I'm not sure how long I've been out, but when I finally find myself coming back to my senses… A shattered piece of my heart aches, wishing I could've stayed unconscious a bit longer. Just enough to let my soul get some much needed peace from everything. To grow numb and let it fade into a distant memory, so I have a somewhat easier time recovering.
A light groan passes my lips. I don't want to open my eyes straight away. At least it's not absolutely freezing cold in here any more. That means I can try to rest a bit more, even though for some reason, the position I'm in feels… off. Maybe my friends propped me against a bookcase or something. No idea why they'd do that, but that explains why my neck and lower back is all stiff.
"Mimi… Mimi, no… Please, no, no…!"
Out of nowhere, a girl begins to sob from a short distance away, at least that's what it sounds like. Mimi? Did… Miku get into some trouble…? I can't quite place who that voice belongs to.
Grumbling, my eyelids twitch a little, curiosity taking over. I'm awake, no point in pretending that I'm out any longer. Can't hurt to sneak a peek. I'm sure whatever is going on, they won't need my assistance.
"Wh...what…?" Peeling my eyes open, I'm greeted by a thick blanket of darkness enveloping pretty much everything. It's obscuring how far ahead of myself I can see. I suppose that's not too worrying, it must be night time already, but… It's the fact that I'm not in the library, and no one else is here except that girl…!
My heart thuds a little harder in my chest. Is this… some sort of dream, where I'm like, super aware of everything that's going on…? Ugh, great. I squint, taking in my surroundings. I don't know where the heck I am right now. All I can make out is a seemingly endless stretch of darkness in front of me. Guess my first instincts about being slouched against a bookcase, or in reality a wall, were correct. Glancing down, I only just realise I'm wearing a dark button-up shirt and some kind of fancy black pants. What the fuck…?
Well, as strange as this is… And dream or not, I should probably figure out what's going on, and more importantly, who this girl is. "Oi… wh-who's there…?" I call out into the – admittedly kinda creepy – void of the night.
"Huh…!?" The girl hiccups, bolting upright. I'm easily able to spot that knee-jerk reaction a mile away; a shadowy figure is kneeling over… something.
Once I set my sights on her, it's pretty easy to keep track of her and whatever she's doing. I trace the outline of her figure, taking note of her shoulder-length hair. No chance I can see any more than that, though. She's quite far away, maybe halfway down this walkway thing from where I am at the wall. Again, no clue what sort of room my imaginative mind has conjured up in this freaky realistic dream.
"K-Kaito-kun…" She sort of freezes up on the spot for a moment, but then she slowly turns her head to glance over her shoulder. Somehow, she sees me right away and knows who I am, despite the gap between us.
As soon as her eyes meet mine… "Gumi-san… Where are we? Where are the others?" I'm kind of half-yelling at her. I hope she isn't expecting to carry out a whole conversation while we're so far apart. Then again, if she's crying over something, she probably doesn't want to move. Looks like I have to be the one to go over to her, even though I lack the energy.
I press a palm to the floor, preparing myself to stand up. But the second I even begin to straighten out my back, a horrible, sharp pain shoots through my entire body, like I've been stabbed or something. "Aaaaghhhh…!" A harsh cry that echoes throughout the hall pushes its way out of me, my eyes stinging from immediate tears.
"D-Don't move, Kaito-kun! Don't move!" Gumi throws a hand out my way, as if she wants to physically stop me but can't, giving me a frantic order in the form of a desperate scream.
I've never heard such raw, powerful emotion from this girl before. It catches me off guard, but only a little, since that wave of pain has left me doubled over and breathing heavily. I screw my eyes shut, waiting for it to pass. Shit, if only she had told me not to move sooner…
"I'm… I'm sorry…! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you…" She apologises profusely almost right after her outburst. When I open one eye with gritted teeth, I see that she's bowing deeply, as if she isn't allowed to get mad or tell me what to do, or… something.
"It… it's fine," I answer nonchalantly, though it's hard to sound all calm and collected like it's no big deal. Sucking in a breath, I take another moment to let the pain pass. It's settled a little. I'm still not sure why I'm in such a beaten up state… I'm starting to wonder if this actually is a dream or not. All I recall from earlier is getting into a fight that should've only really hurt my throat. This is too much.
"I… I just don't want you to sustain any more injuries, or go through any more pain than necessary…" Her voice sort of cracks, shoulders starting to shake. Her head droops again, and she lightly presses her fingers to her forehead.
I can't even begin to process what's happening. Gumi is acting like a completely different person. And she still hasn't answered me – has something serious went down? "H-Hey… quit with the vague responses already," I demand, patience running a bit thin. We're meant to work as a team, after all, aren't we? She shouldn't be this obnoxiously difficult all of a sudden. I feel like I'm wasting valuable energy on things I shouldn't have to address, damn it.
"I know you're probably in shock right now, Kaito-kun…" Gumi starts, retracting her palm from her forehead at last, setting it down onto her lap. "Trust me, I am, too. I… I still can't make sense of it… E-Everyone is… is…!"
I try to gulp down the nerves bubbling in the pit of my stomach, but it's no use. She's all shaken up, words trembling and her teeth chattering. The anticipation of potentially fucked news is killing me. Grimacing, I apply as little pressure as possible and shuffle myself to sit upright. There's no fiery jolt of pain this time, but a dull ache in my abdomen.
"We're the only ones left… Why…?" There's a hint of guilt seeping through her tone.
I still don't understand. The 'only ones left'? Without really thinking, I lift a palm to my stomach, as my mind wonders what the source of the pain is. When my hand makes contact with my shirt, my fingers brush against something uncomfortably cold and wet.
"Why couldn't I have done more to protect Gaku-kun? To protect Mimi…?" The more she rambles, the more her stability unravels, like pulling on a loose thread.
I don't know what to focus on first. It's clear by now she means Miku, and apparently Gakupo may be hurt, too. My mind is racing, cracking under the pressure. Still, a part of me wants me to check out the suspicious stain on my shirt. Lifting my palm up and holding it close to my face tells me all I need to know.
"Why? Why? Why, why, WHY?!" She unleashes a chilling screech, no longer directly asking me but begging an unknown God for answers. She clutches at both sides of her head, chest rapidly falling and rising. "They're dead, everybody is dead…! Why would somebody do this, why would they take everyone I love away? I don't understand – I don't understand!"
Red. The stench of iron overpowers my senses, and all I seem to take in, in that moment, is crimson flooding my vision.
"Aaahhhhh! I can't take it any more, please, if you're still here after killing everyone, then kill me already! Just end it, please! There's no need to delay it any further…! Kill me…! Kill meeeee!" She howls, her pleas to have her life taken away dissolving into heavy sobbing and dry-heaving.
I can hear it all. But mentally, I checked out when I heard that fated word… Dead. Everyone… Dead. It's like my brain is unable to function. All it can conjure up is flashes of the most twisted and most gruesome mangled corpses possible of those I love, despite the fact I haven't even laid eyes upon such a sight.
Gumi's pained wails and strong craving for death is something that I'll never be able to forget, even if it's phasing into nothing now.
…
[Gakupo Kamui's POV]
As soon as my lips just barely brush against his, a staggering, messy flash of an entire lifetime's worth of memories are thrust upon me, all condensed into about a millisecond. The shock hits me like a truck, an electrical sensation surging through my whole body, simultaneously knocking the air out of my lungs and physically causing me to jolt away from him.
My eyes peel open straight away, and I may as well be looking directly into a mirror. His expression perfectly reflects the horror and overwhelming wave of confusion I feel right now. All those memories… They all strung together and I can't possibly try to understand any of them, but now I know exactly who I really am.
"Shit…!" I feel like I'm going to vomit.
Does he know, too?
"Uhh… I… I…" He is speechless, just as I am. But his panic doesn't seem to quite replicate mine. If he had all those memories of that lifetime, I'm sure he'd be incredibly vocal about it, as he usually is about anything else.
He… has to remember me, right…? I reel back a few paces, staring him dead in the eye. He's shaking, filled to the brim with regret. But I am the one who should be wrecked with guilt. How could I have treated him this way? "Kaito-san, I-I… I'm so sorry, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking…!" My previous way of speaking is lost to me. That formal politeness is replaced by nothing but pure shock. To top it off, I still have no idea if he knows or not.
He's sharply glaring right at me. My heart sinks when I notice his soft blue eyes all watery. But what he says next is enough to solidify my fears. "I… I… h-hate you…" He spits that out, between panicked breaths, before pressing his hand to his mouth and shaking his head slowly.
Hate…? He can't… Is it too late? Have I treated him too terribly for him to be able to remember everything? My eyes are fixated on him, and I don't quite realise how much it looks like I'm giving him a chilling death stare. All rationality has been thrown out the window. Fate is truly cruel.
How could I have so foolishly been such a monster to him, all this time? "Ugh, don't you think I hate myself, too?!" Even though I don't mean to raise my voice, it slips out, raw emotion clouding any logical approach. "Sorry, I…" I can't lose my cool. Not yet.
To my surprise, he takes in a deep breath. Those tears on the verge of spilling from his eyes aren't convincing enough to me that he's staying calm, though. Oh, the hatred he must feel for me… It must be eating him alive, burning his very core. What have I done?
I squeeze my eyes shut, scrambling to make sense of this all. Why now? A kiss of all things is what prompted all of this to come back? My head is spinning. "Nngh…! I… I don't know what to say, other than…" Slowly opening my eyes again, I try my best to speak softly. But then I trail off, taking into account that he has Miku.
That's right. The line between this life and the other got so blurred for a moment, I almost forgot about his current lover. This is a serious point of conflict. Am I the only one out of all of us who's regained those memories? If so, how? Will the others even have a chance to remember…? This is not good. I'll have to wait on the sidelines, having my sanity worn down every time I see him give a special, warm smile to someone that isn't me. Clinging onto a sliver of hope that he remembers one day. But if he doesn't… I may go crazy.
I need to push this aside for now. I'm relatively clever and cunning, aren't I? I must gather more information. Acting like my 'usual' self, like nothing has changed, is going to feel weird though. I have no clue how I'll possibly endure it, but I can't selfishly try to win his affections from Miku. He is happy in this life, and that's all that matters… Isn't it?
I quickly jump up after releasing a heavy sigh, after sitting in silence for the longest time here. "We need to get back to the others. They're going to be worried." I put up my previous cold mannerisms, deciding it's best to forget this interaction. Damn it… If only he remembered, too… Why?
All he does is lower his hand from his mouth at long last, those soft hiccups and sniffles long subsided. His eyes are empty. It's hard to tell if he really knows or not. There is a slight chance he does, but dares not mention it in fear of sounding crazy. That's what I'm doing, after all, right? But…
"Kaito-san, I think it's best we…"
"Save it." He promptly cuts me off, rudely interrupting.
I impulsively roll my eyes at him. That whole interrupting before I can finish a sentence thing can be somewhat cute, but right now it's a little annoying. I think I'm just irritated that he doesn't recognise me, however. I can't let it build up. If I must act normal, so be it. "I really don't think we should drag this out any further," I mumble, lowering my glance to my feet. "It was a spur of the moment; nothing more, nothing less, and I really am sorry. I'd rather put it behind us and pretend it never happened… So it'll be less awkward when working together."
He sort of sticks his lips out in a pout, scrunching up his nose. Why do I feel like he isn't pleased by that response? He can't really see through me so easily, can he? Then again, we spent quite a bit of time together at school, before all of this. He knows how to read me by now, huh.
"Working together?" All he does is tut.
Trying to recollect how I'd usually act, which is difficult when my head is spinning, I prop my hands casually onto my hips. I can't bring myself to be mean to him like before, obviously. I'm an idiot.
"Look… Just because we have to work together doesn't mean I have to be all nice to you. Stay out of my way from now on, got it?"
Wait… What?
"H-Huh…" I blink once or twice, eyes widening slightly. "But…?" This… disproves my theory that he's only acting like he doesn't remember… An uncontrollable, strained grunt passes my lips.
"Just tell the others you didn't see me on your way back," he states, so matter of factly.
That catches me off guard. I seriously doubt everyone will believe that. With a sigh, I force out what'd be most appropriate for 'this' version of me to say. "Do you really think they'll buy that? Especially your hot-headed friend who obviously hates me," I sigh. Phrasing it like that really makes me seem like an asshole. Guess I have been. "What about Miku-san? Won't she be worried-"
"Oi!" He snarls, lashing right out at me without any sort of hesitation. I flinch, but only barely. That wrath is certainly befitting of him, so at least not everything has changed. Still, I only meant it as a harmless suggestion, pushing him back to where he belongs. "Leave Mi-chan out of this. You don't see me pretending to give a shit about your supposed girlfriend, so how 'bout you stop acting like you care about mine?"
Oh. Again, hindsight proves itself to be a bitch. In his mind, he's only bearing the brunt of the guilt for technically being unfaithful to his partner. Perhaps I should have cared a little more about Gumi. Ugh, even so… Silly Kaito. "If you cared, you wouldn't have been interested in me in the first place…"
"The hell did you say, Kamui?"
Oops. A little too cocky, perhaps. Can't expect me to be a pro at acting with a semblance of normality five minutes after all that.
Luckily, he continues to rant without chewing me out fully. "Listen, I told you, gimme five minutes! Geez, that's not too much to ask for, is it?"
I suppose not. I should probably go before I give away too much, anyway. "Fine," I say, with a light sigh. There's so much I want to tell him. A swarm of apologies, confessions of my true feelings, and so much more is swimming in my head. There's no fathomable way I can even attempt to string any of it into something cohesive. With a slight shake of my head, I turn on my heels and leave as quick as I can.
When I exit back into the main hallway, I'm hit with a much-needed breath of fresh, crisp air. Thank goodness I'm out. My shattering heart was about to burst out of my chest at any moment. As much as that pressure almost makes me want to cry, I need to remain composed to the best of my ability. But the fact that I'm somehow the only one with fragments of another life swirling in my mind is beyond perplexing. The trigger seemed to be completely random, as if it could've happened at any moment, yet it had been now.
I linger outside the door for far too long, part of me hoping Kaito will follow after me. That he'll admit he was hiding the truth but couldn't hold it in for long. He's always been terrible at keeping secrets. Or… should that be past tense now…? I wonder how much he's changed between then and now. I certainly am no stranger to being a totally different person these days. Geez. Teenage angst-ridden, modern day Gakupo Kamui fucking sucks. Not an ounce of self-awareness to be seen.
Just as I'm about to return to the underground library of the palace, which is now all too familiar to me, I'm stopped in my tracks by someone calling my name from…
"Gakupo-san!"
Above?
I step away from the ballroom doors to get a better view, and crane my neck to catch sight of Miku on the first floor balcony, leaning over the railing. "Mi-!" Shit, I almost call her 'Mimi' without thinking. I swiftly correct myself without missing a beat. "Miku-san?"
"Any luck on finding Kaito-kun?" Her long, teal side-ponytail hangs down over the railing a bit, and she smiles expectantly at me.
I reluctantly shake my head, grinning dryly. Wait, so why is she conversing with me of all people, again? Sure, we've kind of had our arms twisted to get along better, but there's no need for her to fake it if it's just the two of us here.
Now that I think about it, those brief flashes only focused on my own past experiences. But getting a good, clear look at Miku is broadening my perspective once more. She seems to be the exact same type of person as before. Sweet, easy-going, but fiercely protective if need be. I don't recall if she also held feelings for Kaito, back then. Guess it doesn't matter.
"Hold on, I'll come down to you. Won't do us any good to shout back and forth!" She giggles softly, sliding her hand along the railing as she starts to approach the stairs.
Hmm. Now I'm just more curious to know what she's doing out here in the cold. I meet her halfway at the bottom of the stairs; for some reason, the closer she gets, the more nervous I feel. She wants to talk directly to me about something, doesn't she…?
"Ahh," she lets out a sigh of relief, suddenly plopping herself on the second-to-last step. I raise a brow as she lightly slaps down her palms to her thighs, resting her hands there. "Mind if we talk?"
Strange. Even though it's cold, I've broken out into a hot sweat out of nowhere. Her calm voice is unnerving, knowing she may have somehow witnessed that scene between Kaito and me. I hesitantly lower myself beside her, leaving a reasonable gap between us.
"Well, how about you tell me what you're doing out here, for a start?" I steer the conversation in a less anxiety-inducing direction, delaying the inevitable for at least a few moments.
"Mm?" She blinks, tilting her head to the side a bit. "Oh… Right. Xingchen-san sent us out to scope the place a little more thoroughly. She hopes we can find some sort of clue that'll be our ticket out of here."
I rub at the back of my head, the gears in my mind turning once more. There's no way I'll be able to know the extent of the damage dealt to the palace in current times, or if most of it is even still standing, but… I'm sure there used to be some sort of hidden room tucked away in here somewhere, where the artifacts of the royal family were securely locked up. That's a better starting point than randomly wandering the bedrooms. But to bring this point up… Ugh. I grimace at the thought of being labelled delusional.
"Ah, I see," I nod, going along with it for now. "Find anything?" God, I really hope she can't hear the little wobbles of nervousness in my voice.
Miku shakes her head, before releasing a soft sigh. She shifts her hands behind her, pressing them against the cold step and tilting her head back to gaze up at the tall ceiling. "Gakupo-san, did something happen just now?"
Uh oh. There it is. Her tone is far from accusatory, but that just worries me. "J-Just now…?" I repeat, in a pathetic, wimpy voice. I need to take the blame here. I can't let Kaito have his relationship in this life be ruined.
"Hmm… Something about you seems off…" She trails her eyes down from the ceiling, dragging out her words in an almost teasing way, before locking gazes with me. Everything about her current aura just screams smug. And then she says one word. "Gaku."
I freeze on the spot, heart skipping a beat. "Y-You… you… know?" I squeak, not sure what else I can say to that. If I'm wrong, I'm going to be incredibly humiliated trying to explain myself.
She moves an arm, propping her elbow onto her thigh and pressing her cheek into her palm with a devilish grin, narrowing her knowing orbs at me. She doesn't say a word, pressing me to go on.
Honestly, I'm stunned. "I thought… I was the only one…" This is too much to wrap my head around.
"I think it's only you and me, at least for now…" Miku pouts slightly. It's clear that, despite having an ally in each other, it's undoubtedly lonely. "It happened when I was upstairs, searching through those bedrooms. It came out of nowhere…! The pain of all those memories rushing back to me was… so dizzying… I almost collapsed from the splitting headache." She admits, and it's like a remnant of that pain still exists, because her features contort a bit as she explains.
"I'm so sorry…" is all I can muster. How lame. At least it's over now. I would've preferred to stay oblivious though, personally. Just knowing it can unlock so much unwanted agony. Well, that aside, there is one thing I'm dying to know… "H-How exactly… did we end up alive again?"
It's not like I can recall how we exactly met our end. That's probably an intended thing, to keep us from losing our minds by reliving that horror. I just remember there was an attack on the palace, and… No, that's about all I can conjure up.
Miku gives an unsure shrug, with a light apologetic smile. "That's the craziest part, isn't it?"
With a huff, I rest both palms against my cheeks, slouching forward. "So…" Here comes the awkward bit. "I take it you already know about me and Kai-kun." I'd never use that nickname to his face, in such an endearing way, of course. But if it's only Miku here, I'm sure it's no problem.
A light blush stains her face, from what I can see out the corner of my eye. I'm mostly staring right ahead, avoiding direct eye contact.
"I may not have been romantically involved with him in the past, but…" She mumbles. There is always a 'but'. I know what's coming, anyway. "I love him now. Yet, at the same time…"
Is she… stammering? Out of curiosity, I slowly turn to look at her. She's growing more beet red, and she straightens her back out, loosely clenched fists resting on her lap.
"Y-You may not have known… Actually, nobody knew… G-G-Gumi and I… We… um…"
My eyes widen. Oh. Oh!
"In… this life?" I tread carefully, not wanting to offend her or make her lash out.
She vigorously shakes her head, teal hair flopping all over the place in denial. "No, no, no! Never! But there… there's these feelings, and they grew a lot stronger once I realised who I was…!"
She's talking and rambling so fast, I can barely make out what she's saying, but I get the general gist of it. This is awkward. An overlap between this life and the last is inevitable, but who would've thought it would be this messy?
Miku screws her eyes shut, practically on the verge of tears from sheer embarrassment. "P-Please, don't judge me… and don't get me wrong, I do love Kaito-kun… But not as strongly as my beautiful Gumi…" The end of that goes off the rails a bit, slipping into a dreamy tone.
Well, I suppose I can't be mad at her. Besides, with Gumi, I guess it had been a crush more than anything serious. "Hey, I have no issue with that," I say. Wait, I should be a little less openly relieved about that, shouldn't I?
She hesitantly peers at me with one open eye, determining if I'm angry or not. Once she sees I'm calm and genuinely fine with that revelation, she lets out a deep sigh, opening her other eye. She spreads her fingers out from being clenched up, relaxing a little. "I'm torn, though. I can't just leave Kaito-kun. He doesn't remember, does he?"
I rub some of the tension from my neck, before answering. "No, he probably doesn't…" I can't be wholly honest just yet. Miku will most definitely kill me and Kaito. We need a better setting for it, at the very least. We have to get off Wispia without Miku wanting to rip our throats out.
Before we can continue our conversation some more, a light pitter-patter of footsteps cuts us short. Someone is approaching from… probably the underground tunnel. I throw a glance over my shoulder, recognising them from practically a mile away. Una.
"Hmmmm…" She's lightly humming to herself, fixated on the gem around her neck. She's holding it between her forefinger and thumb, without any other cares in the world.
"Ah, Una-san!" Miku coolly transitions from her 'old' self to her new school-kid self, greeting the girl who's approaching the staircase.
"Wah!" She lets out a sharp, squeaky gasp, dropping the gem from her grip. Poor girl got scared witless. She really shouldn't be so jumpy. However, at least when she recognises us, she lets her guard down with a wide grin. "Oh! It's you two. H-Hello!"
Oh, my goodness. That little wave. I'm starting to remember a lot more about Una now that she's right here. She's always had a natural ability to make the hearts of everyone she crossed paths with melt.
"I know it looks like we're slacking off here…" Miku jokes, pulling a pouty face. "But I assure you, we just stopped for a quick minute to go over what we already know about our situation."
To be honest, that way of speaking is a little on the nose. She needs to dial the formality back.
With a light cough, I continue. "Y-Yeah, we were gonna head back to the library, actually. What about you?"
"Oh… Just… wandering around. Seeing what I can find that'll make Xingchen proud- I… I, uh, I mean…!"
Oh? Wait, has she always…?
"Ahem!" She clears her throat, shaking off her little mistake. "Have fun. I'm going to check out this room here," she says, gesturing to the doors of the grand ballroom. Uh oh. Kaito is in there. I dart my glance between those doors and Una, not knowing what to say. But before I have a chance to, she's already headed in.
Miku finally releases a hearty giggle that I hadn't realised she'd been holding. "Oh, gosh! The princess is just the absolute cutest little angel, isn't she?!" She exclaims, apparently bursting at the seams with a ton of adoration. It's only natural, I guess.
"I'm inclined to agree, Mimi," I softly laugh. If only Kaito could see the real Una now… There is no one he loves more in the entire galaxy than his sweet sister.
"I hope everyone else remembers eventually, you know…" Miku shifts to a more bittersweet mood, and there's a small pang in my heart as I hear those words.
"I'm sure they will." I speak with some confidence, knowing she could probably use a boost of that. "And, uh… it probably goes without saying, but… I am so sorry for the way I've treated you and the others. I did want to apologise before all this; I swear I haven't just changed my mind on a whim now that I know who I am…" I speak the most sincerely I have in probably a long time, looking right into her eyes. Guilt presses down on my chest.
"I think we all let ourselves get carried away in this Talent Trial stuff, among other things," Miku answers, wearing a soft smile.
"Still, I…"
"Gaku. It's okay. We can talk to the others about it too, alright?" she offers.
I almost grimace at the thought. Dell and Neru aren't too keen of me right now. I just hope it'll go smoothly.
…
We should've been at the library by now. But Miku and I are still merrily chatting away about the good old days, plopped right in the same position on the staircase. I've lost track of time altogether, but honestly, I needed the distraction. My own mind had been all filled with looming dread over our situation, and I was certain this is where we'd die.
Naturally, that pessimism has long faded, since I know we have the base of a solid plan to escape now. I mean, I'm still a little worried that we might fail despite our efforts, but… Gotta stay cool. The secret weaponry room situated on the top floor, where the King and Queen once reigned nearby on their thrones. I'm sure all this snow and ice hasn't affected the magic stored in those artifacts one bit.
Miku laughs away, just as relaxed as I am. "If Kaito-kun hadn't begged his father on his hands and knees, I really think the King would've locked Neru-chan and Dell-kun away forever!" She snorts, reliving yet another tale of old – it sounds rather scary out of context, but exaggerating the King's wrath and stone-cold, ruthless demeanour has always been our favourite pastime.
Her particular way with words and excellent story-telling skills has me doubled over with laughter, sides aching. I remember it as if it were yesterday; the night after Dell and Neru broke into the ballroom for a cheesy, romantic date and got busted by the guards. The way the two handled it afterwards is unforgettable – they made complete and utter fools of themselves, vehemently denying that they were a couple, and the fear-filled cries of regret as they faced the King echoed throughout the palace.
I let out a big sigh, finally composing myself after a strong fit of laughter. I clutch at my sides for a moment longer, slowly shaking my head. "Those were the days, huh…?" Though, now that I think about it, nothing has changed at all between Neru and Dell. Even before all this, it was clear as day they had something going on… That, and they always seem to get into mischief at school.
My upbeat mood vanishes in a second as I'm subconsciously reminded I am the one who screwed up that happy atmosphere between Kaito's group of friends. A little voice scolds me, and my expression falls blank.
"Gaku…?" Of course, Miku notices.
Mind control or not, I still plotted against them, just to win some stupid, insignificant contest for our school. Well, no point in bogging down her good mood, too. "I'm okay," I blatantly lie, waving a hand in dismissal. "Just a little nostalgic for those times, that's all." Not entirely false.
She perks up, sweetly smiling away as usual. "I get it. Oh… We should really get a move on, shouldn't we?"
Shoot, that's right. The others might be thinking that we've lost our way in the palace or something. Actually, Kaito and Una are still in the ballroom, aren't they? I don't recall seeing them exit while Miku and I were busy talking. Glancing over to the doors, I raise a brow, wondering what could be taking so long. "Shall we make sure Una-chan is okay in there?"
As I pull myself to my feet, I stretch my back, cracking away some of the tension and stiffness, and a yawn forces its way out of me. Miku joins me a moment later, giving a simple nod in response to making sure the princess is alright. Well, technically she's not a princess of anything right now, but… Yeah.
We make our way over to the doors of the ballroom, strolling in a casual manner. Those two probably just got caught up in a conversation and let time get away from them, like us. It would be a little bit rude to interrupt, but there'll be plenty of time for bonding later, I figure.
Pushing the doors open, I expect to see Kaito in the same place I left him, accompanied by Una. But the first thing we're greeted by is… well, nothing. Looking straight ahead, I could have sworn he was over in that general direction.
"Hmm…?" Miku softly whispers in curiosity, a bit taken back by confusion at the now empty hall.
Scratching at the back of my head, puzzled, I take a few steps into the room and scan the area. No need to jump to conclusions, right? It's a big hall. First, I look right… and drag my glance to the left at around the same time Miku does, and apparently she sees something before I do.
"Oh my goodness…!" She gasps, and without wasting a single second she begins dashing over to the left side of the hall.
My heart thuds a little harder in my chest when I finally realise what's going on. Miku making a run for it obscures the sight at first, but within less than a second it's clear to see that Una is slouched over on her knees, in front of some opened up passageway. When the hell did that get there…? Crap, that isn't important; she's in distress, shoulders shaking with her head hanging low.
"Una-chan!" Miku's voice is a hint deeper and more mature as she approaches.
I swiftly follow, not exactly running but making sure I'm there to help out fast enough. I want to keep a level-head so that I don't freak her out even more, but my urge to protect her is fighting its way to surface.
"Una-chan…!" Miku repeats, dropping to her knees at the other's level, making a distressed grab for her shoulders.
She's almost lifeless, except for the heaving and crying that sends tremors through her body.
"I… I… h-h…"
Wait, where on earth is Kaito in all this? I lower myself to my knees as well, but a couple paces away so I'm not crowding her and adding to her panic. I glance over her shoulder, staring down the unknown passageway in the wall.
"Breathe, sweetie. Just breathe. It's me – Miku. Gakupo-san is with me, too." She tries to get through to Una, perfectly reflecting the fiercely protective type that she's always been, radiating confidence and reassurance.
Una tries to speak through short, shallow gasps of air, to no avail. She hasn't bothered to lift her head to look us in the eye, either. From what I can see of her face that's covered mostly by wild strands of hair stuck to her face, her skin is at least two shades lighter.
A shudder runs down my spine, but that may be from the harsh chill coming from the entryway behind us.
Finally, she's able to get out just one word. "H...H...Help!" She lifts her head at last, releasing a desperate plea. The look of unbridled terror in her eyes is absolutely chilling.
Miku and I lock eyes immediately. "Gaku, stay here with her. I'll get Dell-kun and Neru-chan!" Before I can even offer myself up to get the others, she's one step ahead of me.
Wordlessly, all I can do is accept with a nod, lips slightly parted. I have no idea how to process this. All I know… is there's danger.
Miku springs up without any hesitation and disappears out into the main hall, footsteps echoing as she goes.
I shuffle closer to Una, not sure how I'll be able to approach her and calm her down. She doesn't really know me, but that's not important. My instincts are telling me to wrap an arm around her and hold her close as she sobs, so I do.
…
It doesn't take long at all for Miku to return with the two others, probably only a few minutes. In that time, Una's condition has improved, but she's still shivering against my chest. I haven't been able to get much more out of her; whatever she's seen down there and whatever has happened must've shocked her to her core.
I've been itching for their return. The only other vital bit of info I squeezed out of her is that Kaito is the one in danger. Who the hell cares if he hates me right now? It is my duty to take care of him.
"Gakupo-san! W-We're here!" Miku calls out to me from the doors, clearly out of breath already. The cold isn't helping. She waves frantically, Neru and Dell in tow.
This is a good time for me to take her place. "Una-san, we need to get you back to safety," I softly say to her.
She shakes her head weakly in refusal, but I can't take no for an answer. "N-No… you need…"
With a sigh, I urge her to get back on her feet. It's easy, with my arm already wrapped around her; I quickly hoist her up and hand her slumping body over to Miku, since they've closed the gap between the doors and us now.
"Una-san…" Miku frowns, taking the poor shaken-up girl off my hands and into her own supporting arms. She has no energy to fight against our decision. It's for the best, anyway.
"The hell is going on?" Neru finally speaks up, hand on her hip. As always, she loves to crudely say what's on her mind. "You gonna keep us in the dark forever?"
I turn on my heels, with a shake of my head. "I'm not sure what happened. But follow me down here."
"G-Gakupo-san, wait, I should come, too…!" Miku insists, only now understanding I'm not going to wait around for her to drop Una off and return.
"Chill out," Dell huffs, grabbing my shoulder from behind and yanking me back. "Talk first, act later."
Deep breaths. Can't let my impatience make me all angry. I spin around again, facing the group. "In case you haven't noticed, Kai-… Kaito-san isn't here," I point out the obvious, almost slipping up again and referring to him as 'Kai-kun'.
On that note, Neru idly gazes around the ballroom, eyes growing wider the more she takes in, until realisation pretty much slaps her in the face. "Shit…" she hisses.
Dell visibly gulps. "You're right, this is serious…" He refers to me.
Well, I have the intuition for these things now, I suppose. I'm not one to gloat, however. "Miku-san, please take Una-san back to the library and let the others see that she's safe. We… will find a way to ward off any danger down there."
"D-Danger?" Neru stumbles over that simple word, narrowing her eyes in concern, all while Miku gives a little sigh.
"Alright," she relents. "Una-san, sweetie… It's better we let these guys take care of it, okay?" She ushers the blue-haired girl off with her at a slow pace.
No more time to beat around the bush. "You guys can handle a little danger, right?" I say, only after I turn my back to them, so that they can't see my playful little smirk. I'm sure they can hear it in my voice, though. Not my fault I can't think of any other way to ward off the pressure and fear of the unknown.
They grunt in unison. "Well, I guess we're… saviours of the universe or whatever," Dell mutters from behind.
I stuff my hands into my pockets and push myself into the narrow tunnel. I know this palace like the back of my hand. There is no way I wouldn't have been aware of the existence of a hidden passage. I know all about the library; it had been forgotten over the years, though. But this? It's out of my league, and I have no idea what will be down there.
"Ladies first," Neru announces, and presumably shoves herself in front of Dell before he can follow me.
It's a long path winding down, and it only gets narrower as we go. At least the two clowns behind me aren't bickering or trying to question me on something.
The closer we get to what I believe must be the end of the tunnel… The more a strange smell fills the cramped tunnel. I've never experienced anything like it in all my life.
"Ugh… what the fuck is that?" Neru vocalises in disgust, echoing my internal thoughts.
"That's not how I'd word that…" Dell sighs. "But, yeah. Can you smell that, Gakupo-san?"
I crinkle my nose up, finding that it's starting to become almost unbearable to tolerate. "I can. And I can see an opening." It's a few steps ahead. Squinting my eyes, I do my best to ignore the foul stench and get through it. I really hope we aren't too late. I can't hear any struggling or fighting, so that's good, right?
No… It's no good at all.
The second I pop myself out at the end of the tunnel, I take just one step to the side and I'm met with a gruesome, stomach-churning sight. Some unrecognisable monster is lifeless a few inches away from him. He's on his knees, hands clutching his head. My chest tightens; all I can do is try to call his name to snap him out of whatever just happened. "Kaito-san…! Kaito-san…!"
"Nngh, that fucking smell…!" Dell clamps a palm over his mouth, audibly gagging.
My stomach is bubbling. I'm darting my glance between that dead thing, and a distraught, unreachable Kaito. How… how are we even supposed to process this…? All the conflict has already happened. One conclusion can be reached.
"Fucking shit, what the hell…? Kai-kun…!" Neru lets her panic wash over her.
Fuck. Get ahold of yourself, Gakupo! Suddenly, in the midst of not knowing how to react, Kaito's shaking body goes limp, his arms falling down from his face. I'm not quite sure how I respond so fast, but I rush forward to him, closing the gap in the blink of an eye… and catch him before his forehead smacks right off the hard ground.
"C-Can we get out of here?" Dell swallows down the urge to throw up, apparently. He squeezes his eyes shut, lightly shuddering.
"Geez… Gakupo-san, how the hell did you know he was gonna faint?"
I… guess I'm quick…?
"I have no idea what that thing over there is, but it fucking stinks. Please, let's take Kaito-kun and go!" Dell continues to protest, but it barely even reaches my ears.
I'm pretty much staring down at Kaito's sleeping face. Holding him in my arms after so long really shouldn't feel this warm and fuzzy. Not when he's potentially hurt and mentally scarred. Kaito… I promise I'll protect you next time… That oath is the least I can do, right?
"Hello?" Impatience from him.
"Yo, shut up man, he's clearly in shock!" A harsh growl of an order from her.
My heart isn't thudding as hard in my chest any more. Thank god. Still, this is my fault, isn't it? I should have stayed with him. Then, if we went down here together, I could have prevented all this. Even at the cost of not regaining my former memories, I know for a fact I would have done anything for him. Regrets of my stupid actions at school only kicked in when I realised how deeply I cared for him.
Momentarily closing my eyes to reflect, I release a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I've just never went through anything like this before," I admit, somewhat truthfully. I speak with as much sincerity as I can manage, wanting to appease Dell's irritation. I know he's not pissed at me, anyway.
Neru grits her teeth, directing her mean glare right at her friend. "Anyone ever tell you not to think useless shit out loud?"
Heh… I almost manage a small chuckle. I totally can't tell if Neru still hates him or not. Okay. Time to pull myself together. For Kaito's sake. Sucking in a breath, I swoop him up with me as I stand, grunting only a little from the extra weight.
"Uh…" Neru and Dell look at me, deadpan, eyebrows raised. "You don't have to carry him… like that…" She trails us up and down.
What? Bridal-style? Maybe a little over-the-top. And he'd certainly kill me if he found out. With a shrug, I say, "It's easier than having dead weight leaning against me."
"Man, you realise he hates your guts, right?" Dell snorts.
"Wow. I am so glad you've recovered from your bout of nausea," I blankly respond, ignoring the small twinge in my chest at his cruel statement.
"This guy knows how to be funny…?" Neru exchanges glances with him, before turning back around to face the tunnel.
I'll be glad to get out of this room and forget all about it. However, that monster… I do wonder how it survived for…however long in here. Wispia is my home, yet there are so many unresolved mysteries left behind.
As I wait for Neru and Dell to go first, I get a proper look around the small room. Shit, how did I miss all these crates? One of them near the entrance has been pried open and is filled with… "Apples?!" I'm genuinely shocked, spluttering out that one word.
"Oh yeah, don't worry, we're gonna come back for them later!" Neru yells over her shoulder.
How is she far more nonchalant about it than I am? I mean, come on, apples that survived a loooong time? Fresh? I know, we're magical citizens, blah blah. This is still outside the realm of normality. Yet another thing to uncover.
I seriously need a nap once I'm done lugging this silly prince out of the danger zone. And then, I need to talk to Miku.