[Charlotte] Seventy-Five Years (Discontinued)

Chapter 12: Return

"Pooh," Shunsuke called, laughing to himself after giving Kumagami such a nickname. Gladly, the brown-haired male didn't oppose his best friend's idea at all.

?!

Yuu's big brother was bewildered as he had slowly seen Kumagami walk away. No. Why are you leaving, Pooh? The lad tried to extend his arm to reach him, but he was getting farther and farther. Kumagami?!

The other laughed, then reached for his best friend's arm. "Why do you look so worried, Shunsuke? I'm just right here; I was never dead."

Dead?

Quite forcefully, Shunsuke laughed. "What do you mean you're never dead? You never are! Stop joking about-" his words had been paused upon remembering what had happened to him in the abandoned factory before. "No... You're not..."

"Yeah," nodded Kumagami. "I'm not dead yet."

Shunsuke woke up from his nightmare, quite unsure if it was to be even considered a nightmare. He wiped his sweats away whilst trying to catch his breath. The latter sat up at the edge of his bed, right palm on his face. My head hurts... The purple-haired male looked in front of him; small images of his flooring had been forming. This can't be! I knew that when I overuse my ability, I won't be able to see anything anymore. I accepted it openly. But, what is this...?

It was still dawn, but to wipe off the problems he had been experiencing, he decided to go underground and speak to the scientists working themselves off to find the perfect vaccine to cure people possessing a certain power. "News, Tsutsumiuchi-san?"

"Ah, Shunsuke," uttered the old man. "The fall of Charlotte still lies at the outer space. Magnetic field disruptions are still happening; Halley's Comet is about to arrive."

"Halley's?!" Repeated Shunsuke in surprise. "It is indeed possible that Charlotte and the Halley's are...?"

Tsutsumiuchi nodded in agreement. "Yes, they will. So we have to act fast, create the vaccine, and lure Charlotte away. If we can't make it on time, a part of Earth will be destroyed by its next fall, together with Halley's. For now, Halley's direction as seen in the satellite hasn't changed at all."

Shunsuke only sighed in relief. "I see. You've worked enough for today, Tsutsumiuchi-san. You should take a rest, and do shifts."

"Thank you, Shunsuke. I shall be awake after three hours," replied the man.

The younger lad smiled. "Yes. Thank you for your hard work."

Sun had completely risen by the time Shunsuke went to the rooftop of the building to freshen up his thoughts--what has been happening to him, the possibilities of Kumagami being alive, his eyesight returning, the comets clashing--but it was halted when footsteps were heard not afar from where he was.

"Shunsuke-niisan!"

Upon recognising the voice, he quickly turned to him. Yuu? I can see him... His maroon but covered eye, brown hair, pale pants, white shirt, brown shoes... I can't believe this really is happening.

"Nii-san?" Called Yuu again, voice in a worry.

?!

"Sorry, what did you just say?" The older male tried to reconfirm, palm mentally delivered against his head again. He had been dealing on such great issues right now, not even thinking he could handle more.

"We've figured out Yusa's leveled ability."

"What does it do?" Questioned Shunsuke.

The long-haired blonde idol was about to leave the hospital where she also visited the rumoured Iori who was sick, but she was minutes late. Sapphire hues delivered itself on the pack of lunch she cooked personally for Iori, grip went tighter.

"Maybe, if I have arrived sooner..." The lass' attention dropped onto another patient enduring the pain he had been feeling. His eyes were clamped tight, hands crumpled close as if he was ready to punch whoever gets close to him.

I want to help people too... I want to cure them. I want to-

Blue eyes landed at the cemetery resting just a block away from where she was. Atop one of the tombstones was a man, obviously one that was a ghost because of its ability to float--he wasn't touching the ground, not at all. With a mixed feeling of curiosity and of wanting to help people in need, Yusa immediately went to the older entity.

Before words could be released by the female, the man had already spoken. Surprisingly, she could hear him. "You, little lady over there, you can see me, right? Help me out...," weariness could be felt, but the idol only continued listening. "I want to see my family for the last time, and give them a proper goodbye. Would you allow me to use your body as a medium?"

Yusa clenched her fists for a bit before looking up at the man and nodding. Sapphire hues were immediately covered, clamping them rather tightly. To her surprise, she wasn't unconscious like she was when her sister, Misa, took over of her. "It's amazing...!" The female uttered to herself. "I can actually control souls! Wow~"

Yusa then continued following the path where the dead's family was located.

"It seems...," started Shunsuke. "...that she can now control the dead possessing her body, retains memories of what had happened, and remains conscious of what was happening. It was completely different from before. Surely, it was the work of Charlotte's dust," he heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "She also has the ability to revive the dead...in exchange of her life. Make sure she wouldn't use the power in mistake."

"Yuu!" Called Nao, interrupting the Otousaka brothers' conversation. "Iori-chan... Iori-chan is alive!"

Eh?!

Without hesitations, Yuu walked off with Nao to see if the statement was utterly correct. Shunsuke wanted to follow them, but it would be too obvious that his eyesight was returning, they shouldn't know yet until he was sure of it.

The purple-haired male let the two go off before he decided walking on his own, to Kumagami's grave. He pulled his rod off the ground, and continued walking with utmost certainty that he wouldn't fall or trip.

Kumagami, what's happening to me? It had been half an hour since Shunsuke arrived at the grave of his best friend. Whilst he was in deep ponder, he noticed that the grave was covered with dusts, seemed like it was opened from the inside.

Kumagami?!