𝐻𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑘𝑜-𝐾𝑢𝑛, 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒?

Settle In His Hands

The girl would open the door with jingling keys, reminding her of the jingling of those rings on that monk staff from today; her brows furrowed as she pushed the door open and shuffled inside after mumbling a phrase and setting her shoes aside then putting on her indoor shoes.
"I'm home."

No movement or verbal remark was elicited from the empty house, as expected, (Name) shut the door behind her as she set her bag down by the door to go make some instant ramen noodles from herself. She didn't feel like cooking today and needed to finish up that Etsy order for that artwork of 'him'.
The boy she constantly drew.

His amber eyes caught a lot of people's eyes, so it was understandable from how pure and happy he looked in those photos. He was beautiful, blissful, the spitting image of what happy should be and yet why..
Why does it feel wrong for her to draw him?
To paint the canvas with his face and presence, this boy was someone surely long gone.

Her mind flashed back to the events earlier today, of how Hanako looked and sounded so- so menacing. Even with that playful swinging of his knife, he was like some trained assassin and that could've been a trap for Kou! A lure into a false sense of security!
She froze, her hands quivering atop the canvas of the boy smiling back at her, she'd have to see Hanako again tomorrow..
Her legs buckled as she stood to set the canvas down and go back to her room, shaken up by the thoughts coming for their next meeting, "He's a murderer-"
"I befriended a murderer.." As (Name) slipped into bed, she could feel the chill wrapping around her protectively like an omnipotent, yet comforting feeling. She glanced to the wall opposite of her, turning on her measly lamp, catching the eye of the boy again (Name) would finally relax.

"You look too much like him though," (Name) mumbled beneath her breath, staring at the painted canvas but it still smiled endlessly.

She could've sworn that..

The canvas spoke, some inaudible thing to her, before she slipped to sleep.

And with sleep, came the dreams of another world.
A better world.

___________

Hands wrapped around hers, in a gentle, coddling hold, the person's fingers entwined in hers, like a grip all too familiar.
"There's people waiting for you to wake up." They spoke softly, a boyish voice in her ears; though her body couldn't move despite how it felt as if she was floating on stardust- her eyes barely opened a crevice but she could see his face- amber eyes she constantly dreamed about.

"Did you oversleep again?" He chuckled, a smile cracked on his lips, she couldn't help but move her limbs- that once stuck to the bed- to gently caress his face. The boy immediately stiffened up at the touch before melting into it, "You're not gonna sweeten me up to leave you for another 10 minutes!" He leaned away from her hold to yank her up and out of bed abruptly.
"Hanako?" (Name) choked out, finding it hard to speak, the boy looked confused for a moment before sighing.

"I'm Yugi Tsukasa, for the last time!" He quirked his brow, "Who's 'Hanako'?" Tsukasa would grab her arm, pulling it close to him, "You got a boyfriend now? Do you not have time for me and Amane?" The boy took a moment to think, "Then again, Hanako is more of a girl's name- wait-" He looked back to her with a shocked look; "I didn't know you swing that way-!"
(Name) would suddenly ruffle his hair, the choppy black hair belonging to this hyperactive boy, "Adorable."

He perked up a bit, but didn't say anything, instead taking her hand; "C'mon! Everyone's waiting on us to go stargazing! You're the host so you have to be there!"

"Just hurry up! We can't keep Natsuhiko and Sakura waiting too! They wanna see you!" Why did those names sound familiar?
Why does he look like Hanako?
Who's Tsukasa?
Will..

Will I see this smile again?

"Don't leave." Her hands gripped his shoulders, slinking her arms around him tightly, this dream was going to end like all the others. (Name) choked back a stifled cough, talking was difficult in this dream state-

"I know, you like being here so much you want to stay longer." His hands reached to smooth her hair, running his fingers through the strands as if mimicking a technique of soothing a child, this boy was someone she practically depended on.. Tsukasa held her closer, sighing, "Everything will be just fine, now hush and go wake up."
Her grip tightened, earning a boisterous laugh from the boy, "Holding on won't help your endeavor in staying!"

Her vision blurred, trying to hold on no matter what he tried saying to her, numbness flooded in till her hold loosened like a ragdoll that was only supported by his arms; Tsukasa could only smile.
She was pretty like this, so peaceful.

If only he could recreate this.

"I hope you draw me again."
________________________

Her body shuttered with a start, "Yugi.." She called out. The girl sat up, rubbing at her head, "Yugi who?" A mental curse to herself as she scoured her mind to remember his first name, she finally learned his name and only remembered his last name!
Idiot!

"I'll ask Hanak-" She stopped that sentence, immediately recalling how he's a murderer, her fingers curled into each other with a furrowed brow. Should that fact be the end of their friendship and partnership? She can't exactly move schools since this was the only one to accept her application, plus she owes a debt to Hanako.
(Name) huffed out, curling up in the comforter, turning to her alarm clock to see the time.

It's 11:09 am.