Rem winced as Subaru grabbed her by the wrist without a word and started dragging her away, making her drop the basket of abbles that she'd been holding. Though surprised by the sudden forcefulness, she decided to let him lead without making a fuss. She even reluctantly signaled to the bewildered Mr Kadomon that everything was alright.
Still, Rem couldn't help but be concerned by Subaru's sudden change in behavior. Especially considering that it had happened right after a significant increase in the Witch's stench around him. While she'd learned not to assign too much weight to those moments and now had total faith in Subaru having good intentions, his actions in that particular instance were especially odd.
Maybe she was also just being overly emotional due to her feelings towards Subaru but it hurt that he didn't trust her enough to tell her what was on his mind. And something was definitely troubling him.
The more Rem went along with Subaru, the more uneasy she became. He, still firmly holding her wrist, was taking her in a direction wildly different to that of Karsten Manor. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that Subaru was plotting a course directly West. Though she didn't understand what business he would have in that part of the Royal Capital, let alone further beyond it. And in such a rush, no less.
Finally, Rem could no longer tolerate being strung along without explanation.
"Subaru?"
It was the first time she'd spoken to him since his abrupt change in demeanor. Subaru seemed to take no notice of her calling his name and continued walking briskly towards whichever destination he had in mind.
"Su… baru?"
Rem called out to him again, uncertainty bleeding into her voice. She'd imagined Subaru would have at least given some indication that he'd heard her.
"Not now, Rem…" Subaru muttered to himself. Rem could have sworn she heard hints of irritation in his tone.
So Subaru had heard her after all and had just chosen to ignore her because…? She couldn't imagine any reason why responding to her would be such an inconvenience for him. It only further exacerbated her anxiety about something being seriously wrong.
"Subaru… Where are we going? What are we doing here?"
"It's not important right now. I'll tell you later. Don't worry about it." Subaru murmured and this time he made no attempt to hide his annoyance. The way he kept clenching and unclenching his empty fist in agitation implied that he was more than just annoyed and that the subject of his anger wasn't necessarily Rem.
Not… important…?
"Subaru, I would appreciate if you could at least tell me where we are heading to in such a hurry…" Now Rem herself was beginning to get upset.
Subaru did not even react to Rem's request and showed no signs that he intended to grant it.
"Subaru!"
"Tch!" Subaru glanced over his shoulder at Rem but did not so much as slow his pace. "You don't have to yell, Rem. I'm right here, you know?"
"Well, Rem was just getting a little offended about Subaru ignoring her like that…" She pouted jokingly in order to downplay the severity of the offence she'd actually taken.
"Come on now, Rem…" Subaru shook his head but kept on walking. "I'm not ignoring you… I just don't have the time to stand around and chat right now! Sorry but I just don't! If it's really such a big deal to you, we can discuss everything in detail when we're on the way."
Rude attitude aside, the last three words spoken by Subaru bothered Rem a lot. Were they not already 'on the way'? If not, then why the urgency? But there was something else about the situation that Rem had been finding especially unpleasant since the very beginning.
"Subaru… Rem's wrist is starting to rather hurt from being in this position…"
"Yeah, sorry about that. We'll get you something for it once we're done." Subaru acknowledged Rem's pain and even apologized but made no effort to loosen his grip even a little bit. His proposed solution was to continue as things were and just treat any resulting bruises at a later time.
"Ummm… Subaru, please forgive Rem's momentary impertinence but Rem's intent was actually to inform you that Rem would strongly prefer it if you would not hold Rem so tightly. Rem will still follow Subaru even if he does not treat Rem like some troublesome child that needs to be dragged everywhere." Rem intentionally overused her own name to hint that she was not remotely satisfied with Subaru's suggestion.
"Yeah yeah, I got that."
"Then could you please kindly release Rem now please?" Likewise, the redundant 'please's were used to make clear to Subaru how uncomfortable she was.
"Ah, I really wish I could. But what guarantee do I have that you won't just run off if I do?"
There was no playfulness in Subaru's voice. His words were clearly not intended as a joke. Nor did it even hint at the cute, affectionate kind of possessiveness that Ferris often displayed towards Lady Crusch. Subaru seemed genuinely concerned that Rem would flee the moment he stopped squeezing her wrist. Taken aback, Rem blinked slowly as she tried to piece together the right combination of sounds in order to express her feelings about the implications of what Subaru had just said without coming across as utterly repulsed.
"Is there a reason I would want to…?" She asked nervously.
"…"
The silence spoke volumes. Maybe Subaru was seriously contemplating the question or maybe he already knew she wouldn't like the answer. Either way, it did not instill much confidence in Rem. Despite being in love with him, Subaru's behavior was beginning to make her skin crawl. All of a sudden, the stench of the Witch around Subaru that Rem usually ignored seemed overwhelming. It hadn't actually gotten any stronger, she just found herself taking more notice of it than she typically did. She found herself wondering if it might be the source of Subaru's sudden forcefulness.
While she did not mind Subaru being assertive and maybe even found it quite 'exciting', this didn't feel like just the assertiveness she occasionally fantasized about. It felt more aggressive than that. It felt… violent even. Which was strange since Subaru should have known that if push really came to shove, he wouldn't actually be able to force Rem to do anything. Even in this position, she was more than capable of easily breaking his arm and freeing herself. Of course, she wouldn't actually do that but she could if she so wished. Subaru must have known that Rem wouldn't hurt him and might have even been taking advantage of that fact. She felt disgusted with herself for thinking such uncharitable things about Subaru.
"Subaru. Rem needs to know why you are so convinced she will run away from you." She said sternly.
"Who can say, Rem!" Subaru sighed loudly in exasperation and placed his free hand over his forehead. "I feel like I don't know what's going on anymore. Nothing is going the way it's supposed to and even the people I trust and care about the most just aren't acting like themselves at all."
Look who's fucking talking!
Rem was surprised by what seemed like hostility towards Subaru. It had been almost two months since he had last done something to upset her nearly this much. Before the Wolgarm Incident. Before she'd fallen for him. Occasionally she might still find herself somewhat irked by his actions but never anything beyond that. Certainly not to the level that she could feel her blood starting to boil and her Oni horn practically trying to force itself out.
Shit! Is the Witch beginning to affect me too?!
Much was still unknown about the Witch's miasma and how it affected those exposed to it. So it was impossible to entirely rule out that it could poison the minds and personalities of anyone who spent too long around it. It wasn't something Rem had particularly cared to look into as all she'd needed to know was that most of those who reeked of the Witch were members of the despicable Witch Cult. That was the reason Rem had been so suspicious of Subaru initially, even considering the possibility of killing him if she or Sister ultimately deemed him a threat. Rem still felt a little guilty about having once had those thoughts, especially after she realized how wonderful, kind, and heroic Subaru actually was.
Then why was she once again deliberating whether to trust the man in front of her? Was the Witch's influence really enough to explain Rem's growing feeling of unease and the gradual worsening of her mood? Could she honestly say that Subaru wasn't doing anything to earn her ire?
I love Subaru! I love Subaru with all my heart!
Nothing else mattered. This was the only thing that gave Rem's life any meaning. Without it, her entire world would collapse in on itself. That's why no matter what happened, it was something that Rem had to preserve.
For that purpose…
"What if Rem promised to stay by Subaru's side?" Rem asked sweetly.
"Ah damn, it's not fair when you use that voice, Rem! But… uhhhh… I guess… if you promise…" Subaru's grip slowly slackened until it let go.
Rem briefly massaged her aching wrist and then took the initiative to place her palm in Subaru's, interlocking her fingers with his.
"If Subaru really wanted to hold Rem's hand, Rem would have been happy to agree." Rem whispered in that same sweet voice, blushing to make her cuteness even more irresistible to Subaru. "But this is how Subaru's Rem prefers to hold hands."
"Oh… Right… That's fine… I guess…"
"Tee hee, it is so adorable when Subaru gets all flustered."
"H-hey! Any guy would react like that if a pretty girl like you held his hand, Rem!"
"Ooh… So Subaru thinks Rem is pretty?"
"Of course I do, dummy! Who wouldn't?"
They kept bantering and laughing like that for a little while longer, still walking together hand in hand. From an outsider's perspective, it would appear as if the tension between the two had totally dissipated. However, Rem knew that this was only delaying the inevitable. Subaru's clearly agitated body language and eyes filled with fire betrayed the rage bubbling just below the surface.
Rem would indeed keep her promise to stay by Subaru's side no matter what happened. Even if… No… Especially if Subaru was considering an unpalatable course of action, it was important that Rem be there to help change his mind.
"We're here." Subaru exclaimed as he slowed to a halt.
Rem instantly went into high alert, looking around for anything that could be considered suspicious. The fact that everything seemed so ordinary only served to heighten her tension. Subaru would surely not have been so stressed and aggressive for just a handful of merchant stalls and a dragon carriage. Was someone there disguising their shady endeavors as a legitimate business?
Rem couldn't help but ask this question to Subaru as well, who chuckled.
"No, Rem, it's all exactly what it looks like. Though the only thing we need to be interested in is that carriage over there."
"But then… Subaru, Rem is rather confused. Why was Subaru in such a hurry to arrive here?"
"Ah." Subaru said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, turns out that someone is buying up all of the dragon carriages in the Capital. So I wanted to make sure we got a head start on them before there weren't any left. Judging by how there's only one carriage here, it looks like my hunch was right! Hopefully this guy hasn't accepted any offers yet or we're gonna have to look for our ride somewhere else. And that won't do, we have somewhere very important to be."
"Oh…" Rem replied, simultaneously surprised and reassured by the simple reasoning.
It made her ashamed of being so distrustful of Subaru earlier. All of his actions suddenly made complete sense. He'd been rushing because he wanted to secure a carriage and any pauses in the journey would have lowered the chances of finding one that hadn't already been bought. Judging from how flustered Subaru had gotten from holding her hand, Rem surmised that he'd preferred to grab her wrist instead in order to avoid such 'distractions'. He likely reckoned that she wouldn't be too inconvenienced by it due to her Oni blood. It was rather an inconsiderate assumption to make, but, given the circumstances, Rem was more than willing to forgive and forget the incident. After all, there could only be one reason why transportation would be so important for Subaru…
He wants us to get back to the Mansion as soon as possible. Subaru wants to make up with Lady Emilia.
Though undeniably disappointed about no longer having Subaru to herself, Rem was nonetheless proud of Subaru for making such a commendable decision. She was admittedly rather uncertain about leaving without a word to Lady Crusch or Master Ferris, but that could hopefully be fixed by sending back a letter to explain the situation. And it wasn't like Subaru had cared all that much about having his Gate fixed anyway. Though Lady Emilia would doubtless still be upset at him for abandoning his treatment on a whim like this. Even so, Rem couldn't fault Subaru for his choice, short-sighted as it may have been.
Rem, beaming, couldn't resist the urge to hug Subaru tightly, partly out of admiration and partly out of guilt for not giving him more credit from the start.
"You're so cute, Rem." Subaru said with a smug grin on his face. "I'd marry you if I could."
Now it was Rem's turn to be flustered, her face turning red as an abble.
Not fair, Subaru… Not fair to say that when you know what you've got to do…
"Hi, is this carriage still available?" Subaru asked the driver.
"Dependin' on whatcha needin' it for." The man responded in a thick Kararagi accent.
Rem took out the pouch of coins entrusted to her by Lord Roswaal himself, already hoping that Subaru's reunion with Lady Emilia would go smoothly and that the two would reconcile. Then things could back to how they shou—
"How much for two passengers to Second City Banan?"
… Huh…?
Rem froze from sheer shock, unable to process the sudden turn of events. If Subaru wasn't planning to go to the Mansion from the start then his actions from earlier would once again become totally incomprehensible. In fact, they made less sense in that context compared to even Rem's uncharitable conjecture about black market dealings and the like.
"'Fraid yer lookin' at no less'n three Holy Coins and that's at a lowered price cause yer takin' me closer ta home. Ya good fer it?"
"I mean, if I have to… I'm guessing you've already got an offer, huh?" Subaru rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmmmm, how about halfway there, like to the border with Kararagi?"
"Ya mean ta somethin' like Priestella? Nah, 'fraid that ain't worth ma while."
"Ah, gotcha. I'll take you up on three Holy Coins then."
Why…? Why…? Why…? Why Banan?! Why Kararagi?!
"Ummm… Subaru… Rem is terribly sorry to interrupt your negotiations with this gentleman." Rem bit her lip nervously.
"Hmmm?" Subaru glanced over at Rem. "What's up, Rem?"
"Rem was certain that Subaru intended to return to Lady Emilia…"
"Don't be silly, Rem." Subaru shook his head. "Why would I go to the western part of the Capital if I wanted to go back to Roschi's Domain? My geography isn't the best but isn't that in the other direction?"
Rem felt cheated. Betrayed even. A part of her knew that she had no right to feel this way as it was entirely her fault for choosing such a convenient explanation for all of Subaru's behavior. The other part of her, however, was seething. To borrow an idiom from Subaru's homeland, Rem felt like she had been taken 'for a ride'. She'd already been made to feel like an idiot when it was revealed that Subaru was only interested in reserving a dragon carriage. This applied doubly after she'd interpreted the situation in the most charitable way possible only to have 'the rug pulled out from underneath her', to borrow yet another of Subaru's idioms. Intentionally or not, Subaru had given Rem hope for him and then snatched it away without a second thought.
"No… It is… But… Then Rem fails to understand why… I mean… Subaru… What exactly is supposed to be waiting in Banan?"
"Oh. Just the start of our new life together, Rem." He kissed her gently on the head.
"…"
"That's right, Rem. I love you." Despite the meaning of the words, Subaru uttered them without any special emotion or emphasis.
"…!"
"So, naturally, I just want us to have a happy life together far away from all these Wolgarms, political plots, and bowel-obsessed assassins."
"…"
"Alright, glad you understand. Now pay the nice man please, Rem."
"…"
"Rem?"
"…"
"Come on, Rem…" Subaru urged, impatience beginning to creep into his voice. "He's waiting for—"
"No."
Her reply was curt and ice cold. This time, Rem wasn't surprised by the harshness of her own tone. It was only natural to be upset after realizing that Subaru had been manipulating her and her emotions from the start. There was now no doubt in her mind that he had been planning to take her to this carriage without a word, with the hope that she would just accept the situation and go with him. Deliberately saving his 'secret weapon' to use against Rem at the last moment so that she would have no choice in the matter, lest she be forced to reject the very love she'd been longing for. But the fact that Subaru was willing to sink to such a despicable level proved to Rem that he couldn't possibly love her. Not really. This was not the kind of cruelty that someone would willingly inflict on a person they loved.
Likewise, Subaru's vexed expression was totally at odds with the feelings he claimed to have.
"Rem…" he began, grinding his teeth together. "There's no need to complicate things."
Rem stood there silently, still unable to unpack the mess of emotions stirring within her.
"Why are you being so damn difficult all of a sudden? Is this any way to treat your Subaru?" He reached his hand out towards the pouch that Rem was still holding. "Just come along and I promise everything will be alr—"
"No!" Rem yelled, snatching her hand away and stepping back. "Don't touch me! Don't touch Rem!"
In contrast to her icy demeanor, warm tears began to stream down Rem's cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to be near Subaru at that moment, not when she was harboring so many doubts about his true intentions. Just as his supposed desire to start a new life with Rem in Banan had been an ulterior motive for his actions, it was equally possible that this desire too was just a front for something else. And if she had to think like that, it would be impossible to ever again believe a single thing Subaru said or did. She would always have to wonder what the actual purpose was. She would have to look for hidden meanings in every word, every facial expression, every kindness. Rem wasn't willing to live that kind of life and certainly not with the person she loved most of all. To be unable to trust a close friend or family member was already a terrible thing. To be unable to trust the love of one's life was an unbearable existence.
The way she kept her distance, the way she put up her guard, the way her face showed unimaginable anguish, any person would justifiably assume that Rem was the victim in an abusive relationship or of unwanted advances. This was in fact exactly how the onlookers from the nearby stalls interpreted the situation.
"Miss, are you ok?" A woman in merchant clothes gently placed her hand on Rem's shoulder. "Is this scary-looking man bothering you?"
Shut up.
"Rem… You're making a scene." Subaru growled. "Let's get out of here already and resolve everything later."
"Are you being threatened? I may not look like much but I'm pretty deadly with Earth magic." This scrawny man appeared to be the female merchant's husband.
Shut. Up.
Yet another person stepped in. "There's nothing to be afraid of. We can all prote—"
"This doesn't concern you!" Rem snapped, overwhelmed by all the busybodies trying to interfere.
"Please, Miss, we just want to help…"
"THEN MIND YOUR OWN. FUCKING. BUSINESS!"
Rem exploded with rage, stomping her foot hard enough to shatter the stones beneath her and to leave cracks all over the ground. Everyone around finally got the message and scattered, leaving just her, Subaru, and the shaken carriage driver. Then the crackling pink horn on Rem's forehead dissipated and she began to sob.
"Tch. What a mess." Subaru shook his head in exasperation.
He gestured for Rem to follow him to one of the now abandoned stalls so that they could have a little more privacy. Reluctantly, she followed.
"Rem, what the hell is this?! Is this how you keep your promises?!"
"Promises…?"
"Yes, Rem, promises! You promised to stay by my side, didn't you?!"
A promise given by Rem under duress. She knew it and Subaru must have known it too. The blatantly dishonest tactic infuriated her.
"Oh yeah?! And what would you know about keeping promises, 'Knight of Emilia'?!"
Instead of bringing up how Subaru had pushed her into giving him a promise, Rem instead opted for a totally uncalled for cheap shot at his expense. She, of course, knew how sensitive Subaru was about breaking his promise to Lady Emilia and causing a commotion at the Royal Selection Ceremony. She knew how guilty he felt about his argument with Lady Emilia that had caused the two to separate on terrible terms. She knew how upset Reinhard's words from the other day about the meaninglessness of Subaru's actions had made him. She knew all that… And yet Rem's bitterness wouldn't permit her any less brutal means of fighting back. Though that didn't make her feel any less guilty about it. Not least because Rem had actively helped Subaru break that same promise.
"Oh? Is that what we're doing now, Rem? We're putting me down? We're keeping a tally of all the times I fucked up? We're listing all my flaws?" Subaru sneered. "Save the effort then! I think you'll find it's rather difficult to beat me at my favorite game! But whatever, guess I can humor you if that'll make you feel better. So then will you keep your promise to me?"
"Rem indeed promised to stay by Subaru's side. Of this, there is no doubt." Rem calmed down and spoke in a manner more befitting of Roswaal's dutiful maid compared to that of the hysterical Oni girl whose actions had caused everyone to flee. "However, Rem did not promise to let Subaru decide whatever he wanted and to go along without any objections."
"Is that right? You're actually gonna play semantics with me right now, Rem?! Well, what if I was to just go off on my own then? You would have to come along anyway to keep your promise, wouldn't you?" Subaru smirked.
"Rem would stop Subaru."
"Wh- What the hell, Rem?" Righteous indignation wiped the smug expression off of Subaru's face. "You would seriously just get in the way of what I want to do? Really?!"
"Rem would stop Subaru." Rem repeated the words without hesitation.
"I thought you loved me, damn it!"
"Subaru…" She considered addressing what Subaru had said but couldn't bring herself to. She couldn't allow herself to confirm or deny her love for him. Not like this. "Subaru told Rem that we need to laugh together when talking about the future. Therefore Rem cannot accept a future that Subaru only wishes for begrudgingly."
"AGAIN WITH THIS STUPID SHIT?!" Subaru's body shook all over as he bellowed.
Rem couldn't understand why this, of all things, was what had set Subaru off.
"I didn't say those words to you so that you could beat me over the head with them!"
"Regardless, those words are important to Rem and Rem will uphold them for Subaru's sake. No matter what." Rem sternly crossed her arms below her chest to show that she had no intention of budging on this matter.
"I see."
Subaru walked over to one of the other empty stalls whose vendor had been offering a number of intricately decorated weapons. No doubt designed specially to appeal to the knights and nobility of the Royal Capital. Rem watched anxiously, slowly edging closer to see what Subaru was doing.
"I was really hoping it wouldn't have to come to this…" Subaru murmured with an unsettlingly gentle voice as he beheld the various armaments.
He picked up a dagger and drew it from its sheathe as if considering whether to buy it. After running his finger along the edge, he flashed the dagger at Rem who stared at him in disbelief.
"Subaru… Are you threatening Rem?" Rem's voice was nervous not because she believed herself to be in any kind of danger but because she was far more afraid of the alternative.
"Don't be stupid, Rem! We both know you could easily kill a hundred of me with just your pinkie." He shook his head and then turned the blade towards its real target, placing it directly against his neck. Rem's nightmare became reality. "I'm tired, Rem. Real tired. And I don't see any other way out. So either you come with me… Or I end it all."
He… He wouldn't… He can't! He won't! Not like this! Not in front of Rem! No! Someone! Help! Stop him! Please! Help! Help!
Rem clamped her hands over her mouth in horror. Her breathing quickened and her heart began to pound like a drum. Her thoughts were racing as she tried to figure out how she could get the dagger out of Subaru's hands before he killed himself. A perfectly aimed Huma could quickly freeze his hand in place. But with its current positioning, Subaru could just push his neck closer into the blade and slit his throat regardless. If she froze the weapon instead, he would just use the sharpness of the ice to the same effect. And what if she missed? What if her vulnerable state caused her to make a mistake and kill Subaru? She would never be able to overcome the guilt. But nor would she be able to live with herself if she let him take his own life. Panic overtook Rem as she realized there was nothing she could do other than acquiesce with Subaru's demands or try to talk him down. What terrified her the most was how inhumanly calm he seemed to be in the circumstances. There was no doubt in her mind that Subaru would do exactly as he was threatening.
"But… Why…? Why… Rem…?"
"Because you're the only one worth saving in this pile of shit Kingdom."
The bitter loathing emanating from his voice showed that Subaru's serenity in that instance was merely another expression of the bottomless rage that Rem had sensed in him from the start. His free fist began clenching and unclenching again, just as it had when he'd first dragged her away from Mr Kadomon's stall. Subaru wasn't just angry, but increasingly impatient. One wrong move from Rem and he was liable to take his own life without a second thought.
"Please… Subaru… Please! Rem… Rem… Rem won't be able to live without Subaru!" Her words were interspersed with sobs.
"Ah, so I see we've come to a mutual understanding. I can't live without you by my side either, Rem." He applied the slightest bit of pressure to the implement in his hand, causing crimson droplets to trickle down his neck. "So I won't. Come with me or accept my death, there is no third option. And you know what? I'll even give you a countdown to help you decide a little quicker."
If everything that Subaru had done up to now was despicable, this was utterly reprehensible. Just looking at the tiny cut caused Rem intense pain and guilt.
"5…"
"Subaru please!"
"4…"
"Let Rem think abo—"
"3!"
"This… isn't…"
"2!"
"This isn't… the Subaru that Rem…"
"1!" Subaru cut deeper into the existing wound, causing even more blood to flow from his neck.
"THIS ISN'T THE SUBARU THAT REM FELL IN LOVE WITH!"
Rem screamed herself hoarse and regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. At once both a confession and a rejection, she couldn't possibly have imagined a worse way to reveal her love for Subaru. She crumpled to her knees and wept in anguish, covering her eyes and dreading the inevitable moment when Subaru would make good on his threat.
The unmistakable sound of steel cutting flesh never came.
Hesitantly, Rem slowly peeked through the gaps in her fingers. Subaru was still standing in place, wearing an expression of total bemusement. For a moment, she was convinced that someone had attacked and stunned him. She soon after realized that he was just reeling from what she had said. His eyes met hers and she saw that they were full of anger, hatred, betrayal, and sadness.
"So that's how it is…" Subaru muttered dejectedly.
He slowly lowered the blade and returned the dagger to its sheathe. He then went over to Rem, reached a hand into her coin pouch and pulled out a single Holy Coin which he then proceeded to place on the counter of the weapon stall.
"They won't be able to sell this now that it has my blood all over it." Subaru said to nobody in particular before stuffing the sheathed dagger into his pocket.
"Subaru…" Rem began, her voice shaking. "We… We can still fix this… Subaru and Rem… We can sit down and talk all of this through…"
"We?" Subaru stopped walking but didn't turn his head to face her. "There is no 'we'. If you're really that homesick then go on ahead back to the Mansion. I don't need you anymore."
No! No! No! No! No!
Rem could feel the tears flowing again as she watched Subaru's back get further and further away from her. Though if she ran, she could still catch up to him in no time.
"Subaru! Wait!"
"I see I wasn't clear enough. What I meant to say was this: I'm dismissing you from my service… Miss Rem."
With that formal address from Subaru to Rem, an irreparable schism was created between the supposed lovers. Suddenly, the distance to Subaru's back seemed impossibly far away. She wanted to call out to him. To run to him. To tackle him to the ground even. Anything but to let him go. And yet… Her legs wouldn't work. She couldn't muster the energy for a single word. A single step. She could barely breathe.
Rem helplessly watched the love of her life walk away and disappear from her sight. Overwhelmed, she curled up into a ball on the floor and wept.