Fallen

The Promise

We all arrived at the house, anticipation in the air as we opened the door. Little did we know, this would be the moment that shattered us all mentally. Hideki, in particular, seemed to bear the brunt of the pain. As we followed a trail of blood leading to the bathroom, fear filled Hideki's eyes. "Not again," he whispered, his voice trembling. Confused, I questioned, "Again? What do you mean?" Hideki sighed heavily, his eyes filled with sadness. "She didn't tell you, did she?" I shook my head, urging him to continue. Opening the bathroom door, my heart dropped as I saw her wrist, cut open. Shock and anger overwhelmed me, and I immediately called for an ambulance, relieved that she hadn't hit a major artery.

The following day, as we cleaned up the remnants of the previous night's turmoil, Hideki approached me. "Hey Hitori, can we talk?" I stepped outside, still trying to process the events that had unfolded. "I can't believe this happened. I had no idea," I admitted. Hideki's gaze met mine, filled with a mix of understanding and concern. "There are so many mysteries and problems in this world, Hitori. Kako was broken when you left. She didn't know how to navigate through life anymore, so I stepped in to help her." He paused for a moment, his expression heavy with the weight of his words. "Now, I have a promise to keep, so I'll be gone for a little while."

"I'm here for you, Kako. It's not your fault," I assured her, my voice gentle yet firm. She looked at me, tears streaming down her face, and snapped, "Shut up! You don't know how I feel, so just leave me alone." Though heartbroken, I respected her wishes and gave her the space she needed. But I couldn't help but keep a watchful eye on her, always ready to intervene if necessary.

One day, I noticed a glimmer of happiness in her eyes, and I followed her as she made her way to the hospital. As she stood on the rooftop, on the verge of kissing me, she hesitated and instead embraced me tightly. She then retreated to a secluded spot near a river, concealed from prying eyes. It was there that she revealed her intention to end her life. "STOP! Please don't do this!" I pleaded, my voice filled with desperation. Tears welled up in her eyes as she asked, "How did you know I would be here?" Taking a step closer, I gently grabbed the rope from her hands. "Well, for one, this is where we used to play as children. And secondly, I followed you." Her tears flowed freely as she collapsed into my arms. "Please, let me end it all, Hideki. I want to die," she sobbed.

I knelt down beside her, my voice filled with determination. "No. I care about you too much, Kako. I won't let you go through this alone. Every time you open your eyes, I'll be the first person you see." Her tear-stained face looked up at me, and she whispered, "If I have someone to help me, maybe it's worth fighting for. Promise me that if I ever want to give up, you'll stop me." I met her gaze and vowed, "I promise."

For the next five years, life seemed to return to a semblance of normalcy, until Hitori reentered our lives. Kako confided in me her fear of talking to him, and against her wishes, I encouraged her to face him. As they stood on the rooftop, I intended to leave them alone. However, Hitori abruptly departed, leaving Kako in tears. "Don't just stand there, go after him," she pleaded, her voice filled with anguish. I looked at her, tears streaming down my face, and collapsed to the ground, overcome with pain. "I need you, Kako. Please, don't leave me alone."

In that moment, I heard her call out Hitori's name. I looked up, my vision blurry with tears, and saw Hitori unconscious. Kako swiftly carried him to the infirmary, and hours later, he regained consciousness. Confusion filled his eyes as he questioned what had happened. Kako met his gaze, her voice trembling, "You ran into a pole at school." Hitori pushed himself up, his expression one of bewilderment. "Kako, why didn't you show up on the rooftop?" Tears streamed down her face as she confessed, "I was running late. I was so happy, thinking that the boy I loved was going to ask me out. I rushed to the rooftop, "Can we make this better? You were gone. If only I hadn't been late, your sister might have been okay. More importantly, your memories might still be intact, and you'd still be with me."