Alice in Borderland | Transmigration

Chapter 14 - Arisu's POV

Arisu's first impression of you was the fact you were a foreigner and stranded in this desolate world like the rest of them. He was glad you're here, just to prove they weren't alone, but he never really thought about you apart from that.

The panic he felt when you rushed to a random door and swung it open was textbook, the type of panic you would feel when you see a stranger on the street being in danger. He was relieved to see that you were alive.

However, you threw yourself at yet another door, and this time he caught you. He didn't want you to do something reckless in this strange situation, he didn't think he would be able to live with the guilt of being able to prevent something happening to you but not acting on it.

Despite his efforts, you had opened the door, and this time the relief felt was a little stronger than last time. Then that high school girl died, and realisation that this game was made to kill sent him into a fit of panic. Karube had started yelling at him and it really wasn't helping–

"Evacuation."

He looked up, mind whirling, gears turning to try and piece together that one hint.

"Um...c-cars?"

It hit him, mind working a mile a minute and he blurted out the answer without even double checking, but you were at the door and he didn't even have a second to yell out before you opened it.

The fact that someone trusted him this much was insane, what if he answered randomly with the intention of using her as bait? But the sincere look in her expression told him that she knew he wouldn't do that.

For the rest of the trials, she has been the one to leap first and swing open any door he suggests, and if his heart jumps to his throat every time she does so, no one will know but him.

He didn't think he'll be able to live with the guilt if he killed her by saying the wrong door, so he always made sure to be careful with his calculations.

Disaster hit in what he thought would be the last room, because where was the door in front? Before Arisu could even second guess himself, you had opened a door. He panicked, the type of panic you would feel when an acquaintance was in danger. Then relief, his emotions flicking by so fast he couldn't even process it.

After narrowly escaping, the question of how you knew exactly what information he needed was probing at the back of his mind. So he asked you, and the answer you gave was choppy, but he thinks he got the gist of it.

When you suggested separating during the tag game, he was reluctant. He believes he kind of understands how you are as a person, and recklessness was on the top of your 'list of qualities'.

Nevertheless, you drove a hard bargain, so he left you be and ignored his sweaty palms when reminded you were all alone with a tagger on the loose. He soon forgot about it as he got swept up in being chased around, once or twice he caught himself wondering about whether his friends were okay, but never stood in one place long enough to really think about it.

The reassurance he felt when he saw you was instantaneous, glad you were alive, glad you were okay. He opened the door, first to go in. He saw a shift in the corner and threw himself to the ground. The bleach-haired male had tased him, to which Arisu felt a little admiration.

He had wanted to check if you were okay, but the gunfire started up again and without thinking, Arisu threw himself to another door. He swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought of bullets piercing your body, the type of panic felt when a friend of yours was in danger. But a new wave of panic settled over his body when he realised you needed two people to clear this game.

Against all odds, it had worked, they cleared the game with 3 seconds to spare. He watched, stomach dropping, as a 'player' –someone like them– got their head blown off. He opened his mouth, but then spotted your arm bleeding profusely. Stomach dropping even further, if that was possible, he rushed over.

His emotions were a mess, quick to come and even quicker to go, he felt that it was a common occurrence being around someone like you.

Then his world greyed, Chota dying was unexpected, not meant to happen. Life drained from his body, and as he lay on the floor, he briefly wondered if someone could feel this much despair. It felt like he was being ripped into two, a part of him withering inside and every memory of Chota sent him bawling again.

He doesn't think he'll ever get over it, it hurt so much he considered dying just to end the pain. He had utterly let go of himself, but with insistent hands and words of encouragement, he had managed to make his way back to their make-shift home.

Seeing Chota's things was an out of body experience, he felt his entire body slump even further, tears running down his face again. He threw himself on the bed and thought that if he died just laying here, he wouldn't even complain. Was it possible to die from heartbreak?

Soft voice, soft fingers. He felt slightly annoyed that you had tried to coax him into being functional again, but you had spoken words –choppy– but meaningful. And he could see the awkward tense in your shoulders when trying to comfort him, but still soldiered through.

When you threaded your fingers through his hair, warmth and comfort engulfed his entire being, so rapid a fresh wave of tears sprung into his eyes. He put his face into the covers, sobbing until he passed out.

When he woke, your fingers were still rubbing small circles on his scalp, and the solace he found in you anchoring him was too much for words. He let the small warmth blossom in his chest, grateful you were here with him.

Arisu thinks you're smarter than you let on. Time and time again he's impressed by your perceptiveness and problem solving skills. Problem was, all those skills seem to diminish the moment you step away from an arena. Not to mention, he's seen you completely ignoring the instructions and clear conditions for every game, yet you still become the main reason everyone makes it out alive.

He knows you well enough to recognise the look on your face when you've utterly zoned out and is not paying attention, and he's learnt to just ignore it when it appears during the game instructions. However, that doesn't ease his nerves, and he finds himself checking time and time again if you understand.

Just like how whenever he sees you after a period of time, he can't help but give you a once over to check if you have any new injuries. It's almost instinctive. Plus, it really doesn't help that you seem to injure yourself everywhere. There's always some new scratches on your arm, or a new bruise on your leg, and when he asks you how you got them, you would frown at the injury and say 'oh, how'd I get that?'.

He feels such a strong flare of protectiveness over you that it scares him sometimes.

Now, as he watches as you shovel concerning amounts of noodles into your mouth with a soft smile on his face, he knows that the type of panic he'll feel next time will be the type felt when a family member is in danger.