Narrator: After about a few weeks, Youji got taken off ICU.

: But he still hasn’t regained consciousness yet.

: The doctors said that he’s deep in R.E.M. It might have been from the bullet that scraped his head.

Omi: Ne, you guys… I’m getting kinda worried…

(Omi marks off another day on the calendar. It is December 16.)

Omi: There’s only four more days left for Youji-kun to wake up…

(Omi turns around to look at Aya, attempting to change the subject. Aya is sitting on the couch of Koneko Sumu Ie, with a pile of flowers in front of him.)

Omi: How are the corsages coming, Aya-kun?

Page 2

Aya (flatly): … Fine.

Aya (thought): Four days…

(He snips the rose flower off from the stem.)

(Time passes.)

Aya (crashing on Youji’s bed): Ah~~! I’m _never_ making corsages _again! _ (What a pain!)

Aya (touches Youji’s sheets, thought): … Four more days…and this smell will be gone forever…

Aya (clenches Youji’s pillow and buries his face deep into it): Youji…

Page 3

Aya (voice over): Youji…

Youji (wakes up on an opened book with a start, shouts): Aya!

Youji (notices that something is wrong, sweat drops): eh?

(Asuka looks at him and sighs, exasperated.)

Asuka (while walking with Youji): Y’know, Youji… You’ve been acting weird lately.

Youji (untying his hair): Really?

Asuka: Yeah. You often wake up screaming "Aya" for some reason… (This time in the library of all places…)

Youji: "Aya?"

Asuka: Who is she, anyway?

Page 4

Youji (sighs, smiling): It’s just a dream.

Asuka: Huh?

Youji: See, in this dream, I’m an assassin in a group called "Weiss…"

: Along with these three other guys… Aya, Ken and Omi…

(An image of the other three Weiss people, but their faces is shaded out.)

Asuka: And where am I in all this?

Youji: You?

Youji (not really wanting to tell): …You died. While…trying to save me from an ambush…

(Image of Asuka smeared with blood, clothes ripped apart and smiling.)

Asuka (turns around and smiles at Youji): … Well, at least I died trying to save you, right?

Asuka (begins walking again): Come on, we’re going to pick out my wedding gown!

(Her earrings swing around enough for Youji to see. Youji is shocked that they are earrings, which have the rune of "As.")

Youji (thought): Wait… This isn’t right…!

Page 5 (Inside cover)

Herzlichen Glukwunsch zum Geburtstag <Book Two>

Presented by Youko Fujima

(It is the scene of objects on a desk. The objects include a rose and an orchid [Youji's image flower] intertwined together with a sketchbook, photos, and a pen on the table. The sketchbook has a rough sketch of Aya on it. The photos have images of Aya and Youji together, and the one that stands out most is one where Youji is splashing Aya with water, and the two are laughing. The photos were most likely taken at the beach.)

Page 6

Youji: Wait… Asuka!

Asuka (stops and turns her head): Huh?

Youji: Those earrings…

: …Where did you get them?

(An image of the box that Youji had the rune necklace in.)

Asuka (puts her hand to the earrings and smiles): Silly… You gave it to me on my 6^th birthday! The chains are so strong; it doesn’t break at all!

Youji (grimly): No… That’s …wrong. This is a dream, isn’t it?

(Asuka back faces him, her expression is shocked.)

Page 7

Asuka (turns back to face Youji): Youji… what are you talking about?! Don’t you want to stay with me forever? We’re getting married!

Asuka (embraces Youji, in tears): Even if you think this is a dream, don’t go back…

: Don’t go back to that nightmare…

: Stay here with me, please…

Youji (thought): "Stay…"

Asuka (releasing him from the embrace, but holding his hands): This isn’t a dream, Youji!

: This is reality! Do I look fake to you?!

Youji (thought): In here…?

Page 8

(Youji takes Asuka’s hand and puts it down.)

Youji: No, Asuka… I can’t.

: This isn’t real. You don’t exist like this…

Youji: And neither do those earrings.

: They are now part of a necklace. I didn’t grow up with you; I met you in college.

: I couldn’t have given them to you when you were six.

(He squeezes his eyes shut, his brows creasing.)

Youji (thought): I’m sorry…

Youji: I… I don’t know if you’re alive or not, either…

: All I know is, I can’t see you anymore…

(Asuka is in tears, and her image begins to crack like glass.)

Youji: This might sound cruel… But…

Page 9

Youji: As much as I love you… As much as I would want to stay with you…

: I have someone who needs me somewhere else.

: This isn’t real… You’re not real…

Youji (he smiles sadly as tears run down his cheek): You’re just a figment of… what I wish it were…

(Asuka shudders, her image along with the background beings to crack. She begins to cry uncontrollably, and her mouth opens in a scream, but no sounds come out. She reaches out for Youji, but shatters into pieces.)

Page 10

(Pieces of the dream begin to fall, and Youji tries to catch Asuka, but instead gets a hold of the rune earrings.)

Youji (thought): I’m sorry…

(Tears begin to emerge from Youji’s eyes as he looks at the earrings.)

Youji (thought): Perhaps if I didn’t tell you this… If I didn’t think so highly of these…

Youji (thought): Then… Maybe… I could’ve stayed in this Paradise…

(A tear falls on Youji’s gloved hands. [He is now back in his assassin’s uniform.] Youji notices it.)

Youji: Eh?

Youji (covering his eyes, shaking): Ha…ha… What’s wrong… with me…?

: Crying over…a dream image…

: Really…so much…like…

Page 11

Youji: An idiot…!

(He falls on his knees, holding his own shoulders. The world around him is no longer what it was, but pieces of it lay in front of him. The background is now completely black.)

Youji (thought): God… Help me!

(Flash to Aya, who is in the middle of arranging flowers in a vase. He turns his head suddenly.)

Aya: …Youji?!

Page 12 (Break Pic—it’s something like a small commercial break.)

(The pic has Aya and Youji looking into each other’s eyes sadly. A piece of glass [most likely the window of the ICU room] separates them. Youji is covered in blood. Aya has his hand on the glass, as does Youji’s. Both seem to be trying to touch each other. There is a poem/song written on this page.)

If I awoke one night screaming for help

You would come, won’t you?

But now I don’t want that help

I want to graduate from you.

Please don’t fancy me cruel

Just please start hating me

In this game, I’ll play the fool

As long as you stay away from me

Don’t ask why

I just don’t need you anymore

Please don’t cry

I just don’t want you anymore

Stay away from me, I beg of you!

Stay safe away from this devil in this heart of mine!

Ask nothing! This is all I ask of you!

Don’t let me stain you, angel mine.

Rescue me not

When my dreams shatter and melt into nightmares

Kiss me not

When it begins to hurt and I’m beyond my greatest fears

Don’t ask me why

I just don’t need you anymore

And yet I lie

But I can’t see you anymore…

--Youko Fujima (4-4-99)

Page 13

Youji:…

(Youji wipes his face somewhat, seemingly of the tears and sighs. He sees a speck of light in the distance.)

Youji (thought): light…

Youji (thought): Where does it…lead to…?

(He stands up and begins to walk towards it.)

Page 14

Youji (thought):? Strange…

Youji (thought, looking down at his own hand): It seems that with every step I take… I get lighter. It feels strange…but…

Youji (closes his eyes, thought): It feels so good… I want to keep going…

Voice (shouts): STOP!

(Youji opens his eyes in shock and he gasps.)

Page 15

Aya-chan <note: Ran’s sister> (blocking Youji, shouts): Don’t go any further or you’ll die!

Youji (thought): Who is this girl…?

Aya-chan: Don’t you have someone that needs you?! Turn back!

Youji (starts to turn, thought): I don’t know who she is, but… She is right…

Youji (takes one step): Aya needs me…

(Youji’s head [where the bullet hit him] begins to bleed, and he vomits blood.)

Youji: !!

(He crouches down and covers a bleeding wound on his chest.)

Youji: I…can’t… Once I turn back…it starts…

Aya-chan (runs over to his side, shouts): Youji-kun!

Page 16

Aya-chan (shouting): Just don’t think about it…! Think so some happy thoughts, or…

Youji (thought): Happy thoughts…? I have none…

Aya-chan (shouts): Or think of something that you have to do!

Youji (thought): I still… have to…

(He sees an image of the rune necklace.)

Youji (thought): …Aya!

(He remembers Aya [Ran’s] depressed face.)

Page 17

Youji (gets up, panting and thinking): …I still have to give Aya…

Youji (starting to walk, turns his head): Oh yeah… You…I don’t have your name yet…

Aya-chan (smiles, begins to fade): … Aya Fujimiya.

(Youji looks at her, eyes widened in shock.)

Aya-chan (voice-over): Tell my brother…

Page 18

Aya-chan (voice-over): That I…

(At the hospital Aya [Ran] walks down the hall and into a room that says "Youji Kudo" on the sign.)

Aya (looking at the unconscious Youji): Youji… Do you really want to be killed?

(Aya closes his eyes and reaches to touch a rose in the vase that sits on a drawer next to the bed.)

Aya: Tomorrow, they’ll be coming in with a needle… …And you’ll be dead in two minutes.

(He crushes one of the roses under his fingers.)

Page 19

Aya (touches Youji’s hand): Youji…

Aya (sits down, whispers): …I had a dream last night… You came, covered in blood just like the first time…

Aya (holds Youji’s hand up): You were saying something, but I can never hear you…

Aya: Why can’t I hear you?! Is this some sort of punishment?!

(Aya slaps Youji’s hand away.)

Page 20

Aya (stands up, shouts): When you say "happiness," does it mean that you give it to me for a second and then take it away instantly?!

Aya: This selfish act…

Aya (shouts): It this your term for "happiness?!"

(He smiles almost evilly, but tears stream down from his eyes.)

Aya (whispers): …Lies! You Liar!

Page 21

(Youji grabs Aya’s wrist.)

Youji (strained): …wait… Don’t…go…

(Youji turns his head on the pillow to look at Aya, his expression pained.)

Youji (hardly audible): I…I swear… I didn’t…lie to…you…

Page 22

Youji (voice over): I didn’t lie to you!

Aya: You…

(Youji begins to swoon due to the sudden shock.)

Aya (shouts): DOCTOR!!

(Dr. Bilow comes into the room as Youji’s head hangs, but he still has a grip on Aya’s arm.)

Page 23

Break II

(Aya falls while he looks up nonchalantly at Youji as Youji attempts to catch him. There is a small verse next to them.)

There is a song I know

A song with a sweet refrain

A song only I know

And I sing only for you.

Page 24

Narrator: A day after Youji awoke, he was let out of the hospital so that he can begin work again ASAP.

: But…

Omi (typing on his laptop, looking a bit disgruntled): Youji-kun… I’m really glad that you came out of the hospital, but…

Omi: Why oh why did you have to choose Christmas Eve to do it?! (Now I have to spend my break hacking and deleting for you!!)

Ken (with a mop in his hands): Oh, c’mon Omi. At least he got out, right?

Arrow: Cleaning up.

(Youji smiles only a little from where he’s sitting; he waves with a gloved hand and says nothing. Aya is straightening out his apron while looking at him in concern.)

Aya:…

Aya (thought): The strange thing is… Youji hardly said anything upon his return. He seldomly smiled, and when spoken to, he only gives a small reaction. And…he constantly wears gloves.

Page 25

Ken (putting the mop against the wall): Whew! Finally finished!

Ken (putting on his jacket): I’ll leave you guys to close up! See ya! (Merry X-mass!)

Omi (still looking disgruntled): I’m going home to finish hacking.

Youji (sitting at the couch with his eyes closed): … Aya.

Aya (while putting on his trench coat): Eh?

Youji: After we close up, can you walk home with me?

Youji: I have something to show you.

(A look of surprise from Aya.)

Page 26

Aya (lifting the metal doors to the shop to get out): Where are we going?

Youji (while helping Aya lift the doors):…

Youji (turns):… You’ll see.

(Youji walks ahead of Aya, pushing his sunglasses up. Aya looks at him while snow comes down.)

Youji (opening a metal gate): In here.

Page 27

(Youji stands in front of "his grave," looking down at it. There is a bouquet of roses by the tombstone.)

Aya (thought):…! That grave…

Page 28

Youji (smiles, pointing at the grave): Considering your reaction to this, I suppose Twinken already showed you.

Aya (off-screen): "Twinken?"

Youji (reaching into his pockets): The dog.

Youji (taking out a rose to put on the grave): I gave it back… I was dog-sitting it.

Youji: I "died" two years ago… Manx brought the remains of some other man to my house.

(Flashback)

Manx: Are you Mrs. Kudo? These are the remains of your son.

(End flashback)

Page 29

Youji: I was in the car behind her, watching… I suppose it was a loyalty test… If I had run out, they would’ve shot me…

(His sunglasses cover his eyes completely as Youji arches his head back to look at the sky.)

Youji: … Damn.

Aya (with a sad expression): Youji…

Youji (turns and pats Aya’s head): Oh, you’re still here? I thought you already ran off due to boredom.

Page 30

Aya: But why behind a church?

Youji (taking off his gloves): My mother’s from England, so she’s Christian.

Youji (bites his gloves off): She insisted that her only son, me, be given a Christian burial.

(He glances at the tombstone.)

Youji:…

(His ungloved hand reach to touch the stone, but Aya’s hand grabs his sleeve from behind him.)

Page 31

(Youji turns his head, shocked, to see Aya’s head low. Aya holds onto his sleeve tightly.)

Youji: Aya?

Aya (brows creasing):…

Aya (thought): Don’t touch it…

Page 32

Youji (turns around fully, unties his scarf): What’s wrong? Are you cold?

Aya:…

Aya (thought): I am afraid… That if you touch it…

Aya (thought): The spirit within that grave would pull you down… And I’ll lose you forever…

Youji (ties the scarf he had on to Aya’s neck loosely, yet comfortably): There.

(He kisses Aya’s forehead.)

Aya (blushes somewhat): Youji…?

Youji: Ich liebe dich, schwarz Engel.

Page 33 (Break III)

(Youji and Aya are standing on opposite sides of what looks like a mirror. Youji is dressed in very pop-cultured clothing while Aya is dressed in a three-pieced suit. The two of them touch the glass of the mirror and it ripples at the point where their fingers meet.)

Page 34

(In Youji’s room.)

Aya (off screen): Dante was wrong… Hell is 33 degrees…

Youji (off screen): How was I supposed to know the snow was going to turn into rain?!

Youji (dropping a towel on Aya’s head): Go and take a shower before you catch a flu.

Aya: !

Aya (from inside the bathroom): But I don’t have any clothes here!

Youji (his shirt already off): Borrow mine. There should be some clean clothes in there.

(Youji notices the rune necklace on Aya’s pile of wet clothes. He picks it up to look at it.)

Youji: …

Page 35

Aya (coming out of the showers, wearing Youji’s clothes): Youji, I seriously think this shirt’s a bit too big…

Aya:?

(Youji is seated at the table in his room, his one foot on it, working with something in his hands. He has on his glasses [not sunglasses], and he is already changed.)

Aya (leans over Youji’s back, reaching for the thing): What is that?

Youji (looks up): Aya…

Aya: Can I see?

Page 36

Youji (stands up): Sure, give me some room, though.

(Youji stands behind Aya, who is now seated on the chair, putting a choker on Aya.)

Youji: Hold on.

Aya (takes the "As" rune in his hand and looks at it): This is…!

Youji (sits down on the bed): I figured it might be a bit dangerous on a wire…so I made it into a choker.

Page 37

Aya (gets up and embraces Youji): Danke.

Youji (in a state of shock):…!

Aya (whispers): …Youji.

(Pages 38 to 44 had been omitted due to yaoi lemon content.)

Page 45

Aya: …so.

(There’s a cigarette on the small table next to the bed. It’s lit, but it’s just sitting there.)

Aya: Is this the reason why you’ve been wearing gloves?

Youji: …yeah.

Aya (holds Youji’s left and kisses the palm of it): Hmm.

Aya (looks down at the hand): Well, with these hands, you look like…

(Youji’s hand is shown with a small puncture scar in the center.)

Aya: …Jesus Christ.

Page 46

Youji: (clenches hand lightly) Please…don’t compare me to a saint.

Aya: (smiles a bit) Oh? Then what are you?

Youji: (lays down on the bed) Eh… Maybe Lucifer or something just as evil…

Aya: Then what am I? The Black Angel?

Youji: You saw the painting, didn’t you?

Youji: (lifts Aya’s chin) If I am Lucifer…

Aya:…

Youji: Then you are "Sin." The "Sin" I created… To give birth to "Death."

Page 47

Aya: (voice over) If I am "Sin," and you are "Lucifer…"

Youji: On your next birthday, let’s go somewhere.

Aya: (voice over) Then let us go together…

Youji: Just the two of us.

Aya: (voice over) Let us fall from grace together…

Youji: Frohne Weihnachten.

Aya: (voice over) Forever.

[END 4-27-99 Youko Fujima]

Page 48 (Epilogue)

(The pic shows Aya and Youji standing together, they are holding their own respective luggage, seemingly going somewhere.)

Page 49

(Youji steps on a cigarette stump.)

Girl 1: Hey, look at that guy!

Girl 2: He’s been standing there for an hour!

Girl 3: I think I’ve seen him on TV before!

Girl 4: A model?

Ran: (off screen) OI! SORRY I’M LATE!

Youji: I would like to know why in the world the one with the LESS CRAMMED schedule IS LATE.

Ran: Sorry… I had to drive Aya-chan to dance class…

Page 50

Youji: C’mon, we already missed the first train!

Ran: Really?!

Ran: (voice over) It’s only been about half a year since Weiss ended… Now Youji’s sunglasses were a constant necessity. In case a fan noticed him. He’s a star now. (Amazingly.)

(Youji lays his head back on the seat and sighs.)

Ran: (voice over) Yet he snuck out to celebrate this day…

Ran: (thought) To say the truth, I’m kind worried…

Youji: Ah! This is our stop!

Ran: You’re kidding!

Page 51

(At the beach.)

Youji: Whoa, this is nice! Come on.

(They throw down their luggage and walk on the beach.)

Page 52

(Ran looks at Youji who’s staring at the sunset. He drops his shoes.)

Ran: (shouts) YOUJI! THINK FAST!

Youji: (turns his head) Eh?

Page 53

(Ran gives Youji a push into the water.)

Page 54

Boy: What are those two doing?

Girl: I wouldn’t know…

Youji: (shouts) WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU BITCH??

Ran: WAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

(And they…splash around…)

Page 55

(Ran and Youji look at the sunset.)

Ran: Kirei…

Youji: (hums)

Ran: Youji?

Youji: (sings) What you see is what you are and what you are is beautiful.

Page 56

Ran: (blushes) What are you talking about…?

(Youji takes out a box and opens it to reveal a ring.)

Youji: (sings) You wanna get married? Or run away?

[© Goo Goo Dolls "Slide"]

Page 57

(A page of random pictures of Ran and Youji.)

Page 58

Atogaki

(Ran and Youji standing next to an ad poster of Youji’s new album. Youji has sunglasses on and is smoking. Ran stands next to him, holding onto the leash of Twinken.)

[Herzlichen Glukwunsch zum Geburtstag END]