this fic is based on the fairy tale "the little match girl"
***
The snow fell thick and fast, covering the streets of Tokyo in a
heavy white blanket. Crowds of people hurried about under umbrellas
and many layers of warm clothes. Tomorrow a new year would begin and
they chatted excitedly as they made their way to and from parties.
Amungst the crowd walked a young man alone. He was poor and wore
only a tattered pair of jeans and a sweater full of holes, his feet
bare. He`d had a pair of boots once, a beautiful pair of knee highs
with buckles, but he`d sold them that morning to buy breakfast.
His feet were swollen from the cold as he stumbled down an alley
between two restaurants. Falling to his knees he collapsed back
against the wall and coughed. Pulling his numb hands from his
pockets he looked at the handful of cigarettes he had collected that
day. He`d planned to sell them to buy dinner but no one had been
interested. Laying them softly on his lap he wrapped his arms around
himself as shiver`s wracked his thin body. The crowds rushing past
never even looked his way.
Shakily he lifted one of the cigarettes and fished his old lighter
from his pocket. On the third attempt he lit the cigarette and
dropped his head back against the wall holding the warm smoke in his
lungs for as long as he could before blowing it out in a cloud. The
smoke swarmed before his face, seemingly creating a ball. Squinting
he thought he could make out images as he leaned forward gasping as
they became clearer.
A small room full of guitars and amps, people huddled over a piece
of paper writing lyrics to what they hoped would be a number one.
Smiling faintly he remembered it.
His band. How they were all those years ago, young and full of hopes
and dreams. The image began to fade so quickly he blew out more
smoke making the image change. This time they sat around a radio
listening as the dj announced they were number one. His smile grew
as they celebrated. Teru, his best friend, hugging him, Takuro
wiping tears from his eyes.
Shakily he took the last drag and watched the images like a slide
show of they`re rise to success. The fans at every sold out gig,
record sales, awards, admiration.
The smoke broke up and blew away on the breeze. Leaning heavily
against the brick wall he held the butt up in wonder, hardly
believing what he had seen.
Alone again the noise from the crowd sounded louder and the cold
wind harsher. Fumbling he lifted another cigarette, lit it and took
another drag. The warmth washed over him once more as the images
returned. Teru calling him Tono as they joked during a break, going
out for drinks and laughing over silly mistakes they had made, Teru
hugging him in congratulations as yet another single hit number
one,Laughing as Teru had a sneezing fit from the cat hairs on his
coat. His cat. With tears welling up in his eyes he watched the
image change into his beloved Ayu. Reaching up he tried to pet her
before his fingers passed through the smoke. Sobbing his threw the
butt as far as he could and stared up at the sky seeing a shooting
star pass overhead.
Breathing heavily he remember what Teru had told him once. "My
mother told me when i was a child that a shooting star is really an
angel carrying a soul to heaven". At the time he`d laughed at how
sappy that had sounded. Shaking his head he pulled his knees to his
chest and buried his face between them. Thinking of the past brought
up painful memories. Like the last time they had been together as a
band.
They had been in the van going to a live, everyone joking and
gearing up for a great performance. The lorry had come out of no
where and they crashed head on. Crying harder he squeezed his legs
tighter with the little strenght he had. He`d been sitting in the
backseat and had escaped serious injury, only breaking both arms.
Teru sitting beside him and Takuro had also only suffered minor
injuries. Lifting his head he stared up at the sky. Jiro had been
sitting in the front seat and took the full force of the impact. The
doctors assured him he had died instantly.
Wiping his eyes he hugged his knees closer still. The following
months has been chaos. Without Jiro the band was over, they couldn`t
physcially carry on anyway. He had spent all his money on operations
and research into repairing the muscle damage in his arms but
nothing worked leaving him too weak to hold a guitar. It wasn`t only
physical pain he suffered. His heart was broken over Jiro`s death.
They`d had a fight and he has forced Jiro to sit in the front even
though the seat on the other side of him was empty.
"It was my fault." He sobbed falling down onto his side. "It was all
my fault." Closing his eyes he cried, staining the thick snow
beneath his cheek. The harsh wind blew stronger and he felt
something brush against his hand. Looking down he saw the last
cigarette. Slowly he picked it up and shakily lit it.
Nothing happened. Taking a longer drag he watched sadly as the smoke
drifted away. Throwing the butt agaisnt the wall he fell back down
and bit his lip to try and control the sobs.
"You shouldn`t smoke Hisashi." The quiet voice cut through the noise
of the crowd and the wind easily. "I always told you it was bad for
you." Opening his eyes he rubbed the snowflakes off his lashes and
blinked in shock. Kneeling in the snow before him was Jiro, Looking
exactly how he had on the day he died. His blonde hair perfectly
spiked, His eyes dusted with grey.
"Jiro?". He managed to say as he felt strong hands pull him
up. "But...you...the crash." Reaching out his hand he touched Jiro`s
cheek feeling the warm skin. "Your...dead."
"Why are you out here? Wheres Teru?" Taking off his coat Jiro
wrapped it around his shoulders.
"I haven`t seen Teru for months. He`s busy with his family." Leaning
forward he threw his arms around Jiro`s neck. "I`m sorry. I`m so
sorry it was all my fault." Crying against his shoulder he felt
himself being lifted to his feet. "I made you sit in the front...I
killed you!"
"Thats not important now Hisashi." Jiro lifted his chin and wiped
the tears from his cheeks holding him closer. "we need to get you
some where warm. Your freezing out here."
Nodding Hisashi walked along beside him as the left the alley and
walked through the crowds like they weren`t even there.
Morning brought sunshine that melted the snow into slush that the
workers rushing to their offices moaned about. Opening the back door
of his restaurant Mr kei hefted the large trash bag out into the
alley and stumbled as his foot hit something. Looking down he saw a
young man curled between the bin and the wall. Cursing he dropped
the bag and fell to his knees shaking the mans shoulder. "Hey! can
you hear me?" He called knowing it was too late but not wanting to
admit it. His daughter stepped out holding more bags and screamed as
she too saw the man.
"Should i call an ambulance?" She asked covering her mouth. Sighing
mr Kei sat back and shook his head.
"It`s too late. He must have been here all night. If only i`d
brought out the rubbish last night i might have found him sooner."
Brushing the hair off the mans face he frowned seeing he was smiling.
***