Pull of Destiny*(1/9)By Sakata Ri Houjun ~*****************~
Chichiri looked up at the dark sky as rain began to fall. He sighed and continued walking down the street, the lamplight bathing everything in an eerie orange glow. Others, who were traversing the same sidewalk as he, scattered for shelter from the rain, but Chichiri didn't deter from his course.
Shoving his hands in his coat pockets to stave off the chill, he kept a constant pace even as the rain fell harder. He could feel the cold wetness slide down his neck and back, but he didn't care. His mind was going over the memories of a distant life; one he never knew existed until a few, short years ago.
A woman ahead of him flagged down a passing taxi. Chichiri watched the vehicle with a detached amusement. He had always detested driving, even though he knew how, preferring instead to walk to his destinations. He used to wonder why, but the answer to that had been obvious the moment he gained his memories.
He sighed again and gazed in fascination at his breath steaming out into the wet, orange light. Even though it was late May, a small front had passed through, bringing the rain and the cold. It wasn’t a storm, just a driving rain and a bone-piercing chill. But then again, these things had never bothered Chichiri, in this or his last life.
He should have been content with his life, but the truth was that he had been unbearably lonely. Ever since he had remembered who he truly was, he had distanced himself from his family and what few friends he had. It seemed that no one quite understood what he felt at that moment and he was meant to be alone.
Chichiri regretted his decision, wishing he could have reacted better to the situation, but it couldn't be changed. He rarely spoke to his family anymore and his former friends had moved on to new lives. He never made any others at the college he was attending and was now nearing the end of his final semester so it was too late.
On a rare night out, like tonight, he left the seclusion of his apartment to venture among those he deemed to be normal. He hoped to eventually meet a kindred spirit, but more than anything else, he prayed that he might find one of his friends from that long ago life.
Even if he did though, he was certain he wouldn't recognize them. He hardly recognized himself as the eccentric monk from his memories. Chichiri glanced up at his reflection in a widow to see a face that felt familiar and yet was still unknown.
The reflection gazed back, tired and sad. The eyes were still the same mahogany he remembered from before, but the tragic accident that took his left eye never occurred so the face was whole and unmarred, framed by soft brown hair, which was dripping wet at the moment.
Chichiri heard soft laughter from of to his right and turned to see a couple kissing. He recognized the pair from the theater he had just come from, the girl was in one of his classes.
He had gone to see a comedy, hoping to lose himself to laughter and forget the memories that haunted him. If anything else, the antics of the actors reminded him painfully of the things he used to do to make the other seishi smile. The couple had sat in front of him and ignored the movie entirely, concerned only with each other. Chichiri felt heat rise to his face in embarrassment just as before in the theater.
He admitted that he was envious of them, wishing that he had some one to share such moments with. He had died a virgin in his last life, completely untouched even by another's lips. He didn't regret the choices he made of the vows taken back then. In fact, he was proud of the faith that sustained him through the darkest of moments. But he was now a normal man and longed to be held and comforted. Faith could never replace a warm body this time around.
In this lifetime, he had had a rather mundane existence thus far. Born the eldest child to caring and supporting parents who still worried about him even though he was almost twenty-five. More so now because his phone calls and letter were far and few between.
He had several girlfriends throughout high school, engaging in the activities that went with such territory, but had no other sexual relationships since. He had graduated in the top percentile of his class yet managed to remain far from the light of popularity.
His whole youth had been spent with questions and odd feelings that could never be explained. That was until the day he regained his memories and then everything made sense.
Chichiri saw his apartment building coming up ahead and fished around inside his coat for his keys. He was still the man he was born to be in this world, but now had another life to deal with. A life that had been spent mostly alone and ended tragically because of one minor mistake he never took responsibility for.
As he entered the protection of the eave over the entrance, Chichiri attempted to remove his keys. In the moment his hand emerged, the key ring caught on the lining of his pocket. With a slight jingle, his keys hit the wet pavement and Chichiri cursed silently. He turned away from the door and bent down while brushing his dripping hair from his eyes.
Just as he picked up his keys, the yellow flare of a match caught his attention. He stood back up and watched as the match was brought to light a cigarette, slightly illuminating a youthful face. In the flickering light, the face remained shadowed to where Chichiri couldn’t determine the man's defining features, but he could still make out a pair of golden eyes watching him like a wolf through long, jagged bangs.
A chill ran up Chichiri's spine as the match was tossed out into the wet street and the face completely hidden in darkness. The stranger plunged his hands into pockets and pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against. The action was fluid as the man sauntered off and Chichiri returned to the door to unlock it. He pulled out the key to the entrance and fit it to the lock just as another odd feeling overwhelmed him, freezing him in place.
He remembered seeing another pair of beady golden eyes stare at him like that before, in another life. Could it possibly be...?
He spun around, poised to run after the stranger, but watched startled as the man stumbled drunkenly to the ground. Curiosity and concern surged through his system as he closed the distance between him and the stranger who was now sprawled out face down on the sidewalk.
For a brief moment, Chichiri wondered why he felt so worried about this man. Ever since he had gained back his memories, he had never bothered with the affairs of others. The fact that this man had oddly familiar eyes was taken into consideration, but it didn't seem like the only reason.
He knelt down just as the man groaned and began to roll over, his back now facing Chichiri. Shoulder length hair clung wetly to a leather jacket and Chichiri caught a whiff of alcohol in the damp air. The cigarette he had lit earlier was a soggy mess in a puddle nearby. Chichiri sighed and placed a hand on the man's shoulder to turn him onto his back.
The man jerked away from his grasp and flipped over with a snarl. "Get your fucking hands off me!"
Chichiri leaned back on his heels as another chill went through him. The man's face was still shrouded in darkness, but the voice...
As if on cue, a light from the building across the street turned on, illuminating the stranger's face. His golden eyes blinked back, trying to get used to the brightness. He leaned his head back on the wet pavement, his hand reaching up to shield his eyes as he cursed. His fiery red hair was plastered to his forehead by the continuously falling rain.
Chichiri felt his heart race as the realization hit him full on, just like that day when he first regained his memories. There was no mistaking it.
"Tasuki...” The name was spoken softer than the rain hitting the sidewalk, but the youth heard. He removed his hand at the mention of that name, a name he hadn't heard in what had been a lifetime ago.
Chichiri watched as his eyes filled with shock, body going rigid and then recognition passed behind the golden orbs as he focused on Chichiri’s face.
"Is that really you, Chichiri?"
He nodded, relief and thanks washing trough his body.
Tasuki's body also visibly relaxed as a familiar lopsided grin sprung to his face, a pair of elongated canines peeking just below the lip. He chuckled softly. "I knew I'd find you eventually."