The mind can forget... but the heart never!

Chapter 33

Bunny had actually swept the temple grounds with Rei, even though she hadn't believed it. Her mind was somewhat clearer now. She gazed at the horizon; the sun was just beginning to set. Where was Mamoru? He was supposed to pick her up. An uneasy feeling suddenly came over her.

"What's wrong? You look troubled again," Rei said, handing her a bottle of water.

"I don't know, Seiya is gone, and Mamoru was supposed to pick me up, but he's nowhere to be seen. What if something happened to him too?" she voiced her concerns out loud.

Then, a figure stumbled up the temple steps. Because of the unfavorable angle of the sun, they could only see silhouettes.

"Look, Bunny, someone's coming. Maybe it's Mamoru," Rei suggested.

But as the figure approached, they recognized Angel's blonde curls rushing towards them.

"Amaya? What are you doing here?" Rei asked skeptically. Since the day at the Crown, she didn't trust her. Her intuition warned her to be cautious; something wasn't right here.

"I was at the hospital with my father earlier, and I ran into Mamoru there. He had to step in for work and asked me to let Bunny know that he won't be able to pick her up," Angel explained.

Bunny felt a weight lifted off her chest; if Mamoru was working, at least it meant he was safe. Angel forced a smile. "Shall we walk home together? It's getting dark, and your parents are probably waiting, right?" Rei looked concerned at Bunny; she was reluctant to let her go with Amaya, but she didn't say anything. Bunny was just relieved not to be alone and gratefully accepted the offer.

Seiya was still sitting on the dark floor, working on the letter for Taiki. Of course, it was addressed to both brothers, but he had little hope that Yaten would read between the lines. Everything now depended on whether Taiki could decipher his message. His throat still burned from thirst, but the only liquid available to him was the liquor. Not yet. He knew he had to resist as long as possible. He quickly reviewed the letter one last time.

"Now it's up to you to find me, brother," Seiya thought, rising with the paper in hand. He pounded on the door with both fists, hoping someone would hear him. "Hey! Is anyone there? Hello?!" he shouted. It remained silent for a while, but then a voice sounded through the door. "Quiet in there!"

"I've finished the letter you demanded from me," Seiya shouted back. He wanted the letter to reach Taiki as quickly as possible.

"Slide it under the door," the male voice murmured. Seiya prayed that nothing would be noticed; he folded the paper twice and slid it under the door. "Your paper's pretty grimy. I'll pass it on, and now be quiet in there."

Seiya sighed with relief and slid down to the floor by the door. The whole situation still felt unreal to him. But now all he could do was wait. Wait for his fate, wait to see what the Black Moon had in store for him, and wait for his brothers' help. He had also considered writing a letter to Bunny, but he decided against it. The people from the Black Moon seemed dangerous, and he didn't want to put her in unnecessary danger. Tired and plagued by pain, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. In his mind's eye, he saw his beloved Bunny lying in his arms. He drew strength from that memory.

Mamoru slammed his fist in anger on the desk. It couldn't be true! He had actually fallen into Celeste's trap. He would have never thought she would betray him like this. But he was to blame for this situation himself. If his blind jealousy hadn't driven him to contact her, this wouldn't have happened.

Bunny would probably have left him; he was now quite sure of that. But then at least her life wouldn't be in danger. Shin was more than dangerous; he couldn't risk being seen with Bunny. He was truly caught in a dilemma and had to plan his next moves carefully.