You Were The Path I Chose | A Goro Akechi Romance

#1/9 Part #2: A common Ground

... In which Akechi and I set out to save Sumire, only to be rescued by my recently awakened friends. However, when asked to team up with Akechi against Dr. Maruki, I might have to remind them that when I last asked for their opinion, it aligned with mine.

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Like this, it takes an almost disappointingly short time to get to Odaiba. Akechi parks his motorbike directly in front of the stadium, and I stare up at the glowing outline of the palace all while he stashes the helmets away. Only now do I slowly begin feeling something like . . . dread.

"Let's figure out where Maruki is first," Akechi says immediately after we fade into the Metaverse, then walks up to the elevator. "I don't want to waste any time wandering about aimlessly."

I shove my mask up and make a face at him. Technically, he's right, and I want to find Sumire as quickly as possible. But . . .

"What's with that face?" he asks. "We encountered an information guide after going up that elevator. If Maruki intends to welcome us in so graciously, perhaps we'll come across another—"

Akechi cuts off when I step closer and gingerly lift my hand to his mask, slowly pushing it up with one finger, like a visor.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I give him a bright smile.

"I was wondering if your mask lifts like that."

> "I've been meaning to try this."

Akechi looks at me like he is moments away from either facepalming or breaking into laughter. Then he lifts his head and drops the mask again.

"Before I forget . . . I suspect the battles are going to get even tougher from here on out, due to our lack of manpower." He picks his train of thought back up as though nothing happened. "Focusing on our own abilities is fine and all, but depending on the situation, it'll be more efficient to team up. That combination move we pulled off before . . ."

> "I want to do that again!"

"Let's do it again!"

I cut in, and he gives me another bemused look. "That's what I was going to suggest. Of course—" Akechi throws me a side glance, and beneath his visor, I see the corner of his mouth twisting up. "That all depends on whether or not you can keep up with me."

Without further ado, he dashes ahead toward the elevator, and I hurry as quickly as I can to stay on his heel, all without losing my smile. Like this—alone with Akechi in the Metaverse, playing our little games—I could spend hours. An eternity. Suddenly, I can barely imagine a more exciting pastime.

It only takes a moment to get back to the information guide, which indeed points us to the auditorium without further ado. We encounter a few more Shadows and one more safe room along the way, but Akechi insists on moving forward without delay. At this point, I have no objections either. All I really want anymore is to find Sumire and figure out how to help her . . . What we'll do with Dr. Maruki, I don't know. What can we even do against someone as powerful as him?

When Akechi and I finally arrive in the grand auditorium and the lights flicker on, my heart sinks. Sumire sits on a tall chair, flanked by Dr. Maruki, who greets us as warmly as before. But I can't bring myself to care about niceties anymore; he's the one to blame for what I had to do to my friends. His absurd mission to force upon us all happiness is the reason I have felt so much pain.