Treasure tales

Short 19: Hamada Asahi

Yoshi offered his hand to me. "Shall we go?" He asked. I nodded, feeling slightly uneasy.

Yoshi nodded and tigtened his grip around my hand. I closed my eyes as I began to feel his power's effects. A few moments later we had successfully teleported to a rather rundown, dusty area. I coughed.

"The other Treasure members will remain at HQ, a rather pathetic excuse of one, as Junkyu would call it," Yoshi said, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "I will stay here to aid you in reporting the results of your challenge."

I looked downwards, feeling nervous. I hadn't thought much when I impulsively agreed to this, too caught up in the heat of the moment in my desperation to stay with Treasure. The truth was, I had no confidence I could succeed. It's as they said. If none of them could succeed, why would I? It wasn't as if I was ever some popular kid with a natural charm that drew everyone to me like moths to a lamp. In fact, it was more likely for someone to label me as...honestly I have no idea, but it's anything but the charming popular one.

In that case, why then would this boy known as Asahi be any different? What kind of amazing quality would he even be able to pick out in me that others can't, something so amazing that it would drive him into abandoning his own convictions? The likely answer is that he can't because it was never there in the first place. Yes, this entire excursion was just a delay of my inevitable memory wipe.

Yoshi pointed at the window located just a little ahead located on the ground just ahead. "Asahi is in there," he said. "Knock on the window. He will usually open it. Good luck, Rin."

I took a few tentative steps towards the window. Then I turned around.

"Treasure was a fun group to be with, no matter how short the time was," I said. "I wish I could have been given the time to become closer to all of you."

"Go on," Yoshi said. He refused to meet my eyes.

I knelt down, and knocked on the window. A few seconds later, it slid open.

"Come in," a white-haired boy said. He climbed down a ladder descending into the dimly lit room beneath. I followed him apprehensively. 

"How did you end up involved with the Treasure members?" he asked me the moment I entered the place. His voice was cool and steady, and maintained a flat tone.

I waited for my eyes to adjust to the place. I looked at him. He had fresh gleams emanating from deep within his eyes, and he had double eyelids that added on to the soft glow on his pale skin. He had a firmly set mouth and a sharp jaw. I silently wondered what fate was playing at because out of nowhere I get involved with twelve mysterious boys who were all immensely gorgeous. What were the chances?

"How do you know?" 

"Only they come here," The boy said as he leaned against the wall.

"Why do you refuse to meet up with them?" I asked. "Do you not like them?"

Asahi eyed me--eyed, not glared, because he was almost expressionless. "No hostility here," he said after a short moment. "I don't like the outside world."

"Why is that?" 

"Because," Asahi said firmly. I waited for him to continue, but he had folded his arms and made it clear that he was to say no more about it.

"And nothing I say or do will change your mind," I echoed. I raised an eyebrow at him. Asahi simply nodded.

"All right then. Then I guess I can go," I announced. "Nice meeting you, Asahi." My heart was sinking. I suppose, even though I knew full well it was futile, part of me had hoped that something would happen, anything, anything, perhaps a miracle, something that would help me succeed.