Dilemma of the Misfits (Makishima Shogo x OC)

xiv.

He had gone out again, he seems to do that much more than he used to. Yukari sat alone at the piano, deafly tracing her hand across the keyboard without making a sound. She was afraid, it has been months and she still couldn't get over the fear. She can't even remember what made her so afraid in the first place. What has Sibyl done to her? Like it matters.

Yukari was flipping through the scores she wrote not too long ago, rolled up, crumbled paper still littered around the instrument. It was as if he's been waiting for her to come back, physically, and more. Another drop of tear threatened to drench her cheek. She has disappointed not only herself, but him too. He should abandon her the moment she's lost all usage, like the pawns he likes to play around with then disposed of like garbage. The drops fell from her eyes when she realized he will never do that to her.

Of course she knows how he feels. They've been together since the teen years, they could read each other like an open book. She pondered and pondered over nothingness when a sound of bells caught her attention. It was raining heavily outside so it didn't seem likely to be able to hear bells. Not to mention there aren't any churches around. The strange sound echoed throughout the apartment, forcing Yukari to stand up and follow it. She walked over to the glass door, sliding it open before peaking her head out, still keeping ears up for the sound. The wind whipped her long hair around, the water made her dress sticky but she cared not and stepped out bare footed onto the path that led her to the big field. She stood there motionless and looked up towards the source of the bell. There was nothing, only a gloomy, grey sky with blobs of clouds blocking her vision. Water splashed on her face, on her body, leaving her drenched, wet and vulnerable but she dared not move, she needed to find out what the sound was. It almost seems as though it was calling her.

Shogo returned not long later and upon opening the door, he found his house strangely quiet. Even if it was just Yukari home, he expected her to make a little more noise than that. Bad feelings crept onto his spine and he dropped his bag, sprinting into the bedroom where he found a messy bed but no sign of her. He ran into the living room where he also found emptiness except for the wide open glass door. He rushed to it, only to see Yukari standing still, as though possessed, in the screaming storm. She stood straight, head tilted up to the sky, eyes soulless as her feet sunk further into the mud. His heart squeezed painfully at the sight of her, broken like an old ragdoll, thrown away. He jumped out immediately and yelled her name, grabbing her hand to yank her out of the trance.

"What are you doing?" he yelled, snapping her back to reality, she didn't reply, just stared blankly and confused.

"I –" she stuttered, turning to him "Shogo, is there a church nearby?"

"Of course not, what a strange idea." He said, raising his brows in surprise.

"I've been hearing some bells. It's quite annoying but it won't go away." She whispered, looking at the sky again "I thought maybe there's an old fashioned wedding, or even ..." she trailed off, lowering her eyes to the ground "Can you not hear it?"

"No, I haven't heard anything. You must've mistaken it with the sound of the rain perhaps?" he reasoned but she doesn't seem convinced. Before she could say anything else, however, he pulled her inside the house and closed the glass door. He walked over to her drenched figure, hair disheveled, her dress caught some grass and twigs, her feet covered in mud. He put a hand on her cheek and was startled by how cold she felt "How long have you been out there?"

"I don't know, I don't remember." She looked down, avoiding his worrying gaze.

"Come on, let's get you a hot bath before you catch a cold." With an arm supporting her back, he led her into the bathroom and turned on the hot water tap, filling the tub. He then turned to her, unbuttoning his shirt and dropped it on the floor, reaching for the shower, he motioned her to come closer.

Yukari stood, clutching onto her dress with an incredulous expression which got a laugh out of Shogo.

"What's the matter? I've seen everything already." He reassured with a smirk wide on his face.

"I can do this myself. Turn around." She commanded and he complied, letting her have her own privacy although there isn't really a point. She peeled off the wet clothing and tossed them on the ground before rinsing herself thoroughly with hot water. She then stepped into the hot tub, letting her body sink into the soothing goodness as Shogo followed suit, throwing the last of his clothes next to hers.

She sat with her back to him, arms circling her knees in silence. He reached out to lather her shoulders then her back, gently as possible, as though he was afraid she'd be startled.

"So why were you in the rain again?" he asked softly.

"I heard some bells ringing. It sounded like it came from nearby. I wanted to check it out and before I knew, I was outside in the rain. But the sound didn't stop so I just stood there waiting for something to show." She drifted off and fell into a slumber shortly after, soft snores emitting every once in a while as he gently washed her long hair.