“They’re here.”
Said Kralus. And they indeed were–Julian and Valentina. Once the light faded and their faces revealed, they both rushed at Aya and the rest, and Hisashi’s condition made them dumbstruck. Their sights got transfixed on the boy lying on the bed, for such horrifying it was even for them.
“Wait…did he have such a dramatic fight with Avalanche..?”
Asked Julian.
“No, actually these are old scars.”
Answered Lucy Brendtfore. This made their astonishment soar to another level, and Valentina couldn’t help but ask–
“Wh-what do you mean?...How old are they..?”
“From his childhood, ma’am. We had no idea he had such a dreadful life, yet he stood up for us, he protected us like our own big brother…”
Katsuro said as his throat still felt heavy, his voice beginning to shake. He found it hard to admit, and was also embarrassed to do so, but he was on the verge of submitting to tears. Valentina and Julian both had pity for the unconscious boy, as well as for Katsuro. However, Julian had more than just pity–he also was curious, more like, suspicious.
For sure his past didn’t seem peaceful…though I suspected before too, but this Kurogane boy…Yuuma, are you…?
Lucy clapped, shifting everyone’s attention to her.
“Let’s have a break and chill out from the gloominess, shall we? I see new faces today, so shouldn’t we have an introduction?”
Aya, Katsuro and Reiko introduced themselves as well as for Hisashi. Hearing their names, though, made Lucy a little taken aback, as she gazed unfocused at anything, pondering deep.
“You’re right on point, Lucy. We’ve got some fresh new otherworlders.”
Commented Kralus, and Lucy’s face manifested happiness as her eyes grew wide.
“Ahh it’s such a pleasure to meet you people!”
But in true sense she had hidden fright behind her smile, for now she turned to Julian, Valentina and Kralus and started whispering.
“Are you sure they aren’t violent or volatile? One otherworlder boy had already been sent back to Earth a few years ago, even three of the girls…Aren’t their punishment duration almost over?”
“Shush! Don’t talk about it now!”
Kralus whispered back. Julian and Valentina supported him by gestures as a troubled smile stood on their faces. But Aya, being sharp-minded even after all the bullying she had been through, had an awful mix-up on her mind. But she ignored her thought for it would’ve been too much of a coincidence. And that even was highly unlikely.
“Arrhem. Aa~nyways! How is he now? He’s been treated under one of the best nurses eh, so I believe he’s more than just fine hehe.”
Asked Julian, and Lucy’s cheeks bloomed red as she hastily buttoned up Hisashi’s shirt–
“Ah, ahaha, yes he’s fine now! He’s just fast asleep a-as you can see! Haha.”
Though Julian gave it a thought no more;
“Let’s head back then.”
He said. And everybody agreed.
**
Hours passed since, and it was night time on Brieztopia. Consciousness retreated to Hisashi as he slowly opened his eyes.
Uh…What…what is happening? Where am…I..?
He got up and sat on the bed, rubbed his eyes and had another scan of his surroundings. He was on the bed in his hostel room, bottom bunk, and Aya in slumber with her face devoured by remnants of tear stains, sitting on the ground and resting her head over him. Though she woke up from his rustling and gazed at him with sleepy eyes, those eyes which live but the life is lost; eyes which love but the love is lost.
“Nnn…eh? H-HISASHI!!”
Her lifeless eyes were as though reincarnated, and she teared up and plunged at him. She wrapped her arms around and brought him to a tight embrace, and began to sob all the while shaking.
“Wh-what took you s-so long?! *sob* I thought *sob*...I thought you would never come b-back again…*sob*”
Her lamenting surged to greater heights. Hisashi, on the other hand, felt guilty for he failed to accomplish his goal–he failed his duty to protect Aya. So he had no courage to show his face to her, he thought, but seeing how she weeped sorrowfully, how she cried in despair as streams of tears coursed down her lovely cheeks, he couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her too.
“It’s okay, now now, don’t cry Aya. See, I'm back better than ever, right? Everything will be all right.”
He patted on her head, as her sobbing slowly calmed down. A few minutes of silence passed like that, both of the two lovely children in each other's embrace, clung as if they were the only sturdy things in an imperious swaying world.
“By the way…”
–Asked Hisashi as he broke the silence;
“...how…did I get here?”
