Work Text:
Amidst a storm, a scream pierces the dark sky—
“Why is this happening!! Answer me, EICHI!”
It's raining heavily. The sky is filled with dark clouds, and strong winds batter a figure walking slowly with a wet body.
Keito can barely hear or sense anything except his own shaking breath, slowly moving without any awareness of his surroundings. He simply continues on without a destination, despite the blood seeping into his clothes from Eichi’s lifeless body in his arms.
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Keito sighs and puts down his pen, filing away the finished paperwork into his desk. He must’ve lost track of time while working again; even his back ached from sitting at his desk since the end of classes. At this time of night, there’s almost never anyone around besides him — recently, it seems like even his unit members want to go home earlier, but despite his efforts, there’s still a lot of paperwork to be completed soon. Even though they’d won the war, there is still a mountain of work to do to enforce order in the school.
He hopes Eichi will take care of himself, at least — after all, he’d exhausted himself fighting against the oddballs. He’d fought to the end valiantly; the protagonist of a story he’d created himself.
He stretches his arms and exhales in exhaustion — he has been working since morning, but he doesn’t complain. He needs to be stronger for himself, for Eichi, and for the world they created together.
Night has already fallen, and as he looks out the window, he takes his phone from his pocket to check the time: it's past nine, and he should be getting home. With his phone still in his hand, he decides to call Eichi to see how he is doing, but when he does, there is no response — Keito hopes that he’s sleeping. He’d been planning to visit Eichi to check on him before going home — after all, their houses are near enough to each other. Their families have a strong bond, so it isn’t out of the norm for them to visit each other at night or even have a sleepover together. Eichi had always seemed so excited whenever Keito would come to see him — his pure smile is everything he needs in his entire life.
He stands and collects his belongings, looking at the window again. It seems like it will rain soon. He takes a deep breath before he picks up his bag and heads toward the entrance. Even though it seems like nobody is at school, the light from a handful of classrooms and the moon still illuminates his way along the road.
Just as he’s about to leave the building, he hears a strange voice coming from the sky, and when he lifts his head, curious to where it’d come from, he sees something fall from the sky.
It hits the ground hard, making a loud noise. Blood spills out from the body, some of it splattering onto Keito’s face. Unconsciously, Keito moves to the body lying in front of him with slow, fearful steps without any concern for the rain that begins to fall on him. His eyes widen, his mind blanking when he sees Eichi’s face. He doesn’t have time to process what had happened, his time had stopped moving.
Keito shouts his name and kneels beside him. He feels his whole body tremble, tension rising when he can't feel Eichi breathing against the hand Keito puts to his face. He tries to scream, but no response escapes his throat. Tears start streaming from his face, and he can feel his heart beating fast as he tries to call an ambulance, but his trembling hands drop the phone into a nearby puddle of water. Fear rises inside him, but there is no time to think — he has to do something or he will lose Eichi forever. The idea of losing Eichi consumes his mind, filling his body with fear.
Will everything end just like that? Is he not going to see Eichi again? No! I will protect him, he thinks; I promised him that I would let him live long enough to see our dream become true, to see him smile again. He decides to carry Eichi to the hospital by himself. His body still trembles, and with his shaking legs it’s hard to get up, but all he can think about is to take Eichi to the hospital as soon as possible, or at least somewhere where someone could help. The rain is still pouring, but it doesn’t concern Keito as he continues to walk with slow and shaking steps. He stops for a moment as a memory pops into his mind suddenly.
“Don’t tell me!”
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“Those birds fly without any concern about the rest of the world! Good for them.” He puts his hand on his chin and looked at the windows with cold blue eyes. “It would be nice to be reborn as a bird.” He hums sadly.
Keito snorts, immediately placing the paper on his table and moving to the windows to stand with his lover. Some small birds are flying around and perching on a tree — nothing impressive. He looks in Eichi’s direction.
“What’s the matter? Is there something troubling you?” Keito said, worried that something bothering Eichi -Since nearly every time Eichi gets philosophical, there will be trouble afoot. Eichi just turns and smiles at him, lazily standing by the windows as he traces idle shapes on the glass with a finger.
“Do you think, if I jumped and died…” He pauses. “Would I be reborn as a bird?” He looks at Keito.
‘’Huh?”
“I mean,” Eichi looks at him, somehow childlike but unable to mask the sadness in his eyes, “wouldn’t it be much more enjoyable to become another creature and live a— Ouch, ouch!” Keito pinches his nose before he can complete his sentence.
“Don’t be stupid!” Keito tightens his pinch on Eichi’s nose. “There’s nothing such as reincarnation! And besides, stop with your stupid jokes, and let’s get back to work!” He hands him some papers. “Here! We don’t have time for idle chat. Remember, our fight hasn’t ended yet!”
“How boring.” Eichi pouts, then looks out at the window again. “But isn’t that better than life with pain?”
“Eichi!!” Keito’s voice is filled with concern as he places his hand onto Eichi’s shoulder. “Are you okay? We can take a small break.”
Eichi laughs.
“What’s so funny?”
“No, it’s nothing! I’m okay.” He moves to his desk. “We should finish our work soon.”
“Are you sure?”
Eichi gives him a smile. “Don’t underestimate me! And…” He shifts his gaze to the papers sadly.
“Thank you.”
Silently, they both continue working.
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Keito remembered that there had been a time when Eichi had joked about suicide and death. He had been worried about it, but Eichi had assured him that it was nothing. Still, he doesn't believe Eichi was actually planning on going through it.
He’s scared and frustrated — why would Eichi commit suicide? Why would he jump from the roof?! They’d won the war after so many sacrifices and grief — was it too much for Eichi to handle? In the first place, where was I? I was beside him all this time, and yet I didn’t notice anything! It’s my fault!. Lost in thought, Keito kneels down.
Keito starts to scream, as he brings Eichi's forehead to his own.
“I’m sorry, Eichi! Please open your eyes!”
“K-Keito.”
Keito lifts his head as soon as he hears Eichi’s low voice.
Eichi slowly opens his eyes, looking up at Keito with a soft, sad expression. He coughs, vomiting blood onto Keito’s clothes. His eyes are dark, already losing their light.
Keito holds him a little tighter.
“Eichi, don't speak. I will...” Before he can finish, Eichi reaches for Keito’s cheek with a weak hand. Keito settles his own hand on Eichi’s.
“It’s no use, I won’t make it. I can barely feel my body.”
Keito thinks he is going insane.
“Don’t be stupid! I will save you and I will lecture you afterward about what you have done! I will not let you die! Eichi!” Keito starts to cry louder.
Eichi hums. “You’re kind as always, Keito. I didn’t plan to die in front of you, what a coincidence.” He looks at Keito with soft eyes.
Keito tried to speak, but his whole body is filled with frustration and anger- toward Eichi, toward the School that droves Eichi to this outcome, toward himself for not being able to stop this- All those emotions strangling his heart made him unable to mutter even a single word. He hugs Eichi, mumbling apologies under his breath.
Eichi pats Keito’s back with teary eyes. ”I’m sorry, Keito. I was weak. I could not continue our dream with you.”
He lifts his eyes to meet Keito’s. “So please be happy for me, Keito.“
Keito was breathing heavily as Eichi reached to him and pressed their lips together. He could feel Eichi’s breath - unlike his own- was shallow, it was the last breath Eichi will drew in his short life.
“Thank you for everything, Keito. I love you.”
As Eichi collapses, Keito cries out, “Eichi. Eichi! Open your eyes! Look at me, Eichi! I will make our dream come true! I will make you regret that you died!” Hugging Eichi tightly, he begins to cry.
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The next day, the shocking news of Eichi Tenshouin the Emperor’s death had spread through the school like a wave. Their hero, who had defeated the evil oddballs had died. There were rumors about his death being a murder by the monster oddballs for revenge, or being caused by his illness, but no one knew the truth about Eichi’s death except for his childhood friend Keito. Keito kept his suicide secret from everyone so he could create the perfect symbol of Yumenosaki Academy, Eichi Tenshouin. He wants to make Eichi’s death as beautiful as he can. Even if he himself doesn’t know the true reason why Eichi had died; As long as he is alive, he will make sure that Eichi remains a hero in the students’ eyes.
Keito sighs and leans back on his chair, the Student Council President’s seat which had been Eichi’s. He looks at the windows next to him, eyes filling with sorrow, heart trembling with sadness from losing the love of his life. He still blames himself for not being with Eichi that time and protecting him, but he knows that there is no place to be weak, especially now. He should be strong for his sun, Eichi, and for himself. He gets up and looks at the clear sky.
Even though Eichi is not here anymore, he can still feel the warmth of his smile.
“Are you watching, Eichi?”
I will do whatever it takes, even if it means hurting others, to continue our dream.
“I have become the new president.”
Our memories together? I will never forget them.
“For me, it’s not so different from being vice president,” he hums sadly.
“Are you laughing at me from heaven?” He narrows his eyes.
I will keep holding your sin and our dream inside me.
He looks down.
“Eichi! I will make our dream come true! And I will protect it with all my power.“
Even if I become the school’s new Tyrant—
"So rest in peace, my protagonist.”