Criminal || An Alice in Borderland Story

|| Episode 13 ||

"Shion!"

Seeing her jump off the bridge and into the cold depths of the water in the river, Niragi instantly drops his bag and starts running after her.

He grabbed the ledge and leaned over. All he could see was the big splash out of the water. "Shion!" Niragi called her but she didn't seem to make it back to the surface.

He gasped a little and out of his instincts, Niragi pushed himself on the ledge and jumped into the water.

The river is deep but still enough for his feet to reach the ground. The water is so cold but Niragi reaches the surface before she can. "Shion!" He started to look around but found a spot where she was, under the bridge, swimming towards him.

She has a smile on her face but a frown later on afterwards. "I'm sorry for making you worried."

At times like this, Niragi feels like the older one. He looked away, removing his glasses to wipe them. "I was really worried.."

He couldn't look at his sister. Was it out of shame? Anger? Or just worry. No matter, he just couldn't. Especially when she could've died.

Then, his chest grows tight when a pair of arms are wrapped around his side. "I'm really sorry.. I wanted to have some fun and surprise you." She sighed, leaning on him.

Niragi looked over to his shorter, older, smarter and friendlier sister. He sighed and wore his glasses, patting her head. "Me and you against the world, right?"

She looked up, joy gleaming in her eyes and Niragi could just spend forever, looking at her happiness.

"Yes."

It's just really him and her against the world as it was supposed to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shion looks on as the flames go up against Niragi, screaming in agony as they burn him.

She appears to have gulped down the fear in her and kept looking on, unable to do anything about it.

The realisation sinks in that she did nothing to prevent Chishiya from killing her own brother. Her own blood. The very person she loved until now.

He spirals out of control, calling her name at some point and Shion feels a tug on her heart, seeing it burning and hurting in the flames she helped spark. Then, he trips and falls off the building and it reminds her of his own fall from the bridge they've used to cross over the cold river and how he jumped for her.

Shiro slowly walks towards the spot before her and little by little, she takes steps to see if there's any hope for him.

She didn't end up seeing it when a hand covers her eyes while the other holds her waist. "Don't.." Chishiya's voice echoed through her ear, telling of his sympathy. "It's over.." he sighed and looked at her covered face.

Shion slowly walks towards the spot before her and little by little, she takes steps to see if there's any hope for him.

She didn't end up seeing it when a hand covers her eyes while the other holds her waist. "Don't.." Chishiya's voice echoed through her ear, telling of his sympathy. "It's over.." he sighed and looked at her covered face.

Shion slowly graces her hand on top of his that is on her waist. She could feel them. The tears in her eyes.

"Just let it out."

Those words are all it takes for her to break down. She falls down in his arms, holding herself tightly and letting him hold her too. She sobbed through and through.

And Chishiya thought again that what between Niragi and Shion must be so special enough for him to still call out her name in desperation and for her to still anguish in agony over his death.

It breaks his heart to see her like this but what they both did was right and they knew that.

She especially knew that but it still hurts. Everything they've gone through is now a memory to her.

Shion dried herself off and looked at Chishiya. Her demeanour is now changing. "You idiot.." she slightly pushed her fist against his shoulder, not intentionally hurting him.

Chishiya smirked a bit and touched her hand, still on his shoulder. "How many times do I have to save you?" She sighed, letting the monotone of her heart cover up the pain within her.

Chishiya can see it and so he slowly wraps his arms around her shoulders, his face against her black hair.

He sighed in relief but Shion still hasn't moved an inch, unable to do or even feel anything anymore. "You didn't save me this time.." he said.

He pulled away a bit, his hands now on her shoulders, looking at Shion who sports a blank look on her face. He sighed and poked her forehead, gaining her attention even more.

"Oi.. what happened just now, I really hope it won't affect you in any way and if it did, I'll be there to cleanse it. He may be your brother but he lost it the moment he took his love too far." Chishiya tugged the hair out of her face, laying his hand on cheek.

He clenched his jaw and frowned. "I'm sorry that things got out of hand between you two and for my behaviour earlier." Chishiya looked down a bit before turning his eyes back to hers, now glimmering in something else.

"I don't know why or how I feel like this, Shion, heck.." he slightly scoffed at how cheesy he sounds now. "I can't believe I'm even saying all of this but.. I just.." Chishiya trailed off, dropping his hand and not wanting to see how she would react to all of this nonsense that he's been sputtering about.

It's unusual for him. This feeling.

Her existence definitely has an impact on him regardless of the many surprises and twists she has in store.

He could take this all back and be done with her. That's how it was supposed to be, right?

His interest in her being a short time frame. His interest in her being another fleeting moment.

It's all gone. Long gone.

"I've heard.." he looked up, confused as to what she said. "I've heard everything you told him." Her eyes are really something else. She then walked closer to him, putting her hand on his cheek.

"You keep your interest in me. I always laugh at the concept of love because it's not enough for this life anymore. But with you.." she then pulls him over to her, now caressing both of his cheeks and his hands instinctively lay on her waist

"It's a possibility but don't say those words as quickly as you did." Chishiya sighed and couldn't help but put a smile on his face. Shion can't say those three words of course while Chishiya did.

Only for him to prove a point to Niragi that he'll take care and love her better and stronger.

It may not be how much Chishiya is feeling right now but he did love her. Chishiya did love Shion. He knew it's love.

What else could be the reason for any of this between them?

And when they kissed with Shion initiating it as usual, he acknowledged the beauty of it.

Although Chishiya still couldn't really tell how much he means to Shion, just the thought that he's saved by her once again, it's enough for him to know that she cares.