common enemy [Ryuji Sakamoto x Reader]

chapter fourteen: regret

You could feel Ryuji's deep brown eyes stabbing you with every stare he aimed at your back. You chose to ignore the feeling, your eyes wandering around, examining the glistening droplets sticking to the classroom's window. A gentle storm had begun as soon as classes resumed, progressively growing harsher as the day went on.

Damn, I think I forgot my umbrella...

The storm was inconvenient for you, yet you were thankful for the distraction it provided from the deep pit of guilt that had been forming in your stomach. You wondered if your actions had really been right.

You don't deserve them. You did the right thing.

The voice in the back of your head reminded you why you had done this in the first place. It was obvious they didn't want you there, so why pretend they did?

The bell for dismissal rang, signaling for the students to pack their things and travel home. You stood from your seat, tucking your textbooks into your bag. You responded to the sensation of someone watching you, glancing to the side and locking eyes with Ryuji.

His expression pleaded with you as he opened his mouth to speak.

You dismissed him with a wave of your hand, breaking the eye contact. "Please don't make this harder for me, Ryuji."

He closed his mouth sharply, lingering for a minute before exiting the classroom with a deep sigh.

You let out a breath as you dragged a chair to Usami's desk, plopping back down in it. She gave you a look, eventually deciding that questioning your mood would be a waste of time.

•••

God, that was awful.

You clutched at your head as your exhausted eyes threatened to close any minute. Although learning a week's worth of material in an hour had taken quite the toll on you, Usami had done her job, and a damn good one at that. You now understood everything you hadn't paid attention for, as well as topics you'd been struggling with previously.

You held your bag over your head, protecting yourself from the pounding rain as you quickly paced towards the Shibuya station. You were excited to finally get home and relax. Emi had been on a business trip for a few days, leaving you to your own devices. You missed your sister, but still enjoyed the peace and quiet that greeted you whenever you arrived home.

You let out a breath as you finally escaped the rain, making your way down the stairs to the underground walkway. You glanced at your phone, checking the time that lit up on its screen.

"I've still got a few minutes until my train arrives..." You muttered to yourself, wandering to the second set of stairs that lead to your stop. You silently praised yourself for remembering where it was, seeing as Akira and Ryuji wouldn't be walking you anymore.

Your head filled with thoughts of nothing in particular, you neared a hallway, absentmindedly glancing down it. Suddenly awake, you froze in place, quickly backtracking and hiding yourself around the corner.

Did I just see Ryuji? There's no way.

You peeked around the corner, confirming your suspicions. In fact, the whole group was standing there, leaning against the walls and talking in hushed voices.

You snapped your head back, fearful that they had noticed you. However, they continued to speak, unaware of your presence. You strained your ears to listen.

"Alright, I'll activate the Meta-Nav," Akira's voice lightly echoed along the walls of the hallway. You glanced around the corner once again, curious as to what he was referring to.

Suddenly, the world around you went hazy, turning a reddish hue. The citizens in the underground walkway slowly came to a stop, seemingly frozen in whatever action they'd been performing.

Before you could comprehend what was happening, you were sucked into the black.

•••

As soon as your vision cleared, you examined your surroundings suspiciously.

The station looked the same, but you could tell the atmosphere was different. Everyone around you had disappeared, and a red glow emenated from the lights illuminating the space.

Absolutely sure this was just another dream, you cautiously stepped into the hallway.

This makes no sense. How am I dreaming while I'm awake?

You lightly dragged your hand against the tiled wall as you made your way forward, using the wall as a guide through your dim surroundings. As you neared the end of the hallway, you could hear the faint sound of voices gradually enter earshot. When you felt the tips of your fingers reach the corner of the wall, you once again pressed yourself against it, peering out into the open space.

You blinked a few times, hoping that the sight that greeted you was a figment of your imagination. A group of people stood near a stairway that you assumed only lead deeper into the station. They were fully decked out in costumes, holding various types of weapons.

Then you spotted it; the trademark blonde hair. He was facing away from you, but you would recognize him anywhere.

That's...