The Boy With The Blank Stare: The Promise

Chapter Ten: The Moon Maiden

Saihara's POV:

I could only stand in shock as Ouma tried his best to tell Kiibo what really happened, he had seemed to ve straining himself to force the words out.

Words using not even sign language but his own poorly used and fragile voice, and I couldn't help but he in awe of what small determination had been lit inside of him.

When I first met him I never expected this kind of strength from him, but maybe it had existed even back then. Like a small flame had grown into a roaring fire.

Kiibo could only look on petrified and I'm sure if his mechanical body could have allowed it he would have gone pale.

I couldn't help but empathize with hik though, we had been in the same boat with not having answers as to how our loved ones had died for years.

I hope he can take this nicely...or as best as he can...

"DICE..." Ouma mumbled to no one in particular when I realized his shaking frame had slown and his eyes glossed over as he fell back and slouched over in his chair.

"Ouma?!" I called out surprised, Kiibo quickly ran over to his side as if he had done this a thousand time and caught him as Ouma nearly fell off his chair, the leg restraints managed to pull him back.

"What's happened?" I asked, Kiibo then began undoing the restraints still holding the unconscious Ouma.

"Give me a hand? When Ouma gets really stressed this sometimes happens..." he explained.

"Stress?" I asked helping him and Kiibo nodded, "when Ouma pushes himself to much, or something really triggers him he ends up passing out sometimes if no one can get him to calm down..." he reflected somberly.

Guilt rushed over me as I quickly tried to apologize "I'm sorry...I should have stopped him then-"

"I'm glad...did you know...that was the first time I've heard his voice in years...unless you count crying or screaming in the middle of the night..." Kiibo said softly as he and I began picking up Ouma and placing him on the nearby bed, he seemed restless so I pressed my hand against his and he seemed to relax a little.

"I...I never even tried to believe I would ever hear his voice again...I don't think I've been this happy in years..." he said smiling widely.

"Happy?" I asked a bit shocked, he returned a sad smile, "happy and sad I guess...Otome...for years I believed she committed suicide...in a sense it was a relief? That she didn't want to kill herself?" He guessed his feelings must have been uncertain to him as well which I understood.

It was a mixed baggage.

"Otome and I...we met back in elementary school, before Ouma even came to our school...she was so shy back then...she wasn't well liked though, her family was very well off and ran a shrine in the area, and rumors circled around about her.

"I don't know where they started...but they called her a witch...they called her a witch because of the type of medicines she would make back then, she was more of a witch doctor actually...

"I didn't care as much back then and we would spend time together reading books, watching movies, and we tried making crafts one time but one thing led to another and I ended up ducktaped to a wall" Kiibo told me with a dry laugh.

I chuckled as well.

"You and Otome would have gotten along great I think. You two are alike in so many ways, book worms, shy...heh...she even gets flustered like you do...it's kind of funny you got her desk...out of all of them..." Kiibo told me.