Chapter 12: Episode 12
"Don't worry, we won't kill them," assured Uryuu Minene, giving one last tug on the rope that she used to secure Kurusu's wife immobile to a chair. She was seated next to her comatose son. "They'll serve as our trump cards. This way, we have an advantage against Fourth and can overturn our Dead Ends." The woman straightened her back and looked over at them. "Any complaints?"
"I'm fine as long as Yuki makes it out alive," Yuto piped, giving Yuki a sidelong smile.
Yuki returned the smile with a shaky one of her own.
"His mental balance is apparently so fragile that he needs to resort such measures," Akise's words replayed in her mind. She could see the ruined room and the giant crater in Yuto's backyard. "Yukiyori-san, I thought I had to bring everything to light for his own good, but I was wrong. Gasai-kun is too volatile if he's not with you."
Yuki stiffened and lowered her eyes. What was she doing? For a second, all she could see Yuto as her benefactor. While that may be true in some—no, in most cases, Yuki couldn't lose sight in what position she was in. But the girl couldn't help it. After all that had occurred, Yuto stuck with her when he didn't have to; he protected her and tried to shield her away from danger—hell, he even saved her life. And how many times did he do that?
And he wouldn't stop looking at her with those adoring eyes. It was starting to become too easy for her to slip into this state of girlish swooning; admittedly, any wallflower would crumble when such affection was finally directed at her. Despite the fact that life and death was on the line, her rationale and Akise's subtle warning were waning in comparison to Yuto's smiles, Yuto's chuckles, Yuto's voice, and Yuto's kisses.
It was biting her back. She was reminded of the days where she played the role as Yuto's girlfriend and had to endure his obnoxious behavior. It was as if he was in a honeymoon trance, enraptured in total bliss of being in a relationship with her; Yuki was afraid that he would be stuck in that phase forever. But if she had to be completely honest with herself, she actually found it quite endearing being the school's dork couple. Again, Yuki could excuse it for having a good-looking boy being romantically interested in her, but what if, for her, it was developing to be more than just a façade?
Frustration took a hold of her. Why did she have to be such a girl? Why did she have to be so attention-starved? She knew that Akise's words held some truth, but she was beginning to falter. All because of one thought that came to her the morning when they woke up in a shed: What if Yuto really didn't intend on killing her?
What if he truly wanted to protect her to the end? What if he planned on letting himself die for the sake of having Yuki ascend to godliness? What if she could steer him back to normalcy? What if? What if? What if?
"Yuki?" She could feel his questioning gaze rest on her.
"Alright then, Gasai, you'll be patrolling the hospital during the negotiations," Uryuu said, responding to Yuto's statement. "Yukiyori, you'll monitor the hostages and keep in contact with Gasai."
"And I suppose that you'll handle the negotiations?" Yuto said, coolly flickering his eyes back onto the woman.
"Who else?" She smirked, sliding both hands into the pockets of her nurse gown. "Now, left or right?"
"Right."
"Take this with you." She pulled something out and tossed it to him. Yuto caught it with one hand and held it out before him, letting Yuki see what it was.
"Remove the pin and release the grip, and it'll explode in five seconds," instructed Uryuu. Yuki's eyebrows rose. Was it a bomb? The object was as small as a flashlight with ridges on the sides that made it appear that it was made to mold into a comfortable hand-grip. On one end, there was something that resembled a black cap. "Be prepared to use it."
Yuto nodded. "Got it," he said, and before he departed the group into the corridors bright from the fluorescent lights, Yuki stopped him by calling out his name.
"What is it, Yuki?" He turned around, the light hitting his back and making him look like a silhouette.
"I…" She swallowed. "If we do make it out of here, I want you to go somewhere with me."
It's the least that I can do, she thought, after all the things that you have done for me.