ANOTHER LIFE || Banana Fish: Alternative Ending ||

~Banana 18~

"Hey Ash," The boy with raven black hair calls out to the blonde. "What do you wanna do when you break free from here?" He asks with an innocent smile, his eyes wandering on the stretch of blue skies and his foot kicking the ground to keep his swing moving.

Ash looks at him with a blank expression and then looks back at the ground where he is scribbling advanced mathematical equations. "As if we can get out of here." He replies, lifeless. Despite his unbelieving reply, he writes on the dust with his twig, "I wanna see the ocean." Then he faintly smiles.

"Of course we can get out of here!" The other exclaims with positivity and honesty, something Ash wished he had. He jumps off the swing while still on midair and walks his way to Ash. "Me? I want to travel the world with you, Ash." He declares as he stretches his hands on the space, exaggerating as well as marvelling his dream.

"Nobody asked you, Ace."

Ace shots Ash an angry face. "Why do you always play the antagonist?" Then the two proceeds to their friendly beating each other game. At the young age of eleven, they have dreams they want to realize but being born into a reality they aren't supposed to be in, their dreams might be forever just be dreams.

"Take this!" Ace yells, hefting his fists and then landing it on Ash's face. Ash wipes off the blood that trickles down his lips and then scoffs at the blow.

"Is that all you can do?" He mocks, jumping in the air to launch his revenge.

"Don't act too high, Ash. We both know you can never beat me in close combat!"

They exchange fists, insults and as well as their beautiful curses, once in a while laughing at each other's pain. The feud went on for about an hour, neither of them giving up until one of them goes down first- even though their knees could barely keep them standing.

"You lose now get down."

"I lose? Your eyes might be playing tricks on you, don't you think?" Ace puts on a smug look, trying to keep his consciousness in him.

"Doesn't that apply to you, buttface?"

"Butt what?"

Once again the fire ignites. Too bad the two ran out of fuel.

They force their feet to walk, lifting them up like they weigh five kilos. Then finally they couldn't stay standing. Both fell to the ground at the same time, destroying the title they so tried to brand each other with- loser and winner.

"I can't lift a finger."

"Congratulations. I still can so I win."

Ash didn't have the strength to argue so he keeps quiet and just stared into the blue, his body spread on the ground and absorbing the calming heat of the afternoon sun. Thinking about it, they were pretty immature to be fighting over something so trivial.

Wait, why were we fighting again?

Ash starts to chuckle and eventually it turns into a laugh.

"Have you finally gone mad?" Ace asks in wonder.

"You wish."

"Ash, I ---"