Chapter Text
“H-Hikaru… Hikaru!”, were the words Yoshiki pushed out of his throat as he stared at his friend’s dead body. This had to be a joke or sick prank someone did, only a dream. Yoshiki knew that he had to believe everything would be alright again the next morning, when Hikaru stood before his door with a big smile on his face. But deep down, Yoshiki knew that the feeling of Hikaru’s cold wet skin was real. No breathing, no heartbeat. Eyes that stared into nothingness. He wanted to leave, to wake up from this terrible dream. Yeah… that was what he had to do. Wake up…
What happened next was all in a blur, voices that called Hikaru’s name and bundles of light what could only be the flashlights of the people who had the same intention as him, finding Hikaru. But they were too late, Hikaru was no more.
Yoshiki woke up violently, in a cold sweat. It was nightmare after nightmare, and he could forget nothing. The adults had come and took Hikaru’s body down the mountain. Yoshiki still had the tear-streaked face of Hikaru’s mother, staring at the dead body of her son. Yoshiki knows that his face had probably looked like that too, the moment he set his eyes on Hikaru. He couldn’t accept that Hikaru wasn’t with him anymore. Nobody knew exactly how Hikaru had died, some say it was wolves and others say it was revenge from Nonuki-sama. An old god who, according to folktales, lived on the mountain. Yoshiki didn’t care how Hikaru died, the only thing he cared about was that Hikaru would never come back, the only remains of him a cold dead body and memories of the good times together. A boy who could’ve became something so much more, didn’t deserve to die so young and so sudden.
“Yoshiki! Food is ready!” Yoshiki turned away, and what he didn’t want to do at all was to eat at the moment, and also the fact that his stomach hurt. “Yoshiki!” his mother called again. With reluctant acceptance he came out of bed, changed out of his pyjama’s for some other pants and a shirt, and went to the living room. Yoshiki knew his mother tried to act normal but it was quiet, not like always, but in a way where you could feel unspoken words in the air. A heavy weight on the shoulders of the people in the room. “Yoshiki… I got a message from Hikaru’s mother… his funeral will be held tomorrow.” Yoshiki’s mouth went dry and his stomach felt like someone put a knot in it. He was scared, even though he knew those words would come sooner or later, but now that those words were spoken, it carried a whole new weight. Even though he knew for sure that it would be the last time he would see Hikaru, he knew he would stay the longest, making sure his friend rests. Yoshiki felt the worried eyes of his mother on him, but he didn’t care too much. He didn’t actually care at all. What does it matter? “Goin’ back to bed…”, Yoshiki mumbled before he stood up, and went back to his room. He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking back to the last time he saw Hikaru, the living Hikaru… pulling a silly face that should’ve resembled Hara. He was going to miss the silly Hikaru… no, he already did. His face felt wet, and when he felt his face, he realized that he was crying, without him noticing. Hikaru wouldn’t have wanted him to cry, but he thought back to him with a smile on his face.
The rest of the day went by in a blur, Yoshiki laying in bed, feeling too sick to do anything. The next day, when he was on the way with his mother and little sister, even his father coming along. The funeral went as you would expect at a funeral. A few heartfelt speeches, a lot of tears and paying respects. How late was it again? Yoshiki didn’t know. There was no clock anywhere, but dusk began to arrive, so it must have become late. He was alone, alone with Hikaru’s body who looked so peaceful, so different from when Yoshiki found him. It broke him regardless. He sat there, draped over the casket, crying blindly out of sorrow. He should’ve never let Hikaru go up that mountain. When it was deep into the night, he shuffled back to his home. Unconsciously, his legs dragged him to somewhere else. He walked back to the mountain where he found Hikaru, Nisyama Mountains. Where Hikaru had laid for god knows how long before he was found. It was a week. It was a week since he was reported ‘missing’. How long did Hikaru call for help? How long had Hikaru suffered? Yoshiki sunk to his knees, crying harder than ever before. “Hikaru! Hikaru… why did ya have to die --?! Why?!”, Yoshiki screamed at the top of his lungs. “Im so, so sorry… I should’ve never let ya go up that godforsaken mountain… all my fault… Hikaru, I just want ya back.” Yoshiki said softly.
Yoshiki woke up abruptly, looking at the clock seeing ‘8:00’ in bright red letters. He stepped out of bed and made himself ready for school. When the door opened, was Hikaru at the front, waiting as always. Waiting – how can Hikaru be here? He’s dead. He saw it himself. Yet he stood in front of his door. Yoshiki walked back.. this couldn’t be happening, could it? No, no, no… He was panicking, hyperventilating and his pulse shooting up. “Yoshiki, lets go. Don’t wanna be late for school and make Hara angry, would ya?”