Journeys to the Dreamscape

Part 4

On the ride home, I couldn't stop thinking as I drove us back. I knew I had to help Musouka. And I did want to with all my heart. But... I couldn't help but think... What did she really think of Satoru? No, no I'm being crazy. But... She did spend a decent amount of time with them. She could've... Ugh no! I have to stop being paranoid. She's just doing this because she admires them as a friend. But... What could be said about Satoru? What could they be thinking? I have spent a longer time with Musouka, though. Ah I have to stop thinking about this stuff. It's going to all backfire on me if I don't. "Hey we just passed a food place. You don't want to make a stop?" I heard her say. I shook my head to snap myself out of it. "Uh well, are you really hungry? I don't think we need to make as many stops as we did coming here. We literally stopped at each one we saw!" I replied. "Hm well, you're right. The sooner we get home the better," she said. "Here," I said as I reached to the backseat of the car where our backpacks were. I pulled a bag of chips from one of the pockets of my bag "If you are in the mood to eat, there's more where that came from. You packed some too, you know," I said. "Heh thanks, Hitomu," she said. We drove all the way home as we made short conversation. She fed me the occasional chip by my request. Once we made it home, we unloaded our packs from the car and made it inside. For some reason, I couldn't shake this anxious feeling I felt in my gut. And the closer we got to the lab, the more this feeling grew.

She hopped on Nightopia as she sat waiting for me. I then stood in front of her and crossed my arms casually. At the same time, I felt this overwhelming feeling inside me. I then made my way to the activation button. My hand hovered over it a moment. Was I really contemplating this? This was for her. To help her. But... but I couldn't take it anymore! I mean we were so close once! I put my hand down and looked Musouka straight in her eyes. "Is there something wrong?" She asked. 'What was I thinking?' The better side of me thought. But, it's true! It wasn't fair that a complete stranger could potentially come between us now "W-well, Musouka... Yes! There is. I can't get this out of my mind! I was about to tell you something before we headed up to Bedryf Complex. But I didn't get the chance. And do you know why, I was so nervous going up that slope? Do you even care enough to remember? I know you have a thing where you occasionally forget things, but don't you remember what happened on one of the later days of the year at college when we went up there?" I said desperately.

  I can remember the day perfectly. How could I forget? It's pretty much the source of the conflict between my head and my heart. I was in a forest by the mountain side. I was hiking and who was a great deal ahead of me was Musouka. We were hiking up to Bedryf Complex from our school to just go around and check out their campus. She turned to look back at me and smiled. She was very eager to go and checkout what types of technology Bedryf had in their school. Suddenly these guys came up and began to mess with her. They were possibly from Bedryf. Dang, we're caught. They hated unauthorized visitors for some reason. They most likely were hiding the development of SAToru but at the time, I hadn't known. I began to walk faster to get to her in time. I saw they were unknowingly backing her up to the edge of the cliff as they kept aggressively asking her what she was doing there. She looked at them with stress in her eyes as she began to pull out her walkie talkie. "Heh who're you going to call? Your boyfriend?" I heard one of them ask mockingly. I had to act fast. I stepped to her side and stood as straight up as I could as I held her back with my arm so she wouldn't fall over. "Yeah, me," I gave a confident smirk and a wink as I said this. They scoffed and walked off. Seemingly intimidated. When they left I shook my head. I did that? Me? intimidating? Wait what had I just said?? I was about to ask if she was ok when the floor under her foot gave out and she stumbled. I looked down off the cliff and gulped hard. It was high. Too high. She could have...died. I caught her and steered her away from the ledge. "U-uh, Musouka- I mean, I-" I stuttered trying to explain myself. We were close to each other at this point as she looked up at me. Her crystal blue eyes piercing into my bright marigold ones. "T-thank you," she said interrupting. I blinked as my eyes widened. She didn't say anything else. We leaned in just the slightest bit closer as our eyes partially closed. "M-Musouka," I stuttered out. I couldn't say anything more as I closed my eyes tight. I felt her place her lips on mine unexpectedly in a kiss. I couldn't believe it. My mind and heart were racing a million miles a minute. But it was short lived. She broke away as she looked down to the ground. I was stunned and couldn't stop looking at her. She glanced up at me shortly with her face flushed. The heat I felt on mine was the indicator of it most likely being the same. "I'm sorry," she said then. The words jarred at my ears. "W-we can't. T-things would be t-to different I'm sorry- I'm sorr- I..." She said stuttering in her voice nervously. She held our friendship with such a high value. Having had a few bad friendships in the past; I was one of the first she could truly trust along with just a choice few others. I thought after all this time she would want something more one day... I guess now wasn't that day. "But thank you... and... I'm sorry," she said quickly as she turned and jogged back down the trail towards our campus. Leaving me behind utterly confused... And heart broken. But of course as her best friend I had to understand. Which I sort of did. But at the same time, it wasn't fair. And I didn't.