• A mark of Tears:

    One day, while Ren was walking home like usual. The sky was getting darker and darker by the minute, since it was winter, night always came fast and it was only 6 pm in the afternoon.
    While Ren was walking down the usual street he came upon something “unusual”, there was a boy, a beautiful blond boy, probably around his 16s, his body was slender and looked fragile, so fragile that one would want to be careful while holding him, and would never want to let go. This boy was lying on the floor, he looked asleep, he had no wounds, yet his clothes looked old and dirty, and it was obvious he hadn’t changed them for a long time.
    Ren, with care, pulled him up and took him on his arms, he was quite light so Ren was able to carry him with some ease. With this he took the boy with him, home.
    Ren himself looked like a strong man, he was 26 but usually others would never think him to be over 22, he had a beautiful red hair and always dressed neatly.
    The next morning, the boy woke up. For the first time in a long time he felt the warmth of a bed, he felt good so he didn’t react, but then, suddenly, he got up in a rush and looked around, yet none of the things on the room were familiar to him so for a moment he panicked. Then Ren appeared at the door.

    “Hello there and good morning” he smiled at the scared boy “don’t worry, I will not do anything wrong to you nor hurt you” He went in the room with some food on a plate
    “I found you lying on the street yesterday at sunset, it seems you had a slight fever so I brought you home with me” he placed the food on a small table next to the bed “It seems it’s nothing serious tough, since the fever was gone by this morning. So where do you live?”

    The boy was really surprised with this approach and didn’t know how to react or what to say, yet soon he managed to say a few words “Who are you? And why would you take some sick person you find in the street, home?”

    Ren wasn’t surprised by the question, so he just smiled “I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself to you first. My name is Hiroke Ren, but you may call me just Ren” he said while sitting on a nearby chair. “As for the reason for bringing you here, that’s because I’m not as heartless as to leave a sick person on the street. But now you tell me, what was a boy so young doing sleeping in the streets? And care to tell me your name?”

    The boy blushed a slightly “Sorry, I guess I should have introduced myself before rudely asking your name, I’m Yamada Keisuke” he smiled a bit but then looked away “As for what I was doing in the street … my parents died … and since I didn’t have anything else to attach me at home, I left. I’ve been travelling all over the country now, I wish to reach the ocean.”

    “I see, but I think you should travel with some money and clothes no?” Ren asked

    “I guess … but … I didn’t have much to begin with so it has run out already …”

    “I see … well you can stay here if you wish to” Ren smiled “Yet why would you want to go see the ocean?”

    “That’s … I felt lonely at home, so I wanted to see something beautiful and huge like the ocean, something that wouldn’t make me feel as lonely …” Keisuke blushed and looked to the window across the bed “about staying, thanks but … I don’t want to bother you” he smiled sadly.

    “Now now, I’m lonely here too and you kind of look like a sunshine or something” Ren smiled “I would be glad if you could stay.” Ren winked and smiled “Besides I can’t let a sick person in the streets.”

    "hum... my clothes?" Keisuke asked "were you the one who took them off?"

    "huh ? but of course ... who else would it be ?" Ren asked surprised "I didn't trow them away so is there anything you would want on them?"

    "huh ... no ... it's just that ...huh ..." Keisuke blushed and tried to look away

    "ah ? are you the shy type ? I've already told you, I wouldn't do anything weird." Ren said and smiled

    " ... it's ... ah I see" Keisuke smiled weakly

    "what ? you wanted me to actually do something to you ?" Ren asked with a wink

    "NO! Of course it's not that!" Keisuke repplied quickly "Just forget it!"

    "Sure" Ren laughed "Anyway, about your chest ... is that a birthmark?”

    Keisuke was shocked for a moment and then said "Ah ... yeah ... it is a birthmark, kind of a weird one right ?" he laughed for a bit.

    There was a weird dark mark on Keisuke’s chest. That mark started somewhere over his heart and would spread out a few centimetres, in an almost round shape.

    "Hum ... So yeah, I am the shy type, so please don't look at me naked ever again!" Keisuke said quickly

    "Ah ok ok, no problem about that" Ren smiled "It's not a hobby of mine to look into naked kids"

    "K-Kid ?" Keisuke asked raising his voice "Just who are you calling a kid? I'm 17!" Keisuke said with a serious face

    "Sure, so 17 is not a kid?" Ren laughed "Anyway aren't you hungry? The food will get cold" Ren said with a smile

    Keisuke started eating right after he looked at the food, he sure looked hungry by the way he was eating so fast. Yet even while eating that way, one could tell he was a boy with a good education, who would keep his manners in all situations.
    Once Keisuke finished his meal he turned to Ren for a question.
    "So hum ... I thank you for your kindness on letting me stay but ... I have no money to pay you for it"

    "Didn't I tell you that's fine?" Ren asked

    "But ... I still want to pay you somehow." Keisuke insisted

    "Well ... what if you help with the house?" Ren sudgested "That will be your payment. Since I'm a writer and the deadline for a new book will come soon, I won't have much time to manage things around the house, keep it from being messy and you will be paying for your stay"

    "ah ... thanks" Keisuke whispered, smiling a bit

    After that, their life together began.
    Everyday they would become closer, everyday they learned more about the other.
    Keisuke learned about the books Ren wrote, actually he read most of his books while Ren had to work.
    Most of the books were love stories about happy lovers who would always be happy in the end. Ren wasn't one of the most famous book writers but he got enough for a comfortable living with a good income.
    Ren on his turn learned that Keisuke was very picky with food. He also learned a lot about Keisuke's past.
    Yet nothing would explain some of Keisuke's weird habits like, he would never fall asleep when alone, in the dark or when the room was silent. Because of this Ren would stay with Keisuke until he fell asleep, in the beginning he would just hold Keisuke's hand, with time he would lay on the bed next to Keisuke and hug him. Only with this would Keisuke quickly and calmly fall asleep. Yet sometimes, the boy would wake up in the middle of the night and even though it would seem he had just had a nightmare, he would never talk about it with Ren, and whenever older men tried to talk about it Keisuke would change the subject.
    Eventually, Keisuke became so attached to Ren that he would follow him around everywhere, staying by him even while Ren worked.
    Sometimes Keisuke would look ill but even if Ren asked or worried Keisuke wouldn't say anything, he would just disappear for a couple of hours and then come back as cheerful as always. A cheerfulness always accompanied by a smile, a smile that to Ren had already became the sun. Something he would need to see it everyday, something that would bring light and happiness.
    Without realising, a month had already passed by since they started living together, yet they felt so used to it that it was as if it had always been like that.
    Eventually they started to share the bed, Ren said it was big enough for the two of them, and Keisuke seemed more than happy with the idea.
    As the deadline for Ren's book was getting closer, he had to work even harder and for longer periods of time, so Keisuke would always stay near him on his working room, yet there was always silence since Ren needed concentration. But sometimes Ren would take a break to drink a cup of coffee and then there would be some conversation between the two of them.

    "Na... Ren ... how's that book going? Is it still going to take long till you finish it?" Keisuke asked with a look on his face that looked like the one from a lost kid who felt lonely

    Ren placed the cup of coffee on the table and turned to look at keisuke's eyes and walked closer to him "It shouldn't take much longer" Ren smiled and stroked Keisuke's head "Are you feeling lonely?" he asked laughing a bit

    "Hum ... yeah ... a little" Keisuke said weakly "it's ... because when I go to sleep you are still awake working, and when I wake up you are already working ... Have you been sleeping?" Keisuke looked directly to Ren's eyes, with a sad and worried look.

    "And so you are worried? There's no need really, it's been always like this when the deadline comes near, after that I get some free time and all goes back to normal" Ren smiled and kissed Keisuke's head "And besides this time I have a very special reason to finish the book faster" Ren grinned "I want to hurry up and pass my whole days with you"

    "Wha--- What kind of reason is that??" Keisuke asked blushing

    "It's my reason, why, you don't like it?" Ren look a bit mischievous "Yeah I guess when I finish my book I could just have some fun vacations, alone, far from here to relax a bit and---"

    "NO!" Keisuke interrupted "I didn't say I didn't like, I really want to be with you, and I surely don't want you leaving me alone!" Keisuke then realised what he has just said but it was already too late.

    "So cute and honest" Ren laughed and stroked Keisuke's blushing face "I'm going back to work now, would you like to stay, it's already late so maybe you should go to sle---"

    Keisuke interrupted him again "I'll stay" he said

    "But aren't you sleepy?" Ren asked

    "No way, I'm fine" Keisuke replied with serious eyes and a smiled on his lips

    With this said Ren went back to work with Keisuke sitting next to him but, even after the boy's words, it wasn’t long after he fell asleep on Ren's shoulder.

    "If you were tired you should have said so" Ren said in a whisper, yet smiling "Though this is also one of your cute sides" he then pulled Keisuke to himself, lifted him to his arms and took him to bed.

    Such happiness continued day after day and soon ...

    "Ah! I've finally finished my book" Ren said aloud getting up from the computer, Keisuke who was sleeping on the bedroom next to that room woke up surprised and got up quickly to see what was happening

    "Huh? Wha -- "keisuke asked as soon as he arrived in the room

    Ren ran across the room to Keisuke and hugged him "I've finished my book" he said cheerfully

    Keisuke was even more surprised with the hug, but just smiled and hugged Ren back "That's great!!"

    "Ah I woke you up didn't I?" Ren suddenly realised and had a sorry look on his face "It's just 5 in the morning, too early I guess"

    Keisuke smiled and said "No problem, I'm just really happy that you have finished ... but ... have you been working all night?”

    "Thanks, you've been my best support ever" Ren said happily "I will treat you to anything you wish, what would you want to eat today?”

    "Hum ... honestly ... anything will do since I love your cooking ... but ... for now would you like to sleep for a bit? I'm sure you are tired and you need sleep and after a nap we will make lunch ok?”

    "That sounds like a good plan" Ren said smiling

    Then they left that room to the bedroom. Keisuke woke up around 10 o'clock, but decided to let Ren sleep for a while longer while staring at Ren's sleeping face.
    Around 11 Ren woke up, looked at Keisuke and smiled.

    Keisuke noticed and blushed "Wha-- what is it?" he asked

    "It feels good, to wake up with you sleeping next to me, I've wanted to try it out before, but work kept me too busy for that" Ren said with a smile, then asked” were you awake for long ?"

    "Ah ... no I just woke up" Keisuke lied but tried to smile as if his woirds were indeed true

    "I see, so shall we go cook our amazing lunch?" Ren said cheerfully "Even tough I think I would like to lay there with you for longer, but I don't think that would fill our stomachs" Ren finished with a smile

    "That's true" Keisuke laughed

    Keisuke's laugher sounded cheerful, but Ren didn't notice a small sign of sadness in his eyes.

    "But ..." Keisuke started "Ah... hum ...”

    "Huh? What is it?" Ren asked surprised and curious about whatever Keisuke could want to tell him

    "Hum ... I'm really hungry so I hope whatever we are making is something fast" Keisuke finally said

    "I see, don't worry then, I will make something simple but really tasty" Ren said and winked

    "Yay!" Keisuke said in a cheerful sound, yet once again Ren didn't notice the look on the boy's eyes.

    During those hours when they were cooking, they laughed, played and talked as they had wished to do before

    "So, you will help me right?" Ren asked smiling

    "Of course I will!" Keisuke replied with a big smile and serious eyes

    "Then start by chopping these onions." Ren said

    "wha--- no fair!" The boy objected “You cut them ... I don't want to cry!" keisuke said not really mad, more like playfully

    "Please..." Ren whispered on the boy's ear.

    In a second Keisuke jumped and tuned all red "Wha--- what are you doing! That’s playing dirty!"

    Ren laughed "You won’t?" he asked pretending to have sad eyes

    "uhnnn... o... ok ..." Keisuke gave in, "But in exchange I want a really delicious desert!"

    "It's a deal!" Ren laughed

    Then Ren started to prepare the meat when he noticed Keisuke having a hard time with the onions, barely being able to keep his eyes open.

    "Hummm your eyes are really sensitive ..." He kissed away Keisuke's tears "You may leave these to me now, will you help me with the potatoes instead?" Only when Ren finished he noticed Keisuke's face, which was fully red

    "Do--- don't do things like that so suddenly!" Keisuke looked away "I will help you with the potatoes no problem!" he said trying to hide his smile

    "Ehhhhh you are so cute and shy" Ren hugged Keisuke "You had never showed me such a cute part of yourself"

    "And aren't you just a big pervert?" Keisuke asked blushing

    "Me? No way" he laughed "I just find you cute"

    "Hum ... Ren ... look that pan" Keisuke pointed towards the oven and Ren saw a thick black cloud of smoke coming from it

    "Ahhh the meat" Ren ran over to the oven to try and save it "... lost ..."

    Keisuke could stop laughing loudly

    "Why are you laughing idiot? This was your food too!" Ren said while throwing away the meat "Now what ? We don't have anything else in here to eat"

    "Hum ... we have ... cheese, spaghetti, ham, eggs ... let's mix it all together" Keisuke smiled "It can't be bad"

    "Hum ... it's worth a try" Ren laughed” then there's no need for potatoes, let's leave that for later" He smiled

    Ren then prepared the spaghetti and the eggs by warming the water, once he finished they got ready to prepare the desert.

    "What do you think if we cut the fruits we have in small pieces and then cover them in chantilly?" Ren asked

    "Sounds great!" Keisuke replied right away cheerfully

    "Then let's start by cutting these fruits, then I will let you cover them with the chantilly" Ren said smiling

    "Yay" Keisuke started to cut the fruits in a fast and accurate way
    Once they were finished with the cutting part, it was the chanttilly moment, so Keisuke grabbed the can and started to shake it but when he pressed the lit, nothing came out, he tried to shake it more but still nothing, so Ren tried to help him, and when the two of them pressed it, the white cream came out splashing both of their faces, Keisuke screamed in surprise and Ren just started to laugh.

    "Seems like we are our own deserts" Ren joked and Kseisuke laughed

    Then they ate the food, made with so much love by the two of them.
    Once they finished they started to watch a movie that was passing on the TV on the afternoon.
    In the middle of the movie Keisuke started to breath really heavy, and didn't look too well.

    "Ah... ah... I need to ... go to the bedroom ... get something; I will ... be back soon..." Keisuke tried to say sounding normal, yet his intentions failed and Ren noticed the abnormal behaviour of the young boy.

    "Are you ok Keisuke?" he asked worried

    "Ah ... yeah... “Keisuke tried to smile "I just need to go ... get... “Yet before he could finish he fell to the ground, his face showed pain and his right hand was on his chest as if trying to get the pain to stop.
    In a second Ren was standing just next to him, holding him.

    "What is it Keisuke? What's hurting you?" Ren was truly worried and scared and started to unbutton keisuke's shirt, yet the boy stopped him.

    "This ... is ... nothing..." He tried to smile but his face showed nothing but pain.
    "This is NOT nothing!" Ren yelled, pulled Keisuke's hand aside and finished unbuttoning his shirt, yet, as soon as he finished this, he was paralyzed looking at what his eyes showed him. There was a huge black mark growing on Keisuke's chest.After a while, Ren was called back by Keisuke's voice

    "I ... need the stone ... in ... my box ... on the bedroom" His voice was faint, and sounded like he was crying.

    Ren got up the moment he heard this, in order to go to search of this stone.
    In a desperate rampage, he threw everything that was in the way to the air, searching for the box in the middle of Keisuke’s things. Once he found it he grabbed it and returned to Keisuke’s side.
    Once Keisuke grabbed the stone, it started to shine and soon Keisuke’s pain was gone. After that a long and painful silence followed …

    Ren knew what that was, he had heard about it before, it was no ... simple sickness, it was no simple problem, but something known as the "curse of the dragon" something terrific and horrid to all those who had the bad luck of coming in contact with it, be it themselves or someone dear to them.
    No one knew where this curse came from, there were stories and legends about it, but none was ever confirmed as a truth, And for those unlucky enough to get it, it would just appear in a mysterious way, out of no where, one day they would get a small round black mark near their heart, and great pain would start a few weeks or even days after.
    For those who could afford it or wanted it, there was a small stone, for sale, it was in a way rare, but easy to find since those who had them... didn't need them for long. Yet they could go for a high price, as it was for some a great need.
    That stone allowed those in pain to relieve it, just by touching it, the stone would absorb the pain, as well as life force. After some time the pain becomes unbearable and the body gives up, dying. Some say the final moments are the most painful, other say those are the relieve from all the previous pain.
    By remembering all this, Ren's heart felt like stabbed, that Keisuke had suffered... that Keisuke had yet to suffer so much more... and that ... he would ... in the end .... the most scary part, that curse ... it didn't last for long, usually a damned one, would die shortly after the beginning of it, usually ... never more than ... 3 months, and those ... were the lucky ones...
    That Ren had just meet Keisuke, yet had already such deep feelings for him ... that even though those were his feelings, yet Keisuke wouldn't live ... wouldn't exist much longer ... that he himself would soon be left behind ... That was truly painful for Ren...

    Neither of them looked to the other, their eyes were set on the ground, both felt unable to talk, unable to move, maybe even unable to breath…
    Then the silence broke, small sobs could be heard from Keisuke, and finally a faint “I’m … sorry…” With this Ren’s eyes shed their own tears, yet, without a sound, and without looking up he just asked, “Why? Why didn’t … you say … anything before?” his voice was faint and full of pain …
    New silent set on the room…
    “I … was afraid … afraid to hurt you, you of all people … I didn’t want it …” Keisuke cried.

    "Then ... when were you thinking of telling me?" Ren asked, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and sadness. "Were you waiting for your death for me to know...?"

    Keisuke didn't reply ... instead he just looked away, avoiding Ren's eyes.
    Ren for a moment looked mad, but the next moment he just hugged Keisuke tight, close to him, and, with a shaking voice in a whisper he said "I don't want you to die!"

    The next morning Ren made a few calls and arranged a trip to the beach, since Keisuke said he wanted to go there before, he was happy with the idea, so in less than a week they were off to their trip,

    During their time together, they knew neither of them wanted to see the other sad, they knew they would regret it in the end if they made these ... last days sad ones, so instead they enjoyed every single moment together, making those moments happy, lively filled with good memories.
    Tough there were times, when they both were unable to smile, sometimes Ren would wake up from nightmares, scared of them, yet he never shared what those dreams were with Keisuke.
    There were also the times when Keisuke would have "attacks", when his mark would spread, when he would desperately scream in pain, sometimes even biting Ren's hand to blood. At some point, the attacks got worse every time they happened, every time, it was really painful for Ren to watch, yet he could never leave Keisuke's side, he would stay close to him, holding his hand, letting him bite him if that was what Keisuke needed... And every time, he would just stay there silent, yet a silent worth more than a 1.000.000 words he could ever say, the silent that meant "I will never leave you", "I will be here till the end", " I will give you strength", "let me be your strength", "I love you" ... all that and way more all together.

    Soon, without their realization, 3 weeks had passed. Or maybe they did realise it all too well, since they counted everyday, yet not as a countdown to the end, but as another day, another chance they had to be together. Then Ren got enough courage to ask something he had been willing to ask for a long time already...

    "When ... did it appear ?" he suddenly turned to Keisuke and asked as they were walking near the rocks, a high zone, so high it felt like one could touch the sky, and the ocean down at the bottom of the rocks, looked so far away, and so calm that it looked like part of the sky ...

    Keisuke, who was all dressed in white, with, a beautiful long white coat that Ren had offered him, approached the end of the rocks and facing the ocean he felt the wind for a moment then turned around and replied "Two months ... and ...half..."
    A tear fell down his cheek, but he just said "the wind ... is a bit strong today..." Then he turned around, facing the ocean he laughed for a bit "It feels like I could fly..."

    From hearing this Ren just ran and hugged Keisuke, Keisuke gasped and Ren said "... you looked like an angel there, so it felt like you really wanted to fly away..."

    Keisuke turned away and crying a bit he just said "Silly... I'm no angel" and Ren replied "To me, you are the most beautiful angel who was ever on earth..." Ren then hugged and kissed Keisuke

    Few days had then passed from that day, when Keisuke had a new attack, a different one from the usual, this time, the pain was bigger, and lasted for longer, and for the first time, Keisuke threw up blood.
    He cried, screamed, yet he hardly moved....
    In the end, when it all stopped he fell asleep, something that had also never happened before...
    Once he woke up Ren was besides him, he tried to sit up, but his body felt too heavy for that, he tried to move his legs, yet they wouldn't move at all, and his arms barely moved either.
    Scared he called out to Ren..
    "Ren! Ren! What happened ... I ... I ..." Keisuke's voice was faint and shaking
    Ren woke up startled and looked at Keisuke "What is it? What happened? Are you in pain?" were his first questions...
    "I ... I can't move... my body won't move ... it just won't ... " Keisuke said scared, yet his voice too was weak
    Ren was shocked for a moment, without knowing what to do...then he just hugged Keisuke tight and Keisuke tried to hug him back.
    None of them cried, tough their eyes asked them too, their minds stopped the tears, and only their hearts sobbed...
    They knew what it meant, Keisuke's body was starting to be exhausted, soon ... it would give in to the pain ... soon...

    Later that day another attack like that happened, yet that was not the end yet, and the next day, many small attacks followed, there would be one every hour or even more.
    Keisuke was in horrible pain and Ren could see that, he could feel that, and for every attack he cursed himself and all the rest, for being able just to watch and never to take that pain away, never to truly help.

    In the late afternoon, when the sun was nearly setting, they were both sitting next to each other, watching the ocean from the house's balcony when Keisuke turned to Ren and whispering he started to talk "I'm .... Sorry... I've been ... really troublesome haven't I?" Keisuke laughed sadly
    "Not at all, it was no trouble ... but ... I wish I could be more useful, help more, do more" Ren said looking down with a sad face
    "But ... you do help... if it weren’t for you staying besides me like this ... I would be dead by now ... I would have given up a long time ago ... I would have died without any wish to live ... I would have died without ever knowing ... what to love and be loved means" Keisuke said with a bright smile, a honest smile that showed only the truth.
    Ren smiled back
    "Thank you" Keisuke said smiling, "I really love you, I really wished I could stay ... if only ...” he didn't finish ... but there was no need ...
    Ren kissed him "thank you too .... I love you too" He didn't know what else to say or do ... he knew what all that conversation meant, and even if he wanted... There was nothing he could do.
    "eheheh ... the sun has disappeared... I won't ... see it again will I...?" his voice ... was becoming faint ... it was nearly impossible to hear it, unless Ren set his whole attention to it
    "..." Ren couldn't say a word
    "Ah! ... eh ... everything just ... disappeared ... it's dark ... everything turned black suddenly ... " Keisuke started to cry... "I'm sca...red... Will I never ... see you again ...?" Keisuke's face was turning into a mix of sadness and yet with a small smile and his eyes even tough open, looked empty "I love ... y...ou ... must ... live... ...happy” Then... he stopped ... as if he was just thinking... yet Ren knew ... and he cried ... for the first time in all the time he was with Keisuke he cried ... he cried as much as his lunges would allow him to.
    He cried while holding Keisuke's lifeless body, and for long hours, maybe even the whole night he was just there ... crying. Crying until not one more tear would fall,

    After that he still stayed in that house for two more weeks...
    It had been just nearly 3 months with Keisuke, but still it felt like a lifetime, it felt like they belonged to each other, that they couldn't, be separated, that they were a whole, yet now all it was left was Ren, unable to bring his own death upon himself because of Keisuke's dying wish, he had no choice but to live.

    The End