INFERNO ( the GazettE Tale )

Chapter 19 : Tasting Disappointment

The cold weather added to the fright Aika was feeling that caused her to shiver inside. She still couldn't bring herself to look away or walk away or run away. She stood there staring at Reita in shock.

She was late, she wasn't able to help the kid, she wasn't able to help Reita. She let his master win, she let the Demon King to rule over this guy who was willing to change, to change for her. As disappointment sunk her down and anxiety eat her up she was pulled to reality by a little voice coming faintly somewhere behind Reita.

"Nii San! Wait for me I have a flash light!" A girl's voice shouted and came into view from the darkness. Her black hair was pulled into two long pig tails and she was wearing a pink lacy dress. She blinked at Aika with a big almond eyes then it shifted to Reita. "Nii San?"

Reita sucked a deep breath and turned to her, hiding his bleeding hand behind him. "Hey Mio, why don't you play back with Suki? I need to talk to her." He nudged his head towards Aika's direction.

Mio leaned her head to Aika then pouted and looked back up to Reita. "Are you going to play with us again after you talk with her?" She sounded hopeful.

"No, I don't think so." Reita answered silently.

Her shoulder sagged and pouted even more. "Are you going to visit us once in a while?"

"Once in a while." He promised, patting her head lightly.

Mio grinned and hugged one of Reita's legs before she ran ahead and paused at where Aika was. "Are you Nii San's friend?"

Aika looked at Reita first who still had his back at her, she then squatted down to meet Mio eye to eye. "Yes. He's a great friend of mine."

"Why are you crying?" The three feet little girl pointed at Aika's right cheek, looking at the tears that fell down from her eyes without Aika's knowledge.

She wiped the tears away and smiled at Mio warmly. "I'm just happy he made another friend."

Mio grinned at her. "We can be friends if you want."

"Sure. Let's be friends. I'm Aika." She extended her hand towards her.

The little girl shook her hand more than once with a huge smile on her face that was reaching her eyes. "I'm Mio!"

Mio stepped back and flashed her grin again then looked at Reita who was now watching them, she waved at him before she ran back to where Aika came from while playing with her flash light.

Aika stood up and watched the little girl ran away from them. She heard a step behind her and she turned around, finding him a few feet away from her. She wanted him to look at her when he kept his face down.

This feeling of happiness and pain in her were mixing, the tears flowing from her eyes won't stop even how hard she tried to compose herself. She was proud of him for not doing anything reckless, something he would regret later, she was happy he found new friends by those two kids, she was happy he didn't let their mater win, she was happy he was okay.

She took steps forward until she was just inch from him, Reita hadn't move ever since, he still kept his stare down the ground.

"Reita...It's okay..." She held his right forearm, just enough to let him know that she was there for him.

Reita slowly leaned his forehead on her shoulder, exhaling loudly. "I'm sorry, I can't do it... I can't."

She was having a hard time to understand what he meant and why he was apologizing. He didn't do anything bad to her.

"That kid... She's the only chance we have to prolong him from coming here and check on you. But I can't. I can't..." He struggled and choked the last word.