Chapter Text
August, 1923.
It was summer.They had school, some of their friends would run off and skip, some would happily go, some less happily but they still had to. Funny, it was barely the start of high school.
Not much of a choice. As for them, they didn't mind it. Hinata made quite the bunch of friends, and was oh so happy to see Yuta making a few friends himself. He was proud to see his little twin like that. Tho, Yuta was still very close to Hinata. Even when parting ways, they made sure to meet each other again ever so soon.
My treasures. Is what their mother would call them, she called them that for as long as they could recall.
They shared a room, of course. Yuta noticed Hinata was keeping these notebooks, there weren't much of them but there were few. Not for school, they were either journals or diaries. He didn't know, and if he did ask, or at least, try to, he wouldn't. He didn't really want to.. Invade his brother's privacy that much.
He did ask once or twice tho..
Yep, definitely diaries.
He wouldn't look through them tho.
Hinata was always there for him, since they were kids, since they were born. Whenever he'd have nightmares, or sleep paralysis, or be too scared to get out of bed just to get water because of a monster he saw.
Most would say he's being childish, only he can see those. And even tho Hinata couldn't see the creatures, he'd always appear right by his brother's side, even staying awake for the night after hearing a scream of fear, or quiet sobs, shaky breaths.
Their mother saw them as her treasures, and they saw each other as two halves.
While they were basically the same, while that earned many insults from their father, while Hinata changed himself, they still saw each other as halves. Maybe not exactly the same, because they are their own people after all. But they still, will, and do, need each other. They need each other.
Even when going to picnics with their friends, even when having tea parties, catching a butterfly when they were younger.. The spark in Yuta's eyes just could not go unnoticed, not one bit. It was clear. He'd say how the butterfly reminded him of Hinata.
Pink, and cheerful, not giving up on escaping at first, but seemingly calming down after noticing how happy the kiddos seemed.
Perhaps, as selfless as his older brother.
....
A spark he had in his eyes.
The very same spark that was lost, the very same red cheeks and ears he had after running and chasing around with his brother were lost, now being pale.
His eyes dull, his once slightly tanned arms and skin now ever so fair, no longer covered in maybe a few bruises after accidentally falling or scratching himself somewhere, but now covered in even more scars and wounds, from picking and scratching his skin himself.
Ever since that day, his life seemed pointless. His only purpose now was to exist, somehow. He didn't want to make his mother's efforts, the efforts of his friends go to waste.
September 17, 1923.
Was the date it happened.
A few days after their father seemingly got moodier, angrier, throwing even more insults at them.
"demons! He is a demon!"
Hinata would argue if it was about Yuta.
As always.
The day they were going to leave that place, the night they were leaving.
But it seemed they just couldn't be together, huh?
As they were leaving, in the kitchen.
bang.bang.bang!!
"Yuta! Watch out!"
Thud.
Those were the last things he could hear, before his sense of sound was replaced by painful and loud ringing noises and pulsing and pounding feelings in his head.
Legs shaky, body shaky.
Something warm and red spilled across the floor, covering his feet as well.
Hinata.
Hinata was laying there, in a puddle of blood.
Yuta could only mumble out a few shaky, disconnected and unfinished sentences as he stepped back.
That could have been him.
it was supposed to be him.
It should have been him.
It should have been... You.
"... Hi.. Hinata?... Aniki?.. "
No response.
He couldn't make out the yells of their mother.
"Hinata?... "
"Wake.. Up... "
"Why aren't you answering me?.. "
Everything seemed to be dark.
Everything, as if the only light shone on Yuta and his brother.
He couldn't see his mother, nor father.
No one.
He stared down at his blood covered feet, thinking this is just another nightmare.
It has to be.
And soon, he'll wake up, in the shared room with his dear brother.
And he will jolt up, trying to catch his breath, Hinata will notice and comfort him, and they'd fall asleep.
Like when they were younger.
None of this happened, right?
No, it is a nightmare.
A hallucination.
He's just seeing things.
Hinata isn't dead.
He can't be.
Especially not if it was supposed to be Yuta.
They.. He can't.. They're 15..Whats with the happiness forever? A happy life? Them against the world?
Even when their friends bid farewell to his brother, even when he still heard the sobs of their mother from her room and saw her grieving, even after going to his brother's grave and crying his eyeballs out to the point he felt like he had no more tears nor liquid in his body, he still prayed to the heavens above it's all a dream.
A very bad dream.
But he never woke up.
All he had was hope, which was threating to leave him too.
During tea parties, he'd occasionally go completely unresponsive, before being shaken out of his trance-like-state-thing.
His friends were, of course, concerned.
Mhm. Concerned.
But they aren't just his friends, they are Hinata's, too.
He'll wake up soon.
And so will his brother.
Late at night, in his bed, the room barely lit by the moonlight, he once again scratches at his skin.
He just wanted to draw blood.
There's no point. He didn't care if he bled, or died, or was just an empty shell of something that once used to be a sorta cheerful human being. Of someone who used to be happy and laugh and smile.
He didn't go to school anymore, he barely went outside.
He was homeschooled for as long as he needed it.
He doesn't deserve this.
Not the concern of their friends, even when he's the one who basically killed Hinata.
If he never existed, if that never happened, then Hinata would have been alive and well.
If he died, maybe they'd move on, but then again, Hinata would probably blame himself.
That selfless, stupid, kind, idiot.
He would mask his true feelings so well.
He would act all smiley and cheerful.
And even without the mask he was so stupidly selfless and kind!
Why can't he be like him?
...
He went around the kitchen, and a heavier "book" slowly flopped onto the floor, startling the green-eyed boy for a second there.
Taking a second to calm down, he picked it up, opening it hesitantly.
.....
His heart felt heavy.
His lungs felt heavy.
His body felt heavy.
Everything did.
Numerous dates, from 1907-ish, up until to 1923.
Funny how obviously happier everyone was back then.
And he ruined it all.
He ruined it all.
Your fault.
Your fault.
He couldn't cry anymore at this point.
thud.
Clank.
He couldn't make anything out, last thing he heard and remembered is a very distant
"Yuta!"
And then everything was, in fact, pitch black.
And when he seemingly "woke up" he was in some corridors.
He met familiar faces, and saw many memories.
As well as an entity that resembled a very, very familiar someone.
Introducing himself as "Hinata".
Is it.. Or he.. The real Hinata?
He can't tell.
But something did feel off.
The plain hostility of the person was... Weird.
1000 days.
1000 days is how long it took for him to complete the puzzles.
1000 days of starting of normally, until shadowy distorted monsters began to chase him.
Until he would be running for what seemingly had to be his life.
Hah, but he didn't even care about it.
Still, he couldn't remember much, and something just pushed him to go forward.
Almost 3 years had passed.
But he isnt even aware of that fact.
And then he reached it, opening the door.
A room, which he couldn't make out.
Which was dark.
And a diary.
September 17th, 1923.
The date, seemingly.. Brought something, some feeling, to him.
Everything.. It all.. Came back to him.
" It's your fault"
"You're a monster"
"Ah, just look what you've done. "
"You're to blame. "
"Hopeless, idiot. "
"Bastard"
"Jerk"
But none of the insults could really get to him, the insults of the one who claimed to be Hinata.
Of course it wasn't him.
The red eyes, the words..
Hinata is stupid, he really is.
He might be stupid, and hopeless, but he's kind, and caring.
Even when he puts on a facade.
And there, now, stands before him.
His brother.
He had a smile on his face, his eyes and gaze soft, kind.
Caring. Affectionate.
Like... The type of expression an older sibling might have once they reunited with their little sibling?
"Have you remembered?"
He said, not once looking away from Yuta.
The younger visibly having tears form in his tears.
"... Hinata... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.. "
"It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. It's simply fate's play."
"... I want to be with you again! I want us all to be happy again!"
"I'm dead, Yuta. You can't be with me anymore like you used to. "
"..... I... I... "
He stuttered, tears already streaming down his face as he ran up to his brother and basically tackled him down.
They both kneel there, hugging.
"Our happiness forever promise from when we were younger, it really won't be fulfilled, huh?"
"....... Why.. Why did you wait for me?"
"I wanted you to remember. I wanted you to let go. I wanted you to be able to accept this fact. I want you to live and have a normal life, Yuta. "
".... Easier said than done. "
"You can do it, Yu. You're strong and brave, you know? You dealt with so many monsters without me for so long!"
".... I... "
"You think you don't deserve what I said, but you do. "
"..... "
"Promise me something, Yuta. "
"....... "
"We won't have our happy life together, not anymore. It's cruel, it's sad. But you're safe. And you're my other half.
Please, don't forget me? Keep me in your memories.
Please. Promise me. "
Hinata hugged his twin tighter for a moment, before taking one arm and hand away, pulling out his pinkie finger.
"..... I promise. I'll keep you in my heart, aniki. "
Yuta replied, still crying against his brother's shoulder, but taking out a pinkie finger as well.
They linked their fingers together.
"Hehe! Hey hey, Yuta? "
"Yes, Aniki?"
The little boy took out his pinkie and smiled
"Promise me, we're going to be together forever. Live together forever, happiness forever!"
The younger smiled at this, they linked their pinkies and both cheered a happy "pinky promise!?"/" pinky promise!!"
Yuta locked himself away for so long.
Wanted to disappear.
He felt so weak.
So filthy.
So.. Guilty.
He simply wanted to die and nothing else.
To be with his brother.
To never lose him.
To hug him again.
Maybe some of his wishes did get fulfilled, in a way.
And Hinata, he was there now.
They were hugging, crying by each others side.
Were those tears happy ones, or ones of sorrow? Perhaps, a little bit of both.
"Im sorry Yuta, im sorry its like this. Im sorry you went through evrything. But im happy, and ill be the happiest ever if you find your happiness."
The older said, wiping away a tear from the youngers face.
"....Ill try. For you Ill try. For mom and our friends.."
Hinata just smiled.
A light appeared, surrounding the older.
Slowly engulfing him, turning into bright, white butterflies.
How sad that, Yuta will no longer see those pink hairclips, that pink bow,that ever so bright smile.
How sad, that their tea parties will no longer have two Aois. No longer have twins.
crack, crack, crack
He slowly opened his eyes.
It apppears he is in his room.
Gettng into half sitting half laying position.
"Yuta?..."
That voice.
"Are you alright? Did you have any dreams?"
"I... Saw him.. Mom.
I saw Hinata.
He said its nobodys fault.
It hurts, it hurts so bad..."
"I know dear, I know. Im sorry I couldnt get you two out in time. But know that no matter what, you are both my dearest treasures."
Again with the treasures thing.
"Your friends are waiting for you. They visited whenever they could. They slept over tonight. Would you like me to call them here?"
"..Yeah."
Soon, the room was filled with a bunch of other people.
Tsukasa.
Hajime.
Tomoya.
Tori.
Shinobu.
Sora.
Tetora.
Mitsuru.
Midori.
"Im so glad youre awake!"
"We all are."
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Took you long enough.. Almost 3 years."
"I took care of Thunder and Flash for you!"
Yuta smiled.
Does he really deserve all this?
He doesnt know, but he promised to Hinata he will keep memories safe in his heart.
He promised hell continue to live.
"Would you like to visit Hinata with your friends, Yuta?"
Mrs Aoi's voice broke the chatter.
"..Yes. I would.. Love to."
They soon left the house.
Everybody greeted Hinata.
"Were going to leave you two alone. Join us when ya can!"
.......
"Hello."
"I miss you, you know? We all do."
"If only we could bring time back, so that we can rewrite the future. Maybe we would both be together."
Tears began to fall down his face, staining his clothes and the ground.
A pink butterfly flew over to him, gently, yet cheerfully.
Landing carefully on his finger.
.....
"Hehe... Until next time, aniki.
May we meet again, in another life.
Good night, I love you!"
He smiled, the butterfly flew away.
Yuta stayed at the grave a little longer, before joining his friends.
Pinky promise.
I will keep you in my memories, I will wait for you.
Pinky promise.
I will be there, maybe you wont notice me, maybe Im transparent. But I am there.
Good night, I love you!