Aki said with a frown, 'Are you seriously considering...continuing like this??' Aki asked Reiji who was comfortably sitting on the sofa.
'Oh! Then would you like to continue at my clinic?' Reiji answered with a question.
Aki couldn't answer anymore. True, he doesn't like the atmosphere of a hospital or clinic but that doesn't mean he would turn his office into a treatment center. Ever since then Reiji has been coming here two days every week.
Reiji said, 'If you want we can go outside too. Let's go on a date.'
'Oh please!' Aki tried to continue working.
Aki's work is piling up. Reiji was observing Aki's slim fingers holding a black pen which was writing continuously. Those movements made Reiji focus on Aki's hand, he found that very sensational.
For the time, when Aki didn't let Reiji bother him, that made Aki totally forget that someone was in his room who was devouring Aki through stares. Reiji was sitting on the side of the sofa, yet his presence was invisible to Aki.
The realization made a crack in Reiji's patience. "Is this like, Out of sight, Out of mind?"
'Hm? Did you say something?' He asked Reiji.
Aki felt he heard something so he asked Reiji while working. The response made Reiji startled so he replied with hesitation, 'No..not really…"
"Can he hear my thoughts? I guess…" Reiji tried to verify. Aki was again focused on working. "No!..he can't," Reiji was relieved.
One hour...two hours passed, Reiji was still waiting for Aki in his room.
Reiji can see the presentation hall clearly from Aki's room.
Aki loosens his tie while unbuttoning the upper one and folds up his sleeves. Aki was focused on listening to the presentation but the presenter blushed as he saw Aki do that.
'You little devil! How ignorant you are! He didn't even realize how sexy that was.' Reiji became focused on watching Aki.
Reiji's expression changed suddenly.
'Master Ruan! Pardon my intrusion!' A cloud of black smoke appeared on the balcony.
Reiji's eyes turned yellow as the figure appeared. Reiji was just pretending to read the magazine while saying, 'State your concern.' Reiji puts the book down.
'Lord Ruan has sent a message.' The figure handed out a transparent stone in the middle of the air.
The white smoke inside it was moving. Reiji gestures his finger as if calling something. His gesture pulls out the white mist from the transparent stone. The mist entered the red ring of Reiji's that was in the middle finger. The figure was still there. When Reiji looked at it he started talking, 'Young Master Mei's condition has been exposed to some humans. Young master's mother is worried about…'
'She dared to follow him?!' Reiji's face became dark.
The figure was shaking in fear. He kneeled down at once.
Aki entered just at that moment. He saw the black smoke on his balcony.
'What is that??; Both Reiji and the figure were stunned hearing Aki says that.
Before Aki gets close the black smoke vanishes.
"He is even able to see a mid-rank!" Reiji bit his lips while thinking.
'What was..did you see that? I'm sure this thing follows Joshua.' Aki mumbles
'What?' Reiji frowned
'Ah! Nothing.I guess it's one of my hallucinations.'
Aki explains Joshua is a station master whom Aki knows. Recently when Aki went there, Aki heard scratching sounds and saw a smoke figure behind Joshua talking to Joshua. So Aki had thought maybe Joshua is like Aki.
'So what are you gonna do about it? Prescribe me some vitamins and sleeping pills?' Aki mocked Reiji.
Reiji said with a straight face, 'I told you, I won't be doing that. Your case is different. You are too much bien pensant. You have already accepted that you have to live with it. So…'
Aki interrupted him, 'Well, what I see is not logical to anybody.'
'Just because the majority of us can't see them…' Aki interrupted him with confusion, 'it doesn't mean they don't exist.'
Reiji smiles.
Aki was confused why Reiji was saying the thing Joshua said to him.
'Why you…' Nora knocked and got in when Aki was about to ask Reiji.
'Akkun..we are going to lunch...Reiji-san would you like to join us?' Nora asked.
Reiji smiles and gets up, 'I'm sorry. I have to meet with my mother.'
'Oh! Then next time you must.' Nora leaves.
Aki smiles as finally, Reiji is leaving. 'Mei said you are not tolerant but you waited even when you didn't have to. Do you really have that much free time?'
'No! I don't...but when I do, I just want to spend my time...with you.' Reiji couldn't take his eyes off Aki. Nor did Aki.
The silence breaks with a genuine smile and a pat on Aki's head, 'See you later.'
Aki kept looking at the back of Reiji. When he left Aki went to Ginger, 'He is so much like Joshua.'
He rubbed Ginger with his face and kissed so many times till he got irritated. Aki smiles.
Aki went to lunch with his employee.
Nora sits with him and so does the manager. Others were at the side. They were enjoying lunch. Sometimes they didn't even stop fangirling over Aki. They also talked about Reiji.
'Reiji-san is really very kind. Just like our boss. You guys really have a great bonding.' one of them said.
Aki was surprised to hear that, 'We do? How do you know?!'
'We are just in a patient-doctor relationship. These people seriously…!' Aki smiles while thinking how silly their assumptions are,
'I think it's more than just friendship, the way he looks at our Boss is really…' she tried to say more but Nora said, 'You guys need a demotion!'
Nora was being strict which made Aki laugh. The manager was laughing too but suddenly started coughing after that.
Aki handed him a glass of water, 'Ah! Haru! You shouldn't laugh while eating. Here! Drink this.'
Nora mocked, 'Haru-san is a fan of our boss too.'
Haru became flushed, 'I'm not! He is just a good person. I'm really lucky that I'm surrounded with good people.'
Nora mocked him even more, 'Heh! You followed Akkun like a fan too! Don't deny it now just because you have a wife.'
Haru slapped on her head, 'This girl!!'
Aki ignores their arguments. One of the staff showed a picture and said, 'Haru-san's baby is really cute. Her birthday is coming up next month na, Haru-san?'
Haru smiled while saying his daughter is insisting on having a birthday party and Haru will have to do it this time. She is growing up after all. Aki remembers as Haru mentions that., 'She's turning 5 this year, na?' Haru nodded.
'She was in the same school as Ayan and Aysha then.' Aki said.
Haru said his daughter misses them so much and asked, 'When will they return?;
'At the end of this year, probably.' Aki replied.
When they finished lunch Aki was paying the bills. Everyone was being so chaotic outside the shop. Aki was about to leave but the shop owner called out, 'Aki-san!'
Aki turned back to him.
He was hesitant to speak out, so Aki asked, 'Takaba-san? Please say what you want to say without thinking much.'
He smiles. His daughter has just finished high school and she wants to study further.
'But as you know our financial situation. If you could arrange any part-time job or…'
As Takaba was saying, Aki starts thinking about sponsoring her but Takaba won't feel good if Aki does that. Takaba is a very good person. To think Takaba would ask for help may be hard for him to do.
"I guess I will have to do it his way. I can just sponsor her later. But for now.." Aki said out finally, 'I will hire her myself then. I needed another receptionist. I guess I am in luck today.'
'Thank you, Thank you so much.' He was about to bow but Aki stopped him. 'Please, Takaba-san! You always take care of us like we are your children.. so please…'
'Haru-san!!' Nora's sudden scream interrupted their conversation.
Aki saw Haru was holding his heart in pain. He had crouched down. Aki hurried out.
'Haru! What's wrong!' He couldn't respond to Aki.
'I think it's an attack. Let's take him to the hospital.' Aki looked at Nora and she didn't wait to call a taxi.
Everyone was worried. Aki carried him with Nora, 'Akkun you shouldn't!'
'Leave it, Nora! I'll be fine.' Aki forbade her to talk about Aki's heart condition.
Nora and Aki took Haru inside the cab and they reached the nearest hospital. Others had followed them in different cabs. They went to the emergency. Aki contacted his friend Takashi Matsuda. He came down as soon as he heard, 'Aki..'
Everyone was worried and felt good to see that a doctor came at once in the emergency.
Not a single time was wasted. He checked and came back to inform Aki, 'You were right. It's an attack. We will try our best. Don't worry.'
Everyone was waiting outside while Aki was in front of the emergency room with Nora.
'Thanks to Boss. He was quick to decide. I panicked so much that I couldn't move. Has anyone informed this to his wife?' one of the colleagues asked.
'I did! She will be here soon.' one girl said she did inform.
Aki became momentarily numb. His heartbeat was the only thing he could hear.
He stepped back from the door. Haru was standing behind the doctors who were trying to save him.
Aki clenches his teeth.
He held onto his own heart and breathed out once with tears falling down. Aki couldn't breathe for a while.
Haru looked at Aki.
Their eyes met. Haru's eyes were filled with questions as he kept looking at Aki. He smiled at first seeing Aki but when he noticed Aki's tears. Haru finally understood that he had died. He looked sad but smiled while looking at Aki.
Haru came towards Aki. He began to fade. He stood at the opposite side of the glass door and Aki on the other.
'Aki senpai! So..you were this...special…' Aki closed his eyes as he heard his name being called by Haru.
Aki clenched his fist more tightly.
Nora was standing behind watching from there. Haru's wife arrived and Nora went and took Haru's daughter to the side. The wife was crying, touching the door from the outside in front of Aki. Haru was watching his wife cry, 'I never thought I would leave this early. I guess we can do nothing about it. There is a...crayon color set inside my pocket...please...give them to my daughter..'
Haru bowed in the most polite way.
Aki's tears didn't stop and he bowed back in the same way, holding his own heart.
The staff was confused why Aki was bowing. Nora somehow understood why Aki was bowing like that. 'So, He..he's gone…'
Everyone couldn't believe what they were hearing. Takashi came out and said something to the wife. The wife went in crying. Takashi saw Aki like that. He made Aki stand up from the bow and wiped his tears, 'We tried our best but there was nothing we could do.'
Aki went in. Everyone came to see. Aki wiped his tears again and stood in front of Haru's dead body. It felt like he was still alive, except for the extremely pale lips which remind him that he had passed away. The bare chest of Haru's didn't have any heartbeat anymore but still had the warmth that the wife was grabbing onto crying.
Aki pats her head but couldn't say any words.
Aki went to the other side and put his hand inside the pocket of Haru's.
The wife couldn't understand what Aki was doing but when he pulled out a crayon box she started crying again seeing them. Aki held his breath in and got out. He stops at where Nora was standing carrying the daughter in her embrace.
Aki bent down a bit and touched the kid's head to face her, 'Your father...wanted to...to give you this.'
The girl took the crayon box. Aki kissed her forehead and went out instantly without looking back anymore. He went back to his office. When he entered he saw the room where Haru used to stay.
Empty…
Haru will not be there again. Aki tried to inhale air again. He could not tolerate it anymore,so he took Ginger then went back home.
He cried while driving.
In the rearview, he thought he saw someone in the backseat. He pulled on a break suddenly and looked back. No one was there. Aki looked in front and started driving, wiping his tears.
Reiji was relieved to know that his invisible mode was working, "I think, I shouldn't have done this. A person who is this kind-hearted,can't be a threat.
He was in the back seat silently watching Aki. Nora called while he was driving. He received it and put it on loudspeaker mode, 'Akkun! Are you ok?'
Aki didn't answer.
'I still can't believe Haru-san is not…' Nora suppressed her tears.
'His family members have come and want to take him home. The funeral..will be..will be tomorrow. We are thinking of helping them as well.'
'I understand.' He cut the call.
He got out with Ginger when he arrived home. Reiji followed him too. Ginger jumped down when he entered the room. Ginger lay down on the bed.
Aki went to the washroom and washed hand. Taking off the contact lenses he splashed his face with water. He got drenched, so he undid the tucking of his shirt. His hair was wet. He brushed them back with his fingers. Aki stares at the mirror for a while. Reiji was watching everything from the room. The phone rang. He got out from there and received it while lying down.
'Aki! Where are you?' Noah asked.
'Home.' Aki answered.
'Ok! I'm coming.'Noah said.
'Don't... I'll...I will sleep...Noah didn't say anything but agreed.
'I will see you tomorrow then.' Noah cut the call.
Aki lay down for a while but couldn't sleep. He covered his eyes with his elbow and stayed like that.
A whole night passed without a blink of sleep. Reiji left at the break of dawn.
When it was morning, he pulled himself out from the bed, showered, and brought out a black suit from the closet.
It was the second time this month that he had to wear this. Mei's death anniversary was at the beginning of this month and now this is in the end. He left Ginger at home.
'Sorry, Ginger! I can't take you there. You will have to stay alone today.' Aki said to Ginger.
Aki didn't take his car because he knows he is not in the state to drive. When he stepped out of his building he saw Noah and Takashi were waiting for him. One glance at him and they can tell Aki didn't sleep nor has eaten anything. Noah didn't say anything because Noah too couldn't bring himself to eat anything. Haru was their junior after all.
They had known each other since junior high. Aki silently got in without asking. Noah was driving and Takashi was in the front seat. Aki sat in the back.
'Some fellow juniors of mine will be coming here to the funeral. Haru's cousin is a friend of theirs, that's why.' Takashi said.
'Oh! Which one was it? I can't remember.' Noah asked.
'The delinquent one, Shun. He is Ayush's friend as well.' Takashi answered.
'Oh! That one. Can't believe he is a doctor now. What a kid he was!' Noah said.
Aki was looking out. Couldn't say anything. When they arrived Aki wasn't getting out. Noah understood and gave him a minute.
Takashi frowned while saying, 'That's... Dr. Re...What is he doing here?'
Aki noticed Reiji was talking with one of his staff. He wore a proper black suit too. Aki has never seen him in black. So this Reiji felt totally different to him.
Noah said, 'He is Aki's acquaintance.'
Takashi was surprised, 'Aki's acquaintance yet he is attending the funeral of his friend! Quite surprising!'
Noah was surprised when Takashi said that Tsubaki Re was a senior in their university. One of Kyoto's amazing talents. Rarely they could see him.
'I heard he was not that much sociable. So how come he is here!' Takashi seriously couldn't believe it.
'Just know that he is a junior of Aki's mother. That's how they know each other.' Noah tried to calm down Takashi's interest.
Aki got out and they went in.
Reiji saw them. They bowed to Reiji. Reiji greeted them back. The funeral began.
After praying, Aki, Noah, and Haru's brothers took the coffin to the graveyard which belonged to Haru's family. They all gathered for the final blessing. As the Priest was blessing Aki heard a siren sound in his ear.
He covered his ear with one hand and closed his eyes to control it.
When he opened his eyes, Haru was standing far away in the yard under a tree. He was transparent but Aki could see clearly.
Reiji followed Aki's stare and looked to where Aki was looking. He could see nothing.
Noah was standing beside Aki on the left while Reiji was on the right.
'Shun! He was the guy I was talking about.' one of the doctors whispered seeing Aki.
'Aki senpai? No way…'Shun frowned.
'Believe me! I saw him do ritsurei to Haru-san before he was dead as if he knew we won't be able to save him. We couldn't even say if he was dead or not by then. We were trying to save him but he…'
'Shut it! Maybe he was bowing to the doctors so that they gave their best. Don't make Aki senpai seem weird. He is a good person.' Shun shuts him up,
'We saw it too. Our boss was really doing a ritsurei while crying. I heard he has odd eye colors. Maybe he can see the dead.' the staff of Aki's was saying and tagged along with the doctors.
'I'm sorry…but I have known him...your boss ...all my life. I know how he is. And moreover, I'm a doctor and we believe in logic rather than assumption. There is nothing wrong with his eyes.' Shun got really irritated.
Aki could hear all those talks. Reiji looked back at the boy that was standing beside Shun. He was unable to stand as soon their eyes met. He was petrified just from the look on Reiji's face,' Shit! What kind of creepy funeral is this. I shouldn't have come.'
Reiji smiled to hear the thought of that boy. Aki was troubled but tried to maintain himself. He is used to it. His abnormalities are very much normal to him.
Noah suddenly holds Aki's hand. Aki didn't do anything. He was expressionless. Noah kept holding the palm. Reiji noticed Noah holding Aki's hand and felt irritated.
Everything was over.
His traces became intangible.
'Reiji!' Aki finally spoke up.
Aki gestures to Reiji to go with him. Noah didn't understand anything so he asked, 'Where are you going?'
'Somewhere...I will see you all later.'Aki walked slowly towards the exit.
Reiji followed Aki silently.
Aki got on the bus and Reiji followed. They went to the train station where Aki usually comes.
'I don't take the train from the main station. There is my home in the opposite area after crossing the railway. I have good, bad memories which are related to this road, this area, the school. Everything,' Reiji was following behind Aki while listening to him.
Aki watched the time on his wristwatch.
08:04 pm.
They stopped at the platform.
"You could have gone home by bus or car, why do you have to come here? I hope I don't get to see Joshua now." Reiji kept thinking.
'You were right...I always tend to apologize, I tend to accept everything easily, including my delusions. That is also a disease. But If I'm really delusional then how can I see the deceased?' Aki stopped walking after he said that, and so did Reiji.
Aki Turned to face Reiji,' What do you call this disease which is much like reality?'
Reiji didn't answer
'Schizophrenia? Where one can hallucinate, have delusions?' Aki's expression saddens.
Aki sighs then continue, 'But tell me how do I delude myself?!! Even, I think, it's impossible to prove that what I am seeing is real, but it's happening. How much should I deny?'
Reiji finally speaks up, 'Why do you want to deny!?'
Aki smiles in disbelief, 'It's not normal. I'm different from others.'
Reiji sighs then say, ''Being different is not a disease. Paranormal existence is real. Not believing them is ok but denying them would be a foolish choice.'
'Would you believe if I say there will be a train on 08:08 and that will leave exactly at 08.09??' As soon as Aki was finished, the train arrived exactly like how Aki said.
Reiji kept staring at Aki. Aki looked down at the ground as the wind blew towards them.
Aki's hair covered half of Aki's face as the wind touched him. Reiji arranged Aki's hair on its former position while saying, 'I would believe whatever you say with an earnest heart.'
Aki got confused. Reiji didn't answer if he could see them or not. Aki didn't want to ask again as well. But he knew he would answer the same and Reiji's words were true.