A/N: I'm back! XD I felt a bit bad for ending StarCounter like that, so this is an aftermath, one-shot thingy (I MADE THIS FOR YOU INFINITY! jk XDDDD)… And it's divided into three parts (All of the parts are in this chapter, so don't expect a chapter two or three XD)! Anyways, plz review and tell me your thoughts after you've read this! On with the story! PLZ ENJOY ;3
Starcounter; The Aftermath
If you had a fragment,
with magic and miracles within its sparkling reflections,
giving you an opportunity
to either give a life,
or take a life…
What would you choose?
Giving a life; Giving an unfortunate soul to the opportunity to live once again. To feel human and be human.
Taking a life; Ending the life of an unfortunate soul, letting the soul live freely in a world with no pain, no despair and no suffering from its past mistakes and memories, surrounded in darkness.
They may sound very different, but they are similar. In what way, you ask?
Both choices, end with one world losing a soul.
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PART I
Sad Little Woodpecker
Though, I'd rather just stand here, listening to her hitting the piano notes perfectly as they harmonized into the song she was playing, we had plans today that we both had to do. I leaned against the side of the door to her room and kept listening as she hummed while playing:
Warusa, bakari no uddopekka (One mischievous little woodpecker, another day pecking your holes)
Kyomon, anake (Ruining the woods, tree wrecker)
Moriboro, darage okotta uddo God kuchibashi wo doku ni kaeta (The angry old forest god, turned your poor beak into a poison knife)
Komatta uddopekka, suu ana ga doku ni, gohan, mo doku ni (Your nesting holes are all tainted, your food with toxins rife)
Tomodachi ni furereba shinubakari (Touch your friends, and they will all die falling at your feet)
Kanashinda uddopekka (Oh, sad little woodpecker)
Doku no namida ga kira kira hikaru (Poisonous tears, shining brightly, as they stream down your cheeks)
SONG: Shiro's Woodpecker song (ANIME: Deadman Wonderland)
As she sung the last word, I knocked on the door, waiting for her reply. I could hear her whimper from inside and sobbing a bit. She's such a softie…Or maybe it's just the song's fault. But why would she keep palying it if it makes her react like this…?
It had been about 3 weeks since my reunion with her, and now we were both enjoying life as boyfriend and girlfriend. She would often refer to us as lovers, but I would kinda deny it in embarrassment. Maybe if we weren't living in the modern area, I would have called her my lover…Satoshi would've kept teasing me though…that bastard. After hearing the gentle footsteps getting closer, I straightened up my back and coughed to clear up my voice as she fully opened the door.
With tears in her eyes and flushed cheeks, Ayumi looked up at me and smiled a bit. She quickly wiped away her tears using her slim wrists and said: «S-sorry! It's just…I always get like this after playing such a sad song…» I smiled, rubbed her head and asked: «Can't you play any cheerful songs every once in a while?» She sighed and answered: «I can, but they don't sound as passionate as the woodpecker song». I nodded. It was sad, but very deep and sometimes did bring a few manly tears to my eyes.
«I still feel a bit fancy coming to your house», I admitted bashfully while chuckling. For real, her house had three floors and was pretty huge. It's not like Asuka-san is a persident or anything, but apparently she makes enough money of her company to live so luxurious. Ayumi even had a huge telescope and a piano in her room!
She giggled and said: «You shouldn't! It's not like I'm trying to show off…» «I know that, dummy. If you were, I would've dumped you right away», I said and knocked her on the forehead. She widened her eyes and yelled: «Don't say that!» «Juuuust kidding», I said and wrapped my arms around her waist. She embraced me back, sobbing again. «I don't want you to joke about that…after we almost lost each other…!» she whimpered. «Ayumi…» I whispered and wiped away her small tears with the tip of my index finger.
«I'm sorry…I don't want to experience that feeling ever again…the feeling of loosing you…», I said and neared my face to hers, lowering my eyes. Just before our lips met, she whispered:
«Me neither…».
I could feel her clutching her hands into my back as I kissed her gently. It was a long kiss, but very gentle and powerless, but still somehow passionate. As our lips disconnected, I embraced her tightly and said: «I love you…» «I love you too…», she whispered back. In pure happiness, I couldn't help but to hug her even tighter and laughing a little. If only this could last forever…
*TUESDAY (THE NEXT DAY) AFTER SCHOOL*
«God, why does detentions even exist?!» Satoshi groaned out as we finally were let out of the classroom, 15 minutes after the others. «They exist to remind you why you should sleep early», I answered. «Did I ask why?!» Satoshi yelled. «Yeah, dumbass», I replied. He cussed under his breath before walking ahead of me to the school porch.
«You're going with Nakashima again, aren't you?» I asked. He nodded. «It's my job, isn't it?» he said proudly. «Dude, you're her boyfriend not her bodyguard», I said. «Are you saying I shouldn't worry about her?!» he asked. I shook my head. «I'm just saying, you shouldn't smile for her if she has lips already, if you know what I mean». Okay, that was just cheesy. I just heard Ayumi say that riddle one time I ate dinner at her place. Her mom wanted to wipe Ayumi's face, but she replied with that sentence. When I think about it calmly, Ayumi is a very classy girl. That's kinda attractive, to be honest.
«I guess I do...», Satoshi mumbled right before he waved to the silhuette belonging to Nakashima, standing by the school porch with another very familar silhuette next to her. «Oiiiii! Naomi!» he yelled at her while smiling and waving. «Hi Satoshi!» Nakashima yelled back and smiled. Me on the other hand, had my eyes on the person next to her. It didn't even take a second for me to recognize those long, dark-blue locks resting on the tiny girl's shoulders. Ayumi's eyes widened in joy as she noticed me and ran to me while smiling.
«Yoshiki! There you are! I was waiting for you!» she said as she got close enough for me to hear her. Both Satoshi and Nakashima looked very surprised at the beautiful girl who approached me so suddenly, and looked at her with slightly widened eyes. Judging by Satoshi's face, his expectations were a lot lower than what my girlfriend actually looked like. Is that…drool on his lips…?
«Hey…you didn't need to come here…», I said. She sadly looked at me and asked: «Does that mean that you didn't want me to meet you here…? Even though we go to different schools, we can still walk together!» «Woah, calm down! I didn't say that I didn't want you to come. Honestly…I'm really happy that you came to meet me…», I said embarrassed. Gosh, their fucking smirks and giggles are totally killing the mood right now…!
«I see! I'm glad! Would you like to come to my place? I'll play a new song and it's not as sad as the one about the woodpecker!» she offered. «Sure, if your mother doesn't mind», I said and chuckled. «Don't worry about her! I'm sure she doesn't mind having you over, even after everything that has happened», she reassured me as we walked ahead of Satoshi and Nakashima.
«So that's Kishinuma-kun's girlfriend? Wow…» I could hear Nakashima whisper to Satoshi from behind. «Yeah…She's pr- I mean, you're more! Um, well…», Satoshi mumbled. «No, I get what you mean. I rarely see any models with as pretty eyes and as fair skin as hers. I didn't even see any pimples on her face…!» Nakashima said a little shocked. Their reactions amused me to the very core. I bet they didn't expect someone like Ayumi. She's stunningly beautiful, it's as simple as that.
While walking, out of nowhere I started thinking about Ayumi's mother, Asuka. I knew her as a psycho, considering she almost killed me when I talked about her daughter's memory loss…I don't mean that she overreacted, but…her memory had been gone for over a year and she should get over it during that time and just face her «new» daughter. Could it be…that there's something more to the story…?
«Eh? Yoshiki, is something the matter?» Ayumi asked, noticing my dazed expression. «A-ah, no…I was just thinking about Asuka-san…», I said bluntly. She raised an eyebrow and repeated: «Mom? Why?» «I'm just wondering how she is, really», I answered. Ayumi sighed and said:
«Well…I can't really say that she has fully recovered from her mental illness. She's even more over proctective now than ever and I often notice her fidgeting and her whole body shaking by just listening to the sound of wheels, for some reason. And sometimes, at night…I hear her messing around in the bathroom and hysterically crying for no reason. I feel weak for not helping her at times, but every time I offer her any, she refuses and states that she's perfectly fine. Yet, she's sane enough to take care of me, my sister and dad. No matter what happens, she's still a loving mother and I love her».
«Yeah…I don't think it's possible to hate someone who has raised you with love and affection», I said. Ayumi nodded and stopped walking as we noticed that we were almost walking right at the porch. «My my, I need to get a head of myself!» Ayumi said and laughed. I laughed with her before she unlocked the door and went inside with me.
«I'm home, mom!» she yelled at once we got in and took off our outdoor clothes. Huh…? No answer… «Aren't your parents home?» I asked. She looked just as confused as I was. «Mom should be home by now…», she mumbled and yelled again: «I'm home!» Again, no answer. «Maybe she's just sleeping?» I asked. «Makes sense. Despite leading an entire company, she sure is lazy and she sleeps a lot», she said and went ahead of me upstairs to check Asuka-san's room. «Oi, wait for me!» I yelled after her, but I didn't run. I was kinda tired too, to be honest.
As I started to go up the stairs, I heard Ayumi opening a door. «Mom?» she said the second after she opened it. Everything is fine, then…That's good…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Mom…?!
MOM?!
Mom, can you hear me?!
Hey, wake up!
WAKE UP!
At once I heard Ayumi's voice, screaming in fear, I ran up to Asuka-san's room in a flash. «Ayumi, what's wrong?!» I asked. And then… I witnessed an almost horrifying scene on the bedroom floor in Asuka-san's bedroom.
Right beside the bed, next to two empty bottles with whiskey Asuka-san was laying on the floor, dressed in a wrinkly, long and white nightgown in a fetal position, unconcious. Ayumi was on her knees, hysterically crying out for her mother and shaking her body violently, attempting to wake her up. «MOM! COME ON, WAKE UP! WHAT DID YOU DO!? MOM!» she yelled again and again. I clenched my fists together and yelled: «Keep trying to wake her up! I'll call the ambulance!» And so, I hurried in taking out my cell phone and dialing the number with shaking fingers.
And from then, I can barely remember what happened…All I remember was the hysterical cries, coming out between Ayumi's lips as the ambulance arrived, carrying the almost lifeless body of her mother into the ambulance while I was holding Ayumi tightly, patting her head and stroking her back. I don't even know how I ended up here…
My memories from that one hour…are completely blurred…
*ONE HOUR LATER AT THE HOSPITAL*
Apparently, I was so focused on playing with my thumbs, that I didn't notice Ayumi's father and sister running in the hallway, looking for the room where Ayumi herself was waiting. Since I wasn't biologically related to Asuka-san in any way, I couldn't join Ayumi and the other two as they were having a serious talk with the doctor. I just had to wait in the hallway, hoping for the best. The minutes passing by were killing me, bit by bit. Seriously, what in the world is taking them so long?! I shook my hair in frustration by simply thinking about what Ayumi must be going through now. And then, before I knew it, the door opened and Ayumi, her sister and her dad walked out in a very sluggish pace. Automatically, I rose up and gently grabbed her by her shoulders after the other two decided to leave the two of us alone for a bit.
«What did they say?» I asked her. She looked at me and said: «It seems that mom got a panic attack while she was home alone…She got a bit too excited and she drank a whole lot of whiskey and passed out because of her anxienty». «I…I see…», I mumbled. She's still anxious, even now… As if I was just a thought that passed through her mind, she passed by me and sat down on the bench in the hallway with her hands folded together. «Um…how is she now?» I asked her. «She's awake…but in a way…she's not aware of her surroundings», she said. Huh…?
«What do you mean…?» I asked. She sighed and explained: «She doesn't know where she is, and she can't really recognize certain voices. She remembered mine, though. Like most people do when they're drunk, they say whatever is on their mind without hesitation». «Is that so...», I mumbled. I guess the alcohol is still affecting her. She must have a low tolerance…
«Can…Can I talk to her?» I asked Ayumi. Honestly, I don't even know why I wanted to see Asuka-san. Why the hell would I want to see her now? After everything she's done and everything she's said… Am I really doing this just because I want to show Ayumi some support…? No, I…ugh…I just feel like I have to talk to her. «Go ahead…I'm sure she won't recognize you, though…», she answered. «That's fine», I said. Honestly, it's better if she doesn't. I rose up from the bench after gently kissing the top of her head and opened the door to Asuka-san's room.
The same second as I went inside, I could clearly hear mumbling coming from the bed where she was laying down. I couldn't really hear what she was saying. I coughed a couple of times and said: «Er…Asuka-san…?» She groaned and mumbled: «Ugh, not that Kotori bitch again… It would be easier to get my work done if you weren't so annoying, y'know…». Kotori-san…Wasn't that the receptionist at Holy Sakura? «No Asuka-san, I'm…», I said, but she interupted me again by saying: «For fuck's sake, I don't need to hear any more bullshit from you, Bitch-chan…That's right, Kotori. As your boss, I'm free to call you whatever I want…ugh…».
She covered her mouth with the covers and had a drowsy look in her eyes. Has she been sleeping lately…? And she seems a lot skinnier than last time I saw her…And gosh, when was the last time she brushed her hair?! I'm no stylist, but I guess I can do something about that. Trying to talk to her doesn't seem to work anyways… After messing around in the shelves, I eventually found a comb I could use.
«Can you please sit up?» I asked her, politely at first. «Pft…You can't tell me what to do, Bitch-chan», she said and wrapped the covers tightly around her. I sighed and pulled her up with force. Surprisingly, she didn't resist. She just got really pouty about it when I started to run the comb through her long, black hair. When I was about halfway through, she started mumbling: «Heh…the way you do that remind me of Ayumi…She's always so gentle with everything…like a little baby…»I didn't say anything. If I did, she would just call me Bitch-chan again and throw more rubbish at my face. After a few more minutes of even more gibberish, I suddenly noticed tears in her eyes as she kept repeating:
«I didn't mean it…I didn't mean it…It was an accident…I didn't want to hurt her…»
That's when I quit staying silent. «What…? What did you do…?» I asked her. She brought up Ayumi…Did she do something to Ayumi in the past? She didn't answer my question, though…She just kept mumbling in a shaky voice: «I was just worried…It's dangerous to walk alone at night…I'm so sorry…!»
She hiccuped and shed a few tears while staring blankly at the ceiling. I desperetaly shook her by the shoulders and almost yelled at her: «What do you mean?!» Wait…No, I can't be doing this in my way. She's mentally ill, and just one mishandling move, and I may cause her a mental breakdown. I stopped shaking her against my own will, and sat back down, patiently waiting for her to finish. She's crying…It must be something painful…Is that why she's so protective over Ayumi, or is it really just because of her being unable to have another child?
«Ah…She still plays the woodpecker song…I remember, at the hospital when she was «sleeping» for so long…I sung it, every time I had the chance. I held her ice-cold hand and kept singing the words, over and over again…You loved that song, didn't you Ayumi…?» she said and didn't even bother to wipe away her tears. Could that be why Ayumi is playing it so often? Even though it's such a sad song? Yes, it makes sense…Her soul was floating around in the hospital room while her body was in a coma, so she must have noticed her mother singing to her… I wonder…Is there anything else about her?
Then…my mind went completely blank at what she said next:
«Maybe if I paid attention to the road…Maybe if I didn't worry so much…Maybe if I wasn't driving so fast…you could have…stayed as you were for a little while longer…»
What…?
No way…
It can't be…!
Asuka-san turned to me, tears streaming down her cheeks and her look still drowsy and whispered: «I've held it in for so long…just to keep you from going further in the darkness… But I can't forget the face you made right before you passed out when I ran out of the car and sat down next to you…And when you woke up…You didn't remember that it was me…!»
She closed her eyes and whimpered out:
«I'm sorry…Ayumi…»
That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I rose up and ran out of the room and slammed the door.
PART II
An Angel's Cruel Past
My mind is completely fucked now…! Does Ayumi even know this!? God, this is so fucked up…! I grasped my hair again and thought a little more about what she just said.
«Maybe if I paid attention to the road…Maybe if I wasn't so worried…Maybe if I wasn't driving so fast…»
That says it all. There's no mistaking it…! Asuka-san was the one who caused Ayumi's am-….No…Oh god, no! I get so angry just thinking the words! But when I think about it…it makes sense. I always thought that Ayumi's amnesia was caused by the man who almost violated her and because of how hard the car hit her. But…it makes more sense now…! Maybe Ayumi didn't fall in the coma right when Asuka-san crashed! She said that she came out of the car and sat next to her…Yes…! Yes, now I understand! When seeing that the person who's been with you and loved you almost your entire life, actually hurt you…That must be traumatizing enough to cause an amnesia! So…That's why Asuka-san is so mentally unstable…! She still feels guilty over Ayumi's memory loss! Now I get it…! I knew there was more to the story! No wonder she's so over protective and why she got so pissed when I talked about Ayumi!
As I was thinking out the theory, I noticed how Ayumi didn't react to the loud sound of me slamming the door at all. I could barely see the expression on her face as she was hovering her face to the floor. «Did mom say something?» she asked in a low voice. I looked at her and said: «N-no…Don't worry about it». I sat down and twiddled my thumbs again. I can't just tell her…can I? If she knew everything, then she would've told me. But gosh, I think it would be too much to handle. I looked beside me, at her face and widened my eyes…She looks…depressed…Really depressed.
I put my hand on her shoulder and asked: «If you need anything, I'll get it». Ayumi didn't say anything. Is it just me, or is she slightly shaking…? «Ayumi?» I said and rubbed her shoulder. As I said her name, she put her hands on her thighs, but she didn't straighten up her back. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but shut it…for a moment. She opened it again and whispered:
«I heard it».
At that moment, I felt like my heart fell down from my chest and landed in the pit of my stomach. Oh no…She heard…She heard! Oh crap, what am I supposed to say…?! Seeing me at a loss for words she whispered again: «I didn't mean to eavesdrop…I was worried that she would do something, so I got close to the door…And then I heard her confess…At that moment, I suddenly remembered everything from the moment I saw her face as she got out of the car…»
«Ayumi…», I mumbled and stroked her hair. Her lips were shaking as she turned her worn out face to me. «Yoshiki…I don't understand…! When I was in the seventh heaven, I thought I had all of my memories…! Why did I forget that it was mom who hit me while she was driving…?!» she whimpered and covered her eyes with her hands, gently sobbing into them. «Ayumi…», I repeated and embraced her. She clutched her hands into my hair while sniffing and hiccuping. I stroked her back and whispered: «It's okay…I'm here for you…» After comforting her for a few minutes, Ayumi said: «Yoshiki…I have something to inform you about. It's about the seventh heaven».
«Huh…?» I mumbled. We hadn't talked about the seventh heaven nor the Andromeda tree for a long time. Almost as if it was just a dream we both were in… Ayumi coughed and asked: «Do you remember Mayu?» Mayu…Mayu Suzumoto. The soul who interupted me and Ayumi right before we kissed…And her father, Kenichi Suzumoto who was one of Asuka-san's co-workers… «Yeah. What about it?» I asked. She took a deep breath and took out her handbag and opened it. After grabbing something from her bag, she took out her hand and showed it to me. My eyes widened at the breathtaking beauty.
It was a crystal, shaped like an almond, shimmering with so many colors, floating inside of it. The lamps in the hallway of the hospital reflected it, so it was shining so wonderfully in Ayumi's tiny, pale hands. The glistening colors gave me a feeling of nostalgia as they reminded me of the sparkling fragments and colors I saw in the seventh heaven.
«It's…beautiful…», I blurted out and kept staring at it. Ayumi wiped away her tears and explained in a low voice:
«Mayu gave this to me, a few weeks before I showed you the seventh heaven. Just like me, she loved the legend about the Greek Princess Andromeda, and her kindness for the souls. She was also an adventurous soul, so she often explored even the smallest corners of the seventh heaven. One day, she came to me with the crystal in her hand and told me the legend about Andromeda and her jewel. Have you heard it?»
I nodded. It went like this: Andromeda always wore this certain necklace that her father gave her. In the middle of the necklace, there was a crystal who had the power to either give a life, or take a life. Andromeda never had a use for it, so she just wore it for the sake of beauty. But one time, Andromeda started talking to a little boy soul in the seventh heaven. The boy was killed along with his caring mother a few years back, and he would do anything to just revive her. He loved her very much, and was deeply saddened as she died as well. As kind as Andromeda was, she went back to earth over the boy's mother's grave and dug up the coffin. And then, she lay the jewel right on the middle of it and let the jewel glow and break into a million pieces and sink into her soul, reviving her. It is said that in the seventh heaven, there is a mountain of those kind of crystals, but only souls trapped inside there can achieve one.
Ayumi continued: «Mayu, who said that she knew all of the stories involving the seventh heaven and that she truly believed that this was a real crystal with the same powers as Andromeda's. At first, I didn't believe her at all, but she said: «If the legend about the seventh heaven is real, then why can't the legend about Andromeda's crystal be real?»
Ayumi slightly laughed as she apparently remembered Mayu's silhuette but it was very half-hearted, considering that the atmosphere was very dark. That didn't exactly lighten up the mood, yet Ayumi kept going:
«I had to admit, she had a point. Butt hen again, what would she do with it? She could neither kill anyone, nor could she revive anyone, since we were literally trapped inside the tree. For some reason…she decided to give it to me».
She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. «Almost as if she knew that I someday would be freed from that heavenly prison…», she mumbled. And I thought the truth about the Andromeda tree was shocking…There was more, then. But after everything I've experienced thanks to Ayumi, I'm not having some kind of shock. In a weird way…I believed that the crystal was real. «So…You've kept it ever since then…?» I asked. Ayumi nodded. «There was no way I could just throw it away. But at the same time, I was sure that I wouldn't need it and its power», she explained. «I see…Makes sense», I said. But there was still one thing I didn't understand.
«Ayumi…Why are you telling me this now?» I asked her. She clenched the crystal in her hands and replied with shaky lips: «The doctor…He said that mom has to stay in the hospital for a while…And that she is mentally broken in her state. All that suffering and psycological pain her heart has tried to take…It has been too much for her. And now…». She choked down a whimper and said with the most sane sounding voice she could muster up:
«She will never be the same woman again…»
Gosh, this is just getting too much. «Ayumi…I…». I didn't know what to say to cheer her up. Or rather…I can't cheer her up. No matter what I say, it still won't change the situation. Asuka-san is suffering…So that's why Ayumi told me about the crystal…Oh no… «Don't tell me…», I mumbled. That was too much for Ayumi. She pressed her lips together as well as her eyelids. «I don't want to…! But…she's my mother…! There's no way they can cure her as she is now! If I can just free her from all that…»
«Listen to me!» I yelled at her in frustration and anger. «Y-yoshiki…», she whimpered out. «Ah…sorry…», I mumbled and covered my face with my hand. «I just…She's still sane enough! I know that she's suffering, but she has you and your family! You can light up her life…I'm sure of it!» Ayumi forced a smile and gulped. «Yeah…You're right….But…», she said and looked at the crystal again. «I still think that we should use it for someone», she said. «Really…?» I asked. She nodded. «Remember, it can also revive, no matter how old the body is», she said. I nodded, obviously not forgetting that detail. Reviving someone…After thinking for a few minutes, a suggestion popped into my mind.
«What about Mayu…?» I suggested, afraid of her getting mad at me or something. She rose up her face and her eyes started to sparkle. «Or is that…?» I mumbled. She shook her head and said: «N-no…That's not it…», she said. Reviving Mayu…I don't know her that well, but…After what Suzumoto-san told me about her and what Ayumi said…She seems like a person who absolutely deserves to have a long life…She died from leukemia, right? And the fact that she died the day before she turned 17…It just breaks my heart.
«She definetely deserves to live…And I miss her», Ayumi said. «But, still…Let's not rush. We should think about it calmly», I said. Ayumi nodded and slightly smiled at me. «Is your dad and sister waiting for you in the parking lot?» I asked. Ayumi nodded again and said: «Yeah, I should probably go». I nodded and kissed her cheeks before saying our goodbyes to each other.
*4 DAYS LATER*
«Don't worry, I laid the envelope right next to our mail box, so you'll easily notice it», she said through the phone. «Okay then. Just call me back if anything happens!» I said. «Will do! Seeya!» she said and hung up. I sighed and ran to Ayumi's house to get the envelope and deliver it at Holy Sakura. On the way, I called Suzumoto-san and asked him to give me a ride, which he gladly accepted.
Ayumi had to be in the hospital with her mother, but she had to hand in some documents to one of her co-workers, so she asked mei f I could deliver it for her. To show some support, I accepted. After waiting for Suzumoto-san to come to Ayumi's house where I was waiting, I eventually noticed the fancy car pulling over beside me. The familiar driver rolled open the window and waved at me.
«Yoshiki-kun! Long time no see!» he said and smiled. «Yeah, it's been a while!» I said and went inside the car. After putting on my seat belt, he started to drive. These past few days, I've been thinking about the crystal a lot. I was still considering to revive Mayu…But that would be unexplainable. How would her relatives and friends react when she suddenly awoke from the dead?! She could just run away…Suzumoto-san and his wife know the legends…If we can somehow convince them and then change Mayu's appearence, they can claim that they adopted a child…That could work! I'd rather do that instead of using it on Asuka-san…Wait wait…Why am I thinking about this when I barely know Mayu?! Would it be weird…if I asked Suzumoto-san…? I should wait until we get there…
*INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING OF HOLY SAKURA*
Delivering the documents went pretty fast, so Suzumoto-san offered me a cup of coffee in his office. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to ask him some more about his daughter. After some chit-chatting and sips, I decided to get straight to the point: «Hey, Suzumoto-san…If you don't mind…Could you tell me some more about your daughter…?»
He clearly got very surprised at my unexpected question, so he took a moment to just process what I asked. «Mayu…?» he asked. I nodded. «Why?» he asked. «Well…», I mumbled and scratched the back of my neck. «Ever since you first told me about her and her connection with the Andromeda tree, I've gotten curious…» Fuck me, I sound like a creepy pervert. Surprisingly, he seemed to think of my answer as reasonable enough. He put down his cup and asked: «Okay then. What would you like to know?» I almost felt a bit honored at the kindess he showed me. I coughed and said: «Hm…What was she like…?» I asked. He sighed and chuckled a bit as he answered:
«What she was like…She was like an angel. A cheerful, kind and adventurous angel. Always doing something new and uncalled for, every single day from the day she learned to crawl. It was hard to keep up with her…».
«I see…And, she loved the stories about the Andromeda, right?» I asked. He nodded and said: «Mostly because of me and my wife's love for constellations. We teached her a lot, and she seemed to love the stories even more. So much that…»
He stopped and bit his lip as if he didn't want to go further into detail. I knew what he was about to say, though. «It's alright. You don't have to tell me more if it's difficult», I said. He shook his head. «What I meant to say was…When she died, we carved in her name without hesitation», he explained and looked down on his hands. I didn't expect him to say it…He's a strong man, talking about his deceased daughter like this. «Okay…Thank you for sharing», I said and prepared myself to leave, but he stopped me by continuing to talk:
«I remember…Ever since I told her about Andromeda, she always asked me and mer mother to buy her a telescope. «I want to count the stars» she said». Count the stars…! She's so similar to Ayumi. He continued: «We didn't buy her one though…But we considered it the year she got leukemia…». He took a break to drink a little bit of his coffee and continued: «We bought one for her…for her 17th birthday…She got weaker and weaker as each day passed. She was suffering a lot as the energic her stayed in bed and couldn't do anything but to sleep and stare at the ceiling. And then, like I told you…She passed away, the day before her 17th birthday…»
As he said «birthday», I noticed several tears streaming down from his cheeks, and down to his chin. «Suzumoto-san…», I said, sat down next to him and patted him on the shoulder. «She must've been a wonderful girl», I said. He hiccupped and whispered out: «She was the most wonderful girl in the whole world…» He laughed a bit and wiped away his tears. After a few minutes of silence he said: «I'm no good, am I? Sitting here while you have to go and visit Shinozaki-san! Let's go». I nodded and went with him to his car.
*25 MINUTES LATER AT THE HOSPITAL*
«Ayumi!» I yelled and waved as I noticed her in the hallway. She noticed me and waved…without smiling. Did something happen…? «Hey…», she said. «I delivered the envelope», I said. «Thanks a lot», she said gratefully, yet half-hearted. Something really did happen, didn't it…? I sighed and asked: «What happened?» She seemed to understand that I noticed something was wrong. She sighed and explained:
«I was just talking with mom…She really acted just like she's been acting before, but she's very shaky and so weak. If you see past her gentle smile and eyes, she's hurting inside. Everything seemed to be fine…until the nurse opened the window in her room».
Ayumi hovered her face to the ground and folded her shaky hands together. «Uh…What happened then?» I asked. Ayumi gulped and said:
«Her room was next to the highway…She could clearly hear the sounds of cars driving so fast. She went completely crazy, and screamed hysterically as she ran around in the room, throwing everything out of the shelves and breaking the windows with her bare fists…They managed to stop her though and fix the windows pretty quickly».
«Gosh…», I mumbled and covered my mouth. I meant what I said that day about Asuka-san hopefully getting better, but it seems that she's just getting worse… I still remembered everything I heard about Mayu, but now…
«Yoshiki…», Ayumi whispered with her head still hovered down. «Yes…?» I asked. «I've been thinking…about what we should do with the crystal», she whimpered. I almost didn't even want to hear She gulped again, choking down the whimpers and pressed her lips together as she raised her face, showing me her red eyes and her cheeks, covered in tear stains. «Now…I know who needs the opportunity the most…»
My heart almost stopped at how earnest she sounded. This is her own mother we're talking about! Yet…she really loves her. That's why she wants to use it on her. I cupped her cheek and asked: «Are you sure…are you sure you're doing the right thing?» She looked at me and gave me a slight smile and nodded. «She's been through too much…Not even a heart can take so much suffering and depression. She is my mother, and I want her to be happy». I nodded understandingly and said: «I'll trust you on this one». I closed my eyes and pulled her in for a strong embrace. She embraced me back and wiped away her tears. «Ayumi…If it's too painful for you, I can…», I said, but she interupted me while whimpering. «I can do it…Just wait here…» I kissed her forehead and whispered: «I love you…» She took out the crystal from her pocket and whispered: «I love you too…», just before she went inside to Asuka-san's room.
I could hear her loud sobs from inside, which she was covering up when she was with me. «Ayumi…don't cry…Mommy will always protect you…Didn't I tell you that…?» I could hear Asuka-san whisper. I covered my face in despair as she said those words. This is becoming way too much for me too… «I'm not…Just close your eyes and go to sleep mom…», Ayumi whimpered. «Heh…silly girl…», Asuka-san whispered and laughed a little.
I could hear the plinging sound of the crystal being put on something…Gosh…I guess it's happening now… «Don't worry, mom…I will free you from your suffering…», Ayumi sobbed out. As I could see something glowing from the small openings in the door, I heard Ayumi sing the familiar, sad tune with her gentle voice:
Warusa, bakari no uddopekka (One mischievous little woodpecker, another day pecking your holes)
Kyomon, anake (Ruining the woods, tree wrecker)
Moriboro, darage okotta uddo God kuchibashi wo doku ni kaeta (The angry old forest god, turned your poor beak into a poison knife)
Komatta uddopekka, suu ana ga doku ni, gohan, mo doku ni (Your nesting holes are all tainted, your food with toxins rife)
Tomodachi ni furereba shinubakari (Touch your friends, and they will all die falling at your feet)
Kanashinda uddopekka (Oh, sad little woodpecker)
Doku no namida ga kira kira hikaru (Poisonous tears, shining brightly, as they stream down your cheeks)
And so…
Asuka Shinozaki left the world of living, and finally got freed from her suffering.
PART III
Love Is A Beautiful Pain
*TWO MONTHS LATER*
«Ayumi, wait up!» I yelled after her. «I can't slow down! I'm just too excited to eat Miki-chan's treats!» she laughed and kept running. God, I can barely breathe! How the hell can she run so fast?! With the small amount of energy I had left, I ran after her, unable to catch up. I'm carrying this heavy basket, full of strawberry macaroons, so I have to run slowly! Suddenly, she stopped running and stared at…
…what was left of the Andromeda tree.
I panted heavily and walked next to her and stared at it with her. «I can't believe…that it's gone. I know that they removed it a long time ago, but that just seemed like a nightmare or something», she said in a low voice. «Yeah…Probably because we've mostly been experiencing joy…right?» I asked her. Ayumi looked at me and shook her head. «What about…that?», she asked. At once, I regretted what I said. I smacked my forehead and mumbled: «Fuck…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to..». Ayumi shook her head again and smiled. «It was my choice Yoshiki. I have no regrets», she said determined. I nodded and went ahead of her to the tree stump.'
«C'mon! We've got some macaroons to eat!» I said and laughed. «Yaaaaay!» she yelled and sat down next to me. As always, Miki's sweets were always delicious. After a couple of minutes with eating, Ayumi whispered: «Yoshiki?» «Yeah?» I answered. She cupped my cheeks and whispered:
«Will you please stay by my side…forever?»
I smiled at her and whispered: «Gladly». After saying those words of love, it only seemed natural that we started to near each other's lips. With no hesitation, I let my lips meet hers, promising her that I would hold her precious to me as long as I would live.
I am Ayumi Shinozaki's Starcounter.
And I always will be.
THE END...FOR REAL!
A/N: ;_; Dammit…HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS AFTERMATH! What are your final thoughts? PLZ REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK BY REVIEWING! Thank you sooooooooo much for reading this and I'll see you in my next fic! UNTIL THEN ;3
Senpai's Boo is out ;3