okay the REAL decision is revealed today! Last chap was April fools one so calm down
lmk what you think and vote pls :) love y'all
"You look like you could use a smoke."
He looks up to see Shoko with a cigarette between her lips. A bright flame lit in the bud and acts as the only source of light amid the evening sky.
"Hey Ieri.."
"Oh, well that wasn't a very warm welcome." She points out his bothered tone as he slugged down on the bench with cascaded shoulders. He looked lost in thought.
She sits right next to him but he doesn't say anything. She crosses her legs and takes a look at him as she smokes her cigarette.
"What? Still feeling bad about what you did at the hospital days ago?"
He sighed and looked up to the sky before closing them with regret,
"I'm sorry about what happened, Ieri.." He starts off. She didn't really expect an apology from him. She was merely joking at the boy.
"I acted out of anger and emotion and for that, I'm sorry to you and your staff. I should thank you some more since you've kept Yuji being here a secret, after all.."
Shoko was out covering for these kids.
The elders had no idea Yuji was walking around campus now that barrier had been breach, but also, they have no idea about the journey some of them will embark to attend these Culling Games their rival has conducted.
They're on their second to last day here before they depart. And it's been a day since Kei's disaster with Nobara and Mai.
She waves a hand at him,
"Ah it was nothing. But I also got to apologize to you. I tried to knock you down with a sleeping serum. After that whole situation, I realized that that might've been a very, bad move.."
"It's alright.."
The two stay silent a bit. Until Ieri leans back against the bench and finally asked,
"So, I heard you're caught up in some girl trouble? Well, two girls actually.."
"..."
He looks at her with a hand reaching out,
"Okay, maybe I could use that cigarette."
He yanks the box from her breast pocket, takes a single one. She gives him the lighter and he ignites it by himself.
He takes it in and immediately he starts to cough, not use to the burn feeling clawing down his throat.
"Oh fuck! Oh shit..O-Okay, this isn't for me."
She shrugs,
"You did that to yourself, kid."
She starts to laugh to herself as Kei stomps on it. A perfectly wasted cigarette.
"I always thought Megumi would be the ladies man but you?! I never saw it coming. You were always so shy when I first met you!
Rumors have it that you and Nobara called things off and you're with Mai now.."
Who the hell was spreading this? I mean, why is this more important than the real world problems?
He leans over with his hands rested in both shins.
"Actually, that's not true..."
"You mean-"
"I didn't choose Mai." He finally admits,
"But as for Nobara, I don't even know if we can be together."
She blinks at this,
"But doesn't Nobara want to get back with you?"
"She does but after some thinking, I felt what I did was wrong to her. I can't just be with her like nothings happened. I'm an asshole too in this and I..just don't know if I belong to anyone."
Shoko rolls her eyes at this,
"Yeah but Kei, don't be so hard on yourself. I mean, think of it this way. You didn't cheat on her , because she broke up with you first. It's okay for you wanting to find some comfort after. God knows, after what you've been through.."
He shakes his head,
"It was too soon, though.." He confesses. "And just because I went through shit, doesn't really justify anything, does it?"
Kei realizes he isn't at a good mindset. After being put in a turmoil of pain and sadness, he's been making sloppy decisions. And those decisions involved the two girls.
He's surprised Nobara still wants him but he relents, pushing her away and tells her he wants to be a better person before they ever engage again.
She frowns at that but she has to accept it.
"No, Kei, we can work this out while still being together."
"I can't, Nobara.." He says to her. "I slept with Mai and even tried to be with her out of validation. You can't just forgive that so easily and invite me back to your life!"
"I fucked up. I'm sorry, Nobara, I'm so so sorry. I think I need to back away.."
She pleads some more,
"You wouldn't have done it if it weren't for me! I should've comfort you and be there for you, but I wasn't. Please, let me correct that mistake.."
He shakes his head,
"No, I just don't..deserve you right now. I fucked up so bad and I, think you're right.."
We need space.
"No, I want you Kei!" She exclaims, "I know I rashly threw it all away before but it was a MISTAKE!"
"Nobs, please, you deserve someone who wouldn't dare do to do the things that I did.."
"Cut that out! I hate it when you say things like that!" She snaps at him and he only turns his back at her.
He walks away feeling ashamed about it all. But it was for the best. He had to work on himself a bit before he could ever try to be with Nobara again.
But Nobara was upset,
"You're such a fool. I don't deserve anyone but you, idiot.
I need you. I need you back.
Kei,
I still love you."
And as for Mai,
He had to let her go. He gravitated towards the one who made him validated in that moment, but many things put that aside..
For instance, his lingering love for Nobara despite her threats
And the fact that after the dispute transpired, bad news erupted.
He almost cursed at the news, thinking Nobara acted upon it but it was all sheer coincidence.
Mai and her own dreadful cousin were about to be wed soon. In less than a week,
Meaning, no more Mai.
Mai met him this morning and acted as the bearer of bad news and he fumed with anger. Not for him, but for her.
She was going to be trapped with that horrific family of hers and it pained him. And to make it worse, Mai remains vigorous and doesn't shed a tear at this.
"I always knew it was going to come, sooner than later." She says, "I just didn't expect it to happen right after that little argument with Nobara."
She looks up at Kei,
"Heck, I even thought it was all happening cause of her.."
"Yeah.." Is all he could mutter. His attention shifted to her as her soft hands pull him closely.
"Kei, I wanted to make things work. To make US work but now, it seems almost impossible."
They were going to keep her like a caged bird. She wouldn't be allowed to invite her friends to the wedding. Wouldn't be able to see Kei so frequently.
Her youthful life was about to spin and Kei felt so much sympathy for the girl.
"I'm sorry.."
"Mai, we can't let this happen! You don't deserve this. I won't let it happen!" He declares and she tries to quiet him down, rubbing his shoulders.
"I know, love, but you remember what I said about Maki?"
He stays quiet after that.
"I'm sorry, Kei. I wish there was a better option but it'll be hard for us to now stay together while in this predicament."
"I get it, Mai.." he starts. "I don't want to get you in any more trouble.."
He looks at her so sadly,
"Shit, I guess we really do have to end things."
"But, Kei, listen.." She grabs his hands. "I always love you. Those feelings won't change even if we can't be together."
"And at least.."
She lets go of one hand and puts it on her belly.
"I can still hold a small piece of you, right?"
Kei doesn't understand what she's implying but his confusion is washed over when she leans up and pecks him on the lips.
"No matter what. I will always love you, Kei Murasaki."
The two had to let go. And when Kei hugs her as a final goodbye, the last blissful memories flash in her eyes.
The same ones in her dreams, where the two would be high school sweethearts.
Instead of sorcery, they lived out their lives dating in their school years to after graduation.
He got a scholarship while running with the college baseball league, and Mai was working up to earn her business major.
The two graduated and became successful beings, with Kei living out his dream as a professional player for one of the top baseball teams.
Mai kickstarted an organization to help orphans and neglected children find a home of their own.
A philanthropist in the making as well, donating huge sums to the causes she advocated for.
They wed and were gifted two blessings of their own.
The intercom urges people to be seated and Mai comes walking down the stadium stairs, with both her hands occupied.
"Is daddy going to win again?" The black hair girl in pigtails asked.
"Of course he is! He's like the best player ever!" Another girl says from the other side.
She looks completely identical to the other but her hair is in a half ponytail.
The two twins wore identical jerseys for their father and Mai in a summer dress, looking down at the girls with a smile.
They sat all the way at the front to see Kei, readying himself for the match.
He sees his family watching him closely and before he can throw the ball, he stops and settles it down.
He runs over, his body leaning over and his kids come and grab his face.
"Come give your daddy a kiss, you little munchkins!"
"Dad, you're going to do great!"
"We believe in you!"
Mai comes up to him and after he hugs and spoils the kids, he looks at her.
"Can I get a kiss from the queen herself?"
"You may, since you asked so politely." She goes into a fit of laughter when he pulls her by the waist and passionately kisses her. The audience goes crazy over the pre-game smooch caught on camera.
Mai looks at him,
"Good luck, honey."
"I don't need luck." He winks.
"All I need is you, baby~"
She watches him go
The stadium
The twins
And the image of him running away with a wave
All of it, disappeared and now she's pulled back to her reality.
She looks at him, now tears coming out of her eyes.
"Goodbye, Kei.."
He looks at her one final time,
"Goodbye, Mai..
I'll never forget you too."
He's left with neither at the end. At least, for now.
Nobara yearns for him still and Kei is left to his own thoughts.
The memories those two shared would never be forgotten in his mind but he still feels so guilty.
After speaking to Shoko, he thought of it some more.
Does he really deserve Nobara?
He sighs in his own bed and tries to close his eyes and surrender to sleep.
His mind is just too occupied. He tossed and turned, with eyes shut.
He swears he's the only one in this room.
He was still conscious and battling himself to rest. And as he was doing that,
The door slowly opens but it doesn't make a creaking noise.
A dark, silhouette looming over the doorway.
Kei has his side turned to the left side, so he doesn't see the figure coming his way.
He sighs and then decides to rest facing up.
But once he does that, sharp nails wrap tightly around his neck and before he can make a noise, another hand clasped around his mouth.
"Scream or I swear, I'll slit your throat."
His eyes widened and his body starts to panic.
He knows that voice from anywhere.
—
Uhhh new crib who dis? And who could it be 0.0