Destiny [Ai Mikaze x Reader] [FATE BOOK TWO]

Chapter 10 - The Pain Behind The Infinite Smiles

"REIJI!!!"
I banged loudly on the wooden door leading to three certain idols' dorm room. My face was stained with tears, but I could care less. I angrily banged my fist against the door. "OPEN UP!!!"
The door opened after a while, only for a confused and concerned red-head to step in the doorway.
"N-Nee-chan?" he blinked at me, but I quickly pushed him aside.
"Where is he!?" I snapped, looking around the room.
"Who...?"
"That little cockroach who goes by Reiji!!" 
"..." Otoya's jaw almost dropped to the ground at what I just said. "... I-I thought you knew...?"
"... Knew what??" I jerked an eyebrow. "What, Otoya, do you perhaps know something as well that I didn't!?"
"C-Calm down!!" he stepped back from me with fear in his eyes. "H-He went back to his mother for a while..."
"... I can't believe it, I CAN'T believe it!!!" I groaned loudly, grabbing onto my own hair. "That coward ran away, didn't he...!?"
"... N-Nee-chan... did he prank you or something...?"
"... Prank??" I looked at him with angry tears in my eyes. "Do I look like someone who just got pranked to you...!? Reiji, he-!!"
I suddenly stopped myself, looking at the now really concerned face of Otoya. I know that his mind couldn't process information like this.
".... I-It's fine, Otoya..." I shook my head sadly. "... I'll... tell you later..."
"... Nee-chan...?"
"I told you, it's fine!!" I turned my head away, looking at the ground. As I did so, I suddenly noticed a torn piece of paper on the floor.
"... What's this...?" I muttered, picking up the paper. It said...

"Surprise for [F/
Pu"

And the rest was torn off. The handwriting looked familiar. Probably Reiji's...
"..." I grit my teeth, crumpling the paper and throwing it to the wall. "You monster...!"
My voice broke.
"N-Nee-chan...!!"
"..." I shakily inhaled. "Otoya... do you know Reiji's mother's address...?"
"I-I do but..." he stuttered, completely confused.
"Can you please tell me??"
"..." giving up on questioning me, he sighed and grabbed a pen and the paper. "Hai..."
He quickly scribbled down the address on the paper and handed it to me.
"Thank you..." I jabbered, quickly turning to the door.
"Nee-chan, wait..."
"..." I slowly turned back to the sad tone of my brother.
"... Promise me you won't get hurt this time," he whispered quietly. I blinked at him for a few seconds.
"Don't... worry, Otoyan." I smiled sadly and softly. "I'll be fine."
With that, I ran out of the room with the paper clenched tightly in my hand.

The tiny bell signaled my arrival with a magical ring as I stepped into the bento shop. The amazing smell of meat and home hit my nose. I blinked, looking around.
"Hello, my dear." a middle-aged lady stepped over to me with a warm smile. "How may I help you?"
"..." for a few seconds, I had no words for the immediate warmness and kindness this place and this lady had. "... U-Uhm... my name is [F/N] [L/N] and..."
"Oh, say no more, dear." she chuckled with a knowing smile, walking over to the back and opening a door. "Rei's up in his room. It's the first door to the left."
"... W-Well... thank you." I slightly bowed, quickly going up the stairs. My heart was pounding in my chest, as my hands were clenched into fists.
In front of the door, I deeply inhaled and exhaled to calm myself.
It's okay, girl. Just listen to his reasons. He must have really good ones. Just calm down and speak to him normally.
With those thoughts, I slowly knocked on the door. Soon enough, the door opened, and there stood the brunette, blinking at me.
"[F/...[F/N]?" he muttered. "What are you doing here?"
"... Can we please have a talk...?" I muttered with the calmest voice I could muster. Although judging from his expression, I still looked like I was ready to kill someone.
"Uhm... sure...! Come in..."
I nodded silently, letting myself in the room once he stepped aside. Then he closed the door after me and looked at me with innocence. "Sooo...?"
"... Why...?"
"... E-Eh?" he sweatdropped.
"You know what I'm talking about, Reiji...!! Why!?" I snapped, angry tears filling my eyes yet again. My whole body was trembling in holding what I really wanted to say back.
"U-Uhm...? You mean when I kissed you...?"
"... I can't believe you, Reiji..." I hissed in disgust. "I found Ai in the boys' bathroom unconscious, do you perhaps have an idea on why!?"
"........ Really...?" he muttered quietly, turning his back on me and looking out the window. "Is he okay...?"
"STOP!!" I screamed. "You know very well that you did something bad!! You ran away!!"
"....."
After a long silence, Reiji talked again. His tone sent a shiver down my spine.
"So what if I did...?"
"... W-What do you mean so what?? That's just...!"
"He only got what he deserved." he cut me off coldly. "Besides, I did it all for you, [F/N], so I don't understand your problem..."
"You don't understand my problem...!" I repeated with an ironic laugh. "Do you even-!?"
"Why do you even care about him anymore? Hm? I took care of him. It's past time. Can't be undone."
"Are you really that sick...!?" I asked sadly and angrily as my tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Sick? What's wrong with throwing an object away?" he turned back to look at me. I saw a smirk on his face. "I didn't even do anything particularly bad. He just won't remember some stuff."
"... What...? I don't think you re--"
"Forget him, just like he forgot you." he chuckled, walking closer to me. "Now everything will be okay... Rei-chan is here for you forever..."
He got cut off by my hand slapping loudly against his cheek. 
"You frigging idiot..!!" I grabbed his collar. "DO YOU EVEN REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!? AI'S GONE!!"
"..."
I heard his breath getting caught in his throat, as his satisfied, sassy eyes turned back to wide and fearful ones. "He... what?"
"... So you really... didn't know." I whispered. "Congratulations, Reiji... you've killed Ai... are you satisfied...? Is this the happy ending you longed for...?"
I threw him back down, and he stumbled down into his bed. He sat there, staring in front of himself with wide eyes. "... Ai-Ai's... gone...? N-No, I... that wasn't... supposed... to..."
"... He's technically not. He temporarily forgot literally everything and after that's over, he will either shut down or turn into a killing machine. Is that what you wanted?"
"..... N-No, I..."
"Then what the hell did you want!? What the frigging hell was this good for!? Huh, Reiji!? What!? Oh, and I forgot to even mention that little detail of you exposing me in front of the whole world! Did you love me so much you might as well ruin my life or what, what was in your head!?"
"... I..."
I saw tears fill his eyes, as he just sat there miserably and sadly.
"..." I sighed. "Look, Reiji."
I plopped down beside him. "I know that you would never do something like this if you didn't have a really good reason to. So, please... tell me the full story. From beginning to end. Alright? Maybe... maybe we can still fix... some things."
"..."
He let out a deep, shaky sigh, nervously rubbing his hands together.
"... Please."
"... Well, it... all began... just at around that concert." he hesitantly started. "... I started... feeling strange around you. Like, my heart would beat faster and... I always... found myself smiling and..." he smiled sadly. "... You were really upset around that concert and... I really wanted to make you happy somehow... But I didn't know how. And then..."