Dark landed on Mei's terrace. He had to convince her to give him the bracelet she had. He didn't really want to just take it from her…so…
"Dark!" Mei came outside. "You're…here. You…shouldn't be here."
"Why not? Do you want me to leave?" he asked sarcastically.
"No! I just…you confuse me!" she exclaimed.
"Last time we met you seemed so confident…what happened?" he asked.
"Look, you deserve better than me, okay?" she replied sharply, turning away.
Dark gently took her hand and turned her around. "What makes you think that?"
"Dark…there's…a curse…" she said softly. "Horrifying…sinister…something I can't break away from. If you knew…you'd hate me like the rest of them do…are you sure you want to involve yourself with someone like me?"
"Mei…we're more alike than you know," Dark replied. "And if there is a curse…there's a way to break it. I have to go now."
He released her hand and flew up into the air, back toward Hina's house.
I was typing on my computer, researching ancient predictions, trying to figure out how exactly we had gotten into this world, when the entire house power flickered. The computer shut off, then turned back on, and all the lights flickered. My window closed.
Dark was standing in my room.
"Nice job, Phantom Thief," I said. "But I think you've got the wrong room."
"How do you—"
"Skip it," I replied. "I know who you are, and that you're also Daisuke."
How does she know, Dark? How could she have found out?
I don't know. But we're going to have to make her forget.
"I know what you're about to do," Hina said. "Don't erase my memory just yet, okay?"
"I'll play along," Dark replied. "How do you know?"
"I…I'm not exactly from here…" she replied.
"What do you mean?" he asked, curious now.
"I'm from…another world…" she said softly. "Kind of like you, Dark. Mei is from there too…but I think she's started to forget."
"So…you need to go back then?" Dark asked.
"No, I don't really want to, actually," Hina said.
"Why?" Dark asked.
Hina blushed. "I-I have my reasons."
"Oh…so you have a crush on me, huh?"
"Don't worry," Hina said, laughing. "I know you'd never go for a girl…a girl like me."
"Huh?" Dark asked. "Like what?"
"Well, I'm not exactly pretty, am I?" Hina replied.
"Why would you think that?" Dark asked.
"I…used to be…" Hina said. "I found some old pictures. I had really long hair. But…when I angered Akito…part of my punishment was…"
"You're still pretty," Dark said. "I know more than one guy that would say so."
"Who?" Hina asked.
"You…are as oblivious as Daisuke," replied Dark, and he left for his room.
Once he had changed back, Daisuke went and knocked on Hina's door.
The door opened by itself.
"Hina-san?" Daisuke said. "Can I…talk to you?"
Hina got up from her computer. Daisuke couldn't believe she was from another world. She looked perfectly normal. And she was wrong…she was pretty. He wanted to tell her that…but he couldn't.
She laughed a little bit. "Come on in."
Hina directed her attention to the house for a second. "Sohma vocal override. Cease recording."
"Recording off."
"Okay, now we can talk," she said, sitting down in a swivel chair.
Daisuke sat down on the bed. "Hina-san…how do you know about me and Dark?"
"I guess I…researched the Japanese Cultural Reform…and came across your name," Hina replied. "In my world, you sealed Dark away long ago and married your true love…Mei and I…we both wanted the same thing…we didn't think that…we would hurt anyone…Daisuke…I'm sorry you had to come here…if I'd had my choice…I want to say I wouldn't have involved you…but that's probably not true…I'm so selfish…"
She stood, and turned away from him.
Daisuke got up quickly and walked over to Hina. "Hina-san…I don't really understand…but I do know that whatever you did…I'm sure you had good intentions."
"Our intentions…were for love…so…" Hina said.
Daisuke stepped back. "W-What?"
"Daisuke…maybe it would be best if we both went to bed now," Hina replied, not meeting his eyes. Then, without another word, she got into bed.
