My Dearest... [Ryoji Mochizuki]

Memories

This is a nightmare.

It has to be.

This absolutely cannot be happening right now. It's just too sudden. Too shocking.

Your happiness, memories, life, all being brought to a sudden halt overnight.

Just a few days ago, the idea that a tragedy like this would happen just a few days later didn't even cross your mind. You have completely filtered out the idea of having any negative thoughts. This is wrong; you have already concocted the image of your team, of S.E.E.S. defeating all the shadows, and ridding the world of Tartarus, and the dark hour. You have already visualized your team smiling, grinning, and laughing together, happily taking a group photo, celebrating the defeat of the shadows.

A distant voice impeded the looming image of happiness etched in your brain, envisioned in front of your eyes, as if genuine.

That was the image that you have so longed to see develop into reality. The day was to come during which that image would become reality... or so you thought, until a few minutes ago.

"So... (Y/n)?"

Ryoji stood in front of you, his ever so gentle smile, hinted with sadness as he held out the gun towards you, willing you to take it, and...

You shook your head, clearing it from the thoughts you longed would go away.

This simply cannot be happening.

You forced your gaze away from the sickening sight of the gun that lay, resting upon Ryoji's palm. You gazed into his electric blue eyes, searching it for an answer, willing him to burst out laughing, teasing you, and laughing at you, condemning you for falling for his joke so easily. Those sick, stupid jokes he always made, at wrong times.
For the first time, you wished for this whole setup to be one of his jokes.

Please, please. I wouldn't get enraged this time, Ryoji. You pleaded through your eyes, willing him to receive the message.

He blinked, as if understanding what you were hinting at, and he then reverted his gaze from you, and turned his head sideways.

"(Y/n)..."

Stubbornly, you continued staring into his eyes, noticing for the first time how reflective his eyes were, almost as reflective as the river you visited with him, during your school trip.

"(Y/n)...!"

You snapped out of your daze, and hastily looked upwards, to see that you were standing in front of the river... with Ryoji's voice coming from behind you.
You spun around to see Ryoji chuckling.

"You zoned out there for a moment... Could it perhaps be due to the fact that I'm here?" he teased.
Typical Ryoji. You brushed him off.
Sighing, you stretched out your hands... Something was bothering you moments ago... You just couldn't tell what. It's like your memory has been wiped, leaving only the soothing emptiness in your brain. The emptiness that suggested that you were completely happy, peaceful, with nothing on your mind.

Something still wasn't right.
You subconsciously touched the scar on your face.
Was it really that? Were you really bothered by something as trivial as a scar? Why did you care so much about it? Were you really that simplistic, and was your life really that trouble-free, as to have petty matters such as a scar bother you?
Your other hand suddenly felt warm, if not hot.

"Ouch!" you dropped the hot object that was held by your hand.
A chortle was heard coming from in front of you.

"I love how you go from clumsy to elegant within the split of a second," Ryoji grinned at you.

You diverted your eyes from the contents of the ceramic mug, to the setting which surrounded you: Chagall Café.
Laughing once again, he playfully teased, "It seems that the coffee really is working magic on you; you're radiating with beauty!"

Who would have thought that the raven haired transfer student who seemed to never take life seriously would suddenly hold such a dear position to your heart?

Sipping your coffee, you remembered how Yukari would stomp away in disgust every time Ryoji would hang around with Junpei.
"Stupei!" she would say, "Together, you become the Stupei duo!"
You recalled Aigis, and how she hated Ryoji's guts.... Aigis...!
"You are dangerous!"
You recall her strange behavior every time Ryoji would come a meter near you.
Was this why...?

Deep in thought, you shut your eyes, and before you knew it, you felt sudden heat emerge from behind your eyes, and then a tear stubbornly forced its way out of your eyes, trickling down your cheek.

"Crying, (Y/n)...?" the raven hair sighed, "This is what I feared would happen..."

"No..." you wiped the tear off with the sleeve of your shirt, boldly raised your head, and stared directly into his eyes.

"For my friends... for S.E.E.S... for us all... I shall..." you broke off.

"That's why I'm so fond of you," Ryoji's eyes twinkled, "I was worried that you'd let me down during my last moments."

You suddenly noticed the banging on the door, which was gradually getting louder.

"(Y/n)! Ryoji! Are you guys in there? Open up!"

You could hear Yukari's voice, panic stricken.
You have made up your mind: you swiftly grabbed the gun which lay, gleaming on Ryoji's palm.
It looked just like an evoker did, with the same colours... It even had the S.E.E.S. logo printed on it. There was only one difference; that pointing this gun at someone's head would result in their death, rather than in the summoning of a persona.
You looked up to Ryoji, as if asking for assurance.

"I'm really glad that I've met you... It's no wonder that I'm so fond of you, considering that I've been with you, ever since your birth..." he chuckled once again.

You held the gun up, pointing it at his direction.
He gently smiled, the sadness now gone from his face.

"Goodbye, my dearest..."

You shut your eyes, and pulled the trigger.