After story:Devotion male reader insert version

Chapter thirteen-Redirection

I rested on the bench with my face in my hands, trying to process what Kyou had blabbed to me. Tomoyo-chan? Kotomi-chan? Nagisa-san? Ryou-san and *ugh* Kyou? Damn, why don't we just throw in Yukine while we're at it?!

Actually, Yukine might not be so bad; she's quiet, a friendly ear, and makes great coffee.

I shook my head to try and clear it, and followed a compulsion to look at the back of my hand.

'Fuuko'

Dammit, I almost lost her again! I squeezed my eyes shut. Starfish, starfish, starfish, bouncy tune, sister's wedding, party hat! I hate getting caught like that! I think I remembered the important parts; I promised myself to double-check my list at home to be sure.

Still, that was quite the bomb Kyou dropped on me. Even if she was right, why would all these girls have been interested in me? I'm a third-year delinquent! I mean, I could understand Kotomi, maybe; we were childhood friends, though I guess that could be an argument against it as well.

Nagisa...I don't know. Maybe in another reality, but she seemed more like a sweet big sister to me than anything.

What about Tomoyo? You know, I could see that happening. She's strong but vulnerable. She knows what she wants and goes after it. I think she'll go far in life.

I don't know that much about Ryou other than her being class rep and very shy...which is probably why I don't know that much about Ryou other than her being class rep and very shy.

And Kyou...forget that! I wouldn't want to spend the next fifty-plus years being threatened with physical harm or death over the smallest things every day by my wife!

Starfish, starfish, starfish, just to be on the safe side.

But, as sappy as it sounds, Fuuko touched my heart first. How hard she worked on the starfish, how she was doing it for her sister. I mean, she's got to have a strong will to send her spirit to do all of this.

Then that one horrible thought hit me again: What if Fuuko stopped breathing because she was exerting herself at school? Did she use the last of her strength to congratulate her sister and brother-in-law at their wedding before falling further into her coma? Can't I do anything more to help her? I smacked a fist into my hand.

"L/n-san?"

I looked up into a concerned face. "Hey, Furukawa."

"Are you okay? You look worried about something."

I sighed. "Do you remember Fuuko?"

"From the birthday party? Of course. Why?"

I sighed. As was typical for everyone but me, no memory but a heavy feeling 'for some reason', so I told that same story that I had told many times before.

"...but I was just thinking that if pushing herself to make all of those starfish, it might have affected her body, too."

Nagisa sighed heavily. "I'm sorry for your friend. I guess...I can see how that could happen, but I don't know much about ghosts or things like that."

I grunted. "You know, if I could figure out how she does that, maybe I use it to help her somehow."

I felt a burning on the side of my face, so I looked over to Nagisa, who was smiling at me. "What?" I asked.

"Just...you," she said happily. "You're always trying to help others. Honestly, I'm a little jealous of Fuuko..." She blushed.

"Jealous? Why?"

"Uhhhh...well, that is...Maybe you could ask Kotomi-chan?"

"Ask her about what?" Momentary subject whiplash.

"About Fuuko-san's situation!"

"Hey, that's right!" I couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to me. "She's a walking library!" I quickly got up to find her, when Nagisa's voice stopped me.

"Can I come with you?"

I wasn't sure why she'd want to come with me, since she didn't remember Fuuko. "Why?"

Nagisa knotted her fingers. "Because...you've helped me a lot, and this is important to you, so I want to help."

I stared at her for a moment, stunned. Well, at least she couldn't hurt. "Come on, then."

She smiled again and bounced to her feet. "Library, right?"

I returned her smile. "Where else?"

"F/n-kun, Nagisa-san, good afternoon." There was something oddly comforting in hearing her typical style of greeting.

"Kotomi-chan, good afternoon." Nagisa replied.

"Heya," I greeted. "I was hoping that you could help me with something." I then explained Fuuko's situation to her; how she was in a hospital but still appearing at the high school. The same old story.

"Ikiryo."

"What?"

"Ikiryo," she repeated. "A soul that has left a living body and can visit other places."

"I see. Well, do you know if there's any way to help her? Could we use her spirit to somehow get her out of her coma?"

Kotomi looked up and put a finger to her lips. After about a minute or so, she looked back at me. "I'm sorry, F/n-kun. There's just not enough reliable information for me to give you an answer." She smiled. "But it couldn't hurt to talk to her spirit."

"I see..." I gently bopped a fist against my knee. "Well, thanks anyway. If you find out anything that could help, will you let me know?"

"Of course."

I started to my feet, when Kotomi unexpectedly took my hand. "F/n-kun?"

I sat back down. "Yeah?"

"About Fuuko-san..."

"What about her?"

"Is she...special to you?"

I nodded. "I would have to say 'yeah' to that." Explaining myself would likely cause confusion, not to mention hurt feelings.

She nodded slowly, likely to herself. "I see..." There was a barely-noticeable change to her expression; she looked kind of...sad?

"Kotomi-chan?"

She blinked, her expression relaxing again. "I will help you in any way I can."

"Thank you. And, uh, thanks for the help with English."

Feeling somewhat disturbed by Kotomi's behavior, I left the library with Nagisa in tow.