Chapter Text
It's been so long since the last time he saw him upfront.
It's been so long since the last time he heard his gruff voice personally.
It's been so long since the last time he was able to touch him.
It's been so long since the last time he had been held by him.
Time had passed before he was able to wake up again.
A lot of time.
He missed him so much.
But what's important is now.
Finally.
After years had passed.
Ranmaru.
"Please come in."
«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»
"RanRan!"
The silver haired rocker turned his head and was greeted by his long time friend.
"Reiji."
Said brown haired man jogged towards him with a wide smile. "Long time no see RanRan! How have you been?"
"I'm good." Ranmaru replied.
"But busy I presume?"
"Ah."
They continue to walk inside exchanging news about each other and their friends. Reiji doesn't mind talking as much as he can he knows RanRan won't say much either but he's still listening.
And then Ranmaru suddenly stopped making Reiji look at him confusedly. "Is something wrong RanRan?"
The silver haired rocker looks at his surroundings.
This is it. This is the exact place where he and Ai confessed to each other. The exact place where he and Ai shared their first kiss.
Memories floods his mind as he looks up. There's no moon and only the clear blue sky above.
'Is this what they call bittersweet memories?' Ranmaru can't help thinking. Then he remembered another special place.
"Sorry Reiji but go ahead to Shining's office. I'll catch up to you." With that Ranmaru run towards another place leaving a confused Reiji behind.
It didn't take long for Ranmaru to reach his destination. It was that small place near the lake where he always find solitude before. But when he and Ai became lovers they frequent the place to spend time together away from privy eyes.
He was about to go near it when all of a sudden he heard a voice. Someone was singing.
kaze wa sasayaita mimimoto de
'ai to tomo ni ikiyo' to
shiranai kanjou to atsui nanika ga
SARUBĒJI suru
PĪSU ga itsumo tarinai youna ki ga shiteita
kokoro no kakera doko ni aru no darou?
(The wind whispered close to my ear,
“Live with love”
Salvaged by an unknown emotion
And something hot
I’d felt as if there was always pieces missing
Where are the fragments of my heart?)
'That song.... I'll never forget that song!'
ansoku no chi de ai o oshieru
yasashii koe
taisetsuna mono tashika ni moratta
inochi e to niseteru kono mi ni wa amari ni mo
atatakai kotoba sugiru kara…
(
In this haven, you teach me of love
With your gentle voice
Surely I’d received something precious
Too much for this body, an artificial life,
This warmth is beyond even words…)
Ranmaru run towards where he's hearing that voice
'That voice.... No way....'
Ranmaru knows, though he also knows the impossibility of what he's thinking, that voice can only belong to one person.
Even after many years had passed he will never forget that voice.
"Ai!"
Ranmaru came into the place where Ai will practice singing. He catches his breath as he looks around.
But no one was there.
Is he hallucinating?
Ranmaru shook his head as he willed the tears threatening to run down his face. Maybe coming here isn't a good idea at all. It only brought up painful happy memories.
The silver haired rocker leaned against one of the pillars for support. He should just go home.
"Ranmaru-kun?"
Ranmaru turn around and came face to face with the pink haired teacher of Shining Academy.
"Ringo." He acknowledge him.
"What are you doing here? Shining is waiting for you in his office."
"Ah." Right he had an apointment with Shining.
"Let's go. I'm also on my way there."
As him and Ringo walk, the silver haired rocker remained quiet. Maybe it was Ringo he heard earlier. But...
"Don't worry too much Ranmaru-kun."
Ranmaru was startled when Ringo spoke. He looks at him with a reassuring smile.
"Everything will be okay now."
"Eh?"
But Ringo didn't ellaborate further and the rocker didn't ask about it no matter how confused he became. When they arrived in the office Ranmaru nodded to Shining in greeting.
"Took you long enough to come. How long do you plan to make us wait?"
"Shut up. I just made a detour."
"Now now..." Reiji decided to intervene between the two.
Shining cleared his throat and everyone's attention focused on him as they stabd once again in front of him.
"Mr. Kotobuki, Mr. Camus and Mr. Kurosaki, it's been a long time."
"Cut out the formalities. What do you want now Shining?"
"RanRan!" Reiji chastised the rocker but then no one can blame him for being irritated. Standing here again must've been giving him pain.
"It is okay Mr. Kotobuki. Then I'll go straight to the point.
I want to revive Quartet Night again.”
Shining said making the former members of said idol group to gasp. Ranmaru shook in rage and slammed his hands on the table. “STOP JOKING AROUND!!!”
“You know in the first place why Quartet Night disbanded. No way in hell you’re going to just pop up and say we re-group again. What is this?! Some fucking reunion!!!” Ranmaru shouted in rage.
No way. No goddamn way!
“Ranmaru is right. Quartet Night is not complete without Ai. And you know he’s not here anymore. I disagree!” Reiji joined in, hurt and anger visible in his calm tone of voice. Past memories, painful once, resurfaced because of this decision.
“Quartet Night needs four people. We will not re-group because there’s no point in having only three members. I disagree.” Camus made his stand and joined his other former bandmates.
“We fucking disagree Shining!!!” Ranmaru set his ground. Quartet Night will never be complete.
Because Ai isn’t here anymore.
“I know that Mr. Kurosaki.” Shining said calmly which pisses off the former members of QN. “That is why to be able to complete the Quartet Night once again I’m adding a new member.”
When those words came out of Shining’s mouth all Ranmaru could see was red. He immediately lunged towards Shining and grabs him by the collar roughly. “Ranmaru!!!” Reiji and Camus tried to pry off Ranmaru’s hands from its tight grip but to no avail.
Ranmaru is furious. “YOU INSENSITIVE BASTARD!!!! QUARTET NIGHT WILL NEVER BE COMPLETE WITHOUT AI!!! YOU HEAR ME!!!! AI… AI IS THE ONLY ONE!!!! AND NO ONE ELSE!!!! AI….” Ranmaru let go as he pushed Shining while Reiji and Camus let him go also.
“There’s no one else…. But Ai….” He said through gritted teeth as he clenches his fists tightly.
Reiji and Camus looks pityingly at their friend. The last time Ranmaru had a breakdown like this was the time Ai died. And now it’s happening again. How will Ranmaru pull himself up again?
“Mr. Kurosaki, it is true that no one else can replace Mr. Mikaze that is why,
please come in….
.
.
.
.
.
Mr. Mikaze.”
Ranmaru’s eyes snapped open when he heard what Shining said. He straightened up to look incredulous at Shining who had a smile on his face.
And then Reiji and Camus gasped when the door opened and someone came in.
“AiAi….”
The silver haired rocker’s eyes widens when he heard Reiji whispered someone’s name. He does not want to believe it. He was afraid to turn around and be disappointed with what he will see.
It was quiet around him like whoever had come in had taken their breaths away.
Should he take a look?
But what if its not Ai?
Should he turn around?
It is impossible right?
Should he face them?
Ai! Please let it be!
“Ran…. Ranmaru.”
A choked gasp of his name. And Ranmaru knows only one person can say his name like that in that voice.
Slowly he turns around and came face to face with the person he’d been longing the most.
“Ai….”
“Ranmaru…”
There standing in front of the silver haired rocker is none other than his supposed to be dead lover. But how?
The Mikaze Ai standing in front of him now have a much longer cyan colored hair than before but it is still styled the same way. He’s a bit taller than before and he looks more mature. Like he also aged like them as the years had passed.
But those eyes. It was still the same eyes that he loves no matter how many years had passed.
“Ai….”
Ranmaru reached out his hands for his legs isn’t moving at all and then tears slipped down Ai’s face as he run towards his lover. The man he missed the most.
“Ranmaru!”
When Ai was back into his arms and he has him in a tight hug it was like Ranmaru had been revived also. The thing he missed the most. The only reason missing on his life. This person. The love of his life.
“Ai… it’s you…. It’s really you.”
“Yeah. I’m back.. RanRan.”
Ranmaru tightened his hug like he does not want to let Ai go ever again. He buried his face into soft cyan hair relishing the moment. He will never ever let Ai go ever again.
“You will not leave my sight ever again. And wherever you will go I will always be there. You heard that! Ai!”
And before Ai can give his answer Ranmaru swooped down and kissed the younger man with all his might.
The other who had witnessed the reunion of the two lovers decided to leave them at peace since it seems that Ranmaru and Ai didn’t even realized they are there the moment their eyes met.
“I don’t know if I should be appalled that we are ignored or not?” Camus said in irritation when they are out of the room.
“Let it be Myu-chan… You know it always happen even before. But what I’m curious is….” Reiji looks at Shining and Ringo. “Did you plan this Shining-san?”
Shining shrug, “I do not know what you are talking about Mr. Kotobuki. Maybe it is destiny. Pure love like that should never be separated is what I really believe in.”
Ringo just smiled.
~~~~~Back to Shining’s Office~~~~~
After calming their hearts down and knowing that what is happening is for real and that they are not dreaming at all, Ranmaru pushed Ai lightly and only a few centimeters apart since Ai had a strong hold on his waist. With shaking hands he held Ai’s face and Ai smiled at him.
Ai is still so beautiful. Like an angel.
“How…. How did this happen? I mean… I saw you there… Under those… And that your father said that he can’t bring you back anymore… So why? After so many years of wanting you and missing you? Why only now?” Ranmaru have so many questions but these are the only ones that came out of his mouth as he looks longingly at Ai.
Conveying all the pain and longing and love he had in him in those years of believing that Ai was dead and will never come back.
“It is true that I was irreparable that time because I had father delete all the data about how I was made. But in truth I had a back-up chip that I hid.”
Ranmaru’s eyes widens at the sudden revelation. “Why didn’t you tell anyone about it before? Even to me?”
“I was planning to tell you. But things happened and the accident happened before I can. I really don’t remember the time until the accident happened. I hid the chip on your bass RanRan. Shining told me the things that happened when I died. When you disappeared and left they took all your things out of your room. It was Hyuga-san who found the chip on your bass and gave it to Shining who gave it back to Father.”
“So they created you again?”
“It was Father’s apprentice who created me again using my back up chip that has my data.”
“Then why didn’t you search for me?”
“Because I can’t!” This time Ai had tears on his eyes as he hugs Ranmaru and buried his face in the toned chest and listened to Ranmaru’s fast heartbeat.
“The time you were missing was the time Father’s apprentice was creating me. When he was done the back-up chip didn’t work. I cannot remember anything except for my name. Everything is so blurry. And then Shining came offering me to be here in the academy and learn things. I lived my life not knowing what my past is. Even though I know I’m not human but I have this painful feeling in my chest like something is something. Something important and I was so frustrated not knowing what it is.”
It was quiet for a few moments as they hug each other and Ai gave Ranmaru time to digest everything. It was just too much to digest along with the overwhelming feeling of having his love here in his arms again.
“And now? You remember everything right?”
Ai nodded his head and looked up at his love.
“When you had your comeback as an idol I saw it on TV and it was the trigger, slowly my memories returned but it was still blurry and I’m not sure if it was real or my system had a virus. I had professor checked on my system and he said that I was fine and it must be the memories coming back. That maybe the back-up chip is starting to work and accepting the new program it had. With that I started following and getting data about you and the others but mostly you though.”
“So you became my fan?” Ranmaru asked though it was not his intention to ask it in the first place, Ai punched him in the stomach though but only lightly and the way Ai’s ears are so red is the only answer Ranmaru needed.
“Your concert last month. It was the final pull. I went there to watch you live.”
“You what!!??? Why didn’t you come and find me!!”
“When I heard you singing and with how the emotions and feelings you poured in the songs, my memories returned no matter how impossible it must sound to you. The real relationship we had. Everything returned in one full force. And I was afraid. There’s the blank part in my data that no matter how much I think I can never find.”
“The accident..” Ranmaru said in realization and Ai nodded.
“I don’t know why we disbanded in the first place and what happened to our relationship. I don’t know why you were performing alone in that stage and why your songs are full of longing and pain. I was afraid Ranmaru to know the answer. But I also wanted to know and I asked Shining and he explained everything. You forgot about me.” Ai’s body shook as he remember the time when he had learned everything that is missing only to be crushed by the truth that all his friends and even his lover knows that he is dead.
Ranmaru pushed Ai away slightly and took hold of Ai’s face to make him look at his mismatched eyes. “I never, ever, forgot about you Ai! Here!” He grabs Ai’s hand and placed it on his chest. “You were always here Ai. Always. My voice, my music is always calling out to you! So never, over my dead body will I forget about you! Remember that.”
“I love you Ai. So much. Always.”
“I love you too, Ranmaru. Always.”
With that Ranmaru brought Ai’s face closer to his as he bent down to kiss him.
The pain of being separated, the longing they felt, the happiness they felt with their reunion, the unbreakable bond they have for each other, the love that is so pure no matter if the other one is a human and the other is an android, all of these emotions are poured in that kiss alone.
And everything in the world is right once again.
Welcome back my Ai.
I’m back RanRan.
OWARI
OMAKE
“Neh~ have you noticed? Kurosaki-san’s songs had changed right?”
"That’s right! That’s right! His songs before are always painful and sad but it is still beautiful. But now he seems more lively and his songs are much happier. Which is super cool!! I think I'm falling for him more!~"
"Me too!! Hey do you think the rumours about him are right?"
"That he's currently dating someone?"
"Yeah... I think its about time. Kurosaki-san deserve happiness after what happened many years ago..."
"Yeah.. it was really a tragic love. But I'm sure wherever Ai-chan is he would want the best for Kurosaki-san..."
"And that new member of Quartet Night is surely the best one for Kurosaki-san!! I'm really sure that rumours about them being together is true!!"
"I agree!! Their closeness will never go unnoticed in our eyes and Kurosaki-san is smiling more often whenever he is with Raine-chan!"
"He seems like he's always making excuses to touch Raine! Isn't that cute!"
"RanRaine Ship will be sailing!!! KYYYAAAHHHH~~"
The people inside the restaurant turned their heads towards the two ladies whose voices are so loud everyone heard their conversation. But they don't care at all.
"Interesting right?" A man with silver spiky hair and wearing sunglasses said to his companion as he sips his drink.
"What's so interesting about it?" His companion with honey brown hair with aqua colored eyes and is wearing glasses asked back as he turned a page of his book.
"You heard what those fangirls said. So? You'd want the best for me? Huh?" Ranmaru asked teasingly as he smirks at his boyfriend who looks up from his book and gave him an emotionless stare.
"Of course. But I'm the only one that is best for you." Ai said matter of factly as he went back to reading his book.
"Point taken. Its a shame though."
"Huh?"
"That you have to dye your hair and wear contacts."
It had been decided that Quartet Night will be revive again and everyone are very excited to see the new Quartet Night. But since a lot had known what happened to Ai before it was also decided that Ai will be introduced as a new person under the name "Raine". So Ai dyed his hair to honey brown and wore aqua marine colored contacts.
It was hard at first. Since the old fans of QN still preferred the old Ai. But Ai being the way he is proved to the fans of his worth to be in the group. And now he had a much bigger fanbase than the other three.
"Well that can't be help you know."
"Oh well as long as it's fine and that they support the two of us then there's no problem at all."
"Yeah. And that you became a pervert is also fine." Ai teased.
"Hey!"
"How low Kurosaki-senpai. Always making excuses just to touch me." Ai teased some more.
"Oh you brat--"
But before he can continue his sentence Ai's phone light up with an incoming message and just after that the same thing happened with Ranmaru's phone.
"It's Shining-san."
Ranmaru groaned. "What is it now?"
"He wants see us. He said there's a project he would like to discuss with us."
"If it's something crappy then I don't want to join."
"It's about a BL movie."
"Okay let's go and meet Shining."
"Why is it so hard to convince you to do other project but when its BL you have no complaints?"
"Well you said US so there's you there. And now it will be okay to have more love scenes."
"Now you sound like a pervert RanRan. I can't believe you."
"Its called loving you Ai. Loving you."
"Idiot.....
I love you too."
THE END