Iwasawa
I found her where we hung out last time- the school roof. The favorite typical-Japanese-schoolgirl place. I'll admit, it's one of my favorite places, too. I saw that she was crouching right near the fence, her back towards me. Sensing that I should approach like how one approaches a cornered animal, I walk slowly towards her, knowing that she hears me when she twitches. I hear a slight sniffle. "Go away and leave me alone," she snaps without turning her head. I stop walking until I'm a few paces behind her. "It's me," I say softly. "I just want to talk to you." Sayumi turns her head. Her cheeks are a little red, and her eyes are fierce. "I don't need anyone to pity me, or talk to me. Why can't anyone ever do as I ask and just leave. Me. Alone." "You didn't exactly ask me to, you told me to," I pointed out. She glared, and stood up shakily. I hear something clatter on the floor and look down.
A syringe? Is that blood? "What is that?" She looked down, and kicked away the syringe. "It's none of your business. I'm just doing something that makes me feel not like shit," she says, glaring at me again. Now I had something tangible to worry about. "What did you just inject in your arm?" I asked quietly. How long have you been up here doing this? Looking closer, I saw blood on her arm. "Even when you're dead, you're doing this to yourself? Are you really that dependent on drugs?" She put her hands on her hips. "In this world you can literally make something out of nothing. That's what I did. Are you going to lecture me now? I've listened to enough lectures from that person, I don't need or want any more. Now what are you here for? What do you want?"
I took a deep breath. I really want to help this child. That's what she is- a child, needing someone to care for her, to look after her. I supposed she didn't get any of that when she was alive. "I want to help you. I don't think it was fair of Yuri to kick you out just because you botched your first mission. You didn't even screw up, you just fought Angel like you were supposed to. Even if you did go overboard a bit. Okay, a lot," I amended, seeing the look on her face. She shook her head. "I told you, I don't need-" I held up my hands and stopped her. "Just listen, okay? I'm not pitying you. Trust me, I don't want to. I understand your cause, and why you fought back like that. I want you get involved with the SSS, but in a way that Yuri won't care what you do." She raised an eyebrow. I smiled inwardly, knowing I have her hooked.
"I have a proposal for you. Join Girls Dead Monster. Be a part of our band, and you can sing and play your feelings out. That way you don't have to end up in the infirmary every time you fight back."
She blinked slowly. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. She loved singing and performing as much as I did, and the performer in her really wanted to take me up on my offer. "You really do want me to join you? Not just because of my skill? But you really want me to?" she asked softly. I was a bit surprised at her reaction. I expected her to be a bit more... sardonic. "Yes. If it makes you feel better, Hisako won't bite." She chuckled. "No one wanted me to perform with them because they wanted me. Everyone just wanted my talent. My talent and I are not the same thing. Everyone was just thinking about themselves and how to raise their star status. They were just using me for their gain. Sure I liked singing, but it was always for someone else. Not for myself. It was never for myself." Then she asked, "Can I really sing for myself?"
I took her hands in mine and squeezed them. "Yes you can. You can write and sing your very own song." I didn't tell her that that was why I was in this world. I wanted to sing with my own feelings, sing my own song. I hadn't been able to that while I was alive, because my budding career was cruelly crushed by my head injury. Sayumi sniffled, rubbing away the blood on her arm with her sleeve. "Thanks, Iwasawa. I mean it," she said, smiling. "Okay, now stop being a baby and let's go. Hisako already told Sekine and Irie. I hope," I said, dragging her towards the door. "Wait," she called, running back to where the syringe was. She picked it up and pocketed it. "I most likely won't stop. I can't stop. You'll probably catch me doing it a few times. But I don't want any problems," she warned. I had forgotten about what she was doing earlier. "Just use fresh needles. Gotta keep up the hygiene."
Sayumi
I had no idea what Iwasawa was planning to do. I never would have thought that I'd make... friends? This is the first time I've ever referred to someone as a friend since that person left. Yeah, I never would have thought that I'd make friends so fast in this world. I don't know if Shiina would be called one. I've only spoken to her a few times. Since she first found me, I've always thought her eyes were exactly like my mother's. I highly doubt there's any relation; I think Shiina's been dead for a while. I want to talk to her again.
About earlier... it was pure bliss. A release from this dead world. A dead world filled with dead kids with dead dreams. Nothing felt better than the pure ecstasy of throwing caution to the wind and letting myself enjoy the moments. Yuri and her gang had no importance to me. That person certainly has absolutely none importance left. Fighting Angel back then felt almost as good as this. Almost. At least there weren't any harsh side effects. I guess that's a perk of taking drugs when you're dead.
Right after the rush left my system Iwasawa found me. I listened, and she talked. Was I really worthy of a second chance? When I was alive I sure as hell wasn't. But here... what if I am, what if I could be? What if we all could be?
