderful place.” He lied.
He actually never has been there.
Pausing a bit with uncertainty, “Will I be able to see you again?”
“Yes.” Another lie.
But she smiles through her tear stained face, already satisfy. “I’m ready.”
Back in the room, the curtains open to show the last sunset. They watch it together. It was her wish.
“Can I ask you something?” She turns to him as day become night, “Why do you wear black? Wouldn’t it be better if you wear white? You’re an angel after all.”
He chuckles, she has so many questions.
“Hey, tell me! Or else I won’t be able to go.” She pouts.
A gentle smile, but his eyes are full of sorrow.
“It’s the one thing I don’t want to lie.”
She smiles, as if understand, and then she was gone.
Next to him, on the bed, she’s sleeping soundly. The piercing sound of the machine notifies everyone of her passing. He watches as people rushes in, trying to call back her existence. But that can’t be done. She is already in a deep sleep.
A sleep that can never be awaken.
Taking out the white feather in his pocket, it quickly disintegrated in his hand into millions flakes of light.
With a grim expression on his face, he turns to leave.