WARNING: This part contains lime!
Deep in the ocean, a stone statue laid on the sands covered by seaweed and other salt water plants growing around. The statue did not seem to be corroded enough by the ocean water because every lines and curves carved out a few thousand years ago can still be seen. Suddenly a strong current started pulling at the stone figure and what had snagged the statue on the ocean bed let go.
Rukawa Kaede waved his baton, efficiently directing his orchestra to a colourful composition of his art. The piece was a masterful combination of classical and modern music and the effect was strengthened by a play of laser lights that the audience was dazzled by it. He turned his head slightly to the side to let his sharp hearing catch for any mistakes of tones or timing, not looking specifically at any group when suddenly his sight was blinded by a vision other than the group of professional musicians playing intently in front of him. It was the vision of a stone figure about to rise up to the surface of the murky ocean.
Slowly the figure drifted up...
Rukawa's concentration was disturbed as he kept seeing the alien image in his eyes. Fortunately, his practiced hands was able to keep on moving to the familiar beat of the music even as he was trying to comprehend on what was happening to him.
... cutting through the salt water with ease as it ascended...
Although the music was loud in his ears, the vision still visible in his eyes muddled his senses that he felt like going crazy - that only the stone figure which was slowly rising up from the watery depth is the only clear thing in his mind.
... up and up and up...
Rukawa's movements became frenzied following the faster beat and, unbeknowest to the crowd his motions were also fueled by the rising of the stone statue still clouding his vision and mind.
... the statue suddenly surged out of the water with a burst of pressure, sending out sprays of salt water and small waves along the ocean...
The audience sitting entranced as they listened to the concert was surprised by the sudden shout erupting from the stage. The musicians stopped their play as they watched their conductor who had shouted a few moments ago, now standing motionless on the stage, his eyes closed and the baton held high. Puzzled murmers among the musicians and also among the audience did not prompt any movements from the dark haired man as he remained still on the stage. Suddenly, a woman from the audience jumped up from her seat and ran quickly onto the stage, the echoing sound of her shoes clear in the hall, to grab at the unmoving man and began shaking him.
"Kaede! Kaede!" she cried out shaking him harder. Then she shrieked as the man fell to the floor, bringing her along with him.
"Kaede!" she cried in fright.
The statue floated lazily on the surface of the ocean as the sun's rays kissed it for the first time in a millenia. Finally, it was free...
*****************************************************
The cold wind blew bittingly in the air, slapping the twigs in the trees and howling through cracks or holes in all the houses in ancient China. However, the two lovers inside a small house laying together on a warm bed did not feel at all chilled as they embraced. Candlelight flickered gently inside paper lanterns, casting soft shadows on the stone weather-worn walls. The wooden windows rattled a little by the gust of wind, but the couple paid no heed.
After thoroughly kissing his partner on the lips, the dark-haired man trailed his mouth along the redhead's cheek before stopping at the jaw. As he started kissing and nibbling his lover at the place below the ear, the redhead asked, "Hey, can you do me a favour?"
"What?" the dark-haired man said distractedly.
"Say to me: If you die, I'll follow you for I do not fear the loneliness of death."
"What brought this about?" the dark-haired man asked, propping himself on his elbow.
The redhead played with his lover's fingers that was still splayed on his chest as he mumbled, "Well, you see, with your job with the emperor I'm afraid... mmph!"
The dark-haired man stopped his forceful kiss, looking at the only person who meant so much to him. Other people normally sees the young man beneath him as loud, brash, arrogant and childish but at moments like this the redhead revealed an uncertain and emotional side which made the dark-haired man love him dearly. The man gave the redhead a dragging kiss along the jaw before opening his mouth to whisper, "If you die, I'll follow you for I do not fear the loneliness of death."
"Thank you." The redhead smiled. "Then we will be a pair of beautiful spirits."
To the young man's surprise, his dark-haired lover shook his head. "No. I don't want to be a beautiful spirit. I like flesh and blood. I love the feeling of being inside your flesh. That is real."
The redhead's puzzled expression vanished as he blushed and looked into his lover's beautiful blue fox eyes. "And I love the feeling of having you inside me. Flesh or spirit."
The dark-haired man then started kissing him again, finding his way back to the redhead's mouth. As he kissed the redhead passionately on the lips, his hand wormed its way inside the folds of the redhead's clothes.
"You wear too much," the dark-haired man complained as his hand continued its task seperating the redhead's multiple layer of clothing. The redhead grinned, wanting to snicker or tease at his lover but instead he moaned as he felt a warm hand starting to caress his nipple.
Hanamichi groaned as he lay writhing on the bed, feeling pleasure course through his veins. His breathing grew more heavy when he suddenly woke up with a start. Looking around him he realised that he is in his house, in his own bed, the clock beside the table showing that it is nearly twelve in the afternoon.
The feeling of those hands and mouth all over his body from the dream still lingered strongly in his concious mind that he felt the need to clean himself. Jumping out of bed, he went hurriedly into the bathroom and turned the shower on. After stripping quickly out of his pajamas, he stood under the jet of warm water furiously scrubbing his eyes, his mouth, his neck and his chest - all the places on his body which the strange man in his dream had kissed and touched him intimately.
I love the feeling of being inside your flesh. That's real...
The redhead shivered, wondering why those words spoken by that man in his dream does not repulse him as he thought it should.