Afterward - BananaFish (ONGOING)

Part Three - A funeral

A small humming sound was created by the radiator, cancelling out the silent threat that surrounded the room Eiji was lay in. Today's the day. Today's the day they celebrate a death.

Funeral. A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances.

Eiji thought it was an odd concept really. The celebration of someone's death. He'd never understood why funerals were there until now, the person is dead, long gone and never to return, so why hold a five hour ceremony just to eventually see them being buried six feet under?

IbeSan said that it would bring people closure. It would help people let go, and come to terms with the death of their friend. He understood immediately that the older man was hinting at Eiji himself; he'd not left Max's house since they'd arrived two days ago, not even to see Sing or any of the gang members he become acquainted with.

He'd have to face them today. All of them.

The guilt was eating him up inside. What were they thinking? Were they mad at Eiji? Did they not blame him for Ash's too soon ending? Surely they knew his guard was down because of Eiji, surely he was to blame for everything.

Maybe... maybe he just wouldn't go-

"Eiji?" A soft voice asked from the other side of the door. "Eiji honey, can I come in?"

The Japanese boy hummed in response, knowing he didn't really have a choice either way. He sat himself upwards, rubbing his eyes that had been decorated with dark bags underneath them. A blonde woman entered, a white silk robe draping from her shoulders and a blue nightie underneath.

"Eiji, it's nearly ten, you should be up and getting ready my sweet." Jessica said, in a stern yet soft tone. She flicked the switch that was attached to the side of the wall next to the doorframe, causing the main light to shine suddenly. The orange and pink New York sunrise was already leaking through the blinds, decorating the blue-grey carpet with streaks of colour.

"How'd you sleep?" The older woman asked, setting a glass of fresh water on the nightstand beside the bed, "are the sheets comfortable enough? Do you need anymore pillows?"

"No thank you Jessica, really, it's all fine." Eiji reassured her in response, offering a half hearted, deeply tired smile.

He felt her strong hand caress his face, a thumb running along his paled out, hollow cheeks, tracing the clear bone structure. "You have always have impeccable manners." She chuckled, her deep dimples showing off as she smiled, "I wish all the boys in my house were like you, Max is a slob and Michael doesn't say his pleases or thankyou's."

Eiji cold feel her eyes searching his but he refused to look back. He didn't really know why.
That was a lie.
He did know why but he couldn't bare to admit it. The last time he'd locked eyes with someone was when his hand was pulling itself back to his chest as he landed on his knees, the green jade orbs in front of him welling up with tears as he told him to leave.

The last time Eiji locked eyes with someone he never saw them again.

Instead his honey brown eyes scanned the room, landing on the black suit hanging from a peg on the side of the light wood wardrobe. That was the suit Max had picked out for him to wear today; he hadn't dared try it on yet, not even to see if it fitted.

Jessice hummed, "must be a Japanese thing, Ibe-San is well mannered too. Apart from the fact he and Max drink like dogs some nights." She huffed, before a smile returned to her face. "If you're not hungry I won't force you to eat today, but at least drink something, okay babes?"

She was worried about Eiji. One explanation could be her motherly instinct, but to be honest... anyone in their right mind was worried about him. He'd isolated himself already, hardly eating, speaking, and by the looks of it he was hardly sleeping.

"Okay," the young Japanese boy nodded, piercing his lips so that they turned into a thin line. "What- what time do i need to be ready for the..."
His voice trialed off, growing thick at the word he wanted to say but couldn't.

"Be ready in the next hour or so, is that okay?"

"Yes. Thankyou."

The older woman patted Eijis cheek softly, before recoiling herself away and back toward the doorframe. "Poor soul." She murmured as she exited swiftly through the bedroom door.

Shakily, the boy clenched at the bed sheets, pulling off the covers draped over him and swinging his legs to the side of the bed. He could feel his heartbeat in his ears as he stood up, trembling as the feet that carried him made their way to the little on suit bathroom attached to the room.

Something told Eiji he was about to be sick, it was probably the feeling of his stomach churning, like a thread wrapping around someone's finger. An uncontrolled heave sprouted from his throat, and suddenly he was crouched over the toilet bowl, fingers clenching into the sides as his uncut hair dangled heavily over his eyes.

Deep breaths Eiji. Remember how IbeSan did it. 1...2...3....

That comforting little voice in his head was the only thing managing to calm him down these days, it was strange the way it could ease him from the riddled anxiety caught in the veins of his whole body. The way it would subside his breathing, stopping him from crying.

He still hadn't cried.

After a short while, the decision that he wasn't, infact, going to be sick, was finale. He recoiled from the bowl, leaning toward the stout bathroom sink and splashing cold water on his face, he inspected closer noticing the deep circles that sat noticeably under his once bright eyes.

Perhaps he could use some of Jessica's concealer to cover them up.

Once he'd endured his much needed cold shower, Eiji stood in his given room with a towel wrapped comfortably around his taunt waist while he stared towards the wardrobe holding the neat, black suit for the day.

He knew he'd dread every moment while wearing it.