Write date: 08-12; 08-16
Hello, a new chapter a little earlier this time.
Don't know what inspired this though. The ending chapter, that I'm in the process of writing seems to be pretty good for the time being... On the side note a few weeks ago created lyrics for a song, that Messy Bookshelf will make. That's a new experience for me. Might throw a link in my profile someday... Anyway back to this chapter:
I don't own and hold no rights to 'The Stranger' that's Alberto Camus's work... It's just a reference.
-X-X-X-
-present-
December. Half of a month had passed since the incident in the cafeteria. The dreadful event, which marked Ritsuka's personality change. It had been said, that it made the teenager dangerous and unpredictable. In so, going by these beliefs, Mikado had taken the boy into a different institution, to seemingly make the previous Ritsuka come back. But it was also in order to isolate the boy, so he wouldn't cause anymore troubles.
Speaking about Ritsu's condition on the other hand, no improvement had risen yet. Everything was quiet as it had been in November. The culprit was still lurking. To add to the wreck, a bunch of teachers and students had made numerous protests and spread unneeded gossip. In so the state of panic had been reignited several times.
And lastly, Soubi... The man still had been fighting to maintain his ordinary life this whole time, as ordinary as it can get, having knowledge of the unfortunate accidents. Nagisa's company had a lot of influence. The female wad constantly visiting him. She chatted with him, bringing a lighter atmosphere into Ritsu's gloomy dorm, where Soubi spent most of the time, doing absolutely nothing.
The Breathless pair, who recently learnt about Soubi's misfortune from Nana, had tried cheering him too. They had been dragging the blonde outdoors, showing their favorite places to hang around. Septimal Moons exterior had altered a lot since he left, so quite a few things had been new to the blonde...
Another person, who helped Soubi to forget about his losses, was Kunugi Takehito. The raven-haired headmaster was the most interesting person from the previous three mentioned. He had been the one, who brought drawing supplies from the art class in order to clear the young man's mind with some activity.
Also Soubi had learnt, that the other was quite good at board games, chess especially. It would start when Soubi would visit Ritsu's former office, where the dark-haired man now worked. Takehito would then grab a board from below the table.
In time Soubi began to nickname that desk: the magical void, because it became filled with junk, that was stacked up there for no reason. The board games were just the small fragments of Takehito's secret depths... Even though it originally belonged to Soubi's sensei ( Ritsu wouldn't be happy upon seeing the chaos).
The games had been time consuming and challenging, even if Soubi was no match for the 'game master'. Still it made the little victories, the blonde had, much sweeter.
X X X
'It doesn't add up...' Soubi's inner mind proclaimed, while the man tried to concentrate on the book, he was reading. It proved to be resultless, because just after a few minutes he dropped it back on the library desk, then leaned in his chair. He couldn't let go of those thoughts anymore. The man averted his gaze toward the huge window, trying to clear his head. The snowflakes were already descending onto already ivory carpet, that was a beautiful view to take in. Though it hadn't let him forget his distress.
The blonde still remembered clearly as day, what he had been told nearly a month ago.
Ritsu had been attacked in the garden and injured severely. The event seemingly wounded the man mentally, as he had refused speak about the event and was wary of other people. In so he had been isolated in a hospital ward somewhere inside of the academy.
What ticked Soubi off was his own blurry memories, that declared an entirely different theory. They would come back knocking in forms of dreams.
What distinguished them form being just a part of Soubi's mind's creation, was that those recollections seemed really realistic, it was as if the blonde was reliving his life again. The man sometimes could remember them clearly and even recount word after word, prove event after event. However usually the lost memories were just fragments, scattered between his nightly imaginations. At those times Soubi worked hard to reminisce the past, hidden between his foggy dreams. In the end, the blonde began to write a journal, recording his returning memories.
What he knew for sure was that, firstly, Ritsu-sensei was in fact dead. The man himself saw his corpse in the boiler room. That was the place of his death. Furthermore, even before his demise the headmaster was tortured by someone: wounded shoulder and arm, gouged out eye, ripped toe nails. It all showed one conclusion. It surely wasn't accidental like Ritsu wanted others to believe. The teacher himself had probably gotten injuries at night. However he hadn't knew, who was the culprit, and had been pushing off the help of others.
No... Something was seriously off about the Septimal Moon's deduction concerning the incident. Soubi just couldn't understand what kind of fool thought of an explanation like that, when the truth was laying straight in front of the oblivious eyes. Unless, this lie was beneficial to someone, mostly the culprit.
He still gazed at the snow fall through the window, leaning his head to lay on the chair's back. Until his half sleeping was interrupted by fast footfalls. They echoed through out the usually quiet library.
"Oh, I wondered where you were!" Nagisa exclaimed, holding a giant book in her arms and pausing near the main desk. She smiled, walking closer to him." Finally decided to pick something to read, huh?"
"Kind of..."
"Oh? What is it then? Maybe something medical related, let me see, let me see. I could tell you all about genetics if you wish!" The twin-tailed woman boosted, with sparkling eyes, while prompting her arms on the table eagerly.
"No. It's Alberto Camus novel 'The Stranger'." Soubi stated, whilst spotting Nagisa's eyes drop, she emitted a snort. And the blonde nearly smirked at her reaction, typical.
"Honestly I don't understand this book myself." He admitted to Nagisa after a moment. The blonde remembered Ritsu talking about it once. A psychological novel, well it was stupid for Soubi to expect something more from his sensei's reading list...
"Well, you're enjoying your stay it seems." The woman flopped down on the chair next to him, as a bitter tone of jealousy slipped through her lips.
Soubi was thankful he got that response at least. He knew how fragile and distressed Nagisa was nowadays, especially with Ritsu missing from her life. Well it seemed she started to hold herself up a bit, stand on her own feet and try to move on with her everyday duties, while silently waiting and praying, no doubt. Soubi thought, that he heard wrenching sobs from her dorm a few nights prior. The pain hadn't faded, it just nested in Nagisa's heart deeper and closer, decaying inside. Only one hope putted Nagisa to a deep sleep now, that Ritsu will heal after the treatment. Soubi scowled at that thought, if only she'd knew, that her only string was a fabricated path to an abyss.
"My work never seems to fade. Kuh, it's a really gross period. So much, I don't even have the time to visit Grey-san anymore." The blue-haired female whined loud enough to break Soubi's concentration. The blonde finally folded the book, forgetting to even mark the page where he paused, before giving a burning eye to the attention seeking woman.
"Who is Grey-san?"
"Ah, just a homeless cat, that began living in our garden. He grew a liking to me, so I'm the only one, who feed's him."
"So it's a male?" Soubi blinked dully, trying hard enough not to let displeasure ooze in. Maybe if he'll give her company, Nagisa will leave the blonde alone." How come nobody else can give it food?"
"He doesn't let anyone see him. It's like he disappears all of a sudden. I think Grey-san's shy. What a poor kitty."
"A poor kitty? It did scratch Yune-chan, didn't it?" Soubi remarked a bit coldly. That caused Nagisa to turn to him with a raised eyebrow. The blonde got confused then, voicing out his bafflement." What?"
Suddenly his mind revived the nurse's exact words, as a proof of his statement.
' Curious about that? It's nothing. Nagisa's cat scratched me, as I tried to feed it.' (ch. 21)
"No..." After a minute had passed, Nagisa finally shook her head. Then a chuckle escaped her lungs, as she brought her fingers to her lips." Yune tried searching for him. But as I said, Grey-san doesn't like strangers. There is absolutely no way she could've pat it."
"I see." Soubi gave a small confused nod to the blue-haired woman, while she began to search for something in the book, that she had brought. Soubi tapped the wooden surface in the meantime, thinking.
"How's Utura-san doing by the way?" The blonde finally asked, after his mind recalled, that Hisho had been a suspect. He was the only one, who hadn't had an alibi, when Ritsu's toenails were ripped off. Soubi was really thankful, that fact returned to him fully, what a bliss.
"Utura Hisho? I don't know, it's quite hard to catch up to him these days. Ever since... That happened..." Nagisa's voice got cut off, as she glanced down, folding the corner of the page nervously. No doubt she was referring to Ritsu's incident. " He comes to school less and less..."
"Do you know if he's here now?"
"Yeah... I saw Hisho in the hallway, before coming here." Nagisa admitted, as Soubi blocked a smirk, that wanted to creep in. He abruptly stood up, heading out.
The blonde wanted to check Hisho's reaction himself, see if he was actually guilty, or was Ritsu right about the innocence. In reality Soubi was quite puzzled by the differing evidence and his sensei's statement. It was as if they even indicated two separate people. Regardless, Soubi didn't believe any of the two versions yet. He needed to see the truth by himself not be influenced by Ritsu's words.
When the blonde finally made it to the third floor, he let out a heavy breath, straightening his composure, before giving a knock on the door. The calm brown-haired psychologist with glasses peeked out-Utura Hisho.
"Yes?... Agatsuma-san?"
"Oh, you remember me? Yes." Soubi motioned his head, reminiscing the event, when this man had interviewed him after the cafeteria incident and most importantly how he had struggled to keep Soubi in place, not letting him stop Ritsuka departure... Not a pleasant memory...
"Could I talk to you for a minute?"
"About what?" Hisho nearly cut off the other, sliding the door to the side and crossing his arms.
"Ritsu-sensei."Soubi instantly noticed, how the other's shoulders tensed and face nearly flared by the mention of that name. The blonde stared coldly and straight in to Hisho's anxious eyes, planning on putting more pressure to their conversation. Maybe then the psychologist would spill something out.
The blonde wished for some clue. Soubi needed just a word, which would confirm or decline his thoughts about Hisho's innocence.
"You know something, don't you, Utura-san? About Sensei's death?"
"What are you talking about? He's in rehabilitation. Ritsu isn't dead."
"Oh, do you honestly believe that bullshit?" Soubi sneered, scanning Utura's face for any signs. Now was the moment of truth. If Hisho truly wouldn't know anything, then he would exclaim, that Soubi was delusional and leave it at that. However, if he did have knowledge of what was forbidden to be heard, then...
"You loved Ritsu-sensei, didn't you? It was more of a one-sided love, because sensei ignored your feelings. "
"What are you getting at?" Hisho glowered, while his hands threateningly clenched the elbows. The sudden change of topic was getting to the psychologist it seemed.
"You loved Ritsu-sensei, you knew him. So do really believe this tale? Don't you want to see him?"
"I... Do..."
"So why don't barge down that door?! Why don't you go in there, demanding to know his condition, to see him? If you really care for him, how can you be okay with this?!" Soubi barked, motioning his arm to the side. While the brown-haired man's eyes sparked up with pain perhaps. " No, you don't do anything. Because you know sensei is dead!"
"Stop this. You're talking nonsense." The psychologist heaved out deeply, lifting his glasses in an attempt to steady his anxiousness. Soubi's eyes twitched at the other man. Was he actually wrong? Was Hisho a blind white sheep like everybody else? Was he oblivious about the wolf sneaking around?
Soubi lingered in the same spot, before he spotted Takehito waltzing toward the scene.
"Hey, Soubi, what about a round of chess? I was just looking for you!" The dark-haired man seemed enthusiastic as always, throwing an arm on Soubi's shoulder. The blonde inched away to the side, crept out by the sudden and unwanted touch.
Although just at that moment, Hisho fell forward, landing a punch to Takehito. Soubi whirled around in confusion.
"Hey, what... What did I do?!" Takehito stumbled backwards, yelling. While Hisho took him by the collar, landing another hit.
Soubi stood in shock, noticing how quiet the corridor was besides them. Takehito could only barely cover his face from the other's endless attacks. What just happened? What caused Hisho to shatter like this?
"Numb... Fall numb, you are unable to move." The blonde hadn't even noticed, when he began to stutter a spell. The brown-haired man gave a furious glare to the caster then, feeling red strings loop around his waist and shoulders. His muscles felt heavy, lazy to move. Still he coughed keeping the malicious gaze.
In the meantime Takehito scrambled away from the psychologist's reach zone, while gripping his bleeding nose.
"Initiating battle system. I am Wakeless fighter..."
Soubi suppressed a shiver, when Utura Hisho released the battle domain. It wasn't huge, in fact the radius seemed rather small, though what scared the blonde was the aura of it. Rage, pain, loathing, it boiled with it, making Soubi want to puke.
"Light, my ally. Grant me escape, blind the enemy." Hisho proclaimed, staring at Soubi with glazed pupils. He extended his arm to the side, as a sparkle evoke from his fingers. Though before the blonde could even open his mouth to counter, the whole hallway lit up as if the sun was right in front of Soubi's eyes.
"Shatter. Fracture the glass. This barrier will not stand before me!" Another echoing command was manifested, as the blonde heard the window break. The light-haired man groaned, while covering his eyes. Hisho was getting away.
After a few moments the immense light diminished, allowing Soubi to intake the view of the corridor again. Takehito stood by the side, whilst his eyes remained bloodshot and his mouth was parted, smeared with blood. And the glass shards laid covering the ground, where they stood. The blonde gulped down his anxiety, hurrying to Takehito then.
"Where is he?"
"He just jumped through the third floor window! I thought he was severely hurt, but Hisho's gone!" Takehito exclaimed between ragged breathing, as he didn't wanted to inhale through the broken nose. The dark-haired man spouted in surprise after a cough." You can do that too?"
Levitation? Flying? The blonde debated what did the psychologist used and how, while he motioned his head in a negative response. What truly impressed Soubi was Utura Hisho's speed conducting spells. He perfected whole two, while Soubi did nothing taken aback by the attack. Maybe he was just getting weak?
"Call for back up. I'm going after him." The blonde rasped out, ignoring his observations. He began running toward the stairs, as Takehito uttered.
"Through the window?"
"No..."
Soubi ran out of the school, beginning to rush to the frozen pond, where he spotted a blank silhouette a few good miles away. It faded and blended slightly. While the grass turned damp from the melted snow, in so the puddles rose mingling with the soil.
Soubi tched, seeing that he'll be unable to outrun Hisho, he was scarcely visible now. And if the blonde will delay any longer, Utura Hisho will disappear in the forest.
He couldn't let that happen. Soon Soubi vocalized a spell. The chain shot out from his hand, luckily capturing and entwining with Hisho's elbow. The blonde then used the force of the blow, swaying the restraint to the left side. He heard Hisho emit a groan, as his feet slipped through the mud, leading him to fall in the pond just next to the brunette.
"You won't be running away anymore..." Soubi hissed, making his path to the middle-aged man, who struggled in the cold water surrounded by a thin layer of darkened ice." I want answers. And you have them."
The blonde stood by the edge of the pond, that was bordered by a small passage of pebbles and stones. He saw Hisho panting in the water, as his wet shoulders shuddered for an instant. Still the psychologist smirked weakly nonetheless, while keeping his eyes down and hidden by the brown strands.
"I'll ask differently. Did you kill Ritsu?" Soubi hissed, while the other muttered something behind his breath. That response made the blonde want to flinch away.
"Oh, you poor boy..." Hisho shook his head.
Soubi disregarded those words, drawing up a hand instead. He was ready to cast another spell at the mumbling man, who was speaking nonsense. Maybe then the blonde could get the psychologist to listen. Although, as Hisho's whispers increased, Soubi felt himself sinking in the mud, as roots started to climb up his ankles, leading him downwards.
"What?" Soubi gasped, as he was dragged in, landing on his back to the mud. The wet soil scrambled up, canceling his movements. It was a spell. How did the blonde fell for Utura's tricks so easily again? He swore to not give up, Soubi needed the truth.
" Burn these roots to the ground and Harden the soil. Fire level one hundred."
Suddenly the flame flared up viciously around the blonde as if seeking to reach the sky. He didn't waited, before letting the same fire ignite around the pond.
The psychologist whirled around the built cage in fright, then back at Soubi, who was standing between two threatening and jumpy flames. They licked higher and higher.
"Now that we can finally talk." The younger man nodded in the illumination, whilst Hisho's gaze hardened, turning into a deathly glare." You did kill Ritsu. You wouldn't be running away like this if you were innocent."
Soubi heard a grunt escape from the other.
"Prove it."
"You didn't had an alibi, at the time of Ritsu-sensei's injury. You just roamed the school. Besides you were his friend, so it would be easy for sensei to let his guard down in front of you." Soubi snapped out, pausing for a moment just to project a chain, that went around Hisho's throat.
"That's. Absurd... E-ever thought why would Ritsu let himself be tortured?" The psychologist snarled at him, pulling at the materialized collar around his neck.
"Sensei was in a heavy mental state."
"Naive..." Hisho shook his head, quivering. While Soubi vocalized yet another restraint, that looped around Hisho's free wrist, eventually tying them both together. "What a poor kid... You're so young and so naive..."
"What?" Soubi yanked at the chains, making Hisho groan slightly. The blonde's rage was set loose and he couldn't quite control it at this point. That caused Soubi to act suddenly and without a thought.
"Y-you... Think Ritsu would... Bow to me, and let me do what I want with him? You don't know him at all then. Besides..." Hisho uncertainly stood up, whilst the blonde prepared a spell, a little spooked that the psychologist drew up in that state. Just when Soubi was sure, that the brunette was down for good.
"H-how can you prove, that I didn't had an alibi... Every time your precious sensei got wounded? You can't... T-this is just your wild theory." Utura Hisho smirked, gasping through the pain, as his hands shook.
Soubi bit his lip on the other hand, the other was speaking the truth for once... However after a moment the psychologist's voice softened, becoming a gentle purr.
"Ask forgiveness for your incompetence. Water, my lover, annihilate the ragging lie. Flood the liar!"
At that moment, the cold liquid rose into bubbles, splashing at Soubi's walls of inferno, finally leaving him bare without defense. The blonde agaped, when Hisho disappeared from his view, although the command reigned.
"Flood the liar!"
"No! Reflect, return to the caster." Soubi stammered in aghast, unable to come up with any other counter attack.
"A poor weakling indeed..." A hurtful tone evoke next Soubi's ear suddenly, when the dark liquid returned to the empty pond. Hisho stood behind him now." Well, let me hear it, Agatsuma."
Soubi shivered beyond his control. He wished to remain calm, so he could think. Nevertheless sweat dripped down his face, as the blonde exhaled, feeling dismayed. And he believed, that he had everything around his finger, what a fool, now the blonde was cornered with no way back.
"Come on. There was surely more suspicion then this. Or are you finished?" Hisho mused, widening his eyes in surprise at his companion's slight agitating. The psychologist held a sparkling wine around his wrist.
In the meantime Hisho could think what to do... And what he had done...
X X X
"Hisho, why are we here?" A sixteen-year old Ritsu grumbled, while standing on a bridge. He whirled his head around, yet saw nothing, but coal colored ocean, mingling with the dark blue sky in the horizon. The cold breeze of the autumn wasn't calming his nerves either.
Ritsu exhaled to his freezing palms, then set his gaze to the harsh waves, sploshing without rest, for as much as his eyes saw.
"There you are!" Hisho exclaimed suddenly, coming closer through the wooden footbridge with barriers." I have a fun idea, wanna listen?"
The silverette narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. His friend just laughed.
"You'll like it! I know you will. First stand on the railing." Ritsu looked dimly at him, before his friend put his hands in a praying manner, begging.
"Please..."
"Alright." Ritsu sighed finally, positioning himself on the thin wooden border. Then he crossed his hands and stared at Hisho with annoyed eyes.
"Perfect! Now just..." The brown-haired teen walked closer, suddenly shoving him in the water. Ritsu yelped in panic, unable to even yell Hisho's name, as he plunged into the ocean loudly.
"Hisho!" The silver-haired teenager gasped in the water. All the while spitting out the salty liquid, when he began to clutter his teeth.
He overlooked the dark sea, that tossed him back and forth with the high waves, as if carrying him to their home, the unknown destination, that only a few unfortunate had a privilege to witness. It's the deep, the fading, the darkness and calmness above all, in there the dead soul will become one with the crying serenade of the restless ocean.
"Fuck it, Hisho, where are you?!"
The teenager began to panic, seeing nothing except the dark sky without a shimmering star. The bridge was long gone out of his reach and out of his sight even. Ritsu was stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no land in miles. He thought of damning Hisho to all hell, if he'll leave Ritsu like this to freeze and die. Rotten friends he had.
"Hisho! Answer, for god's sake!" He stammered, as the uncaring waves responded with their rhythm. The boy didn't wanted to end this way... "P-please no... No, no, no! Hisho, where are you!? "
"Ah, you really thought I'd let you go?!" A familiar voice tugged at Ritsu's heart. He felt a shining restriction cover his wrist, as it began pulling him against the current. And soon enough warm hands cupped his face.
"What a dummy. Silly you..." Hisho giggled, then spun the shuddering friend to face him. He gazed at the green spooked pupils, looping his arms on Ritsu's drenched shoulders. He leaned in to kiss the other's lips.
"I'll never abandon you, Ritsu..."
X X X
Soubi was cornered. His eyes nervously traced the surroundings, unable to see Hisho anymore. The blonde suddenly arched his back forward, as a crimson wine twined around his arms and rendered Soubi's attempts futile. From where was he being attacked?
The man didn't minded to terminate the spell anymore. So his hands continued the useless struggle against the harsh roots, that ripped at his flesh. He conjured up a response.
"Reveal the enemy, split his body in two!"
A flickering string let loose from Soubi's side, flying straight above the foggy pond to the other side. There the brunette presumably hid.
'Caught him.' Soubi smirked, however his luck ran out along with his smile, when the spell dodged the man, changing the projection all of a sudden and landing somewhere in the trees.
"Rebound... Crimson, my savior, continue to plague his skin and tear it." Hisho stated, motioning his hand, which sprung out more red wines at the blonde. Soubi spat out from the sudden ache, wavering a little. Before the blonde glanced back up, where the other stood a few seconds ago. Rusty strings shot up to the blonde's throat then, tugging at him and pulling the man backwards. Soubi coughed, trying to break free and scratching at the materialized iron.
"This is pathetic, don't you think?" Hisho mused, tapping closer to the tensed man, whose pupils hunted the movements of the psychologist, though his fingers paused." Even if your theory is flawed, you won't allow your ego to give up. You will try, stalk me, seek for my mistakes and wrong moves just so you could feed the belief, that I am guilty."
Hisho's lungs emitted a deep breath. He ruffled his brown hair, before the man took a hold of Soubi's chin, forcing him to shift the gaze up.
"You will make me the culprit."
Soubi's eyes only narrowed at the sudden closeness, attempting to cease the eye contact. Hisho spotted that, only digging his nails into Soubi's skin. He sneered with a whispered voice.
" That's how human brain works. You trick your eyes to only see what you want to believe. Even if I will tell you, that I'm innocent, even if I'll have proof, you'll discard it, you'll pretend you haven't seen it, until your brain will push that event into subconsciousness. Then you will continue to speak ill of me. That's why this is pointless. There is no reasoning here, no solid evidence, just your mind playing tricks on you, Agatsuma-san." Hisho concluded, letting Soubi's face fall down, before the psychologist turned on his heel, walking away.
The blonde let loose a gnarl of disapproval, or perhaps it was shame. Shame, that he failed. His reasoning was proved useless. The castle of his truth will surely fall now. It already crumbled pebble after pebble. Soubi still believed nevertheless, ordering his rational mind to comply, to shut off and stay silent, whilst the raw emotions took their time boiling. The irrationality tried to fight back their lost verity, baking nonsense clues.
Soubi parted his jaw, ready to speak, only to be halted by an immense sob. Was that Hisho?
The brown-haired man had his back to Soubi, standing a few steps away. The blonde couldn't move his muscles, thank's to the endless restraints on his body, so he just rolled his eyes at the other. An uncaring snort explained his mood well enough. What drama, a crying killer.
"Ritsu..."
Soubi's eyes gazed at him, eagerly waiting in interest what will the killer say more. Hisho side-glanced at the blonde, while covering his face with a palm suddenly. Yet the reddened eyes were quite unmistakable. In so the blonde allowed the ridiculing smile to grow, even though he was the one losing.
"You don't fucking care. Of course you don't! Who would?" Hisho faced him a little more, letting his shoulders slump down along with his rage." I loved Ritsu. I loved him dearly. Believe it or not, I did. I would've sacrificed the world to him, if only I could... Coward, I'm such a coward, oh why, Ritsu... Why? I still need you here..." The brunette shook his head, gently burrying it between his hands, that clenched the strands in desperation.
"Yes, Soubi-san, I know he's dead. Dead, damn it. In the boiler room he... "
It seemed, that Hisho cutted off to an eternal silence, or perhaps Soubi couldn't bare to pay attention. The blonde's eyes started to doze off, granting a temporary blackout. It was so tempting to slip into sleep. Honestly, Soubi didn't knew for how many minutes he'll be able to decline that invitation. Not for long, that was, what he believed... His body was giving up.
"I couldn't do anything to save him. Forgive me. Forgive me, Ritsu, if you're still somewhere, I beg of you..." Hisho sobbed out. His tears were clear now, as the wet crystals slid down from his eyes.
Soubi felt the restraints hardening, before he saw the psychologist barely stammering the final blow, drawing up a shaking hand. This was it. Soubi lost...
He still heard mutters, along with a faint buzzing sound in his ears. Those incoherent noises became louder and disallowed the blonde's sleep. When he forced his tired eyes apart, a sight of running people greeted his blurry vision. He couldn't stand up either, as Soubi's body became stiff. So he just watched.
He gulped dryly, as the edges of his eyes spotted Utura Hisho. Wires. They surrounded him in the distance, gradually nearing in circles. Hisho didn't resist... Soon the pair of officers showed up, they forced the Wakeless fighter's arms to rest behind his back.
Meanwhile Soubi's jaw stayed fallen, unable to calm his throat anymore. He couldn't yell. But wanted to. He desired to screech out top of his lungs, spit to Hisho straight in the face, yell at the guards using all of his strength... And whisper to himself in humiliation.
'He's innocent...'
Hisho at least had his voice, as the blonde overheard his sobs.
"I loved you, Ritsu... I love you..."