I wonder if this is what a dying person feels like. Well, someone who thinks he's going to die soon anyway.
As I trudged up the stairs of Kuroha's apartment, I quickly revised what I was going to say just in case I couldn't come up with something later onwards. Sure, I had a high IQ, but it didn't apply to romance and relationships and the likes. They were topics I tended to avoid after all.
One of the many doors abruptly opened to reveal a very surprised Kuroha and he immediately pranced over to me, smiling cheerfully like one of those senpai-noticed girls in manga. "I thought you were staying the night there?" He asked, curious to know why I suddenly changed my mind.
I stayed silent for a while, pondering over whether this was a good idea or not.
"Uh… Listen…" I hesitated before speaking up again. "There's something important I want to tell you." He leaned in closer, as if to prove that he was listening. "I… I'm breaking up with you.
Silence. There was only silence between the both of us as soon as the last word left my mouth.
He stared at me with the same previous surprised look on his face, before he suddenly burst out laughing, hardly believing what I was saying.
"I'm serious. This has to stop." I continued, upset that he thought I was joking. Why is that no-one ever believes me anymore? Am I really that untrustworthy?
Kuroha stopped laughing and gazed down at me, the surprised expression having turned into one of coldness. The look on his eyes sent shivers down my spines, and I gulped.
This was not good. Definitely not good.
"Why?" Was all he said in response.
I finally snapped. No longer was I going to allow him to manipulate me and force me to act the way he wanted without my own permission.
"Why? Why? You're asking me why?! All you've ever done is control me like I'm nothing but a slave and smother me in unwanted affection!" I cried out, clenching my hands into tight fists and gritting my teeth in fury. How dare he act this way to me? Is he really that dense?
"I… I never even loved you in the first place!" I finally broke down but soon afterwards, immediately clamped a hand over my mouth. What have I done?
Kuroha seemed to be staring at the ground, his foot tapping along in a random pattern. It looked like he hadn't been paying attention, but I knew he had listened to every word I said. And it was safe to say that I knew he was most definitely angry right now.
"I see." He said in an emotionless voice, refusing to look up at me. I hastily nodded, not knowing what else to do, and simply fled the scene.
As I hurled myself out the apartment door, I quickly glanced behind my back to see whether he was following me or not. Strangely, he wasn't. With his ridiculous speed, he should've been able to catch up to me in just a few seconds.
Whatever. It's done now, and I will no longer be bound by his affection. I'll be able to hang out with my friends again just like in the past. I'll be able to do whatever I want without anyone bothering me. I'll be living a peaceful life just like I've always wanted.
So why does it hurt so much inside?
Once home, I headed straight to my bedroom and slumped down onto my bed, exhausted to the bone. So much had happened already in a mere two days, and I was now feeling the horrible aftereffects of it all.
"Master, how did it go?" Ene's familiar voice echoed from within my computer, and I sat back up to see a look of concern on her face. I simply laughed in response.
"Brilliant. Just great. Now I'm a sitting duck here waiting for him to come and kill me."
I found the thought of it funnier than I found it terrifying for some absurd reason. Perhaps I was finally going nuts.
The tiny cyber-being said nothing, simply gazing down at me with pitiful eyes. "I… I'm sorry I was so irritating to you in the past… Until its time… I'll make it up to you by doing whatever you command me to…" She was literally close to tears, and I instantly regretted all the times I ever yelled at her both today and yesterday.
"Don't be absurd, I'm not going to die yet. I'll be sure to do something about it." I reassured her, though deep inside, I wasn't feeling reassured myself.
"How though?"
I got off the bed and walked over to the window, staring out at the already darkening sky. "I'm so stupid for not realizing this earlier… But…"
"But…?"
"… I think I do actually love him."
Ene's eyes widened in both surprise and shock. "Huuuuuhh?! Wait… what? But you…!"
I opened the window and stepped back, like a painter stepping back to admire his work.
"It must've because of the way he manipulated me that caused me to not realize that. Because why else would my heart hurt in this way?" I sighed and laid a hand over my chest. If only I had figured this out earlier, then I wouldn't have placed in a life or death situation such as this.
"It could just be guilt." Ene piped up, still hardly being able to believe I was in love with Kuroha for real.
I shook my head in reply. "No. I've read enough shoujo manga to know that this is real, honest-to-god love."
"Right…"
All of a sudden, there was a rustling sound from outside, directly below my open window. I knew it was none other than Kuroha himself so I turned to face Ene and whispered to her, "Go to Momo. Leave this to me." She nodded reluctantly, and vanished from the screen.
As soon as she was gone, Kuroha leapt through the window into my room and landed gracefully on his feet. I stared up at his tall figure, trembling upon seeing his cold, glaring face.
"My, this is like déjà vu, isn't it?" His frown curled at the ends to form a slight smirk.
"I-indeed…" I tried to converse with him, finding the murderous aura he was giving off too overwhelming.
"Listen. I… I just want to apolog–"
Before I was able to finish my sentence, he whipped out his gun and had it placed against my chest, right where my heart would be. I gulped in fear, too petrified to speak up again.
"My dear Shinshin… I spent my time back there thinking about what to do, and I thought about forgiving you…" He started off in a normal, neither pleasant nor unpleasant tone.
"But… If you won't willingly be mine… Then I'll make sure no-one else can have you, and take you by force for myself!" Those last few sentences were laced with menace and every kind of poison, and I couldn't help but shiver, knowing my face at the moment was as pale as snow.
"…N-no! I… What I did was truly unforgivable… But I realize now that I in fact actually love you! I really do!" I swallowed back my fear and blurted out my confession, hoping it would get through to him.
The cold expression on his face seemed to soften a bit, and I felt my heart soar up in relief and hope. Maybe this could work out after all. At least, that was what I originally thought.
"Lies!" He hissed, digging the gun further into my chest, to the point where it hurt so much that I had to bite my lip to stop myself from screaming in pain.
"I'm being honest!" I sobbed, breaking down and allowing myself to cry.
At that moment, he seemed lost for words, having not seen me cry like this before. I continued on blubbering, wiping away my tears with the sleeves of my jersey at the same time.
But even so, he stubbornly refused to give in and the same, old glare of his returned once more.
"I'll make your death a quick one." Was all he said, though I swore I heard his voice waver in uncertainty and reluctance.
"No! No! I don't want to–"
BANG!
End – True End
