What Makes a Friend (Mid-Season Finale)

Jay’s room was simpler than he thought. It reminded him of a small studio, everything close by and efficiently placed. Yet minutes after the door closed, they were still silent.

Finally, Jay took a deep breath—staring at the ceiling before shifting his gaze to Yuushin.

“I met with the Arch Bishop a couple of days ago. Received an official summons, like you.”

Yuushin felt his stomach churning—his muscles stiffening as he held his breath. At that moment, there were so many things he wanted to ask. About the excursion, about Lyr, about the Arch Bishop himself, and Jay’s thoughts on the whole thing.

In the end, he started with a question he thought to be easier.

“What did you talk about?”

And when Jay replied, Yuushin realized he should’ve started with something else.

“Many things, actually. Yet you were one of the main topics.”

Yuushin’s heart slowed down, the warmth escaping from his body.

“What? Why? Is this because I rejected the offer to participate in the excursion?”

The other man scratched the back of his head, his lips twisting into a wry smile as his voice lacked any kind of excitement.

“In the end, it all came down to that, yes.”

A heat spread within Yuushin’s chest, one that made his heart beat faster and blood run quicker within his veins. He clenched his fists, a broken laugh escaping his mouth.

Hah….wow.

This… This is something else.

“So, what? Did they send you to arrest me? Or am I having my ‘rights’ as an outsider revoked?”

Jay’s expression softened, a warm glow crossing his green eyes as he motioned for Yuushin to take a seat. As he did, Jay took his time to pour them a hot tea before taking a seat beside Yuushin, taking a few sips before opening his mouth again.

“You’ve earned my trust time and time again, Yuushin, which is why I want to be candid with you. After your previous meeting, the Arch Bishop does not see you in a favourable light.” Before he could inquire further, Jay’s eyes met his. There was no hostility, no judgment. Only the same raw honesty that echoed in the man’s voice. “Given our ‘kinship and apparent closeness’, his words, I was commanded to change your mind.”

Yuushin’s first response was to laugh in disbelief, passing one hand across his hair, his eyes widening. Then, as his mind went blank on things he could say, Yuushin drank some tea. He let its soothing warmth try to appease the raging heat that kept making his blood boil, until his mind was calm enough for him to think.

“…in other words. He wants to convert me to whatever religion they follow here.”

Jay blinked a few times, an amused smile spreading across his lips before the man let out a soft chuckle.

“That’s quite a way to put it! Yes, I think you are exactly right.” His gaze fell to the beverage in his cup, his eyes losing their focus for a while. Going far away. “Even in a different world, the speech is the same. How their ‘light’ cannot be tainted with impure thoughts and ill intentions. How those who don’t follow ‘Order’ will only sow evil and spread chaos…makes you think how some things will never change, no matter where you are.”

Yuushin’s grip on his cup tightened, his heart skipping a few beats, unsettled. Troubled.

“Did he ask you to join the excursion too?”

The man gave him a brief nod, taking a sip of his tea. “That he did.”

“Did you say yes?”

Somehow, Yuushin knew the answer before Jay replied.

“I did. It’s a great opportunity to infiltrate their ranks, after all.” A faint smile crossed Jay’s lips as he saw Yuushin’s reaction, his gaze almost apologetic. “I’m certainly not the greatest fan of the man and his ideals, yet I just can’t miss this chance.”

Leaning back with the chair, Yuushin shook his head with a sigh. “No, of course, I understand. You don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

Someone like you… I won’t ever judge you.

He couldn’t.

“I’m still curious why you were so averse to the idea, though.” Jay’s question caught him by surprise, forcing Yuushin to shift his gaze back. “For someone who fends off against a dragon, I thought the challenge could excite you.”

Yuushin blinked, frowning slightly.

“I mean, the idea of getting stronger is fun, yes, but…the whole thing looked so one-sided.”

The man raised an eyebrow, a genuine curiosity sparking within his eyes. “How so?”

“I mean…” Feeling his mouth dry, Yuushin drank the rest of the tea before he could continue, the thoughts racing and colliding in his mind. “From the start, his entire speech felt…poisonous. He kept addressing these creatures as if they were spawns of the devil itself, but never said they were actually hostile or harming people.”

Jay listened to him with care—paying attention to his every word, as if the man truly wished to understand Yuushin.

“Why does this matter?”

Which is why he was caught off guard by how nonchalant Jay’s reply was—in a way that Yuushin didn’t even know how to reply.

“What do you mean…? Why shouldn’t this matter?”

It was at that moment.

As the man gave Yuushin a puzzled look, the faint smile still present in his face, speaking with the calmest and most matter-of-fact tone in his voice.

“This is not our world. The people here—they don’t mean anything to us.”

As Yuushin listened to his friend’s thoughts, word by word, without even blinking.

Without moving.

“The only value they offer is information and resources to send us back. Whether they live or die—whether by our hands or theirs—it’s none of our concern.”

The moment when he realized they were not on the same page anymore.

That he would have to break his promise with Jay.

And when the man leaned closer, his voice gaining a new edge—a new seriousness.

“Remember how I said I was going to be candid about that talk? Your situation right now is not looking good, Yuushin. It became less of a choice and more of a way to prove you won’t become an enemy.”

Without thinking, Yuushin stood up—his mind racing, raging, exasperating.

“An enemy?! He abuses his own priest at nothing, he is selling genocide as if it were some noble holy mission—they are the real beasts here!”

“You’re right.”

With a breath uneven, Yuushin frowned. “Huh?”

Jay stood up, taking away both cups.

“You’re right. But it doesn’t change anything, does it? The only way for us to get the information we want is by hearing straight from their lips. Because this kind of people, they know how to keep their hands sparkly clean.”

What hurt him the most was not hearing Jay’s words.

It was knowing that they weren’t wrong.

“J-Jay, I’m sorry, but… I can’t. I won’t bring myself to hurt innocent people, even if I don’t belong here.”

When the man met his gaze, there was no anger.

“No matter what, huh?”

There was no disappointment.

Yuushin nodded. “No matter what.”

There was only a smile.

“I was right, after all… You’re truly a good person, Yuushin.”

One that seemed as relieved as it was painful.

Without exchanging any more words, Jay walked toward the nightstand. When he came back, he dropped something in Yuushin’s hands.

A long dagger.

The air grew colder. “Why are you giving me this?”

“I admire you, Yuushin. I truly do.” Jay didn’t look to Yuushin as he took a scroll from his pocket, nor when he opened and ripped the paper. “I wished we could’ve spent more time together.”

Yuushin took a few steps forward, his raised voice filled with a silent desperation.

“What are you talking about?”

A ripple appeared between then, the air twisting and blending as a red light began pouring from the tear.

“I told you—your situation was not pretty. If I want to see my family again, I have to follow orders. And the order was either convince you, or send you away.”

He felt dizzy. Cold. This couldn’t be happening. The situation couldn’t have escalated that badly. It just couldn’t.

“Jay, why are you giving me this? What is that thing?”

Jay met his eyes then.

Yuushin wished he hadn’t.

“To protect yourself. I was told this dagger is special, so maybe it will help, even in that place…” Jay made a short pause, glancing away for a second. “Though I have to do this, I really hope you’ll survive—even if he’s certain you won’t.”

The second Yuushin took a step back—

Jay’s hand sank into his stomach, the dagger dropping from Yuushin’s hand as he gasped—the pain so intense, his consciousness started to fade away.

“I’m truly sorry, Yuushin… I wish things had gone differently.”

A faint glow. One Yuushin had seen around Jay before, something similar to his Soma but not quite.

Is this…Soulchant…?

Yuushin never had the strength to fight back or run away.

Because his world was consumed by darkness before he ever reached the ground.