ARIA - Die Geschichten von der Front

Chapter 1: Fated Meeting (Teil Eins)

Hihihihi! Blood! Blood! I want more blood!

Here they come! Light them up, people!

Scheisse! Keep firing!

HELP ME! ARRGGHHH!

Charge comrade! URRRAAA!

Akemi! Stay with me! Akemi!

Akemi!

AKEMI!

"Huh?!" The girl bolted up from her slept. Panting heavily, she looked around with those pair of crimson eyes of hers. She was in the infirmary.

"Ah, Hoshino are you okay?" She looked to her left. It was none other than a boy with messy black hair and hazel eyes. Charles Leblanc was her closest friend since she entered high school, or maybe her only friend. "Dammit, those pieces of shits had crossed the line..." He cursed, gritting his teeth.

She then remembered why she ended up there. No wonders why she kept getting bullied and harassed, thanks for her being Japanese, the adversaries of the Allies and the French people. But now, as Charles stated they had crossed their line.

"No, I'm fine Charles," She replied, picking up her small framed glasses from the table beside the bed. She gave him a serene smile. "No need to worry about." Akemi replied as she scratched her silky short neck-length black hair.

The boy, Charles sighed. "There's no way I wouldn't get worried if you suddenly fainted like- ouch!" The boy suddenly granted, after his left elbow rubbed into the bed.

Akemi's eyes went widened. Blood was coming from his elbow. "Charles, you're hurt!"

"Don't worry, I can handle this," He picked up some medicine and poured it into a cotton. He began to patch his wound with the cotton, grunting a little bit.

"I'm sorry because of me, you-"

"It's perfectly fine, Hoshino. It's my own will to protect you," He replied, showing her his gentle smile.

"I-I thank you, but you shouldn't have protect me because-" She reasoned only to be cut off by Charles's surprising reply.

"Is it wrong for a man to protect someone he loves?"

For seconds, there was only a deafening silent until Akemi's yell broke it. "E-eh?!"

He moved closer toward her and grabbed her shoulders. His hazel eyes stared on her crimsons.

He gently ruffled her hair. "I love you, Akemi," He finally said.

Akemi was unable to answer it just yet. Her face blushed madly. He's always by her side since she came to the Paris countryside. But however, she was still unsure about her feeling for him. Biting her lips, she pushed him away gently and gave him a reply. "T-thank you for telling me that, but...I still didn't sure about my feeling...and I'm not ready to date someone yet...so, if you don't mind..."

"It's okay, take your time. I'll be waiting until you get the answer," this time it was the boy's turn to get his face grew red in embarrassment.  

For some reasons, tears dropped from Akemi's eyes, "Thank you...for always being so kind to me," She saw Mr. Jacques Laurent, their biology teacher and the infirmary keeper entered the room after finished giving the bullies their punishments. "I should be going now," She then turned her attention to him. "Mr. Laurent, can you take care Charles?"

"Certainly," He answered simply.

"Thank you, see you tomorrow," she said, picking up her bag and walked to the door.