There were knocks from your window and was the cause why you woke up from your slumber. They were soft, on the point it didn't irritate you and instead only swayed the curtains open on one side and saw how white it was outside.
Surely, it's the middle of winter today where a thick blanket of snow would be placed all over the place, but you weren't expecting to see a familiar figure sitting on the other side of the window.
Your sleepiness was starting to wear off from your system as you blinked to process the current situation. It felt like you just saw the teen in front of you recently, but the memories that you had received were certainly from a distant, alternate future.
Looking at the white-haired teen, he only presented a wide smile towards you with both of his eyes closed. He was sitting with his legs crossed, while the angel-like wings he had on his back spread beautifully around him and it was so bright that you were sure it was brighter than the sun behind him.
Speaking of the sun, you turned your head towards the direction of your bedside table where your digital clock says it was already five eighteen in the morning.
You looked back towards the teen once again, but now with a blank expression sitting in your face. He only turned his head slightly on the side – as if showing he was wondering why you have such an expression painted in your face anyways.
It's not as if he was expecting to be yelled at because he literally visited you so early in the morning where the sun was barely coming up in the sky and when the snow was starting to fall over him.
Byakuran's reaction made you a little bit annoyed inside.
It felt like he ticked a switch on in your system that you just had to open the lock of your window and slide it on the side so that you can invite the teen inside, worried that he'll freeze to death if he keeps staying out there. Byakuran finally opened his eyes, this time, letting out a hum as if to question your actions.
There was a brief silence between the two of you before you opened your mouth to finally say something, "...you've been waiting outside for a while now, weren't you?"
The teen nodded and hummed in response, "You took a while before waking up, you know?" Byakuran said in a somewhat sulky voice, his cheeks puffing into a small pout, "It would be great if I get to see your sleeping face once again, (Name)-chan~"
You scrunch your face towards him, feeling a bit suspicious from his words, "Alright, enough with the teasing – Do you want to come in or freeze to death?"
Byakuran couldn't help but let his eyebrows knit, "Aww, (Name)-chan you're so cold.."
There was a hint of sadness beneath his words, but you decided to ignore it and watched him enter from your window and closed it. It was so cold that you just wanted to hurry up and close it, letting in more winter air would be the death of you as you were only wearing your pajamas and they weren't suited for outwear.
Bringing back your attention towards Byakuran, you saw him looking around your room with a smile on his face. You remember from the depths of your memories that you would always see him with a smile – regardless of what he's feeling at the time. Sure, back then you were a close subordinate he had before your and Shouichi's betrayal towards him, but you truly did care about him that you helped your other friend to stop his cruelty.
He let out a chuckle once he saw how your room was. Byakuran thought that the decorations and furniture that you had said a lot about your personality – it was simple and neat, but with the selection of plushies on your desk and the side of your bed added a little bit of cuteness in the atmosphere. It felt like you didn't change, even seeing your younger self.
He thinks of this, but it wasn't as if the you from the parallel future was the same old you that's in front of him right now.
"This suits you," Byakuran stated, finally turning his head towards your direction and you only looked at him, prompting him to continue.
He gave you a small smile – it felt genuine, unlike the usual smiles that he has plastered in his lips everyday, "–this kind of life, I mean. Makes me wonder why you joined the mafia."
You let out a sigh, "Now that I got the memories of the future me, it looks like I'm still tangled in your so-called family,"
Byakuran's eyes slanted for a moment before averting his eyes away from your gaze, "....aren't I..?" he heard your words, but took a moment to respond.
"You're correct! As expected of (Name)-chan~!" he cheered.
Byakuran watched you let out a chuckle – something he wasn't expecting as he was thinking the opposite. He thought that you would be angry at him from the betrayal and how he treated you from the other reality. He knows that you remember everything thanks to Yuni's powers, but seeing you cracking up a smile towards him felt like he was being welcomed by you, once again.
You straightened up your posture as you were crouching your back a bit earlier since you just woke up, but a strand of your (hair color) tresses fell from your ear that you instinctively clipped it back to your ear. "What's the situation now, though?"
"Something's happening, isn't it?"
He loved how perceptive you were.
Byakuran let out a chuckle, "...seems like I can't hide anything from you, huh?" it sounded like his voice cracked for a moment – showing how genuine his words were and the fact that you were so confident from your hunch was something he's always impressed by.
Your words were then followed by, "You wouldn't be here in Japan otherwise, right?" a tone of curiosity laced in your voice, and you saw him nod in response, "That's right! I'm fighting for Uni, you see."
You blinked – disbelief lacing in your voice as you were surprised by his words, "For Uni...?" you repeated, and he nodded once again before continuing, "There's this big Arcobaleno battle, and I became a representative for Uni's sake so she won't fight!"
"I... that's kind of..." you trailed off, feeling surprised from the information you received. Byakuran could sense where you were getting from, so he couldn't blame you.
He only smiled, "Let's just say that Uni changed something inside of me, and I'm very grateful for her kindness."
You returned the gesture, "Ah, that explains why your actions are filled with genuine kindness." crossing your arms, you only let your eyes meet his, "I wasn't expecting that to happen, but it seems like you want to do things right this time?"
Byakuran's smile widened, "Ping pong, that's right~!" he exclaimed, the first word that came out from his mouth sounded like a sound effect that you would hear from a tv show, "...and I've been looking for you all this time, you know?"
"You told me before that you lived a little farther where Shouichi lives, and it took a while to finally see you." Byakuran said, "....I've missed you a lot, (Name)."
The sudden change of tone in his voice wasn't something you were expecting to hear.
Before, hearing his voice deepen would terrify you – but the way he did it sounded so genuine that it tugged at your heartstrings – and accompanied with a smile on his face and the softened look in his eyes didn't help either.
You're sure as hell that he could see how red your cheeks were like a forest set on fire with gasoline. Averting your eyes away from him in fluster, you cursed yourself internally by how fast your heart was beating in your chest.
Byakuran let out a laugh, making you look at him, "You're getting flustered, (Name)-chan, it's been a while since I've seen you like that!"
"Y-You jerk!" you let out in response, feeling embarrassed as he kept laughing in your face. His laughter did die after a couple of seconds, only for his smile not to disappear from his lips, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"It's just that, as I said," Byakuran let out, now leaning closer towards you with his wings flapping for a little bit to make him fly, "I missed you, and seeing you in front of me does make me feel like the old times."
You let out a huff, clearly his choice of words from the last sentence did sound like he's an old man, "Byakuran, that's like, from the other future, you know?"
"You sounded like an old man earlier, but you're just around my age now, aren't you?" you laughed, now seeing Byakuran pouting again, "You're so mean, (Name)-chan! I'm being serious here!"
"Byakuran, I already forgive you from all the things you did before," you said, bringing your hands up to his face and cupping his cheeks. It seems like you caught him in surprise when you heard him let out a startled noise. You only smiled as a way to not worry, and it seemed like he relaxed from your touch while listening to your words.
"I'm sure that I'm not someone you should seek forgiveness to from all the things you've done," you paused, watching him look at your with a warm gaze, "...you might be a piece of shit, but now you want to change and that's enough for me to forgive you."
Byakuran blinked, a silence enveloping the both of you before he brought his hand towards your hand that was on his cheek, caressing the side of it with his thumb, "...that's what I like the most from you, (Name)."
"You're always willing to give second chances, even for me who messed up a lot." Byakuran said before letting himself land on your bed, close to you, and then leaned towards his right side. His hand that was over yours enveloped it and wrapped his fingers in between your fingers, "Thank you, (Name)."
He could see how red your cheeks were, or how your mouth was left agape as you let your eyes focus on him. Byakuran then turned his head towards your hand that he was holding and leaned closer it, letting his lips softly made contact with your palm, making you flinch from the sudden action and watched him look back at you as he gave you a close-eyed smile,
Byakuran's fingertips felt a little cold, thanks to him waiting for some time outside of your window. But maybe, this time, you can help him warm up with your words and touch that surely comforted him.
✿
Hello everyone! sorry for the late update, i was sick for the whole week last week and it was hell to me that i couldn't bring myself to actually do anything other than coughing the hell out of my itchy throat. I will be doing the requests soon so that's something to look forward to! Once again, sorry for no updates!
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