I own none of the characters.

Seeing Keiko, especially when she's around Yusuke, reminds me of myself. It was long ago, when I was younger, much younger. I had just been invited as a "guest" to the dark tournament. And so I went to him for advice, knowing perfectly well that he had probably been invited as well.

I could not find him.

Throughout the training I did in preparation for the Tournament, I worried. I worried, even knowing he was most likely perfectly okay. I worried, even knowing it was a distraction from the studying. I worried, even knowing that distraction could make me miss something that would be very important to learn and remember. I worried, even knowing that missing that something could very well end up costing me my life.

Thankfully, my worrying was for naught. He arrived in time to fight with the rest of us, despite the fact that trying to win this tournament was probably a suicide mission, and that we all knew that.

I was so relieved that he was safe, if only until we entered the arena. This sense of relief and happiness was so strong I did not worry about the battles in the slightest. My feeling of elation alone gave me enough power to defeat any opponent. Surely knowing whether he was alive or dead was better than the worrying, better than the not knowing, better than the feeling of helplessness. Surely knowing was better than being in the dark.

In the end, he turned his back on me. Began killing for no reason. Bloodlust became a constant companion.

And fifty years after this transpired, he killed me.

But, to be perfectly honest, I probably could have stopped him. Not killed him necessarily, but stopped him nonetheless. Both of us would have been injured, but I would have lived. But I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I would rather have died than hurt him. Not that it made much difference, because I am still the one who ended up alive, he the one dead. But there was just no way I could have done it, even if I had known the final outcome. Because the monster that was trying to end my life was not the one I knew.

The one I knew was different.
He was kind and gentle.
He happily shared his knowledge with others.
He was a kind teacher, a helpful colleague, and a devoted friend.
He thought of others before himself.
He was patient.
He was always eager to learn from his coworkers, friends, and even his students.
He was slow to anger, and when he did it was justified.

This was the one I knew.

This was the one I loved. I loved him from the moment I saw him. He is the one I still love.

And this is why whenever I see Keiko, I pray for her. I pray that she will let Yusuke know she loves him. I pray that he doesn't make mistakes that tear them apart forever. And most of all I pray that, if he does, she will have the strength to stop him before it's too late; that she will have the power to change his mind.

I guess what I'm really praying for is that Yusuke and Keiko don't repeat the mistakes made by Toguro and myself.