SHARP || Alice in Boarderland ff

-107- jealousy

My heart skips a beat, and I'm momentarily speechless by his words. Memories and emotions rush forth, creating a mixture of surprise and warmth.

"Takeru?" I murmur, the name feeling both foreign and deeply familiar on my tongue when speaking it out aloud.

Key's expression becomes tinged with sadness as he faces me again. "Yes, Takeru Hashimoto. Your brother."

A wave of emotions crashes over me as my eyes meet his. It's as if time folds in on itself, and I'm transported back to memories of my brother. His smile, his laughter, his presence. My heart aches with a bittersweet longing.

"You knew my brother?" I manage to ask, my voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Key's gaze is steady, and his eyes seem to hold a wealth of untold stories. "Yeah, I did. We were comrades in the military."

The realization hits me like a jolt. They really shared experiences, battles fought side by side. Weirdly enough, it's both comforting and overwhelming.

"He often spoke of you, your sister and his girlfriend." Key continues, his voice softer now. "Takeru was a remarkable person. A true leader, always putting others before himself."

My eyes well up with tears, and I quickly swipe at them, a mixture of emotions swirling within me. "I miss him," I admit, my voice breaking slightly.

Key's hand hovers in the air for a moment before he places it gently on my shoulder, offering a wordless gesture of comfort. "So do I," he replies, his voice holding a quiet sadness.

"He was one of a kind," Key says, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he reminisces about my brother.

After a few moments of silence, he gazes to the City and sighs softly. "I didn't think you were Takeru's sister," Key says softly, breaking the comfortable silence that has settled between us. "But after spending time with you, playing these games and seeing your mannerisms... I noticed the familiarities."

His words hang in the air, heavy with unspoken sentiments. I glance at him with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation in my eyes. "Familiarities?"

Key's gaze is distant for a moment before he meets my eyes again. "Takeru had a way about him. He was a natural leader, kind and compassionate. Even in the toughest situations, he always found a way to make people feel at ease. Even when he was annoyed. Just like you."

A soft smile tugs at the corners of my lips as memories of my brother's warmth flood back. "He had that effect on people," I agree, my voice carrying a fondness that I haven't felt in a while.

Key nods, his eyes holding a mixture of sadness and admiration. "It's strange, you know. Meeting you now, knowing who you are and the history you share with him. I feel like I know you already... it's both sad and beautiful."

I watch as Key's gaze turns reflective, lost in memories that stretch beyond the rooftop we sit on. The wind rustles through the night, carrying with it a sense of camaraderie, even as our conversation steers into the depths of the past.

"He saved my life once," Key says, his voice carrying a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. "In the midst of chaos, he was the one who stood by me, who risked his own life for me. He is the reason I'm here today."

A lump forms in my throat as I listen to Key's words. Takeru's impact on others is something I've known, but hearing it from someone who shared the battlefield with him is a different kind of affirmation.

"He saved me too. He just had a way of helping people as if it was the most normal thing in the world." I reply softly, my voice tinged with a sense of pride.