Chapter 5:

2 - 2

The Storm Within


Mary walked to Zukafu who was collecting vegetables that were ready to be harvest and also placing new seeds.

He asked Mary "Would you like to go anywhere special?" Sounding very unconfident in himself which Mary felt weird about.

Mary asked, skeptical "Why?"

Zukafu answered "Well I- uh..." as he was struggling to find the right words to say to her. "I thought you wouldn't want to be stuck up in this place all the time and that you may- want to go somewhere nice?"

"But this place here is already beautiful." Complimented Mary, "This place feels like a paradise that one dreams to reside in!"

"You think so?" Said Zukafu. Mary nodded her head as she admired the area, leaving Zukafu feeling appreciated. He stands up, with vegetables in the baskets, and asks "Well, what would you like to do?"

Upon being asked this, Mary thought deeply on what she wanted to do before answering, "I hope you don't mind showing me around here."

Hearing this, Zukafu answered "Okay." As he dashed back into the house with the basket.

Inside, he placed them on the table and went into his room to get his jacket that was in his wardrobe when he accidentally came across an old photo which seemed to disturb him immensely.

He felt lost in thought as he looked at the photo, suddenly having vivid flashbacks of a woman who appeared wearing a lab coat. He was then snapped back out as he was hit in the head by a suitcase that leaned forward.

"Ow!" He said to himself as he hastily placed the suitcase back inside and hid the photo underneath the wardrobe.

He got his jacket out and put it on and ran back outside where he saw Mary looking at the sky with a beautiful smile, contrast to when she stared out at the city with a displeased look.

He ran to her and asked "Shall we?"

And together, Zukafu and Mary wander across the world that they were in as Zukafu shows her everything.

The world that Zukafu lives in, it is another world outside from the city and it is created as the ideal place the owner wishes to reside in and a thing to note about the world is that Zukafu is not the original inhabitant.

Zukafu and Mary reache the big river where they knelt down and admired the ocean blue water as it streamed down, sparkles visible amongst the water. Mary looked at Zukafu who appeared distracted as he looks at the ocean blue water.

She then remembered the time back at the school where he appeared distasteful and expressing his hatred and it made her think whether or not Zukafu meant what he had said as she began to realise a small detail from that moment.

She was suddenly caught off guard as Zukafu grabbed her hand. He said to her, "Come, let me show you the tree."

Mary obliges and together, they make their way to the tree and upon arrival, Mary is astonished by the tree, stating, "It feels so young yet it harbours much history from within." She places her hand on the tree and walks in a circle.

Zukafu let out a smile as he watched Mary have fun in the world that he chose to keep himself in.

Mary said to Zukafu, "This place is amazing! So much different to the city." Her expression changes, as if she was remembering something. "It kind of reminds me of those days when me and my brother would come around a place similar to this..."

Zukafu, wanting to change the topic, asked "Why don't we return back inside? I'll make us something nice, how about that?"

Mary let out a smile and answered, "I'd like that."

Back inside the house, Zukafu was using the vegetables that he harvested and was making something for Mary. Meanwhile, Mary explored the house more and didn't really find anything interesting as it appeared empty.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door to which Mary volunteered to go and check to see who it was. When she opened the door, she was shocked to see her brother Tatsuya along with an officer that worked with him named Officer Nagata, standing outside Zukafu's home.

"Tatsuya..." said Mary, still in shock, "How did you-"

Tatsuya then asked, "I could ask you the same thing, I thought you were at a friends house."

"Sorry to disappoint you Tatsu!" Said Zukafu, "I had to bring her here after a sudden announcement between us."

"Really?" Said Tatsuya with his expression remaining cold, "Tell me, what was this 'sudden announcement'?"

Entering inside, Zukafu explained to them that him and Mary have become a couple and whatnot which didn't seem to surprise Tatsuya as he was more focused on Mary's decision upon this.

"I'm quite conflicted with this Mary." Said Tatsuya while sipping on a cup of tea, "From what I've been hearing from your no-good-punk friends is that you've been very dismissive and even critical with the people that ask you out."

"Yeah what about it?" Said Mary, acting very calm and cold upon her brother.

Tatsuya responded, "Its just that our buddy Zukafu could have done better-"

"So wait, you're more disappointed that Zukafu is going along with me being his partner, is that it?!" Said Mary, sounding hurt and annoyed by her brothers words.

"Something like that I suppose..." said Tatsuya in a very blunt manner.

Zukafu then arrived to the table with a pot, saying "Hey guys calm down!" Hoping to defuse the situation, "I chose to go along with this because it would have been rude of me to decline this proposal that she had created for me."

"Since when were you the gentlemen type?" Asked Nagata, curious.

"I have been like this for years Nagata." Answered Zukafu, "its just that I never expressed any traits among people like you!"

"Let me guess, people like me is equivalent to people who should shut up and be more productive?" Asked Nagata.

"Sums it up well." Said Tatsuya.

"I'm not lazy chief!" Said Nagata, feeling insulted by their words.

"Anyway, lets stop talking and get grubbing, shall we?" Asked Tatsuya.

Zukafu sat beside Mary who again felt upset.

Even though the whole couple shtick was something that Zukafu was not interested in, this kind of progress was beginning to grow but it felt a little too rushed at the same time, like Zukafu is too open to the idea while Mary's act of being the Ice Queen is quickly gone.

After dinner was finished, it had reached night and Zukafu and Mary went to bed despite Zukafu sleeping on the couch. 

Mary watched Zukafu as he slept peacefully while she was all by herself. She abruptly stopped staring at him and focused her attention on the ceiling, hoping to drift away in her sleep.

MrRejex
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