𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

𝐟 𝐨 𝐮 𝐫: 𝙰𝚁𝙸𝚂𝚄

"Seems like there's something else we don't know." Shuntaro responds, and you can already tell that this man you used to consider as your closest had something up his sleeve once he brought up his phone for Arisu to realize that he has been wasting time by being still and frozen just like that.

"However, if you don't open it..." He states slowly as the timer runs out, just as slow as his talking pace. It was telling you both that there was a time limit and you two have no time to reminisce about anything.

┌──────═━┈┈━═──────┐
00:03:07
└──────═━┈┈━═──────┘

You bite your lip. Shuntaro is just the same as before. His words aren't so different and the way he speaks isn't so different either. Cunning, clever, and manipulative. You can tell by the way he sneakily pushed Arisu before him to open the door, forcing the man to separate his hands from yours.

"However, if you don't do it... your parents might find out..." You hear young Shuntaro call out in your head, "And we don't want to get in trouble, do we? - We need you to eat lunch, remember? So let's not tell a soul about this."

"Three minutes until the game concludes."

Shuntaro looks at you, almost as if he was smirking at you, "Y/N. Did you guess that this was the door?" You only glanced at the man, feeling your heart beat rapidly. You answer him though with a nod, only granting a proud smile from him.

Arisu takes a glance at this and sighs once he looks back at the door once again and opens the door, a bit took aback that you and he were right about your assumptions - this is the safe door.

In Shuntaro's thoughts, he would've thought that Arisu would let your hand go since he has already pushed him - like a jealous kid - but unlucky for him to say, Arisu didn't. Arisu went back to holding your hand. So as Arisu hesitantly held the knob while looking around the dark room with his shifty eyes, clutching himself to do his task, Shuntaro had to make adjustments and slide himself in between Arisu and you.

YOU TWO WERE EXPERIENCING NOSTALGIA FOR OPPOSITE CAUSES.

You felt nostalgic and in awe at the view of Shuntaro. But the rise of your rapid heartbeat only went faster and shivers only went down your spine when you reminisce about that nostalgic feeling.

The man you considered as your new fear felt nostalgic and in awe that he finally gets to see you again that it felt heavenly to hold your hand. He felt that he can start a new one, he felt excited, he felt safe, and felt proud.

As much as the man looked cold and stoical on the outside, he couldn't fight back a grin. His heart was finally beating, but not for the same reason as yours was. This heartbeat made him feel alive.

YOU BOTH HAD DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF THE PAST.

And were you afraid to be let down by the belief you had gotten used to for the past five years? - Stubborn. Or were you more afraid that you'd repeat the same mistake and end up as a fool again? - Paranoia.

Questions starts to rise in all of your minds. You were questioning yourself. Shuntaro was questioning you. Arisu was questioning the room as you two follow his lead. The room was rather dim and you hate the dark, it didn't make you feel safe but it made Shuntaro feel more confident with the way you're holding his hand tight in the thought that you were holding Arisu's.