A3! × IDOLiSH7 Crossover

Chapter 9

The wind roared as Sakuya sped after Aya and Riku, who were just a bit further down the sidewalk.

"Wait!" Sakuya called out, picking up his pace. But at the sound of his voice, he noticed Aya speed up as well, dragging poor Riku with her. Concern flooded Sakuya as he continued running, managing to close the distance between him and the pair in front of him. The pink-haired male was aware of Riku's illness thanks to a conversation with him earlier that day, and that only served to drive Sakuya into sprinting as fast he could as to catch up with the pair before Riku flew into a coughing fit.

After a few minutes, Sakuya somehow caught up to the two, practically tackling them both as he jumped at them to make sure they didn't go any further.

Aya growled, pushing Sakuya off with a surprising amount of force for someone of her stature. "Get off–"

"Not until you listen to me for a moment!" Sakuya responds, struggling to keep Aya pinned down. Riku is beside them both, still somewhat dazed from the impact of hitting the ground.

The sound of footsteps was what brought Riku back to the present, and he glanced up to see Tasuku running toward them. "Sakuya! Riku!"

At the sound of Tasuku's voice, Aya managed to shove Sakuya off of her, the pink-haired male colliding with the pavement. He blanked for a second, still trying to recover from the impact, when he felt himself being pulled up off of the floor. Sakuya looked up, expecting to see Tasuku, but was surprised when he was met with Riku's concerned face instead.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked, somehow more concerned over Sakuya's wellbeing rather than his own when Riku was the one who was literally getting kidnapped.

Before Sakuya could respond, a white van pulled up beside him and Riku on the road. Several men filed out of the van, all massive and definitely scary looking in Sakuya's opinion. He could barely hear the sigh of relief Aya gave, before suddenly being dragged over to the van.

He could see Tasuku in the distance, picking up speed at what Sakuya assumed was the sight of him getting kidnapped with Riku.

Wait.

Sakuya wondered why it took him so long to process that he was, in fact, getting dragged along into whatever Aya's scheme was, but when he finally did, he panicked. Struggled against the men's arms. To no avail, considering the height and build difference, and he was still thrown into the back of the van.

He could hear Tasuku yelling. Shouting. Sakuya was unable to actually decipher the words with how much his head was buzzing in panic, but he could still notice when it stopped. When Aya started talking. The scarily familiar sound of a clicking gun. It was all too much, and the only reason Sakuya thought he didn't pass out was simply because of Riku, who was clinging onto him for dear life and keeping him at bay.

At least I'm not alone, like Riku would have been, Sakuya thought as the doors to the van shut and he was enveloped in darkness.

~

"Shit!" Tasuku yelled out in frustration as the van disappeared around the corner. He was chasing after it, but no amount of running and training could match the speed of a vehicle. At the moment, he wished that wasn't true, but there's only so much distance two legs can carry you compared to four wheels.

A part of him still wanted to go after them, despite being tired from all that chasing. Tasuku didn't want to go home; that was a sign of giving up looking for them in his eyes, and Tasuku is stubborn. And guilty. He could've done so much more – stopped Sakuya from leaving, ran faster, something.

Tasuku felt awful for a crime that wasn't even his fault.

He was forced out of his thoughts when Tasuku felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, he felt both relief and immense guilt at the caller ID on the screen.

Tsumugi.

Tasuku knew how much Tsumugi cared for Sakuya; a relationship that was almost like a mother for a child. He was at least relieved that he could tell his childhood friend what had happened first, but... that still didn't mean he was thrilled about said news.

He clicked the green button on his phone screen.

"Tasuku?"

"...Hey Tsumugi."

"Based on your tone of voice, something bad happened?"

Curse Tsumugi and his almost godly ability to read people.

"Is it that easy to tell?"

"As your childhood friend, I'd be disappointed in myself if I couldn't even read you of all people."

"...I lost them."

"Is Sakuya with you?"

Tasuku stayed silent. The word "no" was right there, caught in his throat, but he struggled to say it.

"...No?"

"...I'm sorry."

Tsumugi's sad smile could almost be heard on the other end.

"It's not your fault, Taa-chan. Come home, it looks like it might rain again."

"..."

"Tasuku, you and I both know that what you're thinking is a bad idea."

"I can't just give up on them."

"And you aren't. We'll find them, in a way that doesn't involve a wild goose chase. Okay?"

Tasuku could only sigh. He knew Tsumugi was right, he really did, but every part of him wanted to continue looking for them. Yet they could be anywhere by now, and it did look like it was going to rain...

"Alright. I'm coming home."

"At least let me stay on the phone with you. I'm... worried..."

Tasuku smiled softly for the first time in since this disaster started.

"Okay. Let's talk about that recent theatre show we saw together, yeah?"

The walk home was comfortable, even as the rain started drizzling down.