Dream Star

"Pfft. What are we doing in a time like this?" indeed they really are acting like fools. Kiryu continued, "I won"t ask you to talk about anything now. But, since we will be stuck with each other for a while, we might as well chat," Kiryu said, his lips curve to a smile.

"Alright."

But somehow isn"t this embarra.s.sing? What are they doing flirting like a new couple amid danger. . Haruka, she wonders if he got hurt. Kasumi-chan can most likely take care of herself, and she will defend Mikami. But Haruka is unstable if the enemy finds him -- Lila shook her head, she can"t think negatively now. Her thoughts break off when she saw Kiryu pull out a cigarette and his lighter. Oh. ..he still uses the same brand.

Lila suddenly felt his hand on her forehead, her eyes widened at the contact of his hand on her head, "So warm, so comfortable," really nothing has changed between them.

"You sure you"re okay? I brought some medicine with me, but I"m not sure if it will help. I thought that just in case an emergency happens I ought to bring some, so I raided the old man"s medicine cabinet."

Her sweatdropped, she"s pretty sure that he will be furious when he finds out. Kiryu placed his bag in front of her and rummaged inside. He took a few bottles out, "Medicine still isn"t my strong point, but I picked the ones with labels so ..."

Lila picked some familiar bottles up, "Ah...I"ll take these..."

" Alright, I have some water somewhere... "

How odd. It"s almost as though he remembers what medicine Eitsan used to give her. Nearly all of these are things she used to use after all. Kiryu, she wonders exactly how strongly he"s been thinking of her and how did he react when he found out that she"s been living with Haruka?

As she thought these things, Kiryu hands her the bottle and brings it to her lips, "Let me help you."

"Okay."

It really is strange. He"s really changed. He was reliable then too. But there"s something different now. "Kiryu, did anyone confess to you?"

Kiryu deeply sighed, "She asks that so easily."

"Sorry, but the way you are now I wouldn"t be surprised if loads of girls fell for you."

"I won"t deny that there have been a lot more stares. However, your the only one for me, so it doesn"t matter," Kiryu said.

Her cheeks flushed red at his words, and she looked away. Their both adults now so blus.h.i.+ng like a school girl ought to be a no. Yet. ...Kiryu has always had this effect on her. His feelings for her. When he held her in his arms, Lila could tell right away. How deep his feelings for her are. It really is embarra.s.sing. Being loved so deeply for so long. They aren"t children anymore, so such naive and pure feelings should have disappeared already. Overtime such pureness ought to have vanished; and yet, even now Kiryu is showering her with so much affection.

Lila suddenly felt Kiryu"s head rest on her shoulder, she blinks. "Are you tired, Kiryu? "

"Yeah. I was running around half the world searching for a certain somebody, " he was saying it normally and yet. ...

"I"m sorry. "

"Are you really? I wonder what"s going to happen when we get out of this tunnel. Will you return to Haruka and leave me again?" Kiryu trailed off, "But then again, why would you want to be with a person like me? With my tainted hands."

Ah ⁠— so what she saw when she sucked his blood really must have been --. He looks so guilty, so ashamed. Indeed it was painful for her to see that and yet, she understands. Sumire shakes her head.

"You"re not to blame Kiryu. Your not. I drove you to a corner; I"m so sorry," it was futile to apologize and stupid of her. After everything she did to him, how could things change with just a simple apology? The damage has been done already. Nothing will return to how they were before

"Don"t cry, Lila. I said we wouldn"t talk about this now and yet here I am breaking my words. Lila, I want to know one thing. Do you still love me? "

" If you leave him and remain with me.
I can negotiate with her.
Him attacking us is merely a warning.
But he has no power over me once I"m serious.
If I do, under the condition you remain with me.
Austin Kiryu"s life will be spared."

She has to lie again; she"s sorry, Kiryu.

"I hate you, Kiryu... After I thought it through, I couldn"t understand why you left me alone for so long. Haruka was always there beside me and yet I couldn"t say anything," the words quickly came out of her mouth, like she had done this before.

Ah, what is she saying? He"s going to see right through her. He"s always had the ability to do so after all.

"I hate you. That"s why... I"m sorry you had to come all this way, but please leave me alone."

Kiryu only responded with a deep sigh, "You are stubborn, and a terrible liar. You"re also reckless and a huge idiot."

"Wh--"

"I really am angry at you. But I can never hate you; it"s weird, huh. I must be an even bigger idiot to love you this much even if you are telling the truth. Why do you look like your about to cry?" He noticed, of course, he did. Kiryu continued, "I love your smile. I can tell right away if it"s fake or not. How long do you think I have known you? You can"t play dumb with me. The enemy probably made some demands using my life as a bargaining chip. That"s the only explanation that makes sense."

"No, I ⁠—," She needs to deny it. She has to.

"Just be quiet." he silenced her and pulled her into his arms. Noticing that he was trembling, the tears desperately spilled from her eyes. It"s no good. She can"t pull away from him. Even though she has to, "I felt like I was going to die, being apart from you. That day you just decided to sacrifice yourself. Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?"

"But, I didn"t want to see you cry..."

Kiryu shook his head, "I"m so glad I caught up with you then, but it still left a bitter feeling knowing you wouldn"t even let me see you off. You understand nothing, huh? If you just disappeared, it would hurt me more. What if you died somewhere in a place where I didn"t know? A place where you"d be by yourself, I wouldn"t be able to live with it.

"No, . ..let me go please," Lila struggled to break free from his hold. But it was becoming increasingly difficult for her.

Please let her go. Please don"t say anymore. She doesn"t need to hear it. She doesn"t need to know how much he loves her. ...

"Didn"t I tell you to be quiet? Just listen to what I have to say. I won"t die, no matter what happens. And you"re not running from me again, no matter what. Didn"t we make a vow, " till death do us apart?" Didn"t we swear that we would share each other"s burdens? You broke the promise far too early if you ask me. It seems like I"ll have to treat you like I do Shougo. "

She never expected to hear words like that come from Kiryu"s mouth. She tried to search for a retort back but found none, "T⁠—there"s no other way. .. This journey was to give Haruka a peace of mind, that even if everyone forgets. I will still remember, I"d return his feelings. And yet, when the enemy slowly began to make their moves. I . . I couldn"t ignore it. I started showing myself often, gave out hints. Because I didn"t want anyone to die, I couldn"t bear it if you died Kiryu, so---this was the only way."

The increased missions from Soichiro.

The showing up to practices late.

It was all because she was taking action secretly.

Yes, that"s right. The only reason why she went to Soichiro in the first place was because she had known about Zane. She had known that he would eventually make his move. That"s why she went to Soichiro, knowing that he would be able to do something even if it meant giving up her body and soul to another person.

"There are a lot of options. Besides, you said we"d try to find a way together. That during the most difficult times, we would think about it together. "I"m not alone" you"re the one who made me realize that. That I have you, and others who care about me. The same goes for you. Even if they"d kill me if you didn"t obey, I"d just die if you sacrificed yourself. Don"t you understand already? Geez, give me a break already. If you"re going to make me suffer this much, then it would be better to die together."

"No !!!" she exclaimed. " No. . . I... can"t die with you Kiryu, I....promised Haruka that I"d die with him. That I"d fall into h.e.l.l with him," she trailed off, "But lately things have been so awkward between us. I started to go crazy, after all. I couldn"t sing anymore and music, music became a painful subject to me. But whenever I heard mother"s singing, whenever I heard your songs - whenever you held me I felt at ease. I felt so calm. Even now during this situation...I just want to get close to you," her mind was a complete mess. Lila didn"t know what was going on anymore.

Kiryu however suddenly pulled her back, "I think, I understand," he muttered.

Lila looked at him embarra.s.sed, that"s it? After she said all that? Exactly what does he understand? Even she didn"t understand what she was saying to him just now? Rather just now, did she really say all that to him? A flush of red creeps into her cheeks and she hid her face with her hands. "She finally told him, the words she held back this whole time."

_____
- Club -

Rosalia was livid when her guards finally said they found Kiryu. She was proceeding to make her way to get him when she saw the sight on the surveillance camera. She heard every single word exchanged by the two. She clenched her fists, "That dammed woman," Rosalia thought. Even now, that woman dares to stand in her way. Rosalia looked at Kiryu on the screen who was looking away embarra.s.sed after Lila just said her honest feelings. Why? Why? Why does he do this to her?

No matter how much she repeated it in her head, Rosalia could not come up with an answer. She is so much better than that woman, so how come?!

"Send for Karas.h.i.+ma, tell him I want to see him."

If Lila wants to play this the hard way, then so be it.