A Blooming Flower
My new everyday life wasn't easy to get used to in the beginning. I'm very shy and knowing so many new people all of a sudden was so strange… I who spent over a hundred years alone.
Seto tried to make me feel comfortable whenever he had free time, but I just can't feel safe, Kido also tries but she seems to have more difficult for she is as shy as I am.
Kano is a mysterious young man, he always seems to be having fun doing nothing, teasing and joking around, I don't know if he can be trusted or not. His eyes are almost always glimmering yellow. Do they shine at night or is it just my imagination? Seto says he is trustworthy so I prefer not to trouble myself over it.
All members of the Mekakushidan have to help maintain the base, so we spend more time working than actually enjoying ourselves. I sell some fake flowers, it doesn't help as much as Seto's work, but anything helps, right? Our group is always trying to recruit new people, so we also have to look out for people with special eyes such as ours.
Today Kido shared an interesting story with us. She met this blonde girl named Momo Kisaragi, who seems to be having trouble with her idol career, and noticed she had powers similar to ours, "Eye Stealing" ability!
Tomorrow, we're all going to meet her and help her overcome her problem. I'm a little scared, what if she joins the group as well…? I'm not good at talking with others…
We met at the usual spot at 3:00 p.m. and Kido introduced the scared young girl to us. She was wearing a pink hoodie with a blue shirt underneath it, white shorts and red sneakers, is this what idols wear? Maybe I could become one someday…
Kano did most of the talking, introducing each member and reassuring Momo everything would be alright. I brought some cups of tea for everyone, but I'm so clumsy… I tripped and the tea fell all into the blonde. What should I do?! Momo seems a little angry about what happened, I just lowered my head and tried to apologize. Fortunately she seems like a good person and calmed down a little, I pointed the way to the shower.
Momo borrowed some clothes Kido had and we all relaxed.
"Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes…" Momo said she appeared to be rather shy
"It's okay, it's not like I wear those clothes anymore" Kido answered bluntly "Now now, Mary, I think you ought to get Momo some washcloth"
"O-okay!" I hurried to get it, but on my way back… "A-ah…!" I tripped again and the washcloth slammed the idol yet again… Wah… Why do I keep doing this? "I'M REALLY SORRY! FORGIVE ME!"
"Oh, it's alright, don't worry about it" Momo said with a giggle
"I think you two will be good friends" Seto smiled and patted me on the head
"C'mon, let's focus on the problem at hand" Kano didn't seem too entertained with my poor show of skills
Everything went incredibly well after that, Kido's ability "neutralized" Momo's and we could take her to safety at the stage. She performed wonderfully and we did it, my first successful mission.
Some days passed and Momo decided to join the Mekakushidan, Kano gave a knowing look and Seto started smiling happily, Kido seemed content and sighed relieved.
For some days, everything seemed to be just fine, we found more members also. Shintaro, Momo's brother, Konoha, a mysterious albino man, Ene, Shintaro's digital friend, and finally Hibiya, a cheeky boy who loved playing with Momo.
For some time, I got to know what happiness was, with everyone around me and getting to know people, it was incredible. But I knew that nothing lasts forever, they will be gone before I have the time to say goodbye.
My room got quite packed with things full of memories, my time spent with my new friends. There's even one with that boy, Shintaro, in the Ferris wheel. It's no wonder that Seto is the most present in my room, he's always making beautiful gifts for me, like that handmade plushy of mine, there's also one made to look like him besides it.
Life seems so short to them… I wonder how it feels like to age so quickly… Yes, before long they will all get on with their lives and die a happy death, but I'll still be alive and breathing. Will I outlive everyone and… be left alone in the end? Even that boy, Hibiya, someday he will grow older than me, die faster than me… and I know I'll barely change.
This all seems too much to me, I can't hold my tears from falling.
"Mary…?" A curious Seto enters the room and notices the tears falling from my cheeks. He slowly closes the door and sits on my bed, he holds my hand and his eyes are full of worry as well. "Why are you crying?" His voice seems sad, nothing I've ever heard before
"Seto… Will I- Will I be left alone?" His expression shows shock and he gets were I got this all from
"Mary… I don't want you to think such things right now, I mean… You got to know nice friends, aren't you supposed to be happy?"
"That's what worries me. When they… go to sleep, will I be the only one awoke then?" Seto pulled me closer and embraced me. His body feels warm, I never felt such warm before.
"It's alright… It's alright, you will live a happy life and it will be… full of happy memories, don't forget these special little moments, okay…?" His voice was shaky and even if he wanted to look confident, he was trembling a little. Death is a sad truth even to humans
We pulled each other apart and Seto too was crying a little. I didn't to make him feel sad, this all feels so confusing… Why is he crying? We exchanged some words and he eventually left, as quietly as he came.
Today was an exhausting day, I can barely keep my eyes open since I had to wake up early and work, do some shopping, make lunch and dinner… I was getting ready to sleep but someone stopped me halfway. It was Kano Shuuya
"Mary, I hope you'll forgive us for making you do so many errands… our group got bigger and we need to make everyone feel comfortable" As usual, his smile was devious and he reminded of a cat for some reason… but not just any cat, a black cat.
"It's alright, Kano, I just need to sleep a little to keep working, right?" I didn't want to talk to much with him, he scares me a little
"Oh, I totally understand that. I was just wondering if we could talk for a bit?" He didn't finish and sat on the bed besides me. Well, guess there's no point but to talk with him, how bad can it be?
"What do you want to talk about? Is it about my poor money making? Or maybe my clumsiness?"
"Wha- Don't worry! You're doing just fine…" He whispered something under his breath but I couldn't hear, how bad-behaved! "You see, I wanted to talk about Seto…" He wasn't smiling anymore, he got quite serious as he looked down to the floor, not meeting my eyes
"Seto is a good friend to me… but nowadays he got a little, how can I say, distant? He gazes to nothing and doesn't really hear what I say to him" Was it that conversation I had with him?
"He's been behaving oddly?"
"Yes… I'm afraid something stroke him… hard, he's not one to let things get to him. Do you have any idea what? You both seem to spend much time with each other" He looked to me and something was a bit off with his eyes…
"W-Well… I might have an idea. I spoke to him about friendship and life" I can't let Kano know the truth. I don't trust him as much as I trust Seto
"Oh, maybe you two talked about the eyes, right? You know he can see right through people's hearts with that" He can? But he seemed quite surprised when I told him… "Anyways, sorry for annoying you so late… Good Night!" With a wink, he closed the door and no sound was made
I don't want Seto to worry so much about my future… He's a human who deserves to live a happy and enjoyable life. Maybe I'll have to talk with him later? He always seems busy, maybe tomorrow after dinner? I hope I don't get as stressed as I did today.
Thankfully, everything went as planned and everyone got together to eat dinner. Our little "family" looks so big now, it makes me… happy? I noticed that Kano is always glancing towards Seto, although the latter only has eyes to the food. I guess Seto hasn't returned to his normal self yet…
After everyone had gone to their own bedrooms, I mustered the courage and asked my black-haired friend to come to my room which he happily agreed to. When we got there, I closed the door so that no one heard what we were about to talk about.
"This seems a bit sudden, what's the problem, Mary?" He tried to look like his usual self but, as Kano noticed, he's hiding something
"I'm the one that asks you this. Kano told me you were acting strange and something must have happened to you… Is this my fault?" Suddenly he became serious and wasn't smiling anymore
"Your fault? Of course not. I was just thinking about what you said before… I'm surprised you held it in your heart for so long." The boy looked into my eyes and words weren't necessary
"Don't do this, please… It's going to hurt even more if you get worried about me…" Tears were beginning to form in my eyes
"Mary, I care about you, we're friends! How could I ignore your problem? There might be a way… somehow…"
"No, there isn't." My voice became fragile and I stuttered too "I'm… scared, Seto" I jumped to come to his embrace, I felt safe when he was protecting me
"Mary… Don't be scared… I'll be here for you, always" He emphasized the 'always'
"Seto, thank you… for being with me. I- I really like you…"
"I… me too" And he kissed me gently on the cheeks, wiping away my tears
After spending what almost seemed like an eternity, we pulled each other and everything seemed better already. He too seems calmer, that's good
"I know we can't prevent our… departure, but we can make happy memories together, right?" He smiled his usual smile full of confidence and all my doubts seemed to have vanished
"Y-yes!" I smiled back the best I could "Let's enjoy our time together with our friends"
We told each other Good Night and my savior left the room. I went to sleep with a heart with no worries and much happiness.
Sunday finally came and it was a free-duty day. I was just getting ready to water the flowers and plants of my little garden when Kano surprised me, just staying still by my side.
"Mary, I know today is supposed to be your day-off, but I need you to run a little errand with me" B-but I thought I could finally water my little friends… and he said with him, Kano never did something with me before, definitely suspicious.
"I guess the plants can wait a little… What are we doing?"
"I just want you to follow me, when we get there, I'll explain everything right away" He took my wrist and we began walking out of our hideout.
This was an unusual Sunday, even though it was Summer, today was cloudy and looked like it would rain. Although the weather was cold, the heat was incredible, I guess it's the car's black smoke or something like that. Seto told me if we don't stop soon, nature would die. I want to be able to take care of my green friends!
After many minutes of walking, Kano and I stopped in an alley, where we supposed to enter a house nearby? He turned to face me and, with hands in pockets, began talking
"I need you to tell me the truth, okay?" He wasn't playful, what's going on? "Are you and Seto in love with each other?" The blonde pierced through my eyes like he wanted me to really tell the truth or else things would get bad
"L-love…?! Seto is just a very dear friend to me… What's that strange question…?"
"You know what love is right?" I nodded. Love was something common in my childhood stories, in the end, the princess would kiss the prince and they would live happily forever after
"I saw you yesterday with him, the way he touched you and kissed you gently…" He made an accusing face like I stole something which belonged to him.
"Kano, I was just easing his worries and he likewise"
"Do you know how much I care about him…?" His eyes were now sad, he was hurt, the thought of him, a very good friend, not being able to do anything must have been difficult
"I know… you know each other since childhood, right? I really don't want to be a nuisance" I tried to apologize, but Kano quickly pulled a knife out of his pocket!
"Heh… You already are a nuisance… Getting in my way with Seto. You'll pay dearly for that" His smile was twisted into something beyond normal, it was a homicidal grin.
I thought I was done for, but a black-haired boy in a green hoodie quickly pulled me with him. It was Seto!
"Are you alright, Mary?!" The boy asked, holding me in a princess-like way
"S-Seto…! How did you…" Kano was at a loss, he put the knife back to the pocket and he returned to be the same Kano I knew… or thought I knew
"What are you trying to do, threatening Mary like that?" Seto glared at the blonde who was too paralyzed to speak "Mary, that's not his real self… Kano is actually a…" Before he could finish, the short young boy turned out to be a black cat
"A… black cat?! How did he?" My head was spinning, trying to make sense from this strange situation
Just then, a mysterious unknown figure appeared behind Kano, all covered in black, she was beautiful yet intimidating, her hair was made of snakes and a red ribbon was tied to her head. I knew that woman, she was my grandmother
"Mary, nice to meet you, finally we meet" Her voice was still young, no wonder she was a medusa "I brought you here with this… tool to take you with me"
"Tool? What do you mean, Kano is your tool?" Seto spoke his first words in a long while, he seemed as shocked as me and all the courage disappeared
"A spy, a witness in my works…" The cat didn't dare look at his master "That boy, Hibiya, he and his friend were my toys not too long ago…"
"The loop incident… Which a girl, Hiyori, died and only Hibiya got out" Seto apparently knew what she was talking about, but Hibiya always seemed so cheery and joyful, did he get over such a trauma?
"Well, it doesn't matter now, because…" She looked at me with red eyes that sent shivers down my spine "Mary, you are coming with me, we're building the perfect world" She stretched her hand and expected me to grab it
"What are you talking about? A perfect world?"
"This world is not for us, medusas. In the perfect world, everything is eternal and nothing you love will ever disappear before your eyes" She glanced at Seto, apparently knowing all our conversations, after all, Kano was her spy
"Is that… going to happen?" I began to walk towards her, leaving Seto behind
"Yes… Your friends, the Mekakushidan, Seto… They will all be eternal" She smiled and the snakes in her head all stared at me
"Mary… don't go with her!" Seto tried to stop me, but… something got a hold of me, a mysterious power
"Come now, granddaughter, everything is fine" Azami embraced me with her cold and tiny hands, enveloping me in darkness, I had time to take a final look at Seto
"Mary…!"
"Thank you, Seto… I'll meet you soon!" Tears begin to form in my eyes for no reason, if we are going to meet soon, shouldn't it be more painless?
Me, Azami and Kano disappeared before Seto's eyes.
Everything was getting blurred, my body felt numb and grandmother's voice was the last thing I heard
"Sleep, my dear… Soon it will be time to awaken in a new world"
Darkness overwhelmed me and a dream from long ago had appeared before my eyes.