Forbidden Love

Chapter 29: Returning to their True Selves

Gakupo, Kaito and Len ran to the cave's direction as fast as they could to rescue Luka from Luna's evil plan. On their way there, Len's condition was starting to get worse as memories of his being Hikoboshi also flooded his mind. Gakupo and Kaito already knew that Len was starting to turn into his true self because his hair was starting to get longer and his clothes were changing during the process.

Kaito and Gakupo also realized that since they aren't experiencing any changes yet, it means that Luka's is still on the part of her remembering about Hikoboshi and Orihime. While running, Gakupo noticed Kaito's worried face.

"Kaito…don't worry about Rin…she'll be fine," Gakupo said as he took breaths in between.

Gakupo was right. Kaito was worried about Rin, but he was more worried about Len, who was dying on his back as they carried him through the forest bathed in darkness with only the scarlet moon's little light. When Gakupo checked on Len again, he saw a symbol appearing slowly on his neck.

It was a black rose.

"No…please don't tell me…" Gakupo thought, his mind now full of more worry.


"Rin-chan!" Miku exclaimed as Rin fell unconscious out of nowhere.

Miku and Rin were on their way to the cave where Len told them to go to. On their way there, Rin stopped walking and became quiet. Her eyes also dazed at the distance, showing no emotions. When Miku pulled Rin so that they would keep going, Rin closed her eyes and fell on Miku's arms.

"Oh no! Luka-chan," Miku thought as she panicked when Rin's short blonde hair started extending out of nowhere.

Rin also started glowing in the dark forest as her clothes disappeared and were started to get replaced by something Miku didn't want to see just yet.

"Please. Not yet."


"Momo-san," Luna called as she looked at the beautiful sakura petals blooming under the red moon.

"Is there something you need, Amane-sama?" Momo asked, approaching her.

Luna turned around and gave Momo a hug which gave her a surprise. Momo didn't know why, but she felt loved and warm even if the person that was hugging her was the one that took her away from her mother, her sister, Neru, and her father.

"Amane-sama?"

"Thank you for everything."

After Luna said those words, Momo's eyes grew wide, not because she was shocked, but because memories were now starting to flow in her mind, too. She was remembering her true self's past. She was remembering her being Toyotama-hime, Amaterasu's servant.

Momo's body started glowing and the white ribbon that loosely tied her pink hair came off as as her hair started growing. Luna let go of her, leaving her to fall the ground.

"No, Momo-san," Luna said as she watched her slowly fall to the ground.

"The Providence won't benefit any of you."


"Neru, everything will be alright," Neru's father said as he stroked her golden-blonde hair that was similar to his.

Neru, despite of everything that was happening, stayed by her father's side whose sickness was getting worse. Neru's father started hardly coughing again, making Neru worry more.

"I'm sure that everything will be alright," he comforted once again, seeing a tear leave Neru's yellow eyes that matched her late mother's.

"Otou-sama, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I lo—"

Neru's sentence was interrupted as her golden eyes started glowing. Her body also started glowing, a sign that she was starting to remember her true self. She started floating in the air for a brief second, but gradually came down as her body was laid on the bare floor. Neru's father was aware of what was going on and had no choice, but to watch his daughter suffer a destiny that she didn't pick for herself. He got up to put her head on his lap as he covered his mouth while coughing.

"Yes, Neru. I love you, too," Neru's father cried, thinking about his two daughters.


"Miku!" Gakupo shouted, seeing her teal hair nearby.

"Gakupo-kun! Kaito!" Miku yelled back, only turning her head because she couldn't let go of Rin.

When they approached the tree that Miku and Rin were under, they also laid down Len, who's on the verge of death.

"Is she remembering, too?" Gakupo asked, seeing Rin passed out on Miku's lap.

Miku nodded her head, her eyes full of worry and nervousness. When Gakupo looked up, she noticed something different about Miku. Her pigtails were gone because her hair was also getting longer.

"Miku, don't tell me—"

"I'm enduring it, Gakupo-kun," Miku interrupted as she looked at Gakupo.

Miku's blue eyes were also starting to glow along with her body that was still assisting Rin.

"If you're remembering, then—" Gakupo said to himself.

Gakupo looked over at Kaito and found him leaning on the tree, breathing hardly. His hair was also getting longer and his body was faintly glowing because he was resisting, too.

"I'll be fine. We're going to save Luka," Kaito smiled when he found Gakupo looking at him with worry.

All of a sudden, Len's eyes opened as he gasped for air.

"Len!"

"Where's Rin? Where's Rin? I need to see Rin!" Len quickly said, not pausing for every sentence.

"So you haven't regained your memories, huh," Kaito smiled as he heavily breathed more.

Len quickly stood up, resisting Gakupo's help. When he found Rin unconscious on Miku's lap, he looked happy to find her, yet sad because he knows that she was undergoing pain.

"I'm glad you're—Len-kun!" Miku exclaimed as she watched Len turn his head away and cough out more puddles of blood.

"Len! Shikarishiro!" Gakupo yelled.

"We need to go!" Len yelled back.

"No! By the time we get there, you'd be dead."

Hearing this shocked not only Len, but also Miku and Kaito, who were still enduring their remembering of their true selves.

"You made a vow with her, didn't you?" Gakupo asked.

"With who?" Len confusedly asked.

Gakupo held up Len's right hand and to show him the cut that Luna made. Len now remembered that he made a vow with Luna when he wanted to know the truth about Luna's evil plans and the Providence.

"I had no choice," Len replied, turning his gaze away from Gakupo.

Gakupo explained to Len that since he made a vow to Luna that he will not betray her, all his actions that may lead to her defeat and failure, like his revealing her plan to Gakupo and Kaito, was considered betrayal and has a punishment which was death. Their vow was symbolized by the black rose symbol on Len's neck, meaning death and Len's coughing up blood was because of the punishment.

"Just stay here," Gakupo said, letting go of Len's hand.

"Kaito and I will—"

Gakupo's eyes grew when he saw Kaito unconscious along with Miku. He realized that Kaito and Miku couldn't resist any longer and fell unconscious to remember their true selves. He also knew that he was going to change next and he knew that if he doesn't get to the cave on time, he will no longer see any of them.

Without saying anything more, Gakupo ran away from his friends towards the cave. He ran faster than before because in his mind, he knew he doesn't have much time left. After he changes into his true self, Tsukuyomi, Luka would be next and she would come out of the cave.

"I'm coming, Luka."


Author's notes:

Hikoboshi- Orihime's lover; a knight (Len)

Orihime- Princess Ori; weaving princess (Rin)

sakura- cherry blossom

Toyotama-hime- Princess Toyotama; Princess Tamayori's older sister (Momo)

Amaterasu- sun goddess of Japan (Luka)

otou-sama- father

shikarishiro- "get yourself together!"

Tsukuyomi- moon god of Japan (Gakupo)