Fate [Ai Mikaze x Reader]

Chapter 12 - Drowning In True Despair

Panic. Fear. Worry. Guilt. Horrible guilt...

I was running around the campus for almost an hour, and yet I found no signs of Ai anywhere. I ruined everything. I really did ruin everything. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have done any of this...
My side and legs were aching from the desperate running. I stopped, leaning on my knees and trying to calm my sharp breaths. Cold sweat covered my whole body. I was practically shaking, hardly clenching the blue bracelet in my hands. 
"I'm so sorry..." I whispered, slowly letting myself fall on my knees. Hot tears rolled down my cold cheeks. I could hear faint raindrops pounding against the glass windows. "... I'm so sorry, Ai... I'm really sorry..."
"... [F/N].....?"
Trembling, I slowly looked up. It was Reiji - his hazel orbs were looking at me with surprise, pain, and worry. He was holding a bunch of papers to his chest, as he froze in that one place, staring at my miserable self on the ground.
".... Reiji..." I breathed out. My voice was hoarse, as I tried my best to gulp away my tears. "... I didn't... I didn't mean to... I didn't want to..."
I heard hundreds of papers falling to the ground, as Reiji crouched down and hugged me tightly without a word. 
"... I didn't want to hurt him... I don't want him to hate me...!" I sobbed desperately, clinging to him and burying my face in his shoulder.
"I know... I know." he breathed out, rubbing my back. "Everything will be okay..."
My dark thoughts obviously denied that. But I nodded quietly anyway, my tears wettening his coat. His papers were being blown away by the cold breeze of the nightfall, but he didn't seem to care - he kept me in his arms, lending me warmth and comfort.

Time passed once again. I quietly walked down the hallways, towards our dorm room. Reiji's soothing words were still ringing in my ears. He promised me that he will make sure for everything to be okay. My imagination was being really mean to me, creating worst-case scenarios, but I took a deep breath and decided to ignore them for the time being. Gathering all of my strength, I gently opened the door to our room.
"Ai, I would really appreciate it, if you would, I don't know - answer my question!!"
I froze in the doorway, staring at the scene in front of me.
Natsuki was already sleeping in his own bed, hugging a duck plush to himself. Meanwhile, Syo was standing in the middle of the room with crossed arms, looking grumpily at Ai, who was packing in a big suitcase in silence.
"..... A-Ai...?" I whispered. "... Where... where are you going...?"
He remained silent, not even sparing me a glance until the moment he finished and zipped the suitcase closed. He then stood up, moving it up on it's heels, then walking right over to me.
"... I'm not going anywhere." he finally replied coldly. "You are."
With that, he forced the suitcase's handle in my hand. I widened my eyes, as I could feel all color fading from my face.
"What...?"
"Away from here. As far as you can. Don't ever come back." he hissed.
"... A-Ai you can't be serious!!" Syo snapped in, looking just as shocked and hurt as me.
"I am 100% serious. Besides, neither of you have a word in this!" he raised his voice a bit. "What are you waiting for? Go. I don't want to see you. Not now... not ever again."
"A-Ai, I..." I looked down.
"What? What do you want to say? 'Ai, I didn't mean to hurt you, I only wanted you as my father's plaything and break your idol life to pieces'?" he narrowed his eyes at me.
"That's not...!" I tried to protest, but Ai sent me the coldest glare.
"Leave. Now. I don't tolerate foolish cowards stabbing me in the back."
"... But Ai, you can't...!"
"No, Syo..." I shook my head. Tears fell from my eyes again, as I forced a weak smile. "It's okay... I deserve it."
I slowly turned around towards the door, pulling my suitcase, but I stopped myself. I looked back at Ai, then took his hand. Before he could snatch it away, I gently placed the bracelet in his hand, closing his fingers on it.
"... Please have it." I whispered with a sad smile. "... I don't think I could bear having it after all of this."
I could hear my voice break, so I quickly turned my back on him before seeing his reaction, speed walking to the door.
"... I still care about you, though." I mumbled, then bit my lips and left the room.