Control (Aphorism Fanfic) COMPLETED

Chapter 9

It was all blank.

He didn't remember anything. All he knew was that he was in a room at first, seated in a chair and glancing out of the window. He saw the sun in the air, and he didn't know why, but something nagged in his mind to go to the courtyard.

So he went, sitting by the stone pavement, resting his face on his palm.

A short boy with pale brown hair ran forward, uttering, "Hinata-kun!" at him.

Obviously, he asked who was that boy, causing that boy to pale.

Then a blond boy came forward (he felt a strong hatred towards this blond boy and he had no idea why), attempting to pull the short boy away when a voice shouted.

"Sanjuurou!"

A girl with uneven blonde hair (he couldn't put his finger upon what seemed so familiar) and sharp eyes that immediately softened upon seeing him. Her eyes were filled with relief as ran forward, scolding him and hiding her relief between harsh words before he cut her off.

"Who are you?"

Her voice cracked and when he asked who was himself, she fell on her knees, hands covering her face as she cried.

(She doesn't seem to be the type that cries.)

What happened next was a blur. All he knew was that there was a flash, then the place with covered with flowers with people frantically screaming, shouting, running around. The same girl from before emerged, rambling about how she will repay her debt and protect him and that he better remember because she has something really important to tell him.

Then that blond boy took her away, telling her that killing the first flower was more important then "that dunce". (He still hated the blond boy.)

After that, he was just sitting on the stone pavement again when the flowers around him died. And then it all became clear to him.

"... What am I doing here?" was the first thing Hinata Sanjuurou said, noticing himself still dressed in his casual clothing. "What happened to the flowers?"

The courtyard was bare.

"The medicine!"

Rokudou ran forward, smiling. "Hinata-kun! You're alright! Don't worry about the medicine, Uruma already sent for it!"

The name triggered something in Sanjuurou. He began pointing an accusing finger at Uruma, accusing him of putting something that wiped away his memory (of course – Uruma was, as Misaki would put it, "despicable" in that sense). He continued accusing Uruma, about how he wanted to steal his glory and embarrass him –

"Sanjuurou!"

He can recall that voice now – Misaki.

Before he could even see her properly, she lunged at him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, leaning against him as she threw her arms around him.

"Sanjuurou, Sanjuurou," she cried, tears falling down her face again.

The added weight nearly caused them to topple over, but Sanjuurou's hand grabbed hold of the edge of the stone pavement, and his other arm curled around Misaki's back.

"I thought you really couldn't remember anything. I really really thought..." her voice trailed off as her shoulder shook.

He was struck by the revelation that she never cried; only for fear of death and the thought of losing her brother.... But now, here she was, crying – for him.