hearts formed by solicitude and desolation

⌈ 12 ⌋

ᏞᎾᎪᎠᏆNᏩ . . . . .

ᏞᎾᎪᎠᏆNᏩ ᏟᎾᎷᏢᏞᎬᎢᎬ!

you weren't sure how to describe the fear you felt strike your entire being. all you knew was that your heart wouldn't calm down and that your nails were digging into your skin, stomach churning in worry for the two individuals sitting right in front of you.

the only thing that reassured you about the sight of arisu here was that at first glance he seemed to be alive and well, similarly with the girl right beside him. you recognized her, the climber who you had also taken an interest in back during your game together. but his appearance at the beach also made your heart drop, because this meant that he really was your best bet at stealing the cards, and you hated having to put him in such a dangerous situation when really you had done nothing for him at all. would he even agree? or would he remember how you hadn't helped him in a time of need and refuse?

the minute the hood had left the pair's heads they looked wildly around the room, trying to figure out what exactly had happened and where they were. the male's attention quickly found it's way towards you, the girl doing the same. he blinked in surprise before recognition featured on his face, and you didn't miss the way he seemed to relax at the sight of you. as if you were going to make whatever this place was to him that much better.

you didn't know how to break it to him that this was not the place he wanted to be as of right now.

"good morning!" mira chirped from beside you, causing them both to look at the woman instead.

"i'm sorry that we were so rough." kuzuryuu spoke up as well, folding his arms across his chest, "we heard that there were some people sneaking around the place."

so they really were the ones who had been lurking around the beach. but for how long? and why? you glanced behind you to see that ann had arrived, the clicking of her heels making its way towards your side.

"why are you here." she asked, more as a demand for an answer than waiting to see if they'd respond.

once more you directed your attention to arisu, also wondering what he was doing here and how he had befriended this girl. not only that, but what had happened to his friends? as far as you knew only these two were the ones caught around the beach. either his friends hadn't been caught and managed to get away or something much worse had happened to his companions.

"we were told that we'll know the answer if we come here. what this game is about, and where all the people who disappeared went." arisu answered, all words spoken being honest.

you felt bad really. he had come all this way but not even the beach had those answers. at least, they only knew how to get back home. as far as why you were here and why everyone else hadn't come along with you guys was something still unknown. the disappearance of tokyo really was a mystery that had yet to be solved.

you gave a quick glance at ann, nodding your head to let her know that everything said was true. that they had no ill intentions by coming here. she nodded in understanding back, shifting her attention back to arisu.

it was quiet, and you were sure the other executives were trying to come up with something to say in response to his reason. do you tell him that you really didn't know the answer, or lie to his face just as they had done to the other members of the beach?

the loud thud of the door opening snapped you out of your thoughts, and arisu and the girl both looked back at the sound. not surprisingly came in hatter, dressed in the same robe as before and his sunglasses resting on his face.