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BANG.
The sound echoed in the alleyway, reverberating in Choro’s ears. It was far too loud, too unexpected. There was no way that he had actually pulled the trigger. He wouldn't do that.
Yet Don Ichi stood there, the gun still extended out, the normal sneer on his face turning to a look of panic. “Oh shit.”
This wasn't how this was supposed to go.
Don Oso had sent Choro and Kara to talk with Don Ichi. He was hoping to build a partnership between the two families. Yet it had ended with violence when they were trying to make peace.
Choro looked away from Ichi, his heart pounding loudly, to finally look at what he most feared. Kara was standing still, but red was starting to soak through the front of his shirt. He looked down at himself as if he couldn't believe what was happening.
“Kara!” Choro screamed, running over just as Kara collapsed to his knees. He caught him in his arms, trying to hold the other man up.
Kara’s eyes looked oddly vacant as Choro pressed a hand against his chest, trying to stop some of the blood flow. He no longer cared what Ichi was doing, he probably had run away by now. His attention was solely focused on Kara. Kara coughed, and blood started to leak from the corner of his mouth. “You idiot! Why did you talk to him like that? We were trying to make peace.”
“Heh, sorry Choro.” Kara’s eyes kept blinking slowly, tears starting to form but not enough to drip down his face. “I'm so sorry.”
“Stop apologizing.” As gently as he could, Choro shifted Kara so his head was in his lap, while trying to keep pressure on his wound. Choro hoped against hope that someone had heard the gunshot and called the police. That might be their only chance at getting help, Choro was scared to leave Kara on his own when he was bleeding like this. “You better not die.”
“Sorry.”
Choro felt a large lump in his throat. “Why are you apologizing again?” Choro leaned over, pressing his forehead against Kara’s. “You make it sound like you are going to die.”
Kara looked up at Choro, his eyes focusing for a moment. “Hey Choro?”
“What?” Choro couldn't stop his voice from cracking, his own tears beginning to fall.
Kara lifted a hand, and brushed it against Choro’s face. He spoke in a voice so low that Choro had to strain to hear it, “I remember. I remember it now.”
“What?” Choro choked back a sob.
“Heh. I love you Choro.” Kara’s hand fell down, his breathing becoming far too shallow.
“Kara! Stay with me!” Choro screamed. “Don't do this to me. Please… please.”
The sound of his breathing stopped. Choro moved a hand up to see if he could feel the thumping of his heart. There was nothing. He cried out, “Kara! No! Please wake up, I didn't get to tell you…”
Choromatsu sat up with a start. For a moment he didn't know where he was, just that he had a pain in his heart and a desperate desire to see Karamatsu. He looked around himself. He was where he had fallen asleep on the couch. The nightmare he had was pretty awful. Choromatsu wiped at his eyes, the painful feeling refusing to leave his chest.
A melody drifted down from the roof and into the bedroom. Choromatsu looked out the open window. Karamatsu must be playing his guitar on roof. Choromatsu pushed the blanket to the side, not even bothering to put his hoodie back on as he got up. He had to see Karamatsu.
Choromatsu climbed up onto the roof, a smile crossing his face when he saw his brother alive and well. Karamatsu stopped playing his song, “Ah, did my playing wake you up, brother?”
“No.” Choromatsu felt stupid at how happy he was to see Karamatsu. Tears were coming to his eyes again. When did he become such a crybaby? “I had a nightmare.”
“Oh no! Please tell me about it!” Karamatsu placed his guitar down, focusing all his attention on his younger brother.
Choromatsu sat down next to him. He wasn't sure he wanted to share his dream. It felt personal. Or perhaps, intimate. Karamatsu was his brother, but the feelings inside his chest at the moment didn't feel platonic at all. “It’s nothing.” Choromatsu looked down at his lap.
Karamatsu put a hand on his shoulder. “You don't have to speak about it if it pains you, but I'm always here to listen.”
“Thanks.” Choromatsu was feeling guilty for these strange thoughts, but he felt like he had to say something. Maybe his brain was still fuzzy from sleep, impairing his rational thought. “Hey, can I ask you something crazy? No judgement?”
“I would never judge you! Ask away!”
“Do you think that if we weren’t brothers, we could fall in love?” Choromatsu asked. He glanced towards Karamatsu, whose mouth was wide open in shock. Choromatsu realized how out of line that question was, and tried to backpedal. “Ha, that was a joke, you don't have to answer-”
“Are you in love with me?” His voice was soft, an airy quality to it that Choromatsu never heard before.
“It's just a joke, you shouldn't take me seriously, I just woke up-”
“I love you.”
“Eh? Eh?” Choromatsu must be hearing things. “Did you say you love me? Like a brother you mean, right?”
“No,” Karamatsu said flatly. “I mean it in a romantic sense. You know, I actually had a dream recently. Or more like a nightmare, you might say. In my dream we weren't brothers, but we were going to college together. One day while we were riding the train, there was a horrific accident and it derailed. You were injured horribly. In your last breath you confessed your love for me.” Karamatsu gently traced Choromatsu’s face with one finger, stopping just before he reached his lips. “I never got to tell you that I loved you back. So I wanted to tell you now.”
Choromatsu reflected on his own dream. The series of events was too similar.
“But it was just a dream,” Karamatsu pulled his hand away. “I apologize, I lost myself for a moment there.”
“I love you too.” Choromatsu grabbed Karamatsu’s hand. “I didn't get to tell you in my dream either, but I love you too.”
Karamatsu pulled Choromatsu into a hug, so his head was resting against his chest. The beat of his heart was comforting. It felt good to finally say the words he wasn't able to in his dream. He felt like he had been waiting lifetimes to have his feelings reciprocated.
Maybe he had.