"You should go home", I said as the short brunette stared at me with those big bloody orbs just like I've betrayed him.

"But Kashi-"

"Yes, yes I know, your parent—but you still should come home. They will be worried about you ", I grabbed his shoulders, tried to show him how serious I am.

He gasped, the bubble of tears on the edge of his eyes as he shook his head, bites harshly his lips. "My parents-they will kill me Kashi".

"They won't Ama-Chan".

"They will", he sniffed the air, resisting the urge to cry.

"I have disappointed them after all".

"No-"

"Kashi-I got expelled. I just got expelled", we stared at each other in a odd way, as if it were a silent argument. That's until Amatsuki's tears arose, the same as mine.

"Maybe-maybe this is the best way. That's a medical school and Ama-Chan's dream is to become a singer. Now you can focus more on it, right?", I tried to reassure him as our tears keep trailing down.

"It isn't that easy", he hiccups. With the same quietness, he lends his head on my shoulder.

"My parents hoping for me to become something else that I don't want to—they will never approve my dream...I'm such a failure, right? haha..", he faked a smile, to cover the mental pain.

I felt an urge to do something, to comfort him. Instead of throwing those nice words, I pressed my lips again his, felt his body loosen and arms touch my shoulders. He finally let out a chuckle, and I felt his lips smile against mine before I cut it.

"Hey, Ama-Chan", I rubbed my palm against his soft cheeks. "I know if you do the small talk with them, I know they will understand"

The silent—I know he was doubting himself. I brought his face closer. "Can you do it for me please", I pleaded.

He downcast, made up his mind before flash a cute smile. "Hum! I think I will try it out for you Kashi"

"Promise", I released my palm from his cheeks and stuck out my finger.

He lingering his own on mine as well. "Promise", his smile grew wider.

He stood up as he swinging his bag over his shoulder. "I will go home now", he confessed and step out from the shrine.

"That's the spirit", I yelled.

He chuckles. "You're so loud Kashi".

The short brunette then locked his eyes on the starry night sky to the bright moon. With a sheepishly smile he said," Moon is kinda dark today, isn't it?"

"Yea, it does"

"Hey, Kashi"

"Hum?"

"If I successfully find a part-time job and buy a guitar will you um-attend to my small concert?"

I was in a deep puzzlement as I tilted my head to the side, made my mask to follow along.

He pouted, "Moo I mean, I will sing you a few songs here just like in the concert"

"Concert?"

Amatsuki's face started to changed to the panic one as he gasped, "I forgot that you never leave this place so you never attend one before", he muttered.

Correct, this shrine. I never leave this place. I'm a fox spirit that protects this holy place, of course, I can't leave, not even one small step.

"Then bring to me one"

"Eh?"

"That concert bring it to me!", I happily exclaimed as he nodded.

"I will after I buy my guitar, I will!"

I never felt so happy before as I stuck my finger once again. "Promise me!"

He soft laughed stuck on my eardrums. "Promise", he released his finger and looked toward his path.

"You're going now?"

"Yea...", I reached my hand out and tucked a stray of his brown hair to behind his red ears. Why do his ears suddenly raise a red color?, I wonder and decided to dodged it away when Ama-chan folded me into a hug.

"I will come back", he buried his face deeper on my neck.

"Hum!", with the last tight hug, I watched him dashed away before disappearing along the way on the black street. Faded away from my sight.

Forever

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was such a nice day of summer. The wind blew gently across the small gap of the trees. The sun shone brightly as the bird chirped happily, spread their white feather wings proudly in the azure blue sky.

I waited for Ama-Chan to come today as usual but he never did. I thoughts that he might be late but no-he never come back. Never....no matter how long I wait for him.

Tomorrow

The day after

One week after that

A month after that

No sign of Ama-Chan popped out.
"Maybe he was busy-maybe he finds a new job and doesn't have time to come here", I thought but no matter how positive I tried to made it sounds like-I still can't get out of this uneasy feeling that tangled me from inside.

It was another day without Ama-Chan. Nearly two months since I last met him, since the last time I hugged him in my arms, I can't help myself than to cry silently, waiting for him to comfort me but no-

Instead, they are the few police cars that come over with the two ambulances afterward.

Huh that is weird

Did someone just die? Or- I try to follow but because of the boundaries between this shrine and the outside world, I can't as I fell on my knees and buried my face in it.

Ama-Chan......

"Hey, do anyone have inform you yet?", the highschool girl from outside the shrine said loudly.

"Shhhhhhh about what?", her friend replied

"That someone gets killed by his parents on his house and that student is our ex-student"

"Eh really?"

"Yes from what my sister said, that the student gets expelled from our school around two months ago causing him to have a huge fight with his parent and I heard his father stabbed him with a knife on his neck and he died right away."

"Eww really"

"Yea so his parents was freaked out and buried him in their backyard"

"Ah that sad"

"yea-and the police just found out and his parents are under arrest"

The chatted between the girl stopped when the school bus came. I stunned as I can felt that my heart dropped and my legs turned into a noodle. The negative thought crawling inside, drowning me more in the confusion.

Why is it sound like-

I get on my feet and ran towards the girl
"And you know that student name is ********", the girl said and It's inaudible as I reach my hand to grab the girl but she's gone.

"Hey tell me his name", I yelled with all my might but of course they can't hear me—no one can except for my dear one.

Once again, I fell on my knees and hugged it, sobbed loudly as I cried out everything I keep inside. The tears boost out like a river, spilling down my cheeks and drenched my clothes. My chin trembles like a small child as everything around fell into blackness. Wishing for this was just nothing than a nightmare, I fell asleep.

And the nightmare slowly becomes a painful reality as I still waiting for my brunette. Waiting for him to sing for me, after all, he promised me. So I will wait no matter how long it will be...

One year

Two years

Three years

And go on

Even after 10 years, I still do

waiting for him to come home