Angel Beats

Untouched

Note: Last chapter! Yay! Time to find out what'll happen! Read, Review, Etc.!

Chapter Four – Our Song

After running for what seemed like an eternity, I eventually gave up, and began to walk back towards the hotel as slow as possible, every step full of agony. If I had remembered earlier, I thought, angered with myself, Maybe I could have gotten to her.

As I was walking, with the memories still lingering in my head, I suddenly heard somebody humming a familiar song. My song? I thought, turning my head. I could see a girl leaning against the wall... One whom I had been looking for... Kanade? I thought, quickly turning around right as she stood and began to walk off.

"Kanade!" I said, running up to her and reaching out towards her, everything around me seemingly going in slow motion as my heart raced. As I touched her shoulder, she stopped, and looked down. For a few moments, there was only silence. Finally, she spoke, "Yuzuru..."

The voice was unmistakable. I ran around to her front, and she looked up at me, with her golden eyes that glowed in the sunlight. I was speechless, because of the extreme happiness that was swelling inside of me. I...I didn't think this would really be true, I thought.

"Kanade..." I said, "It's...Really you." She nodded, and set one hand onto my chest, right where my fast-beating heart was. "But...How?" I asked, setting my hand over hers. Kanade closed her eyes, and was silent for a few moments, before answering, "Yuri..."

My eyes widened. Yurippe? An image of the SSS leader came into my head. "But...What do you mean?" I asked, and Kanade looked down at the ground. "Yuri gave me her heart so that I could live..." she said, and I found myself not believing what she was saying.

"So Yurippe..." I began, and Kanade nodded. "But...How?" I asked. Kanade looked up at me took her hand, running it along my face. "I'm not sure exactly how it happened," she told me, "But when I woke up... She was in the bed beside mine. The operation was already done..."

My eyes opened wide, and I felt a tear come to my eye. Shaking my head, I thought, That must be repayment... For mistakenly fighting Kanade for so long... I felt Kanade wrap her arms around me in an embrace, and I did the same back. We stood there for a few moments, and I wanted it to last forever...

...When I heard a familiar voice from behind. "Well Well, Otonashi," I heard someone say, "Isn't this a sight to see?" Turning, I was surprised to find Hinata standing behind me, with a wheelchair in front of him, and on it, was none other than Yui...

I couldn't help from grinning. "You...Did it?" I said, and Hinata nodded. "When I got back...I caught that ball," he explained, "As soon as I did... I could remember everything, and I did what I promised her I would." I looked down at Yui, who, although she couldn't move, I could see happiness in her eyes.

"You know, it's weird to see you like that," I commented, "I'm still used to the over-excited Yui." I looked at her for a few moments, and was wondering whether or not I would get a kick in the face for that back in the Afterlife. Hinata let out a chuckle, and said, "Yeah...But, to be honest... I'm happy this way." I looked up at Hinata, whom had a serious look on his face, for the first time since I met him.

"It's all thanks to you." he said, giving me a smile. I rubbed the back of my head, and said, "Eh, it was nothing." Hinata grinned, then looked down at Yui. "Well, Otonashi," he said, "We've got a baseball game to get to." I nodded, and walked over to him, setting my hand on his shoulder. "It's good to see you again." I said, and he nodded, putting his hand on my shoulder as well. "You too." he replied.

After Hinata and Yui had left, Kanade said to me, "It's thanks to you that they're together" I looked at her for a few moments, then I gave a smile. "Yeah...I guess so." I said. Kanade suddenly entwined her hand with mine, and looked up at me. "Yuzuru," she said, and I looked down at her, "We have a game to get to."

I tilted my head slightly. "What game?" I wondered out loud as she started to lead me down the sidewalk toward somewhere unknown to me.

I was surprised when we arrived at a baseball field. We headed for the dug-outs, and, once we were there, I was shocked by what I saw:

Everybody. In the dug-out sat Irie, Sekine, Iwasawa, Shiina, Yusa, Takeyama, Hinata, and Yui. I turned my head towards the field, where I could see even more familiar faces playing baseball... Noda, Matsushita 5th Dan, TK, Hisako, Fujimaki, Oyama, and Naoi...

"What..." I began to say, speechless. Everybody on the field stopped and turned towards me, and everybody in the dug-out stood up. I looked over at Hinata, who was grinning. "Come on Otonashi," he said, "We've been waiting for you."

Looking around, and seeing all the faces of those people I had met in the Afterlife...It gave me a warm feeling on the inside. As I headed into the dug-out everybody began to greet me. Irie and Sekine simultaneously said, "Hi Otonashi!", while Yusa and Takeyama settled with just a small, "Hello.", being the non-talkative people they were.

I looked over at Shiina, who was sitting in the corner, still looking bored and uninterested. "Hi, Shiina." I decided to say, and she looked up at me, before looking away and saying, "How shallow-minded..." I grinned, thinking that was probably the best I would get out of her.

"Hey, kid!" I heard someone yell. Looking out onto the field, I saw Noda standing there. "Are you going to stand there, or are you going to play with us?" he said mockingly. I raised an eyebrow, then looked over at Kanade who nodded. Turning back to Noda, I yelled back, "If you insist on losing!" Taking off my jacket, I ran out onto the field, and I began to get greeted by the others.

"It's nice to see you again, Otonashi." I heard a voice say, and I turned towards Matsushita. "Same for you, Matsushita 5th Dan." He grinned, and TK came up to me, doing his sort of odd dance as usual, and said, "Yo! Otonashi!" I tried best I could to copy his moves, and said, "Yo! TK!" The three of us began to laugh, and I could hear somebody clear their throat from behind me.

Turning, I saw Fujimaki standing there, looking at the ground. "Well," he said, walking over to me and looking at me, "I guess the least I can say is...Thanks." For a few moments, we stared at each other, then we both gave each other a grin, and shook hands. "O-Otonashi..." I could hear somebody say, and I turned to see Naoi standing there, tears in his eyes. "I-I never thought I'd see you again." he said, sobbing.

I walked over to him and put my hand on his head. "Well, here I am." I told him, and he looked up at me and smiled. "Well well, if it isn't the no-memory kid." I heard, and, turning around, I could see Hisako standing there, with a grin on her face. "I know I said it before, but...Thanks." she told me, and we brought our hands together as we had done before she left the Afterlife.

"This is all touching and stuff," I heard Noda's voice from behind, "But are we going to play or what?" I turned around, and walked up to Noda. "Hm...You don't seem as tough without your halberd." I commented tauntingly, and he had an annoyed look on his face for a moment. "Why you...You're lucky I can't kill you a thousand times here." he said. For a few moments we glared at each other, until he suddenly busted out laughing, and I followed suit.

He gave me a punch in the shoulder and said, "Although you're a brat, you did help me out, so...Thanks." I was surprised to hear that from Noda, seeing as he'd been hostile towards me a lot of the time in the Afterlife. His face suddenly changed to a sad one. "Although...Yuri..." he muttered. I set a hand on his shoulder. "I know you looked up to her," I said, "But I'm sure you'll always be in her memory."

Noda looked up at me and grinned, nodding. "Well, whadda' ya say we get this game under way?" he said, "You can bat first, Otonashi." I nodded, and headed over to the batter's box, where Oyama was being the catcher. "Oh, hey Oyama." I said, and he nodded towards me, saying "Otonashi, it's good to see you again!" He handed me a bat, and I took position, copying the stances I had seen on TV.

Everybody started to take their positions, and Noda stepped up to the pitcher's mound. "Alright squirt," he said tauntingly, "Here comes the heat!" From the dug-out, I could hear everybody beginning to chant, "Otonashi! Otonashi!" I looked over to it, and I could see Kanade standing there, smiling. She gave me a wave, and I waved back.

Turning my attention back to Noda, I began to feel at home... These people...My friends...This is my home now, with all of them...

Noda brought his arm back preparing for a pitch. As long as mine and Kanade's love last...And the bonds between all of my friends lasts...

He brought his arm forward, and the ball flew at me. I swung, and, at that moment, it seemed to go in slow motion...

Clink! The bat collided with the ball, and it swooped up in the air.

Our hearts will beat as one...

The End

Epilogue

"Everybody gather around!" Hinata said, and everybody circled around the dug-out, interested on what was going on. Iwasawa was sitting there, with her acoustic guitar in hand. "I came up with a new song," she stated, "For all of us."

"A new song?" I said, and she nodded, "What's it called?" Iwasawa grinned, and answered: "Our Song."

I couldn't stop myself from grinning at the name. "It's an adaptation of 'My Song'... Made for all of us..." she said. "Well, go on then," Hinata said, "Let's hear it!"

Iwasawa cleared her throat, and everybody fell silent. She plucked a few of the strings, before she began to play a familiar tune, which was easily recognizable as the one from 'My Song'...

After playing for a few moments, she began to sing:

"The day ends when I'm searching for where to let out my happiness..."

"The sky becomes bright... And I can see everything ahead..."

I was surprised by how much lighter-toned Our Song sounded compared to My Song. As she sung deeper into the song, I felt a tear come to my eye. With what started as a misunderstanding... I thought, thinking about the time Kanade stabbed me through the heart.

Continues with happy moments like this.

The End :)

Thanks for reading! Please review if you would, please! Tell me what you think! I, to be honest, felt a tear come to my eye when I wrote this...Which was totally unplanned. :I Anyways, thanks to everyone who read this whole story, and please read my others!

P.S: Expect a chapter-long Epilogue later on. ;) Goodbye!