-Chapter 11: Out in the Open

"Huh? Closed?" 

I look at the sign and blink. Venus isn't in today? But I wanted to go and see her and finally become super powerful. I guess my dream is coming true anytime soon.

I turn to Sougo. "How about we just head back to your place? And I don't mean you bedroom. That would be extremely weird and uncomfortable for both of us."

He stares at me and nods his head in agreement. "Yeah, I understand what you mean and I knew what you meant. I get it can be hard for people to pick up on things sometimes." Good thing I'm somewhat smart and know how to pick up on things.

I don't think there is a thing to worry about for Kurena and I hope she just goes back to focusing on Woz. Even though he is pretty dang weird and lame, I don't mind her wasting her time on him. It is a good thing for me if she does.

"Are you thinking about something that is really bad, Marina?" Kurena's voice asks and I look over as she stares at me and Sougo, her dark eyes looking quite scary. "It is just like you to think like that."

"Hey...has anyone seen your face before?" Sougo asks, changing the subject from me to her face. Thank goodness he's looking out for me! "Everyone is worried about how it looks."

Kurena's eyes change a bit and she turns her head a bit, looking away. "Why are you so worried about my face, Oma? If you're trying to be interested in how I look, you shouldn't be. You're way too old for me and the thought of you trying to be with me makes me want to puke." She is only into Woz then, huh? 

"I make you want to puke by the thought of that kind of thing?" Sougo asks, sounding confused. "What is wrong with me even liking someone? I have feelings."

"As long as those feelings aren't for me or her, I can careless who you have them for. You have two others you can fall in love with." She looks back at him, glaring. 

She really doesn't want him to be into me and she doesn't want me to be into him. I can't think of a reason why she doesn't want us together. Not like I would date Sougo. Dating Sougo would probably change the future and I wouldn't want to do that at all. 

"You want me to fall in love with Geiz or Tsukuyomi instead? Why not Woz?" 

Her eyes go wide. "Woz..." She narrows her eyes and scoffs. "Sure, fall in love with him all you want to. I wouldn't care."

"If my book could write stuff about you, Rena, it would show that you're lying right now." 

I look over as Woz steps towards her, no book out, and gasp. What in the world is he doing now? There is literally no reason for either one of them to be here. Unless...Woz is worried about his king again, right?

I look back at Kurena as her eyes look away from him. I can't see her cheeks right now, but I'm pretty sure that they look red. Kurena really does have a crush on him! That's just plain not right. There is just something I don't like about her liking him, but I can't put my finger on it. 

"I'm not lying about that. I really don't care if you and Sougo find love in each other. It'll make me happy to see such a thing."

"How about I kiss your enemy's friend right now? Would that make you happy, Rena?" Woz is so taunting her. And kiss her enemy's friend? Wait...is he talking about me?

I look at him and shake my head. "Hey, I don't want you to kiss me!"

"If you kiss her, I will kill you."

"Why not her?" Woz questions. "What makes her immune to your wrath?"

"She's not someone I should be focused on stopping anytime soon," Kurena answers, probably death glaring him. "You know what you did to me was wrong, right? You really did a terrible thing and then go on like it never mattered to you."

I'm glad she isn't wanting to kill me right now, but I do want to know the reason. What is she keeping from all of us? Does it really change the future if she brings it up to either one of us?

"I wouldn't kiss her period and I know that I hurt you, but it had to be done." Woz stares at her, eyes a bit softer than how they usually look. It looks like he does have some care for her, but her choices conflicted with what he desired. What is it that happened?

"I see. It is nice to finally see some decency in someone like you, Woz," Kurena responds, sounding like she's faking being tough. "I, however, won't change my heart towards you. I hate you now, Woz." So, she really did fall for him and he screwed her over? Is Woz really a horrible guy?

"Maybe I could fall for you if I could see your face." 

Kurena laughs and I look over at her as she shakes her head. "I don't think that is what you need to do to fall for someone, Woz. Someone with your abilities simply can't fall for someone like me. I know that now and I regret wasting any of my precious time on you. I could have been spending it with the person I lost." She looks over at me. "Don't make the same mistake as me. Don't waste your time on Oma Zi-O." 

She jumps up, leaving us, and I look over at Woz. He looks over at us and smiles, trying to appear friendly. Did he just try helping us?

"I see that you're not surprised that she had feelings for me. Did they tell you about it, my Lord?" Woz asks Sougo.

"They told us about her liking you and you hurting her. They didn't say what you did to her though. They want Kurena to tell us. And Rena?"

"I gave her a nickname during our time together. I did a lot to get to her," Woz answers, his eyes going to me. "It is interesting that you both can go by that. Of course, it is with different spellings."

"That means nothing to me." It is a bit interesting, but means nothing. "So, you really haven't seen her face, huh?"

"That is correct." He nods his head. "She is someone who keeps her face covered at all times and gives all kinds of reasons for it. The one she gave me the most was that her face was ruined. Another was for modesty. Personally, I think she doesn't have anything actually wrong with her face."

So, Woz thinks nothing is wrong with her face at all? Then it must be true that she is covering it up to hide herself from the others. But why would she do that if they don't know her personally? Does she look like someone they know and she wants to keep it a secret?

"It is a shame that she covers herself up," Sougo states. "She seems to be a very pretty woman. Of course, not my kind of woman." What is his type of woman?

"My Lord, may I ask you what your type of woman is?" Woz is now curious about Sougo. Why wouldn't he be?

"I want to have someone who is kind and understanding towards me. They have to believe in me and want to be with me no matter what. Her appearance...I never really gave it much thought, but someone who is cute and warm looking." He has an interesting type of woman in mind. Sounds like no one I know though, which sucks for him. 

"Seems kind of boring, my King," Woz says and I look at Sougo. He stares at me and shrugs his shoulders, not understanding Woz either. "How about someone who is cold and dominating? You know, an ideal queen for your future self?" 

Is he trying to suggest that Sougo go out and find someone like Kurena! No way! I refuse to let that happen! Sougo needs someone who is kind and caring and will help him no matter what! If he falls onto the ground and gets hurt, she'll help him up and tend to his wounds. She has to be a good fit for him.

"But I'm not going to be an evil ruler," Sougo tells him. "So, I don't need a woman like that."

"Not to be rude, my Lord, but your ideal type of woman seems kind of like Marina. Not that it is a bad thing."

"Hey, his dream woman sounds nothing like me! Get your head out of your butt!" I shout, my eyes going to Woz and staring him down. 

"I see that I am no longer wanted here or needed. I'll be going now." Woz looks away from me and I turn to Sougo, not caring to see him disappear. 

"I think we should get going. I'll come back here the next time you're available," I tell him and I reach out, holding out my left hand. "Can you take it and walk me home? This is just a friendly gesture, nothing more." His ideal woman sounds nothing like me. What is Woz even on? 

"Alright, I can do that." Sougo takes my hand. "I get it. Anyways, I'm really starting to believe that she is hiding her face from people so they don't recognize it. I don't see why she would need to do so."

"Neither do I. She isn't related to anyone important." And Sougo is single in the future, so it can't be that. Everyone would know if he is taken because they would have seen a woman at his side or a child announcement in the news. 

"I'll have to think of more things."

I nod slowly. "Yeah, same."

I wonder what it is and I hope that we can figure it out. Also, I hope Venus is in next time I arrive. I really need to learn how to be useful to every single person I know!

A/n: And here is another chapter! I will be pushing Senseless Abyss' update to next week (I want to make the best chapter possible, so sorry for the delay in it). I am still working on Wishful Dreams, but I wanted to give a chapter update for a story in Senseless Abyss' place. 

I know nothing much happened in this chapter, but I'm tired from the party and it is two in the morning and my eyes want to shut. I hope it isn't boring and that it adds more to the Kurena thing. If you have an idea of who she is really, tell me! You can tell me what you think as you keep reading, but it can't be mean to me. One time, my twin had this person comment rudely on her story and threaten her by using other languages by using google translate (all because of her having an MC in the story that wasn't going to end up with the guy that they thought she was going to take from this other character. It was so crazy)!

Anyways, thanks and enjoy! I promise that the Senseless Abyss chapter will be worth waiting for. It has a lot going on it and it'll probably shock you (if you read it). :D