-Haikyuu! but I don't tell you the love interest.
-After a power surge caused all electricity to go out, criminals from prisons all over the country escaped. The world as you knew it was obliterated. All chance of civilized living was gone. The word...
Though I made up my mind to leave Kenma, Y/N, and the others from the group I've been with for awhile, my heart aches as I walk away. Kenma was my best friend before the power outage and I really did want to keep my promise to Y/N. Honestly, I almost did turn around and walk back to her after hearing what she said, but I just can't go back there. And now, I know I'll never be welcome back again.
With that in mind, my next thought is to go find somewhere to get some food. I walk down the street alone until I see a building with its front windows shattered. It looks as though a car crashed right into the building and then drove away.
Curious as to what the inside looks like, I step over the glass and through the window. I go down a few aisles, looking casually for something to snack on.
When I find a bag of chips, I pull apart the wrapping and stick my hand inside. For some reason, I suddenly remember how I first met Y/N, Tsukishima, and Bokuto. They seemed like an interesting group, so I asked if I could join for that sole reason.
As the thoughts of old times flood into my head and won't leave no matter how hard I try, I turn the corner and see a girl about my age with a barbecue lighter in her hands.
I stop in my tracks and look at the girl with long, black hair and bubble gum in her mouth. When she hears me gasp, she looks over with a slight frown. She then narrows her eyes and knits her eyebrows together.
"Tetsuro?" she then mutters in disbelief. I can hardly believe my eyes.
"Emi?" I call back. The last time I had seen her was when I got arrested.
She runs right up to me and throws her arms around me. I squeeze her tightly, so overjoyed that she's still alive and well.
"What happened to you that day? I can hardly believe that was real life. I'm sorry it happened. It was all my fault," she shakes her head disappointedly as she pulls away from the embrace.
"It wasn't your fault," I remind her. "I ended up in the slammer for a little while, but it's all worth it now that I know you're still alive."
Her expression saddens me even further as she listens to me. I'm not sure why, though, until she sinks down to the floor and holds her legs in her arms. Worriedly, I sit down beside her and wait for her to speak.
"I've been alone this whole time, Tetsu. Even before the outage," she whispers as tears stream down her face silently. "I just can't do this anymore. It's too much."
"Then... what's with the lighter?" I ask carefully.
"Didn't you notice? The other day I watched as a car crashed right in front of this store. A girl almost got killed. I was going to say something but, I don't know, I just couldn't. Thankfully, she got saved."
"How could I notice that? I only just got here now?" I respond with a shrug.
"I mean, I spilled gasoline all over the floor. This was my last aisle. Then, the lighter-"
"Geez, Emi, what a way to go out," I chuckle.
"Tetsu, you should leave before I go through with it," she says honestly, looking straight into my eyes to show just how serious she is.
"I already left you once. I had no idea if you were safe or somewhere worse than death." I then look down at her hands around her legs and take one in my own. "I'm not leaving you again."
"You mean-"
"Yeah. I kinda fucked up my last situation anyway. There's no way I can go back now," I sigh.
"Tell me about it. I want to know what you did while we were separated," she smiles softly. "If you do, I'll let you stay."
"Alright then," I nod. "I was wandering around from place to place living on whatever I could find. I didn't really have a point to my exploration until I met this girl. She was traveling with two other guys. One of them had a huge stick up his ass, and the other was the complete opposite."
"So you stuck around?" she smiles, remembering me so well. "You wanted something to keep you entertained, huh?"
"You hit the nail right on the head," I smile back. "We got really close after that. Especially me and Tsukishima."
"The one with the huge stick..."
"That's the one," I laugh. "Our group eventually began to grow until one day... well, something happened to Tsukishima. We found him dead. Shot by someone."
"And then?" she asks curiously.
"I left. I promised Y/N that I'd look out for her but instead I just left her. That's why I can't go back, Emi. They'd never let me back in there and even if they did, it would never be the same."
"I get how you feel," she nods. "After the day you left, everything was different. Boss thought you and me were conspiring to get back at him and the other girls, well, I'll just say they all had the biggest crushes on you," she chuckles softly.
"Are you scared?" I then ask her seriously, changing the conversation. Honestly, I don't want to think any more of the past.
She lifts my hand to her chest and places my palm flat over her heart. "Can you feel it? Of course I'm scared."
There's then a silence between the two of us. I suppose you really can't ever fix the broken. If we're going to go out, though, at least it's in a blaze.
"Wait for me on the other side," she then smiles as she takes the barbecue lighter in her hand. "K?"
"I'd wait for eternity," I whisper as I nervously grin.
Emi nods and turns on the lighter. I watch as she bends forward and silently lights the ground before us.
I'm so scared to die. And Emi hates being by herself. Both of us just want to feel nothing. We're already drowning, so I suppose burning is the best thing to do.
I'll get over my fear and we'll be together. Maybe then, we'll both be saved.
