[𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐋] | 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐲𝐚

𝟐:𝟎𝟔 | 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲?

"𝑹𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂
𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒍, 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒐
𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆?
𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘,"

"𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔
𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰
𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏
𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒍,"

─────── ∘°❉°∘ ───────

The four of them sat in front of the fire, the darkness surrounding them and hiding everything further down where the fire couldn't reach.

They found a closed corner next to a restaurant and decided to camp there.

Ren had put small stitches on Usagi's forehead and Kuina was applying a cream. Arisu sat opposite them, staring at the fire with depressive eyes. Ren didn't blame him, she didn't feel any great herself.

"There." Kuina said.

"Thank you." Sighed Usagi.

"You know..." Arisu began, the three looking back at him. "When Kyuma and I were talking at the end of the game, I figured something out. They were all players to begin with, and then eventually, they started making the games themselves. I mean that... we might not be able to ever get home... even if we beat every single game. Because our world might not even exist anymore."

"Arisu-"

"Which means that," Arisu said, interrupting Ren. "Tatta sacrificed himself for nothing."

At that point, he was crying.

Ren sighed and scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on Arisu's shoulder. She was getting good at these comforting things.

Even if what Arisu was saying might be true, Ren didn't want to believe it.

"That might not be true." Kuina said. "There might still be a way to get back. I'll keep trying. I'll keep playing the games. Tatta won't have died in vain."

Yeah, me too.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

The next day, after they all took a shower, Ren and Kuina were ready to leave.

Last night's conversation only made her want to fight more. She realised that they will need more allies and friends to defeat the games. They had to continue and fight even if what Arisu had said might be true.

Ren and Kuina had to find Chishiya and Ann.

Maybe they would be able to find more people, more friends.

Not like Ren planned to befriend anyone anymore but still, they needed people. Especially if they were going to fight the King Of Spades. That asshole was still alive, apparently.

On the other hand, Arisu needed to heal mentally now and Usagi needed to rest. The two couldn't join them, it wasn't safe for them yet. Ren knew that Arisu would need time and as much as she wanted to be there for him, she also needed to hurry so that they could finish all the games.

Arisu needed to rest.

He was sceptical and didn't want to let Ren go, though.

When Ren told him and Usagi what she and Kuina planned, he had gripped her hand tighter and shook his head.