Inequality

Chapter 31 – Decisions

She apologized. Chen sighed as he stared at the ceiling and he mumbled, “Maybe I rushed things.”

Akari sighed as she wandered aimlessly, the only places she's ever been to were the center building, Chen's house, Luhan's house, and the training fields. She sighed as she wandered around. She avoided Chen's house, for obvious reasons. She avoided Luhan's too, because she was scared that if she saw Tao she'd destroy him. The girl sighed and mumbled, “Everything's so messed up now.”

She sat down on the soft earth and she gently played with the soil around her. She gently swept her hand across it, and small sprouts began following the path of her hand and she smiled as she created a small patch of flowers around her. It reminds me of when I first got separated from Dongjun...

“Uwah! That's so pretty!” Akari cried out. Dongjun laughed and he said, “Isn't it? Kwanghee hyung gave it to me!”

“Who?” Akari asked. Her bright brown eyes blinked in confusion and Dongjun smiled, “He's someone in my unit.”

Akari frowned and mumbled, “I want to be in an unit..”

“You don't Akari-ah,” Dongjun said as he gently braided the flower into her hair and he said, “Kwanghee hyung said this kind of color for this flower is rare, and that I should give it to someone special.. so I'm giving it to you.”

Akari's eyes lit up brightly and she gently touched the soft petals of the flower and a beautiful smile lit up her face, “Thank you Dongjun oppa!”

Dongjun blushed and he sheepishly smiled, “You're welcome. You look even prettier with it.”

Her cheeks flushed adorably and she mumbled, “I don't see you as often anymore.”

“I know...” Dongjun gently held her hand and he said, “I miss you.”

She nodded and she entwined her fingers with his and she mumbled, “I'm always so tired without you around.”

“What do you mean?”

“There's nothing to do... and I don't feel like fighting.”

Dongjun blinked in surprise, Akari's lust for the battle field was always strong, regardless, but he hadn't noticed it until recently that she was no longer constantly sparring. She sighed and Dongjun asked, “How does … that one feel?”

“She hasn't talked to me, I think she's calm though.” Akari mumbled. Almost instinctively Akari gently reached for her shoulder, and the small flash of light appeared, the wings were tiny then, almost like cupid wings and she said, “She doesn't keep urging me to kill things like before.”

Dongjun nodded and he gently touched the wings, they curled towards him and he smiled, “You know, maybe that's a good thing.”

“Is it?” Akari asked softly. Her eyes looked worried and she mumbled, “Call me weak... but...”

Dongjun sat down beside her and he gently pulled her towards him and he whispered, “I wouldn't think less of you no matter what happens.”

“Even if I'm the reason everyone dies?”

Dongjun nodded and he mumbled, “Because I'm sure if you were given the choice, you would avoid that as much as possible.”

Akari lowered her head and leaned into his warmth and she mumbled, “I feel like... I'm causing something horrible.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you noticed how far away the guards are from me now...? It's like.. even the old comrades that used to guard me, they won't come near me, it's as though... It's as though I'm pushing them away even though I don't want to,” Akari sighed and mumbled, “Why am I only weak in front of you oppa?”

She snuggled against him, taking him by surprise and Dongjun chuckled, “That's because we know each other the best. To the point that there's no point in hiding things from each other.”

Akari glanced up at him and Dongjun pinched her nose softly, “Stop being so down. It's not like you.”

Akari laughed at the memory and she softly recreated the same flower from before and she mumbled, “Gomawo... Kwanghee oppa.” The flower rustled from the wind and she smiled as it flew away. She sighed and mumbled, “Chen... how was I supposed to answer you?”

“But you don't know how much you mean to me.”

Akari gently played with the small yellow daffodil that sprouted and she mumbled, “I don't... Because all my life it's been Dongjun.” But when he leaves, will you just choose Chen?

Akari blinked in surprise and she softly muttered, “Who knows.”

… You must choose at one point Master.

“I know.”

It's strange that you're not talking to me in your mind, but rather aloud... you grew soft, or crazier.

Akari let out a soft laugh and she said, “Being around the boys makes me realize how sweet peace and freedom is. Don't you like it, J? Not having to fight all the time?”

No. There was a scoff and Akari's smile dropped into a frown and J continued, The food you give me isn't enough.. especially with that one around. There was another sigh of frustration, Do you seriously not notice it?

Akari shook her head and she mumbled, “I do.” She lowered her head and she goes, “I know, they don't have to tell me.”

J seemed to noticed the turmoil and it whined, I don't want him to die as much as I dislike his host.

Akari shook her head, “We can always go with them.”

What are you? Crazy? THIS IS MY ONLY CHANCE AT LIFE AND YOU WANT ME TO DIE WITH YOU?

“Okay,” she laughed, “I can go with them.”

There was silence and it softly asked, You're lying.

Mizuhara Akari. When you became my host, I swore on my first breath that I would live and die with you, but that didn't mean that I was willing to take over your body once you left.

“It's my Absorption that's the problem.”

The Collapse..? Or whatever they called it?

Akari nodded and she mumbled, “You know.. I had this idea...”

You know, I never liked your ideas... and I'm starting to not like the sound of this idea either.

“It'll guarantee everyone's safety, and it can possibly end the war.”

End the war...? That's interesting. Hit me.

“It all hit me when I accidentally overheard their conversation the other day...”