Artificial Sea. II

“Look no further! At Cellos Robotics, we will help you find the solution that best suits you. It doesn't matter if your body is completely infected, we won't give up until you can live peacefully again.”

A distant announcement echoed across the screens as I stepped outside, gasping for breath.

Damn it, what a way to end the date…

Surrounded by the glow of screens and lights, I watched the rain pour down. Heart pounding, I knew how treacherous that fear was for Katy.

It was thundering out here, too.

“In the year 2307, we contained and controlled over a hundred isolated cases across the city. If your neighbor or coworker shows symptoms, call 222 and we’ll handle it!” Resonated in the pavement.

“Katy!” I began shouting in all directions. “Katy!”

I spotted her about fifty meters ahead. Covering her ears, she was crying under the rain, wandering aimlessly through the plaza where we’d queued up just hours earlier.

“Wait!” Without a second thought, I unfurled my umbrella and jumped into the puddles.

Damn it! I’m coming, Katy!

Completely beside herself, Katy was suffocating in the storm and her tears, whispering pleas to her mother not to abandon her.

“Katy!” I grabbed her hand and pulled her within my umbrella, protecting her from the water.

Under my small shield, I found her frightened golden eyes locked onto me. She immediately fell silent.

She was cold and drenched, so without hesitation, I wrapped my free arm around her.

“Don’t worry, I’m here now!”

A sharp crack of thunder echoed through the plaza, jolting both of us. I could feel her trembling against my chest, clutching my shirt tightly.

“It’s okay, you’re safe…” I stroked her wet hair.

“I-Isayama…” she whispered. “I’m… I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it…”

“Every time it rains, I cause you problems…” She was shaking, I couldn’t tell if it was from cold or fear. I gently touched her soft face, trying to get her to look at me.

“It’s okay, Katy. That’s what partners are for.”

I felt a swell of pride seeing a small smile emerge on her terrified face. Surrounded by the light of the giant neon signs, the light reflected in the puddles made me feel connected to her.

Carlos and Rin arrived shortly after, but they didn’t intervene. I didn’t care—nothing mattered to me except what was under that umbrella with me.

“Tell me, Katy, how can I help you overcome this fear?” Her expression shifted at my question.

She tried to escape back into the rain, but I wouldn’t let her.

“Let me go!”

“I can’t. I refuse to see you suffer like this for one more day. Remember what happened while chasing Kenzo!”

“There’s nothing you can do,” she broke down again, just as another loud thunderclap resonated. “There’s nothing anyone can do! This is my burden to bear!”

“Calm down!” I tried to stop her from panicking. “I want to help you! I’m sick of watching you suffer while I stand helpless!”

“What do you know?!” she snapped. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to lose your own mother? To be left behind, abandoned? To be made responsible for her death?!”

“Of course I do!” I ended up yelling back.

“You have no idea what pain is!”

“I lost my father last month, Katy!” My shout wiped the anger from her face. “Just weeks ago, he left me! He didn’t even remember who I was on his deathbed! Do you get it?! He didn’t even see me as his son! I know exactly what it feels like to lose what you love most! Fuck! A child died because of my vaccines in the hospital! I couldn’t save Joshua! Or Mr. Todo! Yamaguchi is sick too—I know exactly the fear you’re talking about!”

“Isayama…”

“That’s why I’m going to say this: Let me be by your side, Katy! I love you, and I want you to let me carry your burden! I want to support you and make you laugh! I want to make you breakfast in the mornings, take you to hear the piano… I want to solve more cases together… I’ll help you overcome this trauma even if it costs me my life! And if I lost my memory, I’d do it all over again! Do you hear me?!”

She didn’t know what to say, what made the sound of the water more present.

Damn it, I need to think more before I speak…

“Please, let me stay by your side…”

Still breathing heavily, her eyes locked onto mine.

“Let me try to make you smile, please…”

She paused for a few seconds, her trembling hand reaching my cheek. Then—SLAP!

Huh?

She ran off into the rain after striking me, tears streaming down her face.

I stood frozen, right ear deafened, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

She… slapped me?

“You idiot!” Rin shouted, running after her.

She snatched my umbrella, leaving me in utter misery under the pouring rain as the two girls disappeared into the distance.

W-what just happened…?

I touched my cheek with my right hand, then noticed how my implant began trembling. It must’ve been from sadness.

I was still breathing heavily from the argument, gaze lost between lights and raindrops.

Once again, I felt the cold sting of defeat.

W-what have I done? I-is this it?

Suddenly, the rain stopped falling on my head. As I turned around, I found Carlos smiling at me, standing by my side with his umbrella.

“Hey, Isayama.”

“Tell me, Carlos, did I do something wrong?” I stared at the puddles, as if I’d lost all emotions.

“Hmm, nope. Not at all.”

“Huh?” I felt cold.

“Shall we head home? We can have dinner together if you’d like…”

“A-alright…”

“Great, I’ll make a few calls then,” he said with a grin as we started walking back.

Exhausted, I savoured that acid feeling once again…

…the aftertaste of defeat.