SHARP || Alice in Boarderland ff

-85- favors for favors

Walkin the 10 meters to my room was exhilarating. Confused, turned on and scared. Those are the emotions I'm feeling right now. I have a long and uncomfortable conversation ahead of me and need to focus.

I stand outside the door to my room, and my heart is heavy with grief and sorrow. Takeru's death still feels like a fresh wound, raw and agonizing.

The high of emotions i felt mere seconds ago are gone now. Instead of having butterflies, it feels as if stones lay at the bottom of my tummy.

I knock on the door and open it, being greeted by Kenji, who i presume jumped to the door as he heard me knock.

"Oh Yuki, you look so much better already." He awkwardly says and i smile sadly at him.

I push the door to further open it, and as I step inside, I see the sorrow etched on Mari's face. It mirrors the pain I carry within me, a reflection of the loss we all share. Nio and now Kenji stand by her side, their presence a testament to the strength of our bond.

I can only imagine they already told her that he died. And it is breaking my heart. Seeing her so vulnerable, so hurt and pained. I wish I could take this pain from her.

"Mari," I whisper, my voice filled with a mixture of sadness and love. "I'm here."

She looks up at me, her eyes brimming with tears, and I can see the weight of her grief. My heart aches for her, for the loss of our  brother.

Nio reaches out and takes my hand, her touch a silent reassurance, a reminder that we're in this together. Kenji, too, stands beside Mari, his grip on her hand tender yet firm.

In the midst of our collective sadness, I find myself struggling with guilt. I still partly blame myself for Takeru's sacrifice, for the choices I made that led to his tragic fate.

But Nio and Mari, they don't share my self-blame. They see the nobility in Takeru's sacrifice, the love that compelled him to protect me.

"He did it because he loved you," Nio says softly, her voice filled with compassion. "Don't blame yourself, Yuki."

Mari nods, her gaze filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. "Takeru was strong, and he made his choice willingly. It wasn't your fault, Yuki."

Their words wash over me, offering a bandage to my wounded soul. As I wrap my arms around Mari, holding her tightly, I feel a sense of unity, a bond that runs deep within our sisterhood. Nio envelops her arms around us as well and i feel warmth spreading through my body.

We may carry the weight of loss, but we also carry the memories of Takeru's love and sacrifice. And I'm thankful for that. I am thankful, that my sisters are safe, forgiving and most pf all, that we're together again.

------

After remembering our greatest moments with Keru and me showing them his letter, i told them to please stay in my room while Kenji and I had to take care of some other stuff, regarding their stay at the beach.

We close the door behind us and i turn to Kenji and embrace him. "Thank you so much Kenji!" I breathe out thankfully. "You saved my little sister and took care of them when I couldn't, and you're still a child yourself. I am eternally grateful to you."

He hugs me tighter and kisses my cheek. "You are family. Your family is my family. Of course Yuki."

I chuckle and pull away. "Okay, enough cheesy sulking. Why do I need to talk to hatter again?" I ask.

"He wasn't so sure about them and wanted to talk to you." He explains. "He also said if they were to stay here, he wants to talk to you about room choices."