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The taste of the red liquid. The fresh fragrance of deep steel puts one's mind to their awaken.
I can't keep up my memory to what had happened after I unconscious. I don't know when I came home. I don't know where Aoba now. I can remember that just awhile ago, Aoba and me were talking near Heibon. A blur of heated body is still lingering around my neck. The rhythm of my heartbeat is fast and hard, making me feel nausea deep down the stomach. My temple and hand wet with sweat. The room is dark and cold.
Then, there's a deep red all over my bed, trails to both my palm and face.
Nosebleed? No, this is not normal quantity of what had happened to me in the past. This is not just another stupid accident. I knew what it is.
I... killed someone.
My breath ragged in disgust and anger. Did I really do that again? Did I really lose my mind in front of Aoba...? Wait, where's Aoba? He should be with me that time. Did I leave him alone in confusion?
I stand up yet staggers. I almost can't feel anything from my stomach to my feet. Everything feel numb and weirdly attached. There're chains, binding my limb to the corner of the bed.
"What...?" I growls high and low. "Stupid chains. What kind of kink is this?"
"Are you really Koujaku?" Someone asks from shadow. I know that voice.
"Aoba?!"
As I called his name, Aoba slowly shows himself. But there's something wrong with the display. I rub my eyes harder, trying to get rid whatever make half of Aoba covered with dark red. No matter how hard I tried to rub it, there's still no changes.
"Thank God. I thought you won't come back..." Aoba utters a simple satisfied pray.
"...Aoba? What happened to you?"
"Everyone is searching for you. It is better for us to go as soon as possible. We can't afford to let them take you."
"Wait, Aoba. What do you mean by that?"
There's a slight change in his smiling face. Aoba tilts his head a bit. "I will free you after you eat something. Can you sit?"
Still confused, I do as ordered. Now, I can see even clearer of Aoba. There are severely cut and bruises all over his body, most of the red are from his own blood that keep pouring. I completely terrified by the sight. When I tried to catch his arm, Aoba avoid me abruptly. I can see his eyes gleams with terrible horror.
"We have to treat that now!" I shout. "C'mon, Aoba. You're severely injured!"
"No! Don't touch me!"
That pricked my mind. "I won't ask what happened but we have to treat your injury quickly."
"No, please, Koujaku, don't! You're the only one who can stay. I have to go after I make sure you're okay without me."
"How can you go when you, yourself, in this situation? Are you going to repeat what happened in Platinum Jail?"
Aoba steps back. "This is different! You have to go or they'll capture you!"
I walks to him but fail at certain length. The chains make sure I can't go near Aoba in any means. I tried to snap it off by pushing and pulling yet there's nothing can change the facts. I call his name multiple times. I stretch my arm and plead for him to come near. Aoba just shakes his head and speak very slowly. "...This is not your fault. Whatever happened, this is not your fault. I'm the one who tried to stop you... that is why I have to stay here."
"I did this to you." I mumbled. "These cut, these scratches, these bruises... Each and every injury... They're from me, aren't they?"
"When you came to Heibon and we're planning to go to visit Mizuki in the hospital. There are numbers of yakuza attacked us."
"...I lose my cool and started fight them aimlessly..." My head become hazy.
"Koujaku is just trying to protect me. I am the one who stand between you and our attacker. I want to stop you from becoming mad murderer."
"But I attacked you instead." That left my tongue bitter.
"No, this is not your fault, Koujaku. Please, listen to me!"
I look at Aoba's eyes. That is not a simple injury. I hurt Aoba. I hurt him again. I have no control over my emotion.
"You need to go away, Koujaku. They're searching all over. You did kill many of them."
"...What about you, Aoba? You're coming with me, right?"
"I..." Aoba walks back a bit. "no need to go anywhere."
"Ao-"
The sky breaks. Cracking and rumbling voices ringing inside my ears. Everything become white. When I finally released from the shock, I saw myself in my room with Aoba in my arms. He's sleeping with no pulse... His body condition is exactly the same as what I saw inside my mind. But there's no life left inside this empty shell. His body completely white and starting to turn blue. The red are darker, covering almost the entire bed and me. There are no chains whatsoever binding me down.
Aoba already in his eternal sleep.
I screamed. I screamed out of my lungs. I don't care they found me. I don't care about anything anymore. Everything is my sin. This is my punishment.