"Suzumu."
The name tumbled from his numbed lips as Kyou fought to stand. His vision swam. Had someone hit him? He could not remember the strike or the direction from which it had come.
"Suzumu."
The name gave him strength. Before him stood the woman - less a woman than a creature - who had taken his brother away. She called herself a teacher, but all she taught was hate and fear. He could not let her continue her work. For the students of Koua Academy. For Sena's friend, Nozomi. For Sena.
For Suzumu.
Another blow struck him, so fast he could not see it. He struck the wall before he felt the kick that lifted him. Sometimes he thought he saw a girl from the corner of his eye. She took no pains to hide her presence, but she moved with unnatural speed. She might as well have been invisible. Invisible enemy...invisible girl.
"You aren't leaving because of me, are you?"
He could see Suzumu smiling even now. "Of course not," he said. "You're my brother and I love you. You work hard to give me the best opportunities. Better than dad was able to give you. I wanted to make you proud by working hard. Koua Academy is the best school in Japan."
"I would be proud of you no matter what."
"I know that," said Suzumu, hugging him tightly. "You might be proud of me, but I want to feel like I've earned that pride. Just being bottom of the class at Koua is better than being top of the class anywhere else."
"You will never be at the bottom of the class." Kyou returned his brother's embrace. It was a symbol of all that he offered: warmth, love, security. "What will I do when you're gone?"
"I'll come back to visit you know," said Suzumu, smiling. "In the meantime, you'll be getting a girlfriend and going out more since you won't have your annoying little brother around to take up the last of your free time."
Kyou stroked his brother's hair. "Who has time for a girlfriend?"
"Well, if you don't find one, you'd better pretend you did and tell me all about her," grinned Suzumu. "I can't stand the thought of you being lonely. She can be your invisible girlfriend."
Invisible girlfriend.
"I don't need a girlfriend, Suzumu," whispered Kyou as a steel bar blocked his strike. It tilted to hit him in the jaw, then grasped his arm and flung him up and over. He hit the floor at an awkward angle. The girl's laughter followed him.
Across the room, Toudo sat in a stupor. He no longer looked like the dangerous leader he had proven to be. Would he have turned out differently if he'd had a brother to take care of him? Kyou would offer him a hug if he got the chance. Offer him all the good things he had failed to give Suzumu.
"They say he killed himself."
Kyou remembered the tears in that voice. A voice on the telephone, distant and hollow. It rained that night. The tears of a thousand angels.
"They say he killed himself, but he couldn't have. He was upset when I saw him, but starting to feel better." Suzumu's voice shuddered and he breathed deeply. "He was going to transfer out. He was going to transfer."
"Who?" said Kyou. "Who killed himself?"
"A friend," said Suzumu. "Only he didn't. He was going to transfer out. He was killed, I know it. I have to know why."
"Suzumu..."
"I HAVE TO KNOW WHY!" Suzumu's voice faded into a single sob. "Kyou...please. Please come. I need you."
"I'm coming. Don't do anything rash."
"I need you, Kyou."
"I'm coming. Wait for me."
He had left the moment the phone was in its cradle. He had driven without stopping. He had been too late.
Toudo was moving now. Slowly, with deliberation. Even from across the room, Kyou could see the knife. He managed to avoid the next blow and lunged for the boy. He would offer Toudo a hug if he got the chance. He would run without stopping. Offer him all the good things he had failed to give Suzumu.
But the invisible girl had other ideas. He hit the wall before he saw her coming. His shoulder snapped out of place and his arm went limp. He couldn't drive with a limp arm. He couldn't hug. The invisible girl laughed. He had never wanted her.
He was too late.
The length of the knife, nearly a sword, gleamed in the cold light of the lab.
"Stop!" he cried.
The cold shaft gleamed in the light of the lab.
"Toudo, stop!"
It plunged.
"Don't do it!"
Penetrated.
"Don't go without me!"
They said he had committed suicide, but he couldn't have. Not Suzumu. Even in the cold light of the morgue, Kyou knew he couldn't have. He had been killed. Kyou had to know why. Why. Why had Suzumu gone without him? Why hadn't he waited?
He walked down the wide corridor, across the floor of the lab, to the body draped in white on the slab, on the floor, and reached to brush away the sheet of hair that obscure its features. Familiar features. There were tears on its cheek. "Suzumu," Kyou whispered. "What's the matter? Why are you sleeping here?"
The room was far too cold for sleeping. Far too cold. A little bit of white cloth was no protection at all. "Wake up, Suzumu," said Kyou, squeezing his brother's shoulder. "Wake up." He shook the still form gently. "Come home with me, Suzumu. Suzumu..."
His right arm wouldn't work. Why wouldn't his right arm work? Had there been an accident? He had been driving fast. But he was strong. He cradled his brother in his left arm and kissed his forehead to wake him. "Come home with me, Suzumu. This isn't a place for you. This isn't a place for anyone. I'll be proud of you, Suzumu, no matter what."
Pale lips parted and Kyou kissed them, pushed his tongue between them, and met no welcome. Already they were growing cold. As cold as the morgue. As cold as the stainless steel slab that was no place to sleep. A little bit of white cloth was no protection, but a warm body was.
The warm shaft steamed in the cold light of the morgue.
It plunged.
Penetrated.
The invisible girl laughed. Kyou broke the kiss and looked up, seeing her for the first time. "I never wanted you," he said as the cold shaft gleamed, plunged, penetrated. "I don't need...a girlfriend."
Dark. As dark as the morgue.
Kyou swallowed his tears. "Why didn't you wait for me, Suzumu?"
Suzumu sat up, draped in white linen. He smiled. "I did wait. I couldn't go on without you. You're my brother and I love you."
He raised his open arms and offered a hug. Offered all the good things his brother had given him.
"Come home with me, Kyou. Come home."