Nino didn’t know whether to respond to the person behind him. Besides, the person who looked like Ohno didn’t remember him in the first place. He decided that maybe he was just hearing words from missing his old friend too much. 

 

“Come on!” Nino pulled him to his and Aiba’s place. “Masaki is waiting.”

 

He didn’t hear anything after what he thought he heard. All that ever happened was Aiba waking up from the sudden arrival of the person who looked like Ohno, and the boy just decided to drag the older man away, asking him and pestering him about teaching him how to draw. Nino, being the third party and quiet person for the time being, stood there watching the older male’s action. He noticed the latter’s actions differ from yesterday. He noticed how the older male would be smooth and sensitive about every movement while he played with Aiba. He noticed the same laugh on the older male; it was the same as Ohno’s laugh. Something very strange was going on.

 

“Oh-chan!!!” Aiba lightly poked the older male. “I at this!!” 

 

Ohno just shook his head and ruffled Aiba’s brown disheveled hair. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here all the time to teach you.”

 

Aiba eyes sparkled. “Really?! You mean it?!” 

 

Ohno nodded and turned his head a little to the side, noticing how Nino was starring straight at him. He should just probably tell his young master about his visit with his parents. He should also probably tell his young master that he should go back home, take care of his younger brother, and he would be there like always watching Nino grow up beautifully. All of a sudden, Ohno had the urge to hum.

 

Nino jolted right up, recognizing the tune the older was humming. “Hey, where did you learn that?”

 

Ohno just shrugged and turned to face Aiba again. 

 

“Oh-chan knows our song!” Aiba pointed out to Nino. 

 

“Yeah…” Nino glared at Ohno. He needed to speak to him. Even if the older knew their song, he still refuses to acknowledge him as his butler and old friend.

 

Nino tapped the older‘s shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a second? Aiba, stay here ok?” With that said, Ohno left the boy to himself, and followed Nino, a distance away from Aiba so he wouldn’t hear their conversation.

 

“Tell me,” Nino glared at Ohno. “Where did you learn that?”

 

Ohno cleared his throat and finally answered: “From you, Young Master. You always sang it when you were young.”

 

Nino heard the way Ohno had addressed him again, getting more paranoid about why Ohno had remembered until the third time of seeing him. Was the butler playing a cruel joke?

 

“Don’t mess around with me ok?” Nino slightly pushed Ohno back. “If you know who I am, why didn’t you say so the first time I saw you in 9 months.”

 

Ohno didn’t know how to explain it but he just had to tell his young master, afraid of being scolded. He told his young master how he had a dream about dying instead of Nino, when he visited his parents, and how Ohno just learned he had been missing for 9 months, also mentioning about Nino’s little brother.

 

“I have a what?!” Nino squinted his eyes, half believing what the older had told him. Maybe the Ohno was just messing with him.

“A brother.”

 

“I know!” Nino yelled, stomping his foot and pushing Ohno away from him. “Just get out. I don’t need any of this right now.”

 

“Please,” the older pleaded. “I can’t leave young master…I’ll lose you again.”

 

Nino pondered about it. If Ohno was going to stay, he would make Aiba happy and possibly help them earn money. Then again if he stayed, he would have to feed another mouth. If he left, Nino wouldn’t feel that same familiar aura like the way he’s feeling right now. He didn’t find it right to refuse the latter since he all the familiarity was coming back to him. It’s been such a long time since he felt elated to be near someone other than Aiba. Nino finds it right to let the latter stay with him since he felt right around him, and he felt protected all over again.

 

“Ok,” Nino finally answered. “Only if you promise not to ever leave me again and Masaki? Got that?”

 

Ohno bowed to his young master, promising deep in his heart that he would forever be besides Nino protecting him with all his life.

 

+++

 

Ohno stayed up that night, watching Aiba sleep and his young master sleep peacefully next to the young boy. He stayed up until he decided that he would take a rest too, tired from looking for Nino all day.

 

“Hey…” a voice whispered in his left ear. “Wake up…”

 

Hearing the soft and angelic voice, Ohno did as he was told. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was nowhere near the alley; no Nino, no Aiba. Instead, he found himself atop of white clouds, people with wings flying and smiling around him. 

 

“What am I doing here?” He looked around him. “Where’s young master and Aiba-chan?”

 

“Don’t worry…” the same whispering voice said. “They’re safe…”

 

“Who are you?!” Ohno panicked. Maybe he was turning crazy since he was hearing soft voices that would lull him back to sleep.

 

“You’re in heaven…” the same whispering voice told him. “I came in your dreams to tell you…”

 

“Tell me what?” Ohno backed away from his spot. “ And heaven? I’m still alive!”

 

“No…” the voice whispered. “You’re dead… Your soul came back to Earth to finish what you wanted to have…”

 

“Lies!” Ohno punched the air. “I’m still alive!!” Ohno took his knees to his chin. “This is just a dream,” he chanted. “This is just a dream…”

 

“No…” the voice said. “Your soul wanted to come to the same mind and appearance as you… Have you noticed that you looked younger?…”

 

Ohno nodded his head, not sure if this voice could see him. Has this voice been watching him from afar?

 

“That…” the voice paused. “Is your other self… He was born into Earth for a reason…”

 

“What?!” Ohno asked the voice, still obviously lost about the whole situation. “Your lying! I’ve only been asleep for a long time…and that probably made me younger!”

 

“No…That boy’s body your in…“ the voice paused as if it were tired, “He was born from the gods because they knew your fate…”

 

“They knew I was going to die?!” Ohno punched the air again. “Why didn’t they let me live?!”

 

The voice didn’t answer. All he heard was the people with wings laughing with joy around him, ignoring the lost soul to wonder what is even right or wrong, and the air playing a melodic tune. Then Ohno found himself falling down, the world getting darker and darker.

 

+

 

When he woke up, Ohno saw that Nino and Aiba had left. He panicked. Maybe he was still having that crazy dream, and his mind was playing tricks with him. Then again, there was that promise they made yesterday.

 

“Hey!” Nino called for Ohno from the other side of the streets. “Come to the park with us!”

 

Seeing his young master smiling and waving at him, he followed the latter to the park, forgetting his dream and that weird explanation from the voice. All he needed was to stay by Nino’s side.

 

TBC