Finale
She couldn't help the grin cracking her lips open when he slipped the ring on her slim finger.
"Wait for me. I will be back soon."
He smiles and nodded. Their life will start after she completes her dream of travelling the world with her parents and brother.
The ring glinted under the light when the two hook their pinkies.
"Boss…"
"Breaking News! We have received a footage of the plane, MY095, crashing to the grounds in mid-flight on the way to-"
He could feel was a sense of numbness spreading over him before his legs give way and his body tilts back, the papers in his hands scattering on the floor around him.
Time seemed to stop around him.
He couldn't hear any of it, or at least, he couldn't separate one word from another that was buzzing around him.
All he could hear was her voice.
'Wait for me. I will be back soon.'
(The past never lies, always torturing us.)
"Boss…"
"Giotto…"
The two friends exchanged a look before quietly backing out of the room.
"How's Giotto?"
James shook his head slightly while Gasper sighed.
"It's been two months, but the boss…" He shot a pained look at the door before his shoulder slumped in defeat. "He's currently focusing on finding a way to… To bring her and Ryohei back from what I saw…"
Renato, Giotto's tutor grimaced. "Explain."
James leaned against the wall, his eyes downcast.
"Giotto...been mumbling something about memories and creating something to bring it to life after Sean and Spanner told him that bringing the dead back is impossible, even with the current technology in the underworld…"
Renato frowned even as his stomach churned uncomfortably.
"The rest, do they have any plans?"
"Hadrian and Michal seem to be at lost. Chrome is currently with Leo. He's not taking their death so well either…"
The man reached up to his fedora and gripped the edge tightly.
In this moment of rare times, he didn't know what to do.
(What kind of pain would make a person be willing to trade their reality for their memories?)
He threw his head back and laughed.
"Giotto."
"Hadrian!" He couldn't help the smile stretching his lips so wide that it felt like it was splitting his face. Giotto sat back and let the happiness soak right into his bones. He closed his eyes and savoured the moment, but never released his grip on the seemingly inconsequential piece of paper and ink in his hands. For the first time in forever his body and mind relaxed.
"I did it." It was a whisper but it rang loudly in the room.
His subordinate looked at him with surprise; the slight widening of eyes was the only giveaway.
"I did it."
It felt like a moment of triumph to the brunet and yet… why does it still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth?
"The program Operation X that has appeared on the market several weeks ago is a huge success. By allowing memories come to life, many people have flocked to the device to seek solace in it. However, many specialists have agreed that it is detrimental to one's mental health. Even if you are able to see it, you are unable to touch it-"
The TV screen turned black.
"What were you thinking, Giotto?!"
He took a few steps back, surprised by the hitman's outburst. A flicker of pain flashed in his eyes before he became defensive.
"You should know better, Renato!" He hissed in anger. "There are so many people out there who have lost their loved ones too! By wearing those glasses, their memories of the people they love will come to life right in front of them!"
They won't have to suffer. I don't have to suffer. No more unbearablepainpainpainpain-
Renato's fist curled angrily, his mouth set in a thin line. Slowly, he straightens up and marched right to the door and slammed it closed, leaving the room.
Giotto leaned back and slide dejectedly down the wall "Was I wrong?"
Was I wrong in wanting to be with them again?
He walked quietly under the night sky, the frameless glasses perched on his nose with a small dot of blue light at the top right corner of the lense, indicating the device was in used. He let a breath he was holding in, the white smoke swirled in the cold air.
He stuffed his hands in his coat and she flickered into life.
Several steps away, she had her hands stuffed inside her coat too, her gaze focused afar while she strolled slowly.
Giotto looked at the figure and quietly followed her; a sudden twinge of pain in his chest propelled him to walk faster towards her.
He reached out, hesitating only slightly before landing gently on her shoulder and-
And the image vanished.
Pausing, his gaze dropped to his hand before curling it into a fist and dropping to his side.
Suddenly all he wanted to do was run and keep running until the pain ends.
"It is rumoured that Operation X will soon be updated to a new version where memories can be seen and physically touched. Currently there are still no clues as to who is or are the creator and the reason behind for the programme. However, it is said that the authorities will remove the programme from the market and it will soon be illegal to create such technologies."
He placed the orange helmet over his head and adjusted his black jacket. Without a glance to the crowd gathering in front of the large screen broadcasting the latest news, he sat on his motorbike and kick start the vehicle.
"Giotto, it won't do for my favourite person to fall to their own illusions."
He blinked before going back to signing his papers, the image of Ryohei flickering to life on the leather sofa.
"I'm sure you are not only here to tell me that, Michal."
The man smile in exasperation.
"You have gone through the pain of losing the people dear to you, my dear Giotto. And yet why do you not cherish the people who are still living?"
The pen hovered above the paper and the brunet reared back slightly, as if slapped across the face.
"I don't?" He whispered before tightening the grip on his pen. Standing up abruptly, his chair flew backwards and landed in a loud thud on the floor.
"I don't," another whispered before he roared the question again, louder. "What makes you think I don't?! I treat them the same before they-" His throat closed and his eyes burned.
"I didn't treat them any different, Michal." He felt like he would scream any minute, not like people being tortured in the movies, but worse. It had a raw quality, and it felt like he could was consumed by a pain that knew no end or limit.
"You don't," Michal took a small step forward. "But your actions have caused a wedge in between and its causing them pain to see you like this."
Michal took another step forward. "Remember, Giotto. Illusions are but, illusions in the end."
Giotto dropped his gaze on the table.
(Love has different ending points.)
"Latest news, as the programme, Operation X, has cause social unrest, where many people are overly absorb in their memories and are unable to distinguish between their memories and reality, the parliament has made an announcement. On the March 4 at 12 noon, all operations of this programme will be forced to cease.
He closed his eyes.
"Kyoko…Ryohei…"
(Yet regrets have none.)
He continues to sign the papers, diminishing the stack beside him. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he leaned back and turned his gaze on the sofa.
She flickered into life.
"Hmm…"She leaned forward, her orange locks sliding over her shoulder. Gently, her fingers flipped the book to another page.
His heart felt as if his blood had become tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat.
"I…"He reached out, only to drop his hands and grip onto his pants, wrinkling it in the process. "I miss you."
There was no reply, only a bright smile on her face when she turned to face him.
Spring came. The white blanket melted away. The grasses soon became lush, erasing even the memory of their wintry selves.
And Sakura trees started blooming, in the mansion's garden.
He sat quietly under the tree, a few feet away from where she and Ryohei were admiring the trees.
"Ryohei! Look! Isn't it beautiful?"
"Yea, Kyoko! It's extremely beautiful!"
He stood up and moved closer when she turns and beckons him to come.
"Look, Gio!" She beams and laced her fingers together. "It's was the right thing to let Hadrian bring over these trees isn't it?"
The wind blows and pink petals scatter over them.
He nibbled on his bottom lip.
I miss you so much.
"That's right Giotto! Let's have a boxing match here later!"
I miss you so much.
"I miss you so much." He whispers while swallowing back tears.
He lie on his bed, the glasses gently removed and put on his side table with care.
And he closed his eyes, letting memories play behind his closed lids.
Like always.
She tilts her head to the side when he popped the question.
"My answer is yes, Gio."
She couldn't help the grin cracking her lips open when he slipped the ring on her slim finger.
"Wait for me. I will be back soon."
The mirror hanging in his bathroom cracked under his fist, blood running down the lines across it.
"Wait for me. I will be back soon."
"I miss you."
He could still see her.
The way she tilts her head.
The way she laughed despite clinging on to him tightly when he took her out on his motorbike.
The way she smiles.
He wraps his arms around him as if it could protect him from the pain, his knees sinking to the floor, ignoring the way the shards bitting into his flesh.
The glint of the ring.
"I miss you."
He could see him too.
How his surrogate brother always ruffle his hair fondly.
The way he was always so enthusiastic about everything.
The life in his eyes.
"I miss you."
He took a deep breath as he sank and leaned back heavily into his seat.
It was 4 am in the morning.
Numbers and charts appeared on his screen as his fingers flies rapidly on the keyboard.
Operation X v.1-Update in progress.
Tears pooled at the corner of his eyes.
He trudge up the stairs of an old building facing the large screen that always has been announcing news for the public. The brunets reached out and turn the door knob, opening to reveal the roof.
"Following the announcement to ban Operation X, the creator has released the latest physical memories version. Just 10 seconds before its ban."
He jumps onto the ledge of the roof.
An old lady sitting in front of her TV reached out and gently perch the glasses on her nose.
A man in his 40s puts down his briefcase on the floor and pushed the glasses up when it slides down his nose.
A woman smack her lips as she looked into her mirror, satisfied with her makeup.
Giotto closes his eyes.
The old lady smiles down softly at the ginger cat on her knees that was flickering slightly, her hand petting it gently.
She turns and placed a hand on the hand of an old man, who was also flickering slightly whenever she give a pat on his hand.
The man reached down and pulled the flickering image of a young girl into a hug.
The woman gives a tentative smile and grips the hand of the man in front of her tighter.
The brunet opens his eyes and blink, the image of the love of his life and his brother flickered and appeared at his side.
10
9
He brings the two of them into a hug.
8
7
6
A kiss to the cheek for Kyoko and a tight squeeze of the arm for Ryohei.
5
4
"Wait for me. I will be back soon."
3
2
He hummed an agreement before hugging the two tighter.
1
The two people in his arms started flickering.
And disappeared.
