Chainsaw Man: Heart of Hell |Aki Hayakawa|

Chapter 16: A Hint of Serendipity

Location: Hotel Morin, Tokyo, Japan

"I'll always protect you, Aki. I promise, no matter what."

The voice was soft and familiar. It was just a whisper but the words played like a record in his head like a melody. The black-haired male felt like he was in an endless dream he did not want to wake up from. All he felt was serendipity. The feeling was not like any other feeling. Not one you would get from a single, no, a pack of cigarettes. The warmth did not come from the toxic fumes that had eaten him inside out rather it was a touch of light that caressed him with affection.

A gentle touch on his forehead was able to wake him from his slumber as he slowly opened his eyes and a blurry white figure came into his view. His eyes were able to focus and the warm touch disappeared along with the serendipity. Reality had dawned on him.

 A look of surprise came into Love's face as she pulled her arm away. She did her best to heal up Aki, however, the expression on his face looked as if he was disappointed or even depressed.

Love tried to ignore the thought if it was her appearance right at the moment he woke up irritated him.

"Are you feeling pain anywhere else, Aki?"

Aki just observed Love who was sitting beside him against the wall. The love devil stared back in question and concern. Dark eye bags had formed under his eyes and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. His pale complexion and poor state worried the love devil. 

"Is Aki still alive?"

"He's okay... He's awake." Love stared the eye-patched woman.

 Himeno wobbly crawled towards Aki who was resting on the bed.  She crept inside the blankets and snuggled with Aki. The male responded with the movements and stared at Himeno and at Love who sat leaning on the wall with a dejected expression.

"How long has it been..?" He grumbled.

"Three days since then... I think..?" Himeno responded.

All those three days, Love stayed awake watching over the group, particularly assuring the health of others. As for Denji, Love was deeply concerned not having the faintest idea if he will perish or come out alive and well with the rest of the group.

The battle cries of the Eternity devil and Denji persisted since it had started. Now the anguish screams of the devil became weary as if it had lost its fortitude.

"We should all go drinking... It's over so I'm just gonna sleep a bit..." Himeno's voice came out as a whisper but it was loud enough for Love to hear. She became comfortably close to Aki and the male had no energy to refute with her affectionate action.

"It's over...?" Aki repeated as if in disbelief of their situation.

Love managed to crawl towards the edge seeing that with the last whir of Denji's chainsaw, he had sliced the heart of the Eternity devil finally ending the neverending nightmare.

The limitless sky dawned on the group. The bustling noise of the city and polluted air greeted them. All by means, they were grateful to finally be outside again.

Heavy arms wrap around the shoulders of Love as Aki leaned on her for support. Red eyes gawk at the male studying his expressions. It was apparent to the love devil her powers had not fully healed the weary male. Specifically, not enough to heal his deep wound.

The hospital was their next destination as Love assisted Aki, Himeno, and Denji on their way to the location. Her stay lasted short as she made her way to the headquarters to deliver the tiny gun devil bullet fragment, which Denji found inside the Eternity devil.