33 Chapter 33: Just listen to me, please

Before I could look behind me, a heavy force slammed into my back, sending me crashing to the ground. It was too dark to see clearly, but I could feel the weight of another person pinning me down.

When I finally managed to separate from their grip, I blinked my eyes to see.

"Are you okay?" a faint gasping voice of a woman asked. The one in front of me was a woman.

"Who? Who are you?" I asked, hoping for her to answer with a different name, so that my mind could confirm that it's not her... But her voice, despite not wanting to hear it, not wanting to be able to hear it again, I couldn't possibly forget whose voice it was. It was Takumi...

*Gunshot Bang, bang...

Another succession of gunshots shattered the stillness, their sharp echoes reverberating through the darkness.

"We can't stay here, let's go!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me along as she ran, I was being taken, I tried to struggle but I couldn't move. It's Takumi.... It's Takumi... What's wrong with me? What's happening? Why are my hands shaking? I was so sure I could... I was fine too when I last saw her, why is it so different now?...

As my heart began to thump, my head started aching. I couldn't see her figure clearly, but the way she held my hand... I couldn't possibly forget it... After all, this was the only thing we did together in the past...

The sound of gunshots started to fade as she pulled me to run through the darkness... I wanted to let go and run away, but the way she held me wouldn't let me do it...

I think I know now... The reason why I've been trying to avoid her... It's because... I...

"Takumi," I tried to break free from her grasp, but she looked at me with confusion.

"What the hell is this again?" I exclaimed, still struggling.

"Hey, Takumi!"

As I attempted to struggle, confused by her actions, she looked at me with a faint smile as we came to a halt. Suddenly, a spray of water drenched my face.

"What... is that?"

As my head grew numb, so did my arms and feet, and before I knew it, I collapsed, my vision blurring and feeling nauseous...

I lost consciousness...

***

I was jolted awake by crackling sounds from the branches, and as I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a beautiful full moon shining brightly in the sky.

"The moon is beautiful," I unknowingly blurted out.

"Moon? Wait, moon!" I sprung up halfway, my feet and butt still on the ground, my upper body lifted.

"Why is there a moon?" I asked, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

Looking around, I saw numerous trees surrounding me, a fire beside me, and I'm just covered by brown a towel size blanket.

"Where am I?"

"If I remember the last time, it was when I was... That's right, Takumi! Where is she?" As I looked around, I saw her from afar, leaning against a tree and sleeping soundly. She had nothing on her but her clothes, and like me, a small towel-sized blanket covering her shoulders. But what was weird was some stuff was on her sides of the body. Besides her was a flat, long bag, and she was hugging something, like steel bars. I noticed the glint of metal from the bag, hinting at possible weapons or tools inside... "What's going on here? Where exactly am I?" Surrounded by trees and a medieval fire beside me... With no tent... Are you serious! We're in a forest! Worse, if it's in the mountains!

"Wait, Calm down, Matsuki. Calm down," I told myself, taking some deep breaths. "Ugh! How am I supposed to calm down! Takumi is just a few meters ahead," I sighed. "How did I even end up in this place?..."

As those thoughts flooded my mind, the memory of hearing gunshots, making contact with Takumi, and holding hands with her before passing out came back to me. "Hahaha... This is... a dream... I'm just having a nightmare because of the shitty stuff going on with me. I'm pretty sure if I go back to sleep, I'll wake up in that pretty neat room the old hag gave me..." I sighed. "Let's go back to sleep. Surely, I would wake up in that place."

***

"..."

I was wrong... I didn't wake up in that comfy bed. Here I am, still lying on the grass, with no moon but a bright sun shining down on me. I looked around but didn't find Takumi. I sighed in relief, thinking her image must have been my delusion from thinking about her... But that relief soon vanished as I heard rustling bushes. I looked towards it and saw a woman, wearing... wearing the same exact clothes she had on in my dream. Cautiously, I tried to get up, eyeing her as she approached.

She threw something in front of me.

"Eat these, we'll have to get out of here; they've already found us."

Two sunny-side-up eggs with a slice of tomato and a tuna sandwich—more than enough for breakfast.

"Why do you think I would eat this?"

"Because you're hungry."

My stomach growled. Ugh, bad timing.

She grabbed one sandwich and took a bite.

"It's not poisonous, so eat. I'll explain what's going on once you've finished."

"O-okay."

I had no choice but to eat. Only then would I be able to find out what's really going on, or so I hoped. But considering that this is Takumi we're talking about... I'll just have to find out after eating.

"Is it good?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm glad then." Something about her seemed off. Despite being the same person, Takumi seemed different—cold eyes, a different atmosphere around her, and she was quiet.

"Takumi?" I stopped eating and mustered my courage. "Just what are you? What are you playing at?" I glanced over at her as the sandwich sat between my hands.

She looked me in the eye but didn't say anything.

"I'm asking you again," I persisted, but she remained silent, ignoring me completely.

"Answer me seriously!"

"The fact that you're a childhood friend, an ex-girlfriend, and now bringing me here of all places, this secluded forest... What are you planning this time?"

She still didn't respond, just halted from eating and looked down at the ground, refusing to answer any of my questions.

Knowing how to bring down Korosaku's family and how to fight, she was something else—totally different from the past.

"Just who are you?"

Is she a psychopath?

"Who I am is not important. What you need to focus on now is surviving and living. You can't die," she paused, her voice filled with urgency. "At least keep yourself safe until everything is over and everything is back in its place."

"Just what are you talking about?"

"Shh!" She hushed, alarmed, and slowly reached for some kind of pocket on the side of her leg. "Someone is coming. Get your things; we'll be moving on."

"You know I don't even have anything on me."

"Okay, then let's go. Follow me quietly."

I did as she said, but after sneakily walking, I couldn't suppress my questions.

"Where are we going? Can't you tell me what's really going on? Why are we hiding in the first place?"

"We're going to a safe place. As you already know, someone is after your life."

"I can just deal with them," I murmured.

"You can't!" She got angry, grabbing me by the collar. "This is different from dealing with some thugs! They're... the moment they get you, without mercy, they'll kill you."

"Just who are they?"

She finally let go of me and started leading the way as we walked through tall grasses.

"Hey, can't you at least tell me who is after me?"

She ignored me, and it started to annoy me.

"Takumi!"

"Who's trying to kill me, and why do they want me dead?"

...

Sighing, she wouldn't answer. Is the one after me really the one who killed my father, or is it someone else?

"Okay, you're not going to answer that question no matter how many times I ask, are you? Then at least tell me where we're going."

...

Takumi grabbed my hand, but I stopped and purposefully pulled away.

"Wait... Don't you think something is wrong here?"

I took her hands off me.

"Takumi," I said her name with a harsh tone, gritting my teeth as I looked at her.

"Have you forgotten the last time we saw each other? You dumped me back then, made me look like a pathetic guy as you left me in the alley with another guy... Do you really think I have already forgotten about it? And now you're trying to help me against someone who's after me? You can't be serious! How do you even know about my situation?"

"Matsuki, that time I was..."

"Get away from me!" I yelled, pushing her away.

"W-wait, let me explain. That time I was actually..."

"You think I would forgive you because you're now helping me out? You can't be serious. This situation is all messed up. The girl I liked deceived me and came back, now trying to help me, and on top of that... She's my childhood friend... You knew me from the very start when you approached me at that time..."

"Hey, just why did you do it? Why did you approach me? You saw me in my pathetic state back then... You lifted me up and gave me courage. I thought I finally found what love is, but then you suddenly said that everything was a lie and you were just playing with me... Hey, tell me! Why are you doing this to me? Do I look like a toy to you that you can just toss aside and come back to when you feel like it? Hey, tell me, Takumi!"

"Th-that's..."

"You're crazy! Is something wrong with your mind? Huh? Tell me!

Looking at me with her cold eyes, she bit her lip and started, "Yeah, yeah, that's it," she paused, "I'm crazy! I'm crazy... If you think like that of me, that's fine, but at least listen to me. We have to go now. If we stay here for even a moment, they'll catch up. So please..." Her tears flowed as she begged. "Just for today, just listen to me!"

Takumi, is she possibly messed up in the head? There's nothing I can come up with to explain her behavior. What should I do? To think all this time I'm afraid to face someone like her again... She became different to the fact that I can't even find the Takumi I've once known before. That Takumi who smiled and gave me courage... Wait... does she have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? I'm pretty sure that's not common.

"Let's go!" As she held my hand tight, she led the way and ran. But one thing I found odd, Takumi was trembling. Letting her do what she wanted is not my thing, so I halted, making her also abruptly stop.

"I'm not going to come with you," I declared firmly.

...

Why does everyone these days think that if they ask, anyone will just willingly accept it?

"I'm done with your shit. Just don't appear in my sight."

Turning around, I ran away from her, but as I ran, three tall men in black suits emerged from the shadows to block my path. Their eyes gleamed with malice, and a cold shiver ran down my spine as they advanced towards me.

"Now, now, kid, if you don't want to get hurt..."