Rezero:Hearts Entwined in a Fractured World

part 11

Hearts Entwined in a Fractured World

Part 11: Morning After and Secrets Kept

As the first rays of sunlight spilled through the curtains, Subaru groggily opened his eyes, his body aching in ways he hadn’t expected. The weight of the previous night’s events hit him like a tidal wave, and he immediately froze.

Looking to his sides, he saw Beatrice, Petra, Meili, Ryuzu, and Pandora sleeping peacefully beside him, their soft breaths the only sound in the room. Blankets covered their forms, though it was clear they were only half-dressed beneath the covers.

Subaru’s face turned a deep shade of red as memories of the previous night flooded his mind. His heart raced, a mixture of embarrassment, disbelief, and confusion bubbling up inside him. He carefully shifted out of the bed, doing his best not to wake any of them.

As he stood and grabbed some fresh clothes to put on, he couldn’t stop glancing back at the group. They looked so serene, so content, and it only made his chest tighten further. Once dressed, Subaru quietly slipped out of the room and into the hallway, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

He let out a sigh of relief, only for that relief to vanish when he turned and saw Otto leaning casually against the wall, a sly smile plastered across his face.

"So," Otto began, crossing his arms. "How was last night?"

Subaru blinked, his face flushing anew. "What are you— Wait… don’t tell me you—"

Otto cut him off, smirking. "Oh, I heard everything, Subaru. The walls aren’t exactly soundproof, you know. The screaming, the moaning—it was impossible to sleep through that racket."

Subaru felt like the floor was about to swallow him whole. "Y-You heard everything?! Oh, come on, Otto, don’t tell me you—"

"Relax," Otto said with a chuckle, waving a hand dismissively. "I’m not going to tell anyone. But seriously, how did you manage to survive? I mean, five of them? Including Pandora? You’re either the luckiest or unluckiest man alive."

Subaru groaned, running a hand down his face. "This is so embarrassing. Look, just… please don’t bring it up again, okay? Let’s go to the kitchen and grab some coffee. I need something to calm my nerves."

Otto nodded. "Fine, fine. Coffee sounds good. But you owe me for keeping this quiet."

Subaru sighed in relief. "Deal."

---

The two of them made their way to the kitchen, the mansion still quiet as most of the residents were likely still asleep—or in the case of certain individuals, recovering from the previous night. Subaru and Otto sat at the kitchen table, steaming mugs of coffee in hand.

Otto took a sip, eyeing Subaru with a mischievous grin. "So, really—how did you manage to handle all of them? And Pandora? She’s supposed to be the leader of the Witch Cult, right? How’d you manage to tame her?"

Subaru nearly choked on his coffee. "Don’t say it like that! It wasn’t exactly my idea, you know!"

Otto raised an eyebrow. "Sure, sure. But still, you didn’t exactly stop them, did you?"

Subaru groaned, burying his face in his hands. "It’s not like I had much of a choice! You try saying no to Beatrice or Pandora when they’ve got their minds set on something!"

Otto laughed, clearly enjoying Subaru’s discomfort. "Fair enough. But man, I’ve gotta say, you’ve got some guts, Subaru. I mean, five women, all in love with you? That’s a lot to handle."

Before Subaru could retort, Ram and Rem entered the kitchen, both looking exhausted. Dark circles under their eyes suggested they hadn’t gotten much sleep.

Ram yawned, giving the two men a tired glare. "Did either of you hear strange noises last night? It was impossible to sleep with all that racket."

Subaru froze, his coffee cup halfway to his lips. Otto’s grin widened, but he managed to keep his composure.

"Strange noises?" Subaru asked, feigning ignorance. "Uh, no, not really. Must’ve been the wind or something."

Otto nodded, chiming in. "Yeah, we didn’t hear anything unusual. Probably just some wildlife outside."

Ram and Rem exchanged skeptical glances but didn’t press the matter. They moved to the counter to grab glasses of water, their tired expressions suggesting they were too drained to investigate further.

As the twins left the kitchen, Otto leaned in close to Subaru, whispering, "You’re lucky I’m such a good friend, you know. If they knew the truth, you’d never hear the end of it."

Subaru sighed in relief, muttering under his breath, "Thanks, Otto. I owe you one."

Otto chuckled. "Don’t worry, Subaru. I’m just enjoying the show. But remember, you promised to repay me someday."

Subaru nodded, taking another sip of his coffee. For now, he was just grateful to have a moment of peace. But deep down, he knew this was only the beginning of a much larger challenge: navigating the complicated relationships he now found himself entangled in.

---

To be continued…

In Part 11, Subaru navigates the aftermath of the previous night, dealing with the embarrassment of being overheard and the looming complications of his relationships. Part 12 will explore how the mansion’s residents react to the subtle changes in dynamics, as well as Subaru’s attempts to maintain balance amidst growing tensions.