Red Strings ¦¦ Chishiya Shuntarou x OC

Second String

-2 Years after Borderland-

Why do you think you're alive?

What a stupid question.

It had been two years since the disaster, though Japan had not forgotten. On the anniversary of the meteorite strike, it seemed like a group of survivors came together to organise some sort of reunion for other survivors to commemorate those who passed, and to remind themselves why they were still alive.

Kurenai did not attend the year before, stating that it was a stupid idea.

She stood by her statement, though she was forced to attend this year by Ayako.

"It's not good for you to be cooped up all the time with just this old lady. You need friends, so you can drive them crazy instead. And who knows? Maybe you'll find your future husband there. Or wife. I'm very understanding."

And so, here she was, standing in a banquet hall in a mediocre hotel. Sticking out like a sore thumb in her bright red cocktail dress when everyone else was dressed in much, much more casual clothing.

"I guess they didn't really specify the attire for this event."

Approaching her was a couple, both around her age, perhaps a little younger.

"Hi, I'm Arisu Ryohei. And this is my girlfriend, Usagi Yuzuha. Isn't it crazy to think that we all survived that meteorite strike? We must have used up all our luck for that."

"Usagi as in bunny?" Kurenai asked, seemingly ignoring Arisu.

"Yeah, I suppose," Usagi nodded, a polite smile on her face.

"Do you really think we're lucky to be alive?" Finally, she looked at Arisu. "We didn't die because it's simply not our time to die yet. Doesn't mean we're lucky."

As she walked away from them, Kurenai could hear the couple bickering.

"I told you not to talk to her," Usagi said.

"I just thought she looked a little lonely."

"I know you're studying clinical psychology now, doesn't mean you have to go around analysing everyone."

This anniversary party was as the drag as she had expected it to be. Though, she could not leave just yet. If she were to head home right now, she would definitely be getting an earful from Ayako and she really was not in the mood for that.

"Are you lost, princess?"

A woman with dreads joined Kurenai at the buffet table, picking up a plate and started piling food on. She seemed familiar, but Kurenai could not quite put her finger on it. Perhaps it was just the friendly aura she emitted.

"They really went all out for this reunion, huh?" she grinned, looking at Kurenai. "I'm Kuina Hikari. You?"

"Chuya Kurenai."

"Woah! Chuya as in the Chuya Group? Hey, you guys own the five star hotel down the road. Oh man, we could have had the party there. The food there is apparently legendary."

"It's adequate."

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Kuina hummed, putting the tongs down.

"I don't understand," Kurenai said, though her eyes were looking at the rest of the banquet hall instead. "I don't understand when people say once you've experienced near death, it's supposed to be life-changing. Bad people realise that they are bad and change for the good. And if one had any regrets, they would now right their wrongs or do things they put off before."

"Well, nearly dying lets you see things in another perspective. Those people probably already had the thoughts of changing before, it just took a near death experience for them to realise."

"So what does it tell you about a person who doesn't feel any changes?"

Honestly, it was not something Kuina thought about.

Personally for her, she did not have any major changes in life after her experience. She did not suddenly change her personality, nor did her life change much in most aspects. She did, however, have a greater appreciation for her life. She quit smoking completely, and focused solely on bettering herself and making sure that her mother had a good last few years.

Compared to others who made drastic changes, Kuina's changes were more humble.

Kurenai, on the other hand, felt absolutely nothing.

When she woke up, she never thought that she was lucky to be alive. The only thing different now was that her relationship with Aoi had improved and they became closer, though otherwise, everything else was the same.

She was still living that silver spoon life. She was still the ghost writer for Aoi at work. She still despised every fibre of her father's being and wished that he was dead every single day.

If anything, her life felt more empty than before.

Ever since she woke up in the hospital, she had this feeling that something was missing even to this day.

"It was nice meeting you," Kurenai smiled, walking away and left the banquet hall. She pulled her phone out, dialling a number. "Hanzo-san, yes, please bring the car around. No, we're not going home. Ayako-san would chew me alive. Make a reservation at C'est La Vie, I haven't eaten."

Coming down to the lobby, Kurenai headed outside and stood by the entrance waiting for her car. Driving up to the entrance was a taxi, and just behind that taxi was Hanzo with her car. Kurenai started walking over to her car when the taxi's door suddenly swung open, nearly hitting her.

Stepping out of the taxi was a man covered in burn scars. As he was getting out, he looked Kurenai up and down, letting out a scoff and looked away.

"Excuse me?"

"Excuse what?" the man retorted.

"What an ass," she mumbled, walking around.

As she approached her car, Hanzo got out and opened the back door for her, closing the door after she got in and rushed back around to the driver side, getting in. At the same time, another taxi was pulling up behind her car and a blonde man got out. He walked up to the man with burn scars just as Hanzo was driving away.

"Who was that?" Chishiya asked.

"Some bitch," Niragi shrugged.

"What did you do?"

"Why do you always assume that I did something?"

"Because you're you."

Niragi narrowed his eyes on Chishiya. They shared a ward room in the hospital after being rescued two years ago, and while they did not get along, they somehow ended up renting an apartment together. It was a lot cheaper than living alone, and with the state he was in, Niragi was actually grateful to have a medical student around.

For Chishiya, it was just convenience. He needed a place near the hospital, and he needed a cheap place.

"It was your fault," Niragi pointed out.

"I wasn't even in your taxi," Chishiya said. "And even if I was, I'm pretty sure it'd still be your fault."

"You're the asshole who didn't want to share a taxi even though we live at the same place."

"I'd rather if others did not associate me with you."