Eiji flutters his lids open and wakes up seeing a familiar ceiling and smelling the familiar faint scent of the salty breeze. His throat is parched dry, making him barely utter a word. He swallows his saliva to ease the pain a bit and it somehow worked. Eiji could also feel stinging pain on his cracked and chapped lips. The boy leads his weak gaze to the window as the memory from yesterday resurfaces in his mind.
"Ah." Eiji clutches on his head when his system was invaded by unbearable pain that threatened to split his head into two.
The pain slowly fades away. Eiji trails the bondage on his head with the tips of his fingers. I must've hit my head hard when I blacked out, he guesses as he takes one deep breath to let not a single tear drop.
Two consecutive knocks fill the air and Eiji sat alarmed and erect by it.
"I'm glad you're up now."
Ace waltz in, in his hands is a tray containing Eiji's food. His smile is his usual one and his voice is too. Plopping by Eiji's bedside, Ace places the tray on Eiji's lap and urged him to eat. Feeling bad to turn down Ace's effort, Eiji starts to energetically dig in.
"Thanks for the food." The Asian mumbles.
"I'm getting you another ticket and your flying back tonight." The words the suddenly came did not surprise Eiji yet it poured cold water on him, flushing away every ounce of energy he had tried to display just a little earlier.
Eiji shifts from his position and faced Ace more properly. Locking eyes with him, he calmly asks. "To Japan?"
Ace solemnly nods. "To Japan." He repeats. "Good thing you are not surprised. It'll save me from the hassle of explaining everything." Ace grins as he pats Eiji's leg. "And don't bother insisting to say your farewell to that guy. We both know the outcome if you tried."
You knew everything. You let me meet Ash on purpose knowing this would happen.
"I know." Eiji whispers and smiles, the most broken smile he had ever made. "I'm going back to sleep." He brusques at Ace and immediately pulls his blanket over him and simultaneously turns to the other side.
"Okay. Rest well." Ace tells him before leaving him alone.
"Ash."
The sun slowly made its way to the opposite side of the globe as if it was the one orbiting around the planet, just staring at Eiji who remained in bed completely immersed in his own sea of thoughts. The black circles that tell of how weary he is are just becoming more vivid every passing second. Eiji had tried to force himself to sleep but every time he did, Ash's face would come flashing and his tears would come raining down.
"I'm sure you had your reasons. You wouldn't do that. I know you won't."
"There has to be a reason for that. Ash would never---"
"Never do something like that? That's something I forced myself to believe but I can't stay blinded forever.
The past conversation he had with Ace surges through his mind and he can't help but waver by the words he received.
Trust him. Just trust him, Eiji. He silently pleads to himself, trying to keep the image of the Ash he knew that he was able to establish after going all sort of experiences.
**
I wake up to the stinging pain on my wrist. I move my hand and it made the painful burning sensation sink even deeper as if its goal was to reach my bones. I finally jolt my eyes open and drag my gaze down to where I feel the torment. Cold chains are bounding me to the ground. I wince at my hand dripping with my own blood. I must've struggled enough to let the chains dig into my flesh.
I ignore the pain and look around, my chest hoping for salvation in the midst of this pitch black world. Then I hear footsteps coming nearer. A lone familiar figure is born from the shadows.
Ash.
He is walking with a gun in his hand. It broke me upon realizing that I could not tell whether he was alive or dead. His eyes look lifeless, completely devoid by any emotion, yet his body is moving like that of a living. I don't want to see Ash this way. If this was a dream, somebody wake me up. Please. Please.
"Ash." I croak with my hoarsed voice. His eyes finally landed on me and I smiled. As if I was some trigger, life resurfaced on Ash's face. His innocent radiance is back.
He quickly scurries to my side and freed me from my shackles. I can not clearly see his face because of the tears that are clouding my vision but I can clearly see his smile.
"Eiji." His lips mouthed tenderly as he carrassed my cheeks.
I was about to welcome him in my embrace but a gun shot interrupted. I look around, flustered. I let out a sigh when I see no one suspicious but when I look back at Ash, fear and horror devoured me.
He's there lying as blood pool beneath his unmoving body. Once again I fall helpless. I could not scream for help.
"How? How could this happen?!"
"It's because you distracted him."
My world crumbles as my own self points out my fault. The fault that I had been running from this whole time, the fault that I had accepted too late.
"Promise me Eiji. No matter what, you'll always stay by my side."
Can I still keep the promise I made with him?
**
"You're awake."
Eiji, surprised by being greeted by a baritone voice, abruptly rose up from his bed.
"You're running a fever so take it easy." Blanca tells the pale boy and laid him back. "I wonder what kind of nightmare would have your eyes flooding with tears." The man hums in wonder as he places a damp cloth on Eiji's forehead. The boy did not utter a word yet Blanca immediately understood as soon as he met Eiji's broken gaze. Sobs start to escape Eiji's lips, throwing off the normal rhythm of his breathing. No matter how he tried to stop himself, he couldn't.
Gathering the frail boy before him in his arms, Blanca let Eiji empty out everything.
"It's my fault. Everything is my fault."
"Shhh. We all know it isn't. If you did something, it's that you saved Ash. Nothing else. All this happened..." Blanca grits his teeth in sheer anger as he tightens his hold on Eiji. "--because of that man Dino. He's so vicious and evil that even though he's already dead, people's lives are still in a mess because of the things he'd done."
Placing his grip on Eiji's shoulders, he pushed him to break the embrace. "You came here for a reason. All this time you've done nothing but doubt and blame yourself. Did that get you anywhere? Do what you want to do, Eiji. Don't worry about anything else. I'll be here to pull you back to safety once things start to get ugly."
Eiji felt a spark of hope flicker in him. The heavens must've decided to join him in this battle. Painting a determined face, Eiji spoke. "Thank you, Blanca. I needed that."
Seeing how Eiji got his composure again, Blanca fled the room with so much relief. He may have meddled a bit more than necessary but he isn't regretting it thinking that he may not be able to endure the onslaught of what unpleasant things may bring later on knowing he could've done something to prevent it.
The day has finally shifted into night and the blazing sun was replaced by the illuminating moon. The calm waves make a calming music as they clash with the shore while reflecting the stars that dangle from the sky. It's time for dinner.
"Eiji?" Ace calls out before twisting the knob and pushing the door open. The lights are out. He flips the switch only to be greeted by an awful silence bathing the room. It's empty. Immediately turning around, Ace calls for his man.
"Find Eiji and nobody is to return without him." His rough growl resonated in the air. His men separated swiftly and he is again accompanied by silence.
Ace stands erect as he slips his hands in his pockets. He shifts his gaze to the corner of his eyes. "I've always had a hunch but now it's clear as day to me. You joined hands with me so you could trample on my plans."
A deep baritone chuckle is the reply he gets. "I did nothing but tell him he could go all out." Blanca sniffs in a deep breath as if he's starting to feel regret now. "But this is just too much. That boy's not right in the head."
"He has not even fully recovered yet."
"Did I hear you right? Are you worried now?"
Ace brings up his sharp glare to meet Blanca's calm orbs. "That should be your least concern." He seethes through clenched teeth, walking past the tall man while deliberately pushing him out his way.
"Think of what your feelings really are, Ace. You don't want to regret it later."