𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 - high&low the worst: x cross

THIRTY FOUR

—[ t r u s t f u n d b a b y ]—
}{
{ i can't help be wrong
in the dark 'cause i'm overcome
in this war of hearts.
i can't help want oceans to part
'cause i'm overcome
in this war of hearts }
war of hearts; 02

c h a p t e r t h i r t y f o u r
「 b a c k t o l i f e 」
}{

When someone dies, their brain is the last to go. You have around 3 to 7 minutes to bring that person back before their brain shuts down due to the lack of oxygen— or something like that, Gigi doesn't really remember. There is a common saying that in that 7 minutes, the brain fights its hardest to bring you back to life and all your life's memories start to play in your head. Gigi doesn't know about memories but all she remembers while being unconscious was anger and everything being really really cold. Of course, the last thing she heard before she passed out was Todoroki's soft plea "I love you so much, please don't leave Gigi"

But it wasn't Todoroki's words that made her fight to be alive but that dark bitter need for revenge. They say love is a stronger emotion than vengefulness but Gigi doesn't think so. The need for revenge is always stronger than love. It was the whole reason she was even alive. It wasn't that she didn't love her friends enough to stay alive, it was that she had to stay alive if wanted revenge her way. "What are you doing here?" Gigi asks Ryo

Fujio's fast asleep on the couch snoring away the night, and Tsukasa is also asleep, tucked comfortably under the blanket, still attached to all the weird contraptions just in case as the doctors didn't want to take any chances with either him or her. "I came to see you" Ryo says slowly

He's got bruises on his face. There's a bandaid over his nose and his hands are wrapped in gauze similar to herself, Fujio, Tsukasa and all the other boys who had been in that damn war. Gigi doesn't say anything as he walks in, closing the door behind him. He sits down on the stool between her and Tsukasa's bed but not before staring at Tsukasa's sleeping figure, wincing at the sight of all the things he was hooked up to. "why?" Gigi asks with a frown "shouldn't you be with—"

Ryo shakes his head. "I came to apologize... I realized I was part of the reason Amagai thought he was so invincible. I know sorry isn't going to fix Takajo's lung and ribs or his head and it's not going to heal where he stabbed you but" he pauses and lowers his head "I'm sorry Gina... I didn't know he'd go that far"

Gigi stares at his lowered head no knowing how to feel. She was never mad at Ryo. She knew how Ryo felt— like he had this obligation to protect and to obey Kōhei's every whim just because Kōhei saved him from bullies when they were young and The Amagai group itself saved his family from poverty. Gigi was never mad at Ryo. How could she be? Ryo basically had no choice. "It's not your fault..." Gigi finds herself saying "I just wished you maybe voiced out your thoughts or maybe punched some sense into him like how Tsukasa and Fujio do with each other... I wish you and Kōhei saw each other as equals... If it was like that then all of this could have been avoided"

Ryo knew what she meant. If Ryo and Kōhei saw each other as equals, they could voice out their thoughts to each other. Tell the other what they thought was right and what was wrong. But no, this was some twisted kind of master-servent relationship and Ryo would never bite the hand that feeds him. It was sad. Gigi sincerely hopes that their relationship has changed after this fight. "I don't have anything to say to you Ryo... I just hope you've some realizations with your relationship with Kōhei" She mutters

Ryo takes her hand, being mindful of the clip on her index finger and her bandaged hand. "I'm sorry" he says again

Gigi doesn't say anything as he brings her hand up and kisses her bandaged knuckles. They stare at each other for a moment before Ryo speaks again. "I... I asked Kōhei about it... About why he stabbed you" He pauses almost hesitant to continue "he told me it was an accident... That he didn't know the knife was still in his hand"