37 Chapter 18: Date I [5]
In the park under the moonlit sky, Rei and Tohka were the only two that could be seen.
From time to time the sound of cars or the cries of flying birds could be heard from a distance, but it was a peaceful place
There were lampposts here and there which made the place suitably illuminated with light.
"Ohh, this view is amazing!"
Since a while ago, Tohka had been leaning over the railings and gazing at the night lit colored streets of Tenguu City.
Even though it was already nearing to 12 A.M in the morning, the lights never ceased which made the city still feel as active as ever.
Following the very same route from the original, they arrived at this park with a great overlook of the city.
It wasn't the first time that Rei came here. It was rather the kind of a place that he first visited after acquainting himself with the map and place setup of Tenguu City.
"The city right now closely resembles the night sky. The lights coming from below were like the shimmering stars... Truly a fascinating sight"
Tohka gave a strangely satisfied nod, then spun around to face Rei, putting her weight on the railings.
Tohka, illuminated under the moonlit sky filled with stars in the background, was indescribably beautiful, as if a precious painting.
"It is fascinating... yes, indeed"
As if changing the topic, Tohka "Nnnnn", stretched.
Then, suddenly, her face stretched into a carefree smile.
"It's a great thing, this date thing. I really, uhm, had a lot of fun"
"...."
At a distance where he could feel her breath, Tohka said.
"N... th-that's, not..."
While slightly averting his eyes—inside Rei's head, the word, date, swirled around. From manga and movies he had the knowledge. From his past experiences.
Everything seem to fall into place.
Tohka who noticed him averting his gaze then tilted her head.
"Nu?"
"..."
Tohka hadn't said anything after that, but he felt like she had seen through his thoughts, and he again averted his eyes and moved back.
While wiping some dust off his shoulders with his hands, Rei quickly glanced at Tohka's face.
Ten days ago, and then a few moments before, the melancholic expression on her face had faded quite a bit... no, it would be correct that it vanished even only at the present time.
Exhaling a small breath from his nose, he pulled forward one step to face Tohka again.
"Now now. See? There's no one that decided to harm you. And to add, you really enjoyed yourself to the fullest this day"
"...Nn, everyone I met didn't try to do so. They also looked like good and kind people. Honestly, even now I can't quite believe it," Tohka said as her expression turned somewhat melancholic.
"...?"
Rei tilted his head, and Tohka gave a wry smile with an air of self-scorn. "That there's some people who didn't reject me. Who don't deny my existence, and it's all thanks to you for letting me know that. Also... that group... uhh, what were they called. A...?"
"You mean AST?"
"Yeah, them. It seems more realistic if everyone on the streets were their underlings, and they were all working together to deceive me"
"That's one ridiculous thing you are saying there"
That was undoubtedly an absurd thought but...Rei couldn't laugh at that.
Because to Tohka, that was normal.
Continuing to be rejected, was normal.
It was somewhat—revolting.
"Hey Rei, there's something I want to ask"
"And what would that be?"
After a brief moment of silence, Tohka then decided.
There was an assortment of things that she wanted to ask, but the first one to leave her mouth was this.
"Does our existence only meant harm to this world..."
Rei's brows quivered upon hearing her question. What she said—was correct to be honest. Their existences are unwanted in this world, for they are the embodiment of disasters and such.
What she said was undoubtedly a fact... and Rei doesn't plan to refute that for he knows as well that Tohka already realized this and was probably with thoughts that were just going on in circles in her mind.
"So it's that huh... Th—"
As Rei was about to answer, it was then cut off as Tohka interjected with her words.
"No... Forget what I've said... that's the least of my concern for now..." She paused as her eyes showed a slight glim of sadness and regret before continuing, "But, if I were to inquire about one more thing, then Rei, how and when did you first appear in this world?"
With Tohka suddenly changing the topic, Rei first stood in silence before preparing to say his answer after a brief moment.
"Hmm.... Approximately, over a month ago. That's when I first appeared in this world if you were asking... Then how about you?"
Rei answered while avoiding to answer the topic of 'how' did he appear. Even if he could spout a lie to convince her, Rei had an intuition that this girl before him would at least catch a grasp for it.
That would undeniably result in a lost of trust... no, that may be too much considering the impact that he made throughout this short time of spending together. But instead that, it would just made her sprout the seed of doubts in her mind about Rei. That's why he refrained from answering.
Meanwhile on the other hand, Tohka didn't seem to notice that Rei only partially answered her question. But she didn't mind as her mind prepared answers for Rei's question.
Tohka's lips then moved with a bit of a scowl.
"I don't remember exactly. But on how I appear, it was just like always. It's random and the Mecha Mecha Group would always come after me. They swung their blades that won't cut anything, fired their cannons that won't hit anything—Finally, my body would just naturally disappear. But that isn't the case for this time. Spending more time in this world with a date with you could be considered as something unbelievable if it were the past me"
Though her tone in wording was a bit rough at the start showing her hostility but it definitely was tamer than usual as her words gave it away a few seconds ago, it soon melted out in a warm tone at the final parts of her sentence.
"Mecha Mecha... huh? Well, that's some nickname you gave them. But you just disappear like nothing after that, huh"
"It's name was pretty accurate in my opinion. Isn't that the same for you as well, Rei?"
Tohka then tilted her head, puzzled.
"Why? Isn't that the same for you?" Tohka added.
"My answer would that would be undeniably a 'yes'. The word 'Mecha Mecha' surely does fit their appearances," Rei mused as he let out a small chuckle.
"Right? But Rei..."
"Hm?"
With slight nervousness sprouting from within, Tohka then answered, "About the thing on how you appear in this world... I really want to know some answers but relatively, the process of appearing in this world was the same as mine, right?"
Rei then stared at her for a brief moment as he scratched his cheek slightly.
"No, it wasn't like that for me... Then, may I ask you about how does that happen to you?"
"I don't know the exact details about how it happens but considering my experience about it, I could describe it as moving from this world to a different space, and what's more is that I really don't know anything about it any further," Tohka said as she stroked her hair down and then added, "The instant I move there, I naturally enter a sleep-like state. From what I can remember, it felt like I was drifting around in a dark space. —As far as I'm concerned, it's like falling asleep"
"Well, that is interesting. Very much so to be exact"
"That's why I want to ask you again Rei, how do you come to this world when you wake up without causing those craters?"
"That's not quite it," Rei shook his head and continued.
"In the first place, I never come nor go from that place that you described in the first place. Well, certainly, I have been in a similar situation like yours yet it only happened once. Then after that, I don't really go in or out or somewhere to the place that you said"
The points of what Rei was talking about was different though.
"I see..." Tohka mumbled.
Somehow, there was a lace of sadness within that voice.
Continuing this conversation would only dampen the mood.
Just as he was about to say his words, it was then interrupted as Tohka faced Rei and asked, "Rei a date..."
"...."
"Is this what a date is? You and me having fun and enjoying ourselves doing various things?"
"Is that how you saw it?"
"Mm," nodded Tohka as she stared right at Rei.
Rei meanwhile took a step forward and—
—gave her a gentle headpat.
Seemingly puzzled, Tohka wanted to know what he was doing, but she refrained as she felt that what he is doing right now... was good. And she doesn't want to end it abruptly.
A few seconds later, Rei withdrawed his hand as he put it back on his pockets. He just looked at Tohka and said, "If you found your personal answer then you won't probably need to hear mine"
"Is that so... Nn. Even though I wanted to know yours, with you saying those words, it was likely now impossible to hear an answer for now right?"
"Correct"
"...so Rei" calling out, this time it was Tohka who turned away.
As if forcibly changing her expression, she scrubbed her face with her hands, and then turned back.
"—But really, today was an extremely, extremely meaningful day. That the world was this kind, this fun, this beautiful... and with you here with me. I couldn't even imagine it happening before nor will be in the future if I have never met you"
"Glad you liked it"
Rei's lips cracked into a smile has he exhaled.
However, as if replying to Rei's expression, Tohka furrowed her brows as a dry smile surfaced.
"Those guys—The AST's thoughts, I think I kinda understand now," said Tohka as she heaved a tired sigh.
"...?"
Rei narrowed his brows in a questioning manner, as Tohka put on a slightly sad expression.
It was a bit different from the melancholic expression that Rei despised—but it was an expression imbued with a slightly grim feeling, that just by looking at it seems to wring one's heart.
"Everytime... I come to this world, I'm destroying part of something this wonderful"
"..."
"...Nn. Appearing, the effects of that, I can't control unlike yours Rei. I can't help but feel somewhat envious about it"
"....What they think about doesn't really matter, you know? It's just you trying to live your life, and I can't fully say that living your own life was a mistake at all"
"But to the residents of this world, the resulting destruction does not change. The reason that the AST tries to kill me, I finally... understand"
Rei couldn't immediately reply.
Tohka's saddened look caused Rei to somewhat have a headache at the moment. Right now, he was certainly... feeling anger and tiredness. Call him short tempered or something, that's just how it is.
"Rei. It's better if—I didn't exist, after all."
Saying this—Tohka smiled.
It wasn't the innocent smile that he frequently saw of todays events. It was like a sick patient realizing that their end was near—a weak, painful smile.
With a gulp, he swallowed his saliva.
Unknowningly his throat had become parched. While feeling a light pain as the water permeated his throat, he somehow managed to open his mouth.
"What the hell... are you saying...?" Muttered Rei in a cold and reprimanding tone.
Somehow, his calm and composed demeanor cracked as he let out a grumble. Unconsciously, he clenched his fists under his pockets.
"Rei...?"
Surprised by Rei's response felt something from within—it was as if she had done something wrong. But she doesn't know what it was.
"There aren't any spacequakes produced after your arrival. Considering that this is probably the longest time that you stayed in this world, you know that it is something that shows a new path"
However, Tohka slowly shook her head.
"...even if we established such a way, that doesn't change the fact that the timing for when I am transported here is random. The number of appearances probably won't decrease. And who knows, I might just disappear here in front of you at any given time"
"Then it's fine if you just don't return to that side anymore. Isn't that easy enough?"
Rei knew what he just spouted out loud was only a piece of hope. A hope that would just brun out in small embers for a long time.
Rei lightly yelled, and Tohka raised her head, eyes wide open.
It was as if she hadn't even thought of, or considered that idea.
"Something like that—it's not..."
"Did you even try?"
"..."
Tohka pursed her lips and lapsed into silence.
According to what Rei remembered, the energy waves from when the Spirit is transported from the other dimension to this world causes the spacequake.
Thus, if Tohka was to be randomly pulled to this world without respect to her will, then she might as well just stay here from the very beginning.
"B-But, you know, there's a lot that I don't know"
"I could just simply teach you"
To Tohka's words, an immediate reply came.
"I'd need a bed, and things to eat."
"That is the least of my concerns. I already have that covered"
"Unexpected things might happen..."
"The world is a shitty place where unexpected things always happen. What would change if these things were to happen to us, we [Spirits] are something that could be described as 'unexpected' already"
For a short while, Tohka sunk into silence, then she opened her lips a crack.
"...Is it really okay, for me to live?"
Tohka said as if she was pleading.
"Of course, it's a given"
"It's ok for me to be in this world?"
"Yeah"
"...The only one who would say that is Rei, only you. Nevermind the AST, even the other humans, they would definitely not accept such a dangerous being in their living space."
"Why should you care again about what they think about this matter? No, that goes the same for me, why should I care? What about other people? Their opinions are irrelevant, Tohka! If they reject you! Then more than all of them combined, I won't ever reject you," he paused briefly as his eyes took on a purple glow.
It was nothing important. It just happened. And it's effect was that Rei seemed more domineering, charismatic,... and attractive in Tohka's eyes. She couldn't help but gasp in surprise at it.
Facing Tohka, Rei firmly held out his hand.
Tohka's shoulders trembled slightly.
"Hold my hand. Accept it"
Tohka looked down, and for a few moments sunk into silence, as if thinking, then slowly raised her face, and slowly extended her hand.
"Rei—"
Then.
The moment their hands touched.
"..."
Rei's body suddenly twitched.
'The barrier.... Oh. Even though it's this late, to think they would still appear this time to ruin this moment,' Rei thought mockingly.
His facial expression right at that very moment them turned to an emotionless and cold one.
Tohka didn't seem to notice—no, she refused to. It was as if she was deluding herself with other thoughts. And Rei particularly didn't seem to care much about it.
'Might as well go with the flow'
Even thinking so, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
As if a rough tongue was licking his body all over, an unpleasant feeling.
"Tohka!"
In response, from his throat he yelled that name.
And before Tohka could answer.
"..."
With one hand, he pushed Tohka away to a safe distance.
The slender Tohka couldn't stand the sudden impact, as she rolled backwards like in a manga.
Not even an instant later.
Rei then muttered, "Great..."
"Rei, what are you—"
it was at that time Tohka felt as if the time of everything around her seemed to slow down. She suddenly felt a dangerous warning.
It was telling her that she should do something right at this very moment or else—
Tohka's eyes then landed on the figure of Rei who just exuded a warm and gentle smile towards here.
Why?
What is it?
Why is...!
And then—
*BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!*
Right just a split second after, the place where Rei was standing before—was annihilated to dust.
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[A/N: Okay, this series is finished. The next arc would wrap up the first volume. Btw, I'm quite sleepy already so this chap is prone to errors. Beware of the errors and make sure to report or point it out so that I could change it.
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Early chap btw. This is a stack chap which I should've post 4-5 days later but here it is guyz.
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Also, is the MC (Rei).
Well, you know this kind of setting and you should know what would happen next already. So bruhhhh~
Just adding some spice of drama sht in order to advance the plot and story.
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With that said, bye bye guyz]
