MULTIFANDOM
1. Pick a character, fandom, pairing, friendship, whatever. 2. Put on your music program on shuffle/random and start playing songs. 3. For each song, write something inspired by the song related to the theme you chose earlier. You only have the song length. 4. Do 10 songs and post. Make sure to include the song name/artist.
LIST UNDER THE CUT
I. She's Got You High - Ryoma, implied RyoSaku,TeniPuri II.Ignorant Boy, Beautiful Girl - Ximen, implied Ximen/Xiao You, Meteor Garden III.Starry Eyed - Kenshin, implied Kenshin/Kaoru, RuroKen IV.King and Lionheart - Zhou Yu,Sun Ce, Ravages of Time,3KHSAU V. Hello My Old Heart - Sun Quan, Sun Ce, 3 Kingdoms 2010 VI.Fuck Was I - Rohan, implied Rohan/Reimi, JOJO Part 4 VII.Accidentally in Love - Yasuho, implied Josuke/Yasuho, JOJO Part 8 VIII.1234 - RyoSakuKin, TeniPuri IX.In Memoriam - Zhou Yu/Xiao Qiao, Ravages of Time X.Fake Plastic Trees - Koichi, Rohan, implied Rohan/Reimi, JOJO Part 4
So, I tried the iPod Shuffle Fic Meme, which I failed to do properly as some of these were written while the songs were on repeat. Haha.Warning because everything is unbeta-ed.
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I.Mumm-ra - She’s Got You High (Ryoma, implied Ryosaku/TeniPuri) She's got you high and you don't even know yet She's got you high and you don't even know yet
She was not that beautiful.
Really, she wasn’t.
He had stared at her long (and fervently) enough to assess that her face wasn't something that could make anyone’s head turn in a hurry, nor was it something that could arouse the interest of at least five percent of the school’s male population.
As an athlete, she was not very astounding either. Sure, her tennis skills had improved. She was probably fit to join the Ranking Matches even. But by his standards, she was still a mediocre beginner. In fact, he doubted that she could even last fifteen minutes inside the court with him.
Now, academically, he could say that she was doing quite fine—not in the top ten but not in the bottom either. In other words, she was doing averagely in class.
Got that? Averagely.
And once again, he didn’t see that as a very noteworthy achievement.
Based from these three observations, he was able to come up with one solid conclusion: Ryuuzaki Sakuno wasn’t that exceptional of a person for him to pay attention to. She was supposed to be nothing more than just another face in the crowd. Another name in the class roll.
But ironically, this girl who he was supposed to consider unexceptional was the one who was constantly getting his attention. Funny thing was she didn’t even need to do anything, except maybe, exist. He couldn’t particularly spot it but there was just something about Ryuuzaki that just made her stand out for him.
It was probably her pigtails. Those impractically long pigtails. As far as he knew, no girl in Seigaku owned pigtails as long as hers. As a matter of fact, no girl in Seigaku wore pigtails on a regular basis other than her.
So that must be it right?
It must be the pigtails. Should be.
Or maybe it could be something in her personality.
Considering how nice and friendly she was, it didn’t surprise him a bit that she was liked by everyone. She was not the type who loved talking ill about others, nor was she the kind who liked to gossip about other people’s lives. She would rather stay in a secluded corner and read a good book than participate in those meaningless conversations.
Second, she never chose whom to hang out with. It didn’t matter if a person was extremely pretty or average-looking; thin or fat; tall or short--or a cocky sports superstar who constantly made it a habit to criticize her pigtails for the pettiest of reasons—- yes,she was friends with all of them.
So yeah, her personality could be the exact reason why he had taken notice. Apart from Nanako and his mom, he had never met someone who embodied niceness the same way they did.
But it could also be her passion to improve in tennis.
He probably would never say this to her vocally, but if there was one thing that he would sincerely respect her for, it’s her determination, or stubbornness, or whatever word that’s right for someone like her who didn’t have the words ‘give up’ in her vocabulary. Others would have found it frustrating to garner such little improvements after several strenuous weeks of training.
But not Ryuuzaki.
Her progress was slow but that didn’t seem to dampen to her spirits. She had a goal and she was set to achieve it, no matter how long it would take her. She was quite impressive in that aspect. She kind of reminded him of himself even. He was never a quitter either.
So, it could be her determination. Most likely.
But it could also be the combination of all the things he said.
There was just really something about Ryuuzaki, this he was very certain. Whatever it was, he still couldn’t say exactly. But with all these things he was able to notice about her,he was able to realize one thing:
Ryuuzaki Sakuno, the pigtailed girl who he had always seen as unexceptional, might be not that unexceptional, after all.
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II.Loney, Dear - Ignorant Boy, Beautiful Girl (Ximen, implied Ximen/Xiao You/Meteor Garden)
Ximen Zhong Er Long, F4’s famed serial monogamist, is a man known for his ruthlessness. Awarded with the Businessman of the Year title for two consecutive years, he is firm and resolute in his decisions—once he sets his eyes on something (business-related or otherwise), he never backs out. May it be for a merger that could largely benefit Ximen Corp. or for a woman he’d like to date and bed for a week, he exhausts all means necessary in order to get what he wants. He never entertains second thoughts.
“There’s nothing wrong about saying hello right?”
He never goes back and forth.
“I’m just going to say congratulations then nothing more.”
He is never indecisive.
“I can do this.”
Well, almost never.
“No, I can’t.”
He breathes in sharply as he flips his mobile phone to a close. Laying the said communication device down on his table, he sighs for the second time as he leans back on his swivel chair. For a moment or two, he stares unblinkingly at the ceiling as if the sight above him holds the most interesting scene man has ever laid eyes upon. Afterwards, he closes his eyes and groans.
He is a coward. A chicken. A fraidy-cat. Oh if his staff and business rivals could see him now, they would surely laugh. Who would have thought that he, Ximen Zhong Er Long, a terror in the boardroom and the business circle, is actually scared of calling up a woman? Heck, he never had this kind of dilemma with any of his mei mei before!
But then again, that is the main problem. Xiao You is not just any woman. She’s not one of his weekly mei mei and she’ll never be one. Hell, San Cai would have his head on a silver platter if that happens! And he, he would never forgive himself if he stepped out of the boundaries of friendship. Xiao You is…she’s just too special to be treated like those women whose names and faces he can’t even remember. Why else did he push her away? Twice even. An exceptionally brave woman like her deserves a good man. He is not a good man.
Opening his eyes, Ximen leaves his relaxed position and straightens himself up. With a bitter smile on his lips, he shakes his head to free his mind of Xiao You’s images. He has to stop thinking about her or else he’ll end up spending the day pining for The One Who Got Away, as Meizuo would put it.
It’s actually been a while since she last invaded his thoughts. The last time he thought about her, he became so depressed that he drowned himself in either office work or dating and bedding women one after the other. He did everything he could to forget Xiao You, and his methods have been quite effective.
Until last night.
With a just a mere mention of her name, all his efforts were put to waste. Last night he was torn. He didn’t know whether to thank San Cai for bringing up the good news about Xiao You (they have no idea how elated and proud he was to learn that Xiao You graduated with honors in Canada) or to strangle the Weed for his resurfacing memories.
His night didn’t become the same afterwards. He hardly gotten himself any sleep and now he can barely focus on his work.
“Work!” he exclaims as he glances at the pile of folders on the upper left side corner of his desk. Then his attention shifts to his mobile phone.
Stop thinking about her, Ximen. It’s enough that you know that she’s doing well in Canada. Don’t make things complicated.
Taking a deep breath, he gives his phone a last look before reaching for the topmost folder. He then begins to read the reports fervently—or at least, he tries to anyway. Once in a while, he finds himself getting distracted by the phone on his desk.
No, Don’t.
He closes his eyes for a second or two.
Think about work. Work. Work. Work.
But the phone just won't stop bugging him. With a muffled curse, he reaches for the said device and stares at it for a few seconds. Then, he opens his left side drawer so he can dump his phone inside and free himself of its sight and of nagging thoughts of Xiao You. However, as he sees a familiar face, he freezes.
Inside the drawer, amidst his many office things, is a photograph—one of a woman smiling as she reads a paperback novel in her hand. He once told himself that he’d never send a PI to check on her (he was and is still trying to move on, after all) but that time, he was so curious as to how she was doing, he couldn’t help himself. This candid shot is his favorite among all the pictures his private investigator had sent him. It captures everything he loves about Xiao you. Her innocent smile. Her understated beauty. Her simplicity.
Ximen gives a defeated sigh. He misses her. So damn much.
Xiao You, Xiao You, what am I going to do with you?
He gives his mobile phone a glance. A wistful smile crosses his lips as he flips his phone open. One call. One call is all he needs to get himself back on track again. Slowly, his finger moves to search for a name. Upon seeing it, he presses the call button and patiently waits for a response. He closes his eyes for a moment as Xiao You’s pretty, smiling face flashes in his mind.
The ringing stops; his reverie breaks.
“Hello?”
Gripping the phone tight, Ximen pauses for a second or two. A part of him wants to end the phone call at that instant, but another part urges him to go on. Once again, he thinks of Xiao You and he comes up to a quick decision.
You are doing the right thing, Ximen, he inwardly tells himself. Inhaling deeply, he gives a nod of assurance.
Right. This is for the best.
And then in the most cheerful voice he can muster, he greets the other person on the line.
“Hi,Julie. Are you free tonight?”
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III.Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (Kenshin/Kaoru/RuroKen, movie-verse) Next thing, we're touching You look at me it's like you hit me with lightning
Kenshin thinks he’s too old to feel giddy, but he is.
It started with a simple, innocent touch, a contact that should not affect him by any means. But she is his Kaoru-dono and everything about her--her presence, her touches, her smiles-- affects his entire being. Now, she stands before him, in a distance so minuscule and dangerous for his wavering self-control, with one quick move he can actually--
But no, he doesn't allow himself to entertain the idea further. Not now. Not yet, And so, he contents himself with watching her as she continues to hold his face in her hand, her thumb wiping the traces of flour on his cheek.
Kenshin wonders if she can hear his heart pounding,
Then, Kaoru grins and says, “There, it’s all gone!”
Her bright, happy face brings the butterflies in his stomach to a frenzy. He smiles back, eyes full of warmth and longing.
Kenshin thinks he is too old to be infatuated,but he is. Oh damn right, he is.
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IV.Of Monsters and Men - King and Lionheart (Zhou Yu, Sun Ce/RoT, 3KHSAU) And as the world comes to an end I'll be here to hold your hand 'Cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart.
Zhou Yu is staring again. For the nth time that day, he finds himself looking at Sun Ce’s direction, watching silently as the other boy delegates responsibilities to the rest of the student council like a warlord giving commands to his subordinates. For a moment, Zhou Yu imagines his friend in full battle regalia, with twin halberds strapped to his back. The image amuses him to no end. Like a freckled-face boy with reddish brown hair would ever be a warlord in ancient China. Indeed, in a physical sense, Sun Ce doesn’t fit the description and yet in other aspects, Zhou Yu believes there would have been no better warlord than someone with Sun Ce’s qualities.
Sun Ce has always fascinated Zhou Yu. There’s just something about the other boy, an aura, a special quality that makes people want to follow him until the ends of the earth. Bofu just needs to ask and they will readily oblige. No hesitations, no questions asked.
Zhou Yu is no different from everyone else. Bofu is his commander, his President, his partner-in-crime, his best friend. There’s no other person in this world he’d willingly trust his life with and would give his life for. Zhou Yu smiles as his gaze softens. Oh the things he’d do for Bofu.
Sun Ce suddenly turns to him,and the smile freezes on Zhou Yu’s lips. Bofu gazes at him blankly for a few seconds, before giving him a teasing grin. “Stop staring at me like that, Gongjin. I might think you’re in love with me.”
"In your dreams, Bofu," Zhou Yu replies with a roll of his eyes and a snort. Sun Ce laughs.
“I know you love me, Gongjin, admit it.”
Zhou Yu waves a dismissive hand at him, but utters no word to refute his statement.
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V.The Oh Hellos - Hello My Old Heart (Sun Ce, Sun Quan/Three Kingdoms 2010 ) Because nothing lasts forever Some things aren't meant to be But you'll never find the answers Until you set your old heart free
Sun Ce’s eyes were dead. Gone was their usual bright spark; the passion and intensity replaced by a dullness uncharacteristic for the first son of the Tiger of Jiangdong. The Tiger, once known for his ferocity in the battlefield, now laid beneath the stone marker bearing his name; never to walk, never to laugh, never to see the light of day ever again.
Sun Ce didn’t see it coming. He was not prepared for it. He needed his father and in fact, he still did. So like a lost little boy, he sought for Sun Jian’s hand, hoping he’d feel his father grasp his hand again and tell him, it’s going to be all right. But he was gone and gone forever and Sun Ce just didn’t know what to do.
Sun Quan’s eyes were alive. Gone was their curious innocence, replaced by a fiery determination characteristic of a son of the Tiger of Jiangdong. The Tiger, slayed by a traitor who knew no honor, now rest beneath the stone marker bearing his name; never to talk, never to smile, never to hold him when he felt afraid at night.
Sun Quan didn’t see it coming. He was not prepared for it. He needed his father and in fact, he still did. But at nine years old, Sun Quan became a child no more. The time for fun and games was over. His father was counting on him.
'Support your brother, ' he said. 'Be there for him.'
And so Sun Quan took Sun Ce’s hand and held on to it tightly. His older brother looked at him and Sun Quan gave him a small smile.
"Don’t worry, Ge. It’s going to be all right."
Their father was gone and he was gone forever. But Sun Ce was still alive and so was he. Sun Quan knew what he just needed to do.
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VI.Jenny Owen Youngs - Fuck Was I (Rohan/Reimi/ JJBA Part IV) Love tears me up like a demon Opens the wounds, then fills them with lead And I'm having some trouble just breathing If we weren't such good friends I think that I'd hate you
He has not seen the alley between Owson and the drugstore in weeks. Not that he has been actively looking out for it; he just can't help but notice its absence whenever he drops by at the convenience store to buy his meals. He wonders if something happened to Reimi, if somehow the "Hands" have managed to fool her and drag her to a place beyond death. But no,that's impossible, Rohan thinks. Reimi's just too smart for them. How else could she have survived their dangers these past fifteen years?
Three weeks and several Owson microwaveable meals later, the alley finally reappears along with the ghosts that inhabit its deserted streets. A wave of relief washes over Rohan upon seeing Reimi and Arnold by the alley's entrance. And then a sudden surge of happiness overcomes him which Rohan finds so inexplicably weird that he tries to hide the feeling by being angry.
"Where have you been?!"
Reimi laughs as she pats Arnold on the head. "What's the matter? Did Little Rohan miss us?"
"Me? Miss you?" he tries to sound appalled as the real answer to her question comes to him in silence. He did miss her, even her lame Pocky predictions. It just isn't the same without her around. He can’t imagine life without---
Rohan stops himself, unwilling to continue the thought.
No. Impossible.
Yet, like a story plot that is begging itself to be written, the realization that Reimi may have become more than just an unresolved murder case to him comes back to nag him. Rohan chastises himself for his stupidity.
"You're blushing," he hears Reimi say as she gives him a teasing look. Suddenly, Rohan feels like a burden has been placed on chest and how he wish Heaven's Door can just remove it from his system.
He stares at Reimi wordlessly as the smile drops from the girl's face. "Hey, what's wrong, Little Rohan?"
Rohan almost smiles bitterly at her question. What's wrong? What's wrong?
" You're dead," he nearly whispers before briskly walking away.
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VII.Counting Crows - Accidentally in Love (Josuke/Yasuho, JJBA Part VIII) So she said what's the problem baby What's the problem I don't know Well maybe I'm in love
Some people say that you can find love in the most unexpected places and in the most unexpected circumstances.
For Yasuho Hirose, she strangely found hers naked and buried under the earth. Of course, during that time, she didn't know Josuke would eventually turn out to be more than just an amnesiac whose memories she was helping to regain. He isn't even her usual type.
He talks weird, he sleeps weird and he is physically weird. (Something that Yasuho doesn't want to elaborate on as the image of Josuke's four testicles is something that's hard to wash away.)
But love works in the most mysterious ways and she learns this as she seeks to hold Josuke's hand. Josuke turns and gives her one of those gap-toothed smiles she adores so much. Silently, Yasuho thanks the earth--not the heavens--for this chance to be by his side.
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VIII. Feist - 1234 (Ryoma/Sakuno/Kintarou/TeniPuri) One, two, three, four Tell me that you love me more
It was the last day of the National Tournament, and Shitenhouji and Seigaku were already on their final match. For the third time, Echizen Ryoma and Tooyama Kintarou, finally captains of their respective teams, found themselves on the opposite sides of the tennis court, each ready and determined to bring home the victory.
The match between the two prodigies had been quite unpredictable, making it difficult to pinpoint the eventual winner. It was spectacular-all their best techniques, they had unleashed upon each other. It was truly one of the best games Sakuno had ever been to, and thank heavens she had her camera with her to capture every exciting moment. (She was working part-time for the school paper as a photographer.)
The battle was long and fierce, but eventually it did come to an end and one was proclaimed the winner.
Osaka reigned supreme that year.
---
To say that Ryoma wasn’t disappointed would be a big lie. He never liked defeat, and he was not afraid to show it. He was frowning as he hesitantly received Kintarou’s consoling handshake, and was frowning still, even after the awarding ceremony.
She waited for him outside the tennis court, along with the other spectators. But he never gave her even just a quick glance as he stepped out. Instead, he silently walked by, ignoring her and the uplifting words being said to him by their classmates and schoolmates.
She looked back at the crimson-haired lad, and saw him nod. She smiled a little before turning her attention back at Ryoma.
Quietly, she followed him, just like she always did.
---
He stopped in front of a vending machine and bought his favorite drink. Two of it, actually. Then, he walked towards the nearest vacant bench and sat down. He placed the second Fanta on the space beside him, before he proceeded to open his own can.
She settled next to him and took the other Fanta in her hands, though he never told her to do so. He didn’t have to; she understood.
Silence passed between them as neither took the initiative to start a conversation. He merely drank his Fanta; she drank hers. For the time being, the taciturnity, the Fantas and each other’s presence were enough.
“I shouldn’t have underestimated him,” Ryoma finally said after several wordless moments. ” I never expected that idiot to have another trick up his sleeve.”
Holding her can of Fanta down on her lap, she turned to look at him. Upon noticing the slight smirk on his lips, she smiled. Right then, she knew he was all right.
“Ne…” He suddenly moved to face her, catching her by surprise. He ignored her startled expression though and went on to ask, “Which side were you cheering on?” His tone hinted nonchalance, but his eyes said otherwise. One wrong answer and she was dead.
“Ano…o-our school’s, of course.”
“Hmmm?” He was unconvinced.
“And well,umm… the other side, too,” she softly admitted, while fidgeting with her can of Fanta. “You know me, I support all my friends.” She smiled sheepishly to keep the mood light.
He stared at her for a while before narrowing his eyes at her. She gulped. “But you clapped louder when I won my sets, didn’t you?” His voice seemed threatening. She inwardly groaned.
Geniuses and their egos.
To her delight, she was saved from answering the question as Ryoma was distracted by the presence of someone else. She followed his line vision and she saw a red-haired teen wearing a familiar yellow and green uniform—the Shitenhouji uniform to be exact.
Kintarou walked towards them, holding a stack of boxes on one hand and a can of Fanta on the other; his usual grin ever present.
“Nothing beats a box of Packet Pancakes to go with an ice-cold can of Grape Fanta!” he declared as he stopped in front of the bench. He gave a box to her, which she gratefully accepted. Then, he offered one to Ryoma, but the Seigaku Regular simply stared stonily and never made a move to take it.
Sakuno assumed it was because he was still feeling a little bitter over his loss to Kintarou. (But she already saw him smirk, didn’t she?)
Or maybe because he was just playing hard-to-get. (Geniuses and their pride.)
Or maybe because…
“It’s not plain. I like it plain.”
Echizen Ryoma could be surprising sometimes.
---
Sakuno smiled to herself as she half-heartedly listened to the conversation currently happening between the two prodigies. Though she had known them for years, she still found it amazing and amusing how their relationship worked. One minute Ryoma found Kintarou to be the world’s biggest nuisance (while Kintarou thought he was the world’s biggest jerk); the next minute they were sitting down, eating snacks together, talking about various things like the different varieties of Packet Pancakes, and how to detect a bootleg Packet Pancake product from an authentic one.
Geniuses and their eccentricities.
She took a sip from her Fanta as their topic shifted to their earlier match. They talked about the things they should and shouldn't have done, while she continued to be nothing more than just a listener, which she didn’t mind at all.
But Kintarou did.
“Ne,Sakuno-chan, what did you think of our game?” he asked to get her into the conversation.
She tore her eyes away from her lap to look at the Shitenhouji prodigy on her left. “Well…I…ummm…I think it was really exciting. I didn’t know who was going to win until the end.”
“Hmmm…but I bet you were rooting for Koshimae.”
A faint blush crept up Sakuno’s cheeks upon hearing his words. She took a furtive glance towards Ryoma and saw that he was nonchalantly finishing off his box of pancakes. But for a moment, she thought she saw a very faint smirk on his face.
“I’m pretty sure of that,” she heard Kintarou speak again. Returning her attention to the redhead, she witnessed him pouting.” You were cheering for him. After all, you’ve always liked him better than me.”
Believing Kintarou’s hurt expression to be authentic, Sakuno became worried. And because she was worried, she said something to reassure the other boy that she never considered one to be better than the other; that she liked them both equally.
“N-no,t-that’s not true!” she exclaimed, shaking her head.
“Oh,so you mean you like me better?” Kintarou asked teasingly before giving her a wide grin.
Before she could explain to the redhead what she really meant by what she had said earlier, she heard a familiar ‘Hn’ coming from a certain someone from her right, followed by a series of angry footsteps moving away.
“Oi,Koshimae, where are you going?”
Ah,geniuses and their occasional jealous streaks.
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IX. The Oh Hellos - In Memoriam (Zhou Yu/Xiao Qiao/ RoT) Well it's a long way out to reach the sea But I'm sure I'll find you waitin' there for me And by the time I blink I'll see your wild arms swingin' just to meet me in the middle of the road And you'll hold me like you'll never let me go
She immediately spots him in his usual corner— silent, pale and looking almost as dead as the man he mourns. She wishes she could take away his misery, erase the hurt on his normally beautiful features. But she is only human; she cannot call a dead man to rise and walk with the living again.
Zhou Yu sees her by the doorway and he holds out his hand. He beckons her to come closer and she readily obliges. Then, he pulls her against him and in a rare moment of weakness, he wets her dress with his tears. Xiao Qiao hugs him tighter and strokes his hair.
“Bofu is gone. Bofu is gone,” he repeats over and over as her own heart shatters for the man before her.
“I’m still here, Gongjin. I’m never going to leave you,” she says to him.
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X. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees (Koichi, Rohan, implied Rohan/Reimi/JJBA Part IV) She looks like the real thing She tastes like the real thing
The woman's name is Emiri and the first time they met, Koichi can't help but notice right away her resemblance to Reimi: from how she looks, to how she moves, to the way she speaks. Emiri is an almost perfect copy of their dead friend. A disconcertingly perfect copy.
Rohan says he has never noticed; that he never saw the similarities until Koichi pointed them out to him. But Koichi knew better. He knew what Rohan has been doing and what's he trying to do. And Koichi just can't allow himself to stand by and watch this madness.
"I know it's not my place to tell you how to live your life but you have got to stop what you're doing. This is crazy."
Rohan pretends that he doesn't get what Koichi is trying to say to him and he just goes on to draw his manuscript, ignoring the skeptical looks that Koichi has been giving him. As far as Rohan is concerned, the conversation is over. But Koichi doesn't end it there.
Koichi normally fears Rohan ( the manga-ka can be batshit insane) but the younger boy decides to swallow his fear, if this is the only way he can help a friend.
"She's not Reimi, Rohan-san. Reimi is gone. She's never coming back. "
Rohan stops and turns to Koichi with a sharp glare that pierces through the younger boy's soul. "I know that, Koichi. You don't have to remind me."
He returns his attention to his manuscript and starts drawing again. "Go home, Koichi. I won't be needing your help today," he says coldly and Koichi knew it isn’t wise to provoke Rohan further.
(A week later, Koichi sees Rohan visiting Reimi's grave. And then, he hears the news that Emiri has left the town.)
