𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕤 (Hoshino Ruby x Male! Oc) O.N.K

Volume 11~ Blink 'n Gone

There was a certain tiredness Aoi felt as he walked out of the agency after his contract ended. His heart felt heavy as if the burden of the world was stepping on it. He pulled his mask up tighter as he walked past a few people under the setting sun. Just another silhouette walking into the dusk.

His legs carried him toward a small public park tucked between apartment buildings, the kind most people forgot existed. He needed some time alone, processing the words from earlier spoken to him by Ruby, which were still too hard for him just to forget.

He sat down on a cold metal bench and leaned back, looking at the sky. A cool breeze passes through the area as Aoi sighs, removing his mask. Then, Aoi felt a certain presence beside him, a dark, familiar presence whose ominousness always seemed to grow a little by little every time it appeared. The external noises suddenly seem to quiet down. Aoi looked to his left to see the shadowy figure, no, it's not a shadowy figure anymore. It's just Kai sitting there beside him. He was simply there, legs crossed, arms resting lazily on the back of the bench.

Kai- So that's it, huh? Dropped the leash. Walked out the door. Got your little pat on the back from Miyako, and now you're what? free?

Aoi didn't look at him.

Aoi- You're still here

Kai- You thought cutting ties with the agency would somehow cut me out of your head, too?

Aoi clenched his jaw.

Kai- Ruby told you to die, huh? That sting? Or did you finally get tired of pretending it doesn't?

Aoi snapped his head to the side.

Aoi- She didn't mean it like that

Kai- She meant every damn syllable, Aoi. It slipped because it was real. You want the truth? You were never saving her. You were using her just like Aqua used Akane. At least Aqua had the decency to admit it, in the end. But you? You wrapped it in as 'protection'

Aoi sighs.

Aoi- Stop talking like we're not the same person. You're not some ghost whispering in my ear. You're just me...from before. Kai Karaku didn't die. He just got repackaged with a nicer name and a softer face

Kai scoffed and spoke in a mocking voice.

Kai- Huh. Look at you. Finally saying it. You wouldn't even acknowledge me a year ago. What changed?

Aoi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring down at the cracked pavement under his shoes.

Aoi- I got older. And the older I get, the less space there is between us, every choice I make, every time I lie to protect someone or push them away for their own good...I hear your voice less because it's already mine. Maybe that is also the reason why your vision rarely happens to me now

He just stared at Aoi.

Kai- You think truth makes you cleaner?

Aoi- No. But it makes me... honest. I can't move forward pretending you're a shadow anymore. You're me. All of you, the manipulator, the bitter son, the traitor brother, the man who tried to fix the world and broke people instead 

Kai didn't speak at first.

Kai- So what now? You stood there and let Ruby say all that without a word. You didn't even fight back

Aoi- Because she was right

That landed hard. Even Kai blinked at that.

Aoi- It's all consequences

Kai sighs.

Kai- You always did have a martyr complex

Aoi shook his head.