✧THE FOURTH BETRAYAL✧ || SCARAMOUCHE X READER

7 | Time Capsules

After reconciling with both Emiko and Kabukimono, there was a silent but an obvious pact, that we should never mention the 'Aoto incident' again. It was enforced naturally, as if our eyes told each other that his name was forbidden in our conversations. Needlessly to say, it was for the greater good, and bringing up the incident would only be a cause for futile arguments, though it had not occured yet at all. 

Getting pushed off a tree with a height of four meters was certainly not a great feeling. It was painful - the countless bruises that covered my body, broken bones that ached my body when I budged, and occasionally forgetting the faces of the people I know. Yet I pushed through to enjoy my life to the fullest - I didn't let the incident be the cause of my downfall.

When I forgot the faces of my parents, it put me in absolute pain. They were the ones I loved the most, so when I forgot how they looked like, it made me want to throw up - I felt guilty for forgetting their faces, even though the cause of it was not my fault. These occasional instances of forgetting people's faces applied to everyone, and was most likely caused by the fall. Kabukimono, Emiko, my siblings... 

I would forget their faces, no matter how much I tried to remember. Sometimes, I cried in agony. I felt distressed. Wounded and anguished. I felt incapable. I felt that I was living in a nightmare. 

So when I saw them again after forgetting... I suddenly felt alive again. 

Every night, I wrote in my diary, and drew the faces of the people I loved. 

My parents, siblings, Kabukimono, Emiko - I drew their faces so that I would not forget. I was afraid at times, that when they finally left me and my vision, I would never remember their faces ever again. My diary contained my personal thoughts and visions - my dreams, events, and everything I ever thought of. It became a part of me, and one that I could never leave. It contained my feelings and emotions, whether they were full of hatred, agony or joy. 

I was prepared for this to be my last entry, although it ached my heart. 

∘₊✧─────────────────────✧₊∘

Today was a long-awaited day for the three of us. We stood in front of the Eternal Tree which became our new hangout area after 'the incident', hoping to never remember it agian. In our hands were boxes that contained and hid our personally chosen memorial objects. We never exposed what we put inside for the sake of the experience, and we all happily agreed to it. 

I was curious with what Emiko and Kabukimono put inside theirs, but I restrained myself from asking. We all seemed so excited, our eyes glistening with pure excitement. This event was delayed by months, after Kabukimono joined our friend group. 

I gazed at the leaves of the Eternal Tree, it's light shades of pink and purple fluttering in the air. A truly beautiful sight that even a pessimist could agree with. But there was more to it's beauty - this was also the place that I first learned of Kabukimono's origins, discovering only a portion of his tragic tale. It was also the place I weeped because of his story, even though there was a direct phrase to never cry in front of the eyes of the Eternal Tree. In my eyes, this was the perfect area to bury our time capsules, in which it will be safely inlaid underneath the ground, protected by the Eternal Tree. Eternal - this moment was one that our bond was set in stone forever, binded by the strings of eternity. It was indeed an exciting moment, and we all agreed to open up the hidden time capsules exactly ten years later, in which we would all be young adults. 

We buried a hole big enough to contain all our time capsules beside the tree using our shovels, digging passionately, but Emiko was perhaps the most aggressive out of all of us. After minutes that felt like hours, our digging was complete. 

"Me! Me! Can I go first?" Emiko exclaimed enthusiastically, and Kabukimono and I nodded. She gently placed her time capsule in the hole, her name labelled on the top in fancy handwriting. 

"You go next, Kabukimono. I'll go last!" I said with a smile, and he nodded, a slight tint of red appearing on his cheeks. He did the same as Emiko, putting it in like the box was the most delicate thing in the world, able to shatter with a single flick. And finally, it was my turn. While inhaling, I placed my box next to Kabukimono's box, and our arrangement was finally complete. We all applauded in glee though no one said to, and we quickly used our shovels to completely hide away the boxes. Our work was complete. Evidence of our eternal friendship was set in stone. I spent this moment in bliss, our hard work paying off, and although some bruises still remained on my body, I felt nothing but joy. 

"Woohoo! I'm still so curious to know what you guys put in though... I'll ask my mum to make you hot chocolate if you tell me!" Emiko joked as she pouted, obviously intended towards Kabukimono, as we all knew that he would do anything to get his hands on hot chocolate. 

"Hmph. If I had to tell someone it would be Y/N, not you, annoying idiot." Kabukimono glared at her in a joking manner, and we all burst out laughing like foolish kids, even though it shouldn't have been so funny. Perhaps it was because of who was saying it, instead. 

"Yeah, yeah. Just confess at this point, you with the worst haircut I've ever laid my eyes on." Emiko jested as she rolled her eyes with her arms crossed, and suddenly Kabukimono's face became beet-red, turning the other way so that I couldn't see. But it was obvious that he was blushing, and trying to hide it. I laughed it off, but couldn't help but think if he actually liked me in that way. Unconsciously, I could feel my cheeks burning up, and I could tell that I probably looked like a tomato. 

Kabukimono and I as a couple? I wanted to deny my feelings for him, wondering what the emotions that I felt for him really were. Was it simply a feeling of pity for him, or was it a romantic feeling that I felt for him?

I didn't know, so I simply stood there, cheeks burning like fire. Emiko was the only one laughing now, Kabukimono and I desperately trying to look away from each other, refusing to believe that what we had felt for each other could have been more than just a friendship. 

What was it that I felt? 

Empathy? 

Pity? 

Friendship? 

Or... was it love?

Whatever it was... I was glad to be somebody in his life. 

A/N: Short chapter :) 

And just a reminder: I do plan on adding a lot of angst like I had stated in the prologue, so wait for it!

Thank you for reading!