You're The Last One

The Phone Call prt 2

That was a Sunday afternoon. When he had nothing to do but ponder about the things he did, the things that took place and the event that would happen, he felt so tired. When he searched his soul why he was doing what he was doing, Takano Masamune ended up feeling more stupid than he did years ago.

He was half-naked, the irritation brought upon by the humid air of summer was too much. Even his airconditioner was of no use to the scorching heat he was feeling from his atmosphere down to his core.

He was walking around and around his flat. Barefooted, he allowed himself be in a trance-like state. Until his doorbell rang quite a few times.

Without bothering to cover himself, he answered the door. Questioning eyes greeted him. The color the same as the trees at the nearby park sucked him in. It made him silent for a few seconds before stepping aside to let his visitor inside his place.

"I bought what you told me to..." Ritsu said while removing his shoes.

"Kitchen's that way."

With just a simple nod, the brunette headed to the kitchen. Takano just watched the shorter figure move about his house. He followed Ritsu with his gaze. And suddenly, he had to look the other way, for his eyes started to water.

Never had he expected that the call he answered that humid Thursday night would rattle him so much.

"Uhm...hello? Why aren't you answering?"

The words 'appointment', 'painkillers', 'medicine', were the only things that remained in Takano's head as he watched the guy on his back seat snooze. They were words that only made sense in movies, in dramas or in books that he have read.

"Ah..." there was a sudden knowing chuckle on the other line that made Takano step back a little. "Let me guess...I am talking to Ritsu's ghost, Takano-san, am I not?"

The man in the other line didn't even give Takano the chance to talk this time, for he answered his own question himself.

"I am, right?" a rhythmic tapping of something could be heard at the same time a chair seemed to have been dragged from somewhere. "I think I just strummed on a curious string...hey...if you wanna know something spectacular, why not go to Ritsu's appointment tomorrow...?"

Takano's face adorned by the night shadows just grew dimmer.

"But...I'd like for you to stay as a ghost..."