crimson II [shu kurenai x reader]

Chapter 9

??? POV 

'Shu? Shu? Shu!'

The agonized cries echoing the clearing seemed to be never-ending. The same name was being repeated over and over again, each one more desperate after the other. The one clad in red-and-gold sounded like her voice was about to break. It still brought no emotion the face hidden behind the black-and-red mask. I stood silently at the top of the ancient temple, almost reaching the leafy canopies, waiting for them to realize that they were being watched. They didn't. How foolish they all were. 

Plain foolish.

Your POV 

'Shu Kurenai is dead.'

My mouth hung agape as a blur of red, black and white leapt down from the top of the temple which was concealed from all of us in blinding light. Ouch. I winced as the movement of my mouth left my windpipe sore. It seemed like hours and hours I had been calling his name, but now I had more interest in the masked figure standing before me, announcing Shu's death. 

'Shu is not dead!' Valt cried out in disbelief. 'No! I don't believe you!'

'Stop talking nonsense,' I spat, stepping forward to the tall figure. 'Who are you, anyways?'

The masked man remained silent. Instead, he walked to the side of the temple, as if he was waiting for something to happen. As soon as he did this a dark purple stadium rose out of the rumbling ground. I frowned and took in stock of the man. He wore a dark grey-and-red streaked mask over his shaggy white hair that only revealed his mouth. He donned a long white sleeveless tailcoat with a high collar and red accents, a black and red bodysuit underneath, and a matching gauntlet on his left arm. I bit my lip to stop myself from gulping. Why does he remind me of Shu so much? 

I shook the thought from my head. He was nothing like Shu. Sure, they might share some similar features, but personality-wise, he was nothing like Shu, ignoring people, announcing somebody they didn't even know was dead. 

'Red Eye,' the stranger said in his slightly deep voice, his head facing directly to us, jolting me out of my thoughts. 

'Huh?' 

'I am Red Eye,' he repeated. 'That is the name you shall use to address me.'

Red Eye. Wasn't that my special nickname for Shu? The one I haven't said for weeks now? And Ninja Girl...

Shu had pulled me away from the crowd into an empty training room in the WBBA Building.

'What's going on?' he demanded, crossing his arms

'What are you talking about? Nothing's happening.' I crossed mine.

'Exactly. You've been avoiding me ever since...you know..what happened in truth or dare.'

'I have not!' I cried out, backing away. 

'Don't lie to me!' said Shu. 'You left early from the sleepover, lied about the seats in the limo, turn down both of my suggestions to talk and basically ignored me after I helped you against Yugo! What went wrong?'

I was stunned. Did I really do all of those things to Shu? Part of me denied it but...I knew I had really done those things....

'Well you're one to talk, always hanging out with those glossy girls.'

'(Y/n), they're fangirls.'

My heart literally froze at my mistake.

'I-I-I'm sorry. I just - everything is so confusing! With Nationals right around the corner, and choosing between people who are practically my family and my best friends for the team a-and all these feelings!' I realized I was rambling. I wiped a tear of my face. Shu came closer to me.