Chapter 9

A/N: C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER! Yeah, I broke the daily update chain, but you'll get this long chapter instead!~
First, I would like to thank every one of my reviewers. They lighten my mood, and it means so much. And just a reply to 'xiao mu dan':
Special thanks for the Chinese confirmation, but more importantly- you have no idea how much that story made me laugh. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! :)
Now from China's POV for once. :D

China's POV

I slowly opened my eyes. The world around me was so blurry- I couldn't even point out the colour of the walls. I blinked several times to clear my vision. This helped me identify two figures standing (or sitting, I couldn't tell) above me, but nothing more.

Fed up of being clueless, I pulled my arm up to rub my eyes. Before I reached them though, I felt another soft hand gently push it back down. They also muttered something, but I couldn't understand what.

'Fine.. let me look around a blurry world, aru..' I joked, knowing the other person was only trying to help me. I shrugged my shoulders, or at least tried, and stuck to blinking instead of rubbing my eyes. It eventually worked to some extent.

I was facing the familiar, white ceiling. I noted I was probably lying on a bed of some sort. I had a closer look at the two figures above me, and recognised them straight away. Kiku and Elizaveta. At that moment, the events of earlier came flooding back to me.

/

"Are you sure you'll be alright for this?"

"Shì. Bùyào dānxīn, Rìběn."

. . .

"Rìběn, there's no way you can get your seatbelt on with a lifeless shoulder, aru! Here, let me help you, aru!"

"W-Wha- Oh, u..um, a-arigatou, Yao-san. Are you still sure it doesn't hurt?"

"You worry a lot, don't you, aru? ..or maybe it's just for me..?"

"What was t-that last part..? I couldn't hear.."

"N-Nevermind, aru!"

/

I quietly sighed, with a smile on my face. While thinking about the previous events, a thought accidentally slipped off my tongue.

"You're so cute, Rìběn..~" I blinked a few times, as I felt my face heat up in embarassment.

'Did I really just say that outloud, aru..? Aiiyah! Elizaveta is here too, aru!' I mentally scold. I try to brush it off like it was normal by sitting in silence, and it half seemed to work.. only half.

"Oh..? What was that, Yao?" Elizaveta questioned. Her yaoi senses were probably tingling.. crap.

"E-Eh? Nothing, aru!" I defended. It was worth a shot..

"Suuure, suure. Anyway, now that we know you can hear us, are you okay, Yao?" she questioned. I blinked a few times. 'Right. I've gotta get my head around this..

Legs: Fine. Arms: Able to flail around like there's no tomorrow. Stomach: Slightly stinging, nice overall. Head: Eh.. not so good. Pounding.'

"I'm okay, aru." 'Why am I so bad at this, aru!?' "Really. I'm at least much better than earlier, aru." 'That's more like it.' The other two sigh in relief, though I can tell Kiku's is more genuine.

"That's good to hear.." Kiku comments. "I'm making tea. You can rest for a little longer, if you wish."

"It's okay, I think I've rested enough, aru. There's still a lot of information I'm missing out on because of this, aru." I decline, with Kiku's insane attitude in mind. It sent chills down my back just recalling the events.

/

"K-Kiku...? Wh-What... happened to you, aru...?"

"Kiku..? Oh no, you're mistaken."

. . .

"That meinu [bitch] who didn't show up earlier..? Isn't that right?"

. . .

"Lucky. Two birds in one. It's too bad I'm feeling greedy and want eight."

"Let's do a count off, shall we? Ichi."

"N-No... you're not Kiku, so I won't listen to a word you say!"

/

I shook my head, clearing my mind from the strange memory. No matter how many times I revised the scene, it still didn't make sense in my mind. I cast my attention over to Kiku just to confirm he was okay. Sure enough, he was casually chatting away with Elizaveta, waiting for the tea to set. I sighed in relief, clouding my thoughts on only the good memories of Kiku.

A light tap on my shoulder caused my thoughts to shatter, as I liked to describe it. I turned around to realise it was Kiku, politely holding out a cup of tea.

"Here. It'll help you relax, I am sure." he offered, as I kindly took the cup and said a small thanks. I realised something immediately when the cool liquid reached my mouth. I had been a long time since I had this kind of Japanese tea, and it brought back a ton of memories. Ah, how nostalgic simple items can be.

. . .

I set my cup down on the mahogany table beside the couch I realised I was lying on. Though I really wanted to keep a friendly atmosphere, I had been wanting an explanation ever since I first saw Kiku earlier. Breathing slowly, I began to speak with my head down.

"S-So sorry to get all serious again aru, but... It's getting on my nerves, aru.." I felt the other's gazes upon me, and lifted my head up. Kiku and Elizaveta, who were up and about before, had taken a seat at a table across from where I was sitting. I flipped by legs off the side of the couch so I didn't have my legs up disrespectfully. I cleared my throat.

"I need to know, aru. I need to know exactly what happened out there, aru." I asked softly, gazing away from the two expectantly listening to me.

"I-I'm sorry..? W-When was this..?" Kiku lied. It sent a chill down my spine.

"Don't lie to me, aru!" I snapped. Immediately realising what I had done, I muttered a quiet 'I'm sorry' and drew in more air. I looked up at Kiku, giving a fierce and demanding look.

"Earlier. What you did. Everything. It wasn't like you at all, aru. Please.." I gave my best pleading look as my patience drained. Kiku was starting to sweat, and his gaze averted from mine. I could tell he was hiding something- something he didn't want to tell me. I wasn't sure whether it was because he didn't trust me, or because it was too much of a secret to tell anyone in general, but both of them made me extremely worried.

"I... I can't." he plainly stated, after a few seconds of mumbling and stuttering.

"Why not, aru? I deserve to know, aru! I care about you, and you're just worrying me more by keeping it to yourself, aru. I don't know if it's our cold past or strained present relationship aru, but I want you to put it behind you and tell me what's going on, aru!" Kiku slammed his hands on the table, and shot up out of his seat. It frightened me.

"I can't tell you, okay!? I want to, and if it was that simple, I would have blurted it out ages ago! You don't have to say all that, just stop being insensitive and let me be! Your looking at the surface, but you haven't thought about what's underneath.." At that moment, he stormed out of the main room, slamming the door to the spare room and locking it. I looked down at my hands, regretting my actions and repeating Kiku's hurtful words in my mind.

"K-Kiku, wait! Where are you-" I pulled on Elizaveta's short sleeve, stopping her from chasing Kiku.

"It's okay, aru. Just... let him be.." I choked out. She looked at me in surprise for a while, before finally dropping down in her seat.

"He worries me so much.. but I'm guessing you care a lot more, Yao. He's a strange one, isn't he?" she asks calmly. I lie back down slowly, earning a few cracks from my stiff back.

"He sure is.. though usually he doesn't cause this much grief, aru." I rolled over, and shut my eyes, focusing on all of the happy memories I had with Kiku. 'Hopefully I can create more soon, aru..'

Kiku's POV

I slid down against the door, cupping my face in my hands. Desite the amount of times I tried to tell myself it was only a minor mistake, something inside me kept insisting it was something much more. I shook my head in denial, trying to shake off the horrible thoughts. I looked around the room, not discovering anything eye-catching besides a large mirror hanging on the opposite wall. Rubbing my tired eyes, I stood up and faced the mirror. I glanced over my shoulder, double-checking I had locked the door and no one was behind me. I glared at my reflection in the mirror.

"You. It's your fault, isn't it? Show yourself. Show yourself right now!" I yelled, glaring right into my own dulled eyes. Soon enough, the walls in the reflection quickly dripped into black, and I was soon staring at glowing, red irises. He was back.

"Don't need to be rude. What's wrong? I don't see a problem, Kiku." he taunted, showing off his annoying little smirk.

"Don't play games with me. Just then." I demanded, resisting the urge to throw the mirror off the wall.

"Just then? I've been waiting in this stupid place this whole time, baka. Ever since you forced me into here when we arrived in this house.." he informed, bringing a sense of defeat upon me. It was true, as soon as we arrived, I forced Kuro into a mirror in a seperate room, and completely forgotten.

"Right. Still.. you're still affecting me in some way, I know it." I accused with confidence, though I had no idea where I was going.

"Hm? And in what way..?" Though I knew he was going to ask it, I still hadn't planned an explanation beforehand, and was drawing a complete blank. Bluffing on the spot was harder than it seemed, especially when on the edge.

"I, um, well, you see.. You... uh.." I quickly ran through the whole day in my head. I skipped a handful of potential events that could support me, but I couldn't help it. Pressure sure does a lot..

"You have no idea what you're doing Kiku, admit it." Kuro teased, with his annoying laughter following. It finally hit me. 'I don't get angry... do I? No, not normally... I used to.. read the atmosphere, was it..? Why is my mind so foggy..?'

"That time!" I suddenly shouted. He just blinked at me, staring at me with the most unamused face I've seen him pull.

"I'm not some strange mutant who can read minds and remembers things perfectly. You mean.." he asked, waiting for me to finish his sentence.

"J-Just then..? You're pessimistic ways are latching on to me. I wouldn't do something like randomly make an outburst in front of Yao-san, or anyone else in general." I contradicted, nodding my head at my logical thinking. My hopes fell once I heard Kuro's chilling laughter once again.

"Are you that slow? Normally, yes, maybe you wouldn't, but your far from normal now, Kiku. Your body is finally succumbing to me!" he explained triumphantly, with his hand on his hip. I stepped aback in shock. My head was pounding and my hands were shaking.

"I.. n-na-nani? I.. I'm normal!.. T-There's no way you're...! W-Wait a second, does this mean you're gradually taking over me as we speak..!?" I panicked. I felt sweat drip off my forehead, and make me suddenly uncomfortable.

"You're far from normal now that you're speaking to me. I can prove it to you, if you want.~" Kuro cheered, unshealthing his katana. I didn't notice earlier, but it seemed he had always carried a katana by his side. Like I feared, he pointed the shiny blade straight at me, sliding through the liquid-like glass and stopping mere centimetres in front of my face. I breathed in and out slowly, staying as still as possible.

"W-What are you doing..?" I questioned, with more sweat beading off my forehead. Kuro's smile only grew wider.

"What am I doing, you ask..?" His sharp katana swung backwards. "Proving you're insane."

A/N: How come China's POV parts are so short? I just realised, and I have no idea why. O.O Plus, if any of you get the Amnesia reference, then you are extra awesome. ;)
FYI, the story probably won't end for a while.. I have no idea how long this will be. I estimate over 15 chapters though.
Don't forget to leave some constructive criticism, feedback, or general thoughts behind in a kind review. They really mean a lot.
Thank you!~