Otoriphobia

15: Becoming Yuuna Otori.

The tense air after the fight between Yuuna and Korekiyo was not something that had dissipated or died down.
The brothers had come to an agreement to forgive each other and move forward... but it did not act as a cure to the wounds they had given to each other that day. It was nothing more than a temporary bandage.
After all, those wounds were still fresh. Korekiyo was still contemplating the death of his sister, and was taking in all Yuuna had told him...
And Yuuna was still facing mental whiplash, unable to accept that his own older brother was going to die in several months.
But they were able to keep those emotions inside, and carry them as they walked down that path out of the Maze of Humanity... as they had accepted that the worries had to be pushed away until they could be truly resolved.
That was due to the number of threats they had to overcome- those being Kishibe, Ricky, and the Wakui Project in general. Rin Kagemori had managed to keep them from splitting apart, and so Yuuna and Korekiyo had both set their sights on the same goal- to eliminate the Wakui Project for good.
Korekiyo, still shaken up, was doing his best to stay close to Rin as he held her hand- providing him with some measure of comfort.
Yuuna, however, was grappling with several doubts within his head- still trying to wonder why he had revealed the truth to Korekiyo and how Korekiyo would see him from now on.
Since Mamiko's death... Yuuna had been trying to convince himself he had nothing to feel guilty for, but his other side constantly fought against that innocence, telling him that he was nothing more than a boy who had murdered his little sister. Yuuna knew deep in his heart that it was an accident, but the demons within the back of his mind had brainwashed him to believe otherwise.
Yuuna knew he wasn't like Korekiyo- the anxious, melancholy older brother who hid his remorse behind a "smile mask". Korekiyo constantly produced reasons to be happy to distract himself from the harsh realities of the world, so much to the point where he ended up offending others sometimes with his poisonous version of "optimism". He was seen as both a liar and a manipulator- both of which were true, in part, but Yuuna knew better than anyone else that Korekiyo's questionable and sometimes frightening means were all methods he used to achieve an ending better suited for the common good of those he cared for.
Yuuna, however, was not like Korekiyo. He did not pretend to feel happy, nor did he stumble over sadness and anger like a drunken wretch. He was somebody talented at hiding how he felt behind a mask of emotionlessness and neutrality- Yuuna had subconsciously become numb to some tragedies after his sister's death had left those deep scars in his heart. Now, Yuuna only smiled on rare occasions- usually only when the good of another required it. For example, Yuuna smiled at others to show them his care for them or his belief in their abilities, but was he ever truly happy?

...No.

Yuuna had accepted that he wouldn't be able to be completely happy in a world where Mamiko was gone. He'd shouldered that burden... the burden of knowing that, even if he achieved happiness, he would have to carry sadness on his shoulder as well, as the memory of Mamiko would never leave him.
And even in spite of every doubt, fear, and made-up scenario in Yuuna's head that tried to cast him into hopelessness...
Yuuna still held on tight to his principles, and to his faith, because he had belief not only in himself, but in Korekiyo and Rin as well... and in Shoko, who he knew still awaited him outside of this prison.
And to take hold of a normal life where he could smile genuinely...
Yuuna knew he had to end Hanzo Kishibe and Ricky...
He had to tear out the Wakui Project by its roots.


"..."
Once the group reached the end of the path, another door awaited them.
The inscription above the door read...

And then they lived happily ever after...

"...I'll open it."
Yuuna stepped in front of Korekiyo and Rin, who did not respond, as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

..The end to the Fifth Game...
The end to the Maze of Humanity.
The game that had seemed simple at first glance...
...But had ended up tearing apart Yuuna's heart and turning him against his brother.
Rin, Korekiyo, and Yuuna had all made an agreement to end the Wakui Project, mentally...
They had all steeled themselves against Hanzo Kishibe and Ricky, the mastermind who pulled the strings on their suffering.
Would that fortitude allow them to wipe both of their opponents out in the final game...?
That is the question that Yuuna said "yes" to...
As he pushed open the door to the Sixth Game.