#cdrfics

Black shoes traversed slowly down the cobbled stone path, its owner progressing in a casual manner, slower than the brisk pace he was normally accustomed to. He was traveling alone, but his surroundings were bustling with voices and movement. It was a lively environment completely new to the young businessman and it captivated him.

He wandered from stall to stall eyeing all manners of goods. He munched on a small basket of blueberries and surveyed glittering trinkets, admired patterned fabric and examined detailed carvings. It was his first time at a flea market and he was enjoying the experience more than he thought he would.

By the time his watch read three o’clock, he felt like his legs were about ready to fall off with all the walking he had done since nine in the morning. Reaching the end of the row, he considered leaving and coming back the next day. That was when a sparkle caught his eye. Turning, his eyes were captured by a blanket as red as his eyes, spread out on the floor and held down by a big wooden block. On that makeshift stand were a couple of hair clips, some books, three boxes, and two deer-like creatures. What stood out the most was the fact that they were unlike any material seen in the market. Not only that, but their designs were unique too.

The brunet sitting behind the wares was cleaning something metallic with a stained rag, matching his stained hands. He only noticed his new customer when the redhead curiously approached, creating a bit of shade overhead.

“I notice these all incorporate clockwork designs. Did you make them yourself?”

“Yes, they’re a specialty of our shop,” the brunet replied cheerfully, delighted by the company. “Only some of these items are mine - the others were made by my partner.” He set down what he was cleaning and handed the other a small stool. “Would you like to sit?”

The customer took the offered item and gratefully sat down. “Thank you.” Now that they were eye level with each other, he felt more comfortable in continuing the conversation. “Why don’t you have a stall? Surely it must be tiresome in this heat.”

The brunet smiled sheepishly. “My friend was bringing it, but his car broke down on the way. It’s also why we don’t have more wares for display. Would you be interested in buying any, sir?”

“Akashi,” the redhead supplied, and studied the items in front of him. “You said you had other wares? And a shop?” He was attracted by the deer-like creatures, marveling at the intricate design.

“Yes,” the brunet answered, handing him a business card. The name Furihata Kouki was in the center, underneath the fancy lettering that could only belong to the shop name.

“I really admire these two pieces,” Akashi said, indicating the items he was looking at. “Despite them being stationary, they seem to have a quality of motion to them.”

He was caught off guard by the flustered yet happy smile sent his way. That smile was so... cute and set off all the butterflies in his stomach.

“I’m glad you like them,” Furihata told him enthusiastically. “They took me a very long time to make, and are one of my favorites.” Lightly, he touched the top of a deer’s head with his fingers, a fond look alight in his eyes.

Akashi wanted to buy all of his creations.

“How much for both?” he asked when he finally managed to regain his voice.

Brown eyes flew to his face, astonished. “They’re both a bit pricey,” Furihata answered, voice trailing off towards the end, hands fidgeting nervously with the edge of his shirt.

“I wouldn’t take anything less,” Akashi responded, surprising the brunet. “I can only imagine how long it took to design these exquisite creatures, and even longer still to make them. For your time and the materials used, anything less than the price you’re asking is an insult to yourself and your craft.”

The flush of color that crept up on Furihata’s face was enough make Akashi seriously reconsider his lifelong dislike of red - a color inherited from his father, who stopped being a father figure after the passing of his mother. The soft brown of Furihata’s hair in the sunlight was reminiscent of his mother’s tresses and Akashi found his fondness for the brunet expand an inch further though their meeting had been by mere chance.

Furihata named his price and Akashi paid it, handing over a sum well within his afforded range. After swiping Akashi’s card and printing out the receipt, Furihata took the two deer and placed them in a cushioned box before sliding it in a small bag and placing the receipt inside. He then handed Akashi both the bag and his card.

“Thank you for your purchase,” Furihata told Akashi happily. “I hope you continue to have a good day.”

“As do I,” Akashi replied, taking the proffered items from the other. Unwilling to end their interaction, Akashi spoke again. “If you don’t mind my asking, Furihata-san, does your shop take commissions?”

Furihata was surprised but answered readily, also not quite ready for their interaction to be over. “We do. Did you have something specific in mind?”

Akashi nodded. “My mother’s birthday is in a couple months and I have yet to find a good present for her. If I brought you a design, do you think you’d be able to create it with the same quality as you did those deer?”

Furihata pursed his lips thoughtfully. “It would depend on the design and what you wanted out of it,” he responded. “We would discuss all the formal details in a more private setting, of course. Um, it’s better to talk about these things in person, but email works as well. My information is on my business card but if you lose it, you can also just search up our shop’s website.”

Akashi nodded, wanting to say more, but caught glance of the time on his watch, reminding him of a company-related matter he had forgotten with the passage of time. “I apologize for cutting our discussion short, but I have a meeting with an associate I can’t miss,” he said reluctance coloring his voice. “We can continue this matter through email, phone call, or text, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, that’s okay, no problem at all,” Furihata said hurriedly to reassure him, but Akashi was already pulling out one of his business cards, turning it over to mark the white space with black ink, before handing it over to Furihata.

“My private phone and email,” he stated. “I doubt I’ll forget to contact you, but if you don’t hear from me within a week, please feel free to contact me, preferably during the evening hours of the day.”

Furihata accepted the offered card. “Thank you,” he said, a light pink dusting his cheeks. “I’ll, um, be sure to do that.” He tried his best not to sound flustered, but it wasn’t every day a very attractive person gave him their private contact information upon the first meeting! Despite the purpose being for professional reasons. ‘Professional Kouki! Be professional!’

Akashi smiled, happy his card was accepted without any protest, and moved to stand. “It was nice meeting you. I hope the rest of your sales go well.”

“Thank you. I hope your business meeting also goes well.”

For as long as he could remember he had always been seated in front of the window. Dressed in ethereal shades of red and gold, he was only one from a set of six, all of whom were just as elaborately clothed and had been created as carefully as he had been. They lived in a small shop, spacious yet crowded with various creations, all intricately made and never completely alone.

His creator had named him Seijuurou, but he would only ever be known by the little label that sat in front of him, titled “The Perceptive Prince”. He was the first of the Teikou Castle set, and while he had been easy to make, his creator had difficulty in designing the next character. Waiting wasn’t difficult, but feeling incomplete was a sore thing indeed.

“It’s normal,” Shigehiro from the Meikou Caravan set had told him, seated on the back of one of the carousel horses, a leftover background the creator had made some years back. “Because you were created with the image of others beside you, the feeling of being incomplete won’t go away until they’re all made. The others will feel the same as you - it happened when the creator was making our Meikou Caravan.”

“What happens when we get sold?” Seijuurou inquired.

“The creator tries to keep us all together in a set, but sometimes things don’t work out. Feeling incomplete because we’re all separated is just a twinge to me now, and only if I think about it too hard.” He was the only member of the Meikou Caravan to remain in the shop - the rest had been sold off many years ago. “I’m okay though. His love will sustain me.” Ogiwara’s eyes flickered to their creator with that last sentence, his face seemingly always fixed on the only man in motion in the shop, currently wiping down the counter.

While Shigehiro was good company, Seijuurou frequently found his eyes observing the outside world and the gears in his mind considering a life outside of the shop. It was a strange thought that neither pleased or displeased him. By the time Atsushi, dressed in purple as “The Passive Guard”, had come into being, Akashi had acquired a castle and a horse named Yukimura, both of which were constructed in the unique style that their creator was known for. Neither members of the Teikou Castle had to wait long for their companions to be designed - inspiration had struck their creator like a mountain of bricks and soon joining their ranks were Daiki “The Steadfast Watchman” smartly dressed in tones of blue and Satsuki “The Mysterious Duchess” draped in silken folds of pink. Shintarou “The Strict Butler” and Ryouta “The Dashing Knight” were created not long afterwards, in green and yellow respectively. At long last, the Teikou Castle set was complete, and was moved to be set behind reinforced glass, high on the shelf reserved for the shop’s newest displays.

Seijuurou watched as the years passed, his concept of time marked by people as they entered and left, and by the way their creator changed in time with the seasons. And he watched as each member of his set were sold one after the other until only he, Daiki, and Satsuki remained. Once more, Seijuurou found himself seated in front of the window, this time alone and without Yukimaru for company. Daiki and Satsuki were set next to Shigehiro on the bookcase behind the counter of the register, accompanied by a couple other various objects, many of them also figurines. They, unlike him, had gained the status of being untouchable. Items that were able to make their way onto that particular bookcase would never be sold, security stemming from an open display of fondness from the creator himself, sometimes after it was accepted that they would not be bought.

More years passed, and Seijuurou saw the youth of his creator leave him, converting light blue hair into a full pure white. He was getting old in age, and it was around this time that his grandson started to become a permanent presence in the shop, carrying on the craft his grandfather could no longer do and making sure everything ran smoothly. His hands were not as gentle as their creator’s but they were steady and careful, which was accepted within the community. The new generation of creations were as amiable as their maker, but since the grandson’s specialty did not lie in mimicking what was alive, the older generation did not have much new company to converse with.

Their creator’s grandson officially takes over the shop not long after his grandfather leaves the world and time carries on as it has always done in that small shop. Seijuurou watches the world outside as he has always done, and it’s when he’s being cleaned that it finally dawns on him that he remains as one of the few original five-inch figurines existing in the shop that have yet to be sold. Mingled with his creator’s clockwork buildings and creatures are the grandson’s own inanimate creations consisting of intricate flowers and windmills. On the untouchable shelf Seijuurou spies many of his old companions, kept there by the grandson’s nostalgia. It’s as he’s being held that a strange feeling dawns upon Seijuurou. It doesn’t take him long to recognize it as loneliness.

He’s set back on the same place he’s been occupying since the day he’s been created and is joined by more of the grandson’s clockwork creations as inspiration comes one after the other, and it’s when the sky changes color and soft whiteness starts to drift down from the clouds that Seijuurou begins to wonder about his fate. He’s remained unsold for so many years. Would he forever stay seated in front of the window or would the creator’s grandson move him to the untouchable shelf? If he does get a place on that wooden mahogany, it would only be for the reason that he is the last figurine remaining and not because the grandson had a particularly strong affection for him. Seijuurou doubted it would have taken so long for him to be moved, if that emotion existed.

A couple days after Seijuurou has this thought something changes. It’s a small and insignificant detail, yet Seijuurou finds himself entranced by it. Someone stopped in front of the shop today, he can’t help but think in a daze. Someone stopped in front of the shop and looked at me.

Seijuurou couldn’t forget how those brown eyes seemed to be glued to him, as if mesmerized. He had received such treatment before, in the early days of his creation, but none of those gazes had been as intense as the brunet’s. Those brown eyes made him feel that the human saw nothing else but him... and dangled a new thought into his head. What if I get sold?

It was a dangerous thought that tantalized the prince, even more so because he had only only recently become aware that he was lonely. What surprised the prince was the realization that he wanted to be sold, that he didn’t care for staying in the shop any longer than he had to. It was a feeling that had been buried in his subconscious, brought to the surface by that sudden spark of hope.

When the brunet enters the shop the next day, all the inhabitants hear him ask for the price of The Perceptive Prince. Not only does all attention suddenly focus on him, but the bated breath is released with disappointment when the brunet walks out again after hearing the price. No one quite knows what to say to Seijuurou, and many hold back their voices to avoid giving false hope. Seijuurou doesn’t bring up the matter either, but it’s impossible to deny that he feels disheartened.

The scenery outside the window no longer interests him, but the movement of the world beyond the shop is still better than the static air that lies within. Weeks have passed since the brunet entered and left the shop, and Seijuurou feels the eyes of the creator’s grandson on him, staring contemplatively. True to the title he had been given, Seijuurou knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s moved to join the others. Through observation, he found that humans grew sentimental with age, and the usually apathetic grandson was no different

But his expectations are turned on their head when someone enters the shop in a rush, their voice asking for him. Seijuurou almost can’t believe his ears, but the stunned silence he hears from behind him confirms that he had heard correctly. It’s bewildering to know a customer had just bypassed all of the intricate clockwork creations for which the shop was known for to ask for him - a forgotten relic of a long ago past.

It’s when he’s retrieved and placed in foreign hands that Seijuurou realizes that he has just been sold. The eyes that meet his are a warm brown, and with disbelieving eyes he recognizes the customer who had disheartened him so many weeks ago.

They had come back for him.

Seijuurou wondered if what he was experiencing counted as a dream. The moment felt too good to be true but he hoped it was not a cruel trick fabricated by his mind.

His companions bid him farewell, but reality doesn’t sink in for him until he’s brought outside into the cold snow air that he feels more alive than he has ever been in his long inanimate lifespan. Seijuurou feels warm, and he owes it all the brunet carrying him now.

He’s always been looking at the world from behind the shop glass.

“How do you feel? Refreshing, isn’t it?”

Aomine’s mouth was spread in a wide grin – he was sure that being out away from land was sure to help Kuroko’s memory. He had thought about taking Kuroko swimming but legs worked differently from tails and he was hesitant about taking the risk.

“Actually, I think I feel quite sick, Aomine-kun,” Kuroko responded, his face turning a sickly pallor. He gripped onto the side of his boat to steady himself, but the action didn’t help much as the boat swayed with every motion.

Aomine’s expression fell when he realized their excursion was having the opposite effect of what he had hoped would happen. “Ah damn. Hold on, I’ll row us back.”

Kuroko did his best to hold down the queasiness of his stomach, but the more the boat swayed, the more he was fighting a losing battle. Not wanting to ruin the boat, Kuroko turned to face the ocean, and leaned a little over the side, waiting for the bile he held to spew out. Luckily he hadn’t eaten much this morning, so there wasn’t much that came out. Unfortunately, he had leaned too far out on the side and ended up falling overboard, not strong enough to keep a good grip on the small boat. He had barely splashed into that deep blue water when Aomine noticed and jumped out after him, panicked.

“Shit! Hang on, Tetsu!”

For someone who weighed very little, Kuroko found himself sinking rather fast. He tried to struggle against the ocean water, but the action seemed to be of very little use. The water covered him and seemed to sink into him, attempting to suffocate him with all of it might. Blearily, he could see Aomine above him, but more than that he remembered being tossed about by broiling, angry waves, the stormy, discordant sea.

Something gripped his arms before he could delve further into the past, and he felt himself being pulled upwards, pressed against something solid and strong. Fighting against the water pressure, Kuroko felt them swimming up, climbing higher and higher until they broke through to the surface. While Kuroko coughed and fought to get air into his lungs, Aomine hefted him up into the boat, where he lay sprawled on the wood, energy entirely spent. On the other hand, Aomine stayed in the water and pushed the boat back in the direction of the shore. He was heavier than Kuroko and didn’t want to risk overturning the small vessel with his actions.

“I’m sorry,” Kuroko said after a moment.

“Don’t be. I should’ve been more attentive,” Aomine responded. “How do you feel? Still nauseous?”

“No, not really.”

“Tell me if you do and we’ll stop for a couple of minutes.”

“Okay.”

Laying on his back, Kuroko’s gaze landed on the bright sky above him. Strangely, though his body was swaying, he didn’t feel the queasiness rise up in him like it had a moment ago. In fact, it was quite soothing. If Kuroko didn’t think the moment was so dreamlike, he would have said it was a familiar feeling, looking up at the sky with the rocking waves below him.

Not long after that, Aomine climbed back onto the boat, flopping down tiredly on the wooden surface. “We’re not too far off and the wind is blowing in the right direction. It won’t be long until shore now.”

“I’m sorry for ruining your plans,” Kuroko said quietly.

Aomine glanced over at him in surprise. “Are you still thinking about that? Don’t be ridiculous. The whole point of the trip was to see if we could spark up some memories. There’s always next time if this time doesn’t work out.”

“…Thank you, Aomine-kun.”

“How did you get seasick though? I didn’t think that was possible…” Aomine muttered, more to himself than anything else, but Kuroko heard it anyway.

“Didn’t think it was possible?” Kuroko furrowed his brow. “Have I been on boats before?”

Aomine scratched his head. “Well… you’re very comfortable in the water, so I didn’t think getting seasick was possible. Swimming and sailing… aren’t they about the same?”

Kuroko thought about the matter then shook his head. “No, I don’t think they are. Thank you for trying though.”

“Like I said, don’t worry about it.”

The shoreline came closer until it was no longer in the distance, only a few steps closer. Aomine climbed out at that point and pushed the boat until it was out of the water and was in no danger of drifting out with the flowing tide. Kuroko climbed out but wasn’t able to keep his balance in the transition from sea to shore, and he ended up falling on the sand. He winced at the initial contact of sand against his back, but that thought went away with Aomine’s voice.

“Tetsu? You alright?”

Hearing Aomine saying his name brought a certain bubble of warmth in Kuroko’s chest, and somehow he knew that he would never tire of hearing it over and over again. That particular realization stained his cheeks red, which in turn caused Aomine to bring his hand over Kuroko’s forehead to check his temperature.

“I’m fine,” Kuroko hastily replied. Taking Aomine’s offered hand, Kuroko allowed himself to be pulled upright, but it still took a long moment for Kuroko to keep his balance. When he found it, he walked back to the water until his feet were submerged up to the ankles, watching the coldness come forward and recede slowly in a hypnotic motion. Aomine came to stand next to him.

“Do you remember anything?”

“No.” Though he liked standing in the water, Kuroko felt certain he would be in danger of drowning if he went any further. It was a confusing emotion, as if something was preventing him from going too deep into the ocean’s clutches. Perhaps it was from a traumatic memory – that seemed to be the only possible explanation.

“Why do you like the ocean, Aomine-kun?” he asked, voice gentle with curiosity.

His friend’s voice was distant when he replied. “I love the ocean… because it connects me to you. That’s how we first met.” Aomine smiled with fondness at the memory.

“Is that so,” Kuroko commented when Aomine neglected to continue the story. Aomine began to respond when Kuroko’s stomach let out a complaint and the shorter of the two stiffened from embarrassment.

“That’s right, we didn’t each much this morning.” Aomine chuckled. “See if you can stomach a short trip, Tetsu,” he said, starting to push the boat back out into the sea. Kuroko climbed in just before they reached the water and Aomine jumped in shortly after, grabbing hold of the paddles to row them over to the harbor some miles away. They docked safely, and after securing their vessel, began the trek home.

“Aomine-kun, what’s so special about tomorrow?” Kuroko asked, his attention caught by a bright flyer.

“Hmm?” Aomine bent forward to peer at the pink paper that stood out against the pale yellow wall of the building. “Oh yeah it’s market day. Things go on sale tomorrow and new shipments get revealed and sold. Wanna go?”

Kuroko nodded and Aomine ruffled his hair. “We’ll get your clothes from the tailor and go to the marketplace afterwards. Sound good?”

“Mmm, this is great,” Nice said, taking another bite of the fancy sandwich he was holding while Art nibbled on his cream puff.

“Nice, are you sure we should be eating this? We weren’t even properly invited,” Art whispered as though their words could be overheard amongst the chatter of the people around him.

“Relax! They put the food here for everyone to enjoy. You know what would be improper? If we left without trying a piece of that cake. The host would think we weren’t having a good time, and we wouldn’t them to think that, would we?”

Art’s cheeks slowly turned red in embarrassment. “I-I guess not,” he mumbled, and chewed his treat while Nice beamed and left to grab them some of the dessert on the table. Art managed to finish the cream puff by the time Nice returned, and took the paper plate that was shoved at him.

“...Thanks.” Art scrutinized the cake’s texture, but his purple eyes could find no fault with the treat. Not to mention the longer he stared, the more his stomach relaxed at the prospect of eating. Trust Nice to win him over with sweets.

Acutely aware of blue eyes studying him, Art bit into the cake and smiled as the sweetness hit his tongue. The cake was delicious and he wasted no time in finishing it, surprised but also pleased when another slice was put in front of him, courtesy of Nice.

“Do you think you can manage this one as well?” Nice asked, tone careful, not wanting to push Art into anything he wasn’t comfortable with.

“...Yes, I think so.”

Nice smiled, relieved. “Good.”

.

The sky had grown darker when they stumbled out of the festive crowd and onto the more open streets. Night-life had barely started in Yokohama, but that didn’t affect all the citizens going about their lives. The two adults blended in quite well, just another pair amongst hundreds of milling bodies.

There wasn’t much to say to each other on the walk back to Nice’s apartment but maybe there should have been. If they had been talking, then it would’ve been easier to lessen the guilt he felt, that it wasn’t their fault for not seeing what was coming. But they hadn’t and now he couldn’t think at all.

The man came out of nowhere, running while glancing every so often behind his shoulder. That was why he had failed to notice the two civilians ahead until it was too late to change his course, and he barreled into the both of them heavily.

“Hey! Watch it!” One of them had shouted angrily as he got back on his feet, ignoring him. “Hey!” the other said again and annoyed he shoved his arm out and pushed him away, remembering too late just exactly what he held in that hand.

“Hgh!” The burgundy-haired other went limp, and the one who had caused it clucked his tongue and darted away, hearing the distant sirens approaching.

“How rude,” Art winced, rubbing the side of his arm from where it met the cement just a moment ago.

“Tch, that bastard,” Art heard Nice hiss and he immediately turned toward his fallen companion.

“Nice, are you alright?” he asked, eyes widening when he saw dark red staining the cement beneath the other. “Nice!”

Turning his friend over, he couldn’t help but gasp at the red gash on Nice’s abdominal area. It was a tilted horizontal cut, most likely caused when Nice was pushed away from the other man.

“Nice!” Art cried and immediately put his hands on top of the wound, trying to staunch the flow with pressure. “Somebody call an ambulance!” he shouted, trying his hardest not to panic.

“D-Don’t worry Art,” Nice said, trying to reassure Art even as his eyebrows scrunched together in pain. “It’s... It’s not deep...”

Behind them, all sorts of noises occurred, from the running footsteps of the policemen and the worried hovering of the crowd that had formed around the two. But Art didn’t hear any of it, couldn’t register anything but Nice bleeding in front of him. Why wasn’t there a paramedic?

“H-Hang in there Nice.” Art was worried. He had no medical experience whatsoever and couldn’t gauge just how deep the wound was. What if something vital had been punctured? What if Nice just bled to death right then?

“S-Sorry... to make you worry... Art,” Nice managed to mumble before his eyes rolled closed, the pain becoming too much for him bear.

Art couldn’t help feeling panicked at his friend’s words. “Don’t leave me alone, Nice,” he said, fingers tightening their hold, his voice going shaky and desperate, mind already jumping to the worst. “Please, you promised...”

Hot tears dripped from his eyes and he hated feeling helpless but before his mind could give up completely, a hand shook his shoulder. Startled, his tear-stricken face met with the kind gaze of an older man.

“My name is Officer Gasket and I’m with the Yokohama Police Department. Your friend here seems to be heavily injured but not yet fatally injured. Will you let us take care of him?”

Following the policeman’s gaze, Art finally noticed the paramedics who had arrived on the scene and with a painful gulp he nodded. At that gesture, two people came forward to lift Nice and carry him to the stretcher. The nurse gave Art a reassuring smile. “He’ll be in good hands,” she promised.

“C-Can I ride with him?” Art asked nervously, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand.

“Of course.”

.

Art hadn’t been able to help himself from pacing back and forth in the corridor outside of the surgery room when he first arrived at the hospital, but was now sitting on a bench worrying his hands instead. As they wheeled Nice down the long white halls, they had gone past Ratio, who was about to get off work. When he saw Nice being wheeled down the hallway with a distraught Art following the paramedics, he spun on his heel and went after them without a second thought, typing a quick message on his phone as he walked.

Though he was tired from a long day of work, Ratio had to make sure his friend would be alright. And a splash of cold water on his face had never failed to reenergize him before.

“Have faith in Nice,” Ratio said, placing a fleeting hand on Art’s shoulder before entering the surgery room.

Ratio’s words could only reassure Art for the moment. Art was no stranger to hospitals, but the white walls felt oppressive and suffocating unlike before. He trusted in Ratio’s ability as a surgeon and Nice’s strength overall, but couldn’t help his worried mind from fretting. Sitting became uncomfortable so he resorted to pacing back and forth instead, hoping to take his mind off of the surgery by concentrating on the sound of his footsteps rather than on possible operation outcomes.

That was how Gasket found him, gnawing at his lip as he paced, ten minutes later. His team had apprehended the man who attacked Nice, and the officer thought it would put Art’s mind if he knew that particular fact.

He could have left after delivering the news to Art, but he didn’t. Instead, Gasket stayed and helped assuage Art’s worries. Because Art wasn’t comfortable with sharing his personal thoughts, Gasket steered the conversation, taking Art’s mind off of Nice for the moment with entertaining stories about his time on the force. His openness gradual relaxed Art to the point where he was able to share a few facts about himself, such as his current occupation and the different vegetation he took care of in his shop.

Gasket was in the middle of asking Art about what fertilizer would be better for his wife’s favorite flower when his stomach let out a growl. He rubbed his head sheepishly and stood up. “Want to get some crappy hospital food?” the older man asked humorously but Art refused with a shake of his head.

“No thank you. I want to wait here until Nice gets out of surgery.”

“I’ll be back in a bit then,” Gasket told him with a wave.

It was while Gasket was away and Art’s thoughts were going into dangerous territory when Birthday showed up, looking for Ratio. He was surprised to see Art since Ratio’s last text had only been something along the lines of <<something came up, will be late>> but took everything in stride. When Art finished explaining the situation to the blonde, Birthday did his best to reassure Art from further worry.

“Nice is a tough cookie, so I wouldn’t worry about him too much Art. Something like this definitely won’t stop him for long. And Ratio’s the best doctor here! If anything, you should be relaxed!”

“Thanks,” Art replied, but Birthday could tell he wasn’t too convinced by the tone of his voice.

Gasket returned just then with a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice, offering both to Art. The florist politely refused, handing the items over to Birthday instead. He didn’t want to tell them that his stomach was too tightly knotted for him to intake anything, that the sight of the sandwich was enough to make any appetite he might have had disappear. Besides, he only drank tea anyway.

Birthday accepted both the sandwich and juice bottle, but exchanged a worried glance with the older policeman. He might not know Art as well as Nice might, but anyone could tell the worry was taking a toll on his body. Combined with knowledge of Art’s past, Birthday wasn’t sure it was a good idea for Art to stay at the hospital for the whole night.

“Art, it might take a while for surgery to be finished. You should get some rest and come back in the morning.”

“No, I don’t want to.” Art refused, shaking his head. “I can’t leave without knowing.”

Birthday opened his mouth to protest Art’s decision when the light above the surgery room went out and the door opened. The three turned to see Ratio exit the room while pulling off his gloves and taking off the mask that covered his face.

“Ratio! How is he?” Art asked immediately.

“He’s fine. Aside from the stitches, we had to treat him for infection, but he should be back to normal within a couple days. It’ll be some time before he wakes up so you guys should head home and come back in the morning.”

“Can I stay overnight?”

Ratio gave Art a concerned look. Catching Birthday’s eye from behind the florist, he gave Art his most stern expression. “It would be better for you get some rest at home and come back in the morning.”

“But-”

“Your health is just as important as Nice’s.”

“Besides, we don’t want Nice to get upset because you didn’t have enough rest, do we now?” Birthday interjected, popping up from behind Ratio.

Art shook his head slowly. “I suppose not...”

“Listen to your friends, kid.” Gasket spoke up, clapping his hand on Art’s shoulder. “It’s late so I’ll drop you off, alright?”

With everyone’s expectant eyes on him, Art had little choice but to concede. “A-Alright. Thank you, Officer Gasket.”

Gasket led Art down the hall while Ratio and Birthday went along the other way. “We’ll call you, don’t worry!” Birthday told Art cheerfully before turning to Ratio. “Hand over the keys, doctor. I’ll be taking us home tonight.”

.

It took a while, but Art eventually slipped into an easy sleep. But his dreams were far from comfortable.

The sky was bright and flowers sitting on the landscape vibrant. He was young and surrounded by the people he grew up with, the people he loved.

This dream was no stranger to Art. He’s had it many times, more than he could count, but it was the first that it had appeared while he was in Yokohama.

His brother’s laugh echoed in his ears, and his parents hugged him, gently. It was a memory from long, long ago. They were having a picnic to celebrate his mother’s promotion, complete with a cake and candles. Nice had been invited and the three children played together like always.

But that was where the similarities ended.

It was like a game of tag, with Art being “it”, chasing after Set and Nice. But no matter how hard he tried, their backs were always just out of reach. And then suddenly, the ground between them separated, leaving Art unable to follow. His parents appeared behind Set and Nice, while his other friends cropped up beside the two. They were all together on the other side of the cliff, away from Art.

And then, they began to fade, one by one, first with his parents then his friends, until only Set and Nice were left.

“Wait! Don’t go!” he shouted, begging desperately. “Set, Nice!!”

The bright sky disappeared along with the two before him, encasing Art alone in the darkness. All around him, he could hear their voices, of everyone’s happy voices. But no matter how hard he shouted, he could not make himself heard, could not make them respond to his voice.

Would he always be left alone?

He saw his brother’s cold, lifeless body flash in front of him and then disappear.

He saw Nice, injured, right in front of him.

He saw them together. But he couldn’t see himself beside them.

Art woke up with a gasp.

.

After that nightmare, nothing could get Art to go back to sleep, so he settled for what he normally did after nightmares – stare out of the window and focus on the enormity of the universe instead. That way, there was no need to think, no need to remember the cause of his pain. For a time, he could just forget. And though the city was nothing like open skies, it allowed his eyes to trace new lines, carving out different possibilities in his mind.

Night slowly transitioned into day, but Art didn’t move an inch from his position. Eventually, he was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. It took him a moment to respond, limbs stiff from staying in one position all night.

“Just a minute!” He called out and padded towards the front door, glancing at the clock on the wall as he passed by. It read nine o’clock. Opening the door, he was greeted by purple hair darker than his own and a shorter female in front of the other.

“Murasaki, Hajime-chan, good morning.” Art said politely, surprised to see them both. “Please, come in.”

“We heard about Nice,” Murasaki said, stepping into the room. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just worried about Nice.”

“Here. I brought you a hamburger.” Hajime said, expectantly holding out the burger to the florist.

Art took the offered treat from her, but didn’t unwrap it, instead setting it down on the kitchen table. “Thank you, Hajime-chan.”

“Aren’t you hungry?” she inquired, her red eyes peering up at him curiously.

“Mmm, not quite. I ate something a moment ago,” Art replied smoothly. “Make yourselves comfortable, okay?”

As the two settled down on the couch, Art went into his room and changed clothes, quickly brushing his teeth afterwards. He came back into the living room to find Murasaki on the phone.

“Yeah. Thanks.” He hung up and turned to Art. “That was Ratio. Nice just woke up. Do you want to go now?”

“Yeah.”

Art followed Murasaki out the door, taking the hamburger he received earlier with him, aware of Hajime’s eyes observing him. The drive to the hospital was a short one, and upon arriving at Nice’s room, the three found Birthday, Ratio, and Chiyuu already there chatting with Nice.

“Nice-kun!” Hajime immediately went over to her cousin’s beside.

“Hey there, Hajime-chan,” Nice said with a smile. “Sorry to make you worry. But I’m fine now. Let’s get ice cream later!”

Murasaki let out a long-suffering sigh. “Be a little more responsible Nice. You did just get stabbed by an infected knife last night.”

Nice pouted. “Phooey. Murasaki, you’re no fun at all. It’s not such a big deal – I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

Murasaki rolled his eyes. “I can’t talk reason with, you can I? Art, say something.”

“Murasaki’s right, you know. You have to be more responsible Nice. Don’t try to leave before you’re fully recovered.” The others laughed to see Nice’s crestfallen look at being chided by Nice.

“I have to see my other patients, but I’ll return periodically to check up on you Nice,” Ratio said, tucking his clipboard under his arm.

Birthday slung his arm around Ratio’s shoulder and waved at Nice. “Chiyuu and I’ve got lots of work to get back to, so we’ll be leaving first! Later!” Chiyuu followed Ratio and Birthday out the door, giving the others a small wave as she walked out as well.

Murasaki, Hajime, Nice, and Art chatted together for about a good hour until Murasaki’s phone rang.

“That was Koneko. We just got a job offer, so we’ll be going now. Bills need to be paid, after all.”

“Heheh,” Nice scratched at the bandage resting on the bridge of his nose. “That’s true.” He was surprised when his cousin slid off the bed to stand beside his partner.

“Hajime-chan’s going too?”

“Of course.” There was a glint in her eye as she spoke. “With Nice-kun out of commission, Murasaki and I are Hamatora, Mark Two! You can count on me, Nice-kun!” She told him enthusiastically.

Nice patted her on the head. “That’s great Hajime-chan! My, you’ve really grown, haven’t you?”

She grinned back at him. “Yup!” Hajime tugged on Murasaki’s sleeve. “Let’s meet Takahiro for lunch afterwards, okay?”

Murasaki sighed. “Yeah, yeah,” he said while allowing himself to be led out by his younger partner.

Nice waited until the door swung shut before he turned his full attention on Art. “Art, come here,” he said softly, waiting until Art was seated on the chair beside his bed. With his hands, he reached out and touched Art’s face, tracing the contours of the florist’s cheeks with searching eyes.

“You... you haven’t slept at all last night, haven’t you?” he asked. Art didn’t give him an answer but Nice knew he was right with the way the other’s purple eyes wouldn’t meet his gaze.

Nice frowned. “I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but since they’re all gone now you might as well tell me, Art.”

“You’re right, I haven’t slept at all last night. I couldn’t.” Art still wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You had me worried out of my mind. Do you think after seeing you injured like that I would be able to fall asleep that easily?”

Nice’s hands left Art’s face to grip Art’s hands tightly. “The wound wasn’t deep. Look at me, Art. I’m fine now. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

“That’s... that’s not the point Nice!” Art raised his head to meet Nice’s eyes. “You... you were injured... bleeding so much... right in front of me.” He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to hold his tears back. “I thought you were dying... I thought that you were going to leave me alone, just like Set did, and I just- I just-” Art’s voice was shaking, his body full of tremors as he tried his best to keep himself composed in spite of his tears. “I was so worried, Nice,” he whispered and Nice pulled him tightly to his chest, hugging him firmly in his arms.

“I’m sorry, Art. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” He patted Art’s back gently.

Art shook his head. “No... I’m supposed to be strong, but all I’ve done is rely on you since coming back to Yokohama... I’m so pathetic, aren’t I?”

Nice’s arms tightened around him. “That’s not true. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, Art. You’re not pathetic at all. Rely on others doesn’t make you weak, Art. Strength isn’t handling burdens by yourself, it isn’t about keeping everything bottled inside. True strength is in trusting in others.” Nice rested his head lightly against Art’s. “Art, I’m sorry for scaring you like that. But I promised you before I wouldn’t leave you alone, didn’t I? I promised you wouldn’t be by yourself anymore, and I always keep my promises, so trust me, okay?” Nice pulled back to meet Art’s eyes. “I’m not going anywhere without you, Art.”

“You... why are you doing so much for me, Nice? I’m just another one of your friends, aren’t I? Why are you being so selfless?” Art sobbed, rubbing his eyes, unable to look at Nice.

“Because you’re not just my friend, Art.” Nice smiled fondly at Art before he dropped the bombshell. “It’s because I love you.”

Art’s eyes widened immediately, and he couldn’t help but freeze in shock, unable to do anything except stare at Nice as if he had grown two heads.

“W-What did you say?” he squeaked out, so stunned that his tears had temporarily stopped their tracks down his cheeks.

“You heard me, and I’ll say it as many times as I have to.” Nice told him candidly. “I’m in love with you, Art. I’ve loved you since the first day we met under the shade of that huge oak tree. I love your smile, I admire your kindness, and I love how you try your hardest despite how the odds always seem to be stacked against you. I love you when you’re being stubborn and selfish, when you finally speak for the things you want instead of giving way to others. I love your passion for flowers and sense of duty. I love everything about you Art, and I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.”

Art’s heart clenched tightly at Nice’s words. Nice... loved him?

“I- I don’t know what to s-say, Nice,” he stammered, pale face turning bright red. “This is so- so sudden... Couldn’t you possibly be mistaking this feeling for pity?”

“It’s not pity, Art. What I feel for you isn’t pity, it’s far from pity. It’s love and admiration, and it isn’t something to be taken lightly either.” Blue orbs captured purple with their depth. “I’m serious, Art. I love you.”

Art could see the sincerity shining in those familiar, bright blue eyes and could be clouded by doubt no longer. Nice truly meant what he said, and Art couldn’t help but feel touched by his friend’s feelings.

He let his tears fall freely even as he smiled at Nice, gratitude swelling in his chest. “Thank you, Nice.” Art wiped eyes with the back of his hands. “Thank you so much.” He let out a small laugh. “You know, I’ve always thought my crush on you was one-sided, but I guess it was silly of me to think that. I... I like you too, Nice.”

Nice’s eyes widened at that statement. Never in the many scenarios he had imagined of himself confessing had he dreamed that Art would actually reciprocate his feelings. This... was too overwhelming for him, and without thinking, Nice energetically closed the distance between them, capturing Art’s soft lips against his own.

They stayed that way for some time, in the quiet of that hospital room.

.

A few weeks after Nice had been released from the hospital, Art had to return for his regular check-up. Nice didn’t want to part with him, so they returned to their hometown together.

Art was found to be as healthy as before, which his aunt decided was cause for celebration, leading both Art and Nice to spend dinner with her and her husband. It was a pleasant evening that the two made sure to keep in mind to bring back with them to Yokohama.

But there was one last stop they had to make before they hit the road again.

“There’s no need to worry about me anymore, Otouto. I’ll be fine now.”

“That’s right. I won’t let anything happen to Art. You have my word.”

They planted Art’s personally grown flowers in front of Set’s marker before leaving, not noticing the faint shimmering figure sitting on the gravestone, under the shade of an oak tree.

“I’m glad to hear that. I love you, Onii-chan.”

The wind blew around them, and Art turned back in the direction of his brother’s grave, the tip of a question on his tongue.

“Hmm? What’s the matter, Art?”

“Ah, nothing. I just... I just thought that I heard Set’s voice.” Art’s voice was wistful. “But it was just the wind.”

“Who knows? Maybe Set really did hear us,” Nice responded optimistically. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s watching over us right now, honestly. He always was a meddler.”

Art laughed. “Yeah, he certainly was.”

Nice took Art’s hand in his own and pressed their foreheads together.

“Let’s go home.”

Art kissed Nice’s lips softly.

“Brother, where are we going?” He tried not to hold uncertainty in his voice, but it slipped out anyway. His brother’s hand around him tightened in response.

Two small forms walked hand in hand together, their legs moving straight forward despite not being able to see much of anything except for a distant light up ahead.

“It’ll be okay, Art-nii. I’m right next to you.” The younger twin grinned at his older brother, assuaging the worry that had leaked out.

“Okay.”

There was no time in that space, but as they grew closer towards the light, Art became aware of the air of finality up ahead. Instinctively, he knew once they crossed the line, there would be no turning back.

But, why would he want to go back in the first place? He didn’t understand anything in this dark space, didn’t know of before and after, only of himself and his brother at this present.

There was an echo behind them and Art hesitated in his step, turning slightly to look behind them.

“Set, did you hear that?”

But his brother only gripped his hand tighter and pulled him forward at a faster pace. “Ignore it, Art-nii. We can’t look back.”

Art quickened his pace to match his brother’s but curiosity was still in him. “Why not?” he asked, but wasn’t given a reply.

“...rt...”

“...et...”

He frowned. The echoes, though distant, seemed to be saying something familiar though he couldn’t exactly make out the individual words. His hand slackened, but the slight action did not go unnoticed by his brother, who tightened his grip and forced the both of them into a run. The light up ahead was coming closer now, but its brilliance was not something that yet captivated Art. His brother, however, was a different story.

“Art!”

Art jerked back at that, positive that he heard his name, but who could have been calling him?

His brother tugged him forward. “Art-nii hurry up! Mom and Dad are just ahead, so come on!”

Art faltered at that statement. Set saw their parents? But... their parents were...

“Set, wait,” Art tried to slow down to make sense of the situation but his brother kept moving forward. As a result of the situation Art ended up tripping over his feet, falling to the floor. His hand slipped out of his brother’s grasp so Art was left behind while his brother continued onward, unhindered towards the light.

Art cried out as his brother disappeared into the light’s embrace while he was engulfed by a wave of darkness that came crashing down on him.

“Art!”

Purple eyes flew open abruptly and met with blue orbs flooded with concern. It took a moment for recognition to sink in, but it came soon enough. Art sat up slowly.

“Nice? What’s wrong?”

Nice sat back with some relief. “You were having a nightmare again,” he said quietly, looking at Art with eyes that still contained worry.

“Ah, is that so?” Art put a hand to his head and gave Nice a weary smile. “Sorry to make you worry.”

Nice was silent for a moment, studying him before standing up and holding a hand out to Art. “Let’s go out for the day, Art.”

Art looked at Nice with some confusion before understanding sunk in and he nodded. “Yeah,” he said, placing his hand in the other offered to him, allowing himself to get pulled up.

It only took a couple of minutes for the two of them to get ready for the day and after eating breakfast (or, as much as Art could stomach) the two went out for a walk. There was no rush to go anywhere, just walking where their feet took them, switching between casual conversations and lapses of silence with relative comfort.

[10 years ago - age 12]

“What? Your parents want to move? You’re moving?” Set cried, upsetting his lunchbox.

“Set!” Art scolded, reaching over and catching the box before it could completely be knocked over.

Set turned to his brother with an expression of disbelief. “Art! Nice is leaving – and you’re worried about my lunchbox?”

Art frowned at him. “Be reasonable, Set. Nice doesn’t want to leave, but it’s something his parents decided so he has no choice. Isn’t that right Nice?” he asked, turning to the brunet who had a despondent expression.

“Yeah...” Nice shrugged. “They want me to go to Facultas Academy and study with Hajime-chan but I don’t know why – the school here’s perfectly fine.” Nice crossed his arms, an angry expression appearing on his face. “Just because I passed some stupid test and the examiner wants me to go doesn’t mean we have to go.” He huffed, annoyed at the memory.

“Wait, test? What do you mean test?” Set asked, with unexpected excitement.

“Huh? One of the professors at Facultas came to my class a month ago and made us take a test. That was the week you guys went to visit your grandparents though. Apparently I scored high enough to get a spot at the school. But I don’t want to go! It’s probably a place full of snobs.”

“Art! We could-”

Art cut off his brother before he could say more. “Set, no. We’re not going to just take the test to see if we can get into Facultas with Nice.” He gave Nice an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Nice. I don’t mean it that way. But even if we take a test and manage to pass, we can’t afford to go to such an expensive private school.”

They had visited Hajime, Nice’s cousin, in the past and also toured the elite academy she was attending during their visit. It was truly a remarkable establishment, with a top-rate education system that Art would have loved to study at. But the standards were high for that school, and only the elite were able to afford such an institution.

Nice nodded in understanding. “I know you don’t.” He kicked a rock by his foot. “I just don’t get why they want me to go so bad. Or why the scouter was so persistent – did you know he waited outside my house for a week, trying to persuade me to go the school? So stupid.” He kicked another rock. “I don’t need any fancy schooling when everything is so easy for me. Don’t you guys think so?”

“Nice, your parents just want the best for you,” Art chided. “Maybe it’s because everything is so easy for you that they want you to go Facultas.”

“Or maybe the school offered your parents something they couldn’t resist,” Set pointed out. “That’s what I would do if I had to recruit you and you were so damn stubborn about it.”

Nice scowled. “But that’s my parents’ choice, not mine!”

“Exactly.” Set stood up. “The three of us have been together since we were born,” he told his brother and best friend seriously. “They can’t just separate us like this! Come on, we’re gonna go talk to both our parents!”

Without waiting for them, Set dashed off, knowing that if he didn’t leave immediately, Art would hinder him. This left Art and Nice with no choice but to follow the younger lilac-haired twin. Art quickly gathered the remains of their lunch and stuffed them into his bag while letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Sorry Nice. You know what happens when Set gets an idea in his head.” He began the walk down the path and Nice walked beside him, since their homes were on the same road.

“Hey, Art,” Nice said after a moment of silence.

“Hmm?”

“Um, if you could, would you go to Facultas?” Nice asked, scratching the bridge of his nose.

Art looked up at the sky. “If I could? Yes, I would.” He turned to Nice with a serious expression on his face. “The education is supposed to be first-rate and when you graduate, you’re guaranteed a spot in the workforce of your choice. Wouldn’t that be great Nice? You wouldn’t have to worry all the time.”

His eyes cast back up to the sky, missing Nice’s glance at him. “But even so, I think I’ll be okay here. As long as you promise you won’t forget me after you become a big hotshot,” he teased with a smile on his face while nudging Nice’s side with his elbow.

Nice scoffed at that statement and pushed back lightly. “Never. Hanging out with you is more interesting than school.”

Art only laughed at that and the two continued on their way after Set.

.

In the end, Set managed to convince the adults to give both him and Art the same test that Nice took. While Set’s score was close in number to Nice’s, Art’s was significantly lower than them both. When Art received his score, he instantly knew he wasn’t qualified enough, especially with the way his brother’s paper had been handed back with a huge smile from the scout. He was nothing special when compared to his genius brother and best friend, and though he didn’t like it, he felt his heart clench. Art left the paper face down on the table and excused himself from the room, entering the backyard to have some time to himself. Set and Nice exchanged uneasy glances with each other at this action, but for the moment, they didn’t follow the other, knowing his temperament. Their parents sitting together also seemed nervous, not catching the enthusiasm the Facultas representative was projecting to them.

“Set also seems to be exceptionally talented, so we don’t mind extending a scholarship for him to attend our esteemed academy. Although Art ranks higher than the students at his current school, his score is average compared with the students already enrolled at Facultas. Unfortunately, we cannot award him the same privilege.”

Set stood up angrily at that statement. “If Art-nii can’t go, then I won’t either. Maybe he’s not as smart, but he works extremely hard, and if you won’t let him go just because he didn’t get a high score, then you’re the stupid one.”

“Set!” his mother began, but he ran past her and out the door. She gave the scout an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about that. But the two of them are extremely close, as are we to our children. Separation isn’t something to be lightly considered.”

The scout shrugged. “It’s unfortunate, but that’s out of my hands.” He turned to Nice. “What say you though, Nice? I’m sure your cousin would be thrilled to have you attend school with her, and your parents would certainly be proud to see you attend our prestigious academy.”

Nice kept a level gaze on the older man, tipping his cup on the table back and forth. “Facultas seems really keen for me to attend their school, but I don’t know why,” he said in a rather bored tone.

“Well, this is because you are one of the most brilliant minds we’ve ever encountered!” The man praised Nice enthusiastically. “You’ve scored higher than the top students we’ve had at the academy for the last ten years, and considering how young you are, there is no doubt that you would reach higher potentials later in your life. At Facultas, we would love to help you reach such heights and cultivate within you an extensive education that would greatly prepare you for the future. Really, this is probably one of the greatest opportunities you will ever encounter. You should really accept the full-ride scholarship we’re offering you. Your parents would be extremely proud.”

“Oh really?” The man was taken aback by the bored expression in Nice’s eyes. “I don’t care about any of that. I’ve scored higher than anyone else? So what? That doesn’t matter to me. You guys want me, but I don’t want you, scholarship or no scholarship.” He shrugged and took a sip of drink from his glass cup. “You said it yourself. I’m extremely smart and I know I’m smart. Even if I don’t go to Facultas, there are a dozen other highly ranked schools right in this area – I could just as easily go to any one of them.” He smirked to see the man’s complexion turn pale. “I’m willing to go to Facultas. But on one condition.” His blue eyes bore into the adult’s brown ones with a cold intensity. “You have to accept Art and Set with full ride scholarships as well. That’s my only demand, and if you can’t fulfill that, then don’t bother coming again, because if you do, I’ll call the police on you. Don’t underestimate me just because I’m twelve. If I want to, I can make your life a living hell.” He stood up from the table and faced his parents’ open expressions. “I know you want me to go to Facultas, but you also know that if I’m against something I’ll resist with my entire being. Don’t think I won’t run away if you forcibly relocate me. Gramps always did say I inherited stubbornness from both of you.” He waved and walked away from the room, headed out back. As soon as he shut the door, he heard the raised voices of heated debate start behind him.

Art stood stock still in front of his garden, trying not to let his emotions overwhelm him, but he couldn’t help the anger he was feeling. It was anger towards both his brother and his best friend for being natural geniuses and leaving him behind time after time even though it wasn’t intentional. It was irrational, because he didn’t truly hate them, but he didn’t like constantly feeling inferior to the two of them either, especially since he was older than them both, in age and maturity. Art was always the responsible older brother whom all the adults could trust to keep everything in order, yet Nice and Set were always the first to be praised in energy and ability – and in spite of their troublesome natures, the teachers always loved them the best.

‘Probably because they showed that they were destined for greatness from the start,’ the bitter thought came to Art unbidden but immediately after it arose Art felt guilty for harboring it. After all, the two were his only close companions and he regarded them both as beloved family members. Even if he couldn’t go with them, it was really a good opportunity for them in life. He would be sad, of course, but he would also be extremely happy for them.

Art was brought out of his thoughts by a sudden weight resting on his back, and the scent of lilac filled his nose. “Set,” he gently chided. “What are you doing out here?”

Set buried his head into the crook of his brother’s shoulder, his arms around the other’s waist but said nothing.

Art tried again. “You know, you should go to Facultas with Nice. It’s why you wanted us to take the test in the first place right? So Nice wouldn’t be left alone? You mustn’t miss such a good opportunity.”

As a response, Set tightened his arms. When he spoke, his voice was low, hoarse. “I don’t care. It’s stupid for them to take me, but not you.” His words were muffled, but Art had little difficulty in understanding the words. “I didn’t want Nice to be left alone, but I don’t want to leave you alone either. We were supposed to go together, all three of us. But... if going means that you get left behind...” Set shook his head and buried it deeper into the crook of Art’s neck. “No way. I won’t do it, even if it means we have to leave Nice, even though we’ve been together since forever. I won’t, I won’t.”

Art said nothing and rested his head lightly on his brother. The two of them stood there and let the presence of each other comfort their being. Set knew that no matter his own choice Art would persuade him to leave with Nice, even if doing so would leave him behind. He worried too much, and being the older brother, tried to shoulder as much responsibilities as possible. Without Set and Nice around, Set knew it wouldn’t take long for Art to burn himself out. Through their connection as twins, he willed for Art to understand his feelings and for once, to be selfish and fight for what he wanted, not to conform to everyone else’s expectations for him. He knew Art’s dream was to go to an elite school in the country, but it was hard to stand out next Set and Nice’s natural talents. But out of everyone, he put in the most time and effort into every little thing he did.

“Art, it’s okay to be selfish,” Set murmured by his brother’s ear. “Don’t keep everything bottled inside.” He could feel his twin’s feelings of frustration, bitterness, and envy. But what he hated the most was how tame those feelings were, as if Arthad pushed it aside to the point where he wouldn’t feel anything. Set hated those feelings because they meant that Art was hurting deeply and there was nothing he could do about it, especially since he was part of the reason why his brother was feeling this way. Not for the first time, Set wished he had been born at the same level as Art or that Art also had his genius, so that they were at the same level and his brother wouldn’t know such pain.

“I can’t help it,” Art quietly remarked. “It’s just how I am.”

In the distance, away from their small cocoon in the garden, a door opened and shut. The padding of footsteps revealed that Nice had followed them out, and two sets of purple orbs watched him silently, neither party speaking until Art shifted and Set straightened up, detaching himself to stand next to Art instead of clinging to him.

“What’d you say Nice?” Set asked with a raised eyebrow. “They sound like something’s on fire.” He was referring to the voices in the house that had elevated in volume despite the closed door.

Nice shrugged. “Oh you know, an ultimatum. Adults can never resist things like that.”

Art watched Nice warily, not liking the matching grins on Nice and Set’s face, where his brother and best friend were able to instantly pick up on each other’s mischievous intentions.

“Nice... what did you do?”

Nice shook his head. “Nothing much, really. If it’s important, you’ll be the first to know.”

Art frowned but decided not to push the matter. When the two of them got up to something and wanted it kept secret, it wasn’t easy to pry knowledge out of them.

Deciding it was better to wait out the storm rather than get caught up in the arguments, the three of them laid down on grass, looking up at sky and pointing out constellations, letting the trials from earlier fall from their mind. Their parents found them an hour later, curled up against each other fast asleep in the grass. Even in sleep the trio seemed to be tangled together, and they smiled with amusement to see the closeness of their young children.

Two weeks later the three of them were informed that the two families were moving to the city so the three could attend Facultas Academy together on a full-ride scholarship. After hearing about the situation, the academy had agreed to grant Nice’s childish wish and now the two families were moving to allow their children better access to the facility. Although they would be staying at the dorms, on weekends they were permitted to stay with their parents.

[5 years ago – age 17]

Schooling at Facultas turned out to be rightly challenging, just enough to keep the students on their toes. Competition was fierce in every hallway, but new students were largely ignored by the more experienced at the school. That was perfect for Art, who didn’t care for competition, only in doing his best so he could excel in his own way. And though Nice and Set felt themselves being challenged, they didn’t let the rules of the school stop them from doing what they liked.

Halfway during their first year, the trio was out on an excursion when they took a wrong turn somewhere, ending up at in a long winding street with a lot of small buildings, some of which turned out to be local businesses. Intrigued by their new surroundings, Nice, Art, and Set continued down the path. It wasn’t long before they reached open road once again, but just as they were about to head back, Art’s attention was captured by one of the buildings. Set and Nice had no choice but to follow after him, pausing only briefly to glance at the sign that hung on the front door. It read “Anemone”.

It was a flower shop, and though the space was small, every corner was filled by vibrant colors. The small bell at the door announced their arrival, and soon an old woman came out of the backroom to greet them. Her name was Chisaki and she was pleased to see them, taking a liking to Art specifically as he showed a keen interest in her shop. After one conversation Art couldn’t help himself and ended up asking if he could volunteer at the floristry, causing Set to butt in immediately to tell her he wanted to help out as well. Not wanting to be left out, Nice added that he wasn’t too busy with school to not lend a hand if it was needed. The old woman chuckled and told them to do what they liked.

“If you youngsters are willing enough to visit an old woman like me, that’s more than enough to make me happy. Ever since that big mall opened up, there have been fewer customers around. I still have some very loyal customers, but the florist industry has not been kind to those behind the times.”

“You can count on us!” Art had told her rather determinedly and she had smiled at him with fondness.

So, even though schoolwork was particularly difficult for Art at Facultas, he was resolute in both keeping up with his studies and spending time at Anemone. And where Art went, Set followed. Though he didn’t particularly share his brother’s love for flowers, he didn’t particularly dislike them either. (How can they be bad if they make you so happy? Though if you like stuff like this you shouldn’t get mad when people call you a girl, Art-nii~ Ouch!) And Nice was a constant presence by the twins. Even though he had many rivals at the academy, in the teenager’s eyes they barely existed. Though the education was excellent, Nice found that he didn’t like the teaching style of the academy, hating how they predetermined students’ capabilities, discriminating against them in that way. Nice had been an unknown when he entered the school, and was treated as if he was dirt from the moment he had taken a seat (“you might have been at the top at your old school but I assure you the standards are very different here and anything less than perfect will not be tolerated”) but as soon he was labeled a genius (“a child like him, ranked number one just after one test?” “did you hear how he inadvertently helped to solve Ami’s theorem?” “my god he is a prodigy!”) the professors all but groveled at his feet, setting him on a pedestal for the other students to envy and aim to beat.

And Nice hated that the most.

Hajime was two years below Nice, but she was his favorite person right after the twins, and if he wasn’t with them, he was often found to beside her. Like Nice, she was extremely smart and at the top of her class, though nowhere as exalted as he was. Hajime was a good friend of Chiyuu (who was a year older than her), and they were friends with Honey and Birthday, the two of which who were the same age as Nice and the twins. There was also Ratio and Murasaki, who were older than all of them by a year, but the former was Birthday’s best friend and the latter who they didn’t meet until a couple months after enrolling at the school. Murasaki initially disliked Nice because of his carefree attitude and how he had stolen his ranking, but it wasn’t long until the two came to an understanding, resulting in them becoming rather good friends. There were times when the six tagged along on the trip to Anemone, delighting the owner who loved friendly company, but more often than not they were doing their own thing.

After all, flowers were, first and foremost, Art’s hobby.

.

It was during the beginning of their third year at Facultas when Chisaki surprised the three of them. She wanted to leave the shop to both Art and Set as a gift. Art had protested, but she was firm in the matter.

“I’m an old woman. I have no one who I can leave this shop to, but if you take it, it would greatly set my mind at ease.” She pressed the key into Art’s hand. “Please, you have a talent with these children.”

“We’re still in school though,” Art said, still overwhelmed by the news.

“And I still have quite a few years left to me, but I would rather secure these matters before my time comes, don’t you agree?”

“Why me?” Set asked, confusion make quite clear on his face, staring at the key in his hand. “I don’t like flowers as much as Art-nii, so why would you include me in your will?”

Chisaki took hold of his hands. “Because you love your brother more than anything else. Even these old eyes can tell that much, Set-kun.” She patted his hands comfortingly. “I know that the two of you together can accomplish many great things. And, if either of you should one day tire of this place, then you may do with it what you like - give it to another, renovate it, sell it - whatever will help your future.”

While Set mulled that over, she turned to Nice, who was standing off to the side. “Nice-kun, you’ve been a good help to me. But I know that with all that energy you’ll never be content with just running a small flower shop, nor do you carry the passion for it. From the stories the three of you tell me, I think you would have more fun as a detective solving mysteries.” Nice hadn’t expected her to explain her thoughts to him, but he found himself glad that she had—even if he didn’t want to admit it, he had felt slightly left out by the news, especially since the three of them had started at the same time. But she was right. Even if he didn’t know what he wanted to do in the future, he couldn’t see himself working at the small flower shop for the rest of his life. Her eyes twinkled as understanding dawned in his eyes and she turned back to the twins. “Well, what do you say?”

Art and Set faced each other for a long moment, holding a conversation that only the two of them would ever be privy to. At the end of it they nodded. “We’d be happy to take over the shop, Chisaki-baa-san.”

She beamed at them. “That’s wonderful.”

But their happiness was short-lived.

Art was dusting off the countertop when his brother collapsed suddenly, dropping the bouquet of freshly cut flowers that he had been about to display around him on the wood.

“Set!!”

Art was beside his twin in an instant, cradling his body tightly against him. “Set, what’s wrong? Set, answer me!”

“Art-nii... It hurts... I can’t...” he gasped for air weakly. “Can’t... breathe...”

“He’s burning up,” Nice said with a frown, his hand on Set’s pale forehead, eyes scanning the pale body. “But I don’t see any physical wound... Did he eat something bad?”

“I’ve called the hospital,” Chisaki said, hovering over them anxiously. “They should be here at any moment.”

The ambulance arrived soon enough, and Art climbed into the back of the vehicle anxiously, telling Nice to call his parents for him, too distraught to do it himself. Nice did so, and instead of returning to Facultas, ran the whole way over to the hospital. Out of breath, he found Art in the waiting room and took a seat next to him, giving the other silent support while regaining his breathing.

Art’s parents soon arrived, and it wasn’t long afterwards that the doctors called for them. They soon found out that Set had inherited a rare disease. They weren’t sure why, but it had surfaced after years of being dormant.

“Can it be cured?” The twins’ mom asked tearfully. Neither of them had been aware that a genetic disease was coursing through their veins – there had never been any symptoms they knew of in the family.

“At the moment we’ve brought down the fever and stabilized his breathing, but without treatment he’ll continue to degenerate. Itou-san, I apologize. As this is not in my field of expertise, I am unable to advise you further. What I can do is refer you to another hospital that specializes in such cases.”

“But can it be cured?” Their father’s voice was ragged with worry.

“I am sorry, but I cannot answer that question.”

The hospital they were referred to happened to be located near their old home before they were admitted to Facultas Academy. And though Art’s parents told him they would be fine with him staying at Facultas Academy, Art insisted on going with them. Nice wanted to go with them as well – even if he wasn’t blood related they were close enough to be family, but Art convinced him to finish his education at Facultas.

“Please Nice... do it for us?”

And Nice could only agree to the request.

.

Art was enrolled in a public high school, but spent almost every day at the bedside of his brother. Thanks to his time at Facultas, Art found that he was ahead of everyone in his class, and therefore had a lot of extra time to spend with his brother. Set, now awake and in a better condition, had been informed of the recent events and underwent a lot of treatment. The disease he had wasn’t incurable, but the fact remained that there was not yet a full cure, simply because it was so rare and that treatment affected individual patients differently. Despite finding out he had a sort of incurable disease, Set was still quite optimistic.

“Well look at it this way: the disease is manageable and you’ve passed the screening test so I don’t have to worry about you getting sick. I think I can be optimistic, Art-nii.”

“You heard how the doctor said every patient has different types of symptoms and ranging curability! Set, you can’t just take this lightly!”

“It’s better than making myself depressed with thoughts of death!”

Art became quiet at his brother’s outburst and Set looked down at his hands, kneading the white sheets beneath his hands.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Set.” Art said and took his brother’s hand in his own, leaning forward to press his head against Set’s so that he was looking into familiar purple orbs. “I was just worried. Forgive me?”

“You always worry too much. That’s partly why I’m so optimistic all the time you know?” Set looked back into his brother’s eyes. “Of course I forgive you. You don’t ever have to ask.”

Art smiled. “I know.”

.

Though Set took regular medication, he was still required to make frequent check-ups at the hospital, and had to stay overnight when things got particularly bad. While Art never left his side, their parents were only sparsely around due to work so that they could continue to pay for Set’s treatments. The whole family’s mind was centered on Set’s illness that the accident came as a shock.

About one year later, on a rainy night, the twins’ parents were on their way home from work when their car slid from the road, causing them to crash into the side of the mountain. That action sequentially caused a part of the upper cliff to break off and land on top of the vehicle. And in one fell swoop the twins became orphans.

They moved into their aunt’s house and were lucky that she was not unkind in anyway, but they felt bad for needing to rely on her so much, especially for Set’s treatments. Set grew stronger with every passing day, but it wasn’t long before Art fell ill in his place. When he was not at school or by his brother’s bedside, Art was working to help support Set. But the unexpected death of their parents adding to his worry for his brother had weakened his body.

“You said he didn’t have it!” Set shouted furiously at the doctor. “You said he wouldn’t get sick!!”

“When Art initially collapsed, it was due to stress and fatigue. The first screening marked him negative for the illness, but recent test results mark him positive, which is an unusual case in itself. The reason for this surfacing is unknown as of now, but one theory is because of your genetics. When you first collapsed, wasn’t it also very sudden?”

Set glared at the doctor, but the older man didn’t let it affect him. He knew how his young patient felt, and was sympathetic to Set’s circumstances.

“Listen, Set-kun. There is hope for Art yet. Though he’s sick now, all of his symptoms are on a significantly smaller scale compared to yours. There have been some cases where the illness regressed completely, especially in your brother’s case. With the proper treatment he’ll do fine.”

“But what if you’re wrong? What if it doesn’t go away, what if it gets stronger?” Set asked, unconvinced by the doctor’s optimism. “You’ve never had a case with twins before, and Art-nii got sick when I started getting better. How are you going to explain that?”

“Set-kun, calm yourself. I know this case is unprecedented, but you must trust in us. This hospital is the finest for the treatment of special diseases and with advancement in science, there will come a day where a cure is developed. I don’t think it’s so far off in the future, but that means nothing if you give up hope right?” The doctor smiled kindly at Set. “If it helps to put your mind at ease, I’ve decided to sponsor the treatments you two require.”

Set gave the man a suspicious look. Why would he do that?

“The past year has been hard on you both. I don’t want you two to stop treatment just because you can’t afford to keep paying for it. Not only do I care for your well-being but studying your case might lead us to a medical breakthrough. I want you both to get better. What do you say, Set-kun? Will you accept my help?”

Set frowned, but he knew better than to decline the doctor’s offer. It wasn’t such a bad thing. The doctor was kind and dedicated, and if he really wanted to help them Set knew he would be in good hands. “If you can discover a cure, then please do what you can.” He bowed his head humbly. “Thank you for your kindness.”

.

Although they were separated by distance, Nice always made sure to keep in touch with both twins through constant texts and calls. He was there for Art in the initial stages of Set’s treatment and was the one who kept Set going when Art was suddenly diagnosed. More than anything he wanted to be with them in person, to physically support them, but he had promised them both he would complete his education at Facultas in their stead, so he did his best to carry on without them. He was still pretty down most of the time, especially after he found out Facultas refused to grant him permission to graduate early, insisting he had to take a ‘special’ course to make sure his education was truly complete, leading to Hajime feeding him more often than usual. Without Art and Set taking up all of his attention, Nice bonded more deeply with the rest of the group, spending most time with Murasaki after Hajime.

“I bet it’s because his hair’s purple,” Birthday grinned as he took the meat off the end of Ratio’s fork.

Honey snickered at that while Nice protested against it. “Birthday it’s not like that! Murasaki don’t listen to him!”

The table laughed at Nice’s reaction and he pouted at them sulkily.

“Anyway, Nice,” Murasaki pushed the frame of his glasses higher up on his face. “What are you planning to do with Anemone?”

The mood became somber. Even after the twins had withdrawn from Facultas, Nice still spent all of his time helping out Chisaki at the small shop with Hajime accompanying him in the twins’ stead. The others alternated the days on which they visited, but Honey had started to gain interest in the local daycare while Ratio was hard at work to achieve his goal of becoming a doctor.  

“It’s not really my place to decide,” Nice said, absentmindedly toying with the spoon beneath his fingertips. “I don’t want to run it... maybe I’ll just lock it up for later.”

Chisaki had recently gotten weaker over the past months, and they all knew it wouldn’t be long before she passed on. She had entrusted the shop to Nice in her absence, and he promised her he would take good care of it for Art and Set’s return.

“It could be years before they move back here,” Murasaki warned. “And we don’t know if the city would want to take it down if it’s not in business. What will you do to keep it running?”

Nice shrugged. “I have no idea. Maybe I’ll become a detective and solve crimes. That would certainly be interesting. And if I get a lot of customers I’ll be able to keep the place up.”

“That’s not a reliable source of income though,” Ratio pointed out. “You should have at least two backups in mind, Nice.”

“Well, maybe Murasaki will give up law and join my investigations. What do you say, partner?” Nice asked, giving the other a friendly punch to the arm.

Murasaki glared at him. “Don’t expect me to lower my expectations just because you don’t have high ambitions, Nice.”

Nice would have replied, but he was cut off by Birthday suddenly waving his arm. “Chiyuu, over here!” he said brightly, and they turned to see their friend making her way over with her sketchbook in hand.

They moved over so there was room for the young artist, everyone giving her a bright smile and an update on the current conversation.

“What do you say, Chiyuu? Shouldn’t Murasaki join me? We’d be good partners right?”

“Blue. Green. Violet.” Chiyuu told them with a smile and Nice slapped Murasaki’s back with a grin.

“See, what did I tell ya?”

.

“I see. So Chisaki-baa-san is no longer here?”

“Yeah... the funeral is next Sunday.”

Purple eyes peered inside the dark room on the outside before turning away. “We want to be there, but I don’t know if Art-nii’s up for it,” Set told Nice quietly. “He’s gotten better recently though, so maybe we could...”

“Don’t push yourselves if you can’t.” Nice was firm on this point. “Chisaki-baa-san wouldn’t want to see you two crying anyway, you know?”

“Yeah, but still...” Set pondered the possibilities, before finally deciding. “I’ll talk it over with the doctor first then I’ll tell Art-nii.”

“Alright, just let me know.”

However, the doctor decided Art was not well enough to attend the funeral. He also feared traveling would strain Set’s condition even though he was currently doing so well. But the twins were stubborn to a fault, and when their thoughts coincided there was little that could deter them. With a bit of deception to their aunt, the two made detailed plans to sneak away back to Yokohama for a short period of time.

“We’ll have to leave right after,” Set said as he calculated the distances on the map. “But we’ll be on time.”

“That’s good enough. Auntie thinks we’re staying at Tatsuhiro’s house and he knows what to say to cover for us. I’ll let Nice know right now,” Art said, pressing the buttons on his phone.

“Don’t tell him we’re sneaking out or he’ll never let us come,” Set warned.

“I know, I know.” Art replied. “Hello, Nice?”

.

The funeral took place on a sunny day, the fields filled with people they had never seen before. They were neighbors, old friends, and customers from the time before the Facultas students had started spending their time at the flower shop. The service itself was fairly short but a lot of people stayed afterwards to share their own feelings before heading home. Art and Set were only able to spend a few minutes with their friends before they had to head back home to avoid suspicion falling on them.

They arrived before it got too dark, tumbling through the front door with exhaustion, forgoing food for sleep. It had been a long day, and they had underestimated their own feelings. Being unable to see their parents often, it hadn’t taken long for the twins to latch onto the elderly grandmother, considering her to be like family. They had taken it quite hard when they accepted the fact their parents weren’t returning, but it wasn’t until Chisaki’s funeral that a feeling of finality came over them.

“We’re all we have left,” they had whispered on the train, head leaning against each other, arms clasped tightly together.

.

It was dark all around him.

“Set?” he called out nervously, his voice small in that open space.

“I’m here, Art-nii.” Art nearly jumped in surprise. Set had seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

“Where are we?” Art asked, but instead of answering Set took his hand and started walking, tugging them along.

“Brother, where are we going?” He tried not to hold uncertainty in his voice, but it slipped out anyway. His brother’s hand around him tightened in response.

Two small forms walked hand in hand together, their legs moving straight forward despite not being able to see much of anything except for a distant light up ahead. Art felt nervousness pooling in his stomach, and he was sure the feeling showed up on his face, for Set turned to him then.

“It’ll be okay, Art-nii. I’m right next to you.” The younger twin grinned at his older brother, assuaging the worry that had leaked out.

“Okay.”

There was no sense of time in that space, but as they grew closer towards the light, Art became aware of the air of finality up ahead. Instinctively, he knew once they crossed the line, there would be no turning back.

But, why would he want to go back in the first place? He didn’t understand anything in this dark space, didn’t know of before and after, only of himself and his brother at this present. He didn’t need anyone except his brother, and if Set wanted to go forward, he would go with him.

There was an echo behind them and Art couldn’t help the hesitation in his step, turning slightly to look behind them.

“Set, did you hear that?”

His brother only gripped his hand tighter and pulled him forward at a faster pace. “Ignore it, Art-nii. We can’t look back.”

Art quickened his pace to match his brother’s but curiosity was still in him. “Why not?” he asked, but wasn’t given a reply.

“...rt...”

“...et...”

He frowned. The echoes, though distant, seemed to be saying something familiar though he couldn’t exactly make out the individual words. His hand slackened, but the slight action did not go unnoticed by his brother, who tightened his grip and forced the both of them into a run. The light up ahead was coming closer now, but its brilliance was not something that yet captivated Art. His brother, however, was a different story.

“Art! Set!”

Art jerked back at that, positive that he heard his name and Set’s, but who could have been calling them?

His brother tugged him forward. “Art-nii hurry up! Mom and Dad are just ahead, so come on!”

Art faltered at that statement. Set saw their parents? But... their parents were...

“Set, wait,” Art tried to slow down to make sense of the situation but his brother kept moving forward. As a result of the situation Art ended up tripping over his feet and fell to the floor. His hand slipped out of his brother’s grasp so Art was left behind while his brother continued onward, unhindered towards the light.

Art’s eyes widened in panic. “Set! Wait!”

He pushed himself up off the ground and ran after him, hoping that he could reach him once more. But from the moment Art had separated from Set, the distance between them had grown long. Art ran forward anyway, hoping against all odds that he would reach his brother, shouting as he went, even though every step failed to bring him closer in the oppressing darkness whereas his brother got harder to see against the light.

“Set! Please! Don’t leave me!” he cried, desperately.

Up ahead, Set momentarily turned around, giving his brother a bright, but sad smile. “Onii-chan. Remember, I’m always with you. Don’t ever forget that.”

Art cried out as his brother disappeared into the light’s embrace while a wave of darkness crashed down on him.

“OTOUTO!!”

Art awoke in cold sweat, his arm stretched out in the air. Frantically his head swiveled around, eyes searching desperately for his brother. Not seeing him anywhere in the room, Art quickly pulled the covers off of him and jumped out of the bed, only to be restrained by something tugging his arm. Looking back, he scowled to see an I.V. drip holding him back, and he pulled it out, wincing with the motion. But he could ignore the pain, that wasn’t important now.

He opened the door and quickly ran out into the long hallway, towards where his brother’s room was located. But when he opened the door, the room was empty.

“Set!”

Art drew back momentarily, confused. If his brother wasn’t here then where was he?

“Art-kun!” The teen turned around to see a nurse coming towards him.

“Where’s Set?” he immediately demanded, eyes narrowing when she hesitated. “Where is he?”

“The doctor is with him now, Art-kun,” she told him. “Why don’t we go back to your room and wait for him there?”

“No!” He jerked his arm from her hold. “I want to see Set now!” She was surprised by his outburst – he was always the more soft-spoken twin, but he could care less about his behavior, what with the urgency coursing through his veins. He couldn’t explain the feeling, only knew for certain that the source was from his brother. But he couldn’t confirm it, couldn’t figure out why the feeling was occurring until he saw him with his own eyes.

“Either you tell me where my brother is or I will go through each and every room in this hospital looking for him.” He said, looking her straight in the eyes. She nodded her agreement after another second of consideration, not willing to test his conviction.

“This way, then.”

“Thank you.”

She had discussed the matter with the doctor while Art had still been unconscious, and while they hoped that they could talk to him just as he woke up, they knew it would be a possibility for him to wander out of the room before either of them arrived. In that case, she was to accommodate his wishes and lead him to his destination.

“Doctor? Art-kun wants to see you.”

“Bring him in.”

She opened the door and Art went inside immediately. “Where’s Set?” he demanded, but forwent waiting for a reply as something else caught his eye.

“Art-kun,” the doctor began, but his voice washed over Art’s ears as he pulled the white cover off the bed. It dropped from his hand to the floor almost immediately.

He couldn’t believe the sight before him. “Hey, there you are,” he said, walking to the bedside, trying to suppress the shakiness of his voice. “Set, you can hear me right? Come on, Auntie said we can get ice cream.” Gently he shook his brother’s shoulder, but the motion grew rougher as the teen received no response.

“Art—” the nurse tried to interrupt his delusion, but there wasn’t much she could say to him.

“You’re so cold,” Art caressed his brother’s still cheek, but his hands were anything but steady. “How come? You were so warm the last time I saw you...” Art couldn’t help the tears that started to trickle down from his eyes.

He had known from the beginning that his brother was gone – that was the only explanation for the gaping hole in his chest, confirmed when the body was revealed. But even so, he had hoped it was just a misunderstanding, a case of nerves, that it wasn’t real, that his brother wasn’t dead.

But he was.

And nothing could change that.

Nothing could bring that lifeless body back.

But that didn’t change his feelings.

“How did this happen?” his voice was low and hoarse, but accusing. He didn’t look at the two adults in the room but they felt the animosity directed towards them both. “You were supposed to save him. HE ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!” Art whirled around to face both of them, his purple eyes dark with rage.

“Art-kun, I’m sorry.” The doctor said with an expression sorrowful. “Truly, we did all that we could. But it wasn’t enough.” He walked forward until he was in front of his young charge, placing a hand on the teen’s shoulder. “Sometimes, despite all efforts, medicine falls short in the war against nature. I'm sorry but your brother was one of the casualties.”

Art was still, but his hands curled into fists. “So... you’re telling me that it was pointless? All those tests, all those treatments... all the medicine, therapy... They were all for nothing?” He shoved the doctor’s arm away from his shoulder roughly. “Don’t joke with me!” his voice was laced with hurt. “You were the one who said you would help us get through this – you were the one who said you would create a cure!”

“I did say that. Art-kun, it’s still possible. Even though Set-kun is not with us anymore I can still—”

“GET OUT! LEAVE US ALONE!”

The two adults exchanged a glance with each other before exiting the room. “We’ll be outside when you’re ready to talk.”

The door shut and Art allowed himself to break down, hovering over his brother, a sad smile on his face. “Hey, Set. Didn’t we say we only had each other? And yet you left me alone... It wasn’t supposed to be like this! It was never supposed to be like this.” He was crying now, fully, opening, releasing all his emotions into the air. Past his parents’ death, past Chisaki-obaa-san’s death, Set’s passing hit Art the hardest, mostly because the thought of it had been unfathomable to him. Even if he was left behind by those around him, the one person he could not imagine away from his side was his brother. And now, the unthinkable had happened.

“What am I supposed to do now Set? Tell me... How can I live without you by my side?” He sobbed into the other’s chest. “Otouto, don’t do this to me. Come back... please come back... I need you...” His hand curled into the other’s shirt. “Please... don’t leave me like this...”

.

Set had relapsed and Art hadn’t left his side since. Since his condition was weak he had to stay at the hospital and with some pleading the hospital allowed Art to stay long hours into the night with Set. He had fallen asleep on the chair, head resting on the side of the bed, hand tightly twined with his brother’s own like most nights in the past few weeks. The only difference was that a few moments later, the machine started beeping which indicated that Set’s level was steadily dropping. The doctors and nurses rushed into the room as soon as they heard his heart rate become frantic and erratic but it was difficult for them to do anything about it because Art was in the way. For some reason his grip on his brother was solid and immovable no matter what they did, and attempting to wake him up proved to be of no use either. However, it was soon clear that Art was growing paler alongside his brother, which was too strange to fully ignore.

“We have to separate them! Neither of them will survive at this rate!”

“Look, his fingers are relaxing! Now’s our chance!”

They succeeded in separating the two, putting Art in another room to rest while Set was operated on, but it was to no avail. Set died and Art woke up not long after. Though they had wanted to gently lead into the news, Art found out the harsh way. It didn’t take long after for their aunt to be informed.

“...are his results. We’ve done multiple tests since that day, and I can confirm this result one hundred percent.”

“You're saying he has no sign of the disease left in him at all? It vanished... just like that?” The woman crossed her arms tightly in front of her. “Can it really be that simple? Are you sure it’s not a misdiagnosis?” Her expression was a mixture of wariness and anger, but she had every right to be. After all, she had lost one nephew to this doctor and wasn't about to lose another.

“I assure you that this diagnosis is correct. It’s a miracle we should be grateful for, the fact that we can't detect any sign of decay. He has gone back to having normal levels of health without a trace of his past struggles. It’s been a cause of bafflement in these past weeks, but my colleagues have agreed that he is cured.”

“If that's the case, then why are you keeping him here? After what he's been through he shouldn't need to stay here anymore. He's healthy now, isn’t he?”

The doctor placed his hands together in front of him on the desk, knowing that the next words he said had to be done carefully.

“The thing is... Art shows extremely high levels of depression. Simply put we're afraid he might try to harm himself... and without proper supervision he might succeed.” The doctor met the guardian’s eyes. “That is why I ask you to sign the consent form to leave Art in our care.”

“What are you saying? My nephew is suicidal? He can’t be. He was never that kind of kid.” The aunt glared at the doctor. “And are you implying that I have been doing a bad job caring for him? I’ll have you know I’ve been working extremely hard to support my family.”

The doctor held his hands up palms flat in a placating gesture. “That's not what I meant. I know you have been doing your best to provide for your family, but I fear it will not be enough. Set’s death has hit Art extremely hard and we aren't sure to what extremes he might go to in the near future. Itou-san, please understand the situation. He has lost both his parents and now his brother in an extremely sudden and unexpected way. Not to mention, they were twins, and had a deeper bond than we can ever hope to understand. Already, he has stopped eating and became withdrawn. He refuses to do anything other than stay in that room... he refuses to converse with anyone, not to the staff or his friends over the phone. You’ve seen him, haven’t you? Do you understand the gravity of the situation? I know you mean well, but you must put aside your own feelings and make the right decision for your nephew.”

She bit her lip, but she couldn’t contest with what the doctor said. Although she wanted to prove that she could make a difference where they could not, she knew it was impossible. She had visited her nephew on several occasions, but not once did he look in her direction or respond to her in any way. If asked, she could only describe him as an empty shell, waiting for his time to die. It was a chilling thought.

“...I understand. Please do what you can to help him heal. I leave him in your care.”

“Thank you for your cooperation Itou-san. We will do our very best to help Art. You have my word.”

.

The funeral had been a rather small affair, with only close friends and remaining family members invited. It had been raining and Art had refused to go.

He had also refused to see any other people – barely acknowledging their attempts to give their condolences.

Nice had been counted on as the only person Art would react to – and react he did, but in a surprising way.

“Leave me alone Nice. I don’t want to speak with you.”

“Art...”

“I mean it Nice. Get out of this room. Don’t bother coming back – I don’t want to ever see you again.”

“But-” Nice didn’t understand. He hadn’t said or done anything yet. Why was Art pushing him away?

Art turned away from the window to look at Nice, and the blue-eyed teen flinched at the anger directed at him. He had never seen such an expression on Art’s face before.

“GET OUT!”

The shout was loud enough for a worried nurse to come in and hustle Nice out despite his protests.

“Art won’t see you?” Art’s aunt worried at her lips. “That’s so strange. I thought for sure he’d speak with you... He hasn’t spoken a word to anyone since Set’s death.”

“I don’t know why either.” Nice was disturbed by Art’s behavior, but if one thing was certain, it was that he wasn’t one to easily give up.

“Auntie, it may be presumptuous of me, but I think I can help Art. For a year or so, do you think I could stay at your house?”

She was surprised by his request but was willing to agree. “If anyone can help Art, it would be you, Nice-kun. But you haven’t finished your education yet. If I remember correctly you should be graduating in two months, isn’t that right? You should get your diploma first. And discuss things with your parents.”

“I will. And as soon as I get that diploma I’m headed back here.”

.

Nice was Art’s most frequent and unwanted visitor. Though the doctors and nurses had initially followed his simple request to deny Nice any access to his room, he had eventually wormed his way into the hearts of the staff. Aside from his kindness, they had relented because of one detail – no matter what, Nice never failed to bring out a reaction from Art, whether it was his ire, thoughts, or any other kind of feeling.

It was a spectrum of feelings that never appeared in the presence of anyone else, only Nice. That was a fact that they couldn’t ignore. Initially they feared the meetings would stress out their young charge, what with all the violent reactions Art displayed (anything to get him out I want him OUT!) but despite that Art showed no significant change, so they relented and let Nice do as he pleased.

.

“Art, you can’t go on like this. You haven’t eaten anything at all... Won’t you try this dango, at the very least?”

“I’m not hungry, Nice.” Art had given up on yelling at Nice, settling for simple rejections because it took less effort.

“But I made them just for you! Try it please?”

“I refuse.”

Nice frowned, face suddenly turning serious. “I’d rather not force this down your throat but I will if I have to. You don’t have enough nutrition in you Art. That’s not healthy.”

“My appetite has left me. Besides, if we’re talking about nutrition, isn’t the I.V. enough?”

Nice exhaled slowly. Art was trying to rile him up, but he resolved not to get angry at the words.

“No, it’s not. Art, you haven’t been eating or sleeping... or doing much of anything at all. I know it’s been hard on you, but you can’t let yourself waste away like this.”

“What if that’s my intention?” Art’s answer surprised Nice. “I doubt that you’ve failed to see it, with the intellect you possess, but hasn’t it been obvious to you that I’ve been trying to die this whole time? Yet you and the doctors have been trying your hardest to keep me alive.” Nice couldn’t stand the expression on Art’s face, couldn’t stand the biting, self-loathing of the other’s tone. “Why can’t you just give up?”

Nice’s face turned dark, but this time it was an expression of pure anger. “You-!” Nice grabbed hold of Art’s shirt and shoved his face in front of Art’s, letting the other see the anger in his eyes. “How can you say that? Everyone here is doing their best to help you, but that’s completely useless if you won’t even help yourself! You have every right to be sad or angry, but no matter what you shouldn’t give up! Set wouldn’t want to see you like this!”

Though Art was initially taken up by the intensity of Nice’s emotions, at the mention of his lost brother, his purple orbs lit up with fury. With all the strength he could muster, Art shoved Nice away from him.

“What would you know?” he asked, voice low and dangerous. “You don’t know anything, Nice! You couldn’t ever hope to understand how I feel right now! I lost everything! I lost everyone important to me! My parents, my brother... You, who have everything, who’s always had everything – how can you hope to understand?”

Nice clenched his fists. “You’re right. I don’t know anything, and I couldn’t possibly feel the pain you’re going through, but he was my friend too! And your parents were like family to me! So what if I’m smart? It means nothing to me! If I could choose I would be normal! So people would stop putting me on a pedestal, so I would get treated like everyone else!” Nice looked at Art straight in the eye. “The only reason I’ve gotten this far is because you and Set have always been there for me, right by my side. It’s how I was able go on, each and every day, Art! So what if we’re not related by blood? I still miss him, Art! Just like you! In that regard we’re no different, no different at all!”

Art couldn’t think of anything to say to that. He was too stunned by Nice’s confession. “That... that’s how you feel?”

“It is, Art. And since you’ve been so out of it, let me tell you something. This isn’t what Set would want, Art. He wouldn’t want to see you so depressed and unlike yourself. Even though he’s passed on... instead of letting yourself wither away, you should be living your life to the fullest, for his sake as well.” His voice took on a gentler tone. “That’s what Set would want.”

“Is that so?”

The energy Art had acquired only minutes ago vanished, and he sank down heavily on the chair beside him, feeling quite drained.

“It’s not that I don’t want to...” Art sighed. He hadn’t wanted to say anything, but arguing with Nice was exhausting. In the end, he decided to admit everything. There was no point in hiding it, not any more. “That’s only half of it. I... really can’t eat, Nice. And I can’t sleep either. Everything is unappetizing... and when I close my eyes I get nightmares.”

“What... What kind of nightmares?”

The young patient’s smile was full of bitterness. “The emptiness, of course. What else? And everyone leaving me behind, one by one in succession, in the most painful ways imaginable... I don’t want to dream, Nice, but the doctors refuse to give me sleeping pills, for fear that I’ll overdose myself. What else can I do but stay awake? There’s no other option for me, Nice.”

His blue-eyed friend opened his mouth to speak, but Art cut him off with his hand. “Sorry Nice, but I feel tired now. Can you please leave me to rest?”

Nice slowly nodded. He’d gotten the normally serious Art to open up after the long agonizing months of silent and unreasonable rejection without ever knowing why, which was amazing progress. He didn’t want to push his luck, so he would comply with Art’s wishes for now. “Ok, but I’ll return tomorrow!”

Art sighed, but let out a quiet, “Do as you like,” anyway. It’s not as if he could seriously stop Nice from returning, since he had charmed all the hospital staff already.

Nice grinned at him. “Don’t forget to try the dango!” he said as he left the room, leaving Art alone to his thoughts. “I’ll bring you a surprise tomorrow!”

“... a surprise, huh?”

.

[3 years ago - age 19]

Though Nice had gotten Art to open up, there were still some times when his progress recessed back to the beginning. Those days were hard, to say the least, made even more difficult because of the extreme lengths Art went through. But Nice was patient and always managed to talk him down before he got himself too badly injured.

Because he was such an integral part of Art’s health, Nice was permitted to visit Art as often as he wanted to, and spent a lot of time helping the therapist and doctors communicate with Art, who was still stubborn about revealing his personal thoughts to any of the staff. Though Art was forbidden from the use of sleeping pills, the doctor did allow Nice to spend the night to keep him from feeling lonely.

The road to recovery was a difficult journey, and Art had to be thankful that Nice had been with him every step of the way.

But enough was enough.

“I want you to go back to Yokohama.”

“What!” Nice was confused by Art’s sudden request. “How come, Art?” He would have demanded more from his friend, but the other raised his hand to halt his questions.

“Let me finish Nice.” Purple eyes watched carefully as the burgundy-haired male sank back down in his seat before speaking once more. “You came here right after graduation. You threw away so many career opportunities so that you could help me, a very stubborn person, get back on my feet. For what you’ve done I cannot thank you enough, but I don’t want to hold you back any longer. This is my fight, Nice. I can’t depend on you forever, I can’t allow you spend the rest of your life watching out for me. It just doesn’t sit right.”

“But Art, I don’t mind-”

“And that’s precisely why. I know you don’t mind, heaven knows why you go through such lengths for me, and I know it’s just something that you do, same that you would for Hajime or even Set.” Art’s features grew gentle. “You don’t mind Nice, but I do. I don’t want to spend the rest of this life dependent on you - I want do things by myself and stop worrying you and Auntie, and everyone else who has watched over me so far.” His eyes took on a wistful look. “It was you who said it before wasn’t it? That Set wouldn’t want to see me this way. And you’re right, he wouldn’t.”

His companion was silent so he continued to explain. “I’ve talked to the doctors about this already, and they’re giving me their full support. I want to try, Nice. I want to make the effort to overcome this challenge, to know I was able to make it by my own strength of will. Can I have your support on this matter as well?”

Nice was silent for a long moment, his head bowed and eyes far away in thought. “...you were always the stubborn one,” Nice muttered before raising his head to look at Art directly. “What do you take me for? Of course I’ll support you.”

Art gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

Nice sighed but took Art’s hand in his own and squeezed it tightly. “Strength doesn’t always mean standing alone, Art. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t.”

Nice sat back down on his chair, leaning on it. “So. Back to Yokohama huh. You really won’t stand for me being so close?”

“The city has better job opportunities, rather than a rural area like here. Besides, Birthday is due to get out of surgery next week and Hajime is graduating early. You should go be with them.”

Nice scratched the back of his head. “Seems like you’ve had this planned out for a while.”

A smile played on Art’s lips. “Perhaps.”

“Just promise to keep contact with me. Anything is fine. It can be silly little messages or just a phone call, but I want to hear from you, alright?”

“Of course.”

And so, just like that, they parted ways. At first Art found it strange to not have Nice’s cheery voice around him like usual (he had grown so used to it) but a couple of daily phone calls solved that problem.

Art became more open in therapy, reaching a thorough understanding with his therapist. Together, they built a regime that would help strengthen his mind and body, one that worked better than the last one introduced since Art was so willing to get better this time around.

The disease that had taken his brother’s life and shown up in his body temporarily never resurfaced, even under the most sensitive of machines. That fact put together with Art’s clean behavior allowed Art to finally leave the hospital and return to his aunt’s house, where the two spent time to rekindle their bond. While Art was still required to visit the hospital for checkups, he was determined to return to a normal life as soon as possible, spending most of his time studying to finish his high school education and slowly connect with the people around him. It was in this manner that three years passed without anything significant to mark it.

.

“Wow, so Aunt Itou’s engaged?”

“Yeah. Apparently she got close to him after my parents’ accident and has been seeing him ever since. He’s been over these past couple of weeks for dinner and Auntie’s been really happy whenever she sees him. It’s only a matter of time until their marriage, honestly.”

“Ah, is that so? I’d like to meet him sometime.”

“I’m sure Auntie would be happy to see you again.”

They made some more casual small talk before Nice’s tone turned more serious.

“Hey, Art. Have you thought about what I said before?”

Art was quiet. “About going to Yokohama?”

“Yeah. It’s been three years already, and you’ve gotten a lot better. What better way to test the waters than to do some traveling?” Nice’s voice was gentle. “Art, you know I wouldn’t push you if you feel uncomfortable about it. Just consider it? I know Three would love to show off his kids and everyone would be happy to see you again.”

“I don’t know Nice, it’s been so long... But it would be nice to see Sensei again, especially since he was such a great teacher to us...”

“I’ve kept the shop the same. If you’d like you can see how well I kept it clean for you.”

Art reflected on it. The offer was quite tempting. He’d known from the beginning that Nice held the key to the shop - both he and Set had returned the item to the owner once they knew they were moving, and she in turn had given it to Nice to look after. She had also given him the deed to the shop, but they all knew Nice intended to return it to them once they had gotten better. Then things took a turn for the worse and issue was left forgotten in his mind, overshadowed. Hearing Nice mention it... he was driven with an urge to see it, but he was still scared. Of what, exactly? He didn’t know the answer to that question, was only certain that such a feeling was in his heart.

“Just think about, okay?”

.

In the end, Art gave in, which was how he found himself making the long drive to Yokohama. Not only had he wanted to see the city again, but Nice’s statement had appealed to him - he wanted to see just how far he could go, to deal with matters in his own terms. While it would be good to see his old friends again after visiting the shop, it would also give his aunt some time to relax. Art felt guilty for making her worry so much.

“I’ll only be here for two or three days,” Art told himself determinedly. He still didn’t think he was ready for anything longer, but having already give his word, wasn’t about to back down from his promise.

Nice wasn’t there when Art stepped onto the pavement, but it wasn’t long until he arrived, enthusiastically hugging the other in his excitement at seeing him.

Being in the shop changed all his prior plans. Emotions he thought he had dealt with came sweeping back over him, and it was the gentleness of the memory that caused Art’s eyes to moisten against his will. Nice swept him into a hug, treating him as if he was fragile, but Art didn’t mind it. After Set, he found the presence of Nice was always one that brought him comfort.

After that, Art was brought over to Nice’s small apartment with the younger of the two insisting that Art stay with him instead of checking out a hotel room like he had planned.

“Imposing? Don’t be ridiculous.”

So it was that Nice convinced Art to move in with him after the second day, instead of returning to his aunt’s home. It was a bit of a hassle to get permission from her and Art’s doctors, but Nice convinced them it would be better for Art’s health (he’ll be working with flowers again, you can’t deny he loves them) to be in an environment away from the place he had lost his family in. They agreed to let Art stay with Nice (well it’s Nice-kun... as long as you promise to keep up with your appointments, Art) so that was how Art came to be living in Yokohama again after so long.

“Hmm? Sleep on the couch? Don’t be ridiculous. We’ll share the bed. ... Or have you gotten over your sleeping problem? ... Thought so. Come on then.”

The days passed in a leisurely pace but one that Art welcomed, as he adjusted to being Anemone’s owner and occupying his mind with the responsibility of the business. Nice and his friends often stopped by to ensure he wouldn’t be lonely and Art spent the free time he had at Café Nowhere, the gang’s preferred hangout.

Which lead him to this present day.

[Present Day - age 22]

“I’m always being cared for by you, aren’t I Nice? Sorry for that,” Art commented.

“Eh?” Blue eyes glanced over in his direction. “What brought this on?”

“I was just thinking.” Art said, eyes upward to the sky.

“It’s no big deal. I told you before right? I’ll be here for you, no matter what.” Nice scratched the bridge of his nose. “Besides, I was the one who asked for you to stay. It’s only fair that I take care of you now that you’re here. Right?” He gave Art a cheeky grin and Art laughed at that. The statement was so... Nice.

“I suppose you’re right.”

There was crowd gathered up ahead and Nice pulled Art forward, grasping his hand tightly so as to not lose him in the throng of people. “It seems like an open party of sorts, Art. Come on!”

They pushed their way until they were in the front, pass the observers to see the space occupied by dancers, ranging from all ages and genders. Art was in awe of the fancy decor that defined the area, so it took a little while for Nice to catch his attention again.

“Say, Art.” There was something in Nice’s eyes expression that Art found hard to read. “Will you dance with me?”

Art was baffled by the question, but even though it was asked in a light tone, Art knew Nice was being quite serious about the matter, even if he didn’t know the reason for it.

“Nice! What brought this on?”

Blue orbs sparkled in the light. “Come on Art. Indulge me a little.”

Art felt his lips curve up in a crooked little smile. “Alright then. Lead the way.”

“Here, hold it like this,” Aomine said, demonstrating with his fork before reaching over and helping Kuroko grasp it. Fortunately, the smaller male was a quick learner so he was soon using the tool proficiently.

“How do you like it?” Aomine asked. “I’m not the greatest of cooks, but I’m fairly decent.”

“It’s… strange, but it tastes good,” Kuroko admitted, and Aomine leaned back satisfied. He’d been a merman, so it would make sense that food on land would be different from what he was used to. Aomine didn’t think they could eat fried eggs underwater.

“After we get you some clothes we can something to eat. You like sweet stuff, don’tcha?”

Kuroko shrugged. “I guess.”

They finished eating and Aomine cleared the table. Kuroko hovered curiously at his elbow as he did the dishes, fascinated with the process. Aomine let him dry the dishes before they both went out.

The downtrodden path was the same as it had ever been since Aomine had moved in with his uncle and he hardly thought anything of the dirt path, but this day he paid more attention to the ground than usual. This was for the sake of his companion who had trouble walking and seemed likely to trip over each and every small bump in his way. Automatically, Aomine had taken hold of Kuroko’s hand to lead and steady the other at the same time. He could tell from Kuroko’s expression that he was grateful for his help, but the feeling slid off Aomine. It was only natural for Aomine to help – it was unfathomable that Kuroko, having lived in the sea for so long, would be in every sense human, no matter what he looked like.

It was strange for Aomine, but he opted to just go with the flow instead of causing a headache for himself. ‘Teach him how to survive on land first. We can work on memories later,’ he told himself as they walked. It wasn’t long before they reached the marketplace, and when they did, Aomine couldn’t help but let out a chuckle to see the wonder on Kuroko’s face.

Aomine had no problem taking the lead, and on the way to the tailor, he took the time to explain the details of anything that caught Kuroko’s eye. Which turned out to be a lot, and Aomine soon found himself tired of walking through the expansive marketplace, his throat parched from needing to talk more often than he ever did. Kuroko, too, felt worn-out by the excursion, but he was also stubborn and unwilling to stop. He was too fascinated by everything he saw in the marketplace, all the delicious smells and vibrant colors on display accompanied by the smiling owners hoping to acquiesce a sale from potential customers.

They reached the tailor shop and luckily for them, the tailor already had two customers ahead of them. This gave them both time to rest, and they sat down on the chairs of the small waiting room. Once they sat down, Aomine told Kuroko what to expect from the tailor.

“You won’t be doing much but standing and letting the guy measure you, so don’t worry ‘bout it so much. Do you have any colors you want to wear? Or is anything fine?”

“Anything’s fine,” Kuroko responded. “What should I ask him?”

Aomine flapped his hand, brushing the question aside. “Nothing. I’ll say all the specifics. As long as you stand still and turns when he tells ya… it’ll be over before you know it.”

Ten minutes later, it was their turn to be fitted. While Kuroko stood on the platform in front of the large mirror, Aomine told the tailor what they required.

“He’s on the smaller side so that shouldn’t take me long,” the tailor said as he measured Kuroko, dropping numbers to his assistant who hastily wrote them down in a notebook. “Just some outerwear?”

“And a couple of sleeping outfits. For a whole week, at least,” Aomine responded. “How much would that cost?”

“Twenty-six silver coins,” the tailor responded. “What color did you want?”

“Whatever’s available and you think looks good,” Aomine responded. “How soon can you finish it?”

“In two days’ time. Is that acceptable?”

Aomine nodded and let the tailor complete his work. When he was finished, he handed over the payment and walked out of the store. A couple of turns led them back inside the marketplace and Aomine led them over to a dango stall.

“Here, try this,” he said, handing the treat over to Kuroko.

He took it and bit into the dango cautiously, but that melted away with the sudden burst of flavor in his mouth. Aomine laughed at his expression before ordering two more stalks from the vendor. Kuroko devoured the new-found treat with relish as Aomine ate his at a slower pace. After they finished with the dango, Aomine bought other treats for Kuroko to try, smiling at the other’s delight as his palette expanded.

“Aomine-kun, what do you do?” Kuroko asked as they walked, with only a slight wonder at how familiar the name was on his tongue. It had come out automatically, just like the first time he had said it, when Aomine had rescued him.

“Hm? I’m a fisherman, learned the trade from my pops.” Aomine replied, languidly eating the kabobs they had bought only a couple minutes ago.

“Where is he now?”

Aomine paused, but answered anyway. “Dead. It was in an accidently some time ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Kuroko said but Aomine waved it away.

“Don’t be. I’m living with uncle now, and he won’t be back until a month passes. You can stay as long as you need to.”

“Thank you.”

They took the long way back, and ended up walking along the shoreline of the beach.

“Do you think swimming will jog your memory?” Aomine asked, looking out over the expanse of rolling water, calm and steady unlike the storm of the night Kuroko had been found on.

“Perhaps.” But the waters held no familiarity for him, much like everything else he encountered.

“We’ll go tomorrow. Fishing too – can’t let the business sink while uncle’s away, ya know?”

Kuroko nodded but his mind was occupied. He was determined to regain his memories as soon as possible, but it was hard when nothing around him was familiar and when he struggled with tasks that he saw everyone else doing so naturally. Like walking for instance. He was still holding Aomine’s hand because he couldn’t trust himself not to fall, especially on uneven ground like the beach where one’s foot sank down with every step.

“What was I like?” he asked, looking at Aomine intently.

“Eh?” Aomine was thrown off by the sudden question but answered, slowly, sorting through old memories with every word. “You… were a really blunt person. Smart, and curious. Really curious. You asked me all sorts of stuff.”

“Like what?” Kuroko prodded.

“Where did I live, what did I do, what it was like being on l-, I mean on the beach all the time, that sort of stuff,” Aomine said, hoping Kuroko didn’t catch his slip up. He didn’t want to tell the truth on Kuroko’s origins just yet – not only because he was afraid Kuroko wouldn’t believe him, but if he spoke of it to any others, not only would he be called a lunatic, but people might dig into the matter deeper than he wanted them to.

“Weren’t we friends? Why did I ask things like that?”

“You weren’t able to leave the house, so I came and told you what I did whenever I had time to stop by. I haven’t seen you since I moved here.” That was the truth, certainly. And Kuroko’s skin was pale enough that it didn’t see a lot of sun, so being kept indoors was a perfectly valid reason.

“Oh. What else can you tell me?” Kuroko didn’t bother with pointing out the near slip-up he had caught. There was something Aomine wasn’t telling him, but Kuroko supposed it was related to his missing memories. Kuroko didn’t think Aomine was lying to him with the purpose of ill-intent. Probably just caution. Kuroko would wait until Aomine decided to reveal it in the days to come.

It was when he was about to return home that he saw a pale speck in the distant waters. He squinted his eyes to get a closer look. Was something out there or was he imagining things? It would be easy to mistake anything with the rain pounding down on him and he didn’t want to stay out any longer than he had to.

But the idea of the speck being a person lost at sea nagged at him, and he ran down to the beach to get closer access to the ocean.

Aomine jogged down the long stretch of the beach scanning the dark waters for any sign of the speck he had spotted earlier.

“Hey! Anyone there?” He called out into the rain, hoping that if it was a person, they would able to give a reply so he could find them faster.

That is… if he could even hear an answer above the crashing waves.

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the greatest of ideas.

Whatever.

Aomine wasn’t going to let that stop him from looking.

So busy scouring the waves, Aomine didn’t notice the figure laying on the sand until he had tripped over him, falling down hard onto the wet sand.

“Ow! Agh, what the hell was-” he scowled as he turned over, but all complaints died in his throat when he saw who he had tripped over.

The skin was pale but that hair… that face…

Aomine would know that face anywhere.

“Tetsu?” he whispered, stunned.

But that was impossible. Tetsu wasn’t human. He was a merman, complete with a beautiful light blue tail and gills at the sides of his neck. He didn’t have legs. There was no way that this could be him.

But Aomine wasn’t about to let him just stay there on the beach, not with how cold the other’s skin felt against his own palms. He scooped the lighter being into his arms and ran back to his home, careful not to trip over anything on the way back. His uncle had been called away to help his friend in another village so Aomine would be alone until he returned in a month. Which was fine for Aomine now that he had a guest.

He heard a commotion on his way back to his home, but ignored it. Once he returned home, he took a clean towel and dried the naked teen before wrapping him up in as much layers as he could to warm the kid up. Even unconscious, Aomine had felt the body shivering and he was afraid the other might have caught hypothermia.

“Hey, don’t die on me alright? You still got a lot of explaining to do,” he muttered as he took off his own wet clothes and put on something warmer before cuddling next to the other and hoping his own internal body heat would help warm the other up. It was a long time, but Aomine eventually drifted off to sleep.

-

When he woke up the next morning the other was still asleep, but Aomine was relieved to find he was at a normal temperature, although he was slightly sticky from the sweat last night. Aomine vaguely remembered getting the smaller male a cup of water sometime in the night, but couldn’t remember if anything else happened after that.

He stared at the sleeping face intensely, his own crinkled in confusion. Aomine couldn’t believe how clearly the other’s features shone in the daylight, so different from the darkness in which Aomine had rescued him the night before.

The face was like from a dream – he couldn’t believe the similarities between the teen and the merman from his childhood.

“Tetsu, can this really be you?” he whispered, lightly touching the pale cheek. He marveled at how light it was, a stark contrast to his own sun-tanned skin.

At his touch, the other began to stir and he withdrew his hand, waiting patiently for the other to awaken fully. When he did, Aomine’s dark blue eyes met with baby blue ones, and his breath caught in his throat.

“Where am I?”

It took a minute for Aomine to respond but he did, calmly. “My place. I carried you here. Anyway, what the heck were you thinking?! Swimming out in that storm?!”

“… I’m sorry. I must have caused you a lot of trouble.”

Aomine snorted. “Yeah, you got that right.”

“Thank you for saving me…?”

“Aomine,” he supplied. “Aomine Daiki.” His eyes never left the other’s face, waiting for some sort of recognition to flicker register on the other but none did.

“I’m Kuroko Tetsuya. Thank you for saving me, Aomine-kun.”

Aomine’s throat tightened. Everything was the same. But this couldn’t be.

“Kuroko, huh,” he said, trying to play it off as nothing. “You know, I knew a kid with that name. Actually, you look a lot like him.” He gave the other an expectant glance.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know you. Actually…” Kuroko frowned in thought. “I can’t remember anything about my past except for my name, now that I think about it.”

Aomine was surprised by that statement. Who wouldn’t be? But he pushed it aside for the moment, deciding to focus on the current state of his guest rather than bombard the other with questions. After all, no matter how badly he wanted to ask, there was no way he would get the answers he sought at this stage. Aomine understood that.

“Well, there’s no helping it then,” he said as he stood up. “Until you get your memories back, you can stay with me, okay? I’ll do my best to help you out, but in the end it’s up to you.” He walked over to the small closet in the corner of the room and rummaged through it. “My clothes are probably too big for you, but my old ones should fit okay… Ah, this doesn’t look too bad.” He came back to the bed holding a plain shirt and pant. “Put this one on like this, and this one like this,” Aomine instructed, helping the other into the soft cloth.

Aomine stepped back to admire his handiwork. Even his old clothes seemed big on the other, but there was to be no helping it. “I’ll go get breakfast ready and we can go shopping after,” he said as he turned away, only to be held back by a grip on his shirt.

“...Why are you helping me?” Kuroko’s curious voice asked. “I might not even be the boy you knew from before, so why are you being so kind?”

Aomine paused at that. Just why was he helping this stranger out? Just because he looked like Tetsu didn’t mean he was Tetsu.

But he knew Tetsu, just like he knew the salt of the ocean, the brightness of the day. He was as familiar as fishing, as natural as swimming, as instinctive as breathing, so it would only be fitting that Aomine would recognize the other even though he himself wasn’t recognized. His instincts had never lead him awry before, so he would be more than foolish if he ignored what his gut was telling him.

“How intriguing,” Art murmured, closing the door behind him. His feet carried him forward until he came to a standstill in front of a small shop, his eyes tracing over the familiar frame. He had thought the ever changing nature of the city would have turned the neighborhood unrecognizable, but even after this long time it had ended up staying the same. It was a surprise to him, since he had seen many unrecognizable streets on the way here. Art wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that the shop was situated in a rather secluded area.

“Art!” A familiar voice called out from behind him excitedly and Art turned around only to be engulfed by a blur of color.

“Nice!” Art managed to get out before the air was taken from him, sucked out by the tight grip the other had on him.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here!” Nice’s voice rang out joyfully and he pulled back to give the other some breathing room. “I would have gotten here sooner, but I got held up at the last second.”

Catching Art’s glance over his shoulder, Nice followed the gaze that led to the discarded bike on the sidewalk, the spoke making a slow spin to a stop. Nice scratched the back of his head and gave Art a nervous smile. “They didn’t let me borrow the motorcycle so I had to borrow Theo’s bike,” Nice explained, and Art laughed at the expression on his face. He was glad to see Nice hadn’t changed. Relieved by the other’s laugh, Nice turned his attention to the small shop. “It’s been a while, but I’ve kept everything pretty much the same,” he said and took hold of Art’s hand while pulling something out of his pocket at the same time. “Here.”

The metal was warm in his hand; the weight of it was solid, and familiar.

Art looked Nice, at loss for words but the other only grinned at him. “Go on then.”

Turning, Art approached the building, hesitantly putting the key inside, as if afraid it would not fit. But his worries were unfound as the key slid in smoothly. One turn led to a click and putting his hand on the door, Art found it to give way beneath his touch quite easily. Behind him, Nice moved silently.

The soft chime of the bell rang overhead and Art walked into the shop. It was clean and polished, looking relatively the same aside from the few suggestions he had given to Nice in the past five years. His hands traced the wood of the countertop of the desk at the front and a memory gently nudged him. Following the phantom vision, his eyes swept over the room to see only a sight that was held in his memories.

“Art?”

Art was brought out of his reverie by Nice’s voice and the room reverted to how it looked like when he first entered. The other male studied him carefully. “Is it okay?”

Art nodded. “Yeah. Thank you, Nice.” He smiled warmly at the other in response, but there must have been something in his eyes that led to Nice’s following action.

Nice stepped forward and drew Art into a hug. His arms were gentle, as if holding something fragile, but Art didn’t mind it all, finding his presence comforting. Art let his head rest on Nice’s shoulder, and they stood for some time in silence, one supporting the other in a role reversed in the past.

If Nice felt the dampness through his shirt he didn’t show it. “I’ll be returning it to you then.”

“Yeah.” The responding voice was soft.

“Hey. It’s going to be okay Art.” His arms tightened around his companion’s smaller frame. “We’re in this together.”

Art smiled. “Thank you Nice.”

.