Desire and Love [AkiraxYusuke P5]

Chapter Twenty

    "Can you tell what that was?"

   Futaba was with Jaehyun at a small restaurant in Shibuya. They sat at a back table, where they wouldn't be noticed while they viewed Akira's strange dream on Jaehyun's laptop. Futaba pondered at his question as she stared at the screen.

   "I can only guess... those were two Personas... I tried to keep track of all the Personas Akira befriended but there were just so many, I can't tell who those two were..." She said. "The rest is too blurry to really tell..."

   Jaehyun took a sip from his glass of tea.

   "I can tell his Palace has changed a bit. You all may need to enter it soon..." He said.

   "I bet if we were all close to Akira we'd have some way of entering through sleep like him... Oh! Yusuke lives with him! Maybe he had strange dreams too, since he sleeps around Akira!"

   "That sounds like a good idea! When I visit tomorrow I'll—" Jaehyun's phone began to ring. He looked at it then sighed before answering.

    "Mueos-ibnikka?"

   He started speaking in Korean—he sounded a little annoyed. Futaba listened in slight interest. Akira never spoke any Korean, so she didn't understand too much. At some point Jaehyun hung up with a bit of a scowl.

   "I'm sorry, that was my stepfather. A few family members are upset with me helping Akira. They blame him for his mothers death..."

   Futaba frowned and hugged his legs to her chest, on the verge of tears.

   "Just like when my mom..." She couldn't even finish speaking.

   Jaehyun rubbed her back and made a soft smile.

   "Don't feel down, ok? I've met with a lot of other kids that dealt with the loss of their parents. If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you," He said kindly.

   Futaba was able to make a small smile toward him.

   "Thanks..."

————

   "Morning boys!"

   The morning was the same. Erin greeted Akira and Yusuke with a smile as she handed them plates of eggs, pancakes, and bacon, and Pico was in his high chair getting pancake syrup on his face. Anesa still had yet to come downstairs.

   "Are you working early again?" Akira asked.

   "Yes I'm afraid," Erin said before smiling. "But Jaehyun is in town! And he's coming to see you later toady!"

   That seemed to make Akira smile instantly.

   "Really!"

   While they talked, Yusuke sat silent and ate his pancakes. Futaba messaged him late at night about weird dreams, but Yusuke could never fully remember his dreams. He tried the best he could to remember but nothing came to mind. And then there was Ann, who messaged Yusuke to tell him Anesa filmed him and Akira at night. He felt really stressed by now.

   "Oh, about time you woke up!"

   Anesa was walking downstairs. She looked traumatized as she slowly moved toward her seat at the table.

   "Are you alright? Did you have a bad dream?" Erin asked her.

  Anesa looked like was about to yell, but she saw the look Yusuke was giving her. It was almost like his gaze could kill her.

   "Ah... y-yeah... I was just... having weird dreams again... nothing to—"

   "Or it could be she snuck out late at night to mess with those street thugs, and now you have a large cut on your stomach?"

   Anesa felt instant terror when Yusuke spoke.

   "WHAT?!"

   Erin jerked Anesa's shirt up exposing the badly wrapped scar.

   "Anesa what the actual FUCK?!" She cried.

   Pico covered his ears and let out a tiny squeal at Erin's word choice. Akira stared at his sister in slight surprise.

   "I was sitting outside early this morning and I saw her trying to sneak back in the house. I noticed she was bleeding and she tried to convince me not to tell you, but I'm not one to lie. You deserved to know what happened," Yusuke explained with a calm expression.

   Erin angrily grabbed Anesa and stared dragging her to the door.

  "You god damn, dumbass!! What would your dad say if he knew you were messing with fucking street gangs?!"

   "But, Erin—!"

   "DON'T GIVE ME THAT SHIT!! YOU NEED SHOTS NOW, WHAT DID YOU GET CUT WITH, A KNIFE—IT COULD BE INFECTED!!"

   Their voices faded as they went outside to the car. Akira pulled Pico out his high chair and sat him in his lap to clean his face.

   "My, she has quite a... colorful vocabulary..." Yusuke said.

   "Yeah, Erin swears like that a lot when she's really mad," Akira held Pico up. "Right, buddy! You don't like when she does that, do ya~!"

   The baby started to laugh and try to hug his brother. Yusuke smiled, but slowly frowned as he put a hand on Akira's shoulder.

   "Darling. I hate to bring the mood down, but I need to tell you something..." 

   Akira set Pico on the floor; the baby wandered into the living room to play with his toys.

   "What is it?" Akira asked.

   Yusuke took Akira's hands. He had a slight look of pain in his eyes as he spoke.

   "I know... you have a Palace..."