Hey.

Can you hear me?

I hope you can, although I am somehow relieved if you can't.

Why? Hmm, I wonder as well.

Maybe because I feel like a complete coward for not telling you before; I just had to wait until a time where you can't hear me nor see me.

Everything I wanted to tell you...useless as they fall into deaf ears.

But I'll tell it all to you anyway.

I'm glad to have met you. I'm thankful that I was given the privilege to call you as my bestfriend. I must be such a fool to have taken that privilege for granted, and left you when you needed me most. I'm such a failure...a bad friend.

You don't have to forgive me. I don't deserve to live anyway.

The world's one heck of an ocean and we're both drowning.

Sometimes, I wonder who really needs the saving – you or me?

~

Reiji stared at his reflection in the mirror as his hands fixed his tie for the umpteenth time. Years of being in the idol industry was supposed to make him an expert in tying ties but for this occasion, the blue piece of garment just seemed out of place. He discarded the tie and sighed.

Perhaps he should've just stuck with the attire he wore years ago, back to the time he was unable to save his bestfriend.

Reiji shook his head. That was a different reality now. Due to whatever up there that was listening to his sobs at night about his inability to save a certain someone, the clown-sempai went back to the past in hopes of altering Aine's fate.

Speaking of Aine, the cyanette was as brilliant as ever. Reiji happened to pass-by a practice room where he heard the other sang. The brunet almost forgot how majestic his bestfriend and rival sounded so he found himself leaning on the other side of the door, savouring the sweet melody only an angel could create.

'I won't lose to him though.' Reiji thought, determined to move to greater heights with his cyan-haired companion. The eldest of the Quartet Night couldn't possibly think of a better rival than the one he has now and hopefully until the end of their lifetime.

"He seems to have lightened up." The brunet told himself. "He looks like he's enjoying life."

How he hoped he was right.

30 minutes left before his audition. There was a knock at the door, which Reiji opened, and revealed the visitor to be Aine.

"Nani? What cha doing here, Aine? Aren't you supposed to be rehearsing?" Reiji inquired. "You're after me, right?"

"I want to talk to you about something." Aine said, sounding serious.

The cyan-haired teen let himself in and sat on a chair, motioning Reiji to follow suit. The brunet took a seat opposite Aine and waited for the other to talk, eager to know what his bestfriend wanted to discuss about.

"Reiji...you told me you had a dream about me trying to take my own life, correct?" Aine began.

Immediately, Reiji's heart raced twice its speed. "What about it?"

The cyanette was silent for a tense moment until he spoke. "I planned to do it."

At that moment, something like a chandelier crashed and burned Reiji's cool.

"Y-You can't!" Reiji exclaimed as he stood up. "You simply can't!"

"Reiji..."

"NO! No no no! I will not allow it! I w-won't let it happen! I-I'm not losing you! Fuck it, you are not throwing your future away!"

Reiji was starting to sound scared and threatened like a child abandoned in the dark, longing to be saved.

"I couldn't save you, but this time I could! You said it yourself, remember? I could and I certainly would save you so stop saying shit that you want to die!"

"REIJI!"

Aforementioned male stopped his rant and slowly sat down, his grey eyes on the verge of spilling some tears. He hung his head low to avert the gaze of the other.

"Listen to me first, okay?" Aine pleaded. "I did plan to kill myself."

Reiji winced at Aine's statement. He wanted to avoid this topic, but if it were to stop the past from happening again somehow, then he would cast his feelings aside and listen. His bestfriend needed him and he wasn't going to ignore that.

"Carry on." The brunet managed to say, still avoiding eye contact.

"I thought I lost all reason for being an idol...and for living...but then that day happened where you told me you'd miss me and so will other people. I didn't think my existence would mean anything until you came along and made me realize how wonderful it would be to be an idol. The past few days made spent with you and the others gave me hope, which I desperately needed."

The brunet meekly raised his head and saw Aine with a smile on his face.

"I've been selfish...I lost sight but you made me see what mattered most and that's to bring joy to other people's lives. If your dream was real and if I did do the unthinkable, then I wouldn't be bringing joy to others right?" Aine exclaimed.

"No, no you won't." Reiji sniffled.

"Indeed...and I couldn't possibly bear the thought of my bestfriend living in a world of regret about not saving me." Aine whispered though audible enough for Reiji to hear. "I'd rather live in this damn world if it means seeing you happy."

Reiji smiled slightly. "The world's not that bad."

"I don't doubt you."

This time, Reiji looked at Aine in the eyes and grinned. He never saw such shine in the other's eyes and it made him happy. Reiji was glad – he had done what he failed to do years ago. He saved Aine, he saved a life.

Did I...?

"Ah I sound out of character." Aine said sheepishly before looking at the clock. He took something out of his pocket and tossed it to Reiji. "Don't disappoint me with your performance."

Reiji looked at the green neck tie and smirked. "You won't be."

The cyanette returned the gesture before walking out of the room, leaving the clown-sempai with a burning determination.

'He knows me well.' Reiji thought as he tied the green tie. 'I'll make sure my performance is a performance he will never forget!'

Fixing his tie and grabbing a fedora, Reiji ran out of the room and into the stage where he stood several years ago, only this time, held a different future now that Aine's by his side.

But being saved doesn't change anything if we were to lose each other.

Watch over me and I'll watch over you.

That's a promise.

~

"KANPAI!!!!"

A group of four friends were at a BBQ hut celebrating their debut as idols. Their days as hardworking S-class students finally paid off as they would soon enter another chapter in the Shining Agency as professionals in the Master Course.

"Your performances were splendid, you two!" Hibiki cheered. "You must've practiced so hard!"

"I would believe that if it were Aine. Reiji however..."

"Mou, Kei you don't believe in me?" Reiji whined.

"Your dumb luck, maybe." Kei responded.

"So mean~"

Aine chuckled. "Both of us passed, right? Then it means we did our best and are worthy of being in the Master Course."

"Master Course...when will that be?" Hibiki asked.

"Still a long time from now. Don't hurry, I need all the me time before I step inside that course." Kei exclaimed and drank another glass of sake. "Besides, we'll be very busy since we'll be working as professionals. I heard that the sempais there are quite strict."

"You have a point." Hibiki muttered.

The four continued to eat, drink, and chat until a loud cheer from a crowd echoed throughout the area. The other diners went out of the hut in an exited manner, leaving Reiji and his friends curious about the event taking place outside.

"What's going on?" Aine asked.

Kei shrugged and took a sip of his drink. "Who knows?"

"Let's go check it out!" Reiji exclaimed and dashed out of the room.

"Oi, Reiji!"

Aine, Kei, and Hibiki had no choice but to run after their ever energetic friend. As the group got nearer to the crowd, the sound of bass guitars and drums became more prominent.

"A rock concert?" Kei exclaimed. The audience was so packed that it was difficult to see the band performing. Not a challenge for Reiji though.

"Reiji! Get back here!" Kei shouted. "There's no way in!"

"Yes there is!" Reiji hollered. "I'll be right back!"

"Reiji!!!"

The brunet soon disappeared among the crowd, leaving Kei annoyed. Aine sensed his friend's growing irritation and patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's wait for him at the BBQ hut. He'll be fine."

"If he's not an idiot or named Kotobuki Reiji, maybe!" Kei snapped but went back to the hut with the others anyway.

Meanwhile, Reiji was able to move past the crowd and had gotten a view of the concert. A group of four were performing: two were playing the bass and electric guitars, one was doing the vocals, and the other guy was rocking the drums. The crowd went wild when the bass solo came and Reiji couldn't help but to have his eyes focus on a pair of familiar dual-colored ones.

"Ran-Ran?"

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I AM STILL ALIVE. Hello dear readers! It feels like forever since I last updated. I got lucky that I wasn't loaded with homework so yeah, why not update? Thank you so much for waiting, your patience is very much applauded ^_^ Hurhur...excuse Rei-chan's OOCness in this chapter (and believe me - things will get a lot weirder in the following chaps). Thanks to those who voted/commented/followed! I hope you enjoyed this fanfic and stay tuned for more!

Oho...Tsunmaru finally appears? Mehehehe ;)