12 Roses

14 | Curses and Voices

"We should've taken her out of her wet clothes quicker," the old lady said calmly. "However, she should be alright in a day or so. Is that good enough for you, young man?"

Toge clung to your hand tightly, and your grip on his was comforting despite the fact that he was losing feeling in his fingertips.

Panda put his hand on Toge's shoulder. "She's fine," Panda confirmed, although he wasn't quite sure himself.

Your grip on Toge's hand went tighter and his head snapped towards you, a quiet grunt coming from his throat as he placed his other hand on your shoulder, seeing the trouble expression on your face.

"She's probably just having an unpleasant dream," the old lady assured, placing her hand over your side. And suddenly, your expression relaxed.

"Yuta's still fighting," you said quietly as Maki and Panda awoke.

"He's fighting that monster?!" Panda exclaimed loudly, making your ears ring.

You let out a quiet groan, placing your hands over your ears.

Toge yelped softly and took your hand, placing it back over your wound in your side. You snorted and slapped his hand away, given weakly. "I'm fine. Since you're healed now, I can work on it."

"Better do it quick," Maki urged.

You slowly got to your feet, peering over the balcony to see Yuta and Suguru's fight off in the distance. A great deal of cursed energy burst from amongst the buildings nearby.

"Crap- Watch out!" You swung your arm and vines rapidly grew from the ground up till the balcony. Panda shielded Maki while Toge pulled you close and a loud crash came from beyond the shield of nature.

Maki let out a quiet gasp and took out her sword, slicing through your vines and jumping from the balcony, sliding down the vines with Panda close behind.

Toge picked you up and helped you down.

"My wound is fine now," you signed, showing him that the blood was just the stains on your shirt. Toge, however, didn't put you down.

"Yuta!" Maki called desperately, running through the rubble and remnants of the damaged buildings. "Yuta!!"

"Over there!" Panda pointed and you all rushed over to find Yuta lying on the ground, unconscious.

Toge put you down and you hovered your hands above him. His wounds started to close, slowly but cleaner than the way he had done it, and his eyes started to open.

Maki's eyes went wide. "Yuta! Are you okay?!"

"Get a hold of yourself, Yuta!" Panda yelled as if Yuta wasn't right in front of him.

Yuta sat up abruptly and your hands recoiled back to your chest, a grin spreading across your face.

His eyes filled with relieved tears and you sighed, leaning back on Toge. "Too much is happening today," you said to only him, and he nodded.

"Yuta."

You followed everyone's gaze to the curse that clung to Yuta, even through battle. She was powerful, you could tell, from the moment Yuta walked into the classroom.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rika," Yuta said with a soft smile.

"Wait, what?" You stared expectantly at Yuta as he sent a guilty glance at the group.