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壊れた鏡と心 (Kowareta Kagami to Kokoro), Last Part

The room was tense now. No one could breathe, let alone speak as they watched the two sides look at each other, unsure how to start.

The owner of the room, Kagemi, was looking down, refusing to make eye contact with anyone, especially Cuddly, who was staring at him, waiting for the explanation that never came.

The rest? 

They were watching the two like a table tennis match, eyes moving constantly to look at the other. 

After a long while, Manuel, finally having had enough, stormed over to Kagemi before his dark chocolate hand moved to make Kagemi look up at Cuddly at last, "Sorry about this, Gemi!" 

The mirror Youkai yelped in fear as he tried to hide from Cuddly's gaze, only for Cuddly to stop him with his words, "What really happened back then, Kagemi?" 

"I-I..." Kagemi stuttered, feeling really really scared and terrified at Cuddly. "I-I wasn't trying to prank you, Cuddly.... I-I was just trying to make it more romantic by putting a candle there and lighting it.... I-I'm so sorry... You probably hate me..." 

Hearing that, Cuddly's eyes widened as he watched Kagemi break down even more after confessing. His feelings were mixed up. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. 

Jorogumo was in disbelief too. She was really starting to regret being one of the coldest to Kagemi over this matter. She should have asked him about the truth instead of assuming.

Rasen was drawing circles on Kagemi's back to soothe him while Movien was hugging him, whispering encouragements to him, with Reaper letting the Youkai hug her like a pillow as comfort. The rest were just watching, knowing that those two were the only ones who could calm him down when he was like this.

After a while, though, Cuddly, or rather Bearlynyan, got up and walked to Kagemi, slow and deliberate. 

"C-Cuddly-" Kagemi was interrupted as the other hugged him, mumbling apologies to him, which was soon mirrored by Jorogumo as she joined them, doing the same tearily. 

The rest looked at one another, feeling relieved that this problem was finally solved. 

Kagemi could only hug the other 2 back, crying out his own apologies in reply. 

Eventually, Keita walked to Kagemi too before going to his knees, apologising softly with regret clear in his tone for his actions in the past. 

The other 3 just responded by letting him join in. 

There were tears shared, smiles made, and memories created in that moment. 

"So.... Why DID you want to prank Cuddly anyway?" Jorogumo looked curiously at Kagemi as the ex-villains gathered in their courtyard to have their dinner, watching the stars silently. 

Kagemi blinked for a while before he sighed, "Well, it's apparently related to how I became a Youkai. I didn't remember much before, but after the prank, I remembered." 

"Does it have anything to do with fire?" Haruya asked him after drinking some tea. "I mean, afterwards, you were really frigid." 

"At some point," he replied. "I was a funhouse mirror in a nomadic amusement park 30 years ago, having fun with my fellow mirrors in the funhouse and seeing the world for what it was." 

"That sounds better than how I came to be," Haruya noted. "I was a normal kid called Sakami Haruya till my entire family was massacred." 

Jorogumo winced slightly, "Yikes, that must have hurt." 

"It kinda did," Haruya shrugged. "But I got over it. Plus, I have you guys to support me if I feel down." 

Rasen laughed a bit, "It's nothing, Ruya." 

"Plus, I haven't finished the story," Kagemi added. 

"There's more?" Movien tilted his head in confusion. 

The mirror Youkai nodded once again, now sighing as he finished eating, "The amusement park was loved by many, but there were some people who were greedy and hated how much love our place was getting. So... So they set the entire place on fire one night."

There were gasps all around the table as everyone now looked up from their food to Kagemi in shock. 

Kagemi winced slightly, "Yeah, I know. All my friends were burnt in that fire. As I watched everyone around me suffer, something in me awoke. I realised that I wanted to save them. That single wish was what led to me becoming a Youkai. I guess I just wanted to relive those moments again."

Rasen just hugged Kagemi in reply, "It's okay, Gemi. We're here for you now." 

"Yeah. We understand now," Haruya smiled. 

"So don't ever hold it in again, okay?" Movien begged. "For our sakes." 

Kagemi just laughed softly, "Of course."

Jorogumo sighed, "Good to know." 

That statement brought a smile to Kagemi's face, showing how strong their friendship had grown.