Everlasting love
The Snow PrinceUmika struggled as she was dragged into a darker spot in the forest, with cupped. She was overwhelmed by a familiar sweet scent, but her unstable emotions nullify her ability to decipher the person's identity.
"What the hell is wrong with you!!! how long were you here?! I thought I made my point clear enough, but you still come back anyway."
Umika finally wiped her tears that clouded her vision and saw Ryosuke in front of her. she instantly threw her arms over him and released all her remorse and guilt.
"I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! I really didn't mean to! you can kill me, but please don't push me away! I can't live without you!"
"you promised me not to do anything stupid! but you just walked into your grave! you're really hopeless."
"yes i am! I'm hopelessly in love with you. so please believe that I won't do anything to harm you."
Ryosuke was speechless at her determination, and her current condition does not permit him to abandon her or be heartless to her. Umika's limbs weakened as she grew tired and pain and Ryosuke held her tightly in his arms to prevent her from falling. before he could tend to her wounds, he spotted Daiki running towards them. he could sense Daiki's urgency when he finally reach them.
"thank goodness you are here. I was about to warn you that the Queen is after her and was afraid she'll reach her before us."
"Daiki~" Umika looked at him in tearful eyes.
"how did you escape here? someone like you couldn't have possibly escape so easily." Daiki asked a question that equally sparked curiosity in Ryosuke's mind.
"Mirai~"
"Mirai? how could it be... she..." Ryosuke looked at Daiki and then to Umika in disbelief.
"leave the mysteries of Mirai for later. Ryosuke, there's more to worry about. Yuri, Miku and Suzuka are about to be killed by the Queen if we don't do something fast!"
"WHAT?! why did Yuri land in the picture"
"well, just like you and Umika, he openly sacrificed himself to save Miku's life, and you know that's an outright challenge to the Queen."
"I told you guys to be careful! she has been looking for opportunities to get rid of the 2 of you. she has been uneasy about you guys pledging full allegiance to me and was afraid we would one day rebel against her. what the hell are all of you thinking!!!" Ryosuke was on the verge of exploding from the insensible and reckless acts from everyone around him.
"please save Miku and Suzuka ~" Umika cried as she held on to Ryosuke's sleeves. Ryosuke felt the burden and stress on him. if he fails, he could see his whole circle of people he care about dying before his eyes.
"Daiki, do you know where the Queen is now?"
"she's at the far end of the forest, away from her fortress."
"great, if we run for it, we can possibly save all of them." Ryosuke instructed. his confidence in delivery always settles the uneasiness in his audience, and that goes for Daiki and Umika.
"Hop on my back" Umika did as Ryosuke said as she could sense the tension.
"brace yourself." just as Ryosuke said, he took off in a lightning speed which scares Umika a little initially.
her lids slowly turned heavy. she's too hungry, too shagged that she felt like she could stop breathing at anytime. Ryosuke realised her body giving way, "I forbid you to sleep. wake up Umika!"
"R-Ryosuke, I'm so tired."
"I know. just bear with it awhile more. promise?"
"promise."
Ryosuke felt more relief instantly. not long after, they reached the opening of the Queen's fortress.
"Yuri!!!"
"Miku! Suzuka"
there was a mass of reunion, filled with tears of joy.
"Umika, I'm so sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't be jealous of you. I almost killed you" Suzuka grabbed Umika and cried in her arms, as soon as Ryosuke lowered them from midair.
Yuri quickly shifted his focus from Miku to Ryosuke as he felt a surge of happiness to be reunited with his best friend.
"Yuri, I'm sorry. I know there's nothing I could do to make it up to you. I'll take responsibility for all the damage I incurred to you, right after we survive this ordeal okay?" Ryosuke gave Yuri a hug which startled the latter. Dumbfounded for a while, Yuri finally gathers his focus and said what he thought about in the brink of death. "Ryosuke, I love being in your care.when I thought I'm gonna die, the people I thought of is you and Daiki. you're like my older brother... thank you for coming back for me."
"so you forgive me?"
Yuri nodded.
"not time for heartfelt confessions. what should we do now, Ryosuke?" Daiki interrupted
"I'll give all of you back your freedom. listen to my instructions, and you'll be out of here in no time"
"w-what? no, then what about you" Yuri, Daiki and Umika protested.
"Listen! this place can no longer accommodate all of you if you want to survive. she's set to kill and there's no changing her mind. on the contrary, she won't kill me for I am still of use to her. I'm her son so that puts me in a better position to negotiate. besides, I need her to break my curse. don't forget that". the most important thing now is to save your lives!"
his argument is so convincing, there's no room for debate. the only thing rational in this nerve-wrecking situation is to listen to his instructions.
"Daiki, you carry Suzuka and run as fast as he can and exit the forest from the west side. Yuri, do likewise with Miku and exit from the east side. I'll take Umika and exit from the north. this will confuse her sense of smell to slow down her tracking. once outside, assemble at Yuto's house. I'm sure he has an anti-tracking chant somewhere."
"Yuto?" Yuri and Daiki both asked.
"Miku and Suzuka should know who he is and where he stays, right?"
they both nodded in tandem.
"Ryosuke, you will be fine right?" Yuri was engulfed by a sense of uneasiness and a bad omen that something will happen to Ryosuke but don't know how to express it.
he gave a subtle smile and then hurried them off. Umika saw his eyes turned wet as he saw each pair took off. similar to Yuri, his expression evoke a sense of unrest in her.
"come, hold on to me" Ryosuke piggybacked Umika on his back and ran against the wind. the wind pressure created a howling sound that increased her unsettled heart. Umika wrapped her hands tightly around his neck and buried herself in his shoulder as he sprinted towards the north exit. There was more things in Ryosuke's mind apart from getting her out safely and all of these weigh down his emotions and tire him as he tried to hide them from his friends.
the view of the outside was right ahead, while the storm behind approaches.
"Umika, run straight out and don't turn back. you will probably meet Yuri, Daiki and the rest along the way. stick close to them." right after he finished saying his piece, he turned her back against her.
"where are you going? you're supposed to go with us too!"
"I have unsettled business."
"no, then I'll go with you! I'm not gonna leave you behind."
"crazy! she'll not let you off."
"she won't take it lightly on you either. she'll vent it on you for letting all of us go."
"you don't have to worry about this. I'll take care of myself. Umika, I still have the curse on me. I need her to break it for me. so be obedient, just go first. I promise I'll meet you when I'm done with this"
"but... no no, it's my fault you're like this, I'll go with you!" Tears welled up in her eyes, causing a wrenching feeling of heartache in Ryosuke.
"Listen, I never doubted you. I knew it's not you."
"you mean you believed in me?" Umika looked into his eyes and questioned with a glimpse of hope of forgiveness.
"yes...give me a bit of time, and I'll be yours entirely, forever staying by your side"
"you promise...you'll be fine and you'll come back in one piece?"
"I promise" he gave her a soft peck on the lips and pulled her in for an embrace. this embrace is particularly heartwarming, conveying a strong sense of security and assurance. but a silent regret and unbearable lost build up within Ryosuke, so much that he teared without her knowledge. he quickly wiped it off before releasing her from his arms.
"go now! and don't turn back!" Ryosuke raised his voice and Umika did as instructed, trying her best not to think about Ryosuke or look at him.
Ryosuke's tears instantly ran like a stream of river. as he walked through the thick forest back into the darkness, he realised how alone he is, just like many years ago before Yuri and Daiki joined him.
I'm sorry, Umika. I'm sorry Yuri, Daiki, and everyone else. I am the only one who can end everyone's sufferings. I brought everyone this horrible fate, and it's only correct that I set things right now.
He clenched his fist and walked right into the Queen's fortress. Ryosuke wasn't surprised to see her raging with fire after seeing all her victims escaped.
"ah, I'm expecting you, son. I knew you will be back"
"yes, mother" he knelt down as if begging for her forgiveness.
"why did you betray me. why did you let them all off?!"
"because I love them."
"son! how DARE YOU TELL ME THIS! I told you that we are not here to love anyone! we're here to punish humankind!"
"that's you, mother. I realised these people are kindhearted, nothing like what you described. the ugly one was you."
"you!" the Queen walked forward and gave him a impactful slap that led a stream of blood escaping from the tip of his lips. realizing she hurt him, she held him up and gently wiped the blood stain from his lips.
"son, you know I will have to punish you... don't worry, after this, it'll sink into your mind"
"that's not necessary, mother."
"w-what?" the Queen was startled when Ryosuke stood up and approached her with a fiery pair of eyes.
She backed off step by step as she has never seen such strong power emitted from him. she has underestimated his potential...
"R-Ryosuke! my son. stop coming nearer or I'll kill you"
"that's unnecessary either. cause I am going to die anyway. the curse is probably already at its last stage. since I'm gonna to leave this universe anyway, I should take you with me, mother. that way we still can be together, isn't it?" Ryosuke smirked and raised his hand, sending an enormous beam of light at the Queen. in defense, the Queen also gather all her power and send a return beam towards Ryosuke. the 2 beams clashed and there's no indication as to whose is stronger. the opposing power cause a light so blinding that the entire forest is lighted up like as if an atomic bomb went off.
*****
except Umika, the other 2 couples reached the entrance of Yuto's house.
"Miku? Suzuka?" Hikaru and Yuto both exclaimed when they saw the four outside the doorsteps. apparently, memories of the 2 girls return, at the instant they exited the forest. though they don't know how and why, but it all came back.
"thank goodness you girls are alright" the friends hugged as they returned to safety.
"this is Yuri, and he's Daiki" Miku introduced.
"we're friends of Ryosuke" Daiki explained.
"ah I see, friends of Ryosuke are friends of ours, right Hikaru?" Yuto smiled.
"definitely" Hikaru returned a bright smile. Yuri and Daiki were so heartened to find out that their best buddy is not alone, instead he found more friends out there. but this joy was really short as Yuto asked a question that send chills down their spine.
"where's Ryosuke?! we have something important to tell him..it's about the curse"
"he's coming. what about it? he said a more powerful curse can neutralize its effect..." Daiki explained, while Yuri still looks lost as he didnt know what the curse was about.
"that's what we wanted to talk about.... it's the most powerful curse, there's no curse which could neutralize it. so this method won't work"
"w-what?! wait a minute... he should have known this... but still he suggested this method..." Daiki was starting to piece everything together... tears started welling in his eyes, taking Yuri and the rest by surprise.
"Daiki~ what's wrong. you've to explain to me about this curse and what you realised... you're scaring me" Yuri turned anxious and his arms trembled uncontrollably. Yuto remorsefully explained the curse and tried to calm the angered Yuri. Yuri almost wanted to punch Hikaru when Daiki stopped him.
"Y-Yuri... he lied, Ryosuke.. he lied to all of us. he wanted to sacrifice himself to grant us freedom" Daiki knelt down and cried as he imagined the internal struggles that Ryosuke must have gone through to arrive at this decision.
"NO!!! then lets go back and Find him!!!" Yuri motioned to run back to the forest but after a few steps, they were all stunned by a loud explosion.
"what happened?!!! what the hell is going on inside?!!!" Yuto shouted.
Everyone, as well as Umika saw the bright circle of light surrounding the forest and anxiety broke lose in their mind. they feared for the worst-Ryosuke is dead?!
Yuri bent down on the floor and cried heartbreakingly. "up till the last moment, he is still alone~ Ryosuke..." the 2 friends cried, causing the mood around to turn very depressing.
"I'm not gonna leave things as it is! even if he's dead, I'm gonna at least find his body. a proper burial if it's the only thing I could do for him." Daiki ran in the direction of the forest. seeing the older one taking the initiative, he followed behind and soon the whole group ran towards the forest.
*******
on the sound of explosion, Umika was struggling to keep her sanity, but still she couldn't keep to her promise and ran back to where she exited.
"R-Ryosuke... nothing must happen to you... nothing please. you promised"
she ran with tears overflowing every part of her face as her mind flashed through the little memories she had with him since the day they met.
*******
the forbidden forest was charred by the explosion and both the Queen and Ryosuke were so badly injured that neither could stand straight. Determined to make sure he sees the Queen perish before him, he pulled his body along the rough ground towards the struggling Queen, leaving a trail of blood behind. finally when his one arm length from her, he used his last bit of power to form an ice dagger.
"d-don't do that..." the Queen made her last plea for survival, but Ryosuke hardened his heart and raised the dagger at her heart "thank you for raising me... I'll see you in a bit, mother," and he pierced the dagger into her heart. the Queen's body cracked like pieces of a puzzle and separated, eventually burned, leaving no traces behind. bit by bit, the forbidden forest started to fade away like memories of a dream being erased.
*cough cough* Blood spill out from his mouth. he supported himself using the tree barks and walked himself to his secret garden...
"M-Mirai..." he collapsed beside the lone tree and stared at the bright light from the sun which is finally shinning it's way in.
"it's finally over, Mirai~ I'm tired, really tired."
Yuri, Daiki, you guys are better off without my presence... you guys don't belong here, you deserve much more happiness and your future is definitely much brighter. i really see the both of you as my blood brothers and if i have a chance to reborn, i still hope to have the 2 of you in my life.
Yuri, i know i hurt you and even if you've forgiven me, i know the scar will forever stay in your heart. but please don't stop smiling, cause your smile really brightens up the darkness. everytime i look at you, i feel that i need to protect you. but from now, you'll have to depend on Daiki ne. I wish you luck with Miku. I could tell she's a nice girl.
Daiki, i always see you as my big brother, a very dependable one who can read my mind entirely. i was so afraid you'll see through my plan but luckily you didn't. Please take care of Yuri for me.
Mirai, I know you've been watching over me and Umika. Mirai, you're the first one who touched my heart. i admit that up till my last breathe, i haven't fully forgotten about you, your smile, your laughter, your innocence. I don't think I ever will forget.
Umika, i'm sorry but i still can't convince myself that i could give you the love that most girls desire. i saw the simple love that transpired between Yuto and Haruna and i realised how I have only taken the smiles from you. but i swear, my love for you is burning strong. it's because i love you, that i have to take this route, cause only then can i truly protect you. don't cry over my death, okay. i promised I'll watch over you from now, even if I'm not physically here.
"R-Ryosuke!!!!!!!!" he wasn't at all surprised to hear her voice. he lifted his eyes opened and saw Umika crying beside him, holding his hand tightly.
"I knew you won't listen..."
"nooo, stay awake Ryosuke. please... take my energy, heal yourself!" she forcefully pressed her lips against his hoping he will draw some energy from her but this time, everything felt different. there was no magic transferring between them, in fact he feels mortal and weak.
Ryosuke pushed her away weakly and wiped the tears off her face.
"no no, Ryosuke! you can't leave me... noo!"
"I promised you I won't, didn't I. Remember the stars? I'll be like one of those little star in the sky who will stay in your heart and watch over you, forever..."
"nooo. Ryosuke! I don't want that. I want you..."
fresh blood splurt out from his mouth once more. Umika cried even harder as she realised that he is really leaving. his palms turn cold. She wrapped him in her arms and let him lean on her body. She rubbed her free hand on his arms to transfer some heat to him, while her other hand grabbed his tightly.
"Ryosuke... you know, you're never a devil. you're not the Queen's son. she killed your parents when you were a baby, so you're actually one of us, a human!"
"that's good to know..."
there was a short pause, as Ryosuke tried to suppress his pain and stay conscious.
"Umika... thanks for coming into my life. you're the reason why I found back the light in my life... I love you."
"Ryosuke... I love you too. I never regretted entering your life, I never regretted meeting you. you're the best part of my life." Tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on his fingers.
"Umika~ I seldom see you smile. do you know every time you smile, my heart will skip a beat, and I'll feel extremely nervous... I w-want to see you smile... for the last time... can I?"
Umika suppressed her heartbreak and painstakingly gave him the widest smile she could give. he returned a subtle smile.
"T-Thank-k y-you"
"Ryosuke!!!!!!!!" his hands fell from her grip and his lids closed, his head tilted to the side and his heart stopped.
"Ryosuke!!!" The rest of the group managed to catch only the cold body of Ryosuke just before he started to perish away, like a million stars floating up into the sky. Umika couldn't stop crying, including Yuri and Daiki as they witness their best brother perishing before them.
"guys, we've to get out of here, it looks like this place is fading away" Yuto shouted.
"no! no!" Umika couldn't bear to leave...the trauma of losing her loved one and watching him die in front of her, took a toll on her health and her body finally gave in to his fatigue. While Hikaru restrained her, she fainted in his arms with tears still rolling from the corner of her eyes. time and time again, Hikaru could hear her mumbling Ryosuke's name and his heart will wrench... how is she gonna walk out of his memories..
********
A voice lingers in her mind, calling out to her... "Umika..."
she recognized her voice anywhere..."Mirai?"
"thank you for keeping the promise. you stayed with Ryosuke till the end. now, let both of us watch over you...so don't cry anymore."
"I miss him, Mirai... it still hurts my heart alot."
"Umika..all i can say is, good things will befall on good people like you."
"huh?"
"you'll find out soon. goodbye"
"Mirai! Mirai!!!"
the oracle cracked into pieces as soon as the voice died down.
******
The fluttering snow sparkled in the white colored sky we saw above us
Your smiling face was lovely; I tightly gripped this hand I held
Every time I knew more of the you I didn’t know, I grew happier, warmer
It was like a present from you, opened one by one
Time isn’t just a passing thing
Because it’ll surely flutter down, just like this piling snow
You’re my one and only treasured person
Because I’ll embrace all of you, into the same dream
These unchanging feelings will gather up, always
That night our eyes met, I couldn’t put it well into words, I wanted to convey it
Since for some reason one can be more honest than usual on such cold days like these
By no means is it an exaggeration to say
Surely I was born for the sake of meeting you by chance
You’re my one and only treasured person
To the point of not letting go, not even for one second can I keep you out of sight
No matter where this ongoing path takes us
What I felt within the frustrating kindness were your true feelings
I saw your tender heart inside your transparent eyes
You’re my one and only treasured person
Because I’ll embrace all of you, into the same dream
These unchanging feelings will gather up, always
Umika, I Love You
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