Inequality

Chapter 37 – Listen

Akari flitted back to the laboratory, planning to destroy the main PC like she had planned, although that plan did get thrown off thanks to her horrible sense of direction. But, can you blame her? She was trapped in a dungeon for four years of her life and she's never seen the place to begin with, so of course the most logical thing was to kill everyone off and then wander around the place when it was safe.

However, of all people to run into, Akari was hoping she wouldn't run into Dongjun. As soon as the two entered the same room, her crystal and his matching one resonated strongly and he turned around swiftly to see her and she shook her head and he stood there, rooted to the ground. Akari walked up to him first and gently placed a hand on his cheek as Dongjun shifted out of his Awakening for just a moment.

“Don't.” Please. Dongjun leaned into her warmth and he gently pulled her close, and embraced her. He saw, and felt, the ears on the top of her head twitch slightly and he mumbled, “What am I supposed to do if I lose you?”

“I'll be back... I promise.” She mumbled against him. Dongjun shook his head and his embrace on her tightened and he mumbled, “Akari... Please.”

Her arms gently wrapped around his neck and she leaned into his warmth and she whispered against his ear, “I'm sorry... but please believe me when I'm telling you I'll come back.”

He pulled away and he asked, “Can I?”

Akari hesitated and he mumbled, “Still? It's Jongdae isn't it?”

She looked away and Dongjun gently tilted her head towards him and he softly whispered, “Hey, don't look like that, it's not like I feel betrayed or anything.”

“How can you say that..?”

Dongjun chuckled and he mumbled, “You're worrying over the wrong things.”

She shook her head and he sighed. He decided it was best to drop this subject and instead, Dongjun mumbled, “Hey, what will happen to me? What are your plans regarding me?”

Akari looked up and she softly replied, “I'll save you.”

Dongjun's eyes widened and she mumbled, “Dongjun, you know I love you right?”

He tensed, not once had the two of them ever spoken those three words and he nodded slowly and she asked, “Please... let me hear it at least once.”

Dongjun's eyes connected with hers and he softly breathed out, “I love you.”

Akari leaned forward and gently kissed him, the shock for him was immediate and it took him a minute to register what exactly happened. And when he finally did, he felt it, that same experience as when she first took away his overflowing lightning element and she broke it off and she smiled and, to his horror, Dongjun finally realized what she did and he almost shouted, “Are you insane?!”

Akari gently pushed him away and she smiled, “I'll be fine. I'm Mizuhara Akari, the human weapon of mass destruction, remember?”

The soft smile on her face was evident and her wings wrapped around her and that familiar flash of light was there again and when he opened his eyes, she was gone and he sighed. I love you so much, you don't even understand Akari...

*****
 

“Hyung, did you-”

“Yeah.” He placed a hand over his heart and he mumbled, “She really did get rid of it.”

Jungkook's eyes widened and he asked, “Then..?”

“She's carrying the burden all by herself. What is she? Stupid? That pabo...” Dongjun muttered. There were unshed tears glistening in his eyes and he mumbled, “God damn it, she even placed a teleportation tag on me.”

Dongjun looked over, his eyes scanning for the familiar tag aura that he could feel all around the building, and he mumbled, “But you're still untouched Jungkook.”

“I am?” the younger responded in confusion. Dongjun nodded and he mumbled, “I don't know what she's planning to do.”

“None of us do,” Jungkook responded and he looked down, “Do you really think she'll come back? What she's planning to do... she could possibly die from it.”

“Not possibly, she most likely will. Absorbing everyone's powers in the entire world? It's feasible.. for her, but it's risky. I've mentioned it before... the ability itself wants to naturally absorb everything around her, but because she doesn't allow it, she's hindering it.. if she actually let's that loose.”

“What about your charm hyung?” Jungkook asked. Dongjun looked away and he mumbled, “I don't know.”

He closed his eyes and he mumbled, “I don't know what she'll do.”

*****

Tao lost Chen within five minutes after they left the original group and he ran around aimlessly, dodging or leaving the opponent numb after pinpointing their nerves and Tao mumbled, “Stupid hyung, leaving me alone.”

It wasn't until Tao ran into a dead end that he paused. So... what do I do now? Turn around and make my way back to the front entrance, or do I attempt to break through this door that seems to be almost impossible to break through considering my power isn't even an offensive one?

Tao frowned and he mumbled, “I can try to pick lock it.”

Why do I even bother...? Tao paused and he recalled Kris' words, 'Be certain about your feelings' . . . I don't know how I feel about her. Tao admitted to himself. Every time I see her with Chen or Dongjun, I don't feel jealousy, but rather... Tao thought back to his time spent watching her effortlessly fighting, the grace, elegance, and even her fighting style and he mumbled, “I never like her... I looked up to her.” Then why was I so irritated at Dongjun? Was it because I felt like he was looking down on her...? Tao sighed, I'll deal with this after this whole mess is over.

He approached the door, but his gut feeling told him to step back and right when he did, he heard it before it actually exploded and he jumped back, avoiding the flying debris caused by the explosion. There were a few body pieces – arms, legs, hands – that came flying past him and Tao dodged them effortlessly and when the dust finally cleared, he came face to face with Akari who blinked in return and she frowned at him.

Tao felt his heart skip a beat and he mumbled, “I'm sorry, I really am.”

Akari heard it, if the twitch of her fluffy ears were of any indication and she nodded before turning away. However, Tao decided to confront her and he called her back, making her wait. Her eyes flickered momentarily and behind that steely gaze, Tao could see the fondness and he asked, “Do you hate me?”

“No.”

Tao felt his shoulders become lighter. He let out a small breath of relief as he closed his eyes, but the moment he opened them, Akari was right in front of him and she whispered, “Listen to me Tao.”

He nodded and she mumbled, “The feelings that you have for me are admiration... Nothing more, nothing less. You've come to realize that right?”

As soon as her words hit him, Tao nodded at the truth behind it and he mumbled, “I'm sorry.”

“Don't apologize when you have nothing to apologize for.” Akari said, a small smile played at her lips and she lightly tapped his cheek and she mumbled, “Go find Luhan and Lay, you're done with this area. It's been thoroughly destroyed.”

“But-” Tao looked up, and she was gone and all that was left was the wind and dust and he sighed, “Are you really going to just leave us like this... Akari?”