Kurisu was running as fast as she could, trying to withhold the tears welling up in her eyes. They were so close to falling, but she couldn't let them fall now. She was determined. I'm going to save you! Kurisu was sure to hear footsteps splashing multiple times in puddles a few meters away from her, but right now she didn't care. She had to get back to the lab fast. Okabe!
"Do you think we need more groceries?", Kurisu asked whilst searching the fridge in the corner of the room. "Maybe", Okabe answered, not moving from the window he was looking out of. The rain clouds had momentarily cleared, beaming a ray of sunshine through the clouds, making it seem like that day. Okabe visibly tensed up. Then Kurisu glanced to Okabe, seeing his black attire that had changed ever since. She had made a mistake, but couldn't fix it. Okabe would know, but Kurisu wouldn't. Okabe already made his decision and Kurisu wanted to respect that. Even though she was just too sure that Okabe should've picked Mayuri. Kurisu walked over to Okabe with a warm smile and grabbed his arm, slightly hugging it. She was noticing how shiny Okabe's eyes were, and that wasn't from light. Okabe was fighting tears back, even though it was understandable that he wanted to cry now. It was understandable that he wanted to cry before. It's always understandable, when he wants to cry, whenever. "It's okay", Kurisu muttered and started stroking Okabe's arm, "It's okay to cry". Those words made Okabe shut his eyes close and let the tears flow. Seeing Okabe depressed like this wasn't anything new to Kurisu. But it still pained her, doesn't matter how many times she saw him like this. But Kurisu couldn't cheer him up. In fact, Okabe didn't go out for a few months after deciding. A year later Suzuha was killed by the Rounders. Since then, Okabe surrendered to SERN and said he wouldn't harm them. Because Kurisu loved Okabe so much and she knew Okabe would brake even more if he stayed alone, Kurisu surrendered as well. Now Daru and his wife Yuki are the leaders of the defence group against the dictatorship of SERN. But that didn't seem to faze Okabe at all. His thoughts seemed to revolve around other things, such as Mayuri. Such as Ruka who also got killed a while ago. Okabe was carrying so much guilt with him that it would definetly traumatize him. When Okabe started sobbing, Kurisu gently pushed Okabe away from the window and walked in front of him, before hugging him tightly. That was all Kurisu could do. All she could do is be there for him. Suddenly, violent knocks where heard coming from the other side of the door. "It's me! Open the door!", the person on the other side whisper yelled, sounding really scared and panicked. Kurisu removed herself from Okabe, giving him a reassuring smile, before walking over to the door and opening it for their visitor. "Makise, thank God. That was freaking close! I was almost caught by those guards!". It was Daru who desperately needed a place to momentarily hide from the so called guards that are humanoid robots to watch that nobody 'misbehaves'. After Daru caught his breathe, he noticed how Kurisu was worriedly looking at Okabe who now had his back turned. For the past years, Daru hadn't seen Okabe, nor heard from him. Seeing him living with Kurisu was a big surprise. So big that it left Daru speechless for a moment. "Is that really... Okarin?", Daru asked carefully and quietly and whispered it into Kurisu's ear, hoping the person in front of them, presumably Okabe, wouldn't hear them. Kurisu nodded but didn't take her eyes off of Okabe. "I think I'll get going now", Daru then said, deliberately a bit louder for Okabe to hear, and turned to the door again. Now Kurisu was alarmed. "Are you sure you won't get caught?", she questioned with a worried expression. "It'll be fine", Daru stated while turning the door knob. "See ya soon, Makise". And without further words, the door was shut and Daru continued to run for his life, desperately trying to get to his safe point of the defence group. The second Daru left, Okabe turned around, a sad smile plastered on his face. Kurisu had first noticed later, how sad Okabe looked and was just glad to see Okabe at least smile slightly. "I think we do need to go grocery shopping", Kurisu stated, before grabbing Okabe's arm an linking hers with his. Okabe nodded at that. Before both left, Kurisu grabbed a purse with both their id's inside. Without them, they couldn't leave the building.
"So we need some bread, some meat to cook and I guess some cup noodles, in case I'm not home", Kurisu started reading off her shopping list she wrote in advance. "Yeah", Okabe uttered, not looking at Kurisu. "Do we need extra money?", Kurisu asked while rummaging for her wallet in her purse. Okabe shrugged. Once Kurisu finally reached her wallet, she opened it and checked if they had enough money. They didn't. "We'll have to go to a bank". Okabe nodded, staying silent. Then suddenly it dawned on Kurisu. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to take Okabe with her. It was already the year 2025. Which meant he could die any moment, and Kurisu wouldn't be able to do anything against it! But wouldn't that mean that even if Okabe stayed at home, if his time came, he would die anyway. "Are you alright?", Okabe asked, unlinking his arms from Kurisu's and grabbing her shoulders while looking at her worriedly. Kurisu had already started breathing heavily. She didn't want Okabe to die. And knowing roughly when it was going to happen, didn't exactly make Kurisu feel any better. If she just didn't know, she could enjoy her time with Okabe a bit more, instead of constantly panicking. "Kurisu?". Her vision started getting blurry. Kurisu wasn't getting enough oxygen either. Suddenly, the picture of Mayuri getting shot by the Rounders, flashed in front of her eyes. I should've died! Not Mayuri! Then all of this wouldn't have happened! Kurisu started sobbing and could barely withhold her tears. Okabe's eyes widened in shock, before he figured out why Kurisu was crying. His face softened and he pulled Kurisu into a hug. "I've decided that I want to save you...", Okabe said soothingly while stroking Kurisu's head gently. "And no matter what, I'll protect you!", Okabe explained, more determined than ever. "Even if it costs my-". Before Okabe could finish speaking, Kurisu had already pulled him down and placed her lips on his. She didn't care if everyone was watching. She didn't care if she was blocking the road. All she wanted to do this very moment, was kiss Okabe. She wanted to show her affection towards him. She wanted him to not feel guilty. But now Kurisu felt guilty. She slowly pulled away, slightly blushing. For a very long time they hadn't kissed. To be exact, the last time they kissed, was in 2010 and 2011. She felt even more guilty now.
"Okabe! Hah... Hah... I feel the same way!", Kurisu panted, staring into the lab, more specifically, at Okabe. "I-... I love you!", she said with a smile, leaving all the lab members speechless. Okabe's face went pale, as his eyes widened. Moments later, he grabbed the keyboard and threw it to the floor. Now it was Kurisu's turn to look shocked. What was he doing? After that, microwave joined the keyboard on the floor, just that Okabe started stepping on it and breaking it. "Okarin! What are you doing!", Daru yelled, trying to stop Okabe from braking their only way of changing the future, besides the time machine. Kurisu sunk to the floor, still clutching the wall. Should she have said that? She was sure, Okabe wouldn't be there anymore. Yet, now he was destroying the microwave with no mercy. "AAAARGH!!!", was his last scream of desperation, before tearing himself away from Daru and exiting the lab noisily, banging the door behind him. "Okarin!", Mayuri exclaimed, starting to run after Okabe. Kurisu was left on the floor, paralyzed at the sight that was her fault. Had she not come and not listened to Faris's advice, then maybe Okabe would have switched world lines. Then maybe, Mayuri would have been saved. "What just happened?", Daru asked, completely baffled at the scene that just played in front of his very eyes. Kurisu couldn't answer, but just stayed, sitting on the floor in shock.
"Kurisu, I-", Okabe started, but Kurisu just started walking towards the bank that was across the street, without commenting. Okabe followed shortly. Just as they crossed the street, Okabe suddenly yelled, "Kurisu get down!". But Kurisu didn't understand why. Instead of getting down, she looked around for what the threat is. Then she saw it. A group of masked men trying to rob the bank, all of then with guns. And seconds later, shots sounded throughout the whole road, followed by pained screams. Kurisu was knocked over by someone and fell into some puddle. Just that the water inside of it was warm and a bit sticky. It was blood! When Kurisu finally opened her eyes, she felt sick. There were dozens of people, included the robbers, who were lying on the floor, covered in blood, staining the floor red. But what made Kurisu the most sick, was the sight of her loved one, with multiple bullet wounds in his torso, tinting it red, lying next to her, limp. Then Kurisu understood what happened. She was drenched in his blood, because he protected Kurisu. "Okabe...", Kurisu uttered in a hoarse voice. She felt like she was suffocating. Kurisu straight grabbed Okabe's arms, checking for a pulse. Her blood ran cold. There was no hint of a pulse. "Okabe...!", Kurisu now said in a louder voice, turning his lifeless body towards her, and started shaking him. "Please... Don't!", Kurisu whispered. She had no energy to move. She was like paralyzed. The sounds of guards next to her, bidding Kurisu to stand up, weren't even noticed by Kurisu. The only thing that went through Kurisu's head, was that he was gone. That Okabe was gone now. Kurisu hopped on her feet, scrunching her face in emotional pain and started running. Running toward the lab, the new lab. The safe point of the defence group against SERN. The lab, which contained the time leap machine that was constructed by her a while ago. Before she surrendered. That was her only hope of saving Okabe.
Kurisu stormed into the big room, locking the door behind her. "Makise?!", Daru questioned the sudden appearance of the red haired girl. She panted, but still had enough breath to say the most important thing. "Okabe...", she uttered, not being able to keep the tears in anymore. Daru directly understood what that meant. "Maho-tan! Get the time leap machine!", Daru yelled to the black haired girl, before Daru ran over to Kurisu to help her stand. He knew exactly what Kurisu wanted to do. But. "You know that his death is Convergence-". "The hell it is!", Kurisu screamed, not being able to contain herself. Daru backed away in fear as his features softened. He gave a sad smile, before saying, "Don't overdo it, 'kay?". Kurisu gave a slight nod, before sudden bangs sounded from the other side of the entrance. "Open the door, or we'll shoot!". Straight after that, Daru pushed Kurisu into the back room and locked it. Daru knew he wouldn't die until he finished the time machine, so he didn't have to worry. But he didn't want either Hiyajo or Kurisu to get hurt. "It's finished", Hiyajo exclaimed, stepping away from the phonewave. "Thanks, Maho-senpai", Kurisu said with a smile, but it disappeared the next moment and got replaced with determination. I will save you, Okabe! The second Kurisu put on the head piece, the door burst open and shots were heard. But Kurisu couldn't even realize this, because the next moment, Kurisu was already leaping through time, to the 21st March 2025.