To Have You Back | Ray × Emma [The Promised Neverland] Fanfic

Chapter 3: Very Deep Green

The sky of that day at that point in time was void of any rapture. Just looking at it gave one the feeling that it'd suck out all of their exuberance. Perhaps only to Ray the dark clouds felt like they clustered overhead to assuage the loneliness in his heart. Their gloominess matched his so perfectly, as if telling him he's not alone.

His once best friend was now unreachable to him, his other best friend and only companion in school absent. No matter how unbothered he appeared to be, he was very much affected by it, and that in itself greatly bothered him. Getting distressed by something 'this small' felt so pathetic when he already went through life-and-death situations where he almost lost them for real.

'Huh, look at me being all mopey like I'm still a kid. Is it puberty screwing with me? Or a permanent damage left by my cursed experiences that screwed up my emotions altogether? Maybe it's both. Tch.'

Old habits die hard, or so they say. And without any exception, Ray's self-mockery never really went away. Standing in the empty courtyard, he let the cold drips rain down on his body, subconsciously wishing he'd catch a cold so that he could also skip school like Norman and avoid having to be alone with Emma. Oh, how he'd love to get rid of these befuddling emotions she's been causing.

A gentle shadow fell over Ray's figure, blocking out the gloomy view aloft, taking away with it the chilliness that was freezing his body. He was snapped out of his stupor, turning to the person standing by his side startled.

Who else was it but the very person on his mind. Her name spilled out of his lips unbidden.

"Emma..."

She appeared to be panting, apparently from running to him in a frenzy. A myriad of emotions burned in those green eyes of hers along with Ray's own reflection; emotions that Ray could read like a book thanks to knowing her all too well.

Confusion, inquisition, bitterness, discontentment, agitation.

How come she herself mirrored everything he himself was feeling? What was this coincidence? Or perhaps a fortuity...

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here for you!"

Emma answered as soon as Ray muttered the question. It left him feeling quite puzzled. However, what came out of her mouth next made him even more stunned.

"Let's talk!"

A moment passed without a word from either of them, only the pitter-patter of rain shower enveloping them as they gazed at one another.

"Let's talk things out, Ray. I have a lot on my mind that I wanna tell you. Don't you, too?"

Her resolute voice reverberated over any other noise there. And he felt something stir in his heart. Now that he was an alien to her, hearing her call him by his name was so strange, like he was being acknowledged for who he is.

"What... do you want to talk about?" he somehow managed to choke out.

"Um..." now it was Emma's turn to fidget. Her pupils averted left and right, avoiding meeting Ray eye to eye until they settled on her feet. Taking a deep breath, she nervously let out the question that's been troubling her for the past month at last.

"Why have you been... keeping me at arm's length?"

Ray was thrown off by that dead-on inquiry, but managed to keep his poker face intact anyhow. He feigned ignorance as he replied with a question of his own in a steady voice.

"What are you talking about? I'm always like this, with everyone."

To which, Emma's hands clenched into fists, mumbling with an unfathomable distraught look.