Jade was cooking seafood porridge in the Mostro Lounge kitchen to take for Tokaku and Epel's dinner. While tasting the porridge with a silver spoon, he suddenly felt uneasy, as if he had sensed a terrible incident but wasn't sure what it was. Startled, he accidentally dropped the spoon on the kitchen floor. Floyd, Jade's twin brother, was also cooking in the kitchen and was surprised to see Jade drop the spoon, as he wasn't a careless or clumsy person.
"Jade, what seems to be troubling you?" he asked with genuine care for Jade's well-being.
"Oh, it's nothing. I was simply lost in thought. I accidentally dropped the spoon, silly me," Jade replied, bending down to retrieve the spoon from the floor. He made sure to hide his uneasiness from his brother, not wanting him to worry.
Once the seafood porridge was perfectly seasoned, Jade turned off the flame and allowed the pot to cool on the stove as he washed the dishes. After some time, he returned with a round container. With great care, he scooped the seafood porridge and transferred it into the container. After sealing it, he put it in a bag and carried it with him as he made his way to the infirmary room at Night Raven College. Upon entering the room, he found Epel sleeping alone on his bed. Jade was surprised to see that Tokaku wasn't by his side, despite being responsible for taking care of Epel.
"Tokaku must have stepped out momentarily," Jade thought to himself as he approached the sleeping Pomefiore freshman. He gently woke him up, and Epel's light blue eyes fluttered open before focusing on Jade.
"Oh, it's you, Jade," Epel spoke softly.
"I apologize for disturbing your rest, but I have brought you and Tokaku some food. Would you kindly indulge in the seafood porridge I have prepared?" Jade graciously apologized and gestured for Epel to enjoy the porridge. Epel nodded in agreement and sat on his bed while Jade served him a bowl of porridge that he had brought from the kitchen. Epel appreciated the gesture and thanked Jade for his kindness.
"Epel, may I ask where Tokaku went?" Jade inquired before Epel began eating.
"Tokaku? I'm not sure, as I was asleep. She was here before I dozed off. Perhaps she went out," Epel responded, blowing on his hot seafood porridge to cool it down.
Epel's answer suddenly caused Jade to worry about his girlfriend. He decided to search for her around the campus. Jade excused himself to Epel, explaining that he needed to find Tokaku, and left him alone in the infirmary room. Epel understood and reassured Jade that he should go in search of the girl. With determination, Jade embarked on his quest to find any trace of his girlfriend. As he walked down the hallway, his phone suddenly buzzed. Pulling it out from his pocket, he opened it to find a message notification. Tapping on it, he discovered a message sent by Tokaku. The message read:
"Looking for your girl? Coincidentally, I have her. In my hands. Wanna meet her? Go to the Coliseum now.
- Kaiba"
Jade was taken aback by the message sent by Kaiba under Tokaku's contact. It seemed that Kaiba had taken Tokaku's phone to type and send the message. This meant that Kaiba had Tokaku in his possession, implying that she had been kidnapped by him. Hurriedly, he raced off to the coliseum. As he arrived, he scanned the area, gasping for breath after his sprint. His eyes darted around, taking in every detail of his surroundings. Suddenly, they locked onto a figure seated on the ground, leaning against a stone pillar. In the dim moonlight, Tokaku lay unconscious. A white cloth was tightly wrapped around her mouth, muffling any sound, while her hands were bound with a cable tie.
"Tokaku!" Jade exclaimed, shocked to see his girlfriend in such a state. He swiftly moved towards her, desperate to assist. His breath caught when he noticed a visible bruise on her cheek. Tenderly, he caressed the bruised skin, hoping his gentle touch would awaken her. Her blue eyes fluttered before focusing on him. She turned to Jade, who stared at her with concern etched on his face. She struggled to call out to him, but the cloth stifled her voice. Jade carefully removed the cloth from her mouth and anxiously inquired about what had happened. However, before she could reply, Tokaku's gaze suddenly widened as she noticed a figure sneaking up behind Jade.
"Jade, watch out!" she shouted, urgently warning him.
Jade swiftly turned around, only to find himself abruptly stabbed with a knife. The blade plunged into his left abdomen, causing a sharp pang of pain to resonate through the merman's body. With a swift motion, the knife was yanked out, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Jade instinctively clutched his injury, collapsing to the ground in agony.
"Jade!" Tokaku screamed, desperately trying to reach her boyfriend, despite her bound hands. Jade lay crumpled on the ground, wincing in pain.
"Well, that was rather simple. You fell right into my trap," Kaiba taunted calmly, wiping his bloodied knife with a cloth.
Jade glared at him, his body crumpled in pain as he clutched his injury. "You monster," he spat in hatred.
"I am indeed a monster," Kaiba clarified. "You should have recognized that earlier, Jade, by observing my characteristics," he said, his gaze downcast towards the injured merman.
With each passing moment, the pain from Jade's bleeding injury intensified, causing him to grunt in agonizing pain. Tokaku, Jade's girlfriend, grew increasingly panicked as she witnessed his suffering, begging Kaiba to release her so she could tend to him.
"Very well. I will give you a chance to stop the bleeding," Kaiba agreed, agreeing to release Tokaku's bound hands. "But on one condition. You must accompany me wherever I go and never return to Night Raven College again. Do you understand?" He stated his terms, leaving Tokaku taken aback. Her blue eyes widened in shock, her face furrowed in deep contemplation about leaving her loved ones, especially Jade and her friends. However, when Jade grunted in pain once more, Tokaku urgently agreed to Kaiba's terms, as she valued Jade's life above all else. Jade pleaded with her to decline the offer, refusing to let her sacrifice her freedom. But Tokaku looked at him with softened eyes, causing him to fall silent, realizing that she would never risk his life for her own liberation.
"I'm sorry, Jade. My freedom means nothing compared to your life. There is nothing more important to me than keeping you alive," she apologized in a soft, heartfelt voice. Jade's eyes widened in astonishment. He had never expected Tokaku to prioritize his survival over her own freedom.
With this, Kaiba cut the cable tie that bound Tokaku's hands, instructing her to buy a sewing kit and a bottle of mineral water to tend to Jade's injury. Without hesitation, Tokaku rushed to Sam's Mystery Shop. At the counter, Sam warmly welcomed her, urging her to browse the store's new items for sale. However, Tokaku politely declined and asked if Sam sold a box of sewing kit and a bottle of mineral water. She emphasized the urgency of her request. Sam noticed the bruise on her cheek, momentarily falling silent. He understood that something terrible had happened to her, but her expression made it clear that she couldn't speak about it to anyone she encountered. Recognizing her need for immediate assistance, Sam smiled compassionately and swiftly retrieved the items she requested. He temporarily left the counter before returning with a sewing kit, a bottle of mineral water, and a white towel. Tokaku was surprised when Sam placed the white towel alongside the sewing kit and mineral water, prompting her to question why he included it.
"It's a free gift, my dear. Take it," Sam gestured to her.
Once she had purchased the items and exited the shop, the blue-eyed girl hurriedly rushed to the coliseum, holding them tightly in her arms. Inside the magnificent coliseum, Kaiba had been waiting for her, while Jade remained crumpled on the dirt floor. His wound was bleeding even more than before, causing the girl to quickly go to her boyfriend and check on his well-being.
"I will give you all the time you need to sew that wound shut. Once you're done, you're coming with me. You must never return to this campus," Kaiba instructed her. "I am going to take a final walk around here while you provide the first and last treatment for our dear vice house warden," he said before leaving the girl with the wounded merman.
Once he was gone, Tokaku shifted her attention to Jade, who was grunting in pain even louder than before. "Jade, can you unbutton your shirt so I can see the wound?" she asked, to which Jade nodded in response.
He unbuttoned his blazer and then his shirt, revealing the wound on his bare skin. Without wasting a single moment, Tokaku immediately retrieved a needle and a string from the sewing kit, threading the string through the eye of the needle.
"I am going to sew up your wound. It will be painful, but it is only temporary. This will ensure that you do not lose any more blood. Understood?" she warned her boyfriend.
"I will do my best to endure it," Jade replied.
With Jade's approval, Tokaku began to sew his wound. He grunted in pain throughout the process, feeling the intense sting of the sharp needle. As she heard his painful grunts, Tokaku began to lose her focus, causing her hands to stop stitching the wound.
"I am sorry, Jade. I cannot concentrate on doing this. My heart aches when I hear you grunt in pain," she apologized, showing her vulnerable side.
"It's okay. You did your best," he said. Tokaku started to break down, feeling like she had failed in saving Jade, and it showed on her expression. Jade noticed this and suggested another way to encourage his girlfriend to continue sewing his bleeding wound.
"How about you sing me a song? Perhaps my grunts will be lesser than before, just by listening to your singing," he suggested.
The idea seemed helpful, and Tokaku agreed to it. She then began to sing a lullaby that she had once heard from her late aunt, all while continuing to stitch Jade's wound.
Flower,
Gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fate's design
Save what has been hurt
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
Jade listened attentively to the song sung by Tokaku, utterly amazed by the sheer beauty of her voice. After finishing the lullaby, Tokaku skillfully stitched Jade's wound, ensuring that not a single drop of blood escaped. She meticulously cleaned the stitches by gently pouring water over them and delicately drying them with a napkin provided to her by Sam, free of charge.
"There, all done," she declared softly, a sense of accomplishment evident in her voice.
"Thank you," Jade responded, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "Your singing voice is truly enchanting. Has anyone ever mentioned that to you?" he asked inquisitively.
Tokaku shook her head, a touch of bashfulness evident. "No, you're the first," she replied, a blush creeping up on her cheeks as she brushed her hair behind her left ear. Jade's compliment had flustered her, and her sapphire eyes sparkled with a smile that only added to her captivating charm. Their eyes locked, their connection growing.
Unable to resist, Jade reached out and gently took hold of Tokaku's hand, his touch tender and comforting. With a voice filled with emotion, he sang one of the lullaby lyrics that Tokaku had so beautifully brought to life.
Bring back what once was mine
What was once was mine...
Just like Jade, she was stunned by his singing voice. She reacted with a mixture of surprise and admiration, unable to fully comprehend the beauty and power behind his vocal talent.
"I will bring you back, Tokaku. Just what does this lyric mean," he said in a low, husky voice, his words laced with a sense of mystery and determination.
Feeling a sense of sadness at the thought of leaving Jade behind and never returning, Tokaku's gaze softened once more. She reached out her hand, gently caressing his cheek, as if trying to convey her emotions through a simple touch. "I once was yours, after I follow Kaiba . But from now on, I refuse to be owned by anyone. Not even Kaiba," she declared, her voice filled with a newfound sense of independence and resolve.
With those words, their intertwined hands were forcefully separated by Kaiba. He firmly clasped Tokaku's wrist, pulling her away from the merman with a harsh grip. "I did say you would come with me once you had finished stitching his wound. But it seems you took advantage of my words, leaving your final sentiments for your beloved vice house warden," the mentor spoke, his tone laced with a mix of disappointment and frustration. He glanced at both of them, his eyes filled with a cold detachment. "That's enough. Now, come with me!" he demanded, his grip tightening as he compelled Tokaku to rise and follow him.
Jade extended his arm, desperately reaching out towards her. Tokaku mirrored his action, unwilling to let go of him. But she knew she had to, in order to ensure his safety and the well-being of her comrades. Despite his wound being stitched, the pain lingered, causing him to crumple and collapse onto the ground of the coliseum, his consciousness fading.
As they were forcibly separated, Tokaku couldn't help but feel a sense of unease and guilt. Will she ever see Jade, her beloved boyfriend, again? Can she trust Kaiba to keep his promise of keeping her friends safe? These questions weighed heavily on her heart as she followed Kaiba, a sense of uncertainty washing over her.