I'm sorry for the long update I was really stocked up with school assignments and whatnot...
Also, yesterday was my b'day, yay~ :'D *
To be honest, I've been feeling kinda paranoid. I kept thinking like "What if they don't like this?" "What if they think they wasted their time reading this?", that's also why it took this long to update the chapter ._. Even though I finished writing this chapter around 3 days earlier...
Anyhow... Please enjoy. Those two cuties Minako & Junpei finally took a little step forward, lol.
~Chapter 4: Don't Let Me Hold You Back~
...
"Ngh..."
A certain man with a cap of Magician Arcana opened his eyes. His vision hadn't fully come back yet; still a bit blurry. But he was certain, he was in a place he didn't recognize. In fact, he didn't think there would be any place like it in the world; at least on Earth.
"...Where is this?" Junpei looked around. It was all white, and he didn't see anyone else but himself. "Am I in heaven? ...Am I dead?" Junpei asked himself.
"No you aren't."
Junpei got a sting on his body after hearing the soft voice. "...T-that voice... I-I know that voice..!" Junpei thought to himself.
"W-where are you?! Show yourself, please!" Junpei looked around, desperately searching for the source of the voice. It was the voice he dreamed about a lot, and a voice he missed deeply "...Chidori!"
"...I'm always with you, Junpei... I'm watching you wherever you go..." The voice answered. As if it was the other self of Pharos who "occupied" Junpei instead of Minako. "As long as you don't forget about me, this little piece of me will stay in your mind... in your heart, Junpei."
"...In my... heart...?" Junpei whispered softly.
"I can only show you myself for a very short while..." The voice exclaimed.
Suddenly, a silhouette appear before Junpei. It certainly was Chidori's silhouette, even though Junpei was having a hard time to see. It was wearing Chidori's signature gothic lolita dress, and a headdress which was shaped like a small sword just pierced through its head. Junpei was extremely shocked, tears of happiness gathered up on his round eyes.
"C-Chidori!" Junpei tried to stand up, wanting to run to Chidori and embrace her tightly. But he ended up falling on his knees, feeling his body so weak... so fragile... Junpei was confused and pissed by his own body. He had never been this physically unfit like this. "S-shit...! W-why can't I stand up?!"
"Junpei... In the real world, presently you are badly injured. It's normal that you couldn't don't have your usual energy right now." Chidori said. "Your close friend is currently taking great care of you..."
"Real world...? Injured...? Close friend...?" Junpei was confused by Chidori's words. It seemed that Junpei remembered nothing before he was here. Not only his vision was blurry-his memory also. "I don't... really get it..."
"This place is merely a fragment of your desire. You could say this is real, but you could also say this is not..." Chidori said. "A certain occurence which took place a few days ago, made you have to endure pain both physically and mentally. Your effort to bring your loved one to safety, will make you realize what it is actually, that you feel about her... slowly, yet steady."
Junpei just stared at Chidori. It's obvious that he didn't get anything she said. But Junpei was trying his best to understand every word Chidori just said. It was an extremely rare moment anyway... Talking to Chidori like this, even though it's basically just a silhouette. He didn't want to waste this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Chidori chuckled by Junpei's plainness. "I know you probably have lots of questions you need to ask... But..." Chidori approached Junpei. "Junpei, it's already time for me to go..."
Junpei widened his eyes. "W-what...? N-no...! Don't disappear! ...P-please!" Junpei pleaded Chidori. "Don't... Don't go just yet!"
Chidori caressed Junpei's cheeks "Just remember, Junpei... I'm always with you..." Chidori kissed Junpei's forehead. "And remember that... You have to move on... Don't let me get in your way. You already gave me... enough happiness back when I was still alive." Chidori embraced Junpei tightly.
"Chi-Chido-"
...
"...Huh...? Why... Why does this seem... so familiar...?" Junpei thought to himself.
An image of Minako appeared on Junpei's mind. She was smiling affectionately, a little bit motherly. She looked... so beautiful...
"...M-Minako...? Why...?" Junpei unconsciously made a frown. "I don't understand..."
...
"...Chidori..."
"I love you, Junpei... Your close friend does, too." Chidori smiled. "You have to make her happy, okay? She had already done so much for you. I'll see you again when it's time..."
"C-Chidori, I..." A tear dripped from Junpei's face. "I love you... too..."
Chidori closed her eyes and smiled beautifully. "Goodbye, Junpei... I'll be leaving you in your friend's care..." Chidori landed a soft kiss on Junpei's lips. "I'm sure... She could bring back the happiness you once had, and relieve all the pain you're having..." Chidori said her last words and disappeared. Leaving the empty white space to utter silence, once again.
...
Junpei's tears just keep coming out, but Junpei couldn't do nor say anything. He just sat there... in nothingness, feeling lonely and confused, all alone; not knowing where he was. And once again; parting ways with the love of his life.
...
Suddenly he heard faint voices...
"Arisato... How is he?" Mitsuru asked concernedly.
"He's still unconscious..." Minako said, sadly. "I've treated the wounds, though... He would most probably not be able to go to Tartarus for a while..." Minako said while sitting on the room's floor. She had to tidy up Junpei's room first before. It was so messy that it's hard to just walk around the room.
"I see..." Mitsuru nodded. "Don't push yourself too hard. Your health is also a vital thing to concern about."
"Yes... Thank you, Mitsuru-senpai." Minako thanked Mitsuru with a sad smile.
Mitsuru just smiled and left the room. Slowly closing the door; not wanting to ruin the silent atmosphere.
Minako stared at the bandaged, unconscious Junpei. Holding his hand softly, and rubbed it on her cheeks. "Jun... I'm sorry..." Minako tried so hard to hold her tears. "I couldn't do anything more than this... So please... stay with me... stay with us..."
Minako stayed beside Junpei for a long time, still holding his hand. Eventually, Minako fell asleep on the floor, resting her head on Junpei's bed, sniffing Junpei's bedsheet. "It smells...like Junpei..."
Meanwhile, on the lounge...
The team gathered on the sofa, but none of them said a word. This was their second awfully silent moment. Their first was when they were in Yakushima, just when Mitsuru's father revealed all the painful truths about the shadows. Not to mention the drama right after the painful speech.
The sorrowful aura kept surrounding them... Until Yukari broke the silence.
"...I can't believe we didn't notice what happened to Minako earlier..." Yukari said, felt like she's about to cry. "Junpei's the only one conscious about Minako... And he dealt with those thugs by himself..."
"I... I feel so guilty and bad to Minako-chan and Junpei-kun..." Fuuka said softly, sounding depressed. "It feels like I'm the one who made those wounds on Junpei-kun, for not giving a hand to him..."
"We let that Junpei hurt himself to save our leader..." Akihiko made a disappointed face. "Shit! If I knew something like that happened, I'd have helped him in no time! I feel so unreliable... As a senpai and the member of the team..."
"...Perhaps... We put our faith to Arisato a little bit too much..." Mitsuru closed her eyes. "As perfect as she is, she's still a normal human. We should've provided support for her... Moreover, we also made Iori suffer because of our recklessness..."
"Minako-san... Junpei-san..." Ken lowered his head. "I'm sorry... I was in no use as your comrade..."
"I... I ignored my duty to always protect and be with Minako-san... I once again did a severe sin to Minako-san..." Aegis said, feeling incredibly guilty. "And I let Junpei-san get injured, also..."
"*whine..." Koromaru whined and laid down on the floor.
The lounge was filled with heavy atmosphere. All of them feeling down and blue, by a certain event that just happened. They thought Junpei was worrying too much; they thought Minako could overcome anything. But they were all wrong... What just happened to Minako was normal. It could happen to anyone; not to mention she was a female, main victims of things such as those.
The feeling of guiltiness surrounded them...
...What is this light...?
...Ng? Someone's beside me...
...
"...Mina...?"
Minako opened her eyes suddenly, after hearing Junpei's little voice. "J-Junpei...? Are you awake...?" Minako held Junpei's hand tighter and stared intently at Junpei's tired face.
Junpei turned his head to Minako. He didn't look anything like the noisy-ass Junpei, instead, he looked more like Akinari back then. "...What happened? Where...am I?"
Minako bursted into tears. "I...I'm sorry, Jun...!" Minako hid her face on Junpei's hand. Junpei could feel the fresh tears on his hand. "I... I made you like this... I'm sorry..."
"Minako...? ...Why are you crying all of a sudden...?" Junpei moved his hand to wipe Minako's tears. "Don't cry... I don't like your crying face. Put on that cute smiling face of yours for me." Junpei put on a seemingly weak grin, trying to comfort Minako. "...What actually happened?"
Minako blushed and sobbed, trying to stop her crying. "You... How could you still kid around when you're hurt like this?" Minako giggled a little, still with teary eyes, amused by her close friend. "You were unconscious for three whole days... I was so worried... The others were, too..." Minako sniffed. "Because you saved me from the thugs the other day, you got lots of wounds and you fainted..."
"Eh...? I did...?" Junpei tried to recap the situation him and Minako were in, by combining all the info Minako told him.
...
I was... In a dark place... Looking for someone...
...Minako?
...Why is she roped? Who are those guys?
...!
"OH!" Junpei widened his eyes. "I-I remember all of it now!"
Minako stared at Junpei, a little bit confused. Junpei then looked at Minako with a grin. "Minako! I'm so glad you're just fine!" Junpei put Minako in his arms without realizing what he was doing. "You really scared the heck out of me, Mina... Don't make me worry like that anymore... You already made me worry once when there were those photos of yours all around school..."
Minako blushed by the sudden mood change. "U-um... S-Sorry, Jun... I won't..." Minako was really happy her love-interest was actually worried about her. "Thank you..."
Junpei grinned. "No problem. It didn't feel right without you around anyway, Mina..." Junpei seemed a little embarrassed.
"O-oh yeah...!" Junpei suddenly grabbed Minako's shoulders. "W-what happened after that? D-Did we get into an empty white place out of nowhere or something?!" Junpei desperately asked Minako.
"White... Place?" Minako was even more confused.
"Y-yeah! I-I saw Chidori there and-" Junpei stopped blabbering after he saw Minako's confused face; also the fact that Chidori had died... "It was just a dream... Was it?" Junpei felt both disappointed and depressed.
Minako looked at Junpei concernedly. "Did you meet Chidori in your dream?"
"Guess I did... I was in this weird place where there were nothing but white, but then Chidori came and... We had a talk..." Junpei looked down, seemed to have lost in his thought. "It seemed... So real..."
"I see..." Minako nods. "What did she say?"
"She said as long as I remember her, she won't leave me alone..." Junpei put his hand on his chest and made a face seemingly sad. "She said she'll be here..."
Minako smiled. "Isn't that good? That must mean Chidori loved you a lot, Jun."
"Maybe you're right..." Junpei nodded. "Still... It's just really depressing, you know? She only appeared for a minute... And she left me behind again..." Junpei frowned. "But I guess... Seeing her once again, even for just a minute and it was all blurry, I'm grateful enough." Junpei grinned.
Minako smiled gladly. "I'm happy for you, Jun."
Junpei smiled at Minako. "Yeah... Oh yeah, I don't know why but... In that weird place, somewhat... you got into my mind." Junpei's cheeks turned a little rosy.
Minako flushed. "Me...? Why me?" Minako asked.
"I-I don't know..." Junpei looked a bit aside. "After Chidori started to touch me... It... Strangely reminded me of you..." Junpei said, a little bit embarrassed. "It's definitely not because you two look alike. You two are obviously different, 180 degrees."
"Everybody knows that." Minako replied with a little grin. "Still... I wonder why I was there..."
"I have no idea..." Junpei went red. "Probably... I just... " Junpei scratched his bandaged cheek. "...Enjoyed your company so much... That you got into this head of mine..."
"Junpei..." Minako listened to Junpei carefully.
"She said she'll be leaving me in your care... She told me to take care of you also. Because you have given me so much already..." Junpei looked at Minako. "Since Chidori's death, no one had been taking care-forget taking care and stuff, no one even tried that much to just plain talk to me." Junpei forced a grin.
Minako and Junpei eye-gazed each other. "It was... It was just you, Minako..." Junpei's face was heating up, his heart was beating slowly faster. "Maybe that's why... I kind of see Chidori's affection in you, Mina... I mean..."
"I-I'm sorry... To remind you about her..." Minako looked down. "It must have been hurtful whenever you talk to me..."
"No, it's not like that at all! It's the other way around, actually..." Junpei conviced Minako. "I just... felt really comfortable for a second, I could let Chidori leave my mind... I don't know whether it's a bad thing or not, but... I didn't want those times to end..." Junpei looked puzzled. "I mean, we have been on each other's side since long already... But lately, there's this feeling... Which I just can't explain..."
Minako felt really guilty. She felt like she's messing up Junpei's mind; like stealing him slowly from Chidori. "You know, Jun... If it's like that, then maybe... we shouldn't talk for a while..." Minako said, with a sad smile. Minako stood up and walked slowly to the door. "I'll be leaving now. Have a good-"
Junpei grabbed Minako's hand and pulled her to his embrace. "N-No... NO! Don't... Don't leave me alone anymore! Please!" Tears started to form on Junpei's eyes. "Minako... I-I don't wanna lose you!"
"J-Junpei...?" Minako blushed but also felt confused.
"I don't wanna lose someone important to me anymore! Shit... I... I..." Junpei hugged Minako tighter. "I'm such a mess... Dammit... This feeling..."
"J-Junpei..." Minako closed her eyes. She felt her heart beating fastly.
"This weird feeling always acted up whenever you're not around, Mina..." Junpei put his head on Minako's shoulders. "I'm scared... probably; of losing you-of losing someone I care about damn much..."
"Junpei... I'm not leaving you-I'm never leaving you..." Minako hugged the tall guy back, caressing his back. "You're that important to me, that I'd spend the whole day just being with you, Jun..." Minako flushed.
"M-Minako..." Junpei felt his face really heating up. "W-why... Why do you keep sticking up with a guy like me...? Why do you make me feel like this...?" Junpei said with a blush but also a frown on his face, louder than his usual tone. "Yet now... When I'm this close to you..." Junpei's breath was heavy. "M-My heart is... pumping faster than usual... What... What is this...? This feels... really weird..."
"I feel... the same, Junpei..." Minako gulped. "Whenever you're so close to me like this..." Minako blushed. "My heart feels like it's going to pop any moment..."
"T-then what should I do...? I-I don't want you to leave me but... I can't help this feeling I'm having whenever I'm near you..." Junpei looked confused.
"...Wait... Isn't this similar...?" Junpei thought to himself. "That one time when Chidori felt different when I paid her a visit to the hospital... Is this... How she felt back then...?"
"Do you want me... To keep some distance from you, Jun?" Minako asked concernedly.
"You don't need to, really... Maybe... I just need some time to figure out this thing..." Junpei tried to ease Minako's worry. He didn't want to be a burden to Minako even more.
"If that's so then... I understand." Minako nodded. "But... can we... stay like this for a little while longer?" Minako blushed, hugging Junpei even tighter.
Junpei widened his eyes and flushed. "E-eh? Um... Sure, haha..." Junpei hugged Minako tighter also, resting Minako's head on his chest.
Minako leaned closer to Junpei. "Jun... I could feel your heart thumping louder and faster..." Minako said as she pressed her ear to Junpei's left chest. "Are you uncomfortable, being like this...?"
"Uh no, no... I-It's not like that at all." Junpei stuttered. "I'm just nervous... maybe... Being so close to a girl like this... And it's you of all people..."
"Would it be the same... if it's not me?" Minako asked.
"W-well... To be honest, I think I'd get all nervous like this also..." Junpei said, embarrassed. "Though I probably won't let this position stay this long if it's not you. It just... feels unnatural, you know? But with you, it just seems to happen on its own..."
Minako smiled. "I'm glad..." Minako cuddled Junpei. "I'm really happy you said that, you know... You gave me more hope, more reason to desire..."
"Hope? Desire?" Junpei raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Mina?"
Minako giggled. "It's nothing..." Minako let her eyes gaze to Junpei's eyes. Staring at him with such affection. Junpei gazed back, feeling a whole lot more nervous. "Jun..."
"Y-yeah?" Junpei replied.
Minako half-consciously raised her head, and let her nose touch Junpei's. She was moving by herself, felt like she was possessed or something.
"M-Minako...?" Junpei could feel heat on his cheeks, even his ears, by the tiny distance of the two.
"Junpei... I..." Minako's eyes were half-opened. Her face was completely red. Her breath was heavy also. "I want you... Jun..."
"H-huh...?" Junpei could feel Minako's breath on his face. It made him somewhat... excited. "M-Minako..." Junpei's heart thumped fastly, making an expression no different to Minako.
Without them noticing, their faces slowly came closer. They unconsciously closed their eyes and let their foreheads touch each other. Their cheeks were burning with passion. They could feel the other's warm presence, enjoying the warmth of affection they both gave. Then slowly, slowly, their lips met.
They shared their first, and probably the most dramatic, awkward kiss together, alone, in Junpei's room.
Aww... :'3
The next chapter will be the last. I hope you will still be willing to read more.
I'm having a one-week weekend starting next Monday. So hopefully I'll update faster.
See you later~ :3
Reviews? :'3