When the Girl Saves The Boy

Hina and Hoshida crossed their arms in an attempt to protect themselves from the telekinetic burst.

'Such power...!' Hina thought to herself, despite the situation, she couldn't stop herself from feeling excited at the sudden shift in the situation.

Ruiko, on the other hand, seemed completely out of it. She was breathing in a shallow, almost beastlike manner. Her gaze was sharp but at the same time, unfocused.

All the while, the psychic storm continued, vans were quite literally thrown off the bridge, weapons were blasted out of the mercenaries hands as they scrambled for cover.

Sekai began to stand up off the floor at last, his hands still zip tied, he forced himself up and began walking towards her.

Hoshida couldn't believe it, he was about to grab Sekai, when Hina stopped him, and shook her head: "Let this play out."

Hoshida looked at her in amazement, but abided by her demands, watching as the high school boy ran towards the girl.

⸻

Sekai didn't understand.

He didn't understand why he was running forward.

He didn't understand why Ruiko could move objects in this manner.

He didn't understand so many things about this situation.

But he did understand that he wanted to help Ruiko.

"Ruiko!" Sekai called out to her, steadily approaching the girl at the center of it all.

"Don't come any closer..." Her eyes seemed to plead with him, but regardless, he kept on moving onward.

He wanted to say something, to have some form of cool line, or just anything that would bring Ruiko to her senses, but consistently kept drawing blanks.

So he said the one thing that stated his true feelings:

"Help me understand...and help me save you!"

⸻

Ruiko was only semi-conscious, the massive power output had taken a lot out of her. Her vision was hazy, and she could barely stand.

She was vaguely aware of a thin stream of blood trickling down her nose.

And then she saw him.

The only one who was stupid enough to stand up and begin walking towards her.

'Why?' Ruiko wondered, 'Aren't you afraid? This goes beyond delusion or bravery...! What can possibly be driving you forward at this point?!'

She'd ruined his life for sure. Serpentine would never leave him alone. He'd almost been killed twice for her sake. He'd done more than enough.

He wasn't a hero. She wasn't a princess.

'So why...?! Why do you keep trying!!!'

Another blast of psychic energy, pushing air itself outward. Yet he kept moving forward towards her, eventually coming face to face with her.

And he spoke:

"Help me understand...and help me save you!"

Ruiko gasped, pure shock overtaking her mind and causing the psychic storm to finally die down, leaving the two together in silence.

"...why?" Ruiko asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Why are you trying so hard?"

At that, Sekai only smiled: "Because-"

Sekai's next words, however, would be lost as an unnatural creaking sounded beneath their feet.

"Get out of there kid!!!" Hoshida yelled towards Sekai, and Sekai looked up in surprise as the bridge beneath the two of them cracked under their feet.

And the entire section they were standing on promptly collapsed into the river below.

⸻

Sekai wasn't sure what happened.

One minute, he was trying to calm down Ruiko, and the next, the ground underneath them bent, cracked, and fell and so did the distinct weightless sensation of himself going down with it.

'Man...I really got unlucky, huh?' Sekai thought to himself mirthlessly.

'Is it over?' He wondered, was this where it ended? If it was, he had a few regrets. It was amazing how clear everything was at the end.

He regretted leaving Antei behind like that.

He wanted to say goodbye to his mom and dad one last time.

But did he regret trying to save Ruiko?

'Nah...' He thought to himself, 'Not really. That? I don't regret.'

After all, for a brief time, he got to feel like he was really a hero.

Closing his eyes, Sekai felt a gentle arm wrapping around his back, and Ruiko's voice.

"Thank you." Ruiko whispered to him, "I'm going to try for you."

Sekai opened his eyes, about to say something, but right then, the two of them hit the river, and all the air was knocked out of his body.

⸻

Hina scrambled to the edge of the collapsed section, looking desperately for any sign of the pair.

"The telekinetic force must've damaged the bridge without us noticing. This whole thing could be unstable." Hoshida stated.

"No kidding genius." Hina snapped, "Get someone down there immediately! With medical equipment! And retrieve both of them!"

"Yes - wait both?" Hoshida raised an eyebrow,

"Yes, both." Hina said, "Whoever this 'Sekai Kaeru' is, he might be the trigger we need to get Ruiko out of her shell. Look around - she's never used this much power."

Hina grinned slightly, extending her arms broadly as she continued speaking: "Call the Chairman - this might be a breakthrough, for all of us!"

⸻

Ruiko couldn't let go.

'Please...! I don't want him to die, not for me!' Ruiko still remembered his words to her:

"Help me understand...and help me save you!"

Gritting her teeth, she began paddling upwards with one arm, and dragging him up with the other, which was finally regaining feeling, although whether it was the result of sheer adrenaline or the paralytic starting to wear off was anyone's guess.

After a few tense seconds, her head broke through the water, managing to drag Sekai up with her, her silver hair matted and wet. After spotting a nearby shore bank, she paddled for it madly, just barely managing to pull the two of them up on the shore.

'Is he breathing...?' Ruiko gulped, it would all be for naught if he drowned from water in his lungs.

Ruiko threw her lips on his, trying to breath air into his lungs.

'Come on...! Come on...! Don't you dare die on me, Sekai Kaeru!!' Ruiko thought to herself, continuing to administer CPR.

"They're down here!" Ruiko heard a man shout, as several flashlights shone down on them.

Immediately, Ruiko reached out telekinetically to the rocks around her.

"Wait!" Hina called out, "Just...wait."

Ruiko stood up, shielding the unbreathing Sekai.

"He needs medical attention, he has water in his lungs-" Hina came to a sudden realization, "Did you try breathing into his mouth?"

Ruiko narrowed her eyes, "Why do you want to know?"

Hina rushed forward, medical bag in hand and came face to face with Ruiko. "Idiot, if you of all people tried giving him CPR, then him dying of asphyxiation might not be the only thing that kills him."

Ruiko thought for a moment, and then pales, looking between Sekai and Hina. "Help him. Please." Ruiko struggled to get the words out, swallowing her feelings and pride

"I can him breathing, but whatever happens after that is on you." Hina shot at her coldly, and Ruiko could only step aside with a downcast expression on her face.

Meanwhile, Hina grinned above the unconscious boy, a wolfish grin that surely would've terrified him if he was awake.

"Hello Sekai Kaeru, my name is Hina Susumu. I dearly hope we can get along."