PART II - NOT FORGOTTEN
They sat close together, enjoying the precious minutes left for them
The clock chimed signaling them both.
He bit his bottom lip as he handed her the flask that contained
the liquid he concocted himself.
It was the liquid to end them both, the liquid
that would erase all memories and cut whatever ties he have with her.
Her hands trembled as she opened the lid
and placed the rim of the bottle on her lips.
She would drink it all, she would not let a drop go to waste
in hope that when she would wake up,
she wouldn’t remember this red hot pain searing within her,
like the heated tips of an arrow piecing her again and again.
Youko’s heart tightened against him, he grabbed hold of her hand,
upsetting the flask and spilling a few drops on the bed.
He took her face in his hands and he kissed her deeply.
“You would live to be a beautiful woman, you would marry a man…”
He paused for a while guiding her hands on his tail and ears.
“Someday you would marry a man without these.”
He tried to comfort her with fabricated words.
She burst into tears.
She was laughing and crying both at the same time.
"But I wanted to marry you."
I wanted a man with those ears and a tail like that.” She wailed stubbornly.
He embraced her tightly.
“I wanted to marry you but you knew the consequence of my actions,
it would endanger both of us.”
She wrapped her arms around him,
she was weeping her tears dampening his shirt and his cheeks.
“I would not forget you Youko.” She would not prolong this anymore.
He kissed her again, he cried now.
His resolve dissolved into nothingness and he could only weep with her.
“Youko, what are you doing?”
She asked her voice breaking. He had pulled her down on the bed.
She lay on her side while he draped his arms and legs over hers,
his breath nuzzling her cheek.
“I wanted to hold you like this for a while before I go and before you forget me.
After tonight, you would resume your life as if you had never met me.”
He answered his voice laced with immense sadness.
“Before you go…forget you…I can’t…”
She said trying to pull away from his grasp.
“You’re making things hard for us…let me go and leave me be.
I mean it, leave!” She said it without her voice shattering or shedding a tear.
Her face was cold and hard but the moment he cupped her face
in his hands and planted that kiss, she softened up.
She cried again, her tears falling into her mouth
and Youko tasted that loneliness and sadness,
it’s similar to his own, so similar…he tasted those salty tears.
“Please go…go now. Don’t make these feelings too strong.”
She begged her hands crumpled to a fist thumping on him.
And finally…it was time…
It was too painful for him.
To watch the memories of her of him burning and
vanishing right before her eyes, to see her writhe with pain
as the liquid take control over her mind and delete him forever.
She lifted it into her mouth and downed it with one large gulp her eyes to his.
Her face grew pale and her hands clasped around her neck
as she coughed and coughed and she rolled on her side calling him
and he could only stand there watching her, tears sliding down his cheeks.
How he wanted to comfort her!
But it was something she needed to do by herself, without him.
They would be parted and would live separate lives again like they did before.
Inside her mind, Eenah was faraway, farther and farther she was dragged away
from him until she could not see Youko.
Thousands of colors blinded her and seeped inside her,
stabbing her, taking a part of her with each thrust of that fatal knife.
She wasn’t bleeding but she was losing something.
Quickly, fragments of Youko burst into flames.
Little by little, she forgot him.
How she found him, the color of his hair, his clothes, his name…
It flew out of her in great waves and she was drowning.
He stood far away from her, it was hard not to do anything
but if he would come close he might do something that he would regret.
She let out a cry, it was over.
Finally she grew still, her face peaceful.
She slumped on the bed, her face cold with sweat and with her own tears.
He lay beside her again, it would be hours before she would wake up again
and he would steal a few minutes to be with her.
He embraced and kissed her and slid a ring on her finger.
They would find each other someday.
Someday she would find him.
It was excruciating for him to remember and perhaps watch her from a far,
to pass by her not meeting those eyes.
It was all over. He was free and so was she.
And yet he feels sadness.
Just when the sun rose up to another day, he was gone….
Eenah woke up not remembering a thing about him.
All memories of Youko were deleted but the pain inside her wasn’t.
Something stabs her within, she felt that she lost someone
and that she would never find him again.
She looked out into the room.
Something was missing and she’s supposed to greet someone.
But who was he? Why is that any minute now she’s expecting someone
to barge in her room carrying a breakfast tray for her.
She covered her face with her hands,
she wanted to cry but for what reason.
Why does she feel pain when there’s nothing to grieve about?
Everything was the same yet why? Why?
Blindly, she fumbled about her house searching for something she could not understand.
She wanted to call someone’s name but who?
And finally her search led back to her bed,
beside her pillow another one was plumped up like someone was beside her.
She bent over to that place and smelled a scent so familiar
yet new to her and she even picked up a strand of silver blue hair.
Tears fell down on her cheeks, what is this that’s happening to her.
Eenah wanted to remember something but she can’t.
She pressed a hand on her forehead and saw a ring on her finger,
a ring she never saw before, where did she get that?
Even inside the shower, she had this urge to thump on the walls
as if something had happen to her.
She was lost within herself and she couldn’t find the way back a bridge,
a part of herself was torn and she can not return to where?
Eenah dragged herself to class but she couldn’t listen to the Professor.
She was far way and drifting back to some place she wanted to visit
and when the class was dismissed she was out of her mind
that she barely made out of the class without bumping into some people.
She walked aimlessly and finally stood there in front of the gate,
her mouth set in a thin straight line and her eyes drooping and swollen.
That gate…someone was supposed to stand there…
she vaguely remembered seeing a figure.
“Eenah, what are you doing there?
Everyday, you stand there like an oaf waiting for that man
hidden underneath that hat and coat.” Her classmates teased.
She turned to them vacantly. “I what? Do I stand here everyday waiting for someone?”
A friend of hers frowned a bit. “Don’t tell me you guys had a fight?”
Eenah dragged her eyes off them.
“Stop kidding me, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Her speech was slurred.
She walked on leaving them staring after her.
She bought herself a pizza.
A food she never liked but why is she buying it?
Something tells her that she needed to, that someone would appreciate it.
She carried the box home blankly and she stood there in front of her house
staring straight into the window, as if someone would wave to her.
Someone should, but there’s no one.
She was alone all of her life. Why would she expect someone.
What was she thinking?
But still, she lingered on, holding the pizza with one hand.
Waiting for nothing.
She can’t explain the turmoil she was in.
When the pizza grew cold and darkness covered the streets
did she only went back inside her house.
From afar, Kurama stood.
He was free now from the spell
and was able to transform from Youko to Kurama or vice versa.
His look on her was solemn and almost regretful.
“Tell me, did I made the right decision?”
He asked at the dark clad figure hidden beneath the shadows.
“Yes. She would die if they would trace your path to her.” Hiei calmly said,
arms crossed over another. Then he shook his head.
“But she can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“I am part human now, I know how she feels.”
He whispered not taking his eyes of her.
“Bah! That’s crap!” Hiei spat out.
“Only memories can the poison destroy, the power of love is undefeatable.”
Koenma commented, as usual making that grand entrance.
Hiei growled low and sped off while Kurama was deep in thought.
He looked at him. “You really think so?”
“Yes…and perhaps it’s a subtle hint to think of your next action.”
CONTINUED ON PART III...................
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