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If my MC acts like a Mary Sue in any way or if there are any mistakes (grammar, story plot holes, etc.), TELL ME IMMEDIATELY! Thank you!

"" - speech

italics - memory

[ ] - thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own Diamond no Ace.

Memory and Dream (2)

Kazuya was injured once more. She had gotten used to treating him when he came home, but whenever he went to shower, she cried by herself. That was the routine the two kept until today.

Once she heard the door click shut, tears silently trickled down her cheeks. She hurriedly wiped them away, but once again, they streamed down her face without stop. She really did try to stop crying; however, the injuries kept reminding her of the death of her parents. Even though Kazuya was clearly still alive, she could not help but wonder if he was going to die before her at this rate. There was only so much she could take.

[I'd rather die before he does.]

She gathered her legs and leaned her forehead against her knees.

"As I thought, you're crying again." She twitched at the sound of his voice.

[Oh no...]

"W-weren't you going to shower?" She could not raise her head to face him.

Kazuya watched her. "Why are you crying?" When she did not answer, he sighed. "Give me an answer after I shower." He then went back to shower.

Panic arose in her heart. She did not think that he would actually approach her about her crying issue. However, she did think it was a long overdue talk between the two. That managed to calm her down. By the time he finished showering, her tears had dried and she sat patiently.

The moment he sat down in front of her, everything seemed to make sense to her. Without fear or shame, she scooted closer to him and touched his injured cheek gently. In Kazuya's eyes, her expression was blank, but her eyes reflected of understanding and acceptance. "My parents were killed in front of me."

He subtly flinched at her words.

"When I see you injured, I keep seeing my parents. That's why I kept crying because it is still a memory that is very fresh to me."

"Then what can we do about it?" He asked her seriously. He did not want to find her crying again if possible.

"Promise me that you won't die before me or at least tell me that you'll try to not die before me." It was a ridiculous request, but she could not help it. She needed a verbal affirmation that her fears would not come true in the future. After all, if she saw another person she knew die in front of her, she would end up broken - unable to be fixed.

"I can't promise, but I'll try to not die before you." He gave her a boyish grin as he waited for her to say something.

At his words, her shoulders visibly relaxed; he watched in wonder as her cheeks flushed red and her lips widened into a lovely smile. "Thank you."

Noticing that the conversation was over, he decided to pull out their futon and blankets from the closet.

"Ne, Miyuki-kun...?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to sleep now?"

"Yes." There was an awkward yet tense silence. He set the futon down and looked at her. "What is it?"

Her ears turned red. "Can... Can I sleep with you?"

He stayed silent for a moment before sighing. "Why?"

"Just to make sure that you're alive!" She was very serious when she said this. He almost laughed out loud.

"I'm not your mother or father."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"It'll make me feel better..." She gulped and stared at the ground with an embarrassed expression on her face. She knew that she should not act like a child since she was eleven, but quite honestly, she wanted to be spoiled by her new 'brother' and get close to him.

[I probably lost all respect from him just now. He's most likely going to think of me as some kind of baby who can't stop crying unless I have someone 'mother' me. Why couldn't I just shut up for once?!]

She inwardly cried to herself, while she waited for his impending rejection of her request.

"Grab your pillow." Kazuya looked thoroughly amused.

[How unexpected!]

Her expression immediately brightened as she skipped happily to her pillow. Once she placed her pillow down next to his and put away her own futon, she slipped into his blankets.

He almost thought of her as a kitten, which was why he could not leave her so crestfallen that easily. At the same time, he did want to see her face expression if he himself made her get annoyed or frustrated at him. There was still time in the future for that, so he quickly put that thought away and took off his glasses.

"Can... Can I call you Kazuya?" She sleepily asked him. When she saw him nod, she smiled.

Feeling a tiny bit greedy, she contemplated for a brief moment before asking. "Can I hug you while I sleep?"

He raised his eyebrow.

"I'm sorry. That was a bit out of the line, wasn't it? I won't ask again." Disappointment seeped into her voice. At that moment, he wished he had his glasses on to clearly see her facial expression.

She huddled closer to him and hesitantly held his hand with her two small hands. He then pondered whether he should let her continue to hold his hand or not.

After making his decision, he made her let go before wrapping his arms around her in an unsure manner.

"Miyuki-kun...?"

Amusement trickled into his voice. "I thought we decided to call each other by our first names?"

She noticed that he was very entertained by her reactions and decisions.

[Did I just make a terrible and unforeseen mistake for my own future and sanity?]

When she did not answer, he asked. "Didn't you want a hug, Nami?"

She could not lie. "...Un." Burying her face in the crook of his neck, she embraced him comfortably. "Kazuya."

Hearing his name from her mouth was a weird experience, but he strangely did not mind. Perhaps, he could even get used to this. "Sleep."

[Safe...]

Her hand gripped the back of his shirt tightly before loosening.

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