[Charlotte] Seventy-Five Years (Discontinued)

Chapter 20: Dusts

"It seems weird...," A man's mumbles had captured a certain fuschia-haired woman's attention. "I was pretty sure I lost my mentality back then."

"It was because of the dust," responded Sala. "I don't understand what's going on, but I'm certain it was because of that weird dust days ago. I lost my eyesight, but I can see well now after that hit me," explained her further.

The maize-haired man nodded. "Yeah, I surely know about your eyesight. Actually, creepy enough, I know almost everything about you!" He scratched the back of his head. "Well, maybe, not much behind the camera..."

"That said," smiled Sala. "I don't know much about you. All I know is you are a pretty good person," commented her. "Not much, but enough to know that you're the man I want to marry."

The words of the ZHIEND vocalist had pierced through the man's heart, the invisible sharp piece pushing its way deeper inside. Kazuki couldn't understand, but he could feel the sincerity revolving the singer's words. It wasn't just of a lyrics, but an honest statement. "Thank you, Sala. And my case is the same."

Pale blue optics gazed at the stars whilst playfully forming random constellations her brain could make. "Those dusts look like they're not of the good, but it did something to us otherwise," planting a smile on her lips, she proceeded. "Kazuki, what were you before I met you?"

"Someone looking up to you," he released a chuckle. "I had a band that was about to make a contract with a record company but it was cancelled because...for some reason, our mother wanted us to enter a boarding school. I told her no, but we had to," explained him. "I have an ability, like, an extra-ordinary ability. I could control air vibrations."

Kazuki's elucidation had been halted by Sala's unexpected expressing of wonderment. "That sounds cool!"

"Right?" Kazuki smiled. "It turned out that the boarding school our mother transferred us to was connected to a group of scientists who had been pretty eager to perform experiments on me."

The singer quickly felt guilt run in her veins, narrowing brows formed thereafter. "I'm sorry, Kazuki. I thought it was..."

"No, don't be," quickly countered him. "You didn't know, it's okay," after such, he proceeded. "I could confirm, definitely," Kazuki's optics glanced upwards, stars shining brightly in a charcoal-coloured night. "It was because of those dusts, that I got healed. I don't feel the ability in me anymore, but I surely feel well. All those, and because Nao didn't give up on me."

The vocalist had noticed the change in her partner's expression--a smile shielding sadness. Silence conquered the lovers before Sala began speaking again. "Did you settle things with your little sister, Nao-chan?"

"I haven't gotten the chance to speak to her again," remarked the blonde.

Sala placed her right palm on top of Kazuki's back. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure her boyfriend's a fine guy. They could--" her words had been interrupted when exactly three steps stomping gently against the grasses had evidently reached their range of hearing.

Both pairs of eyes shifted their attention away from stargazing, and landed it onto the figures standing beside them.

"Nao?" Reconfirmed Kazuki, whilst Sala mentioning, "Oh, you," towards the pale-blonde's boyfriend in unison.

On the other hand, Yuu was hesitant to make a greeting. He only released a sheepish smile, unsure how to deal with an atmosphere built heavy between Nao and Kazuki.

The older man stared at her little sister for a few moments before opting to utter something. "Nao, I'm--"

In a jiff, Kazuki found himself being embraced by the school president, her vivid sapphire hues bursting into tears. "I'm sorry, nii-chan. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have walked off. I should have accepted--"

"No," quickly countered the man. "I should have told you about it before engaging into something like that," explained the latter more. "I'm so sorry for not telling you beforehand; I thought surprising you would be a good thing, I guess not."

Nao looked up at her brother. "And I'm really sorry for acting like a kid..."

Yuu expressed a smile, one that would deem his girlfriend to be adorably beautiful when honest.

"Well," started Kazuki. "You are a kid, no questions."

The group laughed sinultaneously next, and eventually ending as soon. Nao wiped her tears using the back of her arm, and flashed them her usual cold-looking expression.

"Nii-chan, this guy here, though he doesn't look like it, is my boyfriend," naturally remarked Nao. As she introduced the man, she had a comical facial expression like she's uncomfortable with him being her partner.

What's that supposed to mean?! However, his calm composure remained. "Nice to meet you. My name's Otosa--"

"Yeah, I heard about you," interrupted the older male, eyes glancing to his fiancee. "That aside, are you guys aware of this weird dust from days ago? Me and Sala--"

"Yes. We're here to ask you to stay in the group's headquarters until things are settled," explained the platinum blonde. "Scientists, as Tsutsumiuchi-san said, still are on the go. They aren't just after the people who got their abilities back, but also the ones who got affected by Charlotte's dusts--even if they didn't get any powers when it hit. And that includes you, and her."

Trustworthy enough, Kazuki held the fuschia-haired woman's hand and encouraged her to follow what his little sister was claiming. "We wouldn't know, Sala. But we definitely are safe in the hands of Nao's friends."

"I wouldn't mind going anywhere you wish to, Kazuki. After all, ZHIEND has met its end, and I have all my time focused on you," tenderly smiled the female.

"There's a black, private car waiting for you outside. Furuki-san will take you to the quarters," explained Nao more.

"What about you?" Gently, Kazuki held his little sister's hand, narrowed brows of worry were carved on his current expression.

"We still have things to settle here, Kazuki-san," responded Yuu. A lot, actually...

Nao and Yuu accompanied both Sala and Kazuki to the aforementioned car to make sure they would arrive to Shunsuke's safely.

As the vehicle drove away, the pairs were waving their hands goodbye. Surely that Sala and Kazuki were already both off from their visions, Nao turned to her boyfriend. "Well, then," started her. "Let's do what Kumagami-san told us."

Effortlessly, she opened her cellular phone, and reviewed the emergency text message the said man sent her earlier: "I did a wide-area search. Two people next to your location do have abilities we haven't seen before. Even if Tsutsumiuchi-san didn't give us the cue yet, I have a huge hint that he would need Yuu's Plunder again. Follow them, take their powers. We'll send reinforcements."