Future Diary (Mirai Nikki)

The Unlucky Thirteenth

Thirteenth--Feel The Same

By her bed, a folding chair made for a cold, uncomfortable seat in the summer haze. The metal creaked when it pushed closer to the mattress, the parts of the chair squeaking painfully. The hinges screeched their complaint to whoever moved the contraption, causing a grimace to cross the face of said person. The noise echoed loudly in the room; and the person moving the chair clapped hands to ears briefly before letting the chair quickly unfold.

Views from the space had already been recommended, but the actual window was high quality. The window glass stained the room a pristine, bright color, filled with abundant yellow light even in the early morning. One could see the sunrise without having to search, due to the wide window and lofty view on the third floor of the building.

This brought the dreariness of the blank, grey room to a bit more color and brightness despite being a bland space, a blank canvas never changing. The girl lying in the bed remained asleep under the simple white covers despite the early hour light, despite the start of school a few minutes ago.

It had been at most four days since he had attended school; it had been two and a half days since she had closed her eyes and had not woken up. There, next to the bed beside her prone, bite-riddled form, sat a boy with a bright blue jacket the staff had returned to him the day before. The material had been washed clean of bloodstains, but stains in a jacket seemed a better price to pay than an unconscious girl in a hospital bed beside him.

There, in a hospital room bleached of its color and the sterile smell of chemicals on the air, sat Aru Akise. He held a coffee cup in his right hand and his phone in his left. The white-haired boy had gotten here at the earliest possible time that morning, and even he did not know exactly why.

Nishijima was due to be there in half an hour, and Akise didn't want to fall asleep in the chair on the day Amaya was projected to wake up. He wanted to be there, much to the dismay of his conflicted feelings over the black-haired girl.

Twisted emotions roiled inside of his mind; half of his brain begged him to grab his things and leave the hospital behind, to return to school and forget about the dark-haired girl here in the bed. His brain told him to return to school and ignore her like she never existed, to go back to Amano and never speak to Amaya again.

The larger part of his brain told him to deny his feelings for her; that they were wrong and shouldn't be acknowledged. Akise couldn't tell which side of his mind was right, or even why he felt so conflicted. His entire life he had been gay; boys were the only people that caught his eye romantically.

Why did this feel so right when he knew it should feel so wrong?

Here he sat, bitter coffee in hand and his phone out. Here he sat, skipping school to stay by her side even though she wouldn't know it. What was he doing?

Akise tipped his head back as he drank from the cup, grimacing at the taste. Hospitals always had terrible coffee, even when he had no side order to mess it up. The boy cringed and swallowed, eyes drifting from his phone screen to Amaya's pale, sleeping face. Gauze and bandages wrapped almost the entirety of her arms; medical tape secured the dressings so they would hopefully heal properly.

Most of this was his fault. He should have been more focused on protecting his friends instead of the feeling of Yukiteru's hand in his own. It didn't seem worth it right now--hadn't even that night when he saw what his carelessness had done to Amaya.

He had gotten her mixed up in the Tenth situation, in the dog situation, in the Second–First battle combo thing situation, and he had probably ended up getting her involved in the Future Diary situation.

What had he done? How could he possibly involve Amaya in any of this? She didn't deserve any of that mess in which he didn't even belong. Why was he getting himself so involved? He had dragged Amaya into this situation already, shouldn't that have been enough? Why had he done so?

Sure, Amaya seemed mysterious and strong and like she could deal with anything but underneath that exterior Akise was willing to bet that all that remained at her core was a terrified little girl who needed someone to lean on; someone to love her.

It was a bit scary that he had unconsciously made up his mind to be that person for her.

Akise set his coffee down, a wave of sickness rushing over him. What was he doing--sitting here and pretending that he cared? What was wrong with him? Half his brain screamed at him that he was making a huge mistake. He fought that, resisting the urge to throw back the disgusting coffee.

It felt like something kept trying to control him, some other will than his own imposing unwanted thoughts on him. That sounded crazy, and he wasn't about to voice that thought out loud. It would send him to an insane asylum.

His limbs stiffened and he automatically stood. He should get out of here, back to school. Fake an excuse as to why he'd been gone, and stop visiting Amaya. Get back to school and his friends, and a certain black haired blue eyed boy who looked almost related to Amaya with his dark hair and eyes only a few different shades of blue.

Akise took several steps, pushing the chair out of his way as his fingers curled over cool, cool metal. He leaned into it and only then realized what he was doing.

His lips brushed Amaya's forehead in a gentle, delicate kiss before he knew what had just happened.

Akise jolted back, hand flying to his lips in shock at what he just did. He stared with surprise at the girl on the bed; her hair spilled over her face in a frizzy black wave. This girl had some sort of power over him--something she wasn't even aware of. After what had just happened, that should have been more proof that he needed to get away from her as soon as possible.

Even stranger still: Akise didn't regret it. In fact, he was glad he did. He suddenly wanted her to wake up so he could see her eyes flashing and hear her voice even if she yelled at him, just so he could talk to her and be with her instead of this weird sitting beside her bed while she slept.

His hand still touched his lips softly and he suddenly hoped that his face remained blush-free as a knock sounded at the door. Akise scurried back to his chair and grabbed his coffee quickly, almost spilling the bitter liquid. Why was he in such a rush to appear normal, like there wasn't any conflicting thoughts churning his brain to pieces, like he hadn't just kissed one of his best friends?

Creaking hinges resonated through the room sharply, and he resisted the urge to flinch. The nurse on the other side did nothing as she strode into the room. Her clipboard clutched close to her chest, the purple haired woman entered with her face hidden from view.

Akise got a hint of familiarity before the woman turned her back to him and began to copy down the chart that stated Amaya's vitals and condition. She looked up when she was finished, and Akise jolted in his chair slightly, although it wasn't visible.

The nurse wore an eyepatch, her eye covered completely. Purple hair streamed from her back into a low ponytail; a smirk scrawled across her face. In that moment, Akise knew her, knew her really. He had met her before, in fact.

Worldwide terrorist, Uryuu Minene.

With that expression, she looked almost exactly like Amaya. He knew that Amaya knew her, but Akise was unaware how much she did--another something he longed to know about the blue-eyed girl who dyed her hair. Who she was, where she was from, why she hid all her secrets and everything about her.

"How's it going, Akise-kun?" Minene asked. Akise kept a straight face; after all, he was indeed a professional, and professionals didn't do stupid things like get comfortable with terrorists.

"I assume you know, seeing as you're here," Akise responded. "I do admit it is a surprise to see you here, especially after all the murders in town lately. Wouldn't a bit more caution be advised?" Minene laughed at his response.

"Normally, yes, but with the Tenth's murder I can say that I'm safe for at least two and a half more weeks." Minene moved to the opposite side of Amaya's bed, unrolling a stop of gauze from her pocket.

Akise frowned. Amaya had just had her bandages changed a short while ago. The chart said so, even though he had barely glimpsed it from his position in the room. Besides, the material looked fresh enough, and he could still smell the ointment spread on the inside to help Amaya heal. Minene was up to something.

The purple haired woman watched the red eyed detective closely as she cut off a strip of gauze with shiny scissors. Rolling up Amaya's sleeve, Minene revealed a shallow slice on her forearm. Akise studied the wound closer.

This wasn't made from a dog's bite.

This was done by a knife.

Minene noticed him glancing and shifted to hide Amaya's arm from view, but the damage had already been done. The terrorist quickly finished and tugged her sleeve back down, slipping the scissors into her pocket and turning Amaya on her less-injured side.

Minene's fingers worked quickly. To be able to make bombs, her fingers had to be nimble and limber. She didn't face Akise, merely carded her fingers through the hair of a girl she had come to see as permanent. Everlasting, untouchable.

Minene had gone so long without a family that she had gotten dangerously attached to this small, tsundere girl who trusted her with practically everything. This girl had changed Minene's life the minute the purple eyed woman saw her on the streets with that scrap of a tattered shirt and messy mop of blonde tangles; her blue eyes horrorstruck over the thin hoodie she had wrapped herself in and the miserable excuse for a blanket.

Minene had first seen Amaya when she had gotten hunted down too close to where she lived at that time. Police lurked near her house, keeping tabs on the run-down neighborhood Minene had been spotted in briefly.

The woman had ducked into an alleyway and backed up to hide, to escape--only to stumble over a small ball in the back of the corner, hiding amid trash bins full of rotting waste. The girl had pulled a knife after hiding and bared her teeth in a small snarl shortly after Minene tried to kill her. The look Minene had gotten that day was full of terrified ferocity and a wild despair.

Minene remembered that feeling even now. A terror that creeped up over her mind like a thick smoke, unable to think of anything else. A deep mistrust of any other living being, anything that could do harm.

Minene remembered being driven by that terror to survive, crying over her parents when she realized what had happened all those years ago. Stealing bread in a bright yellow dress, racing for her life from things that were more than just the seen. This terror had her running from the things she could not see.

The unknown threats had piled up until they formed one big mass of terror. Undistinguishable. Uncountable, numerous. Strangely comforting, that if those unknown threats were there then she was not alone.

Amaya had voiced this opinion, and shortly after Minene had realized this applied to her as well. She would always prefer peace and quiet, but danger revealed itself as an oddly comforting thing.

The vanquishing of a foe, the relative safety the action brought, the adrenaline feel of quick terror making her so alive: this was why Minene didn't just settle down and live a normal life. Why she took in Amaya: because the girl reminded her of herself. The same tenacity, the same fire in her heart, the same situation. Dead family.

Minene had finally stopped throwing a pity party for herself when she met Amaya. Minene didn't even known that the girl was worse off. But something in her demeanor got Minene thinking that maybe this girl would adapt. Would be bright and bold and brave. Would be like Minene herself.

Her feet slam hard onto the pavement street. A quick buzz of her phone makes her curse out loud. She ducks in an alleyway, pulling her hood over her head to protect from the rain. Not much use in that, now that it's been down and her hair is soaked. She pants quickly; she's been flat out running for twenty minutes.

Minene checks her phone and updates the quick diary she keeping on there, a reference for when she needs a new escape plan. She backs up, spotting a wall blocking in the alley. Minene can scale the trash lining the walls and escape along the brick until she finds a way to get down.

She starts running to get a start, so she can jump easily onto one of the higher stacks of trash. The alley is relatively long, which she's thankful for. This escape would be much harder if she had a short space and no room to run, no room to get away. Minene is fortunate today. She can already hear the sirens closing in. The rain is combined with chilling wind at that moment. Minene prepares to jump. All of this takes around two seconds to notice.

Her foot catches on something, and she trips and falls to the ground, already cursing. She doesn't know what she tripped over. Probably some more trash... No. Minene is too skilled to not notice trash that she tripped over. Rain pours harder; the sirens suddenly cut out. Darkness fell a long time ago, two hours of nothing but near pitch black. The game of hide and seek pops in her head, and she laughs softly, lowly in her throat.

Here, in the darkness of the night rain, is where the nightmares come alive.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," Minene calls softly. Creepily. She's impressed; the person doesn't make a sound. Must be an adult; a kid wouldn't have the sense or the guts to stay quiet. Minene can't even hear them breathing. The person she tripped over is smart, really smart. That person is also remarkably brave, or terrified so much they can't even breathe. 

Minene stands there for a while, utterly still and silent. This person has seen her. A witness. Someone who is dangerous, whether they know it or not. Her hand finds the knife handle by her pocket. The person stays silent. So does Minene. When they move, they don't make a sound.

Minene can't see them, but somehow she can sense them moving. Minene doesn't move; the person can see her better than she can see them. In fact, Minene's almost positive they're waiting for her to go away. Well, they don't know her. Unless faced with incredible danger, she doesn't give up. Not with an actual target. Not with a simple task she had to complete. Minene does not, and will never give up.

A glint of silver catches her eye, the flash of a knife. This person is armed, or has something silver on them, a dead giveaway in dim light on a pitch-black night. She silently thanks the moon for showing her what she has not been able to find. She can tell that the person thinks she is going to go away, because they let out a small, shaky breath which Minene can sense rather than hear.

She knows what they feel like. After all, she was in that person's shoes a while ago, but much younger. Fourteen, maybe, the last time she was trapped like this. Most definitely younger than this adult. She prides herself secretly for being stronger, smarter, better. Pride has a place in her heart, her stone-cold, unsympathetic heart.

"Found you."

The words echo as Minene lunges down, as the person rolls to the side and suddenly there is a clatter of noise as the person collides with a trash bin and the noise is the only way Minene is able to find them. Total darkness lit only by the moon and night rain do not go well together for killers tonight. Minene lunges after them, knife drawn out and a snarl on her face.

Minene connects after a second; her knife flashes out in a gleaming streak and slices open flesh with a sick ripping noise. The person drops where they stand, and although Minene doesn't know where she hit them she can tell it was nowhere good from the way they lay there in a smear of red. The person remains silent, unmoving.

The deed done, Minene takes a second to examine who she just killed. The first thing she notices is the already bloodstained clothes, the torn and ripped shirt which is covered by a bloody jacket. Where did Minene hit this person?

She sees a fresh patch of bright and bloody red on their back just over their heart. There. Right there. Minene prides herself on a job well done--a clean stab in the dark with no location of the person, on the first try. Amazing. Remarkable. Another count to add to her kill list. Silent, too. Another brownie point.

Is it a bad thing that Minene is so good at this?

Minene doesn't waste time on trying to tell anything else about the person, whether they are a boy or girl, whether they are adult or child, who they are. The cops won't put this down to her. They don't know how many people she's killed and they haven't thought it was her because she only publicly kills religious leaders. They don't think she kills innocent civilians just for being in her way. How wrong they are.

Minene stoops down and wipes the blood on her knife onto the person's shirt. When she's satisfied that it's clean she stands up and faces the alley again to plan her escape. She needs to run here and jump onto that bag, adjust for the landing and use her momentum to clamber onto that heap of rubbish, before swinging her way up onto the edge of the wall.

At that moment a sharp knife slides around her throat.  Minene stiffens suddenly and her hand flies to her knife, only to feel a hand yank it out of her pocket and hear the clatter as it is tossed away.

"Don't move unless you want to die." The woman snarls--no, Minene realises, a girl. A child, mimicking the tone Minene had taken earlier. Faint, but powerful in her words and tone. Minene curses silently to herself. This girl sounds so young.

But when does it ever matter?

"I'm going to count to ten," the girl says, her voice piercing. She sounds about fourteen, maybe fifteen...or not. There's something about her voice that makes Minene listen instead of just attacking her and finishing what she started.

"When I reach ten, you're going to put your hands in the air where I can see them. When you do that, stay quiet. If you scream, you'll be dead before anyone can get here." The girl loosens her grip on Minene's arms--a tight grip Minene doesn't even know was there. Is Minene scared? Of course not. Minene doesn't get scared, not of little girls with knives pretending to be tough. 

"One. Two. Three. Four." The girl tightens her grip in a warning before loosening her fist again. The knife even drifts away from her neck a little bit. Minene is surprised. She would have just slit the girl's throat with maybe a fake apology before this entire scenario.

"Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Hands in the air." The girl lets go of the terrorist's arms and presses the knife deeper into her neck. Not piercing, not yet. Minene lets her hands drift into the air slowly.

"You're not going to kill me." The words are hypnotic, slow. The girl tenses as if in warning to stop talking, but Minene knows that if the girl is going to kill her she would have done so by now. "Admit it. You don't have the guts. The strength. The bravery. You're just a weak little kid and would run screaming if someone was murdered in front of you."

The girl laughs softly, taking the knife away and ramming it into Minene's shoulder. The purple haired woman screams, fingers flying to her shoulder as the girl yanks the blade out with a sick ripping sound.

"An eye for an eye," the girl laughs in her ear before her voice turns angry. "You think I don't have the guts to kill someone? That if someone in front of me was cut down I would turn tail and run? You don't know me, and you don't know what I've seen!" Minene hears herself in the girl's words. The frustration and anger and terror mixed into a rush of anger and violent yelling. 

"My family was murdered right in front of my face! Torn to pieces as I did nothing but watch, and when I tried to save them it was too late! All of them, for no fucking reason!"

Minene spots tears on the girl's face after she backs up and turns around. "I tried to save them, and I couldn't do it after they had left! Don't you tell me what I can or can't do, Uryuu Minene. You don't know what I've seen."

The girl yanks up her sleeve to reveal a spiraling cut on her arm, bleeding furiously. Minene looks at it closely. That is dangerous to have that unbandaged in an alley like that. Even more than that, it looks like it won't close for a while. The kid could die if that stays untreated.

"Treat that cut, kid," Minene says, backing away and ducking under the girl's arm. "Find someone to take you in. The streets will be too hard for you alone." The girl stiffens. She looks ready to protest. Minene smiles cruelly and the girl freezes. "Remember, our little secret." With that, Minene vanishes into the night.

Black hair threaded between her fingers, Minene looked up as she wrapped a hair tie around the thick strand of Amaya's hair. She had braided the girl's hair into a side shoulder braid, almost a low ponytail off of her shoulder. Minene only vaguely remembered learning how to braid; she had no idea how she had done this. Minene smiled faintly before standing up and turning to the red-eyed detective.

"How much do you care for her?" The woman asked. Akise looked up, making sure to mask his confusion at the question. "Squi--Amaya. You're the one who's always calling her, right? How much do you and your friends care for her?"

"I'm afraid your assumptions are mistaken," Akise responded smoothly. Minene scowled. She didn't have time to fool around. She didn't have time to bat around the bush with useless questions. This boy knew he was wasting her time. She didn't have to be happy about it though.

"Just shut up and answer the damn question," she growled. Akise simply took a swig of his coffee, staring the angry woman down. "I don't have time for this. Amaya needs someone who isn't me to rely on. How much do you see her as? Family? Friend? More?" She grabbed him by the shirt collar and hauled him upward. "Answer me, or you'll regret it."

The wheels spun in Akise's mind. Amaya associated with Minene. They viewed each other as family, if his conversation with Minene was anything to go by. Did the black haired girl work with the woman?

If Amaya needed to rely on people besides Minene herself, what happened to Amaya's family? Were they somehow unable to do so? If so, why? Did Nishijima know? Was there a reason Amaya had transferred to Umesato? If she really affiliated with a terrorist, then why did she go to Umesato? Who had helped her?

Did she live with Minene? Was that why she refused to let anyone walk her home? Was that why she was always so violent and prepared for danger? Why she ran so well? Why she always looked hungry and lonely, or like she wanted to burn the world? Why she almost always refused to lose?

Why she ran so well... a thought worth exploring. How did he know she ran? She was at the back of the pack when the dogs attacked--although he suspected that was by choice to protect everyone--so he should have assumed she was slow. After all, he had seen barely anything else to prove himself wrong. No, he did not know if this Amaya had run in the course of her lifetime.

However, he remembered one who did.

"She is my friend," he answered simply. "As of late, we are nothing more than that." He swallowed resentment at the words, unsure why that was there. "I will always be there for any of my friends, or simply people who might need me, if that is what you're asking.

Minene's scowl disappeared, and he had rightly assumed that his words had hit the mark. The terrorist let him go, before grabbing her clipboard and stalking out of the room with a last glance at Amaya. Akise sighed and sank back into his chair.

He heard a crash, and angry yelling from the hallway, and the stomping of feet. Seconds later, Nishijima entered through the door Minene had just closed, and Akise could only assume the clumsy and absent-minded detective had run into the fiery terrorist. The man had his notebook sticking out of his pocket and his hair messy like he hadn't combed it this morning. Akise raised his eyebrows at the detective's appearance.

"Sorry I'm late," Nishijima replied bashfully. He fixed his attention to the girl in the bed, surrounded by white and making the shadows under her eyes pop out even more as well as her dark hair. "How's she doing?"

"She's supposed to wake up today," Akise stated flatly, to show how much he thought of that statement. "They aren't sure what they'll do if she doesn't wake up within the week. Her parents haven't been reached yet either." Did Amaya even have parents? How did any of this work?

"But she seems to be okay injury wise." Nishijima made a note in his notebook, while Akise nodded. "That's good. Kurusu just asked me to check up on her. She's a good kid. It's a shame this happened when it did."

"Kurusu-san wanted you here?" Akise asked casually, but he could tell there was more to that statement than Nishijima was telling him. "How does he know her?"

"Her parents wanted to make sure everything was safe for her at the school, after an incident at the other one," Nishijima lied.

He hated lying to the boy; he was certainly bright and would make a fantastic detective when he chose that as a career option. However, letting Akise know anything about Amaya could ruin everything they had been working for since the eighth of May.

"Kurusu knows them from childhood or something," Nishijima improvised. The backstory they had created for Amaya contained little, and this would now be the current reason Kurusu knew the fiery teen. However, a mere "school case" would never satisfy Akise.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, Akise, but please don't pry too much. I think Amaya would rather tell you herself about any of this than have you figure it out on your own."

There, he had done all he could to dissuade the boy from looking further into things that could jeopardize everything Kurusu worked for at this moment--not that Nishijima knew everything about it. He checked his watch briefly; Nishijima had managed to get into the hospital right before a meeting. However, he may have cut the time a bit close.

The brown haired man stood quickly, straightening his tie from the jumbled mess it had become. "Well Akise, we're working on a new case in the office. Come on down when you have some time."

"Are you leaving already?" Akise asked, although he didn't particularly care. Some talkative, awake company was nice, but he would like to be alone with his thoughts--and an unresponsive Amaya--to figure out his own small case. "You only just got here."

"Sorry," Nishijima replied, smiling apologetically. "I have a meeting soon about the case, and Kurusu wants me in there early. Stay hopeful, Akise. She'll wake up soon."

With that, the man turned the knob on the door, reached over and ruffled Akise's mop of hair, and left the boy by himself in a room where the only girl he had ever cared for lay asleep, maybe never waking up. The thought had crossed everyone's mind at one point in time, although the doctors and nurses had assured time after time that she would wake up, just maybe not right away.

The waiting was torture.

Akise sighed, receiving a text from Mao, who had somehow managed to turn on her phone in the middle of a test. Of course, phone rules were pretty lax at the school, but still...this was an important test. Mao should be the one out of their entire group most focused on taking it, seeing as she could be a bit of an airhead sometimes--okay, all the time.

Mao: How is Amaya doing? Everyone is worries and wonders when she will be back. Do u know?

Akise sighed. The grammatical error was yet another reason Mao should focus on the test; which covered the subject in language arts. His friend was going to get a horrible grade again.

Still asleep, he texted back. I don't know when she will be back. Or awake. Who's asking? And focus on your test, he reprimanded.

Her reply came seconds later. No. He laughed until he saw the attached message. Mao had sent a picture of the class, but had used an app on her phone to draw several arrows to people who had asked when Amaya would be back.

Almost every single one of them was a guy, besides the girl who had tried to talk to Amaya on her first day there. Akise's fingers hovered over the phone, but he didn't get a chance before Mao's next text buzzed in.

Jelus yet?

Akise sighed at her horrible spelling, the sight reminding him why he didn't text her that often. But more than that, he was annoyed she was right. His gaze switched to Amaya, and he caught himself staring at her empty hand. He wanted her to wake up, but he had never tried talking to her, or... He could feel his face turning red minisculely.

On the other hand, he really had been staying up late for at least five days, with only coffee to sustain him in the morning, and going to bed at 5 and waking up at 6:15. His eyes had been sliding shut all morning, even when Nishijima walked in.

Akise had long since learned to hide everything about himself, including his emotions, his state of alertness, and practically anything else about himself. So it was okay to let that guard slip, and exhaustion filled his face. He could barely think about what he was doing.

His hand laced itself through Amaya's. Maybe this would wake her up. He didn't know if that would work. He didn't know anything, except that this felt damn nice. So familiar.

... Familiar...?

Why did this feeling of her hand covered by his feel so familiar? Why did he himself feel so at ease and at home around her? His mind flashed back to the one sided almost kiss a minute or so ago, and he could feel a faint blush creeping its way up his neck to reach his ears.

Akise quickly closed his eyes so he would focus, but he couldn't seem to stop thinking. Thinking about Amaya, about the school he was missing, about Yukiteru, about the Future Diary game, but mostly about Amaya.

He definitely saw her as something more than a friend.

In fact, he could feel the longing to lean forward and kiss her again, and he jolted back in his chair quickly at the thought. No. What was happening to him? He sucked in a ragged breath and let his head slump down, breathing evenly in an attempt to control his thoughts.

Amaya's hand twitched in his.

He didn't notice right away, too busy with trying to maintain self control over every aspect of himself he could. His eyes remained closed; his head stayed down. His hand remained laced in Amaya's.

Blue eyes flickered open with a start. Amaya tensed suddenly, panic on her face. Her eyes landed on the white/grey/beige scheme of the room first. She didn't recognise it. Where was she?

Her hands reflexively balled into fists--her hand clenched around Akise's warm one. It took almost all the energy she had to turn her head into the other side of the pillow, her body screaming with a deep ache. Her eyes widened upon seeing Akise slumped in a chair close to her bed, but most importantly his hand cradling hers.

She didn't know what was going on. Her cheeks heated up a bright red. Amaya flushed big-time, staring at the white-haired boy in the chair next to her bed.

"Akise?" She hissed quietly, leaning into her pillow. She was too tired to even lift her head, hardly. "Hey, Akise! Wake up!" Her voice stayed soft, as if she couldn't bring herself to wake him.

How long had he been there? Where was she? He probably needed the sleep. Although Amaya wanted answers, she would gladly wait if he needed--wait. She wouldn't do that for anyone else, would she?

Probably not. Definitely not.

"A--Aru-kun?" She stuttered, immediately glad he was asleep so he didn't hear her use his first name. He didn't seem to like anyone calling him that who wasn't special. How embarrassing! He didn't even like her, that much was certain. He shied away most times the two of them interacted. And there was Amano to think about...

Akise looked up, a smile on his face. "Glad to see you're awake, Amaya-chan." She yelped, shrinking back into the white, white pillow.

"Wh--what?" She stuttered. "Awake? Of course I'm awake! What stupid question is--" Amaya froze. Several thoughts had just occurred to her. "What happened? Where am I? Are you okay? Is everyone else okay? How long was I out? What?" Her sentences came in jumbles, her voice rising higher with every word. Akise gripped her hand tightly.

"Amaya-chan. It's alright. You've been out for two and a half days. You're in Sakurami Hospital. All of the other people who were with us at the park are fine."

Akise smiled, but Amaya could tell that there was something else he hadn't told her. Something big. He rubbed his thumb continuously over her knuckles, puzzling her. If he liked Amano so much, why was he here? She clutched onto his hand almost reflexively.

"I don't--" Amaya broke off when Akise placed a finger over her lips to silence her. She jolted, eyes widening.

"Amaya-chan, how much do you remember?" Akise asked. She closed her eyes tightly.

Jagged teeth, tearing and someone's screams echoing in her ear and she didn't know that it was her, all her making those unearthly noises and her feeling the pain. Her flesh being ripped apart, her body falling to the ground, her calling out to her family to understand, to hope for her death, because only the good died young.

The dogs, converging. Her head twisting as she attempted to get away. Her shattered scream that died broken in her throat as a dog clamped its canine teeth onto the thin skin of her throat. Mao's knife shining silver at Amano's neck. Hinata's face, smiling wickedly and Amaya herself lunging to protect Akise and then she remembered nothing more at all.

"Mao," Amaya said. Her gaze hardened as she tried to mask the terror from her earlier flashback. She didn't know how hard her hand gripped Akise's until he had to pry her fingers apart. She looked up at him in unconcealed terror.

"Amaya, calm down." Her breathing had hitched and she struggled to sit up so she could breathe because she could still feel those teeth around her throat and her arms and legs and buried in her side and--

"No!" She cried out, gasping so hard her chest hurt from the amount of air she tried to take in all at once. She was wheezing, having some dumb panic attack. Akise let go of her hand and climbed onto the edge of the hospital bed, placing his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm the terrified girl down.

That was all it took for her to fling her arms around him and just lose it, as he held her close and rubbed the uninjured part of her back soothingly. She didn't cry. Amaya had yet to cry in front of him and she wouldn't now. Not for something as stupid as this. Not for this. Akise looked down at the shaking girl clinging onto him for dear life and chided himself internally for liking it.

"Shh, it's okay. I've got you. You're safe. Shh, Amaya. Breathe with me, okay?" He took a deep breath and she copied him, leaning on him heavily. "In and out. You're okay now; I'm here. It's okay. Everyone is safe. I've got you. Everyone's okay, no one was hurt. Shh, Amaya. Breathe with me, okay?" She nodded; the shaking subsided after a while.

"Mao had the knife and Hinata walked in," Amaya continued, steadier now but still clinging onto Akise. To be truthful, neither of them were ready to let go. "They wanted your phone, I think. A...Diary?" She questioned, playing dumb. Akise nodded.

"Go on," he murmured, dreading explaining all of this to her. He was so foolish to have involved her. Granted, it wasn't his fault, but he still blamed himself. He should have tried harder. Done better.

"I just knew they wanted to hurt you and--" Amaya broke off. "How could the two of them do that? I thought they were our friends." She clenched her hands into fists before attempting to relax. "They tried to kill you, I think! They were going to hurt you and I just knew I wouldn't and couldn't let that happen." Akise nodded. What had he done?

"Yeah, you passed out right around that time," he said. "Thank you." She pulled back and looked up at him, puzzled. "You tried to save me, even though you were already wounded and most of that is my fault. I owe you big time. Granted, my life didn't need saving, but--" He looked away. "It's nice to know that you care."

She cupped his face with her hands and stared at him, contemplating something. She apparently found the answer to her thought and let go, looking away with her face colored red. He wrapped his arms around her and eased back into the hug, the hug that this time felt more like an embrace.

"What were they talking about? I was so confused," Amaya lied. Even now, working to hide more of herself. Even now, separating herself off. Even now, running away from reality. She laid her head on his shoulder; her body screamed from exhaustion as she did so. Akise seemed to see that, attempting to ease her back down onto the pillow. She stubbornly shook her head.

"I'll explain later, okay? You need to rest. C'mon, lay down." He tried to push her gently so she wouldn't get hurt, but the blue eyed teen shook her head again.

"This is okay," she murmured without thinking. Immediately, her face flushed an even darker red. How to describe what she felt right now? The emotion puzzled her. What was this? Akise chuckled, but the sound merely sounded like a surprised laugh.

"Is it?" He asked. "If someone walked in right now, I would probably be kicked out." Amaya shook her head slowly. "You really should rest."

"Ar--Akise, what was the whole big deal in the park? With you and Amano?" She turned her head to the side, looking away. "D--Do you like him?"

The question struck him so hard, he remained silent. How could he convey the abhorrent distaste the question gave him? That yes, Amano was cute, but the feeling felt like someone kept trying to force Akise to like him?

How to say that but keep silent what he really meant: he liked Amaya? She didn't return the feelings, or did she? And that he wouldn't say it because he was scared; he had never liked anyone this way before. Never in his entire life, and he had had plenty of crushes.

"No." Seeing him speak with so much solidity, Amaya believed him. She smiled out of his sight, a satisfaction rising in her. He did that thing again, where he moved his thumb in a circular pattern against her skin, calming her. She completely relaxed, closing her eyes in exhaustion. "Why do you ask?"

She kept her eyes closed, and pondered the question for a while. She couldn't tell him. Couldn't tell him she thought she saw him as more than a friend. Couldn't tell him how much it hurt to see him enraptured by Amano, even if he swore he didn't like him. Couldn't tell him she was slowly falling in love with him. Couldn't tell him how willing she would be to die for him if the need arose.

Was Akise Aru one of the players in Deus's Game?

"Akise," she murmured, realizing she continued to tremble. He stroked her back soothingly. She could still feel the terror pulsing through her veins. "What are we?"

She didn't mean the question in a normal way. Amaya sincerely wanted to know if there was anything left to them at all, some salvageable hope that he wasn't as smitten with Amano as he seemed to be. Some buried hope she could hold onto in a dark dark night. Some residual feelings he might harbor for her no matter of Amano's appearance into their lives.

"Amaya..." Akise said. She tensed, expecting the rejection. Knowing it was coming. All her life she had known nothing but it, why should now be any different?

"I'm sorry. That was a stupid question. It's not like I like you or anything, just--" The last part trailed off and was muttered to herself. She sat back and turned her head away.

"I don't know about you," he said quickly, reaching over to cup her face with his hands and make her look at him. "I don't know if seeing me does the same things it does to me whenever I see you. If you would die for me as much as I would die for you. I don't ever want to, but... I don't know how you feel, Amaya.

"I hope to practically anything and back that it's the same, that you feel the same, that you want the same, that you need the same. That it hurts seeing you even talking to another guy, even when you don't know it. I don't know if simply seeing me drives you crazy like it does to me. I don't know, Amaya. I can't tell you how to feel."

He had scarcely finished speaking when she threw her arms around the junior detective, smiling. He froze for a moment, before returning the hug. "I assume that's a yes?" He asked. She laughed. "I don't even have to ask, do I." She shook her head, unable to get rid of the giddy grin crossing her face. 

"Akise, about everything back at--well, I'm sorry. I freaked back at the observatory, and just panicked. I'm sorry I put everyone in danger. I just wanted to protect everyone, and--" Amaya pulled out of the hug and studied him critically. There, faint and fading rapidly, a red slash marred the skin of his face. Her hand drifted up to check if her suspicions rang true.

"Amaya, don't--" She touched a hand to his face as he grabbed her wrist. "Wait--" Amaya pressed a finger to his lips to tell him to shut up, that he wasn't going to be able to talk his way out of this one.

"What happened?" She knew she was being paranoid, but this just seemed so... Familiar was the word she searched for. Deja vu was another term. She could almost anticipate his next words.

"Nothing life threatening. Just Gasai-san," Akise muttered. "During the scandal with Hinata and them. She rushed me and managed to pin me down. I got out of it, after a moment. She had a knife, which I didn't manage to get out of." He regretted the choice of words as soon as he said them. "Listen, Amaya, don't worry. It's not a big deal."

"Ar--Akise, that's a big deal!" She sighed and closed her eyes. "Somehow, from the very start, I knew she was trouble. Why was she carrying a knife around, and why did she use it on you?"

He didn't break eye contact as she practically interrogated him, merely let go of her wrist as her fingers grazed over the closed cut. "What happens next time she does something like this?"

He smiled. "Don't let it get to you. After all, she'll never get the best of you, you're amazing. No one could take you down if they tried." Amaya blushed at the compliment and looked away as Akise tucked a strand of her jet black hair behind her left ear. His hand brushed her braid as he cupped the side of her face and leaned down.

His lips brushed her forehead briefly and her eyes fluttered open. She gasped quietly, and counted her lucky stars it wasn't as loud as she thought it was. Her hand somehow found his and tightened reflexively. As he pulled away, she couldn't control the blush speeding across her face.

"What was that for?" She asked quickly, almost sharply. By now, the surprise had given way to a mere giddiness she masked well.

"Why, did you like it?" He teased back. Amaya swatted his arm, before leaning back onto the pillows. "Amaya-chan?"

"Tired," she replied, closing her eyes and smiling childishly. "Go drink your horrible hospital coffee." He groaned.

"Do you know how horrible that stuff tastes? Like sawdust mixed with improperly made chocolate. Who would eat that? Better yet, who would make it?" He continued to gripe as he slid off the bed and scooted the chair closer to the bed frame, settling back and grabbing his phone. 

"Oh, whatever, Akise. You're just too much of a wuss to admit you like it." She smiled and kept her eyes closed, stifling a huge yawn.

"I can think of one thing I like better," he said teasingly, lacing her fingers through his and squeezing gently. She didn't respond, and he glanced up from his phone screen to see her sleeping. She was clearly exhausted, and her skin retained the same unhealthy, translucent tint it had been even before the dogs attacked, right when he had first seen them.

Akise leaned over and kissed her forehead again, smiling to himself. "Sleep well, Amaya. You deserve it."

He settled back in his chair, scrolling through his missed messages. He had gotten an update from Nishijima on what he had asked for. Seven simple words that suddenly chilled his blood.

It's Amaya's hospital file. Something's very wrong.

Soooo.

Did you miss me? A very long update for you guys, I hope you appreciate it! I'm honestly not too pleased with the way the chapter turned out. Man, I suck at first-time romance. I wanted to get this update in before Christmas, because I'm on break now so I got the entire day to work on this! I've been devoting every spare minute to writing and reading and watching YouTube and a great anime.

What did you guys think of this chapter? I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I kind of felt like it just dragged on. Hopefully you like the sort-of romance thing. I know most other stories (okay, heck, a lot) have a pairing kiss when they first confess but that really isn't reality as I've seen it so yeah.

Seeing as I've never ever been in a relationship that worked out, needless to say this was awkward to write but so fun and I fangirled over my own writing. Is that bad? I think it is. Well, whoops.

What did you guys think of Minene's meeting with Amaya (the flashback thingamabob) and the way they interacted? I honestly freaked myself out in class writing that.

I kind of said it out loud to test the creepiness of it and I just randomly mumbled "Come out, come out wherever you are," and a bunch of people stared at me like I was insane. Oh well, no big deal. I'd love to hear your thoughts though!

What do you think of Nishijima's text to Akise at the very end? IM SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER. It had to be done, and I hopefully kind of creeped some of you out with the ending. I just like it when stories have that air where they do foreshadowing and then it's like oh shoot run. Ok, I'm rambling. Please tell me what you thought about that and what it means. What do you think Akise asked Nishijima to look at?

And finally, please give your overall thoughts on the chapter! Also, don't forget to vote and comment! Constructive criticism is also greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for reading.

ALSO thanks so much for 1k!!!!!! Ily guys so much thanks it means so much to me. Love you bunches! Merry Christmas! (If you don't celebrate Christmas then Happy Thing You Do) Take this as an early Christmas gift!

Thanks so much for reading!