Work Text:
Not a soul could be seen along the empty hallway save for a hacking cough that could be heard. A figure leaned on the toilet sink, heaving breathing heavily as she stared at the contents of the sink. Her face scrunched as she felt another painful cough shudder through her body.
This cannot be happening…
Why now…
As much as a bravado she put up about wanting to make sure that the dog wasn’t ‘taken by the wrong owner’ both girls knew that there is nothing that she could have done. Not even if she wants to take the dog away from the little girl, even as a fallen angel she does have a heart, she isn’t that ruthless.
Her heart still yearns for the dog that she had bonded within the short amount of time they had spent together.
She stood under the shelter of the parking meter station from the light rain, staring at the house in front of her. The pitter-patter of the light rain taps against the roof as she waits. She could hear the giddy voices of a girl and the excited yelp of a puppy from inside the house. The little girl was excited for the rain to let up so she could that her puppy for a walk. Before she knew it she heard soft footsteps walking towards her.
“You’ll catch a cold like that.” The burgundy-haired girl stood in front of her, she lifts up the plastic bag she’s holding shifting the snacks that came along with it. “I don’t want it.” Rustling sounds came from beside her, she glanced curiously as the pianist rummage in the plastic bag. “Here,” Riko said as she lifted up the nori senbei, patiently waiting for the self-proclaimed fallen angel to accept it.
“…Thanks.”
The senbei…is sweeter than usual.
-=-
“It seems that it really was a coincidence after all.”
Was the first word the blue-haired girl had uttered as they wait at the bus station. After the rain let up they saw the dog again, even if it was only a split second before the dog and the little girl went back in the house, as the mother warns them that the road is still too wet for a walk.
“To think that the dog didn’t notice fallen angel Yohane.” Said the self-proclaimed fallen angel. The pianist knew the blue-haired girl was sad, she could tell from the droop of her shoulder, the wavering smile and her clenched fist holding tight onto the dog carrier. The teen seemed to have accepted that her immense bad luck has struck again. “But the dog looked at you.”
Yoshiko looks at her in confusion, not understanding what that had to do with the dog. “I think invisible powers exist,” the pianist continues, “Not just in you, but inside everyone.” She knew this is the only way for the fallen angel to understand what she meant.
It took only a second before Yoshiko understood what she meant, magenta eyes shone in realization of the meaning behind those words. “You think so?” Yoshiko asked skeptically. “Yep. So, I think the invisible power is certainly at work as long as you believe in it.” Riko said convincingly. A smile finally cracked on the fallen angel's face.
“Just as I’d expect from my little demon!” said Yohane as she posed with her usual fallen angle signature while pointing to the pianist in front of her.
“I, Yohane, hereby certify you as one of my elite little demons!”
“Thank you, Yohane-chan!”
“It’s Yoshiko-eh?”
“Eh? You were voted as for the StuCo, Yocchan?” Across her Riko and You, who are now third years, looked at her. One in amazement and another in disbelieve.
“Kukuku. Finally I will have my legion following me.” Grinning she does her usual signature pose. “Of course Yohane is the bestest of them all.”
“Yousoro! I heard from Ruby-chan that the first years were grateful for her help at the horror house and also the drama club thank her for her guidance with the theatrical.” The ashen haired girl relayed.
“That’s good for you Yocchan!”
“Oh are you going to tell her?”
“Oh right!” The auburn girl exclaimed happily as she relay the news to her. Her smile wavered but she quickly hide them.
“That’s great you two! Congratulations.”
She is so happy for them. She could feel a twinge on her chest.
She should be…
Shouldn’t she?
“Hey. which college are you going to after you finished your third year?”
“Numazu Professional Training College. What about you? Where are you going now?”
“Tokyo UA. They have music scholarship there.”
“That’s a bit far isn’t it?”
“…”
“Are you guys still?”
“Let’s go to the next shop.”
She watches as the other girl went ahead. She glances as she saw her reflection morphed to sadness. That feeling swells up in her again and she pushes it down. Not now…I need to be there for her.
She opens the door to find a dark room. Things scattered around the floor, the curtains drawn shut as the lump on the bed slightly shifts.
“Come on, you can’t just hole yourself up in here.”
“…”
“I told you I will come if I didn’t hear from you.”
“What’s the point. It’s over.”
She sat at the foot of the bed looking at the bundled up figure. She knew that the woman is hurting but it didn’t occour to her it was this bad. She was sure that everything had been fine.
“No it is not. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
==
“Nee, why do you do this?” She stops her typing as she looked at the turned back on the bed. It’s been hours since she even heard a peep from the other woman.
“Because everyone was worried about you. You just up and disappeared from all of us. They haven’t heard from you ever since…”
“…”
After a long silence she went back to typing, the clicking of her keyboard filled the room.
“But why…”
“I told you already. Everyone was worr—”
“No… WHY?! Why are doing this for me!?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“…”
“Because I care about you. I worried endlessly about you, you went awol on us. Your mother was so worried she went to my house asking my mom if any one of us hear anything.”
“I was worried and always wondering where are you. What had happened to you. Until your mother called us and said that you were back only to shut yourself in your room not talking to anyone.”
“IT HURTS THAT YOU WERE NOT THERE AND I missed YOU! It hurts that that I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and I can’t even b-be t-there f-for you!”
Sobs rang through out the room, she said it. She had SAID it what she had been trying to keep a secret from the other woman. She packs her stuff hurriedly and not looking at the other woman although she is sure that she is just bundle anyways.
“I-I’ll be going now. I-I’m sorry for laying out to you like this. I-it’s fine, don’t worry about the reply. Take care of yourself ok?”
She went out and the door shuts softly behind her but to her it sound like a judge’s hammer sentencing her death.
‘I messed up. You’re an idiot. Now you’re going to lose her again and this time it might be forever.’
The feeling hurts more than what she had felt.
1 New Message
PhantomEliteDemon#1: Can we meet and talk?
A pop was heard as the cork pops open from the bottle and poured to a tall glass. She watches as the content reached half of the glass before it stopped, two more glass are filled.
“Congratulations you two!” She looked from her glass to her friends in front of her. Ruby, Hanamaru, Mari, Kanan and Dia raise their glasses in cheers.
“It’s about time too.” Hanamaru quips. “You have no idea how much Yoshiko gushes about you.”
“PFFFT- *COUGHCOUGH* OI! You weren’t suppose to tell her that!” Everyone just laugh at the duo.
“Geez, Yocchan really?” Riko looked at the other woman in exasperation. Yoshiko just looks away feigning innocent.
The night goes on and everyone had fun. The girls haven’t met each other for a long time and with the long weekend ahead of them they decided to go all out. She look around to find her, not seeing her anywhere only to find her in a secluded area looking at the stars. She stops on her track as she silently gaze at the woman before her.
The moonlight shone softly on her framing her in an ethereal glow. She slowly make her way near the woman beside the window. Making her footstep slightly louder as to not startle the other. The woman finally looked away from the window and a pair of amber eyes gaze lovingly at her. She open her arms wide and let the other falls in her arm as she hugs her gently.
‘No matter what I will be with you, through thick and thin. ’
The painful feeling was gone and there’s nothing more that she wants other than the woman in her arm.
“Ne, Look at that! It’s sensei!” She looked at the woman beside her squirming at her seat. She could feel the woman's excitement rose as the figure she admired started her show with a grand flair.
Admittedly, the show was wonderful she wouldn’t deny it. It was breathtaking but she find that the woman beside her was the most breathtaking as she glances from her peripheral vision.
‘I hope this never ends. I hope that this would last forever.’
She couldn’t sleep, not after what had happen. It’s no ones fault really but hers. They were on a date when they saw them. She tried so hard to distract the other woman but it was too late before she knew it both of them stood in front of them.
She knew what she feels is unjust but she couldn’t help it, not after what had happened. She couldn’t but she hid it after all it’s just unfair for her. She looked beside her, at the sleeping face of her beloved. There’s that familiar feeling again growing inside her and she’s afraid terrified .
“I love you.” She whispers to the silent night.
“zzz…love you…zzzoo…-chan.” Her breath hitched and the feeling grew.
I know… I know…
“BUT WHY?!”
“I just…don’t want to talk about it ok?”
“…Ok… but don’t shut me out ok? I-I’m here for you alright?”
“Yeah…”
“I love you…”
“…”
A silent tear fell as the door shuts tightly and she coughs as a lone petal escaped from her mouth.
‘You have a new voicemail.’
BEEP
“Hey are you ok? How are you?”
“We haven’t heard from you for a while, are you well? Have you been eating properly? Call us ok?”
BEEP
==
‘You have a new voicemail.’
BEEP
“Hey, we haven’t heard from you for a week now. Don’t pull a Riko on us now ok?”
“…”
“No really give us a call ok? We’re worried about you.”
BEEP
==
‘You have a new voicemail.’
BEEP
“Yoha-senpai, don’t forget about the important files. I heard from Yu-sensei that you took a break for a while. I hope everything is alright and take care of yourself senpai!”
BEEP
==
BEEP
“…Hey, I.. I heard that from Takasaki-san that you took a long break. I… You said that it wasn’t me and that it was about you but… why do I feel like it is truly my fault… a-anyways I’m not sure if this will reach you. Everyone says that they haven’t heard from you for a while and that they think that you change your number… I-I love you…”
A hand shot out to the phone picking it up before it went to voicemail. A finger pressed on the call button as the phone connected.
“…are you there?”
“…Can we meet please?”
“Ok I’ll see you there.”
*cough* She looks at the petal on her hand what use to be a beautiful petal now coated with blood.
It’s been 7 years since then… She knew she couldn’t hold it much longer anymore but she couldn’t give up just yet, at least not on this day. She looked at the mirror in front of her, she saw the slow drip of blood flowing from the edge of her mouth. She wipes it away and cleaned everything in the bathroom. The smell of sakura fragrance drifting to her nose.
Not when it’s their happiest day.
She lays down on her bed as the fragrance of sakura blossom became more prominent. DIIIING
She looks as her laptop pings a notification that shows her of a photo message. She open it and somberly smiles as she saw the content. In it was a wedding picture, Mari had took it as a selfie as the two brides walked down the isle. Underneath it was a caption, ‘The ceremony just finished. I wish you were here to celebrate this with us. Good luck and hurry up so that you can see them before they leave in a few week for their trip. XD’
I’m glad that everything went well. She looked happier. I knew that I made a good choice of letting her go.
I just… cough cough
…need to hold on…
Gasp … just one more week..
Cough cough
She could feel the pain get stronger in her chest. Even just laying down she could feel her body convulsing from the pain. She could feel something came up as she cough harder. She clutch her chest and curl up in a ball as she hacks up a flower coated in blood. Looking at the bloodied flower laying in front of her, dread filled her whole body.
No…no… nonononononoo!
I-it’s not suppose to be this fast. I should have a few more days at least… That’s what Maki-sensei told me…
She looked at the picture still open on her laptop. She knew what she had to do next after all she wouldn’t ruin it for them.
Not on their very special day.
==
A piece of paper flutters down among the bloodied flowers on the floor, on the surface in elegant words were printed two names.
"You are cordially invited to the wedding."
Watanabe You
&
Watanabe Riko
DATE: 16-08-2xxx Time: 12:00pm
“I’m sorry ma’am but the tenant here was already sent to Nishikino-sensei for weeks now.”
“No…No! What are you talking about she was fine! She talked to all of us the past week! She sent us messages!”
“I’m sorry ma’am but this is what we have been told.”
“THAT’S BULLSH—”
“Kanan stop. I-it’s true… She’s been in the hospital for 2 weeks and… today sensei said that she just… let go…” 7 people stared at each other at Mari in shock and silence. They couldn’t believe it but the news is there. “Sensei was amazed that she even lasted that long with how…how her body was already corroded for years.”
“B-but that’s impossible she said she was cured!”
“N-no she must’ve lied.”
"I can't believe it... So this whole time when she said she was busy... she..."
"She was all alone."
"She didn't even tell anyone."
"..."
“What are we going to do? What are we going to tell her?”
“…”
“Th-that Yoshiko died from Sakura no Hanahaki.”
CRASH
Startled each one of them looked at the source only to find Riko looked at them in shock with tears flowing down, the groceries she brought scattered on the floor. That day all the tenants that lived in the apartment heard the most anguish scream they ever heard in their life.
DATE: 16-08-2xxx Time: 00:00am
--This is automated video message—
New Message
From: Yocchan_Fallen_Angel
Hey! How is my favorite elite demon? How’s your trip with Yo? Don’t get carried away OK? Lol
You know I will always be there for you right? Works here been tough and busy lately but I think I'll manage. You know I just thought of something. I think there might be a day where I can’t be on your side anymore but don’t worry! I’ll make sure you will have someone that will always be there for you in my place, alright?
Ruby and Dia will be there to help you with they’re both stubborn those Kurosawas. Even if Ruby denies it
Chika will provide you with those darn good roasted mikan.
Mari will definitely help you with those crazy plans of her. Don’t forget to bring Kanan if she does OK?
Zuramaru will help you will beat me up probably. Haha…
Hey Riri?
I’m glad you have Yo with you now. I know you would be happier with her. YO! Make sure you take care of your sakura princess alright?
And do—cough
Ahem… ah I have to go now. Work never ends you know? Take care alright?
I love you… All of you…
Bye!
Till we meet again!
--Message ended--