Chapter one : Bloody Dreams
To think that life was over, 25 year old, Reiji Ryuushin gingerly holds a knife to his stomach. As tears roll down his cheeks, ironically, life didn’t flash before his eyes as people say it would when someone is at the brink of life and death. He couldn’t help but to chuckle at the thought of it. Part of him knew that what he was about to attempt was a stupid one but he is going to do it nonetheless. When the love of his life died of a fractured skull and internal bleeding after she was caught up in an accident with a hit and run driver, he felt that life was not worth living. Thinking back, he misses her warm smile, her love and care for his well-being, and even her cooking – although she stinks at making cookies. But, Reiji could only dream that he can be together with Aya Mizuki, so that they could love again. If I don’t have her anymore, what’s life to me?, he thought to himself. He took a deep breath and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. “Well, this is it, I guess.” He muttered to himself. He slowly straightened his arm and strengthened his grip on the knife. With all the might that he could muster, he thrust the knife inwards as quickly as he could, in hope of minimizing the pain. “Arrgh!” He doubled-over with a grunt as every inch of his body feels the excruciating and agonizing pain that he had inflicted. He then screamed his lungs out as he pulled the knife out of his now bleeding stomach and threw it aside. He could literally feel the blood gushing out of his guts. He could feel that every senses on his body going numb as time passes by. His vision got cloudier and at last, the pain subsided, he lay there silently, waiting for the moment to take his last breath. As he exhaled, he slowly closed his eyes and everything went black. There he was, a man in his prime, lying cold on the floor of his apartment with a huge pool of blood seeping into his clothing as he laid there – waiting for death. As he lay there, unconsciousness came and he heard a familiar distant voice, Baka... Then he heard rushing footsteps before he totally went lights out.
“Nggn...” light? Slowly he tries to open his eyes which fluttered as his every effort. “You’re awake?” asked a voice which seems familiar. “Nggnn.....” With all the strength he have, he forced his eyes open and was taken aback when the sight of dazzling lights caught him and blinded him. He quickly shut his eyes in agony. “Hey, are you all right there?” again a voice he knew, so caring and gentle called to him. He then felt a soft and gentle hand touched his forehead. “There, there, slowly now.” Said the voice again. He slowly opened his eyes and was shocked to see what he saw. Sitting beside him, caressing his hair, was the love of his life. Full of beauty and radiance, Aya smiled at him. Reiji didn’t even blink once; he was too absorbed into what he was looking at. When he finally came to his senses, the one thing that he could say was “What are you?”. A puzzled expression came over Aya’s face, but then she straightened up and smiled. “Baka.. I’m Aya Mizuki.” Then she lowers her head and kissed him. He was stunned at the kiss and blushed. “Okairi, Reiji..” she said. Reiji simply looked at Aya, and his gaze fell. “What? No reply? And I don’t even get a kiss back? Geez!” she muttered out loud. Slowly and softly, “Ta..dai..ma...?” he said. Is this for real? I saw Aya died on the hospital bed where she was admitted to. Is this really true?? Thoughts rushed into his head. Aya looked at him and smiled. She then turns around and said “Dinner will be ready in a bit, so u rest till then, okay?” “Okay” was all that he could say. Then she disappeared into the hall as she closed the door behind her, humming her favourite tune. This cannot be real! He thought. The Aya Mizuki I knew was dead!! I was at her funeral! I was there.... I was there!!! Tears then rolled down his cheeks and before he even knows it, he’s crying his heart out, hugging his leg while he sits on the bed. In the corner of his head, he could hear a distant voice. Accept it; didn’t you want Aya to be with you forever? He thought about it. This voice haunted him over and over again till he finally gave in. He wiped the tears off his face and looked around the room he was in. It looked familiar but he couldn’t remember where he was exactly. Then it came to him with a pang. I’m in her room! “Oh my god, I’m an idiot...” he muttered to himself. Slowly, he slips off the bed and walked slowly to the bedroom table. He then noticed a picture frame. He slowly took it and he was shocked to see it was a picture of Aya in a coffin. The picture then slipped through his fingers and fell on the floor, with the frames and glass cover broken to shards and pieces. “NOOOOO!!!!!!” He yelled and his body went numb and he collapsed onto the floor. Looking at the picture, his tears started to flow down his cheeks. “Aya.. gomen..” Slowly, Reiji separated the broken shards with his hands and took up the photograph. He held it close to his heart and whispers “Gomenasai, Aya-chan”. Tears continue to flow down his cheeks and fell off his chin onto the carpeting. Then he snapped.
“AYA!! AYA!!!!!!” Reiji cried out loud, sobbing as he does so. As he still held the photograph close to him. Then all of the sudden, the bedroom door swung open. Aya rushed in, looking exhausted. “Reiji, what happened?” Looking at her, Reiji slowly moved backwards, inches by inches till his back is against the cold hard wall. Staring at her in disbelief, he shook his head. “You’re not Aya.. No! You’re not!!!! You can’t be!!!” he shouted. Aya looked at him, and then tears rolled down her cheeks. “Reiji, I just wanted to be with you.. but you..” she sobbed. Then, Aya started to shiver. Her clothes became wet and soggy as if drenched with an invisible rain. Then she said “Reiji... tasukete..” as blood started to drip from her wet clothes. Reiji was shocked and stunned because of what he was looking at. He became scared as well. She then collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily, occasionally gasping for air. “Reiji, I love you..baka..” as she said that, her eyes slowly closed. Horrified, Reiji rushed to her side. “Aya!! Aya!! Wake up!”While shaking her cold hard body. “AYA!!!!!” he wailed.
“Reiji onii-san! Wake up! What’s wrong?! Onii-san!” shouted Shinji Ryuushin, Reiji’s younger brother. “AYA!!” Reiji shouted, arms outstretched as if to reach for something. His eyes are wide open now, as he just realise that he had woken up from a dream. He noticed he was breathing fast and hard and he was sweating as well. “Reiji onii-san, are you alright?” asked Shinji with concern. “Shinji? Where are we? What are you doing here?” Thousands of questions came rushing into his head all at once. It all came clear to him as he felt the stabbing pain in his abdomen. Yea...I was supposed to be dead now. Why am I here? He turned his head surprised to see Shinji on the verge of tears. “Onii-san!! You’re finally awake.. You’ve been sleeping for a total of 3 days now.. I thought you would die for sure.” He cried out, sobbing loudly. Then he realised. Why am I not dead?! “Shinji! Did you bring me here?!” Reiji shouted. Startled by his brother’s sudden rage, tearing his gaze from his brother, he stammered. “ y- yes, I—I felt like something bad is going to happen to you, so I went to your apartment to check on you” he continued “when I reached there, you were-- you were on the floor with blood around you, so I called the ambulance.” Reiji’s heart literally stopped when he heard what his younger brother had to say and he felt angry. Why did he try to save me?! Why did he come to my rescue?! Why?! Why?!! Shinji looked up to his brother and said “Was it wrong?” That question from Shinji snapped him. Reiji moved out of the bed he was sleeping on and stood despite the pain he felt in his bandaged abdomen. He stood still with clenching fists in front of Shinji. “Onii-san? You shouldn’t be up.. The doctor said your wound would open again if you do.” Shinji said as he looked up to Reiji. “Onii-san??” Reiji clenched his fist even more and with one clean swoop, he punched Shinji right in the face—as hard as he could. “WHY?!! WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?!” Reiji shouted at his younger brother who’s now on the floor with a hand on his nose, which was bleeding. “Onii-san! Why did you hit me?!” Shinji yelled back. Reiji’s body went numb and again he collapsed on the floor, sobbing. “I was suppose to die so that I could meet her in heaven... all I wanted was to be with her.. Is that so much to ask?” Reiji sobbed face buried in his hands. “Onii-san....” was all Shinji could say as he watched his brother’s emotional breakdown. Suddenly the hospital room door swung inwards, “What happened here?? I heard shouti.... Oh my!” The nurse stopped in mid-sentence and quickly rushed to their side. “Hey, are the both of you all right?” she asked. “Here, let me help you up...” she said as she heaved Reiji up onto his bed again. “Now, lie there quietly” she said. “Your wound has opened up again...”. she then turns to Shinji “Are you all right?” she asked while helping him up and made him sit on a chair. “What happened here? Your nose looks like it’s swollen.” She asked. “Nothing much, just your average everyday brotherly squabble, I guess...” he replied as he look at up Reiji. “My, My... hold still while I go get something to help you with that.” She said as she quickly ran to the door and out. Onii-san... Why? Shinji thought.
“Nggn...” light? Slowly he tries to open his eyes which fluttered as his every effort. “You’re awake?” asked a voice which seems familiar. “Nggnn.....” With all the strength he have, he forced his eyes open and was taken aback when the sight of dazzling lights caught him and blinded him. He quickly shut his eyes in agony. “Hey, are you all right there?” again a voice he knew, so caring and gentle called to him. He then felt a soft and gentle hand touched his forehead. “There, there, slowly now.” Said the voice again. He slowly opened his eyes and was shocked to see what he saw. Sitting beside him, caressing his hair, was the love of his life. Full of beauty and radiance, Aya smiled at him. Reiji didn’t even blink once; he was too absorbed into what he was looking at. When he finally came to his senses, the one thing that he could say was “What are you?”. A puzzled expression came over Aya’s face, but then she straightened up and smiled. “Baka.. I’m Aya Mizuki.” Then she lowers her head and kissed him. He was stunned at the kiss and blushed. “Okairi, Reiji..” she said. Reiji simply looked at Aya, and his gaze fell. “What? No reply? And I don’t even get a kiss back? Geez!” she muttered out loud. Slowly and softly, “Ta..dai..ma...?” he said. Is this for real? I saw Aya died on the hospital bed where she was admitted to. Is this really true?? Thoughts rushed into his head. Aya looked at him and smiled. She then turns around and said “Dinner will be ready in a bit, so u rest till then, okay?” “Okay” was all that he could say. Then she disappeared into the hall as she closed the door behind her, humming her favourite tune. This cannot be real! He thought. The Aya Mizuki I knew was dead!! I was at her funeral! I was there.... I was there!!! Tears then rolled down his cheeks and before he even knows it, he’s crying his heart out, hugging his leg while he sits on the bed. In the corner of his head, he could hear a distant voice. Accept it; didn’t you want Aya to be with you forever? He thought about it. This voice haunted him over and over again till he finally gave in. He wiped the tears off his face and looked around the room he was in. It looked familiar but he couldn’t remember where he was exactly. Then it came to him with a pang. I’m in her room! “Oh my god, I’m an idiot...” he muttered to himself. Slowly, he slips off the bed and walked slowly to the bedroom table. He then noticed a picture frame. He slowly took it and he was shocked to see it was a picture of Aya in a coffin. The picture then slipped through his fingers and fell on the floor, with the frames and glass cover broken to shards and pieces. “NOOOOO!!!!!!” He yelled and his body went numb and he collapsed onto the floor. Looking at the picture, his tears started to flow down his cheeks. “Aya.. gomen..” Slowly, Reiji separated the broken shards with his hands and took up the photograph. He held it close to his heart and whispers “Gomenasai, Aya-chan”. Tears continue to flow down his cheeks and fell off his chin onto the carpeting. Then he snapped.
“AYA!! AYA!!!!!!” Reiji cried out loud, sobbing as he does so. As he still held the photograph close to him. Then all of the sudden, the bedroom door swung open. Aya rushed in, looking exhausted. “Reiji, what happened?” Looking at her, Reiji slowly moved backwards, inches by inches till his back is against the cold hard wall. Staring at her in disbelief, he shook his head. “You’re not Aya.. No! You’re not!!!! You can’t be!!!” he shouted. Aya looked at him, and then tears rolled down her cheeks. “Reiji, I just wanted to be with you.. but you..” she sobbed. Then, Aya started to shiver. Her clothes became wet and soggy as if drenched with an invisible rain. Then she said “Reiji... tasukete..” as blood started to drip from her wet clothes. Reiji was shocked and stunned because of what he was looking at. He became scared as well. She then collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily, occasionally gasping for air. “Reiji, I love you..baka..” as she said that, her eyes slowly closed. Horrified, Reiji rushed to her side. “Aya!! Aya!! Wake up!”While shaking her cold hard body. “AYA!!!!!” he wailed.
“Reiji onii-san! Wake up! What’s wrong?! Onii-san!” shouted Shinji Ryuushin, Reiji’s younger brother. “AYA!!” Reiji shouted, arms outstretched as if to reach for something. His eyes are wide open now, as he just realise that he had woken up from a dream. He noticed he was breathing fast and hard and he was sweating as well. “Reiji onii-san, are you alright?” asked Shinji with concern. “Shinji? Where are we? What are you doing here?” Thousands of questions came rushing into his head all at once. It all came clear to him as he felt the stabbing pain in his abdomen. Yea...I was supposed to be dead now. Why am I here? He turned his head surprised to see Shinji on the verge of tears. “Onii-san!! You’re finally awake.. You’ve been sleeping for a total of 3 days now.. I thought you would die for sure.” He cried out, sobbing loudly. Then he realised. Why am I not dead?! “Shinji! Did you bring me here?!” Reiji shouted. Startled by his brother’s sudden rage, tearing his gaze from his brother, he stammered. “ y- yes, I—I felt like something bad is going to happen to you, so I went to your apartment to check on you” he continued “when I reached there, you were-- you were on the floor with blood around you, so I called the ambulance.” Reiji’s heart literally stopped when he heard what his younger brother had to say and he felt angry. Why did he try to save me?! Why did he come to my rescue?! Why?! Why?!! Shinji looked up to his brother and said “Was it wrong?” That question from Shinji snapped him. Reiji moved out of the bed he was sleeping on and stood despite the pain he felt in his bandaged abdomen. He stood still with clenching fists in front of Shinji. “Onii-san? You shouldn’t be up.. The doctor said your wound would open again if you do.” Shinji said as he looked up to Reiji. “Onii-san??” Reiji clenched his fist even more and with one clean swoop, he punched Shinji right in the face—as hard as he could. “WHY?!! WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?!” Reiji shouted at his younger brother who’s now on the floor with a hand on his nose, which was bleeding. “Onii-san! Why did you hit me?!” Shinji yelled back. Reiji’s body went numb and again he collapsed on the floor, sobbing. “I was suppose to die so that I could meet her in heaven... all I wanted was to be with her.. Is that so much to ask?” Reiji sobbed face buried in his hands. “Onii-san....” was all Shinji could say as he watched his brother’s emotional breakdown. Suddenly the hospital room door swung inwards, “What happened here?? I heard shouti.... Oh my!” The nurse stopped in mid-sentence and quickly rushed to their side. “Hey, are the both of you all right?” she asked. “Here, let me help you up...” she said as she heaved Reiji up onto his bed again. “Now, lie there quietly” she said. “Your wound has opened up again...”. she then turns to Shinji “Are you all right?” she asked while helping him up and made him sit on a chair. “What happened here? Your nose looks like it’s swollen.” She asked. “Nothing much, just your average everyday brotherly squabble, I guess...” he replied as he look at up Reiji. “My, My... hold still while I go get something to help you with that.” She said as she quickly ran to the door and out. Onii-san... Why? Shinji thought.
To be continued...hehehe..^^
Author's Note = This story uses italics to emphasis the situation, but for some reason when I copied and pasted it here, the italics were gone. So, sorry for the confusion if some of the words there seems out of place.
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