Sakura-hana


The snow fell gently, lightly dusting his felt overcoat, looking like powdered sugar. He closed his eyes, and put his hands in his pockets, leaning sideways on the gnarled old cherry tree.

/Hnn ... the blossoms .../

He sighed quietly. He opened his brown eyes and looked up at the moon hazily. A lone tear slid cruelly down his cheek. He choked back a sob as he slid to his knees. His hands, trembling with emotion, rose to hide his face from the harsh wintry breeze.

* * * * * *

His feet left deep prints in the new snow as he quickly left the hospital's confines. He winced inwardly as he saw the broken figure at the foot of the cherry tree directly in front of him. He softly padded over and knelt next to the silently sobbing man. He stroked back his hair.

/If only I could say something .../

The man suddenly wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his shoulder. The man sobbed uncontrollably, shaking hard. He comforted him, consoling as best he could.

/Why can't I help him now, when he needs it most? Aren't I his best friend? ... Well ... I guess that there are some things that cannot be consoled .../


* * * * * *

Die kept his arms around Kaoru, and hardly noticed when Kyo and Toshiya came running out of the hospital. He faintly heard them crying softly and talking to the violet-haired man.

* * * * * *

"We ... we just heard ... that ... that ..." Toshiya choked out.

Kyo comforted him, but let his tears run freely down his cheeks as he wiped away the bassist's.

"Is he okay?" Kyo kicked himself internally.

/What a stupid question .../

"How ... how is he?"


Kaoru was silent for a moment. "I don't really know. I think he just needs us to be here now." He looked at them. "I think we all need it."

They saw a tear slide down his high cheek-bones. They nodded sadly, agreeing. All three of them wrapped their arms around Die, and four hearts broke with the force of the sadness that the night had brought into their lives.

* * * * * *

Die's thoughts strayed, going back to that beautiful summer day. He saw the auburn-haired beauty walk over and introduce himself. He held out his hand shyly, and ducked his head.

"I'm Terachi Shinya. What's your name?"

Die heard himself mumble an answer as he lost himself in those beautiful hazel eyes.

* * * * * *

His thoughts zoomed forward in time, stopping once again an a summer day. He could smell the cherry blossoms that floated around him as he sat on the bench next to Shinya. He looked into those pools of liquid jade, brown rippling throughout them. He lifted his hand to the auburn-haired one's face and smiled softly.

"Aishiteru, Shin-chan," He whispered quietly.

"Aishiteru, Die," the young man replied, pulling Die closer to him, and closing his eyes sweetly.

* * * * * *

His thoughts slammed him back into the reality of what had happened.

He had received a phone call earlier that evening from Kaoru. Shinya had been in an accident. He stiffened. What kind of accident? A car wreck. He closed his eyes and shuddered in dread. Kaoru gave him the hospital's address and told him to meet him there in ten minutes.

As soon as he got there, he found Kaoru. They went to the ER waiting room, waiting for any news they could get.

Suddenly, a doctor strode out, and spotting them, asked them if they were here for a young man named Shinya. They confirmed. The doctor informed them that Shinya's injuries were just too deep.

"We lost him," he reluctantly announced, and left the two together to grieve.

All Die could remember was the cold air hitting his face as he strode outside, blind with pain.

He knew the others were there, but nothing could soothe the pain he felt. His heart had been broken, shattered to pieces, and he felt as if he was dying.

"Ai ... aishiteru, koi ... aishiteru ... " he sobbed, his voice cracking as he mumbled softly.

The Moon slowly set on the four men, three of which were trying desperately to pull Die into the car before he froze to death in the snow beneath that old gnarled cherry tree.

* * * * * *

Soft pink cherry blossoms littered the pure white snow, falling from the crimson-haired man's hands as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground.

"Aishiteru," he mumbled as a tear entered the grave silently.

~OWARI~






by: Rachel
back to deg fics pg 4