Heaven Cannot Wait
by Matrim
Part 8: Denouement (literary term of tying all the loose ends up.)
(Careful this is a long one)
9:10 am
"Shinya," Manami said, gently as she helped the sobbing drummer
stand.
"We must go. The others--"
Shinya stopped crying for a second the angel's words sinked in.
"Oh, my
God! You're right!"
He grabbed Manami's hand and ran up the steps into the studio. The
burst
open the studio door and they both gasped. Crew members and staff had
been
bound, gagged and blindfolded. Most of them were sobbing with fear.
Human
and angel moved past them hurriedly, into the practice room.
Shinya's drums were scattered across the room, Toshiya's bass lay
facedown on the floor, Kaoru's guitar lay behind Shinya's drumstool
half-wrecked, Kyo's mic stand was found halfway across the room from
where
the microphone was and amps were overturned as feedback echoed
throughout
the room only punctuating the silence. Shinya bit his lip. At least,
they
hadn't gone without a fight.
"He has your friends," Manami said, quietly.
"How do you know it's a he?" Shinya asked. Manami looked at him.
"Oh,
yeah. You're an angel." Shinya's eyes narrowed as he realized this.
He
grabbed her by the collar, roughly. "Dooshite?! Why didn't you listen
to
me? I told you I wanted to do it alone! Why didn't you stay behind?
Why
didn't you protect them? You're an angel, aren't you?"
"I was sent for you! I would only risk my life for you!" The angel
yelled back.
"Hounto desu ka?!" Shinya's voice rose. Manami's eyes widened. He
usually never yelled. "Not even for Kyo?!" He knew he had said
something
wrong as he saw her eyes turn from shock to icy anger and sadness.
Manami punched him in the face. Hard. Shinya fell to the ground,
stunned, but got over it quickly. He jumped up and pushed Manami
against
the wall. He hit her against it once but then stopped when he realized
what
he was doing. They both sank to the floor gasping as Manami managed to
say,
"We shouldn't be fighting."
He dabbed blood off his lip, just as he heard a voice, "What the
hell
happened here?"
"Yoshiki!" Shinya breathed as the producer stepped into view. A
few of
the crew members were babbling to him but apparently he wasn't
listening.
He walked over to Shinya and Manami, expecting an answer.
"Did you two do this?"
"Of course not, Yoshiki-san!" Shinya said as both he and Manami
scrambled
to their feet.
"Where are the others?"
"Let me explain," Manami began, thought about it then shook her
head.
"No, let me sum it up. There's a serial killer after Shinya. Shinya
was
supposed to meet him in the park at 8:55 but got a little tied up at
the
bank. He remembered just as it was 8:58 but it was already too late.
We
got here just as we heard Die scream, found a lock of his hair, got in
here
and saw this." She tactfully left out the fight they just had.
Shinya nodded as Yoshiki turned to him for confirmation, "Manami
thinks
that he has the rest of them."
"Great. I'll have to call the police."
Shinya looked at Manami in a panic. She shook her head. "There's
no
time for that. This is way too serious. The last thing we need is the
police stringing out a long investigation. We need to find them now.
Who
knows what that yahoo'll do to your friends?"
Yoshiki looked at Manami, just as Shinya did when he first met her,
"They're experts. They'll find them immediately. I know you two are
concerned with your boyfriends--"
Manami clenched her fists, "He's not my boyfriend!"
Yoshiki went on, "But we're dealing with a true psychopath here. We
should leave it to the police."
"No." Manami and Shinya said at the same time. Yoshiki's jaw
dropped and
Manami went on before he could raise an argument. "This is important!"
She
stressed, "You would not believe how important this is! This isn't a
matter
of just a psychopath out to kill someone's friends just because he
didn't
meet him for coffee or something. This is a matter of life and death.
Of
being an angel or just someone in limbo!"
"Nani?" Shinya asked her softly.
Manami turned to him. "You passed your final task. This is mine.
I may
not have a time limit or die at certain time or anything but I know
this is
my last task." He nodded as they both turned to Yoshiki. "Are you
with us
or against us?"
Yoshiki stood there and stared at them, not knowing what to think.
After
a long while, he nodded. "I'll drive."
*******
--elsewhere--
"Do you have any idea where the hell we are?" Kyo asked. He, like
Toshiya and Kaoru, was blindfolded and his hands and feet were tied.
They
sat in the back of a van, driving endlessly to God knew where. They
had
been gagged, too, but they had managed to get it out of their mouths.
Screaming would've been his first option except that Kaoru threatened
to do
something awful to him if he tried.
"We-ell," Kaoru said, dryly, "It seems we're in the back of a van,
Kyo."
He sounded like he was in front of Kyo and to his left. He also
sounded
very irritated.
Kyo didn't have to take that. He was in the same predicament,
dammit,
and he was trying to be as nice as he could, "I know that, idiot! Do
you
have any idea where we are? As in what street? Where are we going?"
"I'd tell you but I can't see," Toshiya replied. At least, Toshiya
was
trying to be polite. Unlike his boyfriend.
"It felt like we were going to the park for a second but he turned
and
now I have no idea where we are!" Kyo exclaimed. He stretched out his
legs
and hit something. No one replied. "Hey, sore wa nan desuka?" He hit
it
again.
"What's what?" Toshiya asked.
"Stretch out your legs a little. You'll feel it."
"What is that?"
"I don't know."
"What are you two doing?" Kaoru wondered. Kyo heard him struggling
for a
second then Kaoru said, "What is that?"
"Stop..kicking..me." came a tortured voice. The others jumped. "I
hurt...enough as...it is. Let..me be..unconscious...in peace!"
They gasped. "Die?"
"Leave me alone."
"What happened to you?"
"Can you move your hands?"
"Not really," Kyo admitted.
"Too bad. I was going...to let you feel...the blood trickling
beautifully...down my back." There was a long pause. "Toshiya--stop
shuddering. I wasn't going...to do it, really."
There was silence. "Oh, no, Die!" Toshiya's voice said, squeakily.
"I'll be fine, Totchi. Just need to rest a little," Die's voice
began to
fade away.
"Oi, Die! You shouldn't go to sleep," Kaoru told him.
"Well, it seems I can. And I am." Die said. "G'night."
******
"So, let me get this straight," Yoshiki said, slowly. "You had to
do
these tasks which almost get you killed to get your life back into
order?"
Shinya nodded. Yoshiki went on, "And your guardian angel is sitting in
the
back of my car at this very instant?" Manami smiled. Yoshiki shook
his
head. "It's been quite an interesting morning." They were in his
convertible (well, if he didn't have one before now he does) with the
top
down, with no thought to the cold. Cold be damned, Manami had said,
there
are people out there who need us.
"Turn left," Manami instructed. Her powers had returned and now she
was
using them to their full extent.
"Do you have any idea where he's going?" Shinya asked.
"Hai. And I don't intend to let him do what he's intending to do
there."
Manami replied, determinedly. "Turn right." She paused, "Then go
straight
until I say otherwise." She closed her eyes, "Switch to the right
lane.
Now to the left. Back to the right."
"Will you make up your mind?"
"Only when he does."
******
"If I were a psychopath, where I would I be taking us?" Kyo
wondered out
loud.
"If you didn't already know," Kaoru spoke up, "You are a
psychopath."
Kyo grit his teeth. "Kaoru?"
"Nani?"
"When we get out of this, I am going to absolutely kick your ass."
"Bring it on, cutie."
Kyo growled just as Toshiya interrupted, "Will you two knock it off?
Fighting is not going to get us anywhere! We're still tied up and
we're
still in the back of a van! And Die's still wounded." His voice rose
to a
shriek, "So, will you just shut up already?!"
******
"This is not going well," Manami said, cryptically.
"What do you mean?" Shinya asked. Just a minute ago, she said that
she
had everything under control and now--
"It's not that. It's that--well, Die's not dead but he's been
shifting
back and forth into separate states of consciousness and your band
mates are
arguing. Your murderer friend seems amused by all this and wants to
know
how long it would take before they crack. Unfortunately for him, he
doesn't
know that he picked the wrong band to mess with." Manami explained.
"Switch
to the right lane, pass the two cars in front of you and switch back,"
she
ordered Yoshiki. He did so. "Do you see a white van?"
"Hai!!" Yoshiki and Shinya said.
"That's the guy."
Yoshiki sped up so that his car and the van was almost parallel to
each
other. Shinya took off his seatbelt and stood to try and peek into the
little back window. "Sit down, Shinya!" Yoshiki shouted up at him.
Manami
grabbed him by the legs and pulled, trying not to pants him at the same
time.
"Matte! I think I can see them!!" Shinya strained his neck to
catch a
peek of all of them. "Toshiya's sitting on the right with Kaoru, Kyo's
on
the left but--but I can't see Die!" He looked down at Manami who was
still
holding on to his legs. "You said he was in there, right?"
"Hai! Now, get back down here!"
Shinya ignored her and strained again to catch a glimpse. He barely
saw
a black form on the floor of the van and--a sudden yank made him fall
back
into the passenger seat. "Hey!"
"Do you want to get killed?" Yoshiki and Manami demanded.
"No but--"
"Then sit down!" They snapped.
*******
Oh, so they finally found him, eh? The stranger thought as he
maneuvered
the van into another lane. it would take much more than that to stop
him...
*******
"Damn you!! You're nothing but a--" Manami swore descriptively in
five
different languages,"--bloody bastard!!" She finished. Yoshiki and
Shinya
eyed her with fear in their eyes. this time she stood up in the car
and was
yelling at the van. "If you think that running away is going to keep
you
save, you have another thing coming!!"
Shinya scrambled over the passenger seat and fell into the backseat.
He
grabbed Manami by the back straps of her plaid pants and yanked. She
collapsed next to him and glared at him. "Do you want to get killed?"
He
asked her, using the same argument they had used on him.
"This psycho's going down!!" She snapped. "Yoshiki-san! To the
park!"
"I'm not your slave, you know! And that's not the direction he's
driving
in," Yoshiki replied, a little angry and shocked.
"True but that's where he's inevitably going!!" Manami pushed
Shinya
away from her irritated,
"Don't you think using your powers like that is kind of--I don't
know--against some kind of rules or something?" Shinya asked, a little
timidly.
She nodded, "Yeah, but only if my subject knows about it." She gave
him
a feral grin. "And he doesn't."
The van turned left and Yoshiki continued to go straight. He drove
to
the pakr as Manami requested and parked there. All three scrambled out
of
the car. Yoshiki and Shinya ran after Manami to a secluded section of
the
park. It was that way due to the fact that too many trees grew there,
making it look dark and dangerous. The branches of some of the trees
hung
low and scraped Shinya's arms and tangled themselves in Yoshiki's and
Shinya's hair, but Manami ran thought them as if it didn't even touch
her.
She stopped in the middle of a clearing. "Where are they?" Shinya
asked.
"Oh, they'll come. All we have to do is wait." Manami said. "I
suggest
you two hide."
"Demo--"
"Don't argue with me. Or if you don't want to hide, keep out of the
way.
This could get messy." Yoshiki and Shinya stepped to the side and
waited
near a tree. Manami sat against the another tree, pulled her blue
shades
down and fell asleep. Or looked like she did.
********
"What the hell is happening?!" Kyo yelled out as the van began to
drive
backwards, rapidly. It flet like it was driving over every single bump
on
the road but Kyo somehow knew they weren't on a road anymore. He
clenched
his jaw as one bump sent him straight up into the air and landing hard
on
his rump. "Itai!!"
There was a noise that sounded like something hitting metal and a
slight
whimper. "toshiya?" Kaoru called out, "Daijyobu?"
"Mn...." Toshiya moaned. Then said nothing else as the van
continued its
strange journey backwards.
There was another groan. "Die?" Kaoru and Kyo called out.
"I can't--I thought I...told you...to let me...sleep?"
"You shouldn't go to sleep!!" Kaoru told him urgently, "It's not
good
for you!"
Die didn't reply and Kyo bit his lip. This wasn't good. The van
braked
and spun then began to roll. Kaoru and Kyo yelled out in fright, but
Kyo's
shout was cut off as Kaoru fell on him. Toshiya managed to fall on Die
then
on Kyo and Kaoru as Die moaned a little but said nothing again. The
van
finally stopped on its side as the two remaining men who were conscious
gave
a sigh of relief. Then Kyo whimpered.
"What's wrong?" Kaoru asked.
"He's stopped. What is he going to do to us now?"
"What if he's dead? Or unconscious?" Kaoru countered.
"Then how are we going to get out of here? What if the van
explodes?"
Kyo asked, then fell silent as he heard the back door open.
They were lifted out silently one by one and placed on the gorund,
against a few trees. Kyo thought it strange that he didn't feel like
anyone
was carrying him. The terror was beginning to increase in him by the
minute
just as he heard footsteps come near him. Someone grabbed his chin
with a
gloved hand. Suddenly, the blindfold was whipped off of his eyes. he
gasped as it did so and blinked to adjust to the light. The man wore
all
black and nothing could be seen but his eyes. There was something
inhuman
about those eyes. The man turned Kyo's face to the left and then to
the
right and snorted. He did the same to Die and the came back to Kyo.
"And
what's so special about you, may I ask?" The man said in a strange
voice.
Kyo shivered. There was something inhuman about that voice, too.
"N-nani?" he asked, stunned.
"Why does she love you? You're nothing. Not someone I would
consider
breaking the rules over."
"N-nani?"
The man didn't answer and turned away just as something detached
itself
from the shadows of another tree and stepped into the light. "You've
gone
far enough, Tendo." It was Manami and Shinya and Yoshiki stood behind
her.
"Manami! Nani o suru?!" Kyo yelled, "Go home! Get away! This is
too
dangerous!"
*******
Manami ignored him. She focused on the man she had called Tendo,
just as
he turned to her. "Hounto ni? I don't think I've gone far enough with
what
you've been doing." His voice made her skinc crawl. She hated when he
used
that voice. "You shouldn't be concerned with what's going here.
You've
saved your human. Why do you bother with these four?"
Shinya spotted Die and was about to run to him but Manami held him
back
just as Tendo's eyes lit hungrily upon him. "Don't, Shinya." She told
him,
"That's what he wants you to do."
Shinya looked at her pleadingly. "He's--he's hurt--he might--"
"No. He'll be fine. I won't let him die."
"Touching." Tendo said, gaining her attention once more, "I repeat,
why
do you bother with these four?"
"They are Shinya's friends. And it's kind of my fault that they
were
dragged into this." Manami replied, evenly.
"Oh?" Tendo moved back twoards the other members of Dir en Grey.
Manami
felt Shinya tense. "I can understand why you'd protect the red haired
one.
He is after all your human's lover. And maybe the blued haired
one--he's
almost like a surrogate angel for him, isn't he? But the rose haired
one,
he is unimportant. And this blonde one," he said with an amused smile
and
wagged his finger at her, "Tch, tch, Manami. You know the rules. You
can't
have him. He can't have you. You still have to face the punishment
for
breaking that rule."
"Manami, what is he talking about?" Kyo asked. Manami looked at
him and
bit her lip. You can't have him. The words echoed through her mind.
He
can't have you. She stared at him and summoned a breeze to kiss him
lightly
on the lips for her. Kyo shivered and sighed as Manami turned back to
Tendo.
"I know. That's not why I'm protecting him."
"Oh?"
"I protect them because Shinya isn't my only responsibility. They
all
are. Now, Tendo, get lost."
"Ah, but I have been sent her to punish you." Tendo stepped forward
and
the black clothes fell away. Manami bit her lip again and trembled
slightly
but refused to back down. Tendo was dressed in white and his skin was
so
pale, it almost glowed. His wings unfolded and Manami gulped. This
was the
difference. Tendo was a full blown angel. Manami was not. Anything
he
did, she would not be able to stand against. He raised one hand,
directed
it Manami, Shinya and Yoshiki and the other was directed towards the
rest of
Dir en Grey.
Blue fire shot from his hands and Manami raised her arms and
whimpered.
White light surrounded her hands and formed a shiled around everyone.
"Tendo!! Yamete!!" She snapped. He stared at her, completely
startled.
"Not him. Not them!" She yelled back. She stepped forward and blue
fire
emerged from her, surrounding him as he screamed.
"You can't do this!!"
"Well, apparently I can. And I did!" She told him. The fire burned
fast
and bright, so much so that it almost hurt the eyes and it disappeared
with
Tendo.
Manami slumped to the ground with exhaustion. Yoshiki saw this as a
chance to release the others from their bonds and Shinya touched
Manami.
"Where'd he go?"
"Back to heaven. Hopefully with his ass on fire."
Kyo pushed him away and Shinya took this as an opportunity to tend
to
Die. "Manami, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just take Die to the hospital and Toshiya,too, ne? I
don't
think I'll be able to help them anytime soon." She replied, wearily.
So
what if Kyo knew, it didn't matter, she'd have to leave him anyway. He
pulled her into an embrace and Manami didn't resist. She sagged
against him
and began to cry. I want this. Why can't I have him? Why do I have
to go
back and suffer for eternity? I want him. Kyo tightened his hold on
her as
if he thought the same thing.
"Ne, Manami, what was all that?" Shinya asked, from where he was.
"Why
did he look so surprised that you could do those things?"
"Because I'm not supposed to be able to do them," she replied, her
voice
slightly muffled since her head was buried in Kyo's chest. "Only full
angels can do that. Ones who have proved themselves."
"I think you have." Shinya told her, "Arigato, Manami."
"They really weren't kidding about that angel stuff, huh?" Kyo
asked, a
little shocked.
Manami began to laugh, weakly.
******
Monday, April 17 9:00 am
"Okay, wierd," Die said, slowly shuffling back into the kitchen.
His
back required seventeen stitches and doing the simplest things were
almost
like torture. He saw slowly in the dining room chair and handed the
envelope to Shinya.
"Nani?" The drummer asked as he took it.
"Yeah, exactly. I thought that last week was your last task."
Shinya opened it and gasped. "Oh."
"Nani?"
"Dir en Grey must say farewell to the seraphim Manami by Thursday,
12:00
am, April 20--or all of the die."
"Oh, no. At midnight, she's leaving?"
"We all knew this was coming." Shinya said, sadly. "It says not to
tell
her."
"Wonder why?"
"Probably to make it easier to leave or maybe she'd try to do
something
stupid."
"Where is she now?"
"I haven't seen her since Friday. She hasn't been her since then."
"Kyo, maybe?"
"Probably, I haven't seen him since Friday, either."
******
--elsewhere--
"But it's freezing!" He whined. Manami turned and smiled at him.
"No!
It's cold and you don't look so well--you're already pale enough as it
is
and we could get sick--"
"But I feel fine!" Mananmi replied. "It's raining! It's fun!
Just
take off your shoes and run in the rain with me! I don't do this for
everyone, you know." She said. Kyo took her hand and looked out at
the
rain again.
"But it's so cold."
"It's the best feeling in the world," she whispered and placed her
head
on his shoulder. He sighed,took off his shoes, opened up an umbrella
and
let her lead him out into the rain. She stopped and looked at him
fondly.
She reached for the umbrella with her left hand, her right still
intwined
with Kyo's. "Kyo, get rid of that umbrella."
"But--"
She took it away, closed it and held it in her left. Rain fell on
the
both of them and she began to giggle at him. "Nani?" he demanded,
already
irritated that he had to do what he was about to do.
"Nothing. You don't like to be called cute and I never called you
cute
so I'm not starting now." She said and stopped laughing. "'Kay,
ready?"
He nodded.
"'Kay, ready, ready...go!!" She yelled and began to run. He
trailed
after her for a second before gaining enough speed to match her stride
for
stride. She began to laugh again as they ran though puddles, splashing
a
few innocent bystanders and gaining a few shouts of indignation. Kyo
began
to laugh, too, after seeing the looks on some of them. They jumped
over a
few dead leaves, slugs and snails after Kyo shouted that he didn't want
to
step on them with bare feet. She laughed again as they slowed down.
"Isn't
this neat?"
He nodded just as she released his hand and began to pirouhette in
the
rain. He watched her with a smile on his face, easily ignoring the icy
cold
rain that fell.
She came back to stand in front of him slightly breathless with a
worried
expression on her face. "Ara? Kyo, what's wrong?"
"Nan demo arimasen." He replied.
"You don't look like you're enjoying yourself too much." She gave
him
back his umbrella, "I'm sorry I dragged you into the rain."
"No, no!" he said, hurriedly. He took her hand again and gave it a
reassuring squeeze. "I like it.
"O-okay." she said, doubtfully.
"Hmm. Manami, do you want to dance?"
"Nani?"
"Shinya taught me how to dance a while ago and I never got to try it
on a
girl before."
"So, you mean, you let Shinya be the girl while were the guy?"
Manami
asked, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She began to laugh
again,
"Oh, I see how it is now! You better not tell Die!
"It's not like that!" Kyo snapped and Manami stopped laughing.
"I'm only kidding. I would like to dance but there's no music."
"I could sing. You've always said you loved my voice."
"Mm. But what song could you possibly sing that would be a nice
waltz?"
Kyo glared at her. "Oh, you're nice," He said, sarcastically, "I
thought
you were supposed to be an angel?"
"Not all angels are nice. Except me. I'm nice. I am absolutely
perfect!" Manami said, with a grin and was about to say more until a
brief
flash of pain crossed her face. She gasped.
"Manami?"
"I--" she fell to her knees and tried to catch her breath. He fell
to
the ground with her. Kyo put up the umbrella and cradled her in his
arms.
Another look of pain tore at his heart as she closed her eyes and went
unconscious in his arms. As calmly as he could, Kyo took out his cell
phone
and called Shinya and Die.
*******
"You don't have to carry me, you know, I'm a big girl! I can tie my
own
boots and everything!!" Manami said, indignantly as she woke up to
find
herself being carried by Kyo into the bathroom. He took off her
sweater for
her and she kicked him away. "You can damn well wait outside. I'll do
this
for myself!" She said, blushing furiously. The first sign of color he
had
seen on her face for awhile.
He smiled and walked out of the bathroom to wait for her. Five
minutes
later she emerged in a robe and he picked her up again. "Put me
down!!" He
ignored her and turned to Shinya.
"Where do you want her?"
"In the bedroom."
Kyo carried her into Shinya's bedroom and placed her gently on his
bed.
"I thought you said you felt fine?" Kyo demanded with worry in his
eyes.
He knelt near the bed, playing with her hand. "We should've never gone
running out into the rain like that!"
"You're no fun," Manami muttered.
He ignored that comment. "What wrong with you? Everyday you start
to
look a little paler and you fall unconscious sometimes. Other times
you
complain of pains and then you're okay. Manami, do you like scaring
us?"
"That depends on what the situation is."
"Baka!" Kyo scolded her, softly, "This is not time for jokes.
There's
something wrong with you!"
"Kyo?" Shinya's voice called out. "Can we speak with you for a
minute?"
Kyo turned and gave an impatient sigh. "Yeah. Coming." He turned
back
to Manami. "Stay here and if you do anything foolish, I'll kill you."
She
stuck her tonuge out at him just as he left for the kitchen.
"What is it?" He asked. Shinya handed him the letter. He read it,
looked at Shinya then read it again. "No."
"What do you mean, no?" Die asked, "You have no choice."
"I meant what I said. No." Kyo turned back to the bedroom just as
Die
said.
"Don't be selfish, Kyo! If you can't say goodbye to her than we all
get
killed."
Kyo glared at him, "So be it! I don't want to say goodbye to her."
"But you have to!" Shinya hissed.
"I don't have to do anything I don't want to." Kyo replied, and left
it
at that as he went back to Manami.
*******
Tuesday, April 18
"How are you doing?" Shinya asked, as he slid a tray onto Manami's
lap
as she sat up. The angel looked paler than yesterday.
"I'm feeling a little cold," she told him and shivered on cue. He
reached out to feel her forehead and bit his lip.
"You've got a fever now." he told her. "What wrong with you?"
The angel shrugged and smiled tiredly. "I've got the flu?"
"No, I don't think that's it." Shinya said, with a sad smile.
"No, I don't so either." Manami took a sip of the ocha that Shinya
gave
her. He saw her scars again but this time they were bright pink and
not the
faded healed look they once had. She saw his gaze and looked at them,
too.
"Yeah, that's been happening. I don't know why. Kyo's been worrying
over
them. I don't why, though. They're not his scars."
Things fell quiet as Manami began to drink again until Shinya said,
"Are
you ever going to tell me about that?"
"Oh. You mean about these scars?" She asked, as if she didn't
know.
Shinya didn't reply. He didn't have to. "I guess. I owe it to you,
don't
I? It wouldn't hurt. I'm supposed to leave soon, I just don't know
when."
The doorbell rang and Shinya got up to answer it. Kyo and Toshiya
bounced into the room as Kaoru followed behind.
"What is this?" Manami demanded. "Gawk at the sick angel week?"
She
sounded angry but still smiled at them. She began to sip her ocha
again.
"So?" Shinya asked.
"So what?"
"Aren't you gona tell me about those scars?" Kyo took a look at
Shinya
then crawled onto the bed to take Manami's right hand.
"Oh, yeah." She said, blankly. She placed the tea down on the tray
but
didn't let fo of it. She stared at it but it didn't seem like she
really
saw it. It looked she was staring through it and she began to speak as
if
she was elsewhere. "Once upon a time, there was a girl. She was
pretty, I
guess. that's what her mother told her. That's what her best friend
told
her. That's what her beloved told her, too. She was silent much like
yourself. Avoided talk of love. She prided herself on keeping her
promises. She had a heart capable of deep love. Then one day she
forgot
about the most important promise of all. She promised that she would
never
ever do something foolish for someone else. Even if she loved them.
She
promised this to her best friend. But she also made another promise.
She
promised her love that she would do anything for him.
"Then one day, something happened. Her love's family was killed.
And he
wanted revenge. He asked for her help. Said that if she loved him
like she
claimed, she'd prove it and help him. So, with her father's
connections,
they got in touch with some--bad people," she said diplomatically, "And
they
went together to the home of the family who killed her beloved's
family.
They were celebrating." Her voice was like ice. Kyo's hand tightened
on
hers but if she noticed, she gave no sign. "His family--his mother,
his
father, his older brothers and his little baby twin sister were
murdered and
they were celebrating their death. They say that pain shared is pain
halved
but when the young couple heard this, the pain was doubled. They
raided
thieir home. The other family was killed by the assassins the young
couple
had hired. Men, women, children--it didn't matter. Dogs were probably
killed. Who the hell knows?" Tears slipped silently down Manami's
cheeks.
She didn't even acknowledge that they were there.
"After it was all over, his grandfater came to him. He said he was
worthless. He was nothing. He didn't even know him, he was so
honorless.
Honor! Who the fuck cares about honor!? Her beloved was disowned.
Something inside him snapped that night. His eyes went cold,
emotionless
and they went black as if seeing nothing. She tried everything to
shake
this mood of his, trying to use her lobe to bring him back. There was
nothing. It makes you wonder if he felt anything for her at all? It
didn't
matter in the end. She went to run an errand on enihgt. She came back
and
he was gone. she ran to the chapel because she knew he visited it
often.
It rained as thick as black oil that night, almost like the look in his
eyes. She stopped outside of the chapel and something made her look
up.
There, silhouetted against that rainy evening sky, was that beautiful
boy,
standing on the tower belfry, his arms spread to the sky as if hugging
it."
She smiled humorlessly. "He jumped."
Shinya and the other stared at her in shock.
She went on, "For a minute, he hung there like he defied gravity and
learned how to fly. Then he fell. Fast. Someone screamed. Must've
been
her, because his mouth never opened. After an eternity, she made her
way to
his body and held it gently, rocking back and forth, all the while
calling
his name like it was a litany to bring him back.
"The priest found her in the morning. Sent her home. Took charge
of the
body. She laid in bed for three days. She didn't eat. She didn't
sleep.
And to top it all off she caught a flue. Her friends tried to comfort
her
but it was no use. She pretended to go to sleep of fool them so they
wouldn't worry anymore. What a joke. They never cared anyway. One
asshole
came in and said out loud, 'Why should we look after this one? She's a
cold
bitch, just like an iceberg. I don't know what Takayuki ever saw in
her
anyway.' he left. She burst into tears after that and somehow managed
to
fool her best firned that night and went to the chapel. She made it
insdie,
locked the door and went to the body lying on the funeral bier. He was
so
beautiful, he looked like he was sleeping. She gave him a kiss, hoped
that
the guesture would be forgiven and stood on the steps. 'Gomenasai. I
hope
you'll forgive me everything I've done and all the things that i've
failed
to do. I hope that you'll forgive me this, too.' She took out the
knife."
Toshiya sobbed, quietly, and Kyo brought Manami's hand to his cheek.
"You should've seen the way it gleamed. She cut herself. Both
sides.
She never thought it would hurt so much. Blood on white marble. It
was so
pretty but she was alarmed at the amount of blood. She didn't get to
think
much about that, though. She went unconscious and then she was gone.
She
got into heaven by the barest sliver. She was given a second chance
because--" Manami stopped and came back to herself for a minute, "I
have no
idea why. Anyway, she would become a seraphim--a full angel--if she
could
do a certain task. That is to prevent a similar tragedy from
happening.
Until then she was wingless and haloless. And her scars were the
evidence
of what she had done. They were bright pink and made every other angel
either laguh at her or shrink away in disgust. Other angels hate the
wingless and they also hate those who take certain measures." Finally,
Manami sighed and began to drink her tea again. "And here she is.
Drinking
her tea and sitting in a bed, relatively alive."
Kyo snuggled up to her and brushed the last of her tears away.
Kaoru did
the same to Toshiya and Shinya made do on his own.
"It's a long time ago," she said, "It's easier not to think about
it."
She shoved the tray off her lap and stood, breaking the emotional
tension. Shinya gasped, "Manami! You're not--"
"I'm fine! Check my forehead!!" She said. He did so and was
surprised.
"No fever."
"Mmhm. So, I can do whatever I want now!"
"No, you don't! You're staying here! You're not going out!" Kyo
and
Shinya snapped, "Who knows what might happen next?!"
"Bah! I'm an angel, what could happen to me?!" She said, airily.
********
Wednesday, 7:00 am
"You're an angel, what could possibly happen to you, huh?"
"Oh, shut it, Shinya. The last person I need this from is you!"
She
replied, snappishly and turned over in the d bed to avoid him.
He went on oblivious to her. "A fever of 104 degrees. Very good,
Manami!!" (sorry, I'm American--farenheit's all I know--Matrim)
"I thought I told you to shut it!!"
"And a temper to match!" Die added.
"Which one should I kill first? My twin or the pretty one?"
"Manami, we're trying to take care of you!!" Shinya scolded. "The
least
you can do is stop complaining. You don't have to like it. Just keep
everything to yourself."
"Now, you're starting to sound like Kaoru!"
"Dammit, Manami! I thought I told you not to leave the house
yesterday?
you left!! You used your powers against all of us and left the
apartment to
do heaven knows what! And then you come back and now you're sicker
than
ever! Don't you ever think of other people sometimes!?"
"Hey, it's not my fault you're easily tricked." Manami muttered.
Kaoru appeared in the doorway with a tray. "Sometimes, I don't know
why
we even bother. Hopefully this will make you think better of pulling
something like that."
Die stared at the cup on the tray. "Nani sore?"
"Something laced with sedatives that tastes terrible."
Manami glared at him, "You're so going to hell for that!!"
"Maybe but I think heaven will agree with me when I tell them the
reason." He approached the bed and she gave him a look of utter
disgust.
"Now open up."
"I wish I had the words to tell you to politely go fu--"
"Manami!" Shinya said sharply before she could finish the curse.
"She's been hanging around Kyo too much." Die observed with a grin.
Toshiya poked his head in, "How's she holding up?"
"That depends on hwat you mean," Die replied.
"If you expect her to be like usual, meaning that she's stubborn,
foolish, irresponsible and perhaps crazy," Shinya said, looking
pointedly at
Manami, "Then she's fine."
Manami sat up, her hair disarrayed. She pulled on the lower lide of
her
eye and stuck her tongue out at him. Then she laid back down. Kaorua
nd
Die began laughing and Shinya shook his head. Kaoru held her nose
until she
opened up her mouth to breath and poured the mixture down her throat.
She
swallowed it and made a face after he ws done. "Ye Gods, what the hell
are
you trying to do, kill me a second time?!" She was about to add more
until
she yawned. And yawned again. Again. And fell asleep.
"That worked faster than I expected," Kaoru observed.
"She's an angel. I think chemicals have an accelerated reaction
when it
comes to that sort of thing." Shinya said.
"How long is that gonna keep her out?" Toshiya asked.
Kaoru shrugged. "I don't know. For humans, maybe six hours.
She'll
probably be out to ten."
"AM?" Die asked.
"PM."
"What the hell was in that drink?!!" They all demanded.
"I can't tell you, if I did, I'd have to kill you."
They edged away from him. "Ne, Kaoru, you sure you're just a
musician?"
"Why are you acting so funny? And what makes you say that?"
"The computer to unlock the lock in the bank, the way you easily
avoided
the cameras, that drink you gave Manami, the way you deal with our
manager...." Die listed all of the strange things Kaoru could do.
Kaoru laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "Don't
worry
about it!! I'm not a yakuza or anything!"
"Hounto? Then whre did you learn about that computer stuff?"
"School..."
"You said you never studied." Shinya said.
Kaoru laughed again. "It's nothing really! Stop acting so scared."
"Who's acting?" Die asked. No one answered.
Kaoru sighed, "Toshiya, you can trust me right? You're not afraid
of
me!"
"Go away, Kaoru--if that is your real name! Don't start poisoning
me
too!" Toshiy, Shinya and Die left him alone in the bedroom and Kaoru
hung
his head.
"You try to help a person and this is the grief you get..." he
muttered.
*********
5:00 pm
"Okay, somebody had to bring it up eventually." Kaoru said. He
finally
managed to convince everyone that he was innocent and that he was only
a
guitarist. They still looked at him kind of funny from time to time
but
otherwise treated him like normal. "We have to convince Kyo to say
goodbye
to Manami."
"Nope. No good." Die said, from his place on the couch. "He's
stubborn.
More so than usual. Trust me I've tried to convince him."
"Hanging him over the balcony is not what I call trying to convince
him.
Taking away his cigarettes is also not what I call trying to convince
him."
Toshiya replied, staring at Die as if he were insane.
"You're only bitter because you stole yours."
"Of course I am!! you know how much he smokes!" Toshiya went on,
"Anyway, what you're doing, Die--that's threatening. Not convincing."
"Somebody has to bring him around or we'll all die!" Kaoru said, as
he
stood to stare out of Shinya's window. "By the way, where is he?"
"Hell if I know," Shinya said, wearily. "I haven't seen him since
yesterday."
"Somebody call him. He has to do his share of taking care of the
angel.
Besides, he's the one in love with her!"
"Why don't you be the somebody?" Die asked, annoyed at Kaoru's
ranting.
"I've been the somebody who's given her the drink! I've done my
share of
the work!!"
"Ha! I've provided the apartment, the bed and the cup you gave that
drink to her in!" Shinya retorted, "Beat that!"
"Urusai!" Toshiya called out. "I'll call him!" He took Shinya's
phone
and dialed Kyo's mobile. "Kyo. Come to Shinya's apartment. Manami's
getting worse." Then he hung up.
"That's not entirely true, Totchi." Die said.
"Whatever gets him here the fastest."
7:45 pm
"What the hell did you give her?" Kyo demanded, after looking in on
the
angel.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Kaoru soothed, "It's only a
sedative."
"That's knocked her out since seven this morning!" Die added.
"NANI?!!!" Kyo advanced on the two guitarists who backed up as
quickly
as they could without tripping over each other in the hall. The look
in his
eyes could set damp wood on fire.
"Take it easy, Kyo!!" Kaoru said, nervously.
"Remember it was him who did it, not me!" Die added.
"Thanks a lot," Kaoru snapped.
"You're welcome!"
He backed them up against the far end of the hall. The guitarists
clutched at each other in panic. "What are you trying to do to her? I
thought we were supposed to help her get better not kill her again?!"
"It won't kill her! Promise!!"
Kyo backed off a little with a tiny sadistic smile on his face.
"Fine. I
hope you're not just saying that for me."
"No, no!!"
"In fact, we're doing it for us, too!" Die added and Kaoru kicked
him.
Kyo left them to go to the kitchen and they followed him.
"Now, we're all here." Shinya observed.
"Okay, who's going to be the someone to convince him?" Toshiya
asked.
"Not me," Die said, "You didn't like my methods."
"Not me. He's still angry at me for sedating her," Kaoru replied
and Kyo
gave him a look that could take bark off of trees.
"Not me. I've done enough as it is," Shinya pointed out.
Toshiya sighed, "I don't want to do it! I called him!" No one said
anything and he gave another sigh. "Fine. Kyo, you'll have to say
goodbye
to Manami."
"No."
"See, I told you he wouldn't do it!" Die said.
"I'm not done yet," Toshiya snapped at Die. "Why not, Kyo?"
"I can't just say goodbye to her like it's nothing, you know!! It
may be
easy for you to say goodbye to Kaoru because you know you're going to
see
him the next day but I can't do that. When I say goodbye to her, it'll
be
forever!! I'll never see her again! And then it's back to normal.
Kyo's
all alone again!" He yelled and sat down heavily in the chair.
"But you know the rules--"
"Fuck the rules! That's what she practically did. And when I tried
to
forget her before, I couldn't. And it's impossible to ask me to do
that
now. She's the first thing I think of in the morning, the last thing I
think of at night. I want to be with her the way you guys are with
each
other. I want someone like that."
"But you can't have her." Shinya said, sad and soft.
"You have to say goodbye, Kyo, or we'll die. And I know that's not
something she wants. She doesn't want you to die for her." Toshiya
told
him, slipping into his surrogate guardian angel role. "She loves you
very
much and that's the value of your life. Her love for you is
priceless."
"She's never said she loved me."
"If she did, she'd be in deep trouble." Toshiya told him.
"I can't--"
"Kyo, an angel fell in love with you. That's the most amazing thing
ever!! If you love her, let her go. She doesn't want us to die
because of
her."
It was silent until Kyo stood up and left for the bedroom. He
refused to
give an answer. They followed him silently down the hall to see him
climb
on the bed and lay next to Manami. They heard a soft sob as he
caressed her
face gently. "No. No. I will never let you go."
*********
11:30 pm
Shit. He must've fallen asleep. Kyo rose himself up on his elbow
and
took a look at the bed. Manami was missing. Crap. He thought as he
jumped
off the bed and ran to the kitchen, in a panic. He breathed a sigh of
relief as he saw Manami sitting at the dining room table, shooting
Kaoru
murderous looks. She looked up and smiled at him. "What's the matter?
Were you worried about me?"
"Always," He returned and walked over to her. The rest of the
members of
Dir en Grey caught his gaze and then directed it to the clock. He
tried not
to growl. "How are you?"
Manami sniffed. "Cold. I was a little tired but now I'm fine. No
thanks
to you," she told Kaoru who ignored her. "If I was your guardian angel
I
would've pushed you off of a pier long ago."
Kaoru choked and coughed as he took a drag from the cigarette he had
just
lit up. Shinya took the cigarette from him and put it out. Then he
threw
it off the balcony.
"Are you sure, Manami?" Kyo asked, "You look so pale and you just
don't
look like yourself."
"I'm fine. I feel better than I ever did but I'm just cold, that's
all.
I'm hungry." She said.
"Hungry?!!" Shinya exclaimed.
"You ate two buckets of chicken!! How can you be hungry?!!" Die
demanded.
"I'm hungry." The angel snapped and gave them a look.
She stood and walked into the kitchen. She gave a slight gasp and
fell.
"Manami!" Kyo yelled out and ran to her. He took her in his arms and
tried
not to cry at the look of complete pain she had on her face. "Oh, God,
tell
me what's wrong! Why is this happening to you?"
"This--this hurts like--it shouldn't." Manami began crying. "I
think
that I've done something wrong. I think that maybe I'm not going back
to
heaven. They're killing me!"
"But that can't be," Die said but Shinya hushed him.
"We're not supposed to tell her," he whispered.
"Take me out on the balcony," Manami said, softly. "If I'm going to
die
a second time, I want to see the stars before I go."
Kyo lifted her and she seemed so light. This couldn't be right. She
was
dying? She coudln't die again, could she? She didn't do anything
wrong...but...I don't want to say goodbye. He took onto the balcony
and
placed her on the cement.
She sighed, "Arigato, Kyo."
"Dooitashimate."
She was about to say something again but instead she screamed.
Her
hands clenched into fists on Kyo's shirt and something began to happen.
A
column of white light surrounded her and he heard something rip. The
light
faded and Manami sat there, in a silver white dress. Her hair was
unbraided
and a gold ribbon was wrapped around her forehead. A golden bracelet
was on
her right hand and she didn't look so sickly pale anymore. She glowed.
She
looked almost like Tendo. But Manami's wings were bigger and each tip
was
tinged with gold. She looked at her hands and flexed her wings
experimentally. A soft breeze touched stirred Kyo's hair. "Oh, my
God!
Oh, my God!" She began to sob but this time with relief. "Shinya!!
I'm an
angel--a real angel! A seraphim! I've even got gold on the wingtips!
Not
everyone gets that!!"
Shinya smiled and ran to her for a hug. "See? I told you we'd get
through this! Omedetou Gozaimasu, Manami-sama!"
She returned it then her smile faded, "Oh, no, that means...I have
to say
goodbye to you, soon. Like now." Shinya nodded, "You knew about this?
You
bastard, you knew about this and you didn't tell me?! And I thought I
was
dying!" She hit him softly. "You're terrible. You've been hanging
around
me too long."
He gave her another hug. "Have I been a good human?"
"Yes. You have. But that's a little biased since you're the only
human
I've been assigned to."
"I'll miss you."
"Ah, yes. You'll miss the teasing, the eating of all of your food,
the
angel sleeping on your couch, and picking on your dog."
"Yeah, that's right. Just rub it in why don't you?"
"Sayonara, Shin-chan."
"Manami-sama--sayonara." They stepped away from each other as Die
came
forward.
"Ah, you." She said and laughing. "Behave yourself."
"I always do."
"According to you. If I catch you doing crap like you did on that
tv
show, I'll kick you. And this time you won't be able to see me."
Manami
teased. She gave him a hug, "Oi. Help me take care of Shinya, ne?"
"Of course."
"Sayonara, Manami-sama."
"Sayonara, Die-kun."
Manami turned to Toshiya and both of them began laughing at each
other.
"You look so kawaii, Manami-sama!"
"You, too, Toshiya. You, too." She stopped laughing and said,
"You'll
help me take care of Shinya, ne?"
"Always. I'm going to be a guardian angel when I'm older,
remember?"
Manami began to laugh again. "Oh, I pity the girl who gets you!!"
"It'll be a girl?" Toshiya asked, perking up.
"Oi, don't look so happy!" Kaoru said, jealously. Manami and
Toshiya
began laughing again.
"Sayonara, Manami-sama!"
"Sayonara, Toshiya-kun." Manami crossed her arms and looked at
Kaoru.
"Now, I have message for you."
"What is it?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.
"God said lighten up. That's what he sent Toshiya for." She
smiled.
"Sayonara, Kaoru-kun, and remember to have some fun once in a while,
ne?"
"Sayonara, Manami-sama, and remember that there are other things
besides
fun once in a while, ne?"
She stuck her tongue out at him and he moved to the side next to
Toshiya.
She turned her attention back to Kyo, every second hurting her heart.
"Kyo?"
He was turned away from her. Looking out through the bars of the
balcony. In a voice like glass, he replied. "Don't, okay? Just
don't."
"Kyo, this isn't easy for me..."
"What makes you think that it's any easier for me?"
"Why are making this so hard, dammit?!!" Manami scramed and Kyo
stood
and turned to face her, tears in his eyes.
"Good!! I don't want this to be easy!! Just like that? You're
going to
go? Forget all about this?!! Forget me? You're--amazing. And you were
the
first person I could truly talk to, tell anything to and truly love.
And
now, you're going. I don't want you to leave."
"I don't want to go."
"Then don't.."
"We don't have a choice." Kyo turned away from her again.
"Kyo...please,
before I go...hold me, one last time?" She sobbed, "Please?"
Kyo turned and embraced her. "Where do I go from here?" he asked
her.
"You live."
"I don't want to. Not without you."
"You'll have to. There'll be someone else. Someone prettier than
me--"
"I don't want anyone prettier than you--"
"Someone who would care better for you--"
"I don't need to be cared for. I just want you!"
"Someone else will hold you in her arms, someone else will love you
more
than I ever could. You'll learn to love her, too."
"How can you say that so easily?!!" He demanded.
"I..can't!" She sobbed and tightened her hold on him. "I don't want
to
ever let you go, I don't want another girl to hold you, I don't want
another
girl to taste your lips, I don't want another girl to hold your hand, I
don't want another girl to play video games with you! I don't want to
say
goodbye."
"But we have to," he said, quietly.
"It's 11:58 pm, guys," Shinya said, softly.
They ignored him. Kyo wiped her tears away even as they fell and
Manami
moved to do the same. She looked at him for a long time then kissed
him.
The first time she ever initiated it herself. Kyo closed his eyes but
tears
still slipped from them. This was heaven. This was bliss, but he knew
that
this would be the first and last time ever....It ended too soon. Kyo
gazed
at her just as column of soft white light surrounded Manami again.
"Manami...no..."
"Kyo..." She gripped his hands and kissed the tear trails on his
cheeks.
"Don't do anything foolish for me, ne? Stay safe. Live."
"Manami--"
She began to fade and her voice sounded far away, "Promise me?"
"I promise."
"Sayonara, Kyo. I love you..." And then she was gone.
"I love you, too," he whispered and wept silently.
After an long moment, two roses dropped down. One red and one
white.
The white one bore a label in beautiful caligraphy for Shinya and the
red
one for Kyo. Then a note fell down, hitting Die on the nose. "Itai!"
They opened it up and this what it said:
CUT!! And you had 2 seconds left! (Don't complain about the note
hitting
you, Die, you've suffered worse.) You guys really like to push the
envelope, don't you? Behave yourselves--don't think this is the end.
I'll
always be looking out for you.
Love, Manami
To the epilogue!!
email Matrim