-15-

I turn my back to Parad as the wind blows my hair. It has to end here. Kuroto made it clear that I am not allowed to date Parad like I want to. I am only allowed to date everyone but him. But why am I going to listen to the crazy guy of the show? 

"What's wrong with you? You seem off," Parad asks me, sounding concerned. 

I close my eyes and swallow hard. "We can't keep going like we are."

"Huh? Why not?" Parad is so confused and I'm so sorry for it.

"I don't love you anymore!" I exclaim, turning to him and opening my eyes. "I don't love you at all, Parad, and I'm sorry. I never once truly loved you. I lied to you about everything I have felt for you." 

"Elkie..." His eyes change, turning sad. "Did he threaten you when you two talked?"

"Forget all about me and focus on Emu." I want to cry right now and then puke. This is all too much for me to handle right now. Kuroto drops a truth bomb on me and now this is happening because of him. Just great.

Parad steps towards me. "Elkie, you don't mean any of this. Don't let Kuroto get to you," he says softly. "He doesn't understand how we feel for each other at all. He doesn't know anything about you due to him not getting love. I didn't get love until I met you."

My heart sinks. This is the first guy that has openly admitted to loving me. Of course, it has to be a guy who isn't actually real. Figures.

"We won't work out."

"We can try to work out. Believe me, I think I can make it work for us." He steps closer. "I'll stop treating this like a game so we can." That is so mature of him to offer right now, but I can't accept it.

I shake my head as the wind blows harder. It sucks being on top of this hospital on the helicopter landing spot. It is kind of sad looking out too.

Our love isn't possible anyways, which is also why I'm doing this. Kuroto is right about me and Parad not being able to date. I'm real and he isn't. Sure, he's real right now. But that won't last the moment I go home and no one believes me on being in love with someone.

"Elkie..."

"Please, just leave me alone!" I turn away, closing my eyes tightly as my chest tightens. I don't want him to go.

"Fine..." He sounds so miserable. "I'll let you have time to think by yourself."

I fall to my knees, sobbing. That was the hardest thing I have had to do so far with someone. Breaking someone's heart feels so bad. Even if they are fictional, it sucks big time. 

"I see that you have finally ended things with him."

I look over, tears going down my cheek. "Hiiro?" 

What is Hiiro doing up here? Is he spying on me? Not that I can really blame him for doing so. I've been really shady since I've been here.

"I knew you tow were seeing each other for a while now. why did you end it like that? You seemed so happy to be with him," Hiiro questions, probably wanting some answers. He steps forward and holds out his hand. "Take it."

I nod and take his hand, letting him pull me up. "It wasn't right to be with him any longer..." 

"Kuroto threatened you into ending things. Does Kuroto know something about you somehow coming here from your world?" Hiiro is so smart.

"No."

"I won't tell a soul about what you tell me up here. If you want to be honest with me, now is your chance. Not even your precious ex-boyfriend will know anything about what you tell me. Not like I would talk to him anyway."

"Hiiro..." He knows the answer. He has always known the answer.

"I knew you were lying the moment you started talking. When you were lying, I noticed how your eyes looked. I could tell you were lying because of that," he tells me, putting his hands into his pocket. "Besides, you're acting is subpar and only fools those who want to believe in it."

"Thanks...I guess." I am glad that I am not crying now thanks to him. 

He looks me over, hands still in his pockets. "I'm just saying what needs to be said right now. So, Elkie, where are you really from?"

"Earth," I tell him. "I'm really from another version of Earth. You're not you on that Earth." I'm not going to tell him that he isn't real. That isn't my job and it isn't my place.

"So, you're going to hide who I am there? You shouldn't, Elkie. I can handle anything you throw at me." Oh, really?

"Uh..."

"Get on with it."

I look away. "You're a character in a TV show there. However, both our worlds do exist. So, my world doesn't exist in your world."

"I see. That makes sense with how you know so much." He is just going to accept this? Why?

I look back at him. "Are you okay with knowing about that? How can you be okay with knowing about that?"

"It is what it is and honestly, I feel real. So,  by that logic, I am real." He smiles a little. "Just like how you are real and right here before me."

"So...?"

"Your secret is safe with me." He looks away from me. "If you avoid that Bugster, I will keep your secret from no on. Emu won't know about it ever." He's bargaining with me right now, huh?

"Fine." That works for me. I don't want to be hated by Emu or Parad.

"I'm sorry that you made a difficult decision, Elkie, but it was the right one to do. But there is one thing I'm curious about. You didn't have to end it, did you? You could have just made it a secret and acted over."

I could have done that, but that is something I can't do. Not when I can't stay here after I'm done here. I know for sure that I won't be here once everything gets back to the way it should be. 

"It wasn't the right thing to do." And I know that I shouldn't have started a relationship with him the way I did.

If I could keep Parad, I would. He's handsome and he can be sweet when he's not all playful and forceful. He's also smart and dangerous. Dangerously sexy.

"Well, you're in trouble with Kuroto now, right?"

"Somewhat. This world is slowly dying out somehow. He wants me to help him." I need to be honest with Hiiro and have him use his brain power to help me. He's smarter than me and he is a skilled surgeon. He has more talent than I ever will have in my body.

"I see. I guess this is the part where I should offer my help. Do you need my help?" He looks into my eyes and I shudder. He wants to help me? 

"Y-yes." I nod. "I do."

If I can figure out what is making this world go down, it'll be great. Having another ally in this is wonderful. Especially when they're trustworthy unlike Kuroto.

"Perfect."

"Huh?" 

"I have to work with you and keep you away from your unhinged ex-boyfriend. He's going to be dangerous now that you've dumped him. He isn't going to handle that well at all if he sees you out and about." Oh, right.

I sigh heavily, face burning a bit. "Uh...I'll be alright! You guys are fake anyways!"

"It is real while you're here."

"Why do you have to be right most of the time?" I groan, rolling my eyes. He's driving me insane. "So, how do we go about this? Fixing this world?"

"I'll think of it like how I would when handling a surgery. We have to follow the process of a medical procedure. Since we're at the beginning, we need to learn the symptoms and then diagnose it. After that, we come up with a plan to fix it completely."

"A treatment plan, huh? Smart."

"I am pretty smart."

"And arrogant at times." I roll my eyes. 

Hiiro is the right person to have join my side in this. He's capable of treating issues with his hands and his brain. His diagnoses people with the Bugster Virus all the time, so I know he can handle this. I guess we should move forward.

"Elkie."

"What, Hiiro?"

"We should get to the CR before Emu and Poppy go crazy. Then we should go and call Taiga to check on your friend. Knowing her, she's probably going mad there. I wouldn't want to be taken care of by Taiga."

"Alright." I got nothing better to do.

~.~

Emu sighs heavily, looking a bit frustrated. What's going on with him? He is normally smiling and jolly! This isn't my Emu at all! I mean, everyone's Emu.

"Emu, is something bothering you?" I ask softly.

He looks up, staring me in the eyes. "Hiiro is making me do a ton of work lately. So, I'm tired. You know how brutal he is, right?"

Oh, I know for sure how brutal he is. However, he's being kind to me right now. He wants to save this world just like I do. He is a tough cookie, but he is a good tough cookie. 

"Taiga is with Jennie on a shopping trip with Nico," Hiiro tells us, interrupting our conversation. How wonderful of him to do. "He'll call once Nico forces him to later."

"Alright." I'm glad to know that she is fine and not totally suffering at Taiga's side. 

Taiga is probably thinking I'm to no good right now. He probably knew that I was dating Parad just like Hiiro did. They're both pretty dang smart. Not that Emu isn't smart, but he's trusting and very caring. Taiga just doesn't trust me.

"Emu, go and do rounds. Elkie, I'll watch you," Hiiro orders, acting like a total boss. Not like he should be acting that way. Just because he's right doesn't mean he should act it.

"Emu..." I can't believe he's going to work Emu to death.

"I'll see you later, okay? Bye..." Emu pouts. I feel so bad for him.

Great. I'm stuck with Hiiro and Poppy yet again down in the CR. I was enjoying some quality time with my best friend.