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Little Aoba was crying while sitting on the swings, waiting for tae to come for him, but she was running late, but he wasn't alone, kojaku was there too, who was pushing the swing, but stopped " everything will be fine, your grandmothers coming back, her works just running a little late that's all"

" I know that but..." aoba chocked up from crying "don't cry okay" Kojaku assured

" I'm not!" Aoba denied " Huh?"

" I'm not crying...." they noticed the tears, Which Kojaku laughs " your crying like a baby"

" I said I'm not crying!" Aoba turned around angry

" okay! Okay!" Kojaku stopped " your not crying" he said " fair enough?"

"Huh?" At first aoba was pouting but when he said that, he got confused "Don't loose aoba, When your lonely or sad, promise yourself you won't loose"

"Kou jaku?" Aoba just stared at him

"Both you and me, we have to get stronger of we're gonna protect my mom, your grandmother right?"

"Okay" aoba responded then help kojaku's hand much to his confusion "Huh?"

"Don't you loose either Kojaku, Okay?" Aoba asked which Koujaku responded with a thumbs up "Defiantly!"

Flash back end

Aoba and shirayuki stood there was Kojaku and minene had caught up to them "you were really going to go there by yourselves?" Koujaku questioned. "Yeah, well...We ran into trouble and we didn't want to bother you with it, okay?" Aoba replied.

" I'm sorry guys...." shirayuki says feeling guilty

" you absolute morons" minene groaned not surprised

"Don't give me that BS. You and me, are practically brothers, Aoba" he then turned to the girl "And your like a sister to me to me yuki .no matter what" He said to the girl

"I've always got your backs, you know that." Aoba chuckled "Sorry about that."

" ya better be, try pullin that again and I'll kick your ass" minene threaten playfully

Koujaku sighed. "It's fine. Let's go." "Yeah." They started to the door, but then the lights shut off and they heard a fanfare start up.

"Whoa! What the hell?!" Koujaku exclaimed as the four of them got into a defensive stance. Aoba pushed shirayuki behind him.

A spotlight lit up as they saw someone standing in front of the doorway, wearing clown-like panda bear suit. "Welcome to Japan's largest and finest amusement facility for love, dreams, and healing for weary body, mind, and soul! Platinum Jail! But, only the chosen can enter this facility. It's heaven on earth! Did you gentleman and ladies remember your invitations?" He asked

Koujaku and minene opened something up in both they're watch's. "It's right here." He said.

" here's mine" she says

"You got one of those invitations too?" Aoba asked.

"Well, then," The man in the panda bear suit said, "please enjoy all that we have to share to your heart's content." He laughed and then the floor opened beneath him, causing him to fall through. "Now, that's suspicious as hell." Koujaku said. "No kidding." Aoba agreed.

"Go on! Go on! Have the time of your lives!" The man in the panda suit's voice said. With that, the doors opened.

Shirayuki swallowed hard and she gripped her arm, she was scared, really scared

Aoba noticed her demeanour and grasped ahold of her hand. "Don't worry, yuki. We're here for you." He assured. She nodded and they walked inside.

Platinum Jail was like a well lit city, full of lights and technology. Screens of shows and ads were playing all over the place.

People were roaming the clean streets, all with the look of contentment on their faces. Although it was obvious that the faces of content and joy were fake.

They were the kind of smiles one would expect to see on an old porcelain doll. Platinum Jail is separated from the Old Resident District by a giant wall.

The weather and daytime is controlled here, and is always set on night time, so guests are able to party any day, any time. Unlike in the Old Resident District, the sky is very clear and stars are always visible.

Aoba, shirayuki, minene and Koujaku looked around their surroundings. "Platinum Jail..." Aoba stated, "Now, this is what I call posh."

"I've heard rumors, but they really pulled all the stops on this." Koujaku added.

"Why don't we look around and get some information first." Shirayuki suggested

Suddenly, a strange kind of music started to play as all the screen had the word "Toue" on it.

"Please stand by for a satellite feed from Over Tower." A woman's voice said on an intercom, "Please, watch this message from the director of Toue concern." A large screen appeared before them as it showed Toue. "Greeting everyone and welcome to Platinum Jail!" Toue said.

"Damn, it's Toue!" Aoba exclaimed.

"Thanks in part to my wish to make you all truly happy, Platinum Jail is having a 10th anniversary spectacular! Now, join us for a special celebration for the world of luxury, carefree life and happiness that has become Platinum Jail!"

Shirayuki gasped, "Take a look at that happiness as it's unfolding today!" They watched as rocket-like object flew through the air and went up to the sky, exploding into fireworks. Some were even showing silhouette lights of the panda bear man, fairies, etc.

Shirayuki gasped as she felt weak in the legs. She looked away from the lights, realizing that the lights were what was bothering her.

"Aoba!" Ren called. Aoba looked around, seeing everyone with that same porcelain doll smile.

"Is this the experiment Grandma was talking about?" Aoba asked.

He looked to Koujaku, minene and shirayuki "Hey, guys! " But, they seemed to be getting hypnotized by the lights, too.

It looked either in fear or shock, it was hard to tell. Aoba shook them.

"Guys!" Aoba called. "Don't look!"

"Right." Koujaku said, snapping out of the daze as did shirayuki and minene " damn..." minene grunted

"Let's go!" Aoba took ahold of shirayuki's hand as they all started to run

Elsewhere

" takahashi, were you able to collect the data?" Toue questioned

" yes sir" the man answered

"I think that's more than enough for our test" toue says

"What should we do about the data analysis?" Toue's assistant questioned

"You can handle it" toue said

"Yes sir" his assistant nodded

Back with the three

They rushed into another district, known as Flame Willow

They stopped so the two could collect themselves. "Are you doing all right?" Aoba asked.

" my head feels weird..." shirayuki muttered

" damn that creep.." minene grit her teeth

Koujaku's hand flew to his head. "Damn it! That bastard, Toue, really did me in with that light show of his." He answered, rubbing his head.

Suddenly, a car drove by and stopped in front of a building, not far from them. Someone got out of the car and walked into the building.

Koujaku froze, his eyes getting wide. Suddenly, Koujaku took off after him in pursuit.

" dude!" Minene exclaimed

"Hey! Koujaku!" Aoba called. Koujaku just continued running. "What's with him, huh?" Aoba asked Then started to running after him with the two girls

Koujaku ran into this club of some sort, minene not to far from him

The place was cramped. The floor was crowded with people dancing or drinking. The music played loudly through the room.

Aoba and shirayuki tried to make they're way through the crowd, They squeezed our way in between them. "Koujaku!" Aoba called. "Kou! Minene! Come on!" Shirayuki shouted.

"Where the hell did they go?" he said, his Coil was open so if we called kojaku, his ringtone would echo through the room.

People around started to look at them with a strange look.

'What is this place?' aoba asked himself.

Something about about this music, kinda brought a weird feeling to the stomach.

It was hard to focus what was going on. His vision blurred and his head buzzed.

"Aoba!" Ren called, but he only got a groan in response. "Aoba, don't push yourself. It's interfering with the signals in your peripheral nervous system."

"Easy for you to say." Aoba groaned " yuki?...." he looks around but struggled to find her " yuki?!..."

Elsewhere

"Aoba!" She called out trying to find him, the feeling from the light made her feel sick

she fell to her knees and she fell forward, but someone caught her.

She looked up and saw the same man from the car "Are you okay?" that person asked before she blacked out

Time skip

Aoba opened his, after what seemed like a second. He was no longer in the room where the music and lights were. "Are you awake, now?" A voice asked. Aoba widened his eyes, "What's up, Aoba?"

"Who are you?" Aoba asked. He tried to move, but he was unable to, for he was paralyzed for whatever reason.

"You need to rest a little more. You two were hit by the light drug." "I was hit by what?" Aoba gasped remembering something or rather someone, "shirayuki!"

"Don't worry, man. She's okay. She's right over there." Aoba looked up and he saw her asleep on a mat, "I must admit. I was a little surprised to see her. She looks so different from when I last saw her."

"You've seen her before? When?" Aoba narrowed his eyes. "Well, yeah. It was a long time ago, I've actually met her parents..and a certain someone. Oh, by the way speaking of that somene...how's Mizuki doing?" Aoba widened his eyes, thinking about Mizuki.

Apparently, his silence was all the man behind Aoba needed to know, "It's okay. I thought maybe you guys were closer than that." Aoba tried to look back to him.

"How...do you...?"

"Know what I do about Mizuki? I'm a tattoo artist like he is. The two of us are fans of each other's work. Are they gorgeous, or what? They're all original work. I actually saw you two, when I went to visit the old residential area awhile back. I knew the moment I saw her again...I was overjoyed...isn't she beautiful?" He said looking down At the Unconscious girl " her porcelain skin, she's like a fresh canvas...Aoba...you two are really special, you know that?" Aoba stiffened a little, "You're hiding something, deep inside of you. But right now, I want the answers I've been waiting for...from her"

" h-hey what are you doin-get away from her!!!" Aoba yelled as the man got close to his girl

"Once I'm done putting my flower on her back," He touched her exposed back, for her shirt had been pulled up, and traced his finger down

Which really pissed aoba off

"I wonder how it's going to bloom, as it drinks in her life force. I must know." He removed his hand and started messing with some of his tools

"Skin isn't as smooth, as you might think it is. Every time the needle penetrates, it creates an unexpected flower. I'm just here to cultivate the seedlings. The skin is the soil that makes everything bloom." He said tracing his hand on her back "Passion, emotion, and fire are the nutrients. That's why it's absolutely necessary for me to thrust my inking needle with all of my soul into her skin!"

Aoba gasped, his eyes wide with fear, He tried to move to save her, "Right here, where it's uneven. It's almost screaming to be reshaped!"

However someone started to regain consciousness "a-aoba?..."

"Yuki!" Aoba called.

"Well, now...look who's awake." Ryuho said.

As soon as she saw the man, she froze in horror, now that she could see him clearly " you...."

" oh, you remember me?" The sick sadistic smile made its way on his have " That makes me happy, we have so much to catch up on, but first...I need to put that flower I've always dreamed of putting on your skin, and that flower...will bloom beautifully" he lowered his inking needle closer to touch her back

"Shirayuki!" Aoba cried. He tried to get up but, he was still paralyzed.

" no...." She whimpered and tried to move "stop...get away!...please help me aoba!"She screamed, Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Kojaku and minene, who were mad when they saw what he was doing to her

"Knock it off!" Kojaku yelled. 

"Koujaku! Minene! Thank God." Aoba said, expressing his relief.  "Look who showed up." Ryuho said, looking back to Koujaku.  "You little creep! Let them go!" Koujaku demanded glaring daggers while minene looked towards him surprised by his tone

  "I'm sorry, but I don't really know who you are. But, I'm guessing the three of you are already pretty close, aren't you?" 

"Don't even act like you've forgotten! It was because of what you did, I--" Koujaku lifted his hair to show his one covered eye, which had a tattoo around it. Ryuho finally moved away from shirayuki.

"And if you know me, you know I was messing around. What's going on, Koujaku? It's been awhile, right? My greatest incomplete masterpiece."

"Shut your mouth, you little punk! Don't you even...think of it!" Kojaku glared

Ryuho chuckled.  "So, you're telling me they're real precious friends? So, Aoba, yuki. How much do you and your other friend actually know about your good friend, Koujaku?"

"Don't say it!" Kojaku snapped

"I'm betting he hasn't told you a damn thing yet."

"Nothing you say will change how we see Koujaku." Shirayuki snapped  "Oh, I think it will," He looked back to Koujaku, "What you did to your mother...I'd be ashamed, too." Minene gasped.

"Shut your mouth!" Koujaku grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, bringing his arm out from under his kimono, which caused it to fall off of his shoulders and revealed his right arm and shoulder, and right side of his chest had a tattoo on it.

Slowly coming into view on his left were flower tattoos.  "Those tattoos are..." Aoba said.

" k-Kojaku?..." Minene stuttered as she stared wide eyed at his state

"My flowers are growing strong. A little more and they'll finish becoming a part of you. A tattoo responds to a person's karma. And it's a way to bind you to who you really are. The angrier you get, the more you water my flower, and the more its rosy thorns will consume your heart!"  Ryuho says

"Shut up, damn it!" Kojaku growled

"Cut me. After all you're nothing more than a...mother killing maniac." Koujaku grew angrier, his eyes suddenly started glowing white, often pulsating to a red color.  "You bastard!" He raced to Ryuho and then slashed through his body.

Ryuho groaned and collapsed onto the ground.

Minene, Shirayuki and Aoba looked to Koujaku, who was panting hard as blood dripped from his blade

Ryuho laughed.  "It's finally complete! With your rationality and my tenacity, I knew how to get way under your skin."

Minene managed to get to shirayuki and help her.  "Oh, Koujaku." She whispered as he panted like an animal

Minene also looked towards him sympathetically

"Koujaku!" Aoba called. Koujaku let out a scream and he came at Aoba with his sword.

Aoba managed to somersault out of the way. He sliced through a lantern, which broke as it hit the ground, flames started to seep out onto the floor, "Come on, Koujaku! Knock it off!"

"Yuki, watch out!" Minene pulled her along, they hit the ground, rolling away, as Koujaku had made another strike.

She held yuki up looking at Kojaku in shock, "Kojaku....what are you doing?....wake up!" She yelled

Koujaku cut through the paintings on the wall, destroying the wall divider, and anything else in his path.

  "Get ahold of yourself!" Suddenly, Aoba groaned with pain and he shot a hand to his head.

Aoba felt the pulse and held his head ' you've only got one way' he heard sly ' you know how to stop him'

"I know how to stop him?" 

' it's inside you, use scrap aoba..'Aoba widened his eyes ' you have to protect her this time....' he said referring to yuki

"Scrap..."

Shirayuki gasped As Koujaku looked toward them growling, aoba remembered not being able to save mizuki ' I'm gonna save him this time'

"Koujaku. I have to go inside you, now." His voice was filled with such compelling emotion and then watched as the world around them dissipated

" aoba wait!" Minene quickly placed yuki down and rushed to him, being sucked into wherever aoba was going

the last thing he heard was shirayuki calling out his name and minene's names

Time skip

He was in a house with divided walls and sliding doors with flower patterns and a dragon on the walls

Minene looked around in shock " what the hell..." she says with shiver in her voice, surprising aoba and turning in her direction

" m-minene? How did you get here?!" he asked in shock and confusion

" that's what I'd like to know!" She exclaimed

But they soon heard, what sounded like a child, crying not to far away from them

Aoba he opened a sliding door, but it only opened into another room, like the one he and minene were in.

They walked to the door across the room. Suddenly, something grabbed ahold of them by the ankles.

They looked back, seeing black shadows in the shape of flames on the floor, holding him, It slowly crept their legs.

" holy shit!" Minene quickly tore the shadows off as did aoba, then both taking off into a run.

Aoba opened the door, only to see the exact room. 

They ran on, now hearing what sounded like Koujaku grunting in pain.

He opened another door, which came into the same room.  "Damn it!" Aoba said.

" seriously! We're in a damn maze!" She exclaimed frustrated

They ran on through room after room, what seemed like forever.

Until  finally stopped to catch their breath. A moment later, aoba opened the next door and this one opened into a new room with a wall with white wall and wooden frames.

They looked to the left and someone on a mat with a red blanket covering them and blood on their back and staining the mat, they slowly approached him.

He was groaning with serious pain.  "Koujaku." Aoba called.

the same black shadows came into the room, going to Koujaku and enveloping him. He groaned louder, "Koujaku!" Minene was the first to rushed to him, followed by aoba, and he saw blood from the outside start splattering the walls.

He saw figures of people getting cut down and collapsing and someone with a blade going after them, "What the hell is this supposed to be?"

"But What happened to Koujaku?" Minene questioned

He heard someone coming and then a door slid open and they saw a woman covered in blood in the doorway. She let out a groan and then collapsed onto the floor,

" who's that?..." Minene asked wide eyed by her state

"Oh, my God. It's his mother." Aoba stared in shock

She crawled toward where Koujaku was on the mat, reaching out to him " koja...ku..." She called out his name, weakly. 

"Koujaku!" Aoba called.  "Come on, buddy!" Suddenly, Aoba was struck in the back and as he looked back, the black shadow flames were crawling up his body. Aoba let out a groan of pain.

" hang on!" Stepped on them a bunch of times, then Managed to get Aoba to get to his feet, then began to tear the black shadows off of Koujaku, with the help of aoba, but it burned them "Damn it, my hands!" Aoba grunted

Minene grit her teeth, but continued despite the pain

"Damn it all!" Aoba said as he and minene continued to tear the shadows off " Come on man! Wake up!"

Both his and her widened as a shadow flames start to disappear. But, as aoba's hand touched Koujaku, a large amount of blood shot up out of his back, forming into the form of Ryuho. His laugh sounded like a distorted demon.  "He's my masterpiece, little man, and your girls next." His voice was deep and demonic, too.

"They're not your property, you damn freak!"Minene growled in anger

"Just let him go, already! And keep away from her!"

"No chance!" He exploded and blood showered down on them both

Minene didn't care, turned kojaku over and lifting him up in her arms.  "Please Wake up! Snap out of it!" She begged, for the first time, she was worried, scared

Story time.

"When I came to, I was too late to stop what happened that day."

Tae and aoba waved him and his mother goodbye

"Aoba,...I'm sure you didn't know this, but my family is...My father's wife couldn't conceive children. My mother was his mistress and he called to the mainland from the island. Something about needing an heir. Nothing we really had a part in." His mother clenched onto his hand

"This tattoo, supposedly, made me the head of my family. Ryuho was glad to force it on me, under my father's orders. I didn't want my mother to suffer if I said no or I don't want it. I just had to deal with it."

Kojaku was lying on the futon with his back exposed and ryuho tattooing it, and it looked painful

"It happened the day they said they were going to finish the tattoo. The pain of it was absolutely becoming unbearable. I finally passed out, before Ryuho finished working on me.And then...I was awake again...."

Next thing he knew Kojaku was outside with a bloody blade, many dead body'.....and....his mother

"I was surrounded...by a sea of blood. And then I saw it...My mother...had fallen all to my blade."

"Koujaku..." Aoba said

Minene couldn't muster a single word

  "When I finally got back to my senses, I tried to kill myself, but I just couldn't do it. It's hard to forget that little boy smile of yours, back when I told you to win. but, this time...I couldn't stop the tears. The weight of all of this was crushing me with despair. I really wanted my life to be over, Aoba....but you inspired me to live, just as much,"

He shut his eyes for a moment before they glanced towards Minene, making her flinch " minene...you'll hate me for saying this...but I...I couldn't help it...but..I started...developing feelings for you..."

She gasped at what she just heard, she blushed when he reached to touch her face, but he stopped and brought hand back down

"I just didn't know what to do anymore....So, I ended up going back to the island, where I knew you were." He says to aoba "I was hoping that things would be okay, if I saw you. And then...meeting shirayuki...helping you two meet...meeting Minene....that also gave me another reason to live. When I saw you two in the house that day I came over, I thought to myself, 'I need to protect them both. I need to be there for them when they need someone.' And I thought that would be enough, too...But, it just didn't happen." the black shadow flames creeping up his legs,

"I really just want to be over this mess. When I drop my guard, it all comes flooding back. The one day in my life...that bloody day...And killing Ryuho didn't solve anything. So, now, I--" 

" don't you even think about it!...." Minene grit her teeth with the tears, then suddenly embraced Koujaku, He widened his eyes and he looked down to her " who said I didn't like you back Moron!" She cried, he stared at her gobsmacked, she started recalling moments she'd seen him with someone else which made her jealous  " I just hated it!...when every time id see you!...You'd be flirting with some other girl!...and whenever we'd speak!...you'd just talk normally!...as if I wasn't worth your time!..."

" no...that's not it..." he muttered

" Kojaku...." aoba interrupts, gaining his attention " You might think it's the right thing to do, but think of everyone you'd leave. The Beni Shigure need you. Yuki needs you. And we need you too, you selfish bitch." Koujaku widened his eyes and he let out a gasp.

He looked shocked before turning his head "All right. So, then what the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Live with those tattoos for the rest of your life, for one thing." Aoba said The shadow flames began to cling to the three

"Here's the only thing that's important; all of us know who you really are and we know you're not evil." Minene added with tears in her eyes, Not looking at him In the eye

Koujaku closed his eyes, letting out a soft whimper, "You're sin might have given you an incredible weight to bear on your shoulders. The man we know, called Koujaku, wouldn't just walk away from that responsibility." 

"Aoba...Minene"

"If you ever feel like you're getting lost again, Koujaku, We'll keep on saying it. We'll remind you of who you really are. And that the real Koujaku doesn't quit. And that We will always believe in him and that's a fact....You told me not to ever lose, okay? So promise us, you're not going to lose to your tattoos and your past,"

Koujaku opened his eyes and gasped again, looking to Aoba, "Koujaku...I'm going to have to take out a little piece of your mind. And I'm going to have to destroy the part of you that bound to your past. Get ready." 

With that, the area around them went white and a small piece of Koujaku's tattoo disappeared, but he continued hugging Minene the whole time

The entire room was on fire, alarms were going off, and they looked to Aoba, who was on the floor.

he tried to push himself up, but struggled " Damn it," Aoba groaned. 

" Aoba!" Shirayuki yelled

"Aoba! Can you get up?" Koujaku asked. Aoba looked up to him " we'll get you out!" Minene joined his side

"Kou...jaku...mi...mine....yu-ki..."Koujaku grabbed him and pulled him up onto his back "Let's get out of here."

"You've got it, man. Just stay with me." Aoba nodded, giving him a soft smile.

Minene held a wrk Shirayuki while she held Ren, who had Aoba's bag around his neck with his jacket stuff inside

Elsewhere

Ryuho was in some dark alley near the scene of fire "My field test went and turned out Successfully, let me toue know about it" he said before hanging up "Field test my ass..." he crumpled to the floor "Such a shame I couldn't paint my flowers on that beautiful skin of hers..." he said before he died

With the others

According to the invitation, they had their own place to stay in, called Glitter. Aoba had passed out again but they managed to get him there safely

Not long after, Aoba awoke. "Are you all right?" Koujaku asked. Aoba looked up, as his vision started to clear up. "Was I...really sleeping?" He asked.

He tried to sit up, but Koujaku placed a hand to his shoulder to stop him. "Just go back to sleep."

"You need to get some rest yourself."

"I'm sorry, man. For getting you three involved."

"Hm. That goes for both us." Koujaku started to laugh softly, "What's so funny, man?" Aoba asked

"Nothing."

"You know, we're a lot alike, really," aoba stared at him, "Like the way we fall apart, as we try to fix something about ourselves."

"I guess you're really right about that," Koujaku turned away and sighed, thinking about the past, "You were so tiny back then. And now you've gone and grown up on me."

"Hey, I had to sometime. But, you haven't changed a bit."

"Well, damn," Koujaku chuckled, "That's rude, saying I didn't grow up, man."

"Oh, give me a break. Think of all the jams you pulled me out of back then. You're seriously my hero, dude."

"Hero?"

"Absolutely." Koujaku smiled. "Yeah, you're right, nothing's changed. Not one bit." Aoba chuckled. He rose his hand a little, allowing Koujaku to grab it, "Actually, there is something that has changed."

"Huh?" Koujaku smiled and looked over to the couch across from the one Aoba and he were on.

Aoba followed his line of sight, then he smiled too, as he saw shirayuki, who had fallen asleep

"She's really caused an impact on us. You most of all." Kojaku comments

"Yeah, I get what you mean. But..." aoba gripped his fist " I let my guard down, and she almost suffered again because of it.."

"I know, we need to make sure we're there for her, too."

"Yeah..." aoba then looked around and noticed someone missing " where's Minene?" He asked

" oh uh...she went to her's and yuki's room..." Kojaku replied, not looking him in the eye "I used to think that girls were all the same, you know? But...she's not like them....Shes different..."

" I think you should go talk to her" aoba states " I'll take yuki once I get my strength back"

" I don't think she's in the mood to talk with me at the moment..." Kojaku admits, then flinched when he saw aoba giving the look ' go to her Before I kick you there' he sighed giving in and Went to the room she was in

In the room

Minene was lying on top her bed, her face was red from what went down, every word she admitted, in front of him

She scolded herself for being so stupid, she flinched when there was a knock on the door, with a stiff body, she made her way towards it,

" Minene?" She flinched when she heard his voice

'damn it!' Part of her wanted to open the door, but the cowardly part kept her from reaching the foot handle ' open the freakin door!'

She slowly reached out " I'll come back later then..." she panicked and opened the door, startling them both

" k-Kojaku/Minene..." they both say at the same time, they flinched again before once again, repeating what the other had to say " I'm sorry...eh?" They blinked before both couldn't help but laugh, He then gently embraced her

" you were always worth my time...." he says, making her eyes widen " I was the coward, who couldn't tell you how he felt...I'm so sorry...I made you feel that way..." she couldn't help it any more, she hugged him back, but started crying while he held onto her comforting her the best he could

Later

Aoba moved shirayuki to the bed, then looking down at her sleeping figure

She looked so peaceful, he then frowned, she was almost tattooed if Kojaku and minene hadn't interfered, her calling for him in fear still haunted him, seeing her so scared broke his heart, he climbed in and wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her towards him and having her head rest against his chest " I promise you yuki, I won't let anything happen to you, I'll always protect you..."

Time skip

after a few hours, she was tossing and turning, she was having a nightmare, fires burning, people screaming

but awoke with a gasp when she heard something thud, She opened her eyes and lifted her head.

She got out of bed and walked to the door and looked out in the hall, seeing Aoba. He looked to her "Oh, sorry, yuki. I didn't mean to wake you up." He apologised

"No it's fine I woke up to a thud. Is something wrong?"

"Ren's not in our room, so I'm looking for him." She came out of her room closing the door "I'll look with you."

Aoba went downstairs together. "Ren?" Aoba called out.

Shirayuki looked around as they reached the platform on the stairs " Ren?"

She then noticed someone sitting at a table, their back to them and tensed up. "Aoba." She whispered

He looked to where she did, Aoba gasped softly, then he narrowed his eyes.