The last game had been brutal, just as he knew it would be. He hadn’t expected to get out of it alive but now he had to.
As the one behind everything in that place of death it shouldn’t have been difficult, but Vessel never thought he’d want a way out.
The Borderlands were his experiment, a way to test people in ways that wouldn’t be possible in “the real world”, a way to explore an alternate reality with stricter rules. He’d been so sure about his methods when he first started designing the place. Why death games? To filter those who really had the will to live. And he’d placed himself among the citizens to tell himself he was being fair.
Now he knew he wasn’t. He’d twisted his beliefs to convince himself he was right.
And then he met her and he understood he couldn’t let her die, and he realized he didn’t want to die either.
But those were the rules. Those who couldn’t clear a game were eliminated, dying in the Borderlands and in the real world.
But technically, those were his rules.
Rules could be bent, rules could be broken. Vessel would do it for her, Cass. But also for her friends, and for himself. He would atone for the lives he’d taken, however indirectly. But he would help the people he’d met first.
To the Jack of Diamonds, Vessel said: ‘To save her, your game has to end in a draw, but you can’t tell her.’
And Cass had to win his game. And he couldn’t tell her that he wouldn’t die.
The rest was in some deity’s hands.
Vessel woke up with the uncomfortable feeling of having something over his head. No, not over. Bandages, covering half his face. A quick look around told him he was in the hospital, he’d made it out.
There was no blissful oblivion for him. He remembered everything.
He almost jumped out of his bed when he realized Aki was right there in the adjacent bed, still unconscious but he didn’t appear to be in imminent danger. Vessel wanted to rip out his bandages, the IV drip and go see who else was there but the nurses threatened to strap him in place. He’d have to wait.
The black-haired man woke up a few hours later. Vessel greeted him like he would an old friend but Aki didn’t recognize him. Still, they talked and Vessel was glad to see the former Jack of Diamonds was fine.
Aki told Vessel he was in his car when he saw the meteorite. He was on his way to meet his band, they were auditioning dancers for their next music video. He half-joked that he had complained about it, expecting it to be boring. ‘I guess I would much rather have made it to the audition than.’ Aki waved around. ‘This.’
A day after Aki was discharged, something happened that made Vessel’s heart skip a beat, prompting the machines beside his bed to beep loudly.
Someone opened the door to his room and a red-haired woman poked her head inside and smiled at him. It was her.
But before he could say anything, before either of them could say anything, someone yelled from outside.
‘Cassiopeia! Don’t you dare disturb other patients, get back here at once!”
And just like that she was gone again.
By the time Vessel was allowed to stand up, a couple of days later, Cass and her siblings had been discharged as well. He had no way to find her, no one to ask.
He knew he deserved that, to live with his bittersweet memories, with his regret.
Aki visited Vessel every couple of days until he was allowed to leave the hospital. He was the only person Vessel felt like talking to. Somehow, their conversations almost always took a turn toward loss.
I’m sorry I made you lose someone, Vessel thought, wishing there was a way for them to find Airi and Cass.
He couldn’t know both of them would recover what they’d lost, that they’d find that love again.
The game started. The tears in her eyes barely let her see the man in front of her, just a blurry silhouette with long black hair. But she knew him. She knew him well and what was more, she loved him. Even now, especially now.
They played his game in silence. Mahjong. Airi didn’t care anymore, but he didn’t let her quit. She wanted to scream, to throw the tiles to the floor. What was the point of playing? He would win and she would die and that was it.
But she didn’t lose. And neither did he.
The game ended. An exhaustive draw. A moment later there were fireworks lighting up the sky. What could this mean? Would they both die?
‘Keep my heart, Aki,’ she said to him. And then everything went black.
Light. Impossibly bright. Enough to bother her even when her eyes were closed.
A rush of panic. Disorientation.
Airi squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fall asleep again. Holding onto a dream that was rapidly fading, but the image vanished and she knew there was no point in trying to recall it. It was gone. A profound sadness enveloped her. The feeling she had lost something infinitely valuable, irreplaceable. Someone.
Someone whose name she couldn’t even remember.
The next moment she opened her eyes and the memory disappeared for good, but the sadness remained. A choked sob escaped her lips and a tear rolled down her cheek.
‘Ai, you’re awake!’ A familiar voice said beside her. Her brother.
She tried to speak but her throat was dry. Why was Tatsu so surprised that she was awake? What had happened? She looked around, feeling more lost by the second.
A sterile white room, not hers. Machines beeping in time with her heartbeat. A needle sticking out the back of her left hand. She tried to sit up but Tatsu put a hand on her shoulder, gently keeping her in place.
‘Let’s wait for a nurse to come check up on you. Do you remember anything?’
Airi shook her head, more tears spilling from her eyes.
‘You were in Shibuya, on your way to an audition, when a meteorite struck. A lot of people died, many more were injured. You were in a coma for three days,’ her brother informed her. He looked as sad as she felt.
Three days? Why did it feel like she’d lived a lifetime, even when she couldn’t remember it?
When she was discharged the silence of her apartment felt oppressive. She couldn’t bear to see anyone, who could possibly understand? Airi couldn’t even explain to her best friend why she was so heartbroken.
And then, a few weeks later, she was in her brother’s car, staring dejectedly out the window when she heard it. A voice that felt comforting, hypnotic, close.
‘Play that song again,’ she asked her brother, startling him and making him grip the steering wheel. She frantically grabbed his phone and tapped at the screen until the song she wanted started playing. Something about the song, about the singer, made her smile.
‘I didn’t know you liked this song so much, Ai,’ Tatsu said, amused. ‘It’s by Type A Positive. Wasn’t this the audition you were going to that day? For the video, I mean.’
Airi looked at the phone again and the name rang a bell.
‘Yes. Yes, it was. The director requested ballerinas and my dance teacher gave him a few names.’ She shrugged. ‘I didn’t even know the band, I was rushing there and–’ she couldn’t continue talking. A knot formed in her throat and her eyes welled with tears again.
‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,’ her brother muttered.
Airi shook her head. ‘It’s fine, really.’ Her phone buzzed before she could say anything else. She reread the text several times before speaking again. ‘It looks like I’ll get a second chance. The audition has been rescheduled for next week, but I don’t know...’
She absentmindedly kept toying with the phone, playing the song on a loop. The singer’s voice soothed her like nothing else had, as if he was speaking directly to her about love, despair, hope, looking for something, for someone, just like she was.
A minute ago, Airi wouldn’t even have considered going to the audition. Now, something told her she had to be there, and that even if she didn’t get it… Maybe things would start falling into place.
‘You’ll go, and you’ll get it,’ her brother said, guessing her thoughts.
She got way much more than a job at that audition. Meeting the band was fun, but meeting the singer, Aki, made her feel like her heart was whole again.
Hinata laid against the car, a hand holding his side as his eyes flickered over to Aguni— who had collapsed back against the rubble. If he focused enough, he could see the rise and fall of Aguni’s chest, confirming that his friend was still alive. Thank gods. There was silence, before Aguni spoke up first
“If we get back..” he spoke, his voice hoarse and gravelly. He winced, staying silent for a moment before speaking again, “I’ll take you out to dinner, yeah? And then we’ll figure out something to commemorate Takeru.. Together.” he muttered, and Hinata let out a breathy chuckle. “That sounds nice.. are you.. thinking it as a date?” he jokes
…Aguni didn’t respond to that
Worried about his friend suddenly, Hinata’s eye flickered back to Aguni. His eyes were open still, and he made sure he was breathing. Okay. Still alive. Going back to his face, he finally noticed the slight smile that appeared on his face. Hinata blushed.
….Oh.
….Oh
Biting his lip, he hissed after he started moving, putting his other hand against the car as he managed to pull himself up. That snapped Aguni out of his thoughts as he looked over. “Hinata, don’t—“ he started to protest, but the younger male didn’t listen. He just held his side as he walked over closer to Aguni, and collapsed onto his knees and then laid onto him. The warmth of his friend made Hinata’s eyes flutter, and the comforting feeling that always appeared when he was near him, was here again.
The two of them just laid there, Hinata’s eyes fluttering slightly as his head rested against Aguni’s shoulder. A small whimper escaped his lips as he felt pain shoot in his side again. He felt a hand reach up and very gently wrapped around his chest, and gently held his shoulder. They laid there, before both of them heard a noise. Aguni’s hand tightened slightly on Hinata’s arm as he glanced over, and noticed a figure crawling towards them— a small sob escaping her lips.
She joined the two, laying next to them as Hinata just breathed out softly. At least he knew Heiya was still safe. He wondered if the others were alright. He had not been apart of the big plan, but that did not mean he escaped the king of spades either. But Arisu and Usagi had made it he was sure, and they had headed off to the last game.
Suddenly, a loud voice in the sky rang out and had declared that the games were complete. Arisu and Usagi had made it. They had won.
The voice then asked to make a choice. To Stay in the Borderlands, or to leave.
Heiya was the first to speak, squeezing Aguni’s hand as she cried out that she didn’t want it. Aguni was next, taking a moment before muttering that he didn’t want it either
Hinata sniffled, shutting his eye as he spoke “Of course I don’t- shit.. don’t fucking want it. I want to go home..” He felt Aguni slowly kiss the top of his head— and Hinata held onto him tightly. Before his eyes fluttered shut and suddenly he passes out.
***
The first thought that appeared in his mind was ‘Where is Aguni?’
Which confused him. He tried sitting up but felt pain in his abdomen and suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder. “Hinata” a familiar voice said worriedly, pushing him back down. He opened his.. his eye fully and looked over at whoever had pushed him back onto the bed.
His mother sat in a chair next to his hospital bed, looking wrecked. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, her makeup running down her face. She looked terrible, something Hinata had never seen his mother look like. “Mom?” He asked, wincing at how weak his voice sounded. Yuuko immediately reached out and cupped his cheek, to which he instantly tried to pull away. The action felt foreign to him, when it came from her. She frowned immediately at that before wiping her tears.
That’s when she explained what happened. A meteor had hit Shibuya, while Hinata had been celebrating his birthday with his friends and Emiko had been shopping.
Emiko had been killed during the blast.
His parents had thought Hinata was dead as well, but miraculously his heart had started beating a minute after he was pronounced dead. He had been dead for an entire minute. Thoughts raced through his head, before one had settled— louder than anything else
“What happened to Takeru? Aguni?” He asked his mother. She furrowed her eyebrows, confused on the names of people who her son just asked about. “..I’m.. I’m guessing your asking about the friends you were with?” Hinata had made sure to keep his friends life separated from his own, except for when they were together. So it was natural that his mother didn’t know who they were. She wracked through her brain before a somber look appeared on her face
“Takeru Danma?” She asked, gently. To which Hinata slowly nodded. That’s when she told him. He was one of the names on the list. The list of people who did not make it. But Aguni.. Aguni was not one of them. That meant he was here, in the hospital.
Hinata moved to get up, but his mother yet again grabbed his shoulder to push him back down. But this time. He grabbed her wrist. He told her that he needed this, that he didn’t have time for her pity or guilt.
Yuuko was surprised by the sudden confidence of her son. But she shook her head. “At least just wait.” She said, before getting up and grabbing him some crutches. She called for a nurse, and went to fuss over Hinata, much to his discomfort. And where was his father, during all of this?
It took hours. Hours before he could escape his mothers guilt and the nurses let him leave his room.
Walking through the busy halls, he passed by doctors and patients, and family of the victims. He passed by a girl in a wheelchair, which made him stop for a moment as they made eye contact. Did he.. know her? He tried to recognize his face, but his vision was still blurry and he was getting used to only using one eye. Not wanting to stare, he just apologized and turned back.
After asking around, he finally managed to find Aguni’s room and he stood in the doorway. Covered in bandages, and surrounded by doctors— he stared at his friend who seemed.. peaceful. He asked a doctor if he was alright, and he told Hinata that Aguni was stable, but not conscious.
They didn’t know if he would wake up.
He tears up slightly, and just waited til the doctors and nurses left the room. He pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed, sniffling softly. He reached out, gently placing his hand under Aguni’s, threading his fingers in his as he let out a shaky breath.
“He’s gone.” He whispered gently. “..Takeru is gone. I don’t.. apparently there was a meteor.. Emiko.. Emiko and Takeru suffered a fate.”
His eyes stared at Aguni, eyes closed and his face have covered by a ventilator mask. It was like he was here.. and he was not. Hinata started tearing up, his head tilting forward and his hair fell from his shoulders. He reached up and held Aguni’s hand with both hands this time.
Hinata was silent, before he let out a choked sob. “I’m scared. This is a terrible birthday— and I think my parents miss my sister more, and so they’re latching onto me. But I don’t want that anymore. I spent years trying to earn their love, but then I didn’t need it more.” He whispered, sniffling as his eye shut tight. Tears streamed down his cheeks, “Because I had found you guys. And I had Emiko. But she’s gone. Keru is gone. And you..”
“Please. You can’t leave me too.” He whispered, looking back at his face. “I can’t be alone. I need you. I need you to be okay.” He felt like.. like there was a promise that had meant to be held. But he couldn’t quite remember if he had made one
He stayed there. For as long as he could before he was forced to leave. Following after the nurse. Hinata was so out of it that he didn’t even realize he had bumped into another patient. “Sorry..” he whispered, eyes not fully meeting the other person. He did, however, notice the tattoo sleeve that adorned their arm. He met their eyes, and the two stared at eachother before his mother called out for him. He broke their gaze and turned to back to his room.
Shallow breaths, light flittering through the window across her face. It was then she noticed the beeping of the monitor, confusion filled her as she attempted to sit up, a sharp pain traveling down her spine as she attempted. It took Junko a moment to realize her entire body was sore, just what the hell happened. She tried to recount how she ended up in the hospital, though memory loss wasn't quite helping. Judging from the mental symptoms she was experiencing it was safe to assume some sort of post traumatic stress disorder would start presenting itself. Eventually she was able to sit herself up with the assistance of a nurse, the nurse kindly informing Junko of the Tragedy she had just survived. It took a moment for her to believe the truth and the meteor that destroyed Shibuya, though it didn't take long at all to get her brother's room number and rush her way towards him. He was still unconscious when she finally saw him. A sigh of relief leaving her lips as the machine beside him beeped steadily. Her brother was still alive and that's all that mattered.
