Growing anxiety
The Snow Prince"Umika?"
Before Hikaru could dodge, Umika gave a tight slap on Hikaru's face.
"you lied!! you told me it was a protection charm! you didn't tell me it was a deadly curse! you used me against him"
Hikaru broke out in sarcastic laugh. "I assume he left? my job is done then"
"W-WHAT?!!do you know you're hurting him?!"
"oh so the curse works. that's even better."
"I HATE YOU!!!!"
"you hate me because of him?! someone who caused so many people's lives! I'm doing a social good by ridding him from this world."
"he's not an evil guy, Hikaru!!! he saved you too!"
"oh please... first of all, how could a killer, not be evil. even if he is forced by circumstances, a killer is a killer. and secondly, I owe him nothing for saving me. if it wasn't for him, All of us wouldn't even be in this crazy situation!"
"he's suffering because of us! it's all because of us!!!"
"you are worried for him, someone you only knew less than a few months, and you throw my three years love for you aside. I'm worried for you, can't you see!!!! I don't want you to get hurt!"
Hikaru isn't wrong. actually any normal person would have done that even for a friend. Ryosuke isn't like one of us, and Hikaru is right, he did kill people. all Hikaru did was to save me too.
"you're right... I have only myself to blame..." Umika lethargically walked towards the door after feeling the tiredness tonight kicking in. she has no courage to face anything for now...
"hold it! I'm not gonna sit back and watch you suffer too! you need to forget about that guy! couldn't you just look at me?!!!!" Hikaru grabbed Umika hard and push her to the sofa.
"Hikaru!!!" she panicked when Hikaru revealed the thirsty side of him that she hasn't seen. at this instance, she hoped Ryosuke would be here to save him. while Ryosuke's intimate acts only evoke subtle gentleness and comfort, Hikaru's caused Umika great distress and fear.
Hikaru violently forced his lips on hers. her eyes widened at his intrusive acts, but something bizarre happened. the view around her blurs into another setting, just like when Ryosuke showed her Mirai's past...
but this time the scene in front of her send chills down her spine as she experienced an enlightening truth of a deep dark secret that even the person in the picture didn't know.
the gruesome events of how a couple sacrificed their baby for their own lives and were still killed with their hearts extracted brutally. further, the shooting elements from the moon and stars that pierced through the baby were so beyond one's imagination!
that person is the snow Queen... and the baby she took in... he is ....
When Umika regained her senses, she pushed Hikaru with the strongest night she has.
"what's that?!!! how?!!! that vision!!!"
"U-Umika~"
"you saw it all the while and you didn't say?!!!!"
"that baby... is he who I think he is...?."
Hikaru looked nervous and deliberately avoided her eyes with the intention to conceal the truth from her...
"it's him... am I right? it must be!"
Umika recalled what Mirai said. "oracles capture the most important memories of its owner"
"those are Ryosuke's memories!!!!! he's not the Queen's child! he's just like us!!!" Umika realised that everything got off the wrong footing. he's just a normal being, and he has been deceived his whole life by the Queen so that he stays with her cause what she wants is the therapeutic powers that the moon and the stars grant him.
"Umika! listen! you don't wanna tell him this! tell him that his parents sacrificed him to save their own lives will plant more hatred in him... tell him his parents are killed in such tragic way, he'll seek revenge from the Queen and there's no way he'll win her. he'll only get himself killed! there's no good in letting him know this truth!"
Hikaru is right again. it'll only hurt him more. why do I feel so helpless! there's nothing other than hurt I'm giving him, but I enjoyed so much from him! Mirai...
"don't leave him alone..." Mirai's pleas rang through her mind again.This 'woke' Umika up and she knew exactly what she has to do ------- stay by his side!
"I'm sorry Hikaru! I'll do what my heart tells me to"
she ignored Hikaru's pleas and dashed out of his house, towards the forest.
*******
I opened my eyes with a slight headache from the aftermath of the seizure, but the pain was very much comforted by the view in front of me... the dozed-off Daiki beside me. his head swaying from left to right amuses me and temporarily ceases my pain.
he woke up when I tried to sit up.
"R-Ryosuke. how are you feeling? you have been in coma for 2 days"
"Daiki~" tears welled up in my eyes as I was touched by his subtle concern despite the horrific revelation about his past and how I played a crucial part of it.
"silly. wipe away those tears. I'm not used to seeing the weak Ryosuke."
Ryosuke did as he said. "you should be angry with me, hating me, wanting to seek revenge... but why did you come for me"
"I tried to be... but turned out, i realise I can't. regardless of the fact that my parents were killed by you, I didn't find the reason to hate you cause I've always seen you as my younger brother and the times spent with you for the past 20 years was the best part of my life."
"even though with all the darkness surrounding us and the danger posed?"
Daiki nodded and added "I'm even more sure Yuri has enjoyed the care and concern you showered on him... he just needs abit more time to cool down since he saw you killing his parents with his own eyes, I didn't.
"Yuri... is he alright?"
"er... i haven't seen him since you left... but he'll take care of himself... what you should worry about is yourself..."
"what's there to be worried about me?" I tried to suppress my emotions so as to not get him worried for me.
"ah, don't feign in front of me. you may fool Umika, but not me... "
"feign? I never." I'm totally acting dumb. Daiki knows me too well.
"you didn't hate her at all. you knew she wasn't the one. you obviously saw what the curse is capable of, so you deliberately pushed her away. Am I right Ryosuke?"
bingo. Daiki, as always, is spot on about my plans without me saying anything. but I'm not gonna give in entirely. I remained silent.
"silence means I'm right."
"I didnt say so"
"I don't wanna argue with you about Umika. I wanna talk about your conditions. you and I both know the severity of the curse on you. I saw the attack and it's at a late stage. you'll perish if you don't do anything about it."
I know. Daiki.
"there's nothing to be worried about."
"you know of a cure?"
"obviously. my mother. a curse worst than this can neutralize it, and only my mother can do it."
"that's 100% true right. you are not lying are you?"
"Why should I?"
"okay.. then lets go look for your mother now."
"wait...there's something I need to see to."
"what is more important than your health!"
"Daiki... just give me a while. there's someone I need to meet."
"I'll go with you."
"Daiki... I promise you I'll be fine. I need you to update me about Yuri."
"you better be safe." Daiki finally abided to my orders.
I walked towards the source of a calling, an enchanted calling that seemed to be performed by an amateur, a calling that can only be heard by the one it is meant for. but I knew exactly who called for me...
pacing up and down, just outside the forest was Yuto.... and Hikaru who stood stationary behind Yuto, staring into space.
(credit to uploader)Noticing my appearance, Yuto immediately threw his body over me, giving me quite a shock.
"aren't you afraid I kill you?"
he didn't answer, instead he said something that touched the bottom of my heart.
"Ryosuke... I still owe you an answer.... you're my friend... not foe!" he embraced me tightly and that actually made me feel comforted and fuzzy all over.
why is it, only at this time that I start getting more friends... I owe this to Umika. if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have known Yuto or Haruna. if only i had more time.
I pulled slightly apart and looked at Yuto in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Ryosuke! I really didnt mean to. I'll do my best to find a way to break this curse. I'm gonna look for my grandma, I'm gonna meet Haruna later to search the library too. I'm sure there's a solution to this"
"there's no need."
"NO! there are much more bad out there who deserve to die and those people aren't even dead. a good person like you shouldn't suffer from all these!"
"good? that's rare to hear someone describe me this way"
"you are! I know you are! the point is, you cannot die!"
"I've a way to break the curse, so you don't have to trouble yourself over this."
"really? you have? thank goodness... what method is it?"
"a stronger curse will neutralize the weaker one" I repeated what I said to Daiki.
"ah, that makes sense."
"Yuto, Thank you. Thanks for treating me as your friend."
"Ryosuke... don't lose the light in your life. don't slip into the darkness."
"I won't. anyway, could I speak to Hikaru in private"
Yuto looked at Hikaru in a worried expression as he knew I was aware of his involvement in setting up this curse and was afraid I'll seek revenge.
"Yuto, I'll like to speak with him too." Yuto was surprised at Hikaru's agreement to talk in private, and so he stepped away to allow us space.
"kill me if you want. I deserved it. I was too blinded by my stereotypical judgements and was not willing to look at you on a fresh perspective. I was too blinded by jealousy when Umika draws to you. my intention wasn't pure. I'm the bad one, not you. I'm sorry" Hikaru bowed and never lifted his head.
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"you are right. Devil-human love, seriously, who am I kidding. Umika will be much happier with you in the long term. I am hated by all the people I ever killed, I deserved to die. so what you did is what most heroes who have done. people like me don't deserve to live."
"actually, you're not a d-de~" I couldn't catch his murmur.
"what?"
"nothing..."
"how's Umika?"
"after she gave me a bad scolding, she ran off. she's avoiding my calls, but don't worry, I'll drop by her house later to check on her"
"please take care of her, Hikaru" I begged.
"you deliberately push her away right? you knew she was innocent"
"don't let her know. it'll be better this way.this barrier between us will always remain... this curse you suggested, really reminded me of our differences. ending it now will be better than later"
"thank you Ryosuke" Hikaru stretched out his hand to offer a buddy friendship shake and I reciprocated. "thank you too"
this leaves Yuto in amazement that 2 nemesis are joining hands.
"go back now. I'll be fine"
"okay, please take care. we'll look after Umika so don't worry." Yuto said
I gave them a subtle smile which require the suppression of tears and unbearable heartaches. i saw Yuto and Hikaru disappearing from his view and i returned to the forest.
I strolled along the forest as I trembled over the secret that I never told Daiki, Yuto and Hikaru....I see the attack of the curse getting stronger everytime, exactly how long will it be before the next one comes.
I was wrong... there are genuinely admirable human nature that one can learn from, it's not all evil. whereas the real evil that forces the jealousy and selfish behaviour from people, is us...the queen and I should extinct ourselves from this world, and perhaps the world will then be ridden from these negative energies.
it wouldn't take long for that to happen~
I clenched my fist and tightened my jaw as I walked down the road leading back to my fortress.Umika, sorry...I lied.
More problems are coming his way as Ryosuke strolled down the path, and never did he expect the end of the route to be so tough and lonely.
****
meanwhile, a horrific incident is occurring at the far end of the forest. death is slowly approaching the captives Suzuka and Miku as the Queen recalled that they are still alive. dragged into her fortress, Miku and Suzuka made their last struggle for survival...
"Miku, we'll both die... what are we going to do?" Suzuka cried while a powerful energy hung them in mid space, with their limbs stretched to the limits towards 4 corners.
"Suzuka~ I'm scared" Miku couldn't stop crying at the face of death. she tried to suppress her hopes for Yuri to save her, cause she remembered his promise that he'll sacrifice his life for her if required. although she's gonna die, she doesn't want her first love to die in place of her.
but her inner cries are too strong to be kept a secret. Yuri already sensed the danger she's in.
"Queen!!!" he dashed out in front of the 2 girls just at about the same time when the Queen was about to perform the transference ritual.
"please let them go... I'll do anything if you let them go."
"Yuri?!!! noo" Miku sensed his determination to fulfill his promise to her, and doing all she could to prevent this from happening. but it's too late. Yuri has made known to the Snow Queen of who his allegiance go to. in fact the queen has, for sometime, been very critical about Yuri and Daiki as it seemed the two have pledged full loyalty to her son and will not stop at anything to assist him. a rebellion could send her to death as she realised her son's growing abilities. she has since been waiting for a valid chance to wipe out his best companion of the 2 - Yuri, and this was the best opportunity she had.
"Yuri~ your sacrificial is applaudable.. if u say so..." the Queen lifted her hands and Yuri too was brought beside the 2 girls in the same way. the 3 now dangles in midair waiting for their death.
"let them go... please"
"no can do. Yuri, your sacrifice is redundant... but I'll take your noble offer anyway"
"You LIED!"
"correction. i didn't agree"
"I'm sorry, Miku... i thought i could save you..." Yuri looked at Miku with eyes full of remorse. Miku was overwhelmed with the gentleness from Yuri eve since they met, especially the times which made her heart throbbed fast.
(credit to uploader)"no, i should be the sorry one. Yuri, i wanted to tell you...since that day you told me your feelings, i was hesitant because i was unsure what the future lies ahead. but then, i want to tell you now... I LOVE YOU TOO!"
Tears welled up in both their eyes as their feelings become mutual. Suzuka found herself immersed in the romance that transpired between Yuri and Miku and realised how foolish she was when she almost killed her best friend Umika for jealousy. A sense of regret filled her soul. As the emotions overflowed among the 3, they were shocked by the Queen's behaviour, like as though she sensed something, and they all felt that something more serious is gonna happen.
"ah... such a brave girl..."
the three captives knew how this is unfolding. a new victim has walked into the lion's mouth, and it is out of her own will.
"i'll be back. i'll personally bring your friend over."
"OUR FRIEND?" Miku shivered as she heard and looked at Suzuka to reach a consensus.
"Umika?!" Suzuka screamed with fear that her friend is in deep trouble.
****
"Ryosuke!!!! where are you?!!!"
Umika felt the fatigue kicking in after searching continuously for 2 days straight, dodging the werewolves, while fighting the hunger. Her tears never stopped flowing. She looked everywhere she could, but still no sign of him. Despair sets in, but her strong will kept her going. She is determined to seek his forgiveness.
"look at what we've got here... a struggling little girl..."
Umika was startled by the voice from behind her. She turned around and saw what she feared most. The magnificent lady send chills down her spine as she walked closer. Umika's limbs gave way as she was too fearful to make another move. Any attempts to run would undeniably be futile.
"R-Ryosuke~" she hoped he would be there to save her from the predicament. who am i for him to rescue. i'm just someone who tried to kill him.
"My dear Ryosuke won't betray me the second time, so save your prayers..."
"Please....you can kill me if you want, you can do whatever to me, but please let Ryosuke off.. He doesn't belong here. He should be like everyone, smiling and living his life to the fullest"
"ah...so you know..."
"please, I beg you"
"you know, pretty girl... Whoever who knows of this secret has to die. I won't let him off..He is mine forever!" the Queen's eyes turned green with anger and she lifted her hand.
A bright glow emitted from Umika's pocket grew so blinding that it surrounds Umika like a ring of shield. A voice called out to her...a voice of her guardian angel. Umika, Run. I cannot hold her much longer.
Mirai?
GO!!!!!! Quick! Just remember your promise to me!
"WHAT IS THAT!" the Queen was stunned by the blinding light that blocked her attack. "DON'T THINK YOU CAN RUN AWAY FROM ME!"
Umika fumbled but picked up her pace and ran with all her remaining strength. She kept turning back and forth to make sure she maintained the distance between the Queen and her...She ran and ran, not knowing where exactly her end point is. The glow from the oracle dimmed and her heart beats even faster. She tripped over branches and those protuding branches tore the sleeves of her clothes.
"Helpp... please helppp!" she cried as she felt the Queen's presence closing in on her...
*crashed.
She ran into someone, but is unwilling to look. She is so frightened that she only buried herself in his chest....a warm pair of hands enclosed her into an embrace, but she was so frightened, so traumatised to notice the other guardian angel looking after her..
*******
I hope to hear your thoughts...:) please give me your comments. And click subscibe or share the story if you liked it. As this story approaches the end, my heart grew heavier as i typed. i could imagine the scenes running in my head. all the characters are having a hard time as the story reaches its .
"brace yourself, we'll walk towards the end together..." i think that's what Ryosuke, the Snow Prince, hoped to say.
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