Sorrow
Hikaru woke up by the sunlight beaming in her face. She groaned as she turned over and looked at the clock on her nightstand showing 12pm, she had gone the entire morning sleeping. In that moment all she wanted to do was to rest her head back and sleep soundly, to forget all her problems and forget she was in this world. The issue with Junseo had yet to be discussed about again and she didn't know if he was avoiding her or if anything bad had happened to him. She hoped she was wrong about her second suspicion.
She finally sat up in her bed looking over where in the previous night Chishiya, was there sitting, she wondered how long he stayed in her room. He was sure to leave short after she announced her rest because of her reoccurrence of waking up in the middle of night, sweating and hyperventilating from a nightmare she couldn't quite remember except for the feeling and knowing of waking up alone. Like all the nights she had nightmares. She was missing Junseo more than she'd like to admit, he was always there sleeping on the couch in her room prepared to comfort her from the feeling of sinking in a black hole that was her bed after another night of the fake cruel realities she dreamt of.
A heavy push she felt in her chest knowing Chishiya nor Junseo stood by her side last night. But she couldn't let this thought keep control of her mind. She needed to focus on todays agenda, today was the day to confine in Arisu and Usagi about the plan, today she needed to talk with Junseo, today she needed to talk to Chishiya about when they would take the cards.
She sighed and pushed the sheets off of her and stood up, she immediately felt her head spin knowing she probably should've not have gotten up so fast but she needed to find someone in her circle of companions. She walked to her desk and picked up her jacket and put it on while taking a tissue packet and putting it in her pocket. She walked towards her door and heard hushed talking, not enough to wake her up but enough to hear from the other side of her door.
"She's sleeping, I don't care about the plan enough to wake her up." Junseo's voice sounded cold, colder than she had heard before.
"Chishiya and Arisu are waiting for her im sure she would feel guilty if she missed this meeting." Kuinas voice urgently responded.
Hikaru sighed and opened the door before either one of them could voice another word. She smiled at Kuina and Junseo. "I'm already awake and feeling guilty for sleeping so late. So let's go." She saw Junseo's eyes soften and looked at Kuina taking her arm locking their arms together and ushering them to start walking.
"So how much did I miss?" She questioned.
"Not much, we saw them looking at the trash of bodies and now they are sitting pretty waiting for you. The princess and her beauty sleep always comes first." Kuina joked.
She let out a small laugh. "Yes of course, glad to know I don't miss much I guess." She looked back at Junseo and saw his slight smile but his smile hid something more, guilt it seemed like. She turned back and saw they were approaching the doors that lead to the roof with three people standing in the middle of it. "I have awoken her, no thanks to Junseo."
Hikaru smiled and saw Arisu's face hold confusion. "Sorry for my late arrival." She stood next to Chishiya who looked at her with a blank face. "What did I miss?" She looked at Arisu. His eyes went to and from Chishiya and her looking for some kind of answers. "Ah I missed everything didnt I?" She held a solemn tone. "So Arisu, will you join us?" There was silence, the wind blowed in the stead of voices that paused.
"I'm in." They all looked up at Arisu. She smiled and held out her hand "well then Arisu, I guess it's all of us till the end." She smiled when Arisu's hand met hers, shaking it slightly.
She looked back and Chishiya and he held a slight smirk, the irony to her words, he knew. But this was for the survival for everyone and Arisu would be able to see it eventually. "What about Usagi?" Junseo voiced.
Arisu looked back at Junseo. "Im sure she'll join us, we want to live and I put her in a position of getting caught that resulted us here. I'll do anything to help her get out." Hikaru's eyes widened, love, he loved her and didn't even realize it. She smiled at him, "I look forward to working with you two then, tell her I'm sorry for finding you guys and ratting you guys out to the Hatter, but you understand right? I can't wait to meet her,"
"This is all for our survival Arisu, remember that." Chishiya said. She saw Kuina nod along with Chishiya.
"Well then, I'll see you guys later tonight for game time." Hikaru announced. She looked over at Junseo and held his gaze, he automatically knew that she and him had needed to have a discussion that was long overdue. This interaction didn't go unnoticed by Chishiya, Kuina and Arisu were busy talking with each other to even notice. He saw Junseo bid his goodbyes to the two and walked away stalking after Hikaru who was already gone. They made eye contact and Chishiya could see Junseo's threatening soul behind his eyes.
Chishiya watched as Junseo left, knowing the discussion he had with Hatter this morning was the right decision, even if he felt his heart cowardly shrink. He didn't know how or why he felt this, but he knew after tonight it would disappear and never arise again because of the rejection it would feel from Hikaru.
"Are they always together?" Arisu noticed how they left together.
"They've been here at the beach longer than any of us combined, they knew each other in the real world," Kuina confirmed. She looked at Chishiya and smiled. "But Chishiya was the one who came to this world together with her and played his first game with her."
Chishiya looked at Kuina seeing her teasingly smile, she notices the things he refuses to acknowledge. Arisu looked at Chishiya "It was for survival, we were forced to rely on each other."
Junseo sighed, he followed Hikaru knowing she was walking to her room. "Hey let's go somewhere else and talk," he saw her stop in her steps and look back at him. She didn't even bother looking at him and that struck him that he knew she was angry and upset at him, she probably was worried sick last night, consumed in her thoughts, and he wasn't there to help at all. No, he was the cause of it.
She walked past him and he followed her, she eventually lead him into the security room where only the high and trusted executives had the key to. She walked into the room and once he was in the room she closed the door and locked it. She took a seat at the desk and sat in silence, he had no idea what she was thinking. Should he tell her about what happened last night between him and Chishiya? Should he reconsider his idea of stealing the cards for the sake of her safety? He knew Chishiya was up to something, he didn't know what it was, but he knew it would break both him and Hikaru apart. No doubt about it.
"Are you going to talk Junseo?" She looked at him, her voice held no emotion, she was very angry. He held her gaze and took a seat with the chair next to her and faced her.
"I'm sorry.." she spoke, he looked up at her in shock. She was the one apologizing when he should've been the one to. He caused her all kinds of worries she didn't deserve to worry about, left her alone knowing she needed some comfort after their discussion last night.
"I didn't take your feelings into consideration, your situation but I want to help now. I'll help you get the cards, no matter what happens I'll help set you free. You shouldn't be kept here under my account." She spoke, emotion finally finding themselves in her words the more she spoke. Her eyes glossy and guilty.
He shook his head, "No Hikaru it's okay, I shouldn't have scared you like that last night, I was acting on feelings and did not consider the danger it could put us in. We don't need to get the cards, we'll stay together in this world and leave together," He spoke and grabbed her hands. "I trust you and I know you trust me, we'll follow our original plan."
She grabbed his hands back with a tight grip. She stuttered and shook her head. "No, Junseo no, we will set you free above anyone, you have a life to get back to, a women you should have been engaged to by now. I cannot keep you from that." She nodded in confirmation seeking his approval in this. But he knew if she did this they would be put in danger, they were already put in danger because he knew Chishiya's threats could potentially already be put in motion. "I was selfish and dragged you into a belief you shouldn't have to follow. I will get you out. I promise you this."
He couldn't respond, he knew she wouldn't accept anything he said, she was determined. "Hikaru listen to me. If we do this our lives will be put at risk, this far into the plan it's risky! What will happen if someone knows of this and uses it against us?" He tried reasoning with her but she didn't care.
She looked at him in slight confusion. He let the words slip too loosely. "Junseo does somebody know about this? About taking the cards for ourselves?" He didn't know how to respond, he wanted to reveal the discussion he had with Chishiya the night prior. But he couldn't, it would break her heart knowing they were already in an inevitable position where they were in danger. "No," he shook his head. "Nobody knows I'm just pointing out about how it could be possible that this new branched idea you want to pull will go up in flames, we could be put against each other."
She laughed and shook away her tears. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen, It will not happen you heard me?" His heart was beating, knowing it was going to happen, but he didn't know when. Feigning to her cluelessness he nodded he foolishly wanted to believe her but their fate was sealed.
Hatter was sitting in his room, thinking and plotting. One of his executives, no, two were against him this whole time. Death to a traitor, that's exactly what he was going to do once he got confirmation of what was happening between the two. He heard a knock from his door. Motioned for the guards to let them in. He heard hushed voices and knew what this was about.
His eyes were focused at the window, viewing everyone at the pool partying and drinking their hearts out. His vision was blocked by someone. "It's confirmed, they are in fact trying to steal the cards." The Hatter sighed and nodded.
"Thank you. You may leave." He saw them leave and turned to the door where Chishiya stood. "Thank you Chishiya, this information was indeed great to know. Now we will tear them apart."
Chishiya nodded and smirked. "Traitors are everywhere, I'm glad I could help you on finding the most dangerous ones."
Hatter nodded and looked over to Aguni. "Once tonight's games end we will see who survives, if there even is a survivor, we'll make sure to set their mind straight, they will know who runs this place."
Aguni nodded, looked over at Chishiya who's face had fallen from the smirk it once held. Aguni then knew, the person who betrayed the beach also betrayed him.
Chishiya did not know what to feel of this, he knew that Hikaru was going to be ripped from him and he would then be free from these internal conflicts he found himself in. It was an interesting experience, one he's never felt before but like all of them, they all die out. But did he want this one to die?
Hikaru was glad, she reconciled with Junseo, her practical other half. She was going to get him out of here, and let him live the life he deserved to live. She didn't want to betray Chishiya at first but she knew this was to happen now, there's no 'what ifs' or 'but' options, whatever she felt for Chishiya was going to be put to an end at the hands of freedom for others. She was determined to do this for the sake of other people, for the sake of paying back to the one she cares for.
Her thoughts were abruptly ended by knocks heard from her door. She called a 'come in' and saw the person who opened the door and walked in. Chishiya. She smiled, a genuine one without conscious. "What are you here for?" She questioned.
"Is it a crime to bid a Goodluck to my partner in crime? Tonight might the the night the Ten of Hearst shows up. Considering Hatter is playing he might stumble across it." He stood some ways away from her. She was standing at her desk.
"Tonight is crucial but we won't know any outcome of it until tomorrow. I don't think there will be a meeting tonight considering Hatter might be tired." She spoke in confidence.
"I'm guessing you're playing tonight?" He questioned already knowing the answer.
"Yup, Hatters request, it's to enhance more of a chance of the Ten of hearts to appear," She sighed "I'm tired of playing these games but freedom is what we're fighting for."
Chishiya looked at her, she was radiant, unknowing of what she was going to be put up against. He knew that she was now the one to go forward with stealing the cards from him. As much as Junseo had tried, she was going to fight for him. Fighting for other people, caring for other people.
The alarm started to sound, game time. They both walked out of her room together walking down the hallway towards the main area. He watched as she tied up her hair, it was getting longer and she needed it out of her face. "Well then, I don't think you need my luck for you to survive. I'll see you later tonight Chishiya." She looked back at him and waved a small peace sign, her ways of saying goodbye always intrigued him. But this was going to be put to an end tonight.
Hikaru got out of the car, she was at an arena and immediately she noticed how big it was, how many people could be in this game. This game could be a hard one. She walked into the arena and picked up a phone, she registered herself into the game and walked into the main area of the arena, going past all the seats and seeing a group of people, a wide amount of people. She made it down the stairs and stood with everyone. They all looked at her then looked away once they met her cold gaze, during games she pushed her emotions away not letting anyone determine at first glance if she were weak or not. But then she noticed the more she looked around, a handful amount of the people here were militants.
Welcome players
Game Will Commence In A Moment
Hikaru looked around, there were a lot of people, twenty— twenty-eight, maybe?
"Hikaru?" Her eyes widened, the voice behind her. She quickly turned around and was faced with her partner, her companion. Junseo.
He looked at her in shock, as did she. "Junseo?" Her voice shaky. Why were they in this game together? Hatter had specifically gave her this number, did he make a mistake and put them together?
"Crap he actually did it," Junseo laughed in shock, his head hanging low, he was looking at the ground. "Unbelievable."
She walked to Junseo, "Who—"
The Game Will Now Begin
Game, Survival of the Fittest
Difficultly, Ten of Spades
Hikaru released a breath in relief, it wasn't a hearts game but a Spades game, she and Junseo were both good at spades game. The only thing to worry about was how high in difficulty it was, Tens.
Rule
Be the last person alive.
Find a weapon hidden in one of the seats and use it to fight for your life.
She looked up from her phone and saw Junseo stare back at her in shock. What were the chances of this happening? This had to have been plotted there for we no way this was a coincidence. She looked around and saw all the miltants present look at her and Junseo, this was targeted.
Game start.
"Let's go!" She grabbed Junseo's arm, noticing he was still and shaking, she needed to find a weapon for both of them. She wasn't going to let Junseo die.
She ran up the stairs, seeing people run up behind her, she made a turn into one of the rows of seats. And started frantically looking under the seats, looking back at Junseo seeing him stand still with a darkness covering his eyes.
"I'm so sorry Hikaru, what did I do." His voice sounded broken.
"Junseo stop it!" She found a weapon, a hand knife, looked at him and stood up facing him. She took his hand and placed the knife in his hand. "Survive." She held his cheek forcing his eyes to look at hers. She was shaking too, one of them was going to die.
She looked over his shoulder seeing miltants with weapons approaching. "If you're sorry, fight, if not for yourself, for me." She hard turned him around to face the militants and continued looked for another weapon.
Her mind was running full speed, the intensity was kicking in and realization hit like a train. Only one survivor. She looked over at Junseo who was busy taking out and defending himself from the miltants who came at full speed. She had to find something quick.
Junseo finished off the last miltant approaching him and saw the many weapon options each one had. He picked up a taser one had and a machete another one had. He looked over at Hikaru who was still frantically looking for weapons.
"Hikaru stop!" He shouted, there was no way she would hear him with an inside voice, the arena echoed with everyone's grunts and shoutings.
She looked back at him and realized he was carrying weapons. She looked at him and a slight smile of relief was expressed on her face. She approached him as he held out the machete to her, keeping the taser in his pocket. He nodded and she did in response. He was about to speak when the seats a couple rows behind them lit on fire around the entire arena, by the looks of it it seemed this was a tactic to force everyone into the middle of the arena.
Hikaru's adrenaline was racing, there were still a lot of people. The seats were slowly getting lit on fire. She pushed Junseo motioning him to start running down the row to not get lit on fire. She ran behind Junseo noticing all the seats coming on fire behind her slowly. By the time they made it to the middle of the arena there were a total of maybe thirteen people left.
She saw more miltants as they saw her, they started approaching them pushing them into a corner. She looked back at Junseo noticing him smile, "Who knew you guys would face me in a battle of death." He said, the militants smirked. "I wouldn't be laughing, we were assigned to kill not one but both of you, we'll rip those smug looks off your faces and prove our loyalty to the Hatter. Something you guys failed to hold." The man's voice was rough, they were sent here on a mission, Hatter found out about Hikaru and Junseo's plan, did Chishiya get caught as well?
The militants all ran towards them, and Hikaru was back to back with Junseo. The first one ran towards her, another girl , she held a axe. Hikaru saw she was going for her head and deflected the axe with her machete, both her hands till she pushed forward and made the other girl lose her balance. She held her grip with one hand and slashed the other girls stomach, a deep cut that made the girl fall back. She didn't want to kill anyone, just injure them enough, but this game was only letting one person live. She took her machete and stabbed the girl in the heart. Towering over her she held this position till a foot kicked her into her rib cage. She fell over and felt weight on top of her, a guy sat on top of her and punched her, then started choking her by the neck. She felt her grip loosen on her weapon but she raised it anyways and whipped the weapon on his shoulder near his head. He screamed in pain and held the cut which had been landed on him.
Hikaru took this chance to slide out from underneath him and took his left arm and slid her weapon vertically, cutting open his wrist and watched him fall back. She stood back and saw Junseo handling his own fight. More footsteps approached her and she turned and saw them running towards her, she heared a gunshot and in the moment everything stilled. She looked down at her thigh, she got shot. She fell onto one knee in pain, another male towered over her she looked at him and he grinned.
He kneeled down next to her, others gathering behind him smirking. He went to say something but she spat in his face and sliced him at his stomach and he fell back holding himself while other went and attacked her. She looked as life left his eyes, thankfully she dug deep enough for him to bleed out. She was then held at to ground again, her arms above her head, her legs bound to the ground by hands, a person then stood over her and stabbed her in the stomach. She screamed in pain as they quickly took out their knife and was going to proceed till a shot was heard and the person above her fell to the side. More gunshots were heard and the people holding her down fell. She sighed, pain was taking over her body but she stood up and saw Junseo holding the gun. Both of them were covering in blood, both injured everywhere, bruises on their faces. They looked at their surroundings and saw the militants bodies covering them, and some strangers as well. They probably took the opportunity to gang up on them for survival.
Junseo looked at Hikaru and they walked up to eachother and she immediately threw her arms around him. "What is happening." She cried, tears of pain and sorrow.
The arena soon went silent, the people who were also fighting eventually took each other out, leaving no winner between any of them. They bled to death.
Hikaru let go of Junseo, facing him. "They knew," she cried. "How did they know, now Chishiya might be suffering too."
Junseo shook his head, "No," his face went angry. "He's the one who put us here, the one who ratted us out." He spoke.
Hikaru's eyes widened, they were betrayed. "No," she shook her head frantically. "No!" Tears were spilling from her eyes. "He heard us last night, about the cards Hikaru. He threatened me once we finished our game together."
"I'm sorry," she said in a whisper. Then took the gun from his hand and pushed him away.
Junseo looked at her in horror, "No! Hikaru stop it!" She first pointed the gun at him making him standing in fear. "I'm so sorry Junseo," she cried, she rubbed her eyes with her free hand. "I did this Junseo, it's my fault!"
Junseo took a step towards her, she took a step back. "Hikaru it's okay, listen it's my fault, everything." He let out a choked sob. He took in her presence, she was shot, stabbed, choked, at his hands.
He watched as she sighed, her movements calmed and she pointed the gun to her heart. "I'll end this okay Junseo? Give them hell when you get out of here. Survive."
Junseo watched as she sat down, she held out her hand, motioning him to come towards her. He walked towards her and sat in front of her, he grabbed her hand tightly and moved his thumb over her knuckles.
She laughed "I'm scared, I don't want to die." She closed her eyes and breathed. She was shaking. Unknowing to her, Junseo reached into his pocket and in a quick motion he tased her, she screamed, forcing her to drop the gun and fall backwards on her back.
She quickly stood on her elbows looking at Junseo in shock, he looked at her in a loving stare. "I'm sorry Hikaru, you don't deserve to die because of my faults. I ruined everything. I'm sorry," Junseo's eyes were watering, she was too stunned to know what was happening, her body was weak and she felt like a boulder was weighing her down, not able to move.
"Stop it!" She yelled as his movements quickly went in a flash, he put the gun to his head, "Goodbye Hikaru, live on for me please, tell my almost wife that I love her." He laughed a little.
Hikaru scrambled to her feet, "no..," she stood and tried running towards him. But she was too late and the gunshot was heard throughout the entire arena, Junseo fell to the side, dead. "No!" She screamed and made it to Junseo's body, "No" she held his head in her hands, his shoulders resting on her lap. "Junseo," she laughed in misery, "wake up," she shook him "Wake up!".
She knew it was hopeless, he was dead, the phones all around her sounded.
Congratulations, Game Clear!
She cried, in an arena of dead people, she killed people, she killed Junseo. She let the tears run, putting her forehead on Junseo's. "I'm sorry" she choked out, her voice raw from all the screaming she belted out, from the trauma her throat suffered. She chanted the same words over and over, she stood in the same position with him till she felt his body go cold.
She felt weak, she didn't want to leave, her world was falling apart. Without him she didn't know what to do. It was her fault he was dead.
"Hey she's still alive!" She heard a laugh.
She looked over at the top of the staircase and saw Niragi, point at her. "Can we kill her?" He laughed at her. Aguni appeared behind him, "No we're taking her with us.". Niragi scoffed, "No fun, just look at her, crying over her puppy."
Hikaru was slowly standing up, she held a the gun in one hand and her machete in the other. She didn't care what would happen, she just needed to shut Niragi up. She wanted to kill him.
"Look at her, all broken and sad." He laughed again mocking her. She looked at him, death spiraled in her eyes. She pointed the gun and shot. The impact of the gun made her shoulder swing back, her body fell with it because of her weak stature.
"Fuck!" She heard him yell, "She got my damned arm, fucking bitch!". She laid on the ground, a smile running on her lips.
She felt the darkness run over her consciousness, she heard yells and stomps heading her way. The last thing she felt was her body getting picked up and carried. She let the dark consume her.
In the darkness she felt safe.
—
Did you guys hold up? I hope this chapter was good enough to strum some emotion lol, thanks for reading!