Gift from Heaven

(Gift from Heaven PART I)
I ran up the hospital hallways with two cream puffs in each of my hands. Yuki-chan and Yuuya-kun told me that he was sent to the hospital again. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me eager to get to his room.
“Fubuki Atsuya…” I mumbled to myself as I scanned the walls. Even though I’ve been here lots of times before to visit him, I still couldn’t exactly remember where his room was. After a few more minutes of searching, I found his room.
Seeing as I was holding two cream puffs from Mary’s Bakery that I had bought especially for the both of us in my hands, I stood there like an idiot, thinking of a way to open the door without shocking the occupant. Without me noticing, the door slid open.
“Ah, Ume! Come on in!” A familiar voice asked me. I looked up and smiled at Atsuya.
“Ah, Atsuya! Come on! We better hurry up and eat these things before he shows up!” I said hurriedly. “Huh? Who?” Atsuya looked at me confused.
“The monster, who else?”
Suddenly, another voice startled me.
“Ume?”
“Eh?” I turned around and saw another orange-haired male that looked exactly like Atsuya.
“Why didn’t you go in?” ‘Atsuya’ asked me. I gulped. Oh God, please don’t tell me I’ve got it wrong again. Please don’t tell me that the one that I’m looking at right now is the real Fubuki Atsuya?
“Ume…” The other twin said in the deadliest tone possible. Braving myself, I turned around to look at the other ‘Atsuya’. “Don’t tell me that the ‘monster’ you were talking about was…” He shot a glare at me. I gulped one more time.
“KYAAAAAA! SHIROUUU!” I screamed. He covered my mouth with his hands, his veins popping, his eyes still shooting glares at me. “PIPE IT DOWN!” He scolded me and took the two cream puffs from my hands.
“You’re punished for calling people ‘monsters’. One’s for you, Atsuya.” And he gave one to Atsuya. I glared at him and he snarled back. Atsuya sweat dropped.
“What’s going on?”
“I… I… Actually…Err…” I stuttered, trying to figure out a way to explain this to him. Without warning, he took my hand and placed the cream puff on it. I looked at it shocked and then looked up.
“Here you can have it. I’m not hungry.” He grinned. “You can eat it with my brother.” I smiled happily. ‘Atsuya is really kind’ I thought to myself. I didn’t notice that the two twins were already sitting on Atsuya’s bed, talking to each other.
“Oi Atsuya, have you been eating?”
“Of course I am…”
“But then why do you look so skinny…” Shirou neared Atsuya’s face with a serious expression. Atsuya sweatdropped and chuckled.
“I’m fine, Nii-chan.” He grinned. He always grins. I felt a hint of guilt. Maybe I should…
“Hey, Atsuya, I don’t want mine so you can have it!”
“EH?” The pink-haired teen looked at me, surprised. I stretched out my arm that was holding the cream puff to him so he can take it. To our surprise, another hand took it and bit into it.
“If neither of you want it, then I’ll be taking that.” Shirou ate it as if it was his and ignored me.
“SHIIROOUUU!” I screamed at the top of her lungs and pulled his cheeks while making a face.
“OI! ERK! Don’t show that ugly face to Atsuya! You’ll make him sicker!”
“UGLY! UGLY! UGLY! THAT’S ALL YOU KNOW! YOU’RE ATTITUDE IS THE REAL UGLY THING AROUND HERE!” I pulled his cheeks harder and he did the same. Some laughs made us stop.
“And I thought the hospital is supposed to be the quietest place in town, next to the library and cemetery of course.” A deep voice said from the door. The three of us turned our gaze to the door. Yuuya smirked and Yuki waved at us.
“Yo!” Both of them grinned. Everyone went silent for a while, when Atsuya broke it. “Uuhh… How long have you guys been standing there?”
“Oh Great…” The siblings replied with sarcasm. “We stood here for 10 minutes; nobody noticed us, and then not even a ‘Oh, Hey there!’… Don’t you people care about us anymore?” They said in perfect sync and pouted. Me and Shirou were still pulling each other’s faces, soon enough we continued with our fight, completely ignoring the two siblings in front of us.
“OH MY GOD! I’M HAVING A HEART ATTACK! HER FACE IS TOO UGLY!”
I shrieked. “URGH! SHIROU YOU INSOLENT FOOL! ! !” And I pulled his cheeks harder, earning a punch in the head from him.
The other three laughed while holding their stomachs. Yuuya and Yuki were rolling on the hospital room floor. Typical of the two.
“Ume’s not ugly, she’s very cute.” I heard someone say. Me and Shirou stopped fighting and turned to Atsuya. I felt my face getting hotter. Even the siblings were gaping at him.
The pink-haired male smiled at me and my face went redder.
“Ever since birth I had a weak heart, I wasn’t able to go out and have fun like you guys…” Atsuya’s face saddened. “I just wish I could go on a date with Ume-chan.” Did my ears catch that right? D-Did he just ask me out?
“Are you crazy Atsuya? You know you can’t leave the hospital!” I heard Yuuya burst behind me. I’m guessing he must be in his ‘over-protective brother/friend’ mode.
“Yeah I know that Yuuya, that’s why I was wondering…” Atsuya trailed off. His eyes were on his twin brother, who was half-way to the door. Wait, when did he get there?
“Onii-chan, think you could do me a favour and replace me as Ume-chan’s date?”
Everyone was silent. Even I didn’t know what to say except for one word.
“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT? ? ? ! ! ! !” Both me and Shirou screamed while the Aoi siblings were staring at Atsuya like he had just sang ‘Baby’ from Justin Bieber. Rock version…
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Umeki sighed in despair… After a few discussions and pleads from Atsuya yesterday, she and Shirou finally agreed to his request.
They were right now in a fast food restaurant. Shirou had left to buy them some food while Umeki stayed at their table. ‘This is going to be a long day…’ Umeki thought to herself.
Shirou came up to her with a tray of food in his hands. Umeki grabbed a burger and a coke. Shirou’s vein popped since the burger that Umeki took was the biggest between the two.
She smirked in victory at him while he growled.
They started eating without talking. It was awkward, for both of them since they have never met outside the hospital (Shirou goes to Hakuren Jr. High while Umeki goes to Sessou Jr. High). They were about halfway through their meal when Umeki broke dreaded silence.
“Ne, Shirou… Why do you always look like your angry?” The brunette asked him. Shirou stopped drinking and stared at her brown orbs.
“My face has always been like this…” He replied and looked away. Umeki knew he was lying because every time he talked to Atsuya or one of the Aoi siblings, his face softens. She shrugged and ate a piece of French fry.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
CLICK!
CLICK! CLICK!
CLICK!
“What are you doing? ! Don’t just take pictures of the scenery!” Umeki scolded Shirou as he continued to take pictures of the birds. They were right now in the park, the second part of their ‘date’.
Without warning, Shirou turned around and took a picture of Umeki. She flinched and snatched the camera from Shirou’s hands.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING? I’M NOT EVEN READY YET! I’LL LOOK UGLY IN THAT PHOTO!”
“Whatever you do you’ll still look the same. UGLY.” Shirou made a statement and snatched the camera back. Umeki’s face was hot and burning in anger but she didn’t say anything.
“You know Ume, this is the first time Atsuya ever asked me for help…” Shirou’s grey orbs stared into Umeki’s brown ones. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d help me with this one.”
Umeki blinked. She lowered her head, turned around and ran off. Shirou stood there, confused.
“Awww man… Don’t tell me she went home?” Shirou grunted as he scratched the back of his head. “What am I supposed to do now?”
He heard some footsteps and felt someone shoving something behind him. Turning around he saw Umeki holding two crepes.
“Your actions are different from your words, Shirou…” Umeki said. But she knew one thing for sure: Shirou cared for his little twin brother more than anything else.
“But that’s the best thing about you…” Umeki looked up and smiled. Shirou looked at her weirdly. “What are you talking about? You’re freaking me out Umeki!”
The female teenager replied with a grin. Her eyes scanned their surroundings and her brown orbs landed on a nearby fountain. “Come on! We can take pictures over there and act like we’re really are a couple!” Umeki ran over towards the beautiful fountain.
“Hey, Umeki…” She heard Shirou call her. She stopped for a while and turned around to face him. “Yes?”
“Thank you… For not leaving me…” Shirou smiled at Umeki. She could’ve sworn her heart stopped beating for a second because this was the first time Shirou ever smiled at her… A true sincere smile.
Her cheeks felt hot. Could she be blushing? Oh God. The brunette shook her head and smiled back at him. Why was it so charming?
“Any time…” She said with a smile.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Tomorrow came too fast and laughter was heard from room ‘Fubuki Atsuya’ in the Hokkaido General Hospital.
The Aoi siblings were the loudest. Atsuya clutched his gut on the bed, trying hard not to fall. Shirou and Umeki tried hard not to pummel them to ashes.
“Oh my God! Is this Shirou… Or is this the Abominable Snow-Man? !” Yuki laughed as she pointed to a picture of a blurred out Shirou. The said boy just pointed an accusing finger to Umeki and said, “She always pushed the wrong buttons! Now I look like some beast!”
Umeki pointed back. “He took photos of me when I’m not even smiling! I’m the one who looks like a beast!”
Shirou coughed and tried holding back a laugh but eventually, he laughed anyway. “She, she just admitted that she looks ugly!” He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, the result of laughing so hard.
Umeki, realizing what she just said, froze and gasped. “AARGH! SHIROU YOU-“ But she was cut off by Shirou himself. “Language, girl, language…”
And then they bickered again. Yuuya sighed and turned his head around to Atsuya. “Well take care dude, hope you’ll be able to cope with them when we’re-“ He pointed a thumb towards himself and Yuki, “Not around…”
“What do you mean?” Atsuya asked, clueless. “We’re going back to Inazuma Town today Atsu-nii-chan!” Yuki explained to Atsuya, who wide-eyed. Even Umeki and Shirou stopped fighting.
“Already? ! But you guys were just here for a week!” Umeki said and let go of Shirou. The Aoi siblings could only nod. But they weren’t gonna let that be their main topic of discussion today.
“So Umeki, when and where’s the next date with Shi-nii-chan?” Yuki asked playfully and winked at Umeki, who was turning pale and red at the same time.
Atsuya gave Shirou a nice – evil – grin. The white-haired boy gulped.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
“Why the damn hell is the pier empty? !” Umeki said and she pulled her jacket tighter around her. Shirou rubbed his arms, his face half-covered by his scarf. “Because only idiots like us go to it on windy days like this.”
And true to his words, the pier was empty asides from the rides, the workers, and these two forced couple. Umeki’s vein popped at Shirou’s comment.
“So… What now?” The girl finally blurted out the question that has been bugging her mind. Shirou looked at her and shrugged.
“Let’s get a corn dog…” He suggested, to which Umeki nodded and they both looked around for a food stand.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
“Mou~ Nene-chan!~ I’m bored! There’s nobody here on a windy day like this!”
“You’re wrong Tama-chan!~ Look, there’s a couple right over there!”
“Yes! Come on! Let’s go!”
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Umeki munched her corn dog. “Man, these people sure know how to make corn dogs,” Umeki commented on the deliciousness of the corn dog. Shirou nodded in response.
Out of the blue, two girls a black-haired girl and a blonde in black-swimwear-like suits with white bunny ears and white bunny tails approached the two fake lovers. They were smiling oh-so-sweetly, making Umeki and Shirou feeling rather uncomfortable. Both of them had a bad feeling about these two girls.
“Hi! I’m Nene! And this is my good friend Tamako!” The blonde haired girl introduced herself and her black-haired friend, who waved in response. “You two look so cute together!~” Tamako said in a sing-song voice, making Umeki and Shirou choke on the corn dogs they were eating.
“Uuhh wait, I think you’ve got the wrong idea.” Umeki protested. She felt a little weird saying that somehow.
“Aww~ Don’t be so shy! Come on follow us! There’s a game here that’ll be perfect for lovers like you two!” Nene the blonde bunny said and pulled Shirou by the arm to a ride. Tamako did the same to Umeki, who tried protesting but failed. The same story goes for the fourteen year old male. All in the same time, a feeling of hatred towards the blonde grew inside Umeki.
The two ‘bunnies’ took Umeki and Shirou to a pink heart-shaped arch that made both Umeki and Shirou pale.
“W-Wait, what is this? !” Shirou asked as he read the name of the game/ride. ‘Lovers Maze’ it said. Umeki gawked at heart-shaped arch. The two ‘bunnies’ took the two teens and pushed them through the door, locking it on the way.
“WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? !” Umeki and Shirou shouted and they tried opening the door but to no luck. They swore they heard the two ‘bunnies’ outside giggling in delight.
“Aww~ You guys are so shy and cute together! Don’t worry! All you have to do is find a way out of the maze and you’ll be fine!” They heard Nene’s voice say.
“Plus this game is for free and there’s a little present for you guys when you find the exit~” They heard Tamako add next.
“Well, good luck!~” They heard the two ‘bunnies’ say and then the sound of footsteps leaving the area reached their ears.
Umeki sighed but when she remembered what Nene had said earlier about the two being a cute couple, she immediately blushed. ‘Get a grip!’ She shouted in her head. The girl sighed again.
“Well, I guess we have no choice huh Shirou?” She asked her companion but he didn’t answer. Umeki turned around. “Shirou?”
To her surprise, Shirou had disappeared. “Shirou?” Umeki said again, this time louder. Still, no answer. That means she was really alone.
“Shirou!” She called out. Her voice echoed through the building but she wasn’t so sure if the guy could hear her. She started to panic.
“Shirou!” She shouted again and ran off deeper into the building. She wasn’t so sure where she was going but there was no other way she could see or know. The route she was taking was dark and a little spooky but there dim lights on the ceiling.
‘So much for the romantic part of this game,’ She commented in her head, ‘This place looks more like a haunted house,’
“Oi Shirou! Where are you? !” Umeki turned around a corner and jumped at the sight of her own reflection in a mirror. She didn’t expect a dead end too. “Shit, what am I going to do now?” The girl turned her head around. She had only one choice, go back and find another way around.
Umeki sighed and leaned against the mirror. Did she walk a bit further away from it? Because she couldn’t feel anything behind her. “W-WOAH!” She fell.
“Ow…” She looked up and saw the mirror/secret door opened slightly. It was pretty high up but she wondered why it didn’t hurt so much.
“Wow… You weigh like an elephant,” A voice mocked her and she flushed. She looked to her side and screamed when she found out she had landed right on top of Shirou. His face was inches away and they were in a position only suited for 18+ viewers.
“SHIROU!” Umeki frantically stood up and brushed imaginary dust off of her. The teenage boy rubbed the back of his head and stood up too. “Where did you go? !” Umeki scolded the other teen. “Where did you think I was going? I was looking for the exit!” He explained and walked into the direction he was intending to go, before being plunged to the ground by a falling Umeki.
“H-HEY! Wait for me you big fool!” Umeki took her bag from the ground and chased after Shirou, whose hands were on the wall. He looked like he was looking for something on it. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Have you looked around you recently?” Shirou replied back with a question. Umeki turned her head around and finally noticed they were in a bright room with yellow walls and pink and red small hearts on it. She almost puked.
“Yeah… I did…”
“Do you see any way out?” Shirou asked again and continued to search for a hidden trap door. Umeki looked again and shook her head. They were in a room with a high chance of at least one hidden door.
The room wasn’t small in fact it looked more like a long hallway to forever. All she could see was yellow and red and pink hearts wallpaper. Something caught her eye and she went closer to it. From far, it looked like something brown and white, with two silver-coloured boxes arranged on its side. She could also see something burning a little.
But when Umeki got closer and closer, it hit her smack in the face that the brown thing she saw was the skeleton of a bed, a mattress on it with some pillows and a blanket and the two boxes were bedside tables. And the things that were burning were red, purple and pink scented candles.
“THE FUCK? !” Umeki shouted, to which attracted Shirou’s attention. “What?” He asked as he went closer to Umeki, who couldn’t help but have certain thoughts about the scene in front of her. Shirou sweat dropped at the bed, mattress and etc.
“What. Is. That?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t see it when you made your way in!” Umeki asked and turned her slightly red face to Shirou.
“I came from the other way okay!”
Now, even Shirou was blushing because being a teenager, they couldn’t help but have those thoughts.
“Okay, I’m gonna continue to look for a way out.” Shirou said and hurried off. Umeki nodded and followed him. They expected to find a trap door but they didn’t expect it to be on the floor…
A few steps forward, the floor suddenly opened below them and they fell into pitch darkness. For Umeki, it was like déjà vu all over again. But instead of falling onto someone, the two teenagers fell into a roller coaster that started up and went down a hill once they were in.
“OKAY! THIS SERIOUSLY FEELS LIKE A CARTOON!” Shirou commented as he held the hand bar in front of him for safety.
“MAYBE WE ARE IN ONE!” Okay, Umeki admitted, that was one stupid reply but what can she do? What can they do? Here they were, being guided by two weird ‘bunny’ girls to a game/ride, she got lost in a mirror maze of some sort and now both of them were in a roller coaster of doom.
What could be more cartoon-ier than that?
The coaster went uphill, downhill, through a tunnel and made 360 degree swirls. To which, the place were only filled by their screams and… music? ‘Oh, great,’ Umeki thought. ‘This thing has a radio!’
But that thought didn’t stay for long cause what she saw was a pool of water. And it looks like they were heading right towards it.
“KYAAAAAAAAA!” Umeki screamed and braced herself.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
“I so fucking hate this place…” Shirou said as he tried drying himself off. Umeki couldn’t agree more. “Wait, I thought we were on a pier. How did they make an underground roller coaster or maze or whatever.” Umeki noticed.
“Hey, those two girls took us to entrance of this game. And that entrance happens to be next to the road.” Shirou said but he wasn’t so sure if his theory was right or not.
Umeki just kept silent. She felt cold when cold air from an air-conditioner hit her. The sound of someone sneezing filled the place.
“Are you okay Ume?” Shirou asked, slightly worried about the girl. Wait, since when did he care about her?
“I’m fine, probably just a little cold.”
Shirou nodded. Well, he was shivering too since both of them were soaking wet. The teenage boy looked around noticed a door with a sign flicking on and off and on and off on top of it. And that sign happened to have the word ‘EXIT’ on it.
“Maybe we can go through there.” Shirou said and made his way to the door. Umeki obeyed for she’d rather go somewhere else than be in the cold room. When they reached the door, Shirou opened it and they were lucky because it was just a normal door that led to a hallway with doors arranged next to each other on each wall.
The two sighed in relief and walked in. They walked past a few doors in silence when Umeki remembered something from that morning.
“Hey, Shirou,”
“What?”
“When I came to the hospital this morning, I saw your parents talking to the doctor. Is everything alright?” Umeki asked and looked at Shirou.
The teenage boy’s face turned cold and lifeless. He looked away. “Nah, I’m sure it’s just nothing.”
But Umeki somehow knew it wasn’t just ‘nothing’. Shirou’s parents both worked and they rarely came to the hospital together. And from the tone in Shirou’s voice, Umeki knew that something was wrong. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
“You know Shirou…” Umeki looked down and stared at her feet. “You can tell me anything. No secrets. Even if you need a place to cry,” the girl looked up and stared at Shirou’s eyes. “I’ll always be there…”
Shirou was speechless. Who was this girl in front of him? Her shining eyes, her wet hair, the seriousness in her tone. Right now, Umeki seemed to be like a whole new person, a total stranger.
And Shirou couldn’t hold himself any longer than her.
The teenage boy leaned over and kissed her, right on the lips. Umeki groaned and returned it.
They stayed like that for who knows how long.
XOXOXOXOX

Atsuya stared at the two with a face that said, YOU HAVE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!
“No… We’re not…” Both teens looked at the floor, feeling rather embarrassed at the events that happened yesterday.
“DOES SUCH A GAME EXIST? !” Atsuya laughed really loud. He was scrolling through the pictures of the pier and laughed out loud when, yesterday at the pier when they finally found the exit out of the maze, each had to wear a silly costume! Shirou had to wear some weird alien-like robot costume while Umeki was forced into a clown’s! They looked hilarious!
Umeki and Shirou blushed from embarrassment. Well, at least Atsuya wasn’t distributing it to the whole town. They had told Atsuya what had happened, from A – Z but they skipped the K part. Or should it be the letter F since it was also in the First Kiss department.
Shirou tried changing the topic, “Hey Atsuya, have you eaten anything yet?” He asked the question he had asked Atsuya countless of times. He was the elder twin and he loved and cared for his younger twin brother.
Atsuya nodded his head and grinned. “Of course I did!”
“But you look paler,” Shirou remarked as he scanned Atsuya from head-to-toe. Umeki did the same. Atsuya could only sweat drop.
“What? I’m really fine.” He said, stood up from his bed and walked over to the window. His room faced the hospital garden, a beautiful one. The flowers were blooming since it was spring, the season of graduation and farewells.
“Hey guys, why don’t we go to the garden? I’d really like some fresh air.” He suggested. Umeki nodded happily while Shirou sighed. “Whatever you say brother…”
Atsuya smiled at Shirou’s words. This just assured him that they were going to be fine, together.
XOXOXOXOXOX
Umeki yawned. The garden was empty, with only the birds in the trees. It was really peaceful. The brunette sat on a bench provided by the hospital, Atsuya had gone back to his room for a camera. He wanted to take a picture of the three of them together.
The girl closed her eyes and let the wind blow through her hair. For a second, she felt majestic, like a queen sitting on her throne or a fairy waving its wand.
Shirou was standing next to a giant mushroom rock. A few leaves he had picked out of boredom from some bushes were twirling in his hands. He glanced at Umeki, who had her eyes closed, and blushed at how her skin seemed to be so soft, her lips were so warm.
Shirou blushed redder, lost his balance and fell onto his back. “OW!”
Umeki turned, opened her eyes and laughed at him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She asked in between laughs.
Shirou grunted. “Nothing…” It’s cause you’re the reason I fell…
“Were you gawking at me?” Umeki asked playfully and raised her eyebrows. Shirou’s vein popped although it was a little of the truth. Okay, maybe it was the truth. He was gawking at her. But the silver-haired boy wasn’t about to admit it, yet.
“Like I’d be gawking at a monster.” He said calmly.
Umeki’s vein popped and she gripped the hem of her skirt. Pain was felt inside her chest. Why did it feel like she was expecting another answer? A different one? A total opposite from what Shirou had said.
“Why…” Umeki said, looking down at the ground. Shirou winced at the sadness heard in her voice. If he was mistaken, he saw something crystal-like drop from her face to the ground. Oh his God, was she crying?
The brunette girl stood up and looked up at the boy. Tears were streaming down her face. Shirou’s face fell.
“Why? Why do you always act so mean? !” She shouted at him. Shirou was speechless. He gritted his teeth. I wasn’t always like this Umeki… Never… He wanted to say those words, but they were somehow stuck on the tip of his tongue.
“Compared to you and Atsuya, I like the sick twin better than you!” She shouted at him again, more tears seemed to be coming out of her eyes. The girl immediately wiped them away with her sleeve.
“Ume?” Atsuya asked. Both Shirou and Umeki turned to look at him. “At-Atsuya…?” Umeki managed to blurt out.
Shirou forced a smirk/smile on his face. “Well, well, lookie here Atsuya. It seems that Umeki really does like you.” He said, changing his gaze to a tree as he said it.
Atsuya felt uneasy. Umeki seems to be forcing a smile on her face too. Her giggle sounded like she was forced to do it or she’ll die. “It’s so embarrassing. You finally found out.” No… Umeki said in her head. NO!
The orange/pink-haired boy smiled forcefully too. The aura surrounding the three of them was… indescribable. Atsuya sensed anger, pain, sadness, is there anything else?
“Uumm yeah, thanks Ume.” Atsuya tried to grin but he was sure it looked more like a frown somehow. The boy handed Umeki the camera. “Come on, let’s… take the picture together, the three of us.” Atsuya looked to over to his brother, who just nodded slowly in response.
Umeki took the camera and placed the camera on a stone. Atsuya and Shirou were already sitting cross-legged on the grass. It’s too late now…
The girl set the timer on the camera and immediately sat in between the twins. All three of them tried hard to smile.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Weeks pass and Umeki was… dumbfounded. She wasn’t allowed to visit Atsuya anymore and Shirou never answered her calls or emails. She was desperate to why all of this was happening.
But she found out soon enough…
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
The girl stared at the picture of Atsuya in a black suit on an altar. A few people she didn’t recognize were with her, crying, sobbing, staring solemnly at the picture.
Atsuya was dead. His heart failed him just yesterday. She knew this because her father, the coach of Hakuren Jr. High’s soccer club, had told her about it and requested her to come here.
“Ume…”
The girl turned around and tried hard not to cry in front of Shirou. Because she was sure as hell the boy wouldn’t cry in front of her.
Shirou was dressed in a black tuxedo. She had to admit, he did look good in it. Better than good.
“Hey… It’s been a long time hasn’t it?” The boy tried to smile. Umeki felt pain the pain of the smile shooting through her. “Thanks for coming by the way.” He added. Umeki stayed silent.
“Uumm look, I’m sorry I haven’t been replying to all of your emails and not answering your calls.” He apologized. Still, Umeki didn’t know what to say.
Finally, Shirou smiled without him not wanting to. He looked up and stared into Umeki’s eyes. “Atsuya… He really liked you, you know.” He said, his face softening. Umeki felt a pang of guilt hit her. She bit her lip.
All of a sudden, she felt something pressing against her lips. She blinked and saw Shirou kissing her with his eyes closed. The tears that she was fighting to hold back finally fell and washed her cheeks that were turning red from embarrassment. Here they are, kissing at a funeral. What could be more wrong than that? Alas, she too closed her eyes, responded to the kiss and enjoyed the euphoria.
XOXOXOXOX
The brown-haired girl was dumbfounded, yet again. After the kiss, Shirou had left without saying another word. He didn’t call her nor did she make any effort to contact him. It was total cut-off.
Now, standing in the hospital’s garden with an envelope in her hands, the girl sighed. Atsuya had left the world a few days ago and probably even Shirou from her world.
‘Please open this on the bench in the hospital’s garden.’ Was written nicely on the back of the envelope. Her name and address was there on the front, but the name of the sender wasn’t seen anywhere.
Unable to hold back her patience anymore, Umeki opened the envelope slowly half-hoping that it was from Shirou. To her surprise, she found a picture, the exact same picture she, Shirou and Atsuya had taken together on that day in this exact same place. Each of them had smiles on their faces but instead of emitting happiness, their smiles showed nothing more than guilt and sorrow.
The girl caught her breath and she turned the picture around. Tears filled her eyes again like the days before and she cried again. There was a message written, with Atsuya’s signature and name at the bottom-right. She dropped the ground from shock.
Umeki heard footsteps and she looked up, half-shock to see Shirou. The boy dropped to his knees in front of her, their faces a few inches away. A teardrop fell from one of his eyes.
“I… can tell you anything, right…?” In his hands were what seems to be the same picture Umeki had, and probably even the same words written on it at the back. Shirou, without hesitating, placed his head onto Umeki’s shoulder as balance and cried. Umeki embraced the boy and so did he.
“I love you Shirou… Not your brother.” Umeki whispered as tears won’t stop flowing. Shirou let a small smile escape to his lips. “I love you too…” His tears wouldn’t stop flowing too.
Finally, finally, they were finally honest with each other. No more fighting and no more mocking. They could hear it, Atsuya’s voice saying the same words that were written on each of their pictures.
‘God,
Please grant my last and final wish.
May these two be together, happy and forever.
-Fubuki Atsuya.’
(Gift from Heaven PART II: The Sacrifice)
“Aww… Come on Shirou! It’s only one game!” A child, about eight years old, whined. He was holding a soccer ball.
“Yeah! We know you like playing soccer! And really good at it too!” Another said, probably the same age.
“Please?” The third one clasped his hands together, as if begging for Shirou to join them. “Today we’re having a match against the 9-year olds!” He said.
Shirou only smiled sweetly. “I’m sorry guys, but I’m really not interested.” He refused them politely. The eight-year old silver-haired boy narrowed his eyes.
The group of boys grunted and left the Fubuki’s residence, feeling very angry with Shirou for refusing their offer. Atsuya, who had been watching the whole scene from the living room, frowned at his brother’s decision.
“Why didn’t you go with them?” He asked as he eyed his brother sharply, a little annoyed. Shirou smiled again and shook his head. “I’m not really interested in playing soccer actually.” Shirou lied, though the truth was he did want to join his other friends to play soccer. But in the same time, he didn’t want to hurt Atsuya’s feelings since he knew well that the younger twin could not go out and be active like all the other kids their age.
Though Atsuya could see through his lie and scowled. He didn’t like his brother’s attitude at all. Why care for him, a sick boy who can’t go outside the house just because he had a weak heart, when Shirou could be happily running around on a field? Atsuya just couldn’t get it. Each had their own lives even though they were twins.
A knock on the door was heard and the twins both looked at each other, then at the door. “It might be them again, go and play.” Atsuya pushed. Shirou hesitated but he went and opened the door anyways.
To his and Atsuya’s surprise, it was a seven-year old girl with brown hair and eyes and pale skin. She seemed to be shy, and since neither both of the twins had ever saw her, they guessed, in the same time, that this girl was a newbie.
“H-Hello…” The girl said shyly and Shirou replied back with a smile. “Hello. Are you new here?” He asked politely. Atsuya almost laughed at how gentleman-like Shirou was.
“Y-Yes, we’ve just moved in y-yesterday a-and my dad told me to go an-and play with the neighbours while my p-parents clean up the house.” She explained, looking at her feet. For a seven-year old, it was quite a challenge to be in a place where she knew nobody.
“My name’s Shirou and that’s my younger brother, Atsuya.” Shirou introduced himself and his twin brother. Atsuya gave a grin and a peace sign at the girl, who finally managed enough courage to look up.
“M-My name’s U-Umeki Kazuya…” She paused for a while. “A-Are you guys t-twins?” She asked, to which Shirou and Atsuya nodded. Umeki’s eyes lightened up. “Wow! I’ve never met twins in real life before!” She said in excitement. The Fubuki twins sweat dropped.
Atsuya, suddenly feeling like he forgot something, turned to look at the clock on the wall. His face dropped. “Aaah! Onii-chan! Hurry up! Ultraman is already airing on TV!” He called out as he dashed into the TV room.
Shirou looked back and forth, from Atsuya to Umeki, unsure which one to choose, a chat with a new friend or the TV.
“You watch Ultraman too?” Umeki asked, filled with hope. Shirou smiled in relief, grabbed Umeki’s hand and pulled her into the house and closed the door in the process. “Then let’s watch it together!” He exclaimed excitedly as he pulled Umeki to the TV room, where the guy being Ultraman in the series was getting ready to change into the gigantic hero that saves Japan from man-eating monsters.
XOXOXOXOXOX
But all of that were just childhood memories, Atsuya thought. Years passed and magically, he and Shirou started to change personalities. Shirou became more and more like Atsuya while Atsuya became more and more like Shirou. But who cared? Nobody.
The orange-haired boy was sitting on his bed, reading a magazine, when Umeki burst into it with two small cakes in her hands.
“Atsuya!~” She chimed. She held out a cake and Atsuya took it, sweat dropping a little. “Hey, Ume.” He greeted her. Umeki waved at him. “The aunt next to my house gave me these! They’re really popular these days you know!” She said as she unwrapped one and started eating it.
“So delicious!” She exclaimed happily. Atsuya placed his cake on his bedside table, when he noticed the door to his room slid open. He saw Shirou and smiled, but frowned when his brother closed the door again.
Umeki only ate half of her cake and re-wrapped the other half. She placed it onto the bedside table, next to Atsuya’s. “Eh? Why didn’t you finish it?” Atsuya asked, curious.
“Because I want you to eat more so you’d be healthier! I know if I didn’t leave half of mine for Shirou, you’d give him yours!” She said and it was the truth. Atsuya couldn’t deny it. “Well, bye! If I get any more I’ll bring them here okay?” She said and jogged out of the room. Atsuya sighed and when he heard the door re-open again, he didn’t look up for he already knew who that was.
Shirou walked up to Atsuya’s bed and placed his school bag on the chair he usually sat at. “Why didn’t you come in earlier?” Atsuya asked. Shirou only kept a steady face. “I didn’t want to hear to what that girl has to say.” He explained, sweat dropped and frowned at the sight of a half-eaten cake. “Now who in the hell didn’t finish eating this?”
“Umeki, she said that if she didn’t leave hers for you, I’d surely give half of mine to you.” Atsuya explained, trying to sit in a more comfortable way on the bed.
Shirou smirked. “Of course you would, you’re just that kind.” He said.
Really? Atsuya thought. But I’m only kind to you guys cause you guys were kind to me.
Shirou yawned, to which shocked Atsuya a bit. “That Umeki…” Shirou’s usually stern face softened. “She’s kind too…”
Onii-chan… Atsuya tried hard holding his laughter. You don’t know this, but every time we talked about Umeki, your face changes to the better… Yes! Now I’ve found a way to pay back all of my brother’s sacrifices for me! In the end, he laughed out loud anyways.
Shirou’s face became stern again. “Oi, what’s wrong? Is there something on my face?” He asked the still laughing Atsuya.
“O-Ow… My stomach…” Was all that Atsuya could say about the situation now, since he was laughing so hard, he might have killed himself from lack of oxygen.
XOXOXOXOXOX
A few days passed and Atsuya started his plan, in the presence of his good old friends, the Aoi siblings.
“Onii-chan, think you could do me a favour and be Ume-chan’s date, in replacement for me?” He asked his brother, who stopped right in his tracks to the door, as if he was expecting his twin to ask that question. The Aoi siblings gawked at him, giving him the expression of a fish out of water.
But Umeki’s and Shirou’s reactions were priceless.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
His plan was going smoothly, as he had hoped… But it was all spoiled when Umeki suddenly declared that she did like him better than Shirou when they were in the hospital’s garden that morning.
“What should I do now…?” He asked himself in a state of self-anger. Really, what should he do? The boy stared at the picture that was already printed out thanks to the help of the nurses there. That was when he noticed that all of their faces held the same expression; sadness.
The boy took in Umeki’s face, and did the same to his brother’s face. Guess there was only one thing left to do now…
Atsuya took out a pen from inside the drawer of the bedside table and started to write something on the back of two from the three same pictures he had. He chose his words carefully, writing them one-by-one slowly.
When he had signed his name on the bottom-right of the second picture, he took out two envelopes from inside the drawer, slid the pictures in and wrote his house’s address on one of them and struggled to remember Umeki’s address.
By miracle, he found two stamps inside the same drawer and a glue stick. He wondered how did those things get there but ignored his curiosity and glued the two stamps on the two sealed envelopes. He placed them in the drawer, hoping that someone – someone other than his parents, brother and Umeki – might find it and post it for him. Because he knew… his time was coming. He had listened to his parent’s conversation with the doctor in the hallways even if it was wrong to do so.
He heard some bells ring and turned to look at the window. He saw the silhouette of a cat that jumped back to the ground from his window. ‘A cat?’ He thought. ‘How did it get there?’
“Oooii! Atsuya!” He heard Umeki’s voice calling him from outside. The orange-haired boy walked over to the window and opened it. On the ground, he saw Umeki and Shirou. The brunette girl was waving her arms, trying to attract Atsuya’s attention even though she already did while Shirou was holding up a plastic bag. Its contents were unknown to Atsuya.
“We’ve bought some food!” The girl cried out. Atsuya, understanding what she meant, nodded. “I’ll be down in a minute!” He shouted back, closed the window and walked out of his room, giving a last glance towards the bedside table, hoping in his heart that whoever found it, he or she will find it after he died.
Once the door was closed and Atsuya down the hallways, the window re-opened and two cats – one black and one white – jumped into the room. The white cat had gleaming golden eyes and a black ribbon tied around her neck with a bell. The black cat had shining blue eyes and it had a white ribbon with a star-shaped pendant tied around its neck.
The white cat jumped onto the bedside table and pushed the drawer open with its paws. Meanwhile, the black cat kept watch on the windowsill, watching as the Fubuki twins and Umeki ate on the bench. It smirked at the trio.
“Ekhem.” It heard the white-cat cough and turned around. “There are two letters here you know, and I don’t have hands like I used to before I became Cupid or a cat.” The white-cat remarked. The black-cat grinned apologetically. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” It said and jumped onto the bedside table too, next to the other cat, and took one of the envelopes into its mouth.
The white-cat did the same to the other envelope and both cats jumped down, dashed to the windowsill and jumped back out, leaving nothing more than a faint trail of gold and blue dust.
XOXOXOXOX