Chapter 18 Time must die

Nick returned home quite late, the sky was entirely dark, and the house was shrouded in darkness. He thought Akito had probably already gone to sleep, so he walked as softly as possible. It seemed that every step was filled with tenderness.

Entering the bedroom, however, he found it empty, and panic gripped him. After turning on all the lights, he discovered Akito lying in the white porcelain bathtub. The water had turned cold, and Akito's body had stiffened.

Looking down, Nick noticed the vivid marks on Akito's left wrist, ranging from deep red to light pink. He could almost see the white of the bones. Nick knelt down, "Akito... Akito..."

He embraced the lifeless body, his voice filled with sobs, "Akito... you're really fond of sleeping... how did you fall asleep here? Wake up... wake up... don't be angry... I won't come home late again... Akito... wake up..."

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On that day, Ryohei had said, "I want to be with you even if it means death."

So, for you, I finally gathered the courage, just once.