CHAPTER TWO: PAIN MEANS LOVE

                                                                    CHAPTER TWO


"W-Where am I?" I said waking up in a field of blue shining flowers and the night sky covering the world

Comfortably, I could hear soft and calming music from a lyre far away. Even the grass was black, The only thing I could see was the Blue flowers and the starry sky I could watch endlessly, I raised my head and looked around some more and yet; I couldn't find anything

"Woah, Now this is surreal" I thought

I laid back down and felt at ease, I closed my eyes hoping to fall asleep again interrupted by the noise of rustling around me, I stood up panicked and started sweating. "Maybe I'm not the only one here!" I thought looking around. Though I heard rustling I was yet to find a bush or anything a part from the blue flowers

"Haruki?" A voice said behind me

I turned around and it was Franchez! She was walking towards me looking down with her hands behind her back, I walked towards her and suddenly she stabbed me. Followed by a loud maniacal laugh, I heard the rustling again and followed were rats that ate out my neck and my intestines

"AHHH!" I yelled out getting up from my bed

"What the hell was that?" I asked holding my neck

I jolted from my bed sweating and my alarm clock going off, I looked towards my reflection and looks like 'He' isn't awake. Today was a holiday so I didn't have to do anything much, "What in the world was that?" I thought trying to recall my dream. I placed my hand on my head to try to remember and as soon as it happened; I forgot.

"Oh well!" I thought shrugging my shoulders

My mind was a maze of unanswered questions and self-doubt. Why did I allow myself to hope again? To believe that this reunion could wash away the pain of that long-ago rejection. Franchez had moved on, and I couldn't blame her, but the knowledge didn't make the ache in his heart any less profound.

I walked down stairs towards the kitchen and started cooking instant ramen, I turned on the lights and I turned around and saw a brief flash of Franchez. "I'm seeing things.." I thought, As I continued to cook ramen noodles whilst turning on the Weather forecast. I checked my phone and brought up the contact of Franchez

BZZZ BZZZZZ....

"H-Huh? What Haruki it's 6am..." Franchez replied with her morning voice

That's pretty cute! I thought whilst blushing

"U-Uhhh Can I ask ya for something?" I asked stuttering and running around my living room

"Y-Yeah? Whatd'ya want?"

"I.."

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"So that's what ya said? BWAHHHAHHAHAHA!" Albedo said whilst eating on his burger

"I didnt know what to say!" I frantically replied

"Bro... That's still funny!" He said before laughing and almost falling off his chair

"You could've said something else to lighten up the mood!" He added

"I mean.. But it was 6am she wouldn't have entertained a conversation you know!"

"I mean yeah, But using me as a scapegoat sure didn't help y'know?"

After finishing his burger, Albedo went to the bathroom. I waited for a while for what felt like an eternity and finished some of my fries. I decided that I would get up and walk away. I already gave him my number so hopefully he would message me after

"How much longer will it take for her to like me?" I thought to myself

"What's the best way for her to like me? What's the best way for me to get rid of him?" I pondered

I continued walking the usual route back to my house until I got a message notification of Albedo asking where I was, I replied "Gotta go! Thanks but I'm really busy!" In fact I was not busy. I was just looking for a way to leave, I went through an alleyway to take a shortcut

"What do i do.." I mumbled

"I dont knoooow~" The reflection told me from a puddle on the ground

I crouched towards the puddle and looked at the reflection of myself, A huge contrast to him smiling and having a fun time, I was being an emo boy thinking about stuff not important.

"Don't seem so down!" The reflection yelled out to me

"How?"

"Start smiling some more ya goof!"

"How? I'm stuck in a solitude, My old friends.. I don't think they're right for me anymore. They were but people change dont they? It's like the universe fills pity for me so they give me what were my old ways of comfortability; Also known as my friends. But they've grown and matured so much and I'm still unable to keep up. What would change if I didn't come to that reunion? Nothing?--"

Interrupted by the sound of rain hitting my head

"It's been raining alot hasn't it?" I asked looking up towards the rain

"Don't know what you mean by that, It's always been rainy. I wonder why though."

"Me too--"

"What're you doin here?"

I looked towards a blonde hair boy with a green windbreaker jacket holding a jacket, He walked up towards me and crouched to look inside the puddle I was talking to

"Anyone there?" He asked flicking the water making it spill perpendicular to us

"Stop that." I said glaring towards him

"Sorry! Also.. Aren't you Haruki?" He asked

"Don't call me by my first name, Also.. Who are you?"

"I'm your classmate! No need to be so formal, We aren't in Japan! No need to teach us your Japanesian ways out here on the other side of Asia. I always found you quite suspicious, Looks like this is what ya do in your free time. Also, My name is Diego, Diego Diana"

"J-Japanesian? Also Nice to meet you Dia-- Diego, Also.. This isn't what I do on my free time, I just like talking to myself sometimes.. That's all."

"Maybe you do have a little screws loose (laugh)" He said pulling out his phone

When he turned on his phone I saw a picture of Franchez, I thought that maybe this was her boyfriend. If that's so..

"Woah, Are you dating Franchez?"

"Uh, Yeah.. It's a long story."

"For how long?"

"We've been dating for about uhhh 3 months, Why ya askin?"

Kill him

"Uhh cause me and Franchez were friends before."

I looked towards my reflection with him glaring at Diego mouthing the words "Kill him. Kill him now."

"I cant.." I whispered

"You cant what?" Diego asked looking towards me

"Nothin."

I held on the knife I keep strapped to my sock, The eyes on my reflection growing red and the day getting darker. Caressing the knife feeding my sick addition of maybe getting close to her if he was gone. The sounds of his terror and screams echoing through my brain until--

"I have to go.. I'm really sorry." I said getting up and running away

"WAIT! HARUKI!" My reflection yelled

"See ya!" Diego yelled out

As we got out of the alleyway I ran directly to my home and when I did I bust open the door through and went upstairs to my room before closing it behind me, Panting and looking down I heard a voice coming from my mirror

"You're a failure." My reflection told me from the mirror in my room

"Why would I kill him? It's not gonna fix anything!"

"Aren't you the one that came up with the idea of killing him? Why are you backing out now?"

"I didn't actually mean it!" I yelled almost throwing my wireless computer mouse towards my mirror

"You aren't real, You're just a figment of my imagination!" I yelled towards the mirror

"That's what they all sayyyyyy~~" He said before quickly returning as my reflection

I removed the knife from my sock and quickly held it, I looked at it for a while before thinking to myself "This could've fixed or made my problems worse than it already was! But no.. No No No! This was never gonna solve anything! Why did I even hint of killing someone!

Maybe I should just go back to bed, Before that..

"Hellooo~" Franchez said after answering the phone

"Are you actually dating that Diego guy?"

"Uhh... No? He was my ex in middle school remember?"

"W-Wait what?"

"Yeah? Remember? You guys were friends before until something happened and you two stopped talking."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah 'Really' Why're ya askin?"

"I just-- Needed to confirm something.."

"Alright Harukiii! By--" Interrupted by me shutting off the call

Maybe I just need to go to sleep, I'm getting tired.. I dont do alot of cardio, So running made my energy deplete to almost zero. But man, I miss her, I want to talk to her more.. But, She's probably really busy and her boyfriend might get angry at me

Tomorrow is a new day