Control (Aphorism Fanfic) COMPLETED

Chapter 10

"Hakamada-kun~"

A familiar voice echoed around the empty corridor. It was just another day at Naraka since summer break for Misaki – waiting for the inevitable eclipse, taking a break from summer homework, and finding ways to cure her boredom.

Identifying the voice to be Sanjuurou's, she quickened her pace and moved towards the source of his voice.

"Hakamada-kun! ... Dammit Hakamada, open this damn door, you hear?!"

Just as she approached, there was a gust of wind and a bat nearly swung into her. She sucked in a deep breath while taking a step back.

"Oh," he turned, blinking at her before putting the bat out of the way. "It's just you, Misaki. Are you okay? I didn't hit you, right?"

She shook her head. "What are you doing?"

He shrugged, resting the bat over his shoulder. "Nothing much. Just waiting for Hakamada."

She glanced at the closed door. "And the point of you bringing a bat is?"

Sanjuurou shrugged again.

"What are you, going to kill him?"

His head snapped up. "How did you know?"

She voiced out the fact that it was impossible to kill him based on the sole fact that his kanji is 'revival', and that no matter how he tried to kill Hakamada, he would still be alive.

"I know," Sanjuurou grumbled. "I just need him dead for a while.... Hey, Misaki, can you help me open this door?"

"...."

The door swung open with a flick of her wrist. Sanjuurou grinned at her, ruffling her hair slightly before stepping in.

"Hakamada-kun~"

The room was silent. Sanjuurou swung his bat around again, checking under the bed, under the table, and in the closet. Misaki walked further into the room, noticing the hastily tied blankets thrown over the ledge of the window.

"Sanjuurou," she pointed.

He walked in front of him, looking at the blankets and out of the window before grimacing. "He escaped, didn't he? ... Dammit."

"Why do you want to kill him?"

He stayed silent for the longest moment, resting his hands on the ledge of the window, looking up at the skies before glancing back at her, his eyes listless.

".... What kind of eclipse eliminates students the most, Misaki?"

"The separation ones."

"Well, we have currently fifty-one students surviving. If there's still this number of students tomorrow, there's bound to be a separation eclipse. It's approaching August, and we have less than sixty students alive."

His voice trailed off. "... I don't want to lose any of you guys, you know... You are all important to me."

She glanced at his back. His head was down and he kept quiet.

Her heart skipped a beat. 'Why must you be so kind?'

Suddenly, she found her legs moving closer to him, bringing herself behind him. Her head dropped on his back, and her right hand rested beside her head. Sanjuurou jerked slightly, stiffening at first before relaxing.

"You're such a despicable idiot... Why are you so kind? You can't save everyone, you know? You tried, Sanjuurou, and.... that's all that matters."

He softly sighed, and his hand touched her left hand. "... Yeah."