『A crystal can only reveal its hidden structure when fractures thread through its inclusions』
Jewelry embedded with the finest of gemstones will always capture a person's attention. Whether it be through the flurry of colors running through the glas...
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『ARC FIVE: NULL AND VOID』
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Grief was a strange thing.
It was something that Tomohiro truly did not understand. However, it was not the first time he had gone through it. Heavens, no, it was definitely not the first time. The earliest memory of heartache that he had ever suffered was when his father died. Etched into his mind was the curling flames engulfing the building his father worked in. He never made it out in time.
The second was when his sister had perished. His dear sister, such a hardworking and cheerful person, had died protecting him. She held him close to her chest, arms wrapped around his trembling form. She kept a firm tone, whispering reassuring words as the winds sliced at her back and robbed her of life. He had to watch Koemi suffer with a grin planted across her face. Twenty-one years ago, he was too young, too weak to do anything to save his sister. Koemi died while he was given a chance at life.
The third time still felt like a dream at times. She smiled so brightly, so innocently, while declaring her ideals. She sang his praises and never doubted him for a moment. Like the ones before, she had fallen for a selfless deed. He wanted her to be selfish and let time run its course. She refused, and he watched the light fade from her eyes as well.
When the fourth came around, it was not necessarily a death. But it could be referred to as one. He should have grabbed Junri's hand that day when she placed her resignation letter on his desk. She confidently strode in, smiling sweetly with her words firm. He stood as she left. And then she reappeared eleven years later with a frightened yet guilty expression. The Junri from now was not the Junri from back then. That heroic little girl had died long ago.
He was not entirely sure if he should be referring to Tanami as the fifth. He knew she was not dead. Tanami would not allow herself to die in such a manner. This was only solidified even further by Junri's words after the Tanami doll had 'died.' Deep within his consciousness, he knew it was nearly impossible to believe Junri. Especially since now, she appeared to be more of a husk than a human being. It was interesting in a way. The master of sentience yielding to all others.
But besides all of that reassurance, the inside of his chest still hurt. It felt like someone had stabbed him repeatedly in his heart. No amount of comfort made this feeling fade away. In fact, he just had the urge to throw up anything he had eaten throughout the day. Not that he really ate anything without Kohei or Sumiko forcing him to eat something. He could not really hear their words very well. They spoke, voices filtering out of their mouths, and their lips moved, but it seemed like his brain refused to pick any of them up. And if he did hear them, they sounded muffled or filled with radio static.
The only time his hearing had managed to work was when he was mindlessly doing paperwork in his office. Everything around him was dull, lifeless, but throughout that sea of static, everything seemed too clear. Just in time too because that Villain from before, Reina, showed up in his office without any warning. However, that clear-headedness only lasted a few minutes. That saving grace was long enough for him to get Reina to say a few words. But he could not stop her from fading away in that ghostly blue mist.
