STRANGERS NOW

Dedication: For Jun and the rest of the Kooky 12.2

--

He was lucky he was sitting down on the ground. The voice at "Micchy. Micchy! Are you ok? Answer me!" It slowly faded away as Mitsui dropped the phone to the ground.

He was silent as his hands tightened into fists and he buried his head into his hands. A moment later, the apartment rang with a howl of anguish.

Kogure told himself to be firm and not waver. Yet, the desolate look on Mitsui's face made him hesitate. "Are you alright, Mitsui? What did you want to see me for?" Kogure said stiffly as he approached the lone figure standing against the wall of the school gym. 

Mitsui was about to clutch Kogure in his arms and relieve his pain when he was struck by the unfamiliar feeling of distance. "Mitsui...? It makes us sound so apart."

Nevertheless, Mitsui reached out for Kogure, "Min-kun, I need to tell you something...I...my..." Mitsui broke down into tears. He held Kogure tightly in his arms as sobs racked through his lean frame. Kogure never returned the embrace. Mitsui's arm went around Kogure's slim waist as he pulled him close, desperate for some release of his pent-up emotions.

Kogure slowly pushed Mitsui away as he struggled out of Mitsui's unyielding hug. "I'm sorry about your mother..."Kogure began calmly. Mitsui started wordlessly at Kogure. "Don't be surprised. After Sakuragi found out about your mother's accident in America, he called me immediately before he called you."

Mitsui's mind fought to register everything. He knew that Sakuragi and Rukawa were living together abroad in America for half a year and about his mother's unfortunate death in the gruesome car accident had made headlines in the US papers. Last month, his mother had even begged him to join her in America. But he had decided to stay put all because of Kogure.

"Sakuragi wanted me to tell you." Kogure mentioned. Mitsui was stunned, "Why didn't you? Why weren't you the one? If you had been the one to tell me..."

Utterly confused, Mitsui took Kogure's hand. Kogure jerked it away pointedly and replied curtly, "Because I didn't want to."

Hurt and slight resentment prompted Mitsui to ask the fateful question, "Why?"

"I don't want anything to do with you anymore." Kogure said flatly.

"What? Min-kun...whatšs wrong?" Mitsui searched Kogure's blank face for a much-needed explanation. Kogure faltered slightly before hardening his resolve and replying resolutely, "Takenori wants me to join him in Australia."

These words wounded Mitsui more than the cuts inflicted on him during all those past gang fights. He struggled wildly for control as he grabbed Kogure's wrist on impulse, "Takenori? Akagi Takenori?"

"Yes." Was the point-blank answer.

"So that's why you have been ignoring my calls and breaking our dates." Mitsui gritted his teeth and stated.

"I'm tired of your dark past and your behavior as if everyone owes you something! Takenori can offer me more security and happiness. Why should I stay with you?" Kogure spat out defiantly.

Mitsui had never seen his koi raise his voice at anyone. Much least himself.

"This must me some kinda sick joke ain't it?"Mitsui's weak grin disappeared at the deadpan expression on Kogure's face remained unchanged.

He gripped Kogure's shoulders' and shook him hard. "Don't treat me like some kinda stranger! Talk to me like before! Please!"

He was rudely shoved aside and crumpled to the ground, tears falling.

Kogure brushed imaginary dust off himself and said carelessly, "Goodbye, I doubt we will be seeing each other again."

Mitsuišs head snapped up. He hissed, "No way. There's no way you are gonna live with that fuckin' Akagi together...You are such a cold bastard...don't you remember the times we had been so close?"

A flicker of fear and apprehension flashed across Kogure's features. "What do you want?" he said shakily as Mitsui advanced menacingly towards him.

Backing away, he stumbled and fell. "Get away from me!" he screamed as Mitsui's hands closed around his neck. A hand clamped forcefully across his mouth and his eyes widened in horror as Mitsui let out a cold smirk and withdrew a sharp blade from his pocket. 

"You shall die...I will not give you a fucking chance to be with your damn lover...goodbye, Min-kun." Mitsui brought the blade up. A sharp kick in the gut made him wince and drop the blade.

Wrenching himself out of Mitsui's grip, Kogure dived for the blade. He knocked and pinned Mitsui down, raised the blade and plunged it straight into Mitsui's stomach.

He pulled out the blade and stabbed Mitsui hard again.

The look on Mitsui's face haunted him. One of pure agony, wounded pride and pain. Kogure dropped the blade onto the ground as Mitsui whispered...

"I love you, Min-kun...Thank you for ev...everything..." Mitsui's eyes closed, never to be opened again

.

Kogure breathed heavily as he stared at his blood-stained hands and the dark liquid splattered around them. He lowered his head and cradled Mitsui in his arms, rocking the both of them gently as he murmured inaudible words softly.

He kissed Mitsui on the lips a final time.

The blood stench in the gym would linger.

Trudging up to the school building's rooftop, Kogure took a moment to appreciate the cool night atmosphere and the few stars left in his night sky. He approached the edge of the rooftop. Climbing up the wall barrier, Kogure let out a hollow laugh, "Hisashi, I did love you...before..."

He did not hang back as he shut his eyes and jumped.

--

Inspired By``(*): Hitom'šs "Is It You?" and a1šs "One Last Song"

For Jun and the rest of the Kooky 12.2

[Also for the Ko-seme no Miko, Kimi-chan and AkaMitKo no Miko, Hana.]