Red: disclaimer....disclaimer.....where is my Koromon? Ah, right, he's still sick....so, enjoy the story while he's recovering!

Day 5: Associate

Ran as long as he wanted, he knew he could never get away from his fault. But he kept on, on and on, until he's out of breath, until his legs couldn't move anymore, until the sight no longer haunted his eyes, until his heart cried before it broke.

Taichi lied back on the grassland in a park, trying to calm his nerves down. He wished more than anything now, that today were a dream and he would suddenly wake up, like he usually did these last few weeks. How absurd. He never thought there would be a day he wished to get less sleep.

But it's no use. No matter how long he closed his eyes, he couldn't pretend and fool himself. When he reopened them, he would see the same sky, the floating clouds and a black figure with fiery hair above him…

Wait…a black figure?

Taichi sat up so fast that if the black figure didn't step back in time, or if he was real to begin with, their head would bump against each other pretty hard.

Jeez, you should be more careful next time, got it?

Taichi was confused. This guy was the black cape man he saw other day. What was he doing here…and talking to him nonetheless?

Could it be….?

As Taichi looked ready to run off, the black guy spoke again in a more playful voice.

Nah. Try if you want, but you can't run away from Me. Us, more specifically.

That made him pause and frown. He could read his mind?

No. but your face says all. Now, now. Why don't you just relax? It's a good time for a chat, don't you think?

"With people like you….?"

Taichi asked aloud. He didn't mean to sound like a brat, but these black people had made him uneasy for a while. Good thing no one's around to hear. It would look like he's talking to himself since others seemed unable to see them.

Ouch. That's hurt! Why do you hate us so bad?

Unlike his colleague, the black guy said playfully and showed emotions. Though there's something behind his eyes that Taichi couldn't trust. So the brunet looked wearily at him.

"I don't think I hate you…it's just…uncanny. I know you aren't normal people."

Man, aren't you smart.

"Shut up. What do you want, anyway?"

A nice chat, actually, I guess. Since you look so confused, I just want to show you an enlightened way.

Now he posed like an angel from above. Taichi frowned at his act, unsure whether he's serious or not. He decided to play along.

"Oh, yeah. Sir Saint from heaven, why don't you tell me already all you know?"

Nah. I know a lot of things and don't know a lot of things. You need to be more specific.

The guy looked like he was playing, but his voice was serious enough to interest the brunet. So Taichi, glaring, did as suggested.

"Fine. Then, first of all, who are you?"

Somehow the guy was delight at his first question.

Ah, that. The more appropriate term should be "What are we?", don't you think? Because we are not normal people, like you have stated.

"Alright. I will ask again. What are you?"

This I can answer. We are what you call "shinigami", "soul reaper", "angel of death", yada, yada. Whatever you prefer.

He didn't know if he really expected that answer. Maybe half of his heart was curious to find the truth, but the other half, covered with things that made it shaking, held him back. Now that he heard the answer, he didn't think he was glad to find out for sure.

"Shinigami, hmm…? So…you do kill people."

And the worse in his heart spread wide. It was hard to not let fear take over this human suit called Taichi. The guy, despite the brunet's guard and glaring, was acting with ease.

We never need to. Our job is to lead them to the next world. Like a guide, I think.

"You think?"

I've heard there're more specific duties, but normally we just lead the souls.

That's not going to make him believe it.

"You said you don't kill people, then why is it that wherever you are, there must be someone dying?"

Because we are waiting. We don't kill. We wait until it's time and the soul comes out, then we take it. Like…what do they say…? Like it's a good feeling to know someone's waiting for you at home? Something like that?

Was it…really like that?

"A home when you die? Yeah, I sure would be grateful of that."

You better be. You don't know what would happen to those souls having no one to pick them up.

The more he talked to the guy, the more he felt himself relaxed. Maybe it's because of his simple presence; it's like talking to a long time friend he'd been missing. Plus, the guy didn't mind him asking question after questions.

"What would happen, then?"

They will be lost, like, almost forever. No places to go. Nothing to do. Until someone found them. Come on, stop testing me.

"Testing you?"

The guy simply grinned.

I know you don't really trust me. Yeah, yeah. I got it. Who in their right mind would, right? But that's not the point. The point is you have been testing me to see if I will tell you the truth. And I dare say I do. Telling you the truth, that is. So, now that you know, why don't you ask me the question you're dying to know?

Could he? Somewhere deep in his sub-consciousness, he knew he could. And he would get the answer. Closing his eyes, he started.

"Today…I saw your people. A girl."

Reopening them, he stared straight into the eyes of death.

"She was looking real hard at this little kid. I suspected he was the target. He was about to run out to the street, but he was saved beforehand. I thought she's going to back off since no one's dying…"

But there was someone dying. Right? Someone who saved that kid?

Surprised that the guy knew before he finished, he asked. "How did you know?"

Simple. It's a rule. Saving someone is like giving them a new life. Especially if that someone is going to die, it'd be like giving up your lifetime to them. Have you heard of stories about mothers giving birth to the child knowing they would die? It's something like that. Tragic, yet beautiful.

It was unreasonable, to his mind at least. "But why did he have to die? He did good, right? Saving a life and all."

Yes. What he did was good, but it's not the point here. The point is, that kid should have been dead today. His lifetime was over. He shouldn't be alive, but he is. Fate demanded one life to be missing. No one can change that. If he's going to live, someone had to take his place. So that man had to die instead.

It was like a logic story to a little child. Telling all or nothing. "Why not me? I was the one who alerted them."

Well…because that's all you did. I mean, anyone can cry out anytime, right? And that wouldn't change anything. But..

That man did something. He could just let it go…ignore the event and let the kid die. But, no, he saved that kid's life. He changed the little kid's fate. Because he interfered, the kid didn't die like he was supposed to. And he had to pay for it. Intentionally or not. It's only fair.

Was it?

"That man shouldn't have died. It didn't mean to die. He didn't know."

No. But no one else knew. You didn't know. Just like him. Don't think it's your fault. It's not. It's just the rule.

Taichi didn't look happy at his comforting words. The guy, seeing his troubled face, tried another alternative process, voice dipping low and venom, hissing and trashing.

Are you saying you'd rather die instead of the man?

Of the little kid?

Of both of them?

Are you willing to?

The stare and words were direct to him, piercing deep to his heart. He was lost for words. What was there to say…?

"I…"

A mad heroic would shout that, yes, he would. And at first he almost dared say that. But he was not some kind of hero. The stillness in that sharp glance made him swallow them back and think it over.

What was there to answer…?

Could he possibly give up his life to a stranger? To someone he knew? To anyone?

"I…"

He had only one life. It's not like giving a snack to friends. It couldn't be taken back. There's still so much more to see, to do, to enjoy. Could he really give it up? Even if it's not about giving life to a strange?

In the end Taichi didn't answer. The guy didn't prompt him, either.

"…why are you here?"

Like I said, I just wanted to chat with you. Nice weather, hmm?

The guy was back to playful presence, leaving Taichi with his own double troubled confusion.

"No. Why are you telling me this? Why can I see you? Why are your kinds always around me? Am I going to die?"

Taichi knew he almost screamed of frustration. His head hurt. Somewhat, the guy once looked confused. Just a little bit, and the brunet wasn't sure if he could trust that expression.

What are you talking about? It's not you.

"What? What did you mean…?"

From faraway sight, his eyes widened in realization.

"Taichi! There you are!"

Like the cloud in his head was gone and clear. Like the light in a dark room was suddenly turned on.

"What are you doing here? Your mom called me. Said you weren't home yet. You really got them worried."

No. they weren't after him. He saw them many times just because they were at the same place he was. The same place he was with his friends. One certain friend he spent his times with most.

"Hey, you alright? Aren't you gonna say something? You've been acting weird, Taichi."

Yamato.

The same black girl was following behind his back.

TBC.

Red: I bet you know where this will be leading...What? No? Ah, alright, then.