Queen of Diamonds | Shuntaro Chishiya

[Chapter 16]. Friends?

Game cleared

The voice projected loud over the hotel speaker coms. Setsuna manages to escape the scene to the washroom to look more closely at her battered body. Many bruises seem to have formed from the fight with Agni and even Arisū must've been in a worse condition.

The fire in the building was ready to crumble the structure. Setsuna grabbed a hold of herself and dashed out of the main hall to the courtyard. She spotted everyone far away enough to watch the Beach burn to a crisp. Her happiness turned to animosity seeing Chishiya once again.

She remembered what he told Mira on the rooftop and it sickens her to even think like him.

"I never wanted to understand the hearts of others."

What did he mean by that...? Chishiya noticed her standing there and waved as if nothing happened. She snickered walking over towards Usagi and Arisū to check on them.

"You look awful," Chishiya snickered at Kuina who was fuming. He has no idea what she has been through.

"Could you get lost? If I get a look at your face, I don't think I'll be able to hold back." Kuina hissed clenching her fists into balls. This was a relatively new side of her. Chishiya only smiled at her temperament.

What a complete asshole!

"You should be considerate of others, Chishiya." Setsuna fired back which earned her a respectful look from Kuina.

"What has you wrapped up? Hmm~" his tone seriously irritated her to the core. How can he be so cruel and not care about others? Setsuna had a pitiful feeling for him. She felt a connection to someone who disregards anyone who no longer has no valuable use to him.

"The game this time has gotten me disconcerted..." Chishiya proudly says whereas Setsuna was glowering her eyesight on him.

"Setsuna... do you know the origin of the word utopia?" He asked but she didn't respond meaning she frankly didn't care to know.

"The English Philosopher Thomas More created this word with intense irony in mind. In Greek, it means a place that does not exist." Chishiya's mind was incredibly brilliant and Setsuna knew she was nowhere good for him. If they managed to ever leave this world alive. He would be better marrying off to a woman with a bachelors degree.

Setsuna gasps nearly slapping her face. How could she think like that?! I must be out of my mind. She was already falling for his intelligent mind.

"Maybe this is for the best... a paradise... is not something a man should be able to create." Chishiya looks back to see the battered girl hang her head low.

"C-Chishiya... if we get out of this alive I want to be your friend." Setsuna tried to painfully smile. Even if he doesn't want to, she would respect his wishes and go on her way.

"I would like that."

><><><>

A day had past and Setsuna decided that it was time to walk back to the burnt hotel. Everything was crisp, the walls were pitch black from the burning of the fire.

Her hands graced over the furniture that was worse than burnt toast.

"The aroma smells worse than Niragi's feet..." she couldn't hold her nose from inhaling the very bad air that polluted the hotel.

"Ah, I guess it's not very a very pleasant sight nor smell." That voice! Setsuna whipped around to be met face to face with the semi-tall blonde male.

"I have a feeling you're here for other means than to antagonize me." Setsuna walked over to where a very burnt corpse laid and a Katana that was several feet away.

That was why she was here.

Her Wakizashi was worn and needed a repair at the holt. The katana here would've survived the fire outbreak. She remembered Takatora Samura had one of these, but she was unaware of where to find a Katana in the city...

"You're right, I'm here for another purpose." Chishiya placed his hands in his hoodie's pockets. Setsuna's eyes squinted as she observed him.

"Another purpose?" She questioned but huffed... at least they had 10 days to do whatever they wanted since their visa won't expire till then.

"I was thinking about searching for the game clear register, with all this fire damage there probably is none left." Chishiya implied; his eyes wandering around the room before locking eyes with Setsuna.

"Where will you be staying?" Setsuna was curious and wouldn't like it if he was staying outside.

"That's none of your concern." He snickered while she frowned.

"I caught an apartment downtown... it has an extra room if you're contented to rest for a few days? If not I'll just leave you to your plans." Setsuna sighed yet again not wanting to be troublesome to the Shuntarō.

"I supposed a few nights would be alright..." his voice lowered. Her chest felt joy rise through her.

"...I'm glad that I met you, Chishiya-san." She smiled at him but this wasn't a carefree emotion she displayed. She generally cares for him, much more than the people who he associated with back in the medical ward.

>~>~>~>

"Are you sure you don't want to meet up with Arisū and the others from the Beach? They're throwing their small memorial for those who were sacrificed in the Witch Hunt... it would be respectful if you'd go." Setsuna and Chishiya walked in silence. They finally reached the apartment that Setsuna was using for the spare moment.

"What good is there to pay my respects for those that were sacrificial in a game?" The words pained Setsuna to hear.

"T-They weren't sacrificial, they were killed off as part of Agni's plan to dismantle the Beach! Chishiya-san..." her voice grew soft as her eyes dropped to the ground. This was overbearing for her to hear.

"Hmm? I always thought you didn't like other humans. I guess you do grow quite attached," Chishiya's eyes sneered at her statement. Was he out of his mind?

"That's not it! I overheard you talk to Mira moments before Arisū cleared the 10 of Hearts. You said something that struck me 'I never want to understand the Hearts of others', what do you particularly mean by that?" Setsuna crossed her arms tapping one foot on the ground.

He was quite amused by the fact she followed him to the rooftop. "I wasn't conspiring with Mira if you thought so, you're wrong." He paused but Setsuna wasn't convinced completely.

"What I meant was... understanding the deep raw emotions of sorrow, betrayal, melancholy, and pity of others. That's why I always felt myself shutting off the outside world. It doesn't matter, I'm going to rest for the night." Was he running away? Setsuna shook her head at his response.

"You don't need to run away from a difficult situation. Is that why you let Arisū finish the game? You didn't truly want to involve emotions being toyed with?" She noticed a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as his head turned back to get a good look at the curious woman.

He was always fascinated at how she could solve him so easily. Many people wouldn't be able to dissect his brain to even understand the gist of how he operates.

"I see...Sumimasen. I hope you have a nice rest, I hope tomorrow we can forget everything that has happened and live in the moment." Setsuna gave him a genuine smile as she lowered her head walking towards her room.

Chishiya couldn't deny it. He truly felt a stronger connection with the woman.

"Fair play... for now~"

><~><~><

The night was beautiful, Arisū laid down peacefully next to Usagi. His heartfelt content being near her and helping her get back home.

He couldn't sleep but he wondered how the others have been doing since the Beach have been dismantled. Especially the whereabouts of Agni disappearing in amidst.

"We have 10 days... I'm slowly starting to lose my will to play any more games. Why does it have to be me?" He whispered looking up at the sky, his head turned to see Usagi peaceful in her beautiful slumber.

I hope you all are safe. We are inching near the death of this game.