The irony twitched my lips into an unintentional sneer.
“You’ve come to?”
I nodded. He rested his hand on me.
“That was most marvelous, Kon. Mashiro was a real treat, too.”
What did you do to her?! I tried to jump out of bed, but my body wouldn’t move. My voice lodged in my throat.
“Haha. Despair, Kon. Relentless torment and despair for the future filled me most satisfyingly. I must thank you.” He theatrically sighed at my killer glare. “It’s your fault, Kon. All because you try and try again to break our deal. This world won’t hold together if you refuse to stick one-hundred percent to the terms of our contract.” He dolefully shook his head. “I’m the source of the contract and equally bound to it, after all.”
He gently stroked my hair. “Five years to go. It’s a real shame we can’t play for more than five years.” He blinked those stunning blue eyes identical to Tobi’s. “The crimson prince has your divine protection and assistance. Sou’s little knight offers up her own form of protection. Now then, how will the game play out?” He chuckled, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
He looked lovingly down at me. “Oh, on another note, I’ve set the stage by summoning your precious lover here as well.”
Icy chills crawled up the length of my spine.
How dare you! I yelled at him in my thoughts. You promised me you wouldn’t involve him in this! He has nothing to do with our game!
The man smirked with Tobi’s flawless face. “It’s a temporary form, of course. Multiple contracts with people from the same world aren’t allowed, after all.”
I swore I’d never see him again. It doesn’t matter if he’s in this world. I’m not getting involved, I retorted in my thoughts.
“Do you really mean that? Could you truly say the same thing after seeing him in person?” He pushed his blond bangs off his face and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.
“You’re up?” Kou appeared from the hallway connecting my bedroom suite. Mashiro timidly popped her head out from behind him.
She looked whiter than a ghost. Her puffy red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks were painful to look at.
That wretched man… I’ll never forgive him.
Kou and Mashiro became horribly flustered when they saw me in pain, biting down on my bottom lip until the tooth drew blood.
“Lay down if you’re still in pain.”
“Listen to Mashiro. Don’t overdo it.”
“I’m not. I’m fine now.” The pain scorching my body from the inside out vanished as if it had never existed. “Sorry for worrying you.”
But it’s okay. It doesn’t matter how much pain we’re in. Both she and I are protected from “death” until the day we turn eighteen.
Mozart – Lacrimosa (English Lyrics)
Full of tears will be that day
When from the ashes shall arise
The guilty man to be judged;
Therefore spare him, O God,
Merciful Lord Jesus,
Grant them eternal rest.
Amen.
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
IT was almost noon by the time Kon woke up. Our lesson with Maestro Noboru didn’t start until 4 p.m. so I wanted to return home for a bit first, but Kon and Kou insisted I stay.
“But I don’t have my lesson bag or any of my stuff with me,” I protested.
“We can just leave earlier than usual and drop by your house on the way over, Mashiro. Okay?” Kon reasoned.
“Just do that, Mashiro.”
“O-Okay.”
The summer school lessons I had been so looking forward to came back to the forefront of my thoughts once I saw Kon looking like her usual self. The lesson doesn’t start until 1:30 p.m. If I make a mad dash for it now, I’ll be able to slip into the lesson only a little late.
“I really wanted to attend the summer school lessons at my school though,” I muttered.
Kou’s eyes went round. “Don’t tell me you—”
“I’m not failing anything,” I got out before he could finish the same sentence Kon tried to ask me earlier. “I’m not trying to brag, but failing a middle school test would be the same as forgetting how to breathe for me,” I retorted.
He’s the last person I want looking down on my intelligence!
Kou gave me a once-over, his eyebrow arched with suspicion. “Then why go to school during break?”
“B-Because…”
My motives were so impure, I hesitated to say them out loud. Not getting to see Tomoi even once during summer break is too much for me to bear! I want to see his face, just for a little bit. If only I didn’t have piano, I could’ve entered the badminton club he advises and seen him every day!
I was shocked by the direction my thoughts took. Something was seriously wrong with me, wanting to spend time with someone more than the piano.
I must’ve been blushing, because a beautiful smile blossomed on Kon’s face. Boy did she look amused and delighted as she shifted her gaze from me to Kou.
“Are you possibly meeting up with the guy you like at school? I sure feel bad for keeping you here if that’s the case.”
“N-No! I-I don’t like him like that—Anyways, it’s not what you think!”
I stood no chance against Kon. Could she see everything written on my face like an open book? Shaking my head back and forth as hard as I could, I averted my gaze from her. I shouldn’t have let myself be distracted by her though, because Kou closed the gap between us on the couch and caught my cheeks between his hands. He forced my face toward him and searched my eyes.
“Mashiro, is Kon right?” he questioned, his voice husky.
“I-I just said it’s not like that.”
“Aren’t you the one who said you won’t date till high school? What’s the big idea?”
I’m the one who wants to ask what the big idea here is!
“What’s the big deal, anyway? It’s not like you like me or anything. Or do you, Kou?” I came right out and asked him.
Don’t be stupid—was what I had expected him to say in return for my directness. Instead, Kou grimaced, dropped his gaze, then suddenly returned his eyes to mine and held it. A dark shadow fell over his violet eyes and his face twisted into a heart-wrenching expression. Despite knowing it was all an act, I couldn’t stop from being captivated by him.
“What if I said I do?”
There! It’s come! Our trademark mind games have begun. How many times must I tell him I won’t fall for his tricks for him to get it through his thick skull?!
“I can’t trust the words of someone who answers a question with a question!” I pried his hands from my face and jumped to my feet. Kon, who was watching over our word war with bated breath, loudly sighed and slumped back against the sofa.
I should go home after all. This isn’t the time to play with Kou. Missing out on today’s lesson means I won’t get to see Tomoi again for a while!
“Sorry, Kon. I’m going home.”
“Okay. I’ll have Nonaga drive you.”
Kon saw me to the door and handed me a cute, decorated lunch box. “Eat this for lunch.”
Kou looked irked as he stood beside Kon. His mouth was turned down in a nasty frown.
“See you later today. I’ll be waiting for you in front of the school gates,” I said to Kon, ignoring Kou.
“Sure. Good luck with your lessons. Thank you so much for today.”
Once I finished speaking with Kon, I faced Kou. Wordlessly, he waited for me to address him.
I should at least thank him for letting me lean on him and for helping me calm down. My panic attack went away because he held me without saying anything. This is the one time I’m legit thankful for him being good with women.
“Kou.”
“What?”
“Thanks. I’m glad you were here for me.”
“…No problem.” Kou’s eyes rounded as if surprised by what I said. The slight pink hue of his earlobes betrayed his indifferent response.
Oh my gosh! Is this some sorta trick to make me fall for the gap between the bashful him and the player egomaniac him?!
Scary! It’s insane how much effort he puts in! Girls haven’t been falling all over themselves for him since childhood for no reason!
Impressed by the detail he put into his womanizing skills, I waved goodbye and exited the lavish foyer.
I heard Kon giggling behind me.