Can't believe Duskwood turned 4 already... BUT these four years were an adventure.
Thank you Everbyte, for this journey and I think all of us are just as much excited for Moonvale like we were for every Duskwood episode. Maybe they will share a birthday? 👀
And I don't want to hear anyone say that Duskwood is just a game. It created a community and ensured that Everbyte studios can continue to exist. So let's be happy and celebrate.
Can you write something about Jimmy x Reader? 👉🏼👈🏼
Of course I can, but I have to tell you that I dislike it… I'll most likely edit it later.
Most of you have probably noticed that I haven't uploaded anything in a long time. So, as a quick update, I by now am legally allowed to drive and I started my last year of school. I'm not sure how much I can upload, because our school year is quite short, but I will do my best to respond to all of the requests as soon as possible. Please accept my apologies for the long speech. I love you all for the appreciation. I wish you luck for school an work.
I Survived 50 Hours In America
Masterlist
Pairing: Jimmy x fem!Reader
Warnings: none I guess
Word count: 1586
You weren't thrilled when Jimmy suggested going to Antarctica. It was frosty, very bright owing to the sun, and you wouldn't have a decent bed to sleep in. Obviously, you had to fly there, which you were not delighted about. But Jimmy asked you to come along, and who were you to refuse?
"You okay?" Chandler asked above the rumblings of the plain.
"Could be better. We should've brought hot chocolate."
After you mentioned that, Chandler pulled a sorrowful expression. You should have thought about it sooner.
Jimmy was on the other side of the plain, working with the others to prepare some great scenes for the video. You weren't assisting since you had your head buried under your jacket, so you couldn't look outside. Normally, you weren't terrified of heights, except when you sat in a plain that didn't appear or seem safe.
They wanted to you wait on the plain after Jimmy left so you could get an amazing shot of you and the rest of the group approaching him.
It seemed simple until the guy in front of you stumbled. You weren't able to react quickly enough and fell face first as you stumbled over his foot.
"Gosh, Y/n." Chandler laughed when you landed in front of his feet.
While everyone else was laughing, he was kind enough to pull you up.
"Well, it's safe to say that the snow tastes nothing like vanilla ice cream."
"Is this something people believe?" Jimmy questioned as he tried to remove some snow off of you.
Chris shrugged, "I've never heard of anything like this."
"Whatever. You thought the moon was made of cheese until we were around thirteen," you rolled your eyes, while the others chuckled.
"As amusing as it is, guys." We should get started. Unless you want to be stuck in a blizzard," Jimmy reminded us, and we all groaned.
"I can't wait to freeze to death.", Chandler smiled.
Jimmy gave the pilot a wink and he took off. We started walking shortly after that. Everyone was hauling their sleighs behind them. George happened to be right next to you, chatting about who knows what. The blizzard made him incomprehensible. You attempted to explain it to him, but he didn't understand you either, so you just let him go on.
When you arrived at the location for the camp, everyone began to set up their tents.
Some of you almost immediately realized that it was nearly impossible for them to set up a tent in this wind, so some of you began to build a wall to protect the camp from the wind.
While it made things a little easier for you, George, Jimmy, and Karl kept assembling the tents.
Regardless of who went where, all of you instantly huddled in them when the blizzard intensified to wait it out, when you were finally done.
Finally, save from the cold wind and the snow flakes which felt like little needles picking your skin, you could take of your googles.
"This was disgusting," you said, referring to your soaked jacket and pants.
"Hopefully this will be over soon. It's rather crowded in here. Get your feet out of my face, Chris." Tareq muttered.
You hadn't realized how close you were to Jimmy, who was also in this tent. Blood shot to your cheeks, but you could at least blame it on the cold.
The tent's walls suddenly began to collapse and landed on you immediately.
The air was filled with cursing and the never-ending shifting of the tent's fabric.
You attempted to pull the fabric aside so you would be able to see someone, but it was like trying to get to the short end of a blanked at night, since the wind pushed the fabric back in your face every few seconds. You began to panic, concerned about how hard it was being pressed in your face from time to time.
"Y/n? "Are you okay?"
You spotted Jimmy when the crimson fabric lifted off your head. He must have noticed your fear since he moved closer to you to raise the piece of fabric higher.
"Yeah. This was terrifying. Like a crimson avalanche."
"You told me about your Claustrophobia once. Sorry to bring you into this."
"Don't worry. I-"
"Y/n is scared by Santa Claus?"
"Chris really? They had a moment."
"What are you even talking about, Tareq?", you asked.
"Oh come on. Everybody knows you two are in love."
"Tareq really? Stop it."
"No way, Chris. This frustrates me. It's so clear, I mean. Jimmy spent hours last week reassembling some Oreo's for you since you had a horrible day and he knows you like the with stuff."
"Any friend would have done something like this." Jimmy denied.
"Okay, and how about yesterday? Y/n-"
"Okay! Tareq we get it.",you interfered.
"No, I'd like to know what happened yesterday. It had to be a very significant event for Tareq to snap. This didn't seem possible to me."
"Chris, I swear to god.", you threatened.
You were frightened since Jimmy wasn't speaking, but you were saved by the others just as you were going to glance at him.
"Is everything all right in there?" Karl asked as the entire tent rose up, revealing a beaming Chris, a still unhappy Tareq, and Karl who peered inside.
You grabbed your googles and exited the tent, unable to bear the humiliating experience. Karl worriedly yelled after you, but you quickly made your way around the wall and came to a halt after about three minutes. Maybe you should just go back home and swim. You'd definitely die within the first two or three hours, but this would be truly amazing right now.
You watched the guys from the distance, rebuild the tent, raise the wall, and put the sleighs' belongings in the tents, when Jimmy started walking in your direction.
You were out and about to just walk away further, but you would have to talk to him. For the sake of the others, otherwise this trip would be really difficult for everyone, and you have at least a little privacy right now.
Jimmy sat down next to you and said, "We need to talk."
"I know."
You then remained silent. How can you even begin such a discussion? Just tell him the truth? No, this isn't one of those stereotypical romance novels where one character rants about their feelings only to be interrupted by the other's kiss. This is the real deal.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way.", Jimmy mumbled finally interrupting the silence.
"I somehow knew. Or at least I wished it was."
"So Tareq was right? You like me too?"
"How could I not."
Shortly the silence took over again, but now you were sure, if you won't finally speak up, you could end up ruining more than a potential relationship. "I've liked you for years, but even after finally admitting it to you and myself, I still don't feel relived."
"Probably because how it happened. Tareq deeply apologized . You should speak with him later. It will lift your mood."
"I still can't believe he snapped."
"I'm with you. I had no idea his voice could get this loud."
You laughed, and then there it was. The long-awaited sense of relief.
"Thank you."
Jimmy stared at you, perplexed, but you simply rested your head on his shoulder.
"For being here, for making me laugh or have I ever thanked you for giving me this job?"
"Like, a thousand times." He burst out laughing. "Hey, would you tell me what happened yesterday?"
"Promise you won't find it weird."
"I promise."
"I picked up Tareq. Well, when he got into my car, I had forgotten to change the playlist, and he found my worst secret."
"You love One Direction?"
"That's not what this is about... I think. Well, I have a playlist full of songs you might like or told me about."
"Okay. I don't see a problem."
"I labeled it 'Jimmy <3'"
"To be honest I think's cute. You need to show me when we get back." he laughed.
A bit embarrassed you took a hand full of snow and pushed at in his face.
"Oh, you will regret this."
He tossed some snow in your face and pushed you over. Naturally, you started defending yourself, but after a few minutes of rolling around in the snow, you gave up.
"All right, you've won. Please stop. I have so much snow in my jacked that I'm afraid I'll get frost bite."
Jimmy stopped, looking down at you, before he suddenly leaned down on his forearms, coming closer to your face.
"Oh yeah? Well there is nothing like giving up where I'm from."
You moved in close to kiss him, taking advantage of his proximity. Jimmy kissed you back, and you swapped places without his noticing.
Using this new position, you threw some snow in his face and rushed back to your tent, shivering but glad that you finally got to kiss Jimmy, and by looking over your shoulder and seeing him still laying there, you knew this wasn't the last kiss you'd have.
Also, do not walk close to walls. It will be easier for someone so walk past you and push you against it or corner you.
If your gut is telling you to cross the street or change your path, do it. Don’t risk it. Your body knows.
If you can, buy a large umbrella and walk holding it. Studies say that predators are less likely to attempt an attack on someone that could fight back. Keys around your knuckles is fine but you’ll need to get very close to do damage. Umbrellas are more precise.
Avoid wearing headphones if you are alone on an empty street. Look aware.
Again: Stay. Away. From. Walls.
Entering an uber alone? Call your father (or anyone you trust) and say “hey dad! Yep, I’m almost there, I’m sending you the route.” outloud. Then proceed to send them the route so they can follow the uber drive. This will most likely intimidate the predator.
If you see someone in an uncomfortable or possibly dangerous situation, walk up to them and say “Betty, oh my god, I haven’t seen you in so long!”. If she gets slightly confused, you can whisper and let her know you’re trying to help and that she should follow along. Walk together to another station or away from where you are. The man will most likely not follow. I have done this one 2 times and can be very helpful.
If you are unsure she needs help, you can pass her a note saying something like “hey, I noticed this man beside you is making you uncomfortable. If you’d like help, fake a sneeze right now and I will come up to you and pretend we are friends.” This is a long note, but its an example. Be discrete. If she follows along, proceed with the previous tip. This is helpful when you’re in a crowded train and you notice harassment.
Help your sisters. Trust them. Trust yourself. Be safe.
I made this google doc covering 14 different self defense tips and tricks. it was made on January 15th, 2020 so it was before I decided I’d come back to tumblr jhjshdbjfh.
EVERY TIME I SEE THIS I REBLOG BECAUSE THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!!!!!
Just saw a video explaining why putting a key between each finger is more likely to hurt you than them (the keys will just get pushed back into your knuckles). A better way to hold them is to get your longest key and just clench your hand around it, like you’re making a fist. That’ll give you a lot more force and means you can use them in more scenarios (if someone grabs you from behind, you can use the key this way)
If you are being followed, go to somewhere with high security like a jewellery store or a bar, if you can, and say what’s happening (the jewellery store and bar are best shots because they’re the most likely ones to believe you, the bar for obvious reasons and the jewellery store because there’s not likely to be a huge presence of toxic masculinity so you’ll be believed)
I hate it so much that i have to reblog this and that we still need this, but it’s so important!! Please everyone (yes also boys/men/enbys/genderfluids/everyone) stay safe out there!!
-if you’re walking alone w/ headphones in, either have one earbud out at all times or have the music/podcast/audiobook/whatever you’re listening to on low and always listen for footsteps or other noises coming from behind you
-If there is a strange looking man in front of your building who doesn’t live there, walk around the block until he leaves so he can’t figure out that you live there and so he can’t kidnap you
-if a man is groping you against your will, go for the balls. always go for the balls. It’ll 1) hurt like hell, and 2) shock him to the point where you can probably run away and get help.
1: if you’re reading a book with a large number of pages, you know, those BIG ONES, or with the hard cover, don’t leave it at home and never bring outside. I’m not saying to bring it everywhere, but if you are going to any possible dangerous places alone, bring them, in a purse or even by hand (to show it to everyone). Believe me, if you hit someone with it, it will hurt them!!
2: hairspray works just like pepper spray
3: if your being attacked, and you don’t have any pointed objects, neither training, put your fingers on the predators eyes and press it. With all your strength, it will leave them blind or disabled. Use it only if your life is in risk!
4:
5: the iPhones have a great setting that if you press it will call police, send them photos of your back and front cameras and send a message to the contacts you select saying your in danger; press 5times the “turn off” button and it will appear -sometimes you have to activate it before-
6:
I’m so happy to share these tips.
Don’t ignore pls it might save your of someone else’s life
hey i have a question regarding the first few reblogs: wouldn’t yelling “fire!” make people run *away* from you? i was never taught that so i don’t know the reasoning, but to me it seems counterintuitive
To answere the question above try to address a person directly. If you just yell in a crowd of people everyone will thing "someone else will help". If no person is around, just yell loudly. Nobody really cares if you yell "fire" or "help". It's like a reflex to look into the direction of loud noise. (You could just scream a random word like "yogurt" in a crowd and everybody will look at you)
That's at least my experience, but I'm German and everybody here just wants it as quiet as possible.
Another few tips:
If you feel like someone is following: Loosen your hair if you have it in a ponytail. It makes it harder to grab you. Also try to walk in some kind of circle to find out if they are following you. (Do it in an area where someone can see, or at least hear you)
I once was followed by a guy. He stood near me when I waited for the tram, but like he stood unnecessarily close. I took another door then him to enter, but when I finally found a place where i could stand without being in the way, he stood next to me again. Some younger dude even stood up for this guy, but he keept standing. Luckily my stop was the last one. So when he still didn't get out I drove the whole way back and walked circles around a public place until he was gone.
2. If you have to fight, aim at the soft areas. Genitals, throat, eyes. Punching someons nose with you palms from underneath, could kill them. If you can't reach that try to punch their ear, if your lucky the could get disoriented.
3. Using your key was also mentioned before. Take it in your nondominant hand. The other one is already stronger and if you can't use it for whatever reason then your other hand has an advantage.
4. If you get graben by the wrist: Pull your hand away in a quick swift motion in the direction of the thumbs of the person holding you. Their grip is the weakest there.
5. Carry some coins in your pockets if your put alone. The more the merrier. It hurts like hell if you throw that in the face of your attacker.
6. Probably don't need to say that, but don't run home. Get you ass to a public place.
7. There are many videos of how people manipulate your car to get to hurt or rob you. Whatch a video about that. It easier to learn it by seeing what they do, instead of reading my explanation in bad English.
8. If you do get kidnapped for whatever reason: Make yourself as human as possible. Tell them about you and try to make eye contact. If they are wearing a mask: good. They care about their identity. It increases your chances of survival.
9. I don't know how it works in other countries, but in the movies you always see that they lokate people via phone calls. At least in Germany it takes so long to do this, so if you call the police always mention your location first.
10. I speak from personal experience when I say that going to the police after a sexual assault is verry hard. In my case the person didn't even get the punishment he deserved, but at least people heared about it and know what that guy did. Maybe he didn't go to jail for groping a thirteen year old girl and later even trying to rape her, but others knew they should be more careful around him.
Even the youth welfare office said we shouldn't go to the police. Luckily we are friends with some officers and they helped us with writing the report. These two gave me hope, when everyone else said I shouldn't do anything. I'm kinda glad my mum forced me to go to the police.
Still, it hurt to see him again during the court hearing. And the fact that he denied everything even though there were other witnesses drove me insane. It was almost as bad as when I had to tell another policeman the story and he questioned my mum more than me, even though she wasn't even there when it happened.
It sometimes keeps me awake at night, but I try to think about other kids I may have helped by suing this guy. And even if I just keept one kid from making this experience, I think it was worth the pain.
Pleas remember if something happened to you: Keep up fighting. It might seem pointless, but it isn't. You are not alone!
My English might be shitty in this one, but I thought it would be more important to help some people, instead of worrying about grammar and typos.
Can I request a tmr newt x fem!reader in the scorch? Thank you ❤️❤️
Of course you can! I hope it turned out at least a little bit like you had imagined it... If not just write another request. I'm sorry it's a bit short, but we sadly have much homework to do over the weekend.
_________
ℒ𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉𝓃𝒾𝓃ℊ
Masterlist
Paring: Newt x fem!reader
Warnings: mentioning death
Word count: 1052
"Shh, calm. It's okay, your save," Newt murmured quietly.
You weren't sure how you ended up here, but knowing Newt was there let you relax enough not to leap out of the bed. You were lying on a dusty mattress, Newt was seated next to you, and an amber glow of a light bulb was blinding you. The last thing you remembered was running from a thunderstorm, and it wasn't a dream since you could still hear the loud booming of lightning strikes on the ground around you.
"What happened?" You inquired, your voice hoarse from the lack of water, since you ran out of that a while ago.
"You were struck by lightning. Thankfully, Thomas and Minho saw you and carried you here. You wouldn't wake up. I was so worried. I thought I lost you."
His words confused you a bit. To clarify, you and Newt were friends, but the way he said those few words did not seem like friends. He expressed it in a really intimate way. It's not that you didn't think Newt was handsome; it's simply that you never had time for a romantic relationship with him. Since you arrived in the maze a few years ago, survival has always been your first priority.
It was nearly same for Newt, with one little change. He couldn't see someone like you falling in love with him. Because of your proximity to Minho, he assumed you had a crush on him. He even felt horrible for insisting on staying with you here when just one person was permitted. Minho should have been here instead.
Newt thought it was a little crush he had on you, when he first saw you and that it would go away eventually, but the longer you traveled though the scorch together, he found himself falling even deeper for you. The way you calmed down Frypan, after he lost his best friend, or how you inspired the entire group to keep going even after they had given up hope. You would have been a great leader. He admired every part of you and your doing, so when Minho and Thomas dragged you inside that building and you refused to move, it devastated his life for a split second.
"Where are the others?"
"I'm not sure. We met some folks here who would only let one of us stay with you. But they will be alright, "Newt brushed a strand of hair behind your ear while speaking.
Not to mention how much you were blushing.
When his warm palm touched your face, you felt a little chill run down your spine. The room was freezing. While the building seemed like it was a solid structure, it suffered much from the sun eruption, and there was nothing to keep the room warm throughout the night.
"Here. Some of your clothes caught fire, when you were hit," Newt explained and wrapped you in his jacket, after helping you to slowly sit up.
You buried your face in the silky fabric, a little ashamed about not knowing how much he saw of you. The jacket smelt like him, and it made you feel even more uncomfortable.
"You should try to get some sleep. A coma is not really relaxing."
"You seem exhausted yourself," you whispered as you rested your head on his shoulder.
You didn't want to lay down because you knew you'd fall asleep in seconds, and resting against the wall behind you wasn't an option either. First of all, it looked like it would break down if you lean against it and secondly, it was dusty and covered in something you didn't recognize. So to protect Newts cozy jacket, you leaned against his warm shoulder.
"I thought I lost you," he mumbled, catching you of guard.
"But I'm here. I won't leave you alone any time soon."
You wrapped your arms around him to feel a little more of his warmth. He almost immediately returned the gesture.
"I think I have fallen for you."
You could feel Newts heart beat raising as a result of your words, and it almost caused you to giggle.
"Listen, I have feelings for you too. But I don't think this is the right time for that," he replied. He said it like he didn't even want it to be true.
"But, if not now, when? I suppressed my emotions the entire time, in order to survive. But maybe that was the wrong thing to do. Tell me. Have you ever thought about a future?"
"No. I was too terrified of the future to even consider one," he replied, trying to avoid your eyes.
"Well, I did. Every night before I fell asleep and no matter what scenario I imagined, you were by my side. It made me feel at ease, and I felt that with your help, I could conquer any problem. Despite the fact that the odds are stacked against us."
"But what if I'm not there?"
"That was never an option, and it will never be. I let the fear of losing you control my past, but I don't want it to dictate my future. We may both die tomorrow, but even then, I didn't want things to stay the same between us. I don't want to die without ever knowing what it's like to hold your hand or… to kiss you."
"How about you find out then?"
You moved in closer for one final look to ensure he meant what he said. The kiss was not what you expected it to be. You didn't have butterflies in your stomach. It was more like sipping cool water on a hot summer day, and for just a minute, the entire world melted away. Even if it wasn't the romantic first kiss you had hoped for, it was still incredible and would live on in your head for the rest of your life rent free,
"Can you see the future now?" You inquired after the kiss, your gaze drawn to his beautiful caramel-brown eyes.
"I can imagine everything with you by my side," he smiled, leaning down to rest his forehead on yours.
For a little while, there were no cranks, scorch, nor Wicked. It was just you and him, and if you could, you would stay that way forever.
I used some references of one or two Tiktoks, Welcome to Gravity Falls and maybe some more I forgot about. It's an older story from my Wattpad account and since I hadn't much time I just translated it, so the quotes might be wrong.
Minho and Y/n were inseparable. Since she arrived at the glade with a few other guys they always stayed together.
»»--« »--««
"Hey, did you call Gally a bitch?" asked Minho after he approached Y/n.
A bit further away you could here Gally screaming and other people tried to calm him down.
"Yes! He eat our chocolate." Y/n defended herself while crossing her arms over her chest.
"Hey you can't- This bitch stole our chocolate?!"
"See! As if he couldn't have asked."
"As if we would have given him some."
»»--« »--««
"Y/n!" Minho yelled as he ran up to her.
Y/n didn't move an inch. Instead, she tried to finish her conversation with Alby as soon as possible.
When he drew closer, he shouted again, "Piggyback ride!" and leaped on the back.
Y/n stumbled briefly, but she was able to support Minhos' weight.
"Alright Alby, see you later! Y/n and I are out! Off to freedom!" Minho punched the air in celebration, while Y/n remained still.
Minho repeated the action rather than giving up. "I said, 'Off to freedom.'"
Y/n just shook her head and tried to throw Minho off her back, before leaving him in the dust as she headed to the kitchen.
Alby, on the other hand, simply rolled his eyes and walked away. He still held back his laughs. He'd become accustomed to yours and Minhos' stupidity.
»»--« »--««
"What's the matter, Minho?" Y/n chuckled and nudged his side. "Are you scared?"
The black-haired runner was nervous since it was the first time they were alone in the maze.
"As if. I'm-," Minho began.
"Yes, you are," Y/n chuckled, poking his side again.
"No I- Ow! Stop doing that, Y/n." He tried to swat her hand away.
Both of them froze, when they heard a loud growl in the distance. Y/n grabbed Minhos' arm and attempted to hide behind him. He would have made fun of her if he hadn't been so terrified back then.
"What was that?" Y/n questioned. "Was that your stomach?" she asked, much calmer than before.
"No. My stomach normally makes whale noises," he explained.
Y/n placed her ear on his tummy and listened just to be sure.
"Wow. Majestic."
»»--« »--««
"I'm not adorable. I will fight against you at the next bonfire," Minho stated and pretended to be taller than Gally. "We will see who is adorable then. Come on, Y/n, we're leaving."
His nose began to tickle just as he was about to take the first step away from Gally.
"Pfu," he sneezed softly.
"Aww, you sneeze like a kitten," Y/n said with a smile.
"Shut up, maybe he didn't hear it."
»»--« »--««
"Hey Newt! Did it hurt when you fell form heaven? 'cause it sure hurt when I did," Y/n wiggled her eyebrows.
"Did you just hit on yourself?" the blonde asked a bit confused.
"Yes she did and you have become irrelevant. Goodbye," laughed Minho while he lifted Y/n up as if she was nothing and sat her on his shoulders, before he walked away.
"What the bloody hell was that?" the second in command asked, more to himself then anybody else.
»»--« »--««
"Finally! We have the bonfire all to ourselves!" Y/n laughed, a little tipsy from Gallys' moonshine.
The rest of the gladers already went to sleep, so that only Y/n and Minho were left.
"What do you say? Dance party?"
"Y/n I-"
"Doesn't sound like a no for me~" she sang and began to dance with Minho.
»»--« »--««
"Stop him!" Y/n screamed to Newt, who was watching Minho and the girl run up to him.
"Jeez Minho, what did you do?" he asked when he came to halt in front of his friend.
"I- Wait what? Nothing!"
"Ha, tag! Your it!" Y/n called and poked his shoulder, before sprinting away.
"Look what you've done," Minho pouted, as he followed the girl.
»»--« »--««
"Dips on the top bunk!" they both shouted at the same moment, leaping onto the bunkbed.
"Jinxed and now get out," both of them said again at the same time and started a little fright.
"If you don't stop, they'll kick us out again," Newt moaned as he flung his pillow to break up the fight.
"Jokes on you. I will keep that," Y/n stuck out her tongue while trying to make herself comfortable.
"Y/n, get your ass out of my face!"
"Get your face out of my ass," she hissed as she smacked Minho with her pillow.
At one point, they just sat across from one another and just stared.
"I won't move."
"That's fine with me, Min-Min."
The next morning, Y/n awoke with a mustache on her face, much to everyone's delight.
"I was going to ask where you got the sharpie from, but I'm more intrigued in how I - as the only girl here - have more beard than all of you guys together."
Everybody went silent and with a proud smile Y/n went to get some breakfast.
»»--« »--««
"Wake up, common Minho!" Y/n screamed, concerned.
After they escaped Wicked, a lightning struck Minho as they ran away from a storm.
"Am I dead? Is that hell?" Minho murmured, and Y/n finally allowed herself to breathe again. "How do I look?" he asked, touching his hair.
"As ugly as always. Now get up," Y/n smiled and offered her hand to him.
»»--« »--««
Y/n watched the sunrise from the rooftop of the 'rebels' quarters, or whatever they were called.
"Hey," Newt said quietly as he sat down next to her.
Y/n just got into an argument with Thomas. It was about the plan to save Minho after he was kidnapped by Wicked once again. When she realized she wasn't herself, she left the room to prevent more damage. Newt had a feeling something was up, so he followed her.
"I need him. I need Minho," she whispered back, with tears in her eyes. "I'm scared." She drew up her sleeve, revealing the dark veins that wandered down her lower arm.
Newt remained silent for a minute before pulling her into a hug and eventually saying something to her. "I promise we'll get him back."
»»--« »--««
"Minho!" Y/n called out happy, when they realized who was standing in front of them.
They searched the whole headquarters to find him and now he was saving their lives. All of them quickly hugged each other, because at least for Y/n it was the last hug of this kind.
"Is this real?" he asked still a bit worried, while watching his three best friends.
"As real as your ugly hair," Y/n smiled.
»»--« »--««
"Just go without me," Y/n said as she realized her legs were no longer moving.
"Forget that idea right now. We will not abandon you!" Minho screamed above the gunfire and explosions.
"Minho, she is right. You, Gally, and Newt are going to get the serum. Get back as soon as possible. Otherwise, we won't be able to get there in time," Thomas agreed.
Minho nodded, knowing he was right, but he couldn't leave the girl behind, whose condition was deteriorating by the second.
"Keep on fighting. We will return in a moment," He muttered in her ear and kissed her on the cheek before approaching Gally, who only nodded in her direction.
Newt instantly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Please stay safe, okay? Could you please give this to him, if I don't make it?"
When he didn't move, Y/n did the only thing that came to mind. "Please Newtie... please," she cried.
Knowing she would have done the same, he took the necklace and kissed her hand as he took it and whipped her tears away.
"Stay strong."
"I'll tell Alby you were a great leader," she said one more time before a pain rushed through her body and she coughed up black mucus.
"We can do this, Y/n.", she suddenly heard Thomas next to her, realizing that the others were gone.
"Please watch out for them... and yourself. You've all been through hell, and you deserve to be happy."
Thomas examined her before deciding what to do. He drew Y/n to her feet and began following their friends.
»»--« »--««
But it was all for nothing when the girl's lifeless body dropped to the ground. Thomas couldn't bear the look on Minhos' face so he left to get Teresa, still shocked and heartbroken about what happened moments ago.
"Y/n," Minho said as he sank down next to her. "I was to slow right?"
When he carefully closed her eyes, he yelled out her name in pain not even feeling Newt's touch on his shoulder.
"It's not your fault, Minho," Newt embraced him gently.
"I never told her that I loved her," he cried.
Newt and Gally were at a loss on what to do. How could they help Minho if the only person who could, was no longer alive?
»»--« »--««
Dear Minho,
I simply wanted you to know I wasn't scared. At the very least, not from death. When I first felt the flare running through my head, I was afraid about forgetting you. I thought about you every night. How you spat water in Albys' face because I made you laugh, or one of our countless other stories.
I want you to make new memories like this with the others. I might not be there for you, but Newt, Thomas, Fry, and even Gally will be there, alright? I believe you can do this.
I want you to be happy, Min-Min, because you deserve it, and I don't want you to have any regrets. Regardless of the fact that you never told me about your feelings or that I'm unable to sit next to you right now.
Are you surprised? I knew you were madly in love with me. Do you know why? Because I love you too.
So, thank you. Thank you so much for being there for me every time I needed you. Thank you, for giving me this tingly feeling when you looked at me. Thank you for just existing.
Please stay save. Be happy and never every feel bad if you catch feelings for another person. It's okay.
Love Y/n ♥︎
»»--« »--««
Minho closed his eyes and thought back. Back in the days were everything was alright. Back in the days were Y/N was with him. Back in the days where he didn't feel like something was missing.
"I finally realized why you've always acted like you must be the witch. Killing the Hatter and starting the witch hunt. They're both connected. One look in your eyes and I knew. Your eyes are full of self loathing, despair and anger, all with no outlet. Your eyes looked like mine, because you betrayed your friend."
Everyone was surprised at how quickly Arisu dropped information, but it all made sense now. Even if Hatter was still alive, the militant fraction would have been able to kill everyone. Aguni was the only thing holding them back. He wouldn't have done it if he wasn't Hatter's friend.
Suddenly, several of the survivors dash down the corridor. You wondered why they came here after all the commotion, but you didn't question them. There were many more important things you should be concerned about.
Despite Arisus' compelling statements, Aguni denied everything and shoved Arisu to the floor. Karube tried to attack him, but you held him back, when Arisu spoke again.
"I told you. Didn't I? I could tell from your eyes. I betrayed my friends in the games too. I would have left them to die them and was just fortunate that Y/n saved them while I ditched them. I was angry and empty and I didn't care what happened! I know you feel so bad that it hurts! But that's no reason to take it out on everyone who's still alive. Hatter might be dead, but they aren't. Don't discount the living. "
You weren't sure if you heard everything of what he said. Might have overheard one or two sentences, because your head was spinning. Arisu was sorry for harming his friends? You were the one who ordered him to stay away. Why haven't you realized it may also hurt him? You weren't the only one feeling responsible for Karubes finger. He did too and you just ignored that.
Some militants gathered in front of Arisu to shield him from Aguni, and you took advantage of the opportunity to check on Kuina, who was still motionless on the ground. You were so focused on her that you almost missed what was going on behind you. Although your injuries made it difficult to focus on more than one thing at a time, the fight Aguni started vanished into thin air… until you heard one of these lasers strike the ground, that is. Fearing for your friends' safety, you immediately turned around, only to see the girl from earlier dead on the ground.
This was all too much for you, and everything became foggy in your head, moving in slow motion and at full speed at the same time. You needed to sleep, and it was hard not to just pass out right next to Kuina.
"Y/n can you hear me?"
Shibuki. She put a hand on your shoulder and drew you to your feet, and you didn't notice the smoke in the air until she did. F ire! The entire beach was on fire, but Shibuki and Chota pulled you outside quickly. Since they dragged you out of the resort, the game must have ended.
The fresh air felt amazing, and the earth finally moved at a reasonable rate. Usagi, Arisu, and Karube soon joined you, and together with the rest of the players, you watched the Beach burn down. You weren't upset about it. Of course, it was terrible that so many people had to die in vain, but you and your friends were alright, and you didn't like the place anyhow. So what have you lost?
"Is that Chishiya?" Arisu abruptly inquired, capturing everyone's attention.
Chishiya was just a few meters away, watching the fire spread. Obviously, some of you were enraged that he was just standing there after what he had done. His audacity. While everyone else attempted to calm Karube and Usagi down so they wouldn't murder him, you quietly approached him.
"Was it worth it? Do you have the cards?"
"Huh? No more punches? I'm shocked."
"You're not worth it."
"Do you know where the word 'Utopia' came from?" he asked unexpectedly.
If you haven't learned much in school and even during your private lesson at home, you had a thing to remember random facts.
"It literally means 'nowhere.'"
Chishiya stared at you, and you assumed he was amazed.
"What? I'm not a complete moron. Do you believe you actually need these cards? The ten of hearts was the final card we needed."
"I'm not sure, but I hope not, given that they all burnt."
"You disappoint me, Chishiya," you mumbled while looking back at your friends, who finally calmed down. "Do whatever you like, but if you want to live, you should probably stay away from my friends," you mumbled and started to walked away, when his hand grabbed your wrist.
"You have potential. Stay alive."
"I'll try," you muttered as you removed yourself, only to stop a few feet later. "You too," you say before looking for a comfy spot in the grass near your friends.
When you spotted Karube laying down like a starfish next to Arisu - who had his head on Usagis' lap - you decided to use his arm as a pillow. You thought it was funny how Karube tried to protect the glasses with one hand but failed when he fell asleep. You weren't concerned about them. Nobody would know what they were doing, therefore no one would steal them. That's why you didn't attempt to take them and risk waking Karube up.
"How do you feel?" you asked finally, after a few minutes. "And I want a real answered, because I know you are not okay." You said after ensuring that Chota and Shibuki were both asleep as well. They were cuddling a few feet away, so they were a bit hard to see, but the steady breathing gave them away.
"You mean because of Niragi?"
"It's okay if it's hard to open up for you. I can talk first if you like," you assured her, but she shook her head.
"You know, I was lying there feeling like shit because I couldn't help you, but when he stepped up to me… I-I just felt so…" she stopped.
"Disgusting? Like you want to rip your skin off were he touched you? That's at least how I feel, yet he did worse to you than he did to me."
"Thank you so much for saving me. Everything happened because I wasn't cautious enough," Usagi muttered turning her head way.
"No it's not. Knowing Niragi it would have happened sooner or later anyway, even if we hadn't tried to steal the cards. But we shouldn't worry about the 'if's, we can't change it now anyway, and we might be able to accept it someday. Just know that you can talk to me if you need to," you said gently lying a and on hers, making sure not to make her feel uncomfortable.
"Someday sounds nice," Usagi says, gazing up once again. She wouldn't talk about it any more, and neither would you; just knowing that you had this moment and each other for now was all you needed.
"How are your injuries?"
"Things might be worse. Let's just hope it doesn't interfere with whatever happens next."
"What do you think will happen?"
"I'm not sure, probably more games. It doesn't matter because as long as I have you guys, we can win everything."
"Yeah, your right. We should probably get some sleep."
"You think? I don't care, if we should. It's nice to talk with you. Right now, I feel like I've known you for years. Who knows, perhaps we will in the future."
"The future?"
"This game has to come to an end in some way. Perhaps we can go back... When the time comes, I'd like to keep you as a friend."
"Going back," she muttered "I'm not sure if I want this."
"Sounds like a personal reason. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. Not right now… perhaps later."
"All right," you said. "However, if it doesn't bother you, I'd want to tell you about me."
She shook her head, so you continued.
"When I got here and I meet Arisu, Chota and Karube I was afraid. My entire life was planned out to be flawless. I was alone and since they knew themselves I was anxious they would just leaf me behind. To be honest, I don't think they were the friends I was looking for in my previous life. I realized this when we started our first game. We were simply individuals who were moving in the same direction, but as the game progressed and I saw how different each of them were, I wondered whether we could be friends as well. That day, I learned that a relationship, no matter what form, isn't as simple or as wonderful as you see in movies. They are irrational and messy. All you have to do is try, and perhaps it will work out.
You took a little break before continuing your talk. You double-checked that everyone was still sleeping and that Usagi wasn't bored. But she wasn't; she seemed curious and waited for you to continue.
"I'm not sure what happened to you, but you have your reasons to dislike our normal world… But let me tell you something: people before we arrived are exactly the same as the people here. You simply haven't met the right people yet. Maybe one day you'll be able to stop running and start building a life that works out better for you. I'm not trying to alter your views or anything; I simply want you to think about all of your options before deciding to stay or leaf."
There was silence after that, and because none of you said anything else, you had nothing to keep you awake.
You slept in then and there in the grass with Karubes arm as a pillow and a burning building in the distance. You were still at ease, surrounded by friends and people you may consider friends in the future.
Rules: You will be asked questions. For every wrong answer you will be dropped as many feet as you answer deviated. You have ten minutes to complete the game.
_________
If you weren't dangling from a really tall skyscraper on a flimsy harness, it wouldn't sound so horrible. You didn't care about the other three players since your attention was occupied with your friends, who were all playing in a different game that they hoped to win. You agreed that playing as much as possible would be a good idea so that you could earn days for your visa, in case you got really injured and couldn't play anymore. You might also look for those who know anything about the beach and their gaming methods.
The walk up here was so difficult that it could have been a game itself. Getting the bravery to jump from the roof ended up being the top of the iceberg. Especially because the phone had previously declared the game on the display, but there were no rules. The game could also have been: you win if you don't jump… Fortunately, it wasn't. The phone chimed a melody to announce the question. That means complete focus right now.
The way up here was so hard it could have been a game himself. Building up the courage to jump of the roof was then to top of the mountain. Especially after the phone already announced the game on the display, but no rules. The game could also have been: if you don't jump, you win... Luckily it wasn't. The phone chimed a tune to announce the question. That means full concentration now.
The building was so tall, you probably have to go down somehow. This is a question with a probably low number, if you answer wrong you'll be a few feet closer to the ground. If the harness could support your falling weight.
Questions number one: How many eyes dose a bee have?
The time to answer was running out and trying to test your theory you answered '0'. As long as they don't have over 600 eyes you should be save.
A melody sounded and the answer was shown on the display.
Correct answer: 5
A clicking sound was heard and with a little scream you were five feet further down. You were five feet down when you heard a clicking noise and screamed. Looking up, you noticed that you were the only one who had fallen this far; the others had only plummeted by two feet, and one had not even fallen at all.
Time passed, and no matter how many times you fell in this game, it was still an awful feeling that you never got used to.
It almost felt like right now, when Niragi tried to rape Usagi. You felt like you were falling. You felt powerless. Useless.
Nobody cared about the rattling you produced when you tried to free your hands. Niragi even mocked your pathetic attempt to free yourself.
By now you finally realized that you couldn't free yourself in this position, but you at least tried to move around enough, so that you could kick the guy who was holding you in the back of his knees. You were glad he didn't focus entirely on you; he just wanted to keep your head straight so he could watch the little spectacle Niragi had planned.
When you were eventually able to kick him, you weren't able to use the force you intended. I mean, you were still kneeling on the ground,but it was hard enough for him to let you go. You stumbled to your feet and shoved him over as hard as you could with your foot. Then you pushed it against the wall and grabbed the pole with your hand to get that messed-up thing off of the wall.
Of course, Niragi saw, but he was too distracted by you to intervene, at least until you whacked the person holding you with the pole. He jumped of the bed and even if you really tried to hit him, there was no use. You were already injured from his previous attack, and he was stronger than you, so it only took him a few seconds to slam you against the wall with such force that you thought you might black out for a second. Usagi yelled your name, worried, but she was safe for the time being, and that was all you wanted.
"You know, Y/n, you remind me a little of myself. You remind me of the day I understood who I truly am."
Niragi moved up closer, making you the only one who could hear him.
"That's something I admire about you. You'd have been great on my side, murdering those who aren't worth living," He murmured while licking your earlobe.
"I'm nothing like you. You are nasty, and the way you treat others is pathetic. You're a loser."
He drew his head back abruptly. You could sense rage in his eyes that you hadn't seen before. You must have hit a nerve with your words, for you could see that nothing of the carefree Niragi remained. There was nothing except hatred and horror in his eyes. For just a brief minute, you felt sorry for him. He was the way he was for a reason. It certainly did not excuse what he was doing, but it did explain it.
"You should have joined us when you had the chance," he said, still affected by your words, pulling you over to Usagi.
He would have continued. He would have done things to you you didn't dared to imagine, but a suddenly a buzzing interrupted all of you, making everyone stop in their movement.
The TV beside the bed switched on and had a large 'game' scrawled all over it. The focus then shifted to the difficulty. By showing the ten of hearts on the screen, whomever designed the games was doing you a favor.
Seeing the level of difficulty, Niragi let go of you. It was the only card remaining, and as much as he despised you, need to win this game was stronger.
Everyone should meet in the lobby to hear the instructions, so Niragi and his guard dogs rushed outside.
You breathed deeply, relieved that Usagi was finally free. This must have alerted her to your presence, as she instantly removed your hands from the pole.
You thanked her while caressing your wrist. Before splitting off, you and Usagi devised a fast plan. She'd walk down and listen to the rules, or maybe she'd meet Chota and Shibuki as you looked for Arisu and Karube.
You practically ran through the floors. Karube was a muscular man, and they wouldn't carry him any longer than necessary. You could go to the royal suite once everyone was in the lobby; they must have a list of who has which room. However, you took a detour to your room before heading there. You weren't sure what game you were playing, but the sensor glasses would always come in handy.
You hurry back to fulfill the actual plan after putting on the glasses and feeling proud about yourself for remembering to charge them.
The ride with elevator was sickening and felt like forever. At least you had an idea where the list must be, since you were there before.
"Bingo!" you exclaimed when you discovered the list. Fortunately, it was up to date and written while Aguni was already the new leader.
You hurried to the first available room on the list, hoping that your guess was right. And you were, because Karube was tied to a chair in the middle of the room.
"Thank Heavens," you said as you removed the tape that had been used to tie him up.
"Y/n?", Karube murmured after his eyes got adjusted to the startling brightness.
When you stroked your hand over his face, he lost himself in your gaze, relieved that you had found him. You were deeply hurt, and it crushed his heart.
"Yeah, it's me. Your save. It's alright," you promptly replied.
Karube guessed something must had happened while he was here, but he couldn't put his finger on it. His gaze quickly drifted to your lips, but he stopped himself before doing something stupid. This was not the right time.
"We must find the others. Are you able to walk?" You inquired as to when you felt aware of his attention.
"I'm alright, but why the hurry?"
"Right now, we're playing a game. Come on now, tell me how stupid I am afterwards."
"Oh, I completely forgot about that."
A loud rattling could be heard down the corridor. You've actually heard it before in the tag game. Gunshots.
"We must be careful. Usagi and I decided to meet in room 407. Given the shots… I'm not certain she made it."
"There's just one way to find out," he winced, but stood up nonetheless.
"Right. They're presumably patrolling the corridors. Normally, this would be a bad idea, but we're both injured and couldn't escape them anyhow. So, what are your thoughts on taking the elevator? If we get in there, we'll very surely make it to the fourth floor."
Karube nodded, knowing you were right, and took the lead. He stole your spectacles, since he would need them more than you. Both of your steps were clumsy, and the adrenaline rush from searching for Karube had worn off, so you opted to take off your shoes. It would at the very least make your steps quieter. So you were now holding both of your shoes because Karube had stated that he needs his hands free in case something happened.
You moved carefully along the corridor toward the elevator, when Karube abruptly dragged you around the corner. When a militant approached, Karube swiftly hid you behind one of the random sculptures that were nearby. You were fortunate to be on a higher floor since there would have been no place to hide further down. This statues only seemed to be on the three highest stories and in the lobby. If there is nowhere to hide, it would be a miracle if you could return to room 407.
"Are you okay?" you asked, noticing Karube holding his side.
He simply nodded and attempted to walk again when the militant had departed, but he began to stumble much more violently than before. So you took his arm and wrapped it over your shoulder to support him.
"We'll support each other. To be honest, I'm a tad shaky as well," You offered, and Karube agreed.
"Don't do anything stupid like that again. I was afraid they'd murder you," he said quietly as you waited for the elevator.
"Oh yeah? I was worried too and I should just sit around? I couldn't let Aguni kick you in the head. Have you seen his abs? He would have killed you. I was sick of giving up and letting things happen to me."
"Whatever, it could have went worse. It just brothers me that Niragi is the reason we are still alive. Did he hurt you in any way after I passed out?" He growled as he stepped into the elevator.
"No, he probably would have, but the start of the game saved us," you shivered at the memory while pressing the fourth floor button. This few minutes would undoubtedly keep you up for several nights.
"Your wrists," he muttered, his gaze drawn to the scarlet red burn wounds.
"They most likely used all of their tape on you and Arisu. So don't worry. I guarantee they will not fall off. By the way, your face appears to be worse," You chuckled, but Karube wasn't amused by your remark, but you cut him off before he could object.
"Wait we are here. Get to the wall, so they won't see you, if somebody is looking in this direction."
You both leaned against opposing walls, which were concealed by the elevator walls adjacent to the entrance. You glanced out just before the door closed again and were confronted with an empty hallway.
"Looks like we've used up our bad luck for the time being," you said, grasping Karube's arm once again.
"Hopefully, you're right. Come on, moron. We don't have to put it to the test." You rushes to room 407, but it was empty, only the ropes in front of the heater indicated that you were in the right room.
"Y/n! Karube!", Chota quietly called out to you.
He was glancing out the door of room 411. You swiftly entered the room and were greeted by the rest of your group. Even two newbies awaited you, but there was no time for introductions as Arisu rushed out the door, marching down the stairs without looking back, while you put on your shoes.
"Where are you going?" Usagi questioned, catching him as he slipped as a result of his stumbling.
"The lobby. I don't have any proofs, but I think I know who the witch is."
"Witch? What are we even playing? Karube and I completely missed that."
"To put it briefly, someone killed a girl, and we need to identify the killer and burn them," Shibuki continued, holding Karube's arm as he missed a step.
"What exactly did they do to you? You three like zombies," Chota, who was carrying half of you by this point, cried.
"The militants happened," you said, attempting to ignore the burning feeling in your chest. "Has anyone seen Chishiya?"
"He probably fled or something. I don't really care, but if I locate this dickhead, I'm going to murder him," Karube said.
"I don't believe this is a good idea. First and foremost, let's find the murderer," you replied.
"Aguni! Of all the luck!" Usagi muttered drawing your attention forward. "Or do you think he is the witch?!"
That new boy - Arisu called him Tatta - was laying on the floor unconscious and Aguni, who is now standing in front of your group, drew Kuina behind him by her hair. What happened? Wasn't she with Chishiya?
"Aguni, there's no time for bullshit. Let me ask just one simple question. Are you the witch?", Arisu asked. "You guys tied me up before the game started. So you know for sure that I'm not the witch. If you aren't the witch then why kill me? If you aren't the witch let's cooperate to find out who-"
"Arisu!", you called out, as Aguni kicked him in the gut and knocked him to the ground.
"After that who needs an answer? Arisu has a rock-solid alibi, so if you attack him, then you must be the witch.", Usagi remarked as Aguni pushed her to the ground when she tried to help Arisu.
Aguni approached Arisu and lifted him off the ground by his collar. "I understand now.", he murmured. "You aren't the witch. Aguni didn't kill Momoka. It was Hatter. You killed Hatter. Right? I can see it in your eyes. They are saying yes."
Aguni attempted to punch him again, his eyes wild and filled with rage. You kicked him in the knees like that other guy earlier, forcing him to let go of your friend. What you didn't anticipate was him to spin around, but Shibuki was quick to pull you back, narrowly avoiding the punch.
When Karube stepped in, the situation quickly escalated. But what Arisu said next stopped everyone in their tracks.
"Wait, you asked us to gather here and you had no idea why?" Karube inquired.
Arisu approached you in the afternoon and suggested that you all meet in his room tonight. Of course, none of you questioned it, so you went there. You initially assumed he wanted to talk about the sensor-glasses you had finally fixed, but it turned out to be something completely different. After all, a cat-like guy was also waiting for you.
Chishiya had a plan and would need all of you to complete it. You and Karube exchanged a doubtful look, but Chota and Arisu were totally engaged in the idea. Nonetheless, you joined the plan against your will. After all, you couldn't abandon the two knuckleheads alone.
Shibuki and Usagi joined in as well, most likely because they didn't had another option. Aguni will follow you regardless, since Hatter died in a game and he became the new leader of the beach. Because of the bustle at the beach, the timing couldn't be better for a heist, you had to acknowledge that.
The idea was for Arisu and Karube to break into the royal suite while Aguni and his henchmen were relaxing by the poolside. They did it every day for thirty minutes before getting ready for the day's game. The remainder of your team would keep an eye on the corridors.
Instead, you opted to go with Arisu and Karube. Your friends were definitely against the idea, but if you had to join because of them, you wanted to be able to choose what you would do.
After all, this entire plan makes no sense.
Chishiya and Kuina could've done it on their own; therefore, you were clearly a bait. Nonetheless, Arisu agreed to hear his plan, and now that Chishiya is an executive officer, he could easily blame you for everything that will happen after you had heard his idea.
♠️♥️♣️♦️
"This is crazy," Arisu mumbled as you entered the room.
"We would never be able to pay for one night here. Even if we all put our money together," Karube said as he looked around the room.
"We don't have time for this. We must find the save," you said as you shut the door behind you.
Arisu talked with Chishiya via walkie-talkie, but the poor quality of the intercom made it difficult to hear most of their conversation. It's not like you cared anyway.
"I found it!"
Suddenly, Arisu shouted out, causing you and Karube to approach him. He was crouching halfway into the closet near the desk you were looking through. Obviously, you did not look for the save, but rather for information about the people at the beach. You wanted to learn more about the people in charge here, but you couldn't find anything.
"What is the code?" Karube inquired as he took the walkie-talkie.
"8055. The seal of the envelope doesn't say Boss, it's actually the numbers of the code," he responded and Arisu began to enter the code.
"You would be a formidable enemy.", mumbled Arisu.
He paused for a moment before entering the final number, but neither you nor Karube forced him to. This was his final chance to change his mind, so he should make the decision himself. A loud alarm abruptly jolted you out of your daydream. The code was wrong. Chishiya really did use you.
Karube realized something was wrong and shoved you behind the other, still closed, wardrobe door. Only seconds later, the suite door flung open, and heavy footsteps could be heard.
"A little birdy told me that some rats were trying to steal from me. Well, I'll be damned. Looks like you are a useful man after all, Chishiya," Aguni chuckled.
Karube stood up quickly to draw attention away from your hiding spot. He would do anything to protect you, regardless of the cost. He felt like he owed you this for everything you did for him and his friends.
Suddenly, punches could be heard. Karube wanted to protect you, and if you left your hiding place, all he did would be pointless, but you couldn't just watch. You then made the mistake of looking around the door.
While other guys kicked Karube, Niragi raised his rifle to hit Arisu repeatedly. You couldn't just sit there after witnessing the scenario. So, when Aguni approached to kick Karube in the head -very likely to kill him- you sprang out of your hiding spot and tackled him, surprising everyone.
You were proud of yourself for getting that behemoth of a man to fall back, but it was probably only because he hadn't expected an attack. You even landed a couple pushes before a sharp pain in your head sent you to the ground. When you collapsed, you could swear you saw astonishment on Chishiya's face. You apparently failed to inform him that you would be joining Karube and Arisu. Your intuition was correct from the start. He's a small, self-centered monster.
"Hehe, foolish bitch," Niragi chuckled as he kicked your side. "Did you truly believe you could do something against us?"
Karube's disappointed expression broke your heart. What did you expect to achieve? Defeating these guys? You were once again pathetic. You were tired of being pathetic.
"Fuck you!" you hissed, grabbing the end of his gun as he attempted to hit your head with it.
You took advantage of the brief moment of surprise and shoved the weapon's barrel into his face with all the strength you could muster. He stumbled backwards, just enough for you to stand up. Everyone looked at you, but you didn't fight the black haired guy any more, against everyone's expectation.
"You piece of shit," you snarled, instead running up to the cat-eyed traitor.
You punched him in the face and kicked him in the stomach before someone grabbed a handful of your hair and dragged you back. He flung you on the ground beside your friends, but quickly pulled you up by your hair again. Aguni was missing from the militants' group, therefore he must be the one holding you up.
"He had a walkie-talkie. They must have a partner, find out who it is," one of the militants exclaimed after searching the room for another person.
"We already know who it is. Don't we?" Niragi asked, grabbing your chin.
"Chi-," but you were stopped off when he rose up and kicked you in the face.
"Y/n," you heard your friends mutter, but you didn't pay attention.
"No one ever asked you, little girl. Get these two girls and that pathetic long-haired guy," Niragi commanded, after gabbing your chin again, to appreciate the damage he caused.
You hated yourself for it, yet you spat in his face, daggers aimed at him. "He isn't pathetic. No one is as pathetic as you and this guy," you said, looking at Chishiya.
"You're getting on my nerves, baby. How about you finally shut up?" Niragi remarked, a little too calm for your liking.
"This is a major betrayal. We should make an example of them for the whole beach," a random guy said, but Niragi only chuckled.
"No. I have a better idea. The guys. Let's tie them up and toss them in an empty room, blindfolded and with their ears plugged. Their visas expire tomorrow. Rob them of all their senses and they will spend the last day of their lives in terror," Niragi stated while bringing out a piece of paper with Arisus' visa printed on it.
Karube is lucky that you didn't play games together following the seven of hearts. His visa was valid for one day longer than Arisus', but they still faced a massive problem.
"What about her?", asked another guy.
"She cares deeply for her friends. Leave her to me," Niragi added, cruelly smiling at you.
"But first," Niragi stopped, before kneeling you in the face. Aguni must have let go of your hair now, as your face soon hit the floor, meeting Karube's anxious eyes. Niragi stomped down on your trembling body as your nose began to bleed from the impact. Arisu lost his consciousness, due to the hits. Karube followed shortly after, but not before whispering your name again and again.
"That's enough," Chishiya said, rubbing his slightly swollen cheek.
"Why are you trying to interfere? Are you one of them?" Niragi spoke as he marched up to the blonde.
"Take a look at her. She is not as tough as the guys. You should quit beating her if you want to punish her. Otherwise, you will kill her."
Chishiya had no idea why he had stopped him. While he thought you were intelligent and a decent person to be around, you didn't mean anything to him. So, why did he help you? It was this strange sensation in his chest that told him to. He had no idea what that feeling was or why it was there. You should have just gone along with his plan. Why did you have to be so persistent?
"Whatever," Niragi said, ignoring the remark. He pulled your hair and lifted your head to look at it again. "You'll appreciate what I have in mind for you," he said, staring into your bloodied face. He smashed your head into the ground, but it's not like that hurt you because you also lost your consciousness.
♠️♥️♣️♦️
What time is it now? Where are the others? Are they save? Are they still alive?
The room's windows were covered, and all clocks were either broken or missing, so there was no way to tell the time. The only assurance you had was that they didn't want you to leave, because your hands were tied to a heater underneath the window.
Loud footsteps approached your room, followed by several more. What is Niragi up to? Basically, nothing could have prepared you for what was about to happen.
"Hold her legs down," one of the several men commanded as they entered.
You couldn't tell what they were talking about at first, but you later wished you hadn't found out.
Four men were pinning someone to the bed. Not just anybody. Usagi.
"Ah, you're awake," Niragi said as he entered the room. "I promised you'd like what I'm about to do," he chuckled, pulling your hair and forcing you to look at him.
"You're lucky we couldn't find the other two, so we had to change our plans," he smirked, forcing his finger into the wound on your forehead, making you quiver. You must have gotten it when he knocked you out.
"Y/n?" asked Usagi worried.
She probably didn't see you since she had been fighting the militants until now.
"You!" shouted Niragi to one of the guys who was casually leaning against the door. "Make sure she's looking before I start with her," he said, pointing at you.
"Traitors get punished. Even kids who misbehave get locked in the closet. What do you think the punishment is for a woman?", Niragi asked as he opened the tie on his swimming trunks and climbed on Usagi.
The rope around your hands didn't budge no matter what you did. All that happened was that the rope burned deeper into your flesh. With a tiny rattling, you notice you weren't tied to the heater itself, but to a plastic pole screwed into the wall above it, most likely to dry towels or something. You could have ripped it off the wall if it hadn't been for the guy holding your head in a headlock.
You must be able to do something. Usagi, Shibuki, and Chota must have been looking for you. Later ones must have been more fortunate, otherwise they would have seen them as well. It was your chance to help now, but what could you do?
It didn't take a genius to realize that number one knew very little more than you. Why and how, on the other hand, should he?
He introduced himself as Danma, but everyone called him Hatter because he used to sell hats before coming to Borderland.His name made you think of 'Alice in Wonderland,' and his weird personality complemented the name wonderfully. That's why you liked to refer to him as Hatter as well.
After he explained the rules and gave you a brief tour of the beach, they handed you some locker keys. Your key number was 76, making you the last of your friends. Arisu started with the number 71. You had to change into swimming suits afterwards, so you couldn't hide any weapons.
It was weird how many different types of swimwear were already in your room's wardrobe. But, given that the rooms change like clockwork, it would be required unless they want people running about naked.
You opted to stay in your room for the time being after changing and hiding the sensor glasses in your closet (it was the only spot where they wouldn't be noticed immediately due to the many clothes).
You'd need some time before you'd be ready to go outside. It was the first time you'd seen so many people since arriving in Borderland, and you'd met them in your swimsuit. You chose a plain black one with some loose swim trunks over it for your personal comfort.
Someone knocked on your door after around ten minutes. Shibuki was wearing a bright bikini, and Usagi was hiding shyly behind her.
When you were all set to walk outside, you decided to look for the rest of your companions, who had seemingly already left their rooms.
Finding them was easier said than done; a stranger would sometimes offer you fruits or alcohol, but you turned them all down. In your opinion, starting to drink now would not be the best choice. You were new and had little faith in the people around you. You may drink when you get back to your room... or, preferably, never.
You noticed Arisu drinking a martini by the pool. Karube was swinging his legs in the water while talking to some girls, and Chota appeared dissatisfied with the scenario, attempting to avoid the people.
You were pleased that the guys kept their shirts on, since otherwise you would have been a blushing mess. Shibuki eventually calmed Chota down, so you went to search for three sun-launchers, because Arisu and Chota had departed to get new drinks.
The entire scenario seemed off. How could somebody ignore reality in such a way? Yes, you and your buddies had some fun before coming here too, but this was on a completely different level.
Hatter showed you a large wall covered in gaming cards. Only the four of diamonds, the ten and seven of hearts, and all face cards were missing. Hatter stated that if all cards were collected, just one person could depart, but this does not seem logical. Because there are still missing cards, he can't be certain. Given the large number of people just on the beach, you'd have to remain for years for everyone to go. You inquired about the games they played for the two of hearts, but he didn't respond. If you had to play the same games over and over again, there wouldn't be any difficulty.
Whatever it was, Hatter was overjoyed with the seven of hearts and promised the winners a promotion.You lied when you stated that it had to be Usagi's. The reason was simple. For starters, Hatter's claim that just one person may depart seemed ridiculous and was very likely a lie. You, on the other hand, had the sensor glasses. A higher number would very certainly mean you'd be watched more frequently, which is exactly what you don't need right now. If you had to estimate, they'd get the promotion tomorrow or so because they've been staying close to your room for now.
"I'm going back to my room really quick," you excused yourself from your friends.
You passed a woman with dreadlocks on your way. She watched you walking around, and it piqued your interest, so you approached her. Not the brightest idea, but this place was never a good idea to begin with, so why stop now?
"Like what you see?" You asked, far more confident than you felt.
"Hmm, yeah. Yeah, I do," She laughed. "My name is Kuina, and you must be new here."
"Actually, my name is Y/n, but you can call me beautiful if you want," you said with a smile, and the two of you burst out laughing. "To be honest, however. You don't look like everyone else."
"Do you mean I'm more attractive?"
"That's not all. You don't appear so stupid while you're enjoying this."
"So you already figured it out?"
"The fact that we're all pawns for Hatter in order to earn the cards?"
She chuckled, but her gaze was drawn away from you.
"I have to go for now. I'll see you later. Hatter will give a speech in a few minutes. Everyone is expected to go, so don't get in trouble and attend," She waved goodbye and walked away.
You followed her gaze, noticing someone you wished wasn't there. Chishiya was standing near you, resting against a wall. He must be the one who aroused Kuina's interest. He waved when he saw you, but you just walked away. You had to get a jacket from your room because it was getting chilly outside, and you needed to hear Hatters' speech as soon as possible. You could feel him staring at you while walking, and he would definitely question Kuina about you.
Before you could return to your sun lounger, you had to sit through Hatter's lousy speech.
The guys decided to chill a bit at the pool after. You couldn't blame them, after all, the water was now empty and they could cool their wounds from the previous games. You, Usagi, and Shibuki were reading near them, wondering how the guys don't freeze to death, but you noted how the attractive girl from before sat with the guys.
You tried to catch the conversation between them, but all you could hear was that the beach was divided into two sections: the cult with Hatter, Kuzuryu, and An, and the militants. Most of the names were unfamiliar to you, but it was reassuring that Chishiya was not mentioned. By the way, he was observing you from a distance again.
Suddenly, a random individual said that the cars were back. You weren't sure what he meant at first, but you recalled Hatter mentioning something about sending groups of four to the games. Surprisingly, just three people were approaching you right now. One of them had her long black hair tied in some kind of bun. The second had a bleeding eye wound, while the third had tattoos all over his body. You didn't know who they were, but simply by looking at them, you could tell they were militants.
What drew your attention was when one of them suddenly spoke to Usagi.
"What do you want?" she questioned, perhaps a little harshly.
"Can't you tell? Our boss wants a sample," the black-haired guy answered instead, his eyes locked on you. "His blood is still racing from the game. Don't think about it too much, and you will even enjoy it."
Arisu and Karube popped up in front of you, much to your astonishment. Chota tried as well, but he remained hidden behind both of them. You approached them, concerned about their actions, and attempted to settle the situation, but it didn't work. Everything got a little out of hand, but Hatter and Kuzuryu intervened before anybody got hurt.
The black-haired guy was trying to figure out why Hatter was helping you, which would have made you laugh because of his stupid face... if the situation hadn't been so serious. The militants may want you dead now, so even if they retreat this time, you should still be cautious.
"Jeez, weird dude," you said as you sat back down. "You should avoid picking fights with everyone. We must keep all of our options open. Hatter won't be here forever," you said.
"They protected us. You should thank them," Shibuki sneered.
"Right. Thank you, but please leave it to me next time. They have the authority to demote you. You have something to lose, so let me handle stuff like this next time."
"Oh? Such strong words from someone like you? What are you going to do? Kick them in the shins?" Karube chuckled.
"Nah, I'd rather do something like that," you responded, grabbing his arm.
You flung him into the water in one rapid move. It was more luck than talent, but it worked. Surprisingly, Karube simply chuckled at the behavior and didn't become angry, so the mood brightened slightly. Kuina was definitely with Chishiya at this point, but you didn't care. While you liked her, he was bad news for a variety of reasons.
You wanted to forget all that had happened. You even managed to have some fun before retiring to your own quarters. You sometimes caught sight of the white-haired man out of the corner of your eye. What is he up to?
No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't sleep. The loud music that was still playing made it extremely difficult to do so. Arisu must have felt the same way, for he knocked on your door after what seemed like an eternity - it was approximately thirty minutes.
Both of you couldn't sleep and decided to go outside. So you grabbed a jacket and went down to get some fresh air.
When you found a place a bit further away from the party you sat down and watched the stars.
"Meow.", you heard skipped a beat by the sudden noise.
Why was a cat even here? Does it have to play games too? Probably not.
When it nuzzled its head on your arm, you instantly forgot about the question.
"You must be starving. I will find something for you," Arisu decided, but asked you if you were okay with it.
You were, of course. Staying with a cat sounded much better than hearing the party noises. It also made you forget about earlier.
You caressed the cat, and it jumped into your lap. You proceeded to stroke behind its ears since it had started to purr.
"Interesting. She usually despises people."
You did not need to turn around to see who it was. His cat-like features indicated that he was a cat person.But why was he here?
"I don't think so," you said. "Otherwise, she wouldn't be loitering near the beach. You're probably trying to make me feel special. The only question is: Why?"
"I'm glad you and Muscle Guy made it. Remember, the two of you own me something," He disregarded your question.
"We didn't ask you to help us. Also, leave my friend out of this. You saved just my life, not his. He doesn't own you anything," He didn't need to know that he also saved Karube's life. He, at least, had a chance to survive even if you would have been shoot, therefore it doesn't count.
"Then you have to do what I want you to. Your friends would play along anyway. They have already proven that."
He was probably waiting for you to say anything, but you didn't. After all, it wasn't necessary. If you were in danger, they would come to your aid.
"Hey! Y/n!" Arisu yelled from afar, but he came to a halt when he spotted your unwanted company.
Due to the loud noise, the cat ran, leaving you and the two guys behind.
"Well, Y/n. We'll talk later," Chishiya waved and walked away.
"Who was that?" Arisu questioned, now walking closer to you.
"Chishiya or whatever. I ran into him while playing tag. Don't worry about him." You responded. Not thrilled that Chishiya now knows your name. But you tried to remind yourself; he would have found out eventually if Kuina hadn't told him by now.
"Alright...," he murmured, but didn't pursue the subject more. "They said that the cat is fed twice a day and that she already gotten it today. Sorry if I interrupted something."
"Jeez, you can be cute some times. You didn't disturb anything. Do you want to come back to my room? The party is no longer as noisy. Also, who knows who will show up next? I don't want to run into the militants."
Arisu nodded and followed you, flustered by your comment. The party was significantly quieter than before. Probably because the majority of people had passed out by this point, and those who remained talked about whatever they wanted in smaller groups or made out in whatever location they could find.
"Would you like some gum? A guy gave it to me earlier," you question as you shut the door to your room.
Arisu nodded again and you handed him the gum, before taking one yourself. It was something small, but you couldn't tell anymore when you had the last one. It must have been a long time.
You observed Arisu munching the gum fiercely. You were concerned because he was uneasy around you.
"Arisu, don't be so shy. It's great to have you here," You smiled while watching the few people still having fun outside. "Hey do you by any chance know how to make a gum bubble? I've never been able to do one."
"It's pretty easy. Simply flatten it on the roof of your mouth and press it against your teeth. You can make a little dent with your tongue to make it easier, and then you just have to breathe out as if you want to whistle. Do you know how to whistle?"
"Jap. So you can do one?"
"Nope. Karube told me how, but I was never able to make one," He whispered and scratched his neck, embarrassed.
"All right, Arisu. Today is the day we will both learn to make one," you joked, jumping next to him on your bed. "I mean, you said it is easy."
Arisu successfully formed a little bubble after some time and numerous weird noises while failing.
"See! Try harder and you'll get a cool one," you said. Arisu chuckled at your immaturity, but tried again. Making a bigger one this time.
"Yes! It will now just take me a couple more hours to learn."
"It's not like we have anything else to do. Unless, of course, you have other plans."
"Nope. It's a pleasure to spend time with you. Do you want to have a sleepover? I mean, I have a room with two separate beds, and making a bubble will also take me some more time," you offered.
Arisu had no alternative but to agree. It really did take you half an hour to generate a decent bubble. Your gum had lost its flavor at that point, but it was still fun. Arisus' presence had you sleeping an hour later. It made you feel safer than being alone in a room with no actual lock and many people outside who weren't really pleased with your presence.
You still woke up early enough so that your friends wouldn't get the wrong idea if they saw Arisu leaving your room. Particularly the girls and Karube. You didn't want to hear them either shipping you two or making them jealous.
Getting up early was a pain in the ass. Fortunately, you had packed your stuff for the trip yesterday. When you and Arisu left, everyone else was still sleeping. It was unsettling that he had no problem waking up early.
You left a note for your friends while Arisu packed his stuff. When you started your journey to the arena Arisu was last night you crossed a tourist information. You didn't waste the opportunity and walked inside to take a map. It would be helpful to mark the locations for the others.
Arisus' enthusiasm after waking up vanished soon. The map had to have shown him how unlikely it was that he would discover anything today.
"How far are you with the glasses?" he asked suddenly.
You could tell he did it to avoid falling asleep while walking since his voice lacked interest.
"So, I'll have to figure out how to charge it. Aside from that, it's quite decent. I'm relieved you were able to bring yours. It's just a little unfortunate that we have only one left."
"Even if you just have one, they might be beneficial. I'm glad you're on our side. I'm glad to have you on our side. As an enemy we would have a problem, with your talent."
"You are really intelligent. I wouldn't want you as an enemy, either."
"We'll get out of here once we locate the beach. I want to go home with all of you," He smiled at you "Oh, there's the arena over there."
"So, do you remember where they went from here?" you said when you got closer.
"They went that way and then turned left."
You nodded and walked in the given direction. It was quiet between you two, and while it wasn't uncomfortable, you wanted to learn more about Arisu.
"How did you first meet Karube and Chota?" you inquired.
"Well, I met Chota long before we became friends. He was in my class, and I didn't like him at first. Once I was angry at my father. I destroyed one of his windows. He had taken the blame for me, and as result, I spent more time with him, and we became friends." Arisu gazed at you, perhaps expecting a reaction.
"If you ask me, that's a cute story. Taking the blame for a stranger. He is a great friend.'"
"You think? We eventually ran into Karube. He rescued us when a few guys beat us up."
Arisu didn't go further into detail and you didn't ask him. None of this should be your business, but you were glad he told you a little bit about himself.
"So, how about you? What about your friends?"
"Not really. People never truly despised me, but they definitely wouldn't mind if I disappeared. You're the first true friends I've ever had."
Arisu remained silent. He met his friends by happenstance. He was far more fortunate than you.
His hands gradually slip into yours. This behavior shocked you, yet you did not retract your hand. He tried to be considerate. Isn't that what friends do?
"Just a random idea, but how about we go up there and watch the sunrise?" you said, pointing to a nearby skyscraper. "The doors shouldn't be locked, and even if they are, what will they do?"
"Do you realize we have to walk up there? The elevator is destroyed."
"You're welcome to remain here, couch potato, but I'm heading up there. This may be my final chance to see it ", you muttered as you walked into the building.
Arisu didn't want to leave, but he promised to keep an eye on you. So he didn't have much of an option.
"How high do we have to go?" Arisu questioned.
"You've barely reached the third floor. It won't be as tiring if you quit talking. Now hurry up otherwise it will be afternoon when we arrive," You called out.
You weren't the fittest person either, but seeing the sun rise far above the ground had you practically running up the steps.
Arisu grinned at your childish behavior, but then he remembered he had a lot more steps to climb, and the smile faded. He was only hoping you wouldn't go to the rooftop, because he'd definitely die before he did.
Arisu discovered your bag pack on the 10th floor. You must have placed it there for him to find. Because there was only one exit from the stairwell, he walked through it while bringing your bag.
He found you in some sort of conference room facing the window and therefore the sunlight.
When Arisu arrived, you had placed two chairs in front of the window. He sat next to you, letting the bags fall to the ground. He breathed heavily, but since you were too, he didn't try to hide it.
"T-this was awful," Arisu sighed.
"Yeah," you said. "We need to get in shape. Otherwise, the games will be an issue."
You watched the sunrise. You attempted to chat with Arisu once, but he was lost in thought, so you left him alone. The city was completely black, with barely a glimmer of sunlight lighting up the skyline. Before the fireworks, the entire building and streets were alive; full of people and blinking lights; today it was silent and dark.
Eventually, when you let your eyes wander over the many roof, you noticed something.
"You see this?" you questioned abruptly, jolting Arisu out of his daydream.
"What exactly do you mean?"
He was caught off guard by your suddenly and unexpectedly moving.
"There," you said, pointing out the window.
Arisu jumped up in response.
"I'd seen this resort before, but I just assumed it was another arena."
"Where is the map?" you inquired, hastily searching your bag. "We began here, walked down this street, and are now in this building. The hotel must be located in this area…", you pointed out places on the map.
"The Beach," Arisu said, referring to the hotel's name. "You found it."
"All right, let's go. We must inform the others." stuffing the map back in the package.
Arisu stopped and pointed outside. "Why don't we start by watching the sunrise? We finally know where we need to go, and they are most likely still sleeping. I also don't want to come all the way up here for nothing."
"Technically, you did not, but you are right. It's quite comfortable here. Do you want something to eat?"
You handed Arisu a chocolate bar after he nodded. Before leaving the camp, you packed a few random things you fond. You were thanked by the boy. Watching the sun was a lovely experience, but when it was around 6 a.m., you decided to return.
"Have you discovered anything?" Shibuki inquired as you came into few, and you nodded, bringing out the map.
"So, what can I say? We found it."
"Wait, really?" Karube stood up from the campfire and snatched the map from your hands.
"Yes. Here," You explained it. "They have electricity."
"You are an absolute genius!" Chota approached you and embraced you.
Usagi smiled at you both and handed everyone a plate, after you sat down around the fire again. You ate while contemplating what to bring with you. The beach had power, so there was no need to bring food or warm clothing. Except that you should leave everything behind for the time being. You didn't know what was going to happen next, so you hid everything, except the glasses from the seven of hearts, and the cards you had won.
The trip was amusing. Arisu, Chota, and Karube were having a great time racing around and gently pushing each other.
Instead, you spend your time chatting with the females. It was nearly like a normal school day. A class having a good time on a field trip or anything.
"You are a climber?", asked Shibuki.
"Yes, that seems to be the only way for me to be free. Do you two have any hobbies?" Usagi inquired after replying.
"Not on my side, but Y/n is brilliant at creating stuff."
"I wouldn't call it a hobby. It's entertaining, but if I want to feel free like Usagi, I'd go swimming. I practiced holding my breath for two or three minutes so I could watch fish swim around. Being underwater seems like a different universe."
"That sounds wonderful. Before I forget about it. What I wanted to know was how you located the beach. We've been walking for a while now. There's no way you could have gotten here and returned with Arisu so early.", Shibuki asked you.
"We were watching the sunrise when we saw some light in the distance, so we checked the map and found the hotel."
"Watching the sunrise together is nice. That sounds romantic," Usagi smiled and nudged your arm.
"You think? Sunset, in my opinion, is more romantic. How about you, Y/n?"
"It depends on who you're watching it with. I believe they can both be equally romantic," you thought about it.
"Is there something between you and Arisu then?" Usagi questioned.
"Or perhaps between you and Karube. If I remember correctly, you and him watched the sunset together."
"I-," you tried to speak, but you didn't know what to say.
"Huh? Y/n is your fever back?", asked Arisu when he noticed your red face and stopped his little game with his friends.
The girls merely laughed, but you shook your head swiftly. "We should be almost there," you remarked, looking at your map, trying to change the subject.
"That way," he pointed at a hedge as he and Karube made their way through it. The rest of you immediately followed, and as you emerged from the bushes, you were greeted by a swarm of people having a good time. The atmosphere no longer seemed like Borderland. This location does not appear to have 'the answer'.
You were instantly spotted by others. You certainly stood out among all of them in their swim wear.
"Hey you! No matter if you just wandered in or if you were looking for us, you are definitely new. Follow me.", a man commanded. "If you want to join the beach you have to see number one."
The man wore dreadlocks and was extremely muscular. He began to lead the way, but paused briefly to ensure you followed.
You were first hesitant if you should. This was your last chance to change your mind. Karube was not as concerned as you were and followed him. You couldn't just leave him behind, so the rest followed as well.
The man led you to a sun lounger where a guy with unkempt blond hair was drinking. He must be number one since he began to yell once the guy introduced you.
"Welcome to our ideal utopia. The beach! Here we hold all the answers you seek."
When you met him, it was a warm summer day. A gentle wind helped to cool everyone off, and your friends encouraged you to hang out later that day. What you didn't know was that you were going to cancel later that day.
You were leaving school and passed by a small alleyway when you heard whimpering. You were frightened at the time, but you chose to look regardless. Your panic vanished as you recognized it as a boy's uniform from your school.
His face was bruised, and judging by his cowering posture, he was clearly in a lot of pain. He winced as he heard your footsteps. His eyes were closed, and you could sense him shiver.
"It's OK. I will not harm you. Hey, my name is Y/n."
He must have been expecting someone else since he looked up with hesitation. That was putting it mildly, because his left eye was so swollen that he couldn't see through it.
"N-niragi"
You smiled at him, attempting to comfort him, and he swore he felt his heart skip a beat.
"Who did this, Niragi?" you questioned, softly taking his slightly bloodied hand in yours.
Instead, he shook his head and attempted to stand up. He was ashamed of himself for laying in this alley. It was pathetic. Really. You, on the other hand, didn't mind. You supported him in standing up and held his arm to keep him steady.
"How about you come with me? I live nearby. You may rest till you feel better," you offered, still smiling through it all.
"No, I'm alright."
"You're not. Look at you. I want to help you. Nobody deserves that kind of brutality."
He attempted to object, but on the inside he was delighted that you did not listen. You rescued him. No one had ever done this before. His teachers blamed him for being bullied. He should stand up and fight back. You stood out. You didn't expect him to put up a fight. You wanted him to feel good, needed, and protected. It was fate that drew you here on this day, at that moment. He fell for you that day... and he fell hard.
He was very kind, in your perspective. He was always worried about your health and mood, In a nice way.
You made him feel appreciated, and he wanted you to feel the same way.
When you had a date, he would help you with your homework or prepare dinner.
In June, you asked him out. You asked him out, but he was the one who said, 'I love you,' first.
He said it almost a year later, in April. While having a picnic, you watched the cherry blossoms fall. To be honest, it was cliche and cheesy, and if you brought it up now, he would deny it since he had changed.
You couldn't understand what happened. It began slowly. He began wearing contact lenses, instead of his cute glasses, and when you eventually moved in together after graduation, he showed up one day with a nose piercing. Instead of his adorable glasses, he started wearing contact lenses, and when you finally moved in together after graduation, he showed up one day with a nose piercing. A few weeks later, he got his brow pierced.
His appearance changed drastically, yet it was all his choice. Still, a heads-up would have been nice.
You weren't sure why he was getting into fights again. After he graduated, the bullying ended, and he was able to live in peace. He denied having a bloodied and swollen face when you questioned him why. You weren't even permitted to help him with treating it. Every time he came home wounded, he went directly into the bathroom and left the house an hour later.
You followed him one day because you were afraid he might be hurt even more. He went to a pub and drank a little, most likely to reduce the pain.
The next day, he'd pretend as if nothing had happened and go to work as normal.
He'd deny anything happened, and you didn't want him to become angry, so you let it go. You hoped he would let you know when he was ready… You were wrong.
Some days, he just disappeared, leaving no trace of where he had go or when he would return.
You suspected him of cheating once, but you immediately forgot about it.
His appearance had altered, but he was still the lovable Niragi you'd met in that alleyway years before.
He began to speak to you less and less. Sometimes he didn't speak to you at all; he went before you woke up and came back when you were asleep. His messy side of the bed, which was still warm and smelt like him, was the only sign that he was even there. It made everything hurt even more.
You wanted for this relationship to work. You still loved him and were concerned that he had lost interest in you. Just because he would never cheat on you does not mean he can't stop loving you.
Your heart had been taken by this man. Years ago, he ripped it out of your chest and kept it. He seemed to have forgotten about this now.
You'd had enough of this bullshit after two more years. There were days when he behaved normally, and then there were days when he was angry at you for no apparent reason, or when you didn't see him at all. Every time you brought it up, he became enraged, and even though you still didn't want to end the relationship, it felt like the only thing you could do.
You tried to listen. You tried to be there for him. You really did. It just didn't work, and your relationship most likely didn't either.
You need to think about everything away from him, therefore the invitation you received from a high school friend was ideal.
They lived in a small town near Tokyo, so it wouldn't be too far away, but it would work just fine. Niragi didn't care when you told him, but you weren't surprised at this point. Even though you knew this relationship stopped working a while ago, it was still hard to make this decision. It wouldn't be worth your time to attempt to repair this broken relationship. You really wanted to break up with him, but then something very unlikely happened.
Some would call it fate; others would call it something worse than a nightmare; but it wasn't either for you. A meteor landed in Tokyo, specifically in Shibuya.
After hearing the news, you were concerned and called Niragi. Of course, he didn't answer the phone. He has no reason to. Perhaps he wasn't even injured and simply didn't pick up. It wasn't unlikely for him at this point.
Even if you wanted to end the relationship, you still cared about him. So you went back home earlier than anticipated, searching first your apartment, then his favorite spots, and then—after your worst fears came true—you checked every hospital near the scene of the accident.
Finally, when you asked for your boyfriend of so many years and room number, one receptionist nodded. As fast as you could, you made your way to his room. Because of the large number of injured people, this hospital, like all the others, were overflowing.
You ran into yet another while attempting to dodge the people who didn't watch where they were going.
He smiled sheepishly as he pulled you out of his chest.
You were greeted by a short man. His hair was colored white, but the natural color was already peeking through. He was just leaving Niragis' room, but based on his attire, he was also a patient.
"I apologize. I attempted to avoid-" You attempted to justify your carelessness, but the person who had almost run into you had vanished.
"Yeah, whatever. You must be Y/n. Niragi wasn't lying when he bragged about you," he said, rolling his eyes at the memory.
"What did he do? You must have misunderstood him. But, anyway, I am Y/n. You are?"
"Chishiya. Now I have to keep going. Niragi is alone right now, but keep it together. When I return, I want a child-safe zone," he snickered as he walked away.
Strange guy. You dismissed the topic and reached for the handle. Should you knock on the door? On the other hand, what could he possibly be up to? You still knocked before gently opening the door.
The nurses had already informed you about his situation, but you ignored them. He was still alive, and that was all that counted for now.
"Suguru," you whispered when you sat down on his bed, examining his injuries.
"God, you are so pretty, N/n."
Before the accident, he had never said anything like this. This was very out of style for him. Not to add that he hadn't called you N/n in a long time.
"I apologize for what I did, N/n. I haven't told you in months, but I love you. It's fine if you want to end our relationship with me; I treated you like crap and I don't deserve better. So now I look like the terrible guy I am."
"Do not say anything like that. It seems that your near-death experience changed you. I truly wanted to end things with you. But I haven't heard you talk to me like this in a long time. What do you think? Do you deserve another chance?"
"No," he said firmly. "Obviously I don't, but I would love another chance. I had nearly forgotten how much you meant to me. I'm sorry it took all of this for me to realize that you are the only thing worth living for. All I want now is for you to be happy. And maybe you could be happy with me."
"What even happened?" you asked.
"I got in touch with the wrong people. I wanted to keep you safe. I should've told you, but I was frightened you'd leave me. You deserve so much more than me," he said as he closed his eyes. "You should definitely break up with me, but let me say it one more time. Y/n, I love you. I love you so much. You made me feel valued when I felt like no one cared."
You would never have imagined Niragi would say something like this.
"I'd want to try again. But. We can't just pretend nothing happened. We must begin from the start."
"I know. I know. However, you are worth it. You are worth every second of my time. If you ever want something, don't hold back and tell me. I might not be able to give you everything, but I will try."
You'd gotten him back. You'd gotten your old Niragi back.
"How about a kiss? It's all I need for now."
Because of the fire, his lips weren't as soft as they used to be, but I t was good to be this close to him again. Feeling his breath on your face, his heart racing as you got closer. It was as if you were a teenager again.
"Disgusting," was murmured, but both you and Niragi most definitely heard it.
"Fuck you, cat boy. You are just jealous."
"Jap. But if you ever leave her, Niragi, she will be mine," He was kidding, but Niragi most likely missed it.
Arisu rushed up to you and pulled you in a hug, knocking both of you to the ground.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you! " You could hear him scream.
You were paralyzed. You assumed your body was in shock or something. Karube ripped that entire thing off of you at the last second. Your neck burned, but you didn't mind. You were on the verge of losing your friends. You've given up yet again. Chota was not weak; you were. You were once again disgusted about yourself. You were a disaster.
Your body had reached its limit. And you let out an ear-piercing scream, unable to control yourself. Arisu, startled, let go of you, afraid he had hurt you, but you merely curled up in a ball and wailed.
"What's wrong?", panicked Arisu.
"Dose something hurt?", asked Karube and softly touched your shoulder.
You couldn't feel anything. You were absorbed in your own world. Your miserable world. Everything was blurry, and you felt dizzy.
Worried Karube pulled you up and looked you in the eyes, but you saw right through him. He tried to gain your attention, but you suddenly passed out.
"She's got a fever," he muttered, concerned.
Arisu and Chota had never seen him so concerned.
"She is presumably in shock. We need to bring her back to the hospital as soon as possible ", Shibuki advised.
"H-hey Karube! Y-Your hand.", stuttered Chota.
Because of the adrenaline, he hadn't noticed it before, but now that Chota has pointed it out, he's not sure how he hadn't seen it sooner. Shibuki immediately approached him, bandaging his hand with a stripe from her blouse.
"What happened?" Arisu asked, stunned by what he had just witnessed.
"I had to get her collar off. I wasn't quick enough to throw it away. My pinky is the only thing missing. It could be much worse."
He wanted to act tough, but his shaggy breathing exposed his true emotions. He was terrified and in pain, and everyone knew it.
Arisu assisted Karube up before they both carried you. Meanwhile, Shibuki and Chota have received your visas and the meals they promised you. It was unexpected that all of you received the seven of hearts and the food. Due to Karubes injuries they decided to eat first before heading back, but even after the break, Karube couldn't walk very far.
Arisu then tried to gather wood for a fire, while Shibuki and Chota rushed to the hospital to get supplies for Karube's wounds. Said person waited with you, drawing you closer with each strong breeze.
"Do you need help?", a female voice inquired you, but none in particular.
"Usagi?", Arisu asked cheerfully, letting his collected sticks fall to the ground. "We certainly do. Karube is injured, and we're not sure what Y/n has. Can you assist us? I guarantee I'll find a way to repay you."
"You really don't need to. So, what's the problem? ", she said, kneeling beside you and Karube.
"She had a high temperature and fainted," Karube explained.
"Your hand doesn't seem good either," she said as she checked your temperature.
"My pinky was blown off by an explosion. I need to cauterize the wound in some way, but for the time being, the tight bandage will do."
"I can do it."
You must be prepared for everything while climbing. Usagi was no stranger to cauterizing wounds, but she was surprised by how calm Karube was by now, given how much pain he must still be in.
"My tent is not far from here. Do you think you'll be able to make it there? ", she questioned.
Karube nodded and pulled you up alongside him. Arisu quickly joined him in carrying you, and you arrived at Usagi's tent pretty quickly. Arisu then went back to inform his other two friends.
----------
You woke up a day later, by Arisu. Maybe it was his thing to wake you up with food or something.
"You slept a whole day.", he signed, handing you a bowl of oatmeal.
"I'm sorry if I worried you or anything. Are the others okay?" you inquired, concerned by their absence.
"Mostly. Karube has lost a finger, yet he handles it like a champ. He'll be happy that you're awake. They're looking for the beach right now, and Usagi is hunting."
"Usagi? The girl from the tag game, right? Wait! Did you say Karube lost a finger. Is it my fault?"
"It was his decision to rip your collar off. You shouldn't blame yourself. If you consider that all of you could have died, that's nothing against it. We still need to figure out how to deal with it properly, but maybe the people at the beach can help. I'd want to thank you again for saving them.", Arisu smiled.
"Well, they're my friends as well.", you chuckled, nudging his side. "I apologize for yelling in your ear."
"Yeah, you better be. Couldn't hear for the rest of the day.", he laughed while ruffling your hair.
"Hey," you said as you set the bowl down and poked Arisus in the side to get him to stop.
Instead, the black-haired man began to giggle and attempted to swat your hand away. He was ticklish, and you took advantage of it. Arisu was dying of laughter, and he swears it was the first time in his life he had laughed so hard.
"Is everything oka-"
Chota entered the tent and came to a halt when he noticed you awake. They must have returned from their adventure trip. Chota leaped into your arms, thanking you for keeping your promise. You caressed his back as you ate your breakfast or lunch, unable to tell the time.
You left the tent with them once Chota calmed down, to greet the other two. Shibuki grinned gleefully when she recognized you, and when Karube turned around, you could swear you'd never seen him smile this big before.
You bowed deeply and thanked him for saving your life, but he stopped you immediately. He simply returned the favor, so there was no need for apologizing. Instead, he placed a hand on the back of your head and drew you into his chest. You could hear his heart beating. His heart was racing so fast that you were afraid he'd have a heart attack. 'They must have been walking fast', you thought.
Chota and Shibuki could be heard laughing in the background. Arisu's lack of amusement confused you, but you couldn't care less at the moment. Karube's familiar scent of smoke and sunflowers soothed you so much that he could be a drug.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Y/n. My name is Usagi, but the others probably told you by now."
While you were disappointed to have to leave Karube's hug, the sight of the gorgeous girl made you feel better. You were right, she was the girl from the tag game. And how she impresses you. She was gorgeous, strong, brave, and talented. You welcomed her with a smile.
You all sat down once the first stars appeared and roasted some marshmallows. It was nice to relax around a campfire and forget about the recent events.
"They all have these strange locker keys, but they pretend as if they don't know anything.", Arisu stated.
"While following the cars isn't a bad idea, it takes a lot of time. How about we check the stores? I mean, based on what you've said, the beach must be a big deal, and they'll need food and water.", you said.
"That's a good idea. Me and Y/n will check the stores tomorrow and continue our search for the cars at night.", Arisu nodded.
"Chota can accompany you on your search.", remarked Karube, but you disagreed, much to his dismay.
"I'd like to go for a little walk. We can return if I don't feel good. Don't be worried about me, Karube.", you grinned and punched him on the shoulder. "Your marshmallow is on fire, Chota."
The long haired boy pulled the marshmallow out waved it around to put out the flames. The marshmallow flew off his stick and landed in Arisus' hair.
"Oh man, Chota.", he wined, attempting to remove the candy from his hair.
He was completely drenched in water at the end, but at least he was sugar-free.
Everyone eventually went to sleep. They must have been looking for new tents. Usagi would never needed three tents. You'd ask them tomorrow or another day.
"Hey, Usagi.", you said abruptly when there was only you left. "I wanted to thank you for everything. You not only helped me, but also my friends."
"You don't have to thank me. I couldn't leave you laying there.", she said, smiling.
"Maybe, but that was extremely kind of you. Sorry if we put any pressure on you."
"No, you don't. It is good to have some people around me. Especially ones as funny as you."
"Thank you. I believe I'll go to bed now as well. Do you need help with that?", you inquired, pointing to the fire.
"No, don't worry. Good night, and get yourself together, we don't want babies here.", she said as she wiggled her brows, and you simply shook your head.
Shibuki shared a tent with Usagi and because you wanted to search the store tomorrow you would share one with Arisu.
When you laid down next to him, he mumbled quietly. The tent was chilly, and not even the blanket could keep you warm. He wouldn't mind, would he? You moved closer to him, trying not to wake him up.
"You could just ask if you'd like to cuddle."
"I'm sorry I have woke you up. It's just freezing in here."
"Here.", he mumbled and handed you a jacket. You recognized it as one of the jackets you found for him. You were happy that he kept it.
"Thanks."
The fabric was comfortable enough to sleep in, and it smelled like Arisu as well. That means he had to have worn it too. Maybe your fashion sense wasn't so bad after all.
"Very nice jacket. I love your taste in fashion.", you said as you put on his jacket.
"Oh, yes? I got it from a really vexing individual. She is, however, really pretty."
In the dim light, his smile was even more attractive, and you prayed he couldn't see you blushing.
"Good night, Arisu.", you said as you turned around.
"What, no cuddles? Forget it."
He wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you closer. You could feel his breathing on your neck and his chest moving up and down on your back. Hopefully he doesn't feel your racing heart.
"You are quite comfortable as well. Goodnight Y/n.", he whispered and nestled his head in your neck, inhaling the smell of your freshly washed hair.
Now you were happy that Shibuki forced you take a shower earlier. It took you long to sleep in. Arisu fell asleep in about a minute. 'Asshole.', you thought. When did he become so confident?
What if you did this strange twitching thing? At the very least,have to worry about snoring. Arisu did it himself, but in your opinion it was kinda cute.
You were standing in a hotel room. Room 753 to be exact. Given your circumstances, this is rather ironic. Room 994 would have been a better choice. Why? Easy. In a matter of a few minutes, you'll be putting your life in danger in order to obtain a visa. There are no words to describe how stupid you thought this scenario was.
At the very least, you thought, it was a nice hotel. It must have been three stars or above. Normally, you couldn't afford even one night at this hotel. To be honest, you couldn't pay for anything in this room.
The enormous TV that hung opposite the beds switched on and announced the start of the game.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Game: Heat wave
Goal: Escape the room.
Difficulty: 2 ◇
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Two of diamonds? Should be easy right? Well, you didn't expected such idiots on your team. Would have wished it was a game of hearts instead. You weren't afraid of heart games the way many people were. There was nearly always a chance to get everyone out alive. Clubs and spade games were a nightmare against it. If you get hurt in a game, you won't have a chance at it. You were also extremely lazy. As a result, you became an expert in diamonds.
"Is there no time limit?", asked a boy.
He had an odd sense of fashion and, as far as you could tell, wasn't particularly intelligent. No matter what, there is always a time limit. They will either fill the room with toxic gas or set it on fire, and even if they do not, you will die of thirst or hunger.
"What does it matter? I want to leave as soon as possible.", a well-dressed lady interrupted.
You just laid back in one of the chairs the room provided and watched the others do whatever their goal was. You figured it out quite fast, but you were curious how long it will take them. The room was obviously quite comfortable, and you would stay here for as long as you could.
The room was filled with small puzzles. There are many various types of locks, some codes, and other tasks. It was similar to an escape room. A boring one, since the riddles weren't very difficult, but there were a lot of them, and for whatever reason, everyone was having trouble solving them.
"Am I the only one or is it becoming hot in here?", one of the older guys inquired.
So they slowly increased the heat until you were roasted alive? How tempting.
"Don't you want to help?", a female next to you asked.
"Let me think," you responded, as if you were considering helping, before snapping your finger. "No. Not at all. Why don't you join me? This is much more comfortable than rushing back and forth in the room.", you suggested as you pad the seat next to you.
"My name is Kuina. You are?"
"Y/n, pleasure to meet you.", you smiled and offering your hand, which she quickly took.
"You know something right? I recognize this look on your face from a friend."
"Maybe.", you shrugged. "Must be a nice person."
"Maybe.", she chuckled.
You grinned as you wrapped your arm around her shoulder.
"Did you use the time to take a good look at all of them?", you asked and Kuina shook her head. "These two have been attempting to open the box since the game began, but they need this small wooden piece that this woman is holding. How long do you think it will take them to realize this?", you asked.
"Hopefully not too long. It's pretty warm by now.", she replied, waving a magazine in front of her face in an attempt to cool herself down.
"Fanning yourself with warm air will simply make you hotter.", you said. "To answer my question, it makes no difference."
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"Look at the door.", you said. "There is neither a lock nor a keyhole. If this is a real escape room, the door has to contain something that must be opened, or everything is just a fake. The door was never locked. You are free to go at any time, and the people here won't even notice."
Kuina looked at you surprised. "How come you didn't say anything?"
"This room is packed with nuts. Do you believe one of them will survive another game? In comparison to other games, this way of dying is harmless.", mumbled you.
A little girl was blown up in your last game. Her body parts were scattered throughout the field. Unfortunately, she did not die immediately, and you were holding her in your arms while she passed. Your younger sister was quite the fighter. She didn't even shed a tear.
Kuina gazed at you, not knowing what to say. You didn't even have to tell her. She recognized this expression from her time spent with her mother in the hospital. People with this expression would always stroll past her on her way to her mother's room or on her way back home.
"When we get out of here, I have to introduce you to someone.", she said just to brighten the mood.
"If you insist. How much longer are you willing to wait? ", you inquired, perplexed by her choice of words.
"Only five minutes. To be honest, it's somewhat entertaining."
You completed the game by telling everyone that you had solved the puzzle. You held the door open for everyone to ensure that no one was left behind. Kuina then bought you to a place she called 'The Beach'.
You handed Hatter your cards and changed into a bath suit after a quick introduction and a tour around the beach. Wearing something like this in a place like the Borderlands seemed strange, so you wore your jacket over the bikini.
"Y/n, meet Chishiya.", Kuina introduced you after you met in the foyer.
"Hey.", he said without even looking back at you.
"Jap, definitely like me.", you mumbled. "Do you want a drink or something?", you inquired as you walked away.
You went to the bar by yourself because they both declined your offer. Chishiya gave out a different vibe when you returned. Kuina probably scolded him.
"So, Chishiya. You are some kind of doctor right?", you asked when you sat down with them.
"Medical student. Did Kuina talk to much again?"
Kuina nudged his side, but all you did was shaking your head.
"It's the way you move, talk, and appear. You've seen people die, therefore you're either in the military, a cop, or a doctor. Since I met you, your hands have never left your pockets, so I assumed you were latter. A police officer or a soldier would not be caught unprepared in the case of an attack."
"Interesting," he murmured, looking at you for the very first time.
Kuina exchanged glances with you before excused herself to her room. You and Chishiya stayed a little longer, but you didn't say much.
"Do you happen to know where my room is?", you asked after some time.
Chishiya nodded and took a brief look at the locker key Hatter had given you before leading you up the steps. You followed him silently, noticing his quite surprised expression when he spotted your locker number. It was a high number for someone who had just arrived, but Hatter was thrilled when you got three new cards for his collection, so of course you would be ranked higher.
"How come you saved them?"
He undoubtedly preferred to your last game. Kuina must have told him, while you were busy with the leader.
"I just saved them for Kuina."
"Why her?"
"She reminded me of someone. Why do you spend so much time with her? You don't appear to be a particularly outgoing person."
"She's not as useless as the others here."
After that, you proceeded silently till Chishiya stooped in front of a room. If you consider his waiting eyes, it's most likely yours.
"Thank you," you muttered as you opened the door.
"What happened?" he asked, pointing to your leg.
You nearly got the impression he cared for you, but it was probably just the medical student speaking.
"A burning. Got it from one of the games. It's not that bad."
"For 'not that bad' you're limping quite a bit.", he stated. "Should I take a look?"
You sighed but accepted his offer. You lied when you said it wasn't too bad, and Chishiya caught on when you showed him the injury. Your entire upper thigh was covered with burn wounds. That's why Hatter let you wear your swim trunks.
You were now laying on your bed, your wounded leg on Chishiya's shoulder so he could start treating it, and you hoped this moment would end quickly.
"I assumed you two would get along, but this is far beyond my expectations."
You shoot up, surprised, to discover Kuina standing at your doorway. You didn't realize how close you were to Chishiya until his breath tickled your cheek.
Embarrassed, you fell back onto your bed and placed a pillow over your face. She must have walked in at this specific moment. You hated every decision that had led you here, and Chishiya's chuckling made it much worse. Why was it so hot?
You silently thanked Chishiya for not bringing up your red face; it would have worsened the situation.
"It's not what it looks like.", he said again in his monotone manner. "I only treat her wound since Y/n is incapable of doing so."
"Whatever you say. I only wanted to warn you. Aguni, Niragi, and Last Boss have returned."
"Too bad, and I thought they finally didn't make it.", Chishiya muttered as he bandaged your leg once again.
"Aguni?", you asked. There's had to be something no one told you about.
"The Beach is separated in two fractions. On one hand there is the cult fraction, led by Hatter, Kuzuryu, and An and on the other had the Militants. Keep as far away from them as possible. Aguni and Last Boss aren't that bad, as long as you don't get on their bad side, but watch out for Niragi, he's a lunatic.", Kuina remarked as she sat down next to you.
"I will go now. Use this every evening and let me know if there are any issues.", Chishiya stated, handing you the ointment he used to treat your leg before leaving.
"He must like you.", Kuina said after Chishiya shut the door.
"You think? He is okay."
"Your expression said different.", she smirked, but quickly changed the subject. "Listen. You must avoid Niragi at all costs, especially because Chishiya tolerates you."
You just gave her a puzzled expression, but she laid down next to you before explaining more.
"Niragi and Chishiya are rivals. Niragi would do anything to get rid of Chishiya. He also likes to mess with new people, so don't wander around alone too much.
"Okay, thanks for the heads up. Do you want to stay for a while? What about a girls' night? ", you offered, and Kuina gladly accepted.
To build the team spirit, all of your friends decided to play another game at some point. You were taking a "shower" in the river at the time, so you were taken aback when Arisu informed you.
You weren't sure whether this was a good idea because Karube and Shibuki never talked to you, and Chota was always with Shibuki. So Arisu was the only one you could talk to. The group was crumbling, so playing a game when you were at a breaking point was risky. Even if you felt they discussed it on purpose while you weren't present, it was still a group decision and you couldn't do anything against it.
You spend the next hour or so working out. While it made the shower unnecessary, it was nicer than worrying about the next game. You considered quitting since your arm was hurting again, but if Karube could push through the pain, so could you. If you want to survive in this world, you must become in shape.
"Y/n?" whispered a quiet voice behind you. Chota, without a doubt.
"Chota, how are you? Are we leaving? ", you inquired as you pushed yourself up from the ground.
"No, not yet. I was simply wondering what you were doing."
"I just thought it would be great for me to stay in shape. I really don't want to be worried about the games anymore."
"Do you think we'll make it?" he inquired. You were certain he wanted to ask you another question, but you won't put any pressure on him.
"I'll make sure of it. All of this fighting isn't helpful, but don't worry, Chota. They're still your friends. ", you said ruffling his hair.
"Y/n! Chota!" Arisu yelled from the distance, "We'll leave now!"
"Chota, everything will be alright. You should simply talk to them. They will understand."
The trip was more difficult than finding an arena. Nobody said anything and simply exchanged annoyed glances. You followed the others, walking alongside Arisu. You haven't told him about what happened last night, which concerned him, but you've just ignored it. You don't have time for this, especially not right before a game.
"An arboretum? What a spacious playing field.", mumbled Arisu when he noticed the lights.
"Let's forget our fights yesterday. Right now, we focus on working together and surviving.", spoke Karube.
There were no other players but you. Maybe this is a sign that things will get easy again, but your expectations were crushed when you noticed some weapons lying about in the entryway. A sign has been prepared to inform you about the playing conditions.
----------
Participant limit: unlimited
Time limit: fifteen minutes
Prize: Ram's meat
----------
"Fifteen minutes in and out, not bad.", Karube observes.
"Yeah, but the weapons are bad.", you point out.
"Better safe than sorry," he shrugged, taking a hatchet.
Everyone else picked a weapon, and after realized they were right, you did as well. You picked a few smaller tools, such as a screwdriver. Nobody said you couldn't take more than one weapon, and you couldn't fight anyhow, so a heavy weapon would just make things more difficult for you.
You then had to put on some sort of collars. You didn't trust these things because of the last game. But you didn't have a choice; else, you'd killed right away. Some glasses with built-in motion sensors were attached to the collar. They tracked your pupil movement and locked on moving targets. They may be useful if you survive the game. Maybe you could remove them from the collar if you had time.
When you were finally ready, you all entered the arena together. There was a massive jungle inside and t here was no going back now, because the doors had closed behind you. You've just realized something alarming. Why were there only five collars although there was no limit on the number of participants?
It's time to play. This game is rated seven of hearts.
You and everyone else stopped moving. You couldn't breathe and were drenched in cold sweat. Shibuki described her game of hearts, which was just level two, and also how she was sole survivor. The whole collar scenario made you even more terrified. This game felt like it was made just for you.
The rules are one of you will be the wolf.The remaining players will be sheep who must hid from the wolf. Once the wolf has a sheep in their sight, the sensors will be triggered. The wolf and the sheep will than trade roles. After switching the wolf must count to three, while the new sheep has a chance to hide.
"So we have to fight each other?", asked Karube.
"One of us will die?", inquired Chota.
They were all horrified. But it was oversimplified. It was a game of hearts. You were concerned about the rules. They may have always been absolute, but things may be different now. To begin with, the game seemed strange. So many weaknesses from the start; perhaps you will find some more.
These are the conditions for completing the game. When the fifteen minutes of game time elapse, whoever is in the wolf role will complete the game. When time runs out it's game over for the poor sheep, because there collars will explode. As you have deduced by now, this seven of hearts grantees at least one player's survival. A generous game.
'Generous?' you wondered. That may be true in considering the recent games, but it felt more than unfair at the moment.
Why would the sheep go hide when they ended up dead? Nobody wants to die… yet you did. Didn't you? Before Borderland, you wished to die. You desired to escape the future which awaited you. But what about now? You've finally made friends. A group of people you could put your trust in. You didn't want to be without them.
.
.
.
That was exactly what the game wanted. It asked you to choose whether your life was more important than your friends. You tried to recall Shibukis' story about her game. She actually won the game when she choose to die. So, either the game fooled you and the sheep survived, or there is another method to finish this game.
But then you observed your friends fighting for the wolf role. It made you question if they did understand the game. The role switched from Chota to Arisu, to Shibuki, back to Chota and to Arisu.
Seeing them fight shattered your heart. It also shocked you how badly Karube would like to murder them. This game was tearing your group apart even further.
You eventually began looking for them. You didn't want them to slaughter each other. Everyone fell silent at some point. Concerned about them, you began sprinting and collided with someone.
"What are you doing?", a deep voice said.
You weren't sure whether you'd gone insane yourself, but the first thing you did was leap into his arms. Karube attempted to push you away, but you refused to let go.
"Y-you're not getting it.", you muttered against his neck.
"Arisu. Karube. I want to tell both of you something. I don't care who wins anymore. I don't care if I lose. But I can't stand letting things end this way. I know this might be stupid now, but I keep a secret from you. While you were out surviving Borderland I was... Shibuki and I were sleeping together. I'm not strong like you two. I'm weak. I'm stupid. I'm slow. I'm weak and helpless. I betrayed my friends and just run away. I'm sorry we're friends and I'm sorry. I'm sure you won't forgive me, but I really am sorry."
Chota was in tears by the time he was finished.
"The game isn't broken. It's like a test. Do you want to survive if your friends must die for you?" You, too, were crying at this point.
Karube eventually regained his composure and returned your hug. "I'm sorry."
"Let's put an end to all of this. I'm forfeiting the game. I'm heading to the door under the monitor if you want to live, come and find me."
He'd give up his life for you. How many times in the previous days did you consider giving up? It was a habit of yours. When your toy was taken from you at the playground as a child, or when your parents banned you from inventing new things, you always gave up quickly. You never fought back because it wasn't worth the effort.
'Effort… that's it!'
"I might have an idea.", you remarked as you pulled out your screwdriver, "but it might kill us even sooner."
Karube's attention was drawn to you instead of the screwdriver. He didn't move at first, but when he heard Arisus' faint screams, he turned around and signaled you to start. In your defense, no one specified you couldn't remove your collars before the game ends; you only had to put them on before entering the arena.
"They said at least one player. Perhaps they didn't mean only one player could live. Perhaps there is a way for all of us to escape."
"What do you mean?", asked Chota, still crying.
"Y/n, what are you doing?", shouted Arisu.
You immediately tried to take off Karube's collar. You weren't sure how you'd get yours off, but you shouldn't worry now because this whole strategy might not work anyhow.
"Are you ready? It's the last wire. I could set it off."
"Set it off?" yelled Chota, but Karube seemed unconcerned.
"Well, I wouldn't survive anyway. Arisu, Chota you were great friends. Arisu if Y/n and I don't make it out. You need to find the beach."
You wanted to say your final words as well, just in case, but Karube's words were beautiful and you didn't want to ruin them. So, without further hesitation, you cut the last wire.
.
.
.
Nothing
That's exactly what happened. Nothing except a quiet click. Karube took off his collar and it required a loud beep from the monitor for you to understand you've done it. You figured it out.
"Karube!"
On the screen, the man's face had turned gray, and a large cross had appeared over it. When you realized they couldn't hear him any longer, you quickly explained everything.
"He's fine. I figured it out. Shibuki! Chota! Go to the front door. And Arisu. Stay away from there. We don't know what will happen if you look at someone who isn't wearing a collar, and we can't take the risk. We really don't have enough time. You can leaf this one to me."
You grabbed Karube's hand and led him to the arboretum's entrance. Someone had to take your collar off, and even after his short outburst, you trusted Karube with your life.
Shibuki was already waiting for you when you arrived at the door. With only a few minutes remaining, you began right away, always asking for Chota and whether he needed help finding you, until he arrived as well.
*Click*
Two done and two to go. Two minutes left.
"Y/n.", Karube murmured, realizing there wasn't enough time.
"Not now Karube. I promised Chota something, and I'll keep it."
You approached Chota, but once you sat down, you felt someone softly tugging on your collar.
"Give me the other tiny thing you have.", Karube demanded.
You realized that arguing was pointless, so you offered him the 'small thing'. Shibuki also came up to you and advised Karube what to do while you were removing Chota's collar.
"Now cut the wire and we're done.", Shibuki instructed, but there was no movement from Karube.
"What wire? There is no wire."
Wait what? So this was the catch.You didn't want to die, but you promised Chota he'd live, and you've kept your word. Even if your hands started shaking and even if you'd die. You'd die with dignity. At the very least, your family would have approved of your death.
Chota's collar has fallen off, leaving only you.
"Y/n, what should I do?" Karube questioned.
"You know, Karube, you were always cool and composed in all of your games. I wish I could be like you.", you sobbed.
00:30
"Y/n, tell me what to do!"
"I don't know," you cried, but attempted to grin.
You really didn't know. All collars were surprisingly simple to get of, but if there was no wire, than you couldn't open it. You were so close.
With tears in your eyes, you turned back and smiled at Karube.
"I'm sorry I can't be strong. Thank you Karube, Arisu, Chota, Shibuki. You were the first friends I ever had and even if it was for a short time and the probably most chaotic time I ever had. It was also the best time of my life.", you sobbed.
You turned around and smiled at Karube with tears in your eyes.
Karube gave you a dark look before turning you around and doing who knows what to your collar. "I'm not going to let you die like that. No, not today. Not tomorrow. Never!", He practically yelled.
00:03
00:02
00:01
The explosions ended, and everything was silent except for a high ringing noise in everyone's ears.
"Chota! Karube! Y/n! Shibuki!" They heard Arisus' voice but did not respond.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
All he could feel was terror. What if they were still killed by the lasers or something? What if Y/n died and everyone was too stunned to respond? He sprinted back to the door for what felt like hours, and when he arrived, he burst into tears.
The medical student entered your room at six in the morning, but you were already awake. You were used to his emotionless voice by this point, and it didn't bother you as much.
"Given the circumstances, it could be better, but what can I do?", you shrugged.
You were quite sure the white-haired man grinned for a split second, but it vanished as soon as it appeared.
"We will start with the first walking exercises today when you feel ready."
"Definitely. The only things that keep me entertained in this room are you and the nightmares I have every night."
Again. There was a little smile on his lips, and this time you were sure it really happened.When you first met him, you weren't even sure if he was even able to do this. It's not like you hated his leak of emotion; you would prefer it over every other person in this hospital, with their fake smiles and their fake interest. That's why this smile was such a surprise. It was the first truthful one since you came here.
"Great, I'll inform a nurse, and you can begin after breakfast. If you do well, you'll be out in a few weeks."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Chishiya. Have a wonderful day. And, before I forget, you should smile more often. It surprised me, but it suits even you."
"Even me? If you continue to be so disrespectful, I will not send a nurse until next week.", he winked before leaving the room.
He could also wink? What will you find out next? That he has feelings like a normal person? This made you shake your head. It would be better for him if he didn't. Not in that sort job.
You were a medical student yourself, therefore you had known him for far longer than everyone else in this hospital. He never showed any emotion, and you were worried he couldn't stand you at first. Later, it turned out that this was his normal character.
You used to work with him, and even he admitted that you were a great team, but you were involved in a terrible car accident a month ago. A drunk driver collided with you. You were severely injured, yet you were fortunate. Unlike the drunk driver, you survived.
You've come a long way from waking up out of a coma to speech therapy and now physical therapy. Chishiya was with you every step of the way, which totally confused you. Sure, he was your coworker, but this behavior was so out of character for him that you were concerned he was becoming sick. Especially after he had a long conversation with you, because you were feeling guilty.
The day you were released should have been a happy one, and it was until that ridiculous firework.
Chishiya had asked you to meet him that day. He wanted to take you out for lunch. You had stopped questioning his weird behavior by this point, so you simply agreed.
You were sitting on a bench waiting for him when a firework went off in the distance. Everyone stopped for a moment to watch, and some even took out their phones. Someone was foolish enough to shove you off the bench, but by the time you rose up to insult him, everyone was gone.
You were alone. Everyone in Shibuya had vanished. At least, that's what you thought. When the sun had set, a billboard lit up and directed you to an arena. You instinctively followed it. It was the same reason why everyone in a horror movie wants to investigate weird noises. Curiosity.
The lights sent you to an office building. You recognized it; it was a food company your mother worked for. When you walked in, the atmosphere felt familiar. The game will be held in the main hallway. It was a long floor, which was held simply. White tiles covered the floor and on the opposite end of the hallway was a button. The corridor was split in two by lasers, so no one could touch the button before the game even started.
You'd examine the reception on the left side of the door if it weren't for that one person currently standing there.
You were one of the eight people in the corridor, and they were all gazing at their phones. You've had that feeling before. You were at a place like that before waking up in the hospital. Borderland. That's what others might call it.
You investigated the people after you took a phone. Two younger females who must know one other based on their proximity. Then there was an older man with his arm around a gorgeous young woman and lastly three guys.
The guy near the reception was wearing a white jacket and stared holes in the ground. He seemed calm, like he knew exactly what would happen. The other guys were the polar opposites of that guy. It seems to be their first game.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Game: Falling tiles
Difficulty: Eight of diamonds
Rules: Press the button before the timer runs out. Bombs will detonate if the button is not pushed in time. Watch out were you are going.
Time limit: 15 minutes
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Immediately after the announcement of the rules, the lasers were turned off and the timer began to count down. The game sounded far too simple for that level of difficulty. So you took a step back and watched the others for now.
One of the new guys marched up to the button carelessly, but as soon as he reached the line where the lasers were, the tile beneath him broke and a laser shot him.
Everyone, especially his friend, screamed. Almost everyone, that is. This was nothing new for you, and the guy in the white jacked seemed calm es well. At least what you could see of him because his hood was almost completely covering him. After everyone had calmed down, they tried to figure out what order they should go in, but no one wanted to move.
You took the time to inspect the room even more. After all, it was a diamond game, so there had to be a safe route to cross.
Each tile was three feet wide and three feet long. So the corridor was fifteen feet wide in total, and the button was twenty tiles away from you.
One of the people was clever enough to throw their shoe, but the button was blocked by a glass box. The other new guy was still traumatized by his friend's death and attempted to flee, but lasers killed him before he could even step outside.
"The old man should go first.", his lover whispered as she shoved him onto a random tile.
It must have been the right on, because he was still alive, but now the man was mad. Looks like the real game begun now. The woman could only push him because he was caught off guard, but now he had the upper hand.
"How about each of us take a step?", he offered, pulling his lover onto his tile.
As she struggled to break free from his grasp, she unintentionally stepped on the next tile, and a laser shot her.
"It didn't break. Why did it not break? ", one of the girls asked.
"Perhaps it's the right one, but we overlooked something.", you shrugged.
You observed the guy in the white jacked looking up as you talked, but the hood still covered his face.
"You just want to kill me!"
"Why would I do this? As long as you take the steps for me I don't have to risk my life. I want you to reach the end as much as you do.", you shrugged.
He became furious and tried to walk towards you, but a laser shot him when he tried to step off the tile he was on.
"Seems like you can't take a step back once you're on it."
"How are you so composed? Have you done this before?"
"No, but people like them put the group in danger. We should work as a team. It's a game of diamonds, so there must be a pattern or something", you told them and the girls looked around.
"There!", said one of them as she stepped back onto the first tile. "There are numbers, but they are only visible from here."
"Are you insane? Don't put your life in danger like this.", her friend argued as she stepped onto the tile as well.
"But now one of us must die," the other said, looking over to the dead girl.
"I don't think so. If you could only proceed with one person on the tiles, they would kill you right away."
"You think?" one of them asked.
"It's possible. So, what do the numbers say? ", you asked.
"There's a twelve next to our tile, and a fifteen over the next row."
"Maybe it's a sequence on which tile we should step on. It's a difference of three so maybe.", the girl stepped on the next tile and nothing happened.
"A step toward was the only reasonable thing to do. What do we do next?"
The other girl stepped up to her friend and you decided to follow them. There was no turning back now, on the other hand, when both of them died you had to remember the entire route.
You turned around to face the guy. He hadn't moved since the game begun, but you remembered something. You had a tiny pack of skittles in your pocket and were kind enough to mark the save tiles for him.
"The next number is a thirteen. So, I think one step forwards."
"Wait, I don't think-" but you were cut off when the tile shattered and the girl collapsed dead to the ground.
You swiftly approached the girl who survived, but she was too shocked by the death of her friend to respond. You only had five minutes left and were just on the second tile. Time was running out.
"I can't do this anymore.", she cried and walked to the next tile.
She didn't die, but continued running and that was what killed her. You were a bit grateful, because some tiles broke, before she was hit and you marked the right one, before you stepped on the next tile. Then you gave the numbers a closer look. You must have missed something.
There were little strokes before and after some numbers if you looked closely. You compared them to the steps you made, and the solution was simpler than you had expected.
A stroke before a number means you have to take a step to the left, a stoke after the number means a step to the right and a number without strokes means straight ahead.
The next number was a '12, just before you could step on the next tile a hand stopped you. When you turned around, you were met by an unexpected face.
"Chishiya? What are you doing here?", you inquired, but he remained silent. Instead he took the step you wanted to do.
"Where next?"
"Straight ahead, but wait.", you hold him of. "Stay there for another ten seconds."
He only raised an eyebrow at you, but he waited.
The numbers must mean how long you have to stay on a tile and after the twelve seconds, you quickly walk past Chishiya.
"Are you crazy?", he asked when he stepped on your tile.
"Yes, otherwise this wouldn't work."
You had to wait 30 seconds now, so you quickly told him about the sequence.
"I knew you were only half as dump as you look."
"Ah, there is the Chishiya I know. I was just thinking you were worried about me."
"I would never worry about you. Let's finish the game."
"That's not making sense," you grumbled as you stepped onto the next tile.
You misjudged the time, but you weren't killed. Then you had an idea.
"Perhaps if we stand on a tile together, we'll just have to wait half the time.", you concluded, turning around to face your companion. "Chishiya, don't give me this face. You and I both know that if we don't try, we'll run out of time."
The time you had to wait increased with each tile, and if you waited the entire time, you'd need one more minute, which you don't have. He knew you were right and followed you. You finished the game with three seconds left on the clock.
"I didn't know you could be that calm, especially when people die.", Chishiya joked.
"I have been here before. After the car crash."
"You have been through this already? Why didn't you tell me?", he asked quite shocked.
You never expected him to show any kind of strong emotion, especially in this scenario.
"I couldn't remember when I woke up. I'm not even sure why I'm here this time. There was this fireworks show, and then nothing."
"So we died?"
"Probably, or we are dying right now. And I just got out of the hospital.", you moaned as you began to walk away.
"Don't you want to get your card?", Chishiya asked confused.
"You can have mine; they won't be good for anything anyhow. Stay alive. Alright?", you waved and continued to walk.
You knew Chishiya loved to be alone, and while you were happy to have found him, you did not want to bother him.
"I heard about this place they call 'The Beach'. Wanna check it out with me?", Chishiya asked, stopping you again.
"Sure. I don't have to go anywhere.", you smiled and waited for him to catch up.
"Let's go."
While you walked, you felt Chishiya's hand brush against yours. You mistakenly believed it was an accident, but as it became more frequent, you realized it wasn't, and a few brushes later, he had completely taken your hand.
"If you don't stop blushing, I'll let go.", he complained.
You just rolled your eyes. You already knew he wasn't going to let go. He was not sick, and neither were the tiny displays of emotion you observed from him an accident. He simply liked you. You were finally sure about this.
"Hey, Chishiya!" you called, causing him to turn around.
You quickly kissed his lips and walked away.
"If you don't stop blushing, I won't do it again," you joked, and for the first time ever, you heard Chishiya laugh.
That day, you swore to yourself that this was the loveliest sound you'd ever hear and that you'd like to hear it again and again.
Karube invited you to help him in finding a functional radio the next day, but you declined. You didn't trust Chishiya. Whatever you would hear on the radio might be a trap.
You would spend the morning walking around Tokyo. You didn't have any specific plans, but you wouldn't say no to some new clothes.
After several hours of looking through various stores, you discovered some clothes that would fit you and perhaps some of your friends. After that, you decided to look for Karube. You felt the need to apologize. He asked for your help, and you just declined. Maybe this weird guy really was trying to help you, and even if he was just playing a game with you, Karube wasn't naive. He'd be careful with whatever he discovered.
"Karube!" you yelled for him.
You weren't sure where he was, but he told you roughly where he wanted to look. And you were correct: the blond bartender appeared from a nearby car when you called him. He didn't seem happy, yet he waited for you.
"No luck?", you asked.
"No. So, how about you? What exactly is this?" He pointed to the bags you were holding.
"I found some clothing. Please try them on. We don't have to carry them to the hospital if they don't fit," you remarked, handing him a few shirts. You attempted to copy his style, which was proven to be more difficult than you expected. I also wanted to apologize for what happened earlier. I will help you. That is, if you still want my help."
"Thank you, Y/n. I'll try them on later. And yes, I still need your help."
You smiled at him as you approached the next car. After some attempting and waiting, the radio finally connected, and you called Karube. He settled quickly in the passenger seat and listened to what you have found.
"Sounds fishy to me, Karube. Why should they know 'the answer'? The answer for what?"
"It's our only source of information. Why not take a look? By the way, I tried the clothes on. They are perfect."
"Oh really?" you asked, surprised. "That's funny, since I realized I gave you the wrong bag."
You could see the color fade from Karubes' face as he heard your words, and you knew he was hiding something.
"Be honest with me, Karube. What are you hiding? I saved your life. So, you owe me that." You felt awful about using this against him, but you knew he wouldn't tell you otherwise.
Instead of responding, he pulled up his shirt. His side was swollen and a strange combination of red and purple. You weren't sure how he managed to hide that massive bruise, but you didn't want to push him on it.
"Dose it hurt when you walk? It doesn't look normal. We need to get back to the others."
"Wait." He grabbed your arm and stopped you from leaving the vehicle. "I don't want the others to find out. They will just get worried and it doesn't hurt right know. Please don't go. I just want to enjoy the moment."
You shook your head and gave in. If he's been hiding it so well up until now, he'll be able to take it for a few more minutes. You sat back in your seat, looking out the window at the sunset. Moments like these let you forget about the life's harsh realities.
*click*
When you looked over, Karube was just about to light up a cigarette.
"May I?" you asked, causing him to raise an eyebrow.
"You smoke?"
"No, I just wanted to do it once before I die, you know," you shrugged, and he smirked as he handed you the cigarette.
You didn't feel anything when you inhaled; it just tasted weird. That changed when you tried to exhale. Suddenly, your throat felt like it was glued shut, and you began to cough violently.
Karube laughed and patted your back, while taking the cigarette back "Yeah, I felt that the first time as well."
"How do you do this?" you questioned, grinning, because you clearly looked ridiculous.
"You get used to it; try to exhale slowly and just not inhale too much at first. Are you willing to try again?"
You nodded and took the cigarette again. You placed it on your lips and slowly inhaled the smoke.
"That's enough," Karube replied, smiling.
Even though your throat felt a little sticky again, you exhaled gently even without coughing.
"Good. A few more times and you will be a smoker too.", he chuckled as he drew you closer by your shoulder.
"Nah, I'm not going to start smoking… for now. Maybe later, when I'm stressed or hungry.", you gently nudged him.
You returned to the hospital after the sun had set.
"Karube! Y/n! Been locking for you. Where have you been?" Arisu returned to the hospital as well and gave you two a fist bump when he noticed you.
"I think, we've found something. A potential way to get out of-"
"Hey, you lot.", interrupted Shibuki.
"You left Chota alone all day. Where have you been? You call yourself a friend? Let's go, Chota."
The atmosphere among you was tense. You had no idea what had happened. So when left you followed Arisu.
"Arisu, do you have a moment?", you asked standing next to him. He was watching the nonexistent skyline.
"Yeah, what's up? Is it about the clothes?"
"No, I'd want to know what happened. The tension here is so tense you could cut it with a knife. Why?"
Arisu sighed and turned toward you. "You see, even if you were right about what you said in the last game, it changed something. It's not your fault. It must happen at some point."
However, it was your fault. You always put other people first, and you weren't always the best with words. Considering what you said: it seemed like everyone else was a burden.
"I'm sorry, Arisu. I didn't mean it that way."
"Don't worry. I'm not offended, and Shibuki and Chota will get over it as well. Sometimes I'm not the best with words either."
Arisu ruffled your hair while you giggled. It was the first beautiful with him. When all of a sudden, someone called your name.
"Oi, Y/n.! I need your help!" shouted Karube from the opposite end of the roof.
"Well, it seems that I have to go. See you later," you said as you moved away from the black-haired guy.
He brought you to a quiet place and wanted you to take a look at his injury. He didn't want to show the others, and you understood that. You weren't the best at treating wounds, but you tried your best. You also helped him with breathing exercises that were less painful.
"What did you talk about?"
It was quite after that question because you were caught off guard and couldn't answer instantly.
"I felt guilty for saying what I did when we were playing tag."
"It looked different to me.", he muttered and stood up.
"Are you jealous or something? We need to get some rest. All of the adrenaline is bad for us. All of us."
"What ever."
He just walked away, without saying anything else. You weren't sure what his problem was, but you decided to ignore it for the time being.
But later you couldn't sleep because of the recent events. You were simply tossing around, so you decided to return to the roof.
It was freezing, but it was better than sitting inside. Your thoughts drifted of to Chishiya. Where did he spend his time? Dose he play often? And what about these cards? They must have a purpose. Or perhaps they're your path back home. When the wind picked up, you decided to return inside. It was unusually cool for a summer night, but it perfectly matched your and your friends' current situations.
"When you abandoned us in the tag game. Did you really worry about us? Or just yourself?"
Shibuki walked around the corridor when you were on your way back. The glass of water in her hand you showed you, that you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time and that she wasn't looking for you.
"I don't care what you think of me, Shibuki. Perhaps it is tough for you to believe that I actually care about you. You're the only thing I have. So just leave me alone."
"Like you left us at the first possible chance?"
"I wanted to help you. Believe it or not. I will go to sleep now and you should too.", you mumbled and walked away.
"I'll keep an eye on you."
"Do what you want."
You were fed up with her bullshit. It was too late to talk about that now, and you were also a fan of ignoring an issue until it went away on its own. Arisu gave you a worried look when you entered the room, but you ignored it.
You had no clue why you had to share your room with him all of a sudden. There were plenty of rooms, but Chota and Karube shared one as well. So you won't question it any further.
