With a beautiful move one after another. One leg up and the other right under, he mimicked every movement his mentor made. Exactly like a mirror, a reflection of one's actions.
His white hair, like snow wasn't tied up in a ponytail like it was when we arrived.
A spin after another, he danced as if he was a goddess. An enticing, beautiful yet dangerous feeling lingered around me as he danced in front of me. His skinny, alluring body moved as if being controlled, precisely to its desire.
After almost half an hour, that moment finally concluded. It felt so fast, like it slipped past my memory. Why do I feel like I would only be able to witness this performance once in a lifetime?
"Kaede?"
A flash of memory, Haruki.. came back to me as I heard my name being called so intimately again.
I've lost my mood again, I'm supposed to be happy right now.. actually, I don't really know what to feel. Haruki, I should be happy that I now know what he felt, but I do still feel a lot of resentment towards him.
"Kaede?"
I got back to my senses as I felt my shoulder being poked while someone called me by my name again.
I turned to my side to see Hibiki, looking at me with a look I've never seen on his face before. Seemingly excited about something.. this is the first time I've ever seen him, excited, I guess.
"What did you think?" He asked in his usual monotone voice despite his face looking all cute. "Did I do great? Say something."
"Yes, yes! You did good, haha!" I said as I ruffled his hair, he didn't even do anything but accept it.
I wanted to compliment and praise him more but those reckless words I just said made it awkward. I just smiled at him.
"You seem happy." He replied. I was caught off guard by his sudden words, the thought that he probably never even saw me this happy even once. I thought I've already given him a few smiles before?
Looking at Hibiki like this, his face and neck, shined upon by a cut of small light. His beautiful features, his eyes, nose and lips looked perfect. Like how he was back then.. but he hated that perfect figure of a lie.
He hated how 'perfect' he was so he destroyed it, but why does it look like he's still perfect in my eyes?
A few hours passed by observing Hibiki, and only Hibiki upon his stage. His practice has finally ended for the day. For some reason, I didn't really get bored like I expected.
"Let's go." Hibiki called out to me who was already fixing his shoelaces.
I nodded as I walked towards him.
It has been long enough, since I've been with him. I want to be with him for a while.
"Hiki." I said, calling out his attention towards me. "Beach."
"Beach?"
⁰-⁰
"Beach.." Hibiki uttered as his eyes glowed for a second, looking out my car's open window. His hair, pushed back by the wind. He looks excited..
"Thought you wanted to go the beach." I stretched my neck since it felt stiff.
He responded with a sound of agreement. "It's been so long.. thanks. You really remembered that?"
"Of course." I said with a smile.
After a few minutes, I finally stopped my car and we ran to the seashore. Hibiki played in the waters for a bit while I just sat there looking at him. He ran back beside me though.
"Hey, look at your pants it's wet now." I said, as I squeezed out the water from his pants.
"It's fine." He responded, acting confused with his face. He do know that doesn't work on me right?
I patted on the ground beside me, signalling him to sit down. He did so.
"Hey Hiki." I called out as I looked into the distance. The sun has already descended from the sky and only the moonlight lit up the shore.
"Yes?" Hiki said back. I don't dare to turn and look at him. Becau- "Actually Kaede, this reminds me. It looked like this when he made a promise with me too."
"Yamamoto?" I questioned.
"Yes, I still remember it well. He said that as long as waves, small or strong would signify his love for me. What a stupid man is he? How would he even love me after death?" He giggled a little but his voice turned serious. "Liar."
I turned to look at him. Hibiki's looking up in the sky, left hand trying to hide his face yet his.. tears still found a way to fall down.
"What are these? Tears.. why? I really can't understand myself. I thought that I didn't care that much for him.. but I guess I did, after all I wouldn't be this deep into this right now, right?"
I can't understand anything that he said, especially the last part. But asking about it isn't the right time.
I patted his head as he tried his best to wipe off his tears, looking to the side, hiding his face. "What do you see right now, Hibiki."
He stopped wiping his face to look at me. "What?"
"How do you see the world?" If I were to be asked this question, I'd say it's dark.. or dull? The world just looks so lifeless..
"Dead." His sudden answer took my attention. We looked at each other straight in the eye, his eyes looked so dead. As if it has experienced every tragedy in his life. "This world must be dead if it's this dark."
I smiled at him then played down my head on his lap. His tears that hadn't stopped dripped down my face, as he looked down at me. "I understand.. I understand you very well."
We just sat there for a few hours. Hibiki crying his eyes out, not that I understand why he finally regained some of his emotions but we did just sit there.
My eyes, closed the whole time. Listening to the waves crashing, and to Hibiki's sobs that both overcame my senses.
Shouldn't I be crying too right now? I've lost my love, my mom and 'Hibiki' but.. it's better to forget, at least for now. Hibiki needs me.
I woke up to my head aching. I don't know how but I woke up here inside the car. Hibiki, hugging me tightly as we laid back on the backseat. I carefully left his side to start driving in front.
Nothing good ever happens, both for me and him.. but it's fine. We have each other.
⁰-⁰
-HIBIKI-
Someone once told me that the only way to mature is not by age but experience, I don't remember exactly who did though.
"This pink teddy bear, take it."
I ignored her, my mother's words and pulled the grey colored stuffed toy into my embrace. She punched my face, making me sit there on the shop's floor in shock.
I was a child. Why did she do that?
"Yes mother." I replied.. obediently.
Ring
That's all that I remembered before I woke up to my head ringing along with this memory, a fragment of my past. I really didn't have a pleasant childhood.
Hm?
I looked around to see that I'm already back in my apartment. Looks like nothing has changed ever since that time I almost got shot here, except for the door that now has holes from gunshots.
"They didn't even tell anything to the landlord?" I asked myself as I got out of bed.
I just finished fixing my bed when I felt like I forgot something.. Kade. Where's Kade? Oh yeah, he's back at the hotel. Kaede probably brought me here because he thought that I'm still staying here.
I quickly left after eating a sandwich I made that was still on the fridge to go back to the hotel. When I arrived and opened the door, Kade greeted me with loud meows, headbutting my feet as I walked inside.
"Did you miss me?" I asked her as I blinked slowly while staring into her eyes. "Hm, of course you did."
Ting
My phone notified me as I have Kade her food and drink. I checked it and opened the message. It's from Xyla saying, "Let's meet at the last cafe." Last? Where she and Asami met?
I quickly left then and there after kissing Kade goodbye. I do feel bad because I keep leaving her but I don't really have a choice.
⁰-⁰
"Why is she here again?!" Xyla, who's sitting with her legs crossed beside me whispered.
And Asami.. yet again sits in front of us. Sitting elegantly with her eyes closed, sipping on her coffee. "I can clearly hear you." She sighed as she looked up onto nothing.
"What do you want now, make it quick." Xyla said while cracking her fingers one by one.
"Sure." Asami calmly replied with a smile, a hand propped on her chin looking straight at me with those eyes that seemed to glow red. I couldn't continue looking straight at her eyes for some reason, so I just looked outside as the rain poured. "Weak.. anyway back to what I have to say."
Xyla sipped on her tea. "Finally."
"The things I've said before when we met here wasn't to make you do something. Actually.. I wanted you to stop, we want you to stop." Asami said in a soft yet formal tone. "Give up."
"Hibiki," Xyla called out, taking my attention to look at her. "Last time you said that you wanted to continue, do you still want to now? It's too dangerous."
I can't read anything in both Asami and Xyla's eyes, they're both so similar yet different in many ways.. both their presence is equally heavy but the way they act is the complete opposite.
I don't know what to answer though. What can I do.. I'm not good at communicating. If I were to not lie to myself then I'm scared. I don't know how, when and where it started to linger but I'm scared, but what am I scared of exactly?
"Okay."
I guess I was too naive, thinking that I can save Haru myself when I'm completely unaware of everything that is happening. In the end, just like Asami said. I am weak. Having feelings makes me weak, or maybe it's the realization that makes me feel weak.
The rain is really pretty.
"Hey Hibiki.." I looked back at Asami as I heard her voice, only to see her with an emotionless face, laughing without restraint behind those scarlet eyes. "What are you so scared of?"