I'm back with more chapters!~

This chapter, though, is going to be a bit special compared to the other chapters I've posted for this story, because it'll be the only chapter here that uses Japan's POV- yes, I know he's blind, which is why you're going to have to think a little hard to imagine what the circumstances are like from Japan's description of the sound, the atmosphere, the feels.

Think you can manage? ;)

I believe you all can. After all, you're all amazing writers without a doubt.

Chapter 11

...

I couldn't see where my feet were taking me.

I didn't care how long I had been sprinting, nor what demise fate had in store for me sooner or later.

All I know is that I had to get away fast. Just run Japan, run until you can no longer feel him, hear him.

Until there's no longer any way you can hurt him.

Whatever I had used to my advantage these past few days to cover up for my inability to see had vanished. It was as if I was now completely and truly 'blind' all over again, in a sense that I no longer had any control over what I could feel and sense. My ears were gone. My noise and mouth had disappeared. My arms and legs were from another world, no longer my own to claim.

All that was left of me, as I ran deeper and deeper into a world of darkness, was a bitter feeling gnawing at my chest. All that was left of me were the tears that surged fervently down my cheeks, unable to stop.

All that was left of my conscience was a name that echoed unbearably in my mind; a chant that made my head spin fervently.

I'm a failure.

I've hurt him.

Again.

"Japan… Go! Go! Run away from me! Further!"

"I- I'm running as fast as I can!" I wailed, ignorant to whoever could be hearing me right now.

Was it all in my head?

I couldn't take any chances.

"I'm running as fast as I can!" I screamed again for good measure.

Thwack!

My foot collided with a jut in the ground. I lost my balance and tumbled into oblivion.

I was going downhill…

Quite some time passed by before the tumbling ceased altogether. I lay splayed on a carpet of rough, parts of the ground beneath me poking into my back. Something warm and oozy trickled down my forehead. The same substance began pooling near my lips and as a few drops slipped into my mouth and fell onto my tongue, I flinched at the taste of metal.

Blood.

"I'm- I'm a failure…" I whimpered, "I'm sorry China… I'm sorry I'm such a failure…"

Thud. Thud. Thud.

I froze, not daring to draw breath. With much labour did I haul my aching body off the ground. The blood that was trickling down my forehead a while ago averted its path to ooze down my cheek.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

"Footsteps", I whispered, triggering more essence from the wound near my lips.

Those were footsteps, I was sure of.

Just like the footsteps in China's house a few minutes ago. For a moment I had the sinister thought that they were after me as well.

No, I wouldn't take any chances. However, before I had time to pivot on my heels and make a dash towards wherever…

"Onii- chan?"

… That was Chiba's voice! I could've sworn that was Chiba just now!

But then again I couldn't be so certain anymore. The blood wasn't showing any sign of stopping, causing me to feel slightly lightheaded…

"Chiba- kun, don't give me false hope! It's not funny!"

"You think I have time to be funny in these circumstances- oh my god onii-chan, what did you get yourself into!"

"… Gunma- chan? Chiba- kun?" I started.

Why do I feel so exposed?

Wait- is that crying I hear? Is that Gunma-

"Oof!"

A body, no taller than my waist, threw itself against me. Childlike hands wrapped around me, accompanied by hysterical sobbing. I staggered backwards under the additional weight, and my left foot no longer felt anymore ground beneath me.

"Saitama- NO!" Gunma screeched.

This outburst was accompanied by more, and I felt several hands pull us back until both of my feet were planted back onto solid ground. The small arms around my waist clung tighter, the wailing grew in intensity.

"Saitama- kun, you complete dunce!" Chiba's voice chastised, getting closer, "you could have thrown onii-chan off the cliff!"

I could have fallen off a cliff…

"No! Don't take me away from onii- chan! No Chiba- kun, no!"

"Chiba- kun, don't!" The words were out of my mouth before I even had the chance to recover from the thought of having barely escaped death- or the closest thing to death. My hands scrambled for Saitama's shoulder, and I clutched my prefecture, trembling and sniffling, not prepared to release his warmth just yet. "Chiba- kun, I demand an explanation", I blurted, "what's happening? Why is everyone here?- "

"Ugh! We don't have time for this!"

Gunma's voice once more.

It appears to be heading towards me, accompanied by footsteps that thudded angrily against the ground before…

"Gunma- chan!"

Another pair of hands clutched my arm. Chiba yelled something, though I couldn't make heads or tails what his words were, for they were outmatched by the stampede of footsteps and relentless drone of voices that followed, in addition to Saitama's fervent hiccups and wails.

I found myself, as well as Saitama, who showed no sigh of giving up the embrace, being dragged along by the pair of hands. They were small and smooth, but at the same time now possessed a frigid quality unlike that of the owner's usual demeanor. But why do I feel this all very vague somehow...

"P-please tell me where we're going!" I tried again, too preoccupied with ominous notions to bother with hiding the desperateness from my voice.

"Tell them Chiba- kun", a voice I recognized (but at the same time contained an iciness to it I have forgotten were even possible since…) growled.

"O-onii- chan", Chiba panted, his voice now striding beside us, "We're running away. We're going back home because it's no longer safe here."

"Wh- What?..."

Memories of vengeful shouts outside China's window; of the sound of splintered glass and force against wood on the floor, rushed back to me. Did I really not know?

"Onii-chan", Chiba's voice continued, "we're going back home- we're all going back home because it's no longer safe here. Just a few- wheeze!- hours ago, we overheard a phone call between- wheeze!- Beijing, Shanghai and their boss. Onii- chan, they're planning to declare war on us!

"That's why we have to evacuate as soon as possible!"

The grip on my hand tightened, and I found myself being dragged faster away from China.

Away from the country who I had hurt, and was now about to hurt me…

What?

"What?" I voiced my thoughts, "Wh… What? What?"

"Onii-chan, it's another war", the graveness in Chiba's voice was undeniable, "it's revenge."

What?

"I… I don't… I can't believe it! Ch-Chiba-kun, you must be greatly mistaken, China wouldn't- "

"You make me sick!"

My arm was thrown away, and I felt disgusted eyes glaring me down; daggers that sliced into me, cutting into my very being along with the truth that still slapped me hard across the face. Truth I didn't want to accept just yet.

I opened my mouth to say something; anything to break the silence that had engulfed us like fog, but no words escaped my throat. I was speechless, numbed by reality and a gnawing in my chest unlike any pain I had ever experienced before.

And oh, how the pain hurts like blazes.

This must be what betrayal feels like...

"Gunma- chan…" Chiba gasped.

"You sicken me! All of you!" Gunma screamed, "have you all not learnt anything from the past! Or are you all too blinded by petty illusions so that you can no longer decipher the truth anymore?"

"But the string wasn't a petty illusion", Saitama squeaked, burying tearstained cheeks into my robe.

"The… String?" I repeated, my brows furrowing in confusion, "Saitama- kun, what are you talking about?"

"Don't tell him Saitama- kun!" Gunma screeched.

"Onii- chan has the right to know! Tell him Saitama- kun!" Chiba countered.

"No! Nonononono! Shut up Saitama- kun!"

"Saitama- kun, tell him what you saw!- "

"No!"

"Tell him!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!- "

"I saw your string again onii- chan! I know where it leads to now onii- chan!" Saitama cried, ending Chiba and Gunma's bickering, "Onii- chan, it was China- san! Your string connected you to China- san all along!"

Gunma uttered another screech, like a wounded animal. A fat teardrop rolled down my cheek, though I was past caring.

Everything was piecing together now, connecting and clicking together and- why had I not realized it before? China's hints and my hints- it should have been so obvious. Why had it taken me this long to realize the truth!

It was China all along…

"Saitama, you stupid, stupid boy", Gunma snarled.

"Gunma- chan, Saitama- kun did what he had to do", I countered, swiping my teardrop away before wrapping my arms defensively around Saitama's shuddering shoulders.

"Oh? So Saitama did what he had to do, eh? And what was it that he had to do? Feed you more useless dreams? Shatter all common sense you have left?" Gunma's words stung like poison, "Look at yourself and face facts onii- chan- you're pathetic! Just look at what the string is doing to you! You're crumbling- the string had made you so weak you're easy prey!- "

Stop it Gunma- chan!" Chiba intervened, "Just because you had a bad past, that doesn't mean you know everything about everyone else's future!"

"But it does! And I do!" Cried Gunma.

For a moment we were all still. Not a single word was exchanged amongst the four of us, and even Saitama's bawls had come to an end. Not even the sound of night was present. The silence was like death itself, and for a moment I had the terrifying suspicion that I had gone deaf as well.

But then the sound was revived by a faint sobbing that grew louder and wilder by the passing second, and I realized that this time it was Gunma who was crying. Every hiccup was like a chilly hand yanking at my heart.

Yet I found myself immobilized to the spot, unable to do anything but listen.

"You don't know how horrible it was, to have to witness once scene after another for centuries on end, and know that what causes them all will never cease to exist- you don't know the half of it!" Gunma sniffled, "to think that fate would've been more sympathetic to a little girl that did nothing but raise horses for her brothers. But no! Instead of peace, I was made to see massacre; I was made to support massacre! I had my people tested for massacre! It was always bloodshed and more bloodshed…

"But at least it made me stronger. At least I didn't grow up being oblivious to reality."

Another pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist. Gunma's pigtails tickled my bare arms as she buried her face into my stomach.

"I'm sorry onii- chan. It was unfair of me to say all those cruel things to you", she sobbed, "but I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to be sad anymore, and I'm not going to let the string make you suffer, even if I have to be the antagonist in this story."

The wailing intensified, and Gunma's small frame shook along with it.

Gunma.

I can't begin to imagine what it must've been like for her to have to bare witness to such events at such a young age. But it was only natural for her to be so traumatized.

I remember now.

I also remember that I had played a big role in traumatizing her.

So why was I acting so innocent?

Saitama was crying once more. Chiba had come to bury himself into the crook of my arm and had burst into fits of hiccups and sniffles as well. I clutched my prefectures to my body and joined the chorus of wails; tears of fury and confusion and pain surging down my cheeks.

Ever since my vision had gone, I seem to have been susceptible to more crying. I rarely cried before, even as a child.

And I don't like it now, how tired it makes me.

But we cried together all the same amidst the death of night, each of us trapped in our own void of darkness.

Each of us well and truly blind.

... And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the sight of a broken heart.

Well, I'm not really sure, since I've never really experienced a broken heart but- oh, but I have friends that did! ... And it was downright awful, take my word for it :(

A fun fact for y'all; I read somewhere, sometime ago, that it's actually possible to die (as in never wake up again) from a broken heart! If I'm not mistaken, it had something to do with one of the bottom chambers swelling up, and I don't think some people's hearts can handle that sort of swelling.

So lesson learned; enter the tunnel of love at your own risk!

... Meh, just kidding. You kids go and have fun while you still can! :D

Just make sure you get a heart checkup first.

-Plumeria hi