Tracing Memories

25: R e v e r s e d

You never followed up on our conversation in your room that day. There was a complete radio silence on your side and all I got was short updates from Yuuka whenever she found the time to text me. I felt she too, was unable to tell me a lot since her messages were precise and she rarely replied.

Then one day, while surfing the internet my eyes fell on an article with your picture in it. You were almost unrecognisable. Your outfit was completely different from what you usually go for. I immediately read through the article.

As I finished reading I was overcome by both shock and confusion. Apparently you had joined the very organisation that was responsible for destroying soccer. They called you “Holy Emperor Ishido Shuuji” now. This was the reverse of what I expected you to do.

Although I was shocked, I still had faith that you must have had a reason to do so. I had known you for a long time and I knew everything you did had a reason behind it. But even after knowing this, I couldn’t help but worry about you. I hadn’t talked to you, hadn’t seen you in a long while, I didn’t how you were doing. The bits and pieces of news I received from Yuuka were not enough to keep me from getting anxious.

I stayed awake almost the entire night thinking, worrying, about you. I wanted, more than anything, to talk to you, to hear your voice, to know that you were alright but previous attempts at calling you had told me that there was no way of doing that.

As a new day rose, I finally figured out a way to reach you. I had to do exactly what you did. I had to join Fifth Sector. There was no way I could get to you if I was just a random girl trying to meet the Holy Emperor. I had to have a reason to be around and working there was the only option. As soon as I decided what to do, I sprung to action and called Yuuka. With her help I found a job there, but not big enough that I worked right beside you, far from it actually. Still, it was enough for me for the time being.

For a while I thought I was doing all of this in vain, that I will never get to see you again and the thought shook me to my very core. I only ever heard mentions of your name sometimes around my office, I never even caught a glimpse of you. I could not stand this and therefore, I had to do something.

One day I gathered my courage and made way to where you stayed. It was easier than I had imagined and being a fifth sector employee greatly helped.I told the guards I had brought some confidential information and I was ordered to deliver it to you personally and they let me in.

It took me a second to adjust to the darkness of the room but when it did, I saw you right across the room. You sat gloriously on a throne. As soon as you saw me you sprang to your feet in shock. I guess I was the last person you imagined to see standing in front of you. You immediately gestured the guards to leave us alone and stepped down the stairs to where I was standing. Slowly, step by step we came closer, now standing almost in the middle of that vast,dimly-lit hall.

“Kira…” You whispered almost inaudibly as you stared at me wide-eyed, as if you couldn’t believe I was actually standing in front of you. You seemed to be suspecting that you were dreaming.

To make you believe, I took your hand between mine. You gave me a sad but fond smile which broke my heart. I found my vision getting foggy as my eyes got teary.

“Why?Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, my voice slightly shaking.

“You don’t understand. I just...couldn’t.”You insisted.

“You’re right. I don’t understand...because you never explain anything to me.” I paused, “You said you can’t have me involved in this but look, I’m here anyway so why don’t you just tell me everything.” I reasoned.

“Fine.” You sighed as you finally seemed convinced by my argument, “But not right now, it’s too dangerous to talk about here. I’ll meet you near the Inazuma tower tonight and explain everything. Go now.”

I wanted to stay with you some more after seeing you after so long, but I had no choice. Now all I could do was wait for the night to approach.