Keep Me In Place[SLOW UPDATES]

Chapter 21

21. Still A Boy Inside

"And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all,

To be left on earth when another is gone."

-Madeline Miller

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Present Time:

By the time Mikey, Takemichi and Draken came back in Hina had already arrived, eyes red and bloodshot, and you had shown her into the room. She burst into tears abruptly, and you tried your best to comfort her but she was beyond comforting.

She staggered out weakly and as soon as the doors closed, your own body was wracked by sobs, filled with guilt like everyone else. You knew you couldn't blame yourself for her death; there was nothing you could have done, but knowing that made you feel worse.

Felt guilty like Takemichi felt for not reacting in time and Hina wondered if there was anything she could have done.

Like how Draken wondered where he was when all of this was taking place while Grandpa Sano questioned if he had truly tried his best while he raising his grandchildren.

How Mikey wondered where he went wrong, how he felt as if he was weak because he couldn't even protect his sister.

Mikey, your head whispered, he needs more comforting than anyone else right now.

Realizing you had been so cooped up in your grief that you forgot to consider how the very brother of the late person was feeling, you drew in a shaky breath and stood up from where you had been on the floor, wiping away what you hoped would be the last of your tears tonight.

Straightening the white linen covering Emma's body, you turned around and walked out of the room, but as you were about to turn the corner you heard Hina's voice say something that made you stop in your tracks.

"Takemichi-kun... I think he tried to save Emma."

Draken yelled in protest, saying that now was not the time for something like this, and you silently agreed with him.

"It's not just Emma-chan," Hina persisted," Takemichi is trying to save a lot of people at the same time."

"What are you even talking ab-"

"I will die," Hina said quietly, so quietly that you almost couldn't hear it. "In twelve years, I will die. To stop that from happening Takemichi came from the future. This whole talk might sound like a bunch of lies, but it's true...because you can see his desperation. He knows the future for all of us. But I...I can't do anything for him..."

"Is this all true?" You stepped out of the corner after all of you spent a moment in contemplation.

"(y/n)-chan," Hina raised her head to meet your eyes, conviction in hers as she told herself to at least get you to believe that she was telling the truth. "Yes...I swear by it."

Please talk some sense into Mikey, she begged as you examined her face for any sign of her lying.

"What are you gonna do about it, Mikey?" You finally spoke, and Hina let out a sigh of relief.

Noticing for the first time since you stepped out how bruised Mikey's face had suddenly gotten, you and glanced towards Draken who was avoiding your eyes, suddenly feeling very guilty.

"We'll leave you two to talk alone," he quickly muttered and he and Hina left the room in a split second.

"(y/n)," Mikey quietly pleaded, wishing nothing more right now than to sit and stay in one place and eventually, hopefully, disappear.