King Make Believe

Chapter 47

Hirokazu

I looked at myself in the reflection, I was wearing a light blue turtle-neck with a white cotton coat over the top. My pants were black jeans, my shoes leather converse that Jae'd stolen from a desk clerk she'd knocked unconscious.

"It'll have to do." Jae said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me roughly away from the other me. As Jae placed a pair of glasses haphazardly over my face, I thought to myself;

Is Archer okay?

I knew as soon as Jae's lips pressed against my knuckles, the stiff stance as she stood out of her bow. I saw tears glistening behind the glassy shield over her eyes.

Something had happened, I could feel it. Archer was hurt, he was alone. And most importantly. I knew Miyoko had gone and stabbed my bruised and scarred back, for a higher power that she was supposed to hate.

Jae grinned and bowed slightly at the other desk clerk and squeezed my hand behind her back. They nodded back and we were out.

Jae let out a soft whoop of triumph and pulled us both into a nearby alleyway. She turned to look at me and her eyes began to shine. She wiped away tears from my cheeks that I didn't know had fallen. Her own tears began to fall and she cradled me, both of us crying in silence as the overwhelming truth settled into our skin.

"Hiro, I'm sorry...so sorry." She mumbled into my hair. Hugging me tighter as the ground began to shake. I stared blankly ahead, now aware that I was no longer in control of the Mist. If the Vaxxines had Archer, they could sample it, use it. I was done for. I wasn't even allowed to die in the arms of the one who loved me most in this world.

Because they'd been taken. Taken into the hands of the people who probably knew more about me than I did.

I pulled away and looked Jae in the eyes, I felt her shiver in my arms under my stare. "Jae-wun Song." I said. She averted her gaze and I frowned deeply. She wasn't looking away now. No backing down after I say these words—I grabbed her chin. "Do you love me?" I asked.

She blinked at me and her gaze widened. "I do." She said after pausing, her stuttering heartbeat slowing under my hands.

"Would you die for me?"

"I would."

"Then help me get him back." I said. I stood up, pulling away from her arms of warmth. She stared up at me waiting for more.

"That's an order, Captain Song." I said quietly, smiling. She grinned back and I helped her to her feet. We exited the dank alley and didn't notice the web of cracks in the concrete I'd sat upon.