THE FALLEN ( the GazettE Tale )

E P I L O G U E

   I stepped out of the tall wide intimidating building. I am in need of another cup of caffeine.

   College could be very exhausting.

   Turning to the right, I headed to the coffee shop that could be my second home.

   Because of numbers of papers that were needed to be done, I worked on them with the sole companionship of a hot cup of coffee and sometimes, a really loud voices of my high school friends through my phone.

   I looked up at the sky. Baby blue with soft puffy white clouds scattered around.

   It became a habit of mine when I was still in senior high. I didn't know what started it, but with just a single look up, I felt calmer.

   There was something about the blue sky that I found special, whatever it was, I didn't know.

   The charms softly jingle when I open the door of the coffee shop. Aroma of roasted ground seeds invaded my sense of smell, and soft music filled my ears. I relaxed the tense shoulder I didn't know I had.

   "Hey Eri! The usual?" Hana called from the counter, she became my friend after several visits in this shop. And I instantly had a discount. Go figure!

   I smiled and nodded at her before I walked to my usual table. The cafe was a little crowded today but my table was still unoccupied. The table was somehow secluded from the other tables near the counter. It was at the right corner behind several tables back.

   As I sat down, I grabbed the papers I needed to work on today. After a few seconds, the rich smooth wooden table was covered with black and white papers and different thick books.

   Welcome to my office.

   My order arrived and I started to lose my self with letter and numbers, pausing with a little sip of sweetened coffee.

   A muted ring came from my bag and I hurriedly snatched it from there. I smiled, seeing the face of who was calling. I swiped the screen lock and held the phone on my ear. "Yep?"

   "WE'RE ENGAGED!!!" Aki shouted from the other line.

   I rolled my eyes and shook my head. This would be the third day she announced that to me.

   Wednesday night was the first. She called, sobbing on the phone before she revealed me what the caused. She told me every detail of how Tsuzuku asked. It was sweet. I was happy for her.

   "Really?" I sounded bored.

   "Oh come oooon, Eriiii. Bounce some energy in there for me."

   I smiled wider. "Bounciiing! Can't you feel it?"

   "Whatever. Aika with you?"

   "No."

   Even though we were in the same university me and Aika didn't had the luck to have the same schedule. So I was busy when she was not and I was dying when she was already dead.

   "She said she's going to pass her group's theme paper today." I shuffled some papers on my table.

   "Oh. Bummer." Aki didn't go to college. She was happy working as a crew at The Bronx. And I knew the other reason why she accepted the job was because of Tsuzuku.

    "So..." She cleared her throat before she asked me the next thing. "Have you told your mom?"

   I was majoring computer science with a nick name of pain in the ass. I knew it was a hard one, but I didn't know it was this hard. I could barely sleep and I was only a freshman.

   I didn't like this stuff but my parents pushed it in front of me. I was thinking of shifting courses but I knew my parents would go ballistic.

   I sighed heavily and leaned back to my chair. "No.. not yet."

   Until now, I still didn't know what I wanted.

   I heard Aki's name being called from a distance and she answered with a shout. "Yeah! Coming! Well, that's me. Talk to you later."

   "Bye." I hang up and looked down at the mocking papers.

   All the issues were there, waving their hands in front of me through the paper on the table.

   I tapped the tip of my ballpen continuously on the paper as I scramble my brain for an answer. I glared down at question number two like it was the reason for all the mess in my life.

   If glaring could burn, the papers were long ashen, deeply buried in my bag.

   I was close into forming an answer when a bass tone voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

   "Hi."

   I looked up and locked gaze with a pair of deep brown eyes.

   My heart skipped a beat. My stomach pulled. My breathing suspended.

   A tall brunette guy was standing across me. He had this flawless face and pouty lips that I hurriedly averted my gaze away before I blatantly stare at them.

   My eyes found his again. They were intense deep brown. I had seen a lot of people who had this color of irises but somehow, his were...oddly familiar.

    Something tried to click in my mind but it didn't connect. It was vague and too far. There was something that wanted to come out of my mind and my throat. I took a breath and just liked a bubble, it snapped away.

   I was always reminded by my father to never talk to strangers. That talking to someone I barely knew would be the damned of me.

   But this guy across me felt nothing like one. His presence actually made me feel... safe.

   And so I answered what my mind, my soul and my heart was shouting.

   "Hi."

The End

________

Well, it's done.

I wanna say thank youuu from the bottom of my heart to everyone who read THE FALLEN from the very first word up to the last.

Thank you for sticking with me as i write Eri and Uruha's story.

This story is very special to me and i would like it to leave a mark on your heart just like it did to mine. :)