Disclaimer: I don't own Mirai Nikki.

CHAPTER 16: THE MOON, THE STARS, AND THE NINTH

Aru's POV

"That's so close," I mumbled from the window as a lightning appeared in the dark sky. Surely it was a powerful beauty in nature. Still, it was deadly natural phenomena. It was a good thing that now we were inside of Yuno's house as I would stay here tonight.

"Are you scared?" I asked as Yuno cringed when the thunder started with a rumbling sound and suddenly make a crashing sound.

"Not really. But the sound's terrifying," she grimaced from her seat cushion. She tightened her grip on her pen.

I nodded. "Have you finished your homework?"

"Yes. But you haven't done it yet."

I would like to open my mouth to say something but suddenly the room went dark.

"Power outage?" I raised my head.

From the window, Yuno watched her neighborhood's houses got the same problem.

"Well, we can wait." I sat cross-legged on the floor, taking a deep breath.

"Do you need candles? You need light to do your homework," she offered.

"No." I replied as she looked at me angrily. "I don't wanna do my homework."

"Why?" She crouched on the floor, slowly moving to my side.

I chuckled. "Well, another reason not to attend the class tomorrow, right?" But when I saw the pupils of her pink eyes dilate in the darkness, looking into mine mesmerizingly, I almost lost my mind, and my words.

"What number are you?"

I recalled the way of Yuno Gasai from the second world looked into mine.

"Aru-kun?" Yuno's call from this world brought me back to here.

"Y-Yeah?" I blinked at her, slightly nervous.

"Are you okay?"

She stared at me, unbelievably, before she sulked. "Although you're such a genius, you can't be like this forever, Aru-kun. You should be more diligent. We will have a final exam at the next month. And when the next semester starts again, we will be in the second year."

I lowered my head. The next semester would start on April, and the Future Diary Games would start on April 22.

April 22 to July 28 was a very critical period.

"I know ..." I mumbled.

"Aru-kun, I ... I eavesdropped the conversation between our homeroom teacher with you." She said uncomfortably. "I heard everything ..."

I glanced at her cautiously.

FLASHBACK

"I heard from the newspaper deliverer around here that one of my students is looking for a side job, and that's you. Are you ... in need of extra money? What happens with your parents?" My home teacher asked me fatherly.

"They're fine. It's just part of my side job as a detective," I said calmly.

"I know it will be hard for you, but since you'll have the final exam at next month, could you ... reduce your detective activities for a while?"

I didn't reply since I didn't want to talk about this. But he caught my hint and gave a long sigh.

"Your IQ is the highest, Aru Akise. If you could focus on your study, I believe you could get the best score, number one position as the honor student. I even believe you could surpass Yuno Gasai. Well, she's the second best, but the gap between yours and hers is ... quite far."

Again, no words from me as I just wished it would be over soon.

"You know ... I'm wondering if all this time you have been neglecting your lessons and letting Yuno get the first position ..." He looked so uneasily to finished his sentence. "... on purpose."

I stared at his eyes, hard. "Sensei, isn't it too cruel to think that way?"

"I know. But at your previous school, you're a honour student, Aru Akise, and your previous scores, compared to Yuno Gasai, were so much better than hers."

"I have more side jobs here," I tried to be reasonable.

He talked wisely, "I just want the best for you, Akise. I believe you'll have a very bright future. You're a gifted child, and I'm so proud of you. Just consider it, please."

I lowered my head, taking his words appreciatively.

END FLASHBACK

"Well, is it true?" Yuno asked me gloomily. "Was what he said true? Why?"

"Yuno, it's ..." It was already on the tip of my tongue. But saying it was far more complicated. It was the part of my mission.

As a gifted observer, even though I was very capable to surpass her in every exam scores, I shouldn't stand out in this school as much as possible. At the same time, I had to be able to observe the entire school easily and mainly, I should be able to be at her side naturally. So here I was. Being the second best in this school, and I didn't mind to be like this forever. In fact, who could guarantee that Yuno would be fine if she didn't get the first position in this school? We did know how strict and ambitious her parents could be.

"... the best for us." I finished it.

She wasn't satisfied. "Your answer's always confusing."

"I thought you're used to it." I smiled lightly.

She pouted. "Well. I want something different at the final exam."

"Like?"

"Promise me that you won't hold back anymore." She whispered on my ear. "I want to see your hidden potential because I think ... it's my only way to know you ... more."

I looked her in the eye, seeing her dilated pupil that could hold beauty and mystery at the same time, and realized how she really meant what she said to me.

"You're playing with Yukkii's life. Die!"

I blinked to cast aside that imagination. Great. Why did I recall it?

"Aru-kun, promise me, please!" she asked pleadingly.

"But your parents will ..."

"Don't worry about that. It's not that I'll just keep quite watching you do your best. I'll do my best too! So when the result comes, it will be fair and square."

I smiled bitterly. "As you wish. But please don't regret it later."

"I'm not that easy."

"I know."

Cause you're the toughest person that I ever knew.

"So, will you do your homework now?" She offered.

"I guess."

"Then I'll bring you some candles."

"Do you need my help for that? The kitchen's so dark."

She giggled. "No thanks. I'm not afraid of darkness. I just don't like scary sounds and faces."

"Okay."

When she left me, I approached the sliding door in this room connected to the side garden.

I opened it silently. A cold wind soon blew my hair and left an icy sensation on my face. I remember this garden ... the place that I asked the policemen to dig up (courtesy again of the second world) and found three bodies.

"I know you're there. Come out now." I offered.

The girl with silver hair, Akino Akise, appeared from behind bushes, together with Muru-Muru 8. They looked so wet from head to toe.

"Good, Observer!" Muru-Muru 3 suddenly appeared behind me after she teleported herself to this place. "I never expected this meeting. But I'm glad you made it."

"We mean no harm here!" Muru-Muru 8 stood in front of the girl to protect her.

"Then why won't you leave this world now?" Muru-Muru 3 asked, annoyingly.

"We have a business here."

"Business? You want to create a havoc here, right?" Muru-Muru 3 raised her hand as a big pink electric ball appeared above us, ready to attack them.

"That's enough you two!" I cut off the female demons' bickering. I stared at the girl's pink eyes firmly. "You came from the future, right?"

Akino Akise and Muru-Muru-s looked surprised. But soon the human girl composed herself.

"Yes. 13 years from now," she replied.

My eyes narrowed. She looked around 11-12 years old, and talking about 13 years later, I would be around 26-27 years old in her world.

"Are you one of Deus' creations?"

"No."

That explained that she had biological parents.

"Do you know me at your world?" I asked her.

"Observer, what are you blabbering about?" Muru-Muru 3 complained. But I glared at my little partner to stop her.

"Yes." Akino Akise answered sincerely.

My heart beat faster, as a struggling thing filled my chest.

Who was I to you in your world?

"Aru-kun!" Yuno's voice was heard from faraway as I heard some steps coming to me.

"Hide yourself!" I asked Muru-Muru 3.

"You don't have to remind me!" She grunted as she climbed the big tree, covering herself with a bunch of leaves.

Quickly Muru-Muru 8 took the silver haired girl's hand.

"W-wait!" Akino Akise yelped as she looked at me hopefully.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"Please ... don't do anything funny with her tonight. You're both so young and you'll lose her if you two do that."

I was astonished with her blunt she talking about ... Yuno and me ...?

I let her and her demon guardian to leave. I noticed Muru-Muru 8 was so protective over her, as she was jumping over the high wall carefully, since the little girl was with her.

"Hey, what was she talking about, Observer?" I heard Muru-Muru 3's innocent voice from the tree. "What did she mean by 'anything funny'?"

"Let's not talk about that, okay? You're still too young."

"Excuse me. I'm far older than you."

"But not mentally."

"Hmph! Now I'm thinking it's related to the thing that you have been keeping in your drawer all this time. Unfortunately, you don't bring it with you now."

I looked at her lazily, "Now I see you're mentally older than I thought, a bit."

"What do you mean 'a bit'?!" She grumbled.

"Sssh! Yuno's here."

X X X

Akino Akise's POV

Sitting on bench at the bus stop with Muru-Muru 8, I let a relieved smile plastered on my face.

"I'm glad I have warned him. I hope he'll consider it."

"You're just afraid that they would do a fatal mistake, like they did in our world." Muru-Muru 8 muttered. "But, are you okay with this? You would never be born in this world."

"I'm okay. I don't care if I never exist in this world. My existence separated them afterall."

X X X

15 minutes later ...

Yuno's POV

"Are you sure?" Aru-kun asked after we placed two futons on the floor at the spacious and dark living room as unfortunately, the electricity wasn't on yet.

"I-if you don't mind." I stuttered shyly, thankful for the darkness so he could not see the heat on my cheeks.

After he finished his homework, we changed into sleeping outfits. Right now he was wearing a white t-shirt and navy blue sweatpants, while I was wearing a blue silk night dress.

"I don't," he replied fast and without doubt.

I nodded.

"Well, I'm going to sleep." He soon laid down, covering his body with a thick blanket. "Good night, Yuno."

"Good night," Sitting on my own futon and hiding my disappointment, I greeted him back.

Slowly I laid down and closed my eyes, forcing myself to get some sleep. At the beginning, it was difficult as my curiosity to observe Aru-kun was so high. I really wanted to see him when he was asleep. Did he snore? Did he talk or kick a lot in his sleep? And what was his sleeping expression? Was he as attractive and calm as he was when he was awakened? But in the end, I just slept soundly.

X X X

Aru's POV

It was around 2 a.m when I got up and realized that the electricity was already on. Slowly I opened the curtain, letting the dim moon light to fill this room.

I opened my smartphone and read the current articles about the terrorist named Minene Uryuu. It looked like she was in the need of money to get much explosions as her recent targets were banks. Even the last one was the main office of Mitsu Bank, the main competitor of Gasai Bank.

I chuckled silently, wondering when I would meet this crazy, but interesting, woman.

I glanced at Yuno's sleeping face and waited. As expected, a few minutes later, her expression slowly looked troubled. Her eyebrows were wrinkled and her lips pouted.

Was this about the dream?

I blinked with surprised when the small stuff tied on her smartphone, which was put on the table next to her, to shine in the darkness.

I approached it curiously. Of course it was not my first time to see Yuno's green smartphone. But it was my first time to touch it.

I took a good look of it. I didn't know the password of hers so I could not invade her private stuffs. (Well, I was fine with it). In fact, I was focused on the small stuff tied on her smartphone. The little stuff of Muru Muru.

I touched and observed it.

Is this a common stuff? Is it coincidental that it looks like Muru-Muru? Or is it one of her gadgets to communicate? Who knows what that little devil did?

"Aru-kun?"

I almost dropped her smartphone on the floor, hearing her voice.

"Y-Yuno." I put it on the table. "It's not what you-"

"It's okay. Why don't you sleep?"

"I just ... woke up."

Soon her eyes looked up from the window, glancing at the full moon.

"Yuno, what are you doing?" I asked when she opened the door to the garden.

I followed her, standing next to her and looking at the moon.

"I'm glad it's not red," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"In my dream, the moon is red, and it's just a half."

I stared at her carefully, wondering if what she was talking was about the second world.

"Half red moon? I think it's cool," I commented, looking at the sky.

"Isn't it scary?" She glanced at me, confused.

I shook my head. "Red moon. White moon. Yellow moon. Full moon. Half moon. Even dark moon. For me, the moon is the moon, and it's simply the same. The best is ... how we could accept all of its forms without any denial."

She looked at me in awe, before she giggled. "Hearing that from you, it's hard for me to accept that we're at the same age."

"Am I that old?" I chuckled.

"Yeah." She looked up to the sky again, but right now, her expression was a bit sad. "Since the incident at Sakurami School, I have no courage to look up to the night sky. Everytime I saw stars hanging there, I felt like they would pull me to them as I would hear someone saying 'Let's see the stars together'."

I lowered my head. So that was what they had promised. Yuno and Yukiteru-kun.

She continued, "When I thought about that, unconsciously I would push away other people, especially you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm glad you talk to me about it." I smiled when she sneezed. "Let's get inside. It's very cold here."

She nodded.

X X X

Lunch time at school ...

Yuno's POV

At the last class, I saw Aru-kun put an uneasy expression on his face after he read the message from his smartphone.

"What is it?" I asked when I was with him in the parking area.

"I'd like to visit Nishijima-san. He's being hospitalised at Sakurami Hospital since this afternoon."

"Is he sick?"

"No, he isn't. He had an accident while he was on duty."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He nodded.

"Is it about a car accident?" I asked again curiously.

He shook his head. "He was dealing with an international terrorist."

"Ooh ..." I said, a bit scared. But it didn't change my decision to visit him. "Can I go with you? I mean ... I met Nishijima-san several times. I want to see him too."

Aru-kun didn't answer me. He just looked at me intensely.

"Aru-kun?" I called him.

It took more than a minute for him to agree.

X X X

Aru's POV

Silently I sent a message to Nishijima's wife from my smartphone. The Ninth. Minene Uryu-Nishijima from the second world.

Ninth, I'm going to visit your husband. Yuno Gasai is with me since it's hard for me to refuse her request. I hope you don't mind.

It didn't need a long time to get her message.

Heh, I don't mind at all, Observer Brat! I wanna meet her too. It has been a long time.

I smiled, reading it.

"Aru-kun?" Yuno called me, waiting for us to get on my bike.

"Let's go, Yuno!"

X X X

When Yuno and I stood in front of the closed door, I swallowed hard, knocking on the door. Nishijima-san and his wife were inside, and now Minene Uryuu from the second world would meet Yuno Gasai from this world, officially.

The existence of Minene Uryuu from the second world was illegal, actually. In the third world, I was the only human who knew her real origin (Deus and Muru Muru 3 didn't count).

I recalled her earlier message.

It has been a long time...?

I frowned a bit. Did she meet my Yuno when the explosion in Sakurami Building School happened?

"Who is it?" I heard the Ninth asked (read: grumbled) from the inside.

"It's Akise," I answered.

Soon the door was opened. Standing next to it, she looked at us with a small sinister smile on her lips. She cut her purple long hair into a short one. An eye patch covered her left eye.

"Come in," she offered coldly.

We nodded politely.

"Aru!" Seeing me, Nishijima-san raised his hand. "Here!"

"How are you, Nishijima-san?" I asked as Yuno nodded shyly beside me.

"Well, not too bad. It's just some small scratches," he said, laughing.

"Yeah, and because of those small scratches, he cried out like a baby when the nurses bandaged him," his wife grumbled, silently keeping her eye to the pink haired girl.

"Owh, honey. That really hurted."

Yuno and I laughed a bit. Then we listened to his story about his target, his wounds and how he got them.

15 minutes later, the visiting time was up as a nurse entered this room to remind the guests.

"Get well soon, Nishijima-san."

"Yeah, thank you, Aru, Gasai-san."

The Ninth accompanied us to the empty hall as she was still eyeing Yuno suspiciously, and it got worse when she realized that I held her hand all the way.

When Yuno excused herself to go to the restroom, she glanced at me.

"You're too closed to her," she remarked sarcastically, emphasising the last two of her words. "Too closed."

I smiled casually. "Yuno is my girlfriend."

"I know. Masumi told me."

"Duty comes before all else."

She laughed hard before stopping and glaring at me, "Don't fuck with me, Observer Brat! I know how capable you are to make a great plan and manipulate people, just like her at the second world." Then she continued with a cold tone and full with warning. "However, don't forget who she actually is. You better kill her at this time before she gets her counterpart's memory. Surely we don't want to imagine what kind of chaos that she'll create in this world is, right? Your life is also at stakes, if I should remind you."

"Don't worry. Deus has given me that prerogative." I mumbled, looking down, uninterested.

She sighed, tiredly. "Well, it looks like I should help you later about it."

"Do you think I can't do that?" I chuckled.

"Recalling what you had experienced at the second world, yes."

"This won't be the same."

"Oh really?" She challenged. "From the way you treat her now, I don't think so. She is a special and magnetic girl after all. Not to mention that your role playing was too good for someone who shouldn't have any feeling."

I tried my best to put a flat expression on my face. I knew where she led me to.

"So?" I asked nonchalantly, but cautiously inside.

"You're hesitant, Observer." She smiled devilishly at me.

I just looked at her intensely without words.

Not more than a minute later, Yuno came to us.

"Sorry to make you wait." She giggled shyly. "The queue was long."

"It's fine." I smiled.

The Ninth looked at me seriously when we entered the elevator so I eyed at her back. However, some seconds before the elevator door was closed, I saw the way she looked at me changed. From the suspicious one ... to the compassionate one.

Wait! Did she know what I hid inside?

To be continued ...