Change || The Promised Neverland

✼ Chapter Twenty-One: Search ✼

<< Why do we search for something that isn't there? >>

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"Bye, everyone," [Name] stood at the House's front door, Isabella standing behind her. "Make sure to take care of yourselves, alright?"

"You too, [Name]," Phil waved his hands.

[Name] smiled down at her smaller siblings - some crying, some trying to smile it away. Maybe she'd been a bad influence. [Name] chuckled at the thought, before coughing in surprise as she was suddenly tackled around the middle. Jemima buried her head into [Name]'s stomach.

"I'll miss you a lot," said Jemima's muffled voice. [Name] ruffled her curly black hair.

"I'll miss you too," she said, regaining her breath. "But you have to push on, okay? Being sad all the time isn't going to help you."

I know from experience.

"Mkay," Jemima murmured. She pulled away, smiling brightly. "I'll see you when I grow up, right?"

[Name] flicked the dark-skinned girl's nose, making her giggle. "I hope so."

Phil trotted up to his older sister, tears brimming his eyes. "[Name]?"

The (h/c) smiled, wiping away his tears with her thumb. "You'll be okay, Phil. "

Isabella smiled at their interaction. [Name] pretended not to care about the younger ones, but she could see the almost motherly affection in her (e/c) eyes. Gazing at her children, the ravenette blinked in confusion when she counted 37 instead of 38, excluding [Name].

"Emma," she called to the ginger, whose eyes were downcast and dead. "Where's Ray?"

"In the infirmary," Emma muttered. "He said he didn't want to send [Name] off."

"I see," Isabella nodded. [Name] stood up, glancing at the four older children, off to the side.

"Gilda, Don," she called. "Take care of those three for me, alright?"

"O-Of course!" Don hit his fist into his palm. Gilda mustered up a smile, nodding in confirmation.

"Norman, Emma, make sure you stay healthy, okay?" [Name] requested. "Especially you, Norman."

The albino merely nodded in response. He didn't trust himself not to break down if he spoke. Emma didn't respond either, keeping her head down. [Name] exhaled, picking up her suitcase. It might've been selfish, making them feel the pain of losing a friend, but at least they were alive.

Emma looked up, meeting [Name]'s eyes. How could she stay so calm? How could she smile, like nothing was wrong?

"Bye, everyone," [Name] turned to walk out the door.

Emma knew why she had to go. She knew why she had to die, that it was the logical route. This was the best decision to ensure their escape. Even though her mind knew what she needed to do...

I don't want to understand.

She needed to grab [Name]. She needed to hold her back. Letting her go wasn't an option.

"We can't do anything," Ray kept his head down. "If we get caught, our plan could be leaked to the demons. Then [Name]'s death will truly be meaningless."

Emma grit her teeth. The issue wasn't whether or not she died in vain.

She couldn't let [Name] die. Period.