"ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ✧ɢᴇᴍ" {ᴋᴜᴊᴏ ᴛᴇɴɴ}

XIII

Riku is deniably naive and defensive...

He doesn't know for how long, but it felt as if the reason was right in front of him...

Somewhere in a fantasy where he found himself in a familiar meadow, not too far from his home. He remembers how his Tenn-nii always sneaks him out of the house to play here for fresh air. At the same time, they often sing here together with the older twin's okarina as he listens to the sound of such unique instrument. A smile escapes from the younger twin's lips as his brother play a soft melody for him.

"Tenn-nii, Riku wanna make pretty melodies like you too!"

There's a time when Tenn even bought a guitar since it doesn't require using his lungs and even teaches him how to play, but their dad found out about his credit card and grounded the older twin brother for that.

The red hair loves him dearly despite his overprotectiveness because he never make him forget the fun in those memories. You can say that Riku has no issue with his childhood until he started staying in the hospital a lot longer. That's when things got tough for both of them, but Tenn wanted to keep their fun present, being the reason why he starts to perform around him.

Right now, Riku was glad to be somewhere familiar again. As he reminisces at his surroundings, he noticed a familiar mirrored figure of his reflection.

"There you are, Riku~ Wanna help me make music? I found this while I was waiting..." It was Tenn with his usual angelic smile that always brightens up his day while showing him an old guitar he last bought years ago. "Wahh! Tenn-nii, it's been so long since we last played! You think we still had it?" Riku asked in worry, but the older twin made him sit next to him.

"We never lose our touch with Cloudy Day, have we?"

"W-Well... Ugh, fine. Let's do it!" He gave in and excitedly grab his guitar. It's his brother's first desire to do it again, and Riku wanted to grant it. Tenn gracefully pulled out his ocarina before they started to play a song they both composed out of their own instruments. It first started as another lullaby they grew to love, but then it turn to something more meaningful. All the guitar lessons he learned will finally paid off.

If only things never changed back then, we still get to play like this, Tenn-nii...

You have no idea how much I wanted to go back here...

Do you think if I was born without an asthma, things would be different?

As long as you're with me, I'm always in a better place...

I love you so much, Tenn-nii!

I never hated you, dear twin...

Soon, their surroundings were blinded by a bright light as the red hair center slowly wakes up and found himself in his room, along with a wet cold towel on his forehead. That glimmering hope from his eyes immediately disappeared once he realizes the state he is now in, an illusion to escape reality.

"What an awful dream..." he mumbles with a dreadful tone until he felt a soft cold grip on his warm hands. Turning his head to his right, he saw the youngest member of I7, sleeping so soundly. Just a small shift of his body instantly alerted the ravenette perfectionist awake and was a little startled to see Riku. "N-Nanase-san, thank god you're awake! How are you feeling?" Iori breathe in ease and was quick to interrogate him while the boy gave himself a few minutes to adjust. The crimson center wanted to remove the oxygen mask from his face, but his friend stopped him.