Deja Vu

Chapter 15

The drive to the docks is somewhat instinctual. Despite the pressure of the situation building up, I feel surprisingly calm. I think it comes with having thought through this night, or rather morning, infinitely many times. I've come to terms with the possible results of tonight.

While driving, my head is empty. I hardly even pay attention to the cars around me, the lines on the road, or the stop lights. It isn't until a loud honk from behind me goes off that I notice I'm driving in-between two lanes.

Am I really that tired? I didn't sleep much last night, and it's pretty late, but I didn't expect to be so tired I can't drive. I guess I should pay more attention to the road.

The rest of the drive goes pretty smoothly, and I soon pull up to the empty looking docks. Am I early? My phone says that it's ten till two, so I only have ten minutes to spare.

I pull up the text message from yesterday with the location where I was to meet to negotiate Oikawa's release, and sure enough, I'm at the right place.

I cautiously exit my car and walk around the dock to see if anyone is here. Something clicks behind me, and I spin around to see a man with his handgun fixed on my chest.

"Where is Oikawa?" I say with as much courage as I can muster. I begin to notice where everyone was hiding as people come out from behind cargo crates and shipping boxes. All of them are armed, but I can't find Oikawa anywhere.

"He's right here." Says a strong voice. I turn to face the direction it came from and realize that it's the same man from before. He stands behind Oikawa, who is kneeling in front of him. The man has a handgun pressed harshly against Oikawa's head.

"Let him go." I say, my voice wavering as I speak. "Please, let him go. He didn't do anything." I beg. The man smiles and shakes his head.

"You killed Alisa, why shouldn't I kill Tooru?" He asks, angrily grabbing Oikawa's hair and roughly pulling him up.

"Because he didn't do anything! I did! I'm the one that killed your girlfriend, right? So let Oikawa go and be mad at me instead." I plead.

"Iwa, no. He'll kill you!" Oikawa says. I know. I've thought through this. I know I might die; in fact, I've become comfortable with the idea of it.

"Please, kill me then. Kill me instead." I beg of the man grabbing Oikawa. "I'll do anything, just as long as you don't hurt him." I tell the man with the gun.

"Iwa-Chan, you can't. They'll kill you. You'll die. You can't die for me." Sputters Oikawa. I hardly think he knows what he's saying. I'm sure being held as ransom by people who want him dead has had a huge effect on his mental health and stability.

"I don't care. Oikawa, you're going to be fine. That's what matters." I say, stepping towards him. Tears start to well up in Oikawa's eyes, and his lip begins to tremble.

"No, no, no, no, no. Iwa, don't do this. Don't do it. Please, no, you can't. I need you to stay, I need you to live. Please, I don't know who I am without you." Oikawa cries.

"Well, you're about to learn." Mumbles the man by Oikawa. He roughly shoves Oikawa to the side, then takes a step towards me. Oikawa scrambles towards me and reaches out to touch my leg.

"Iwa-Chan, please don't die." Oikawa desperately breathes. He has wrapped his arms and legs around mine as if holding on to me will keep me safe. "Don't die for me. You don't even remember me." Oikawa says.

"Oikawa, your name was the only thing I remembered. Do you know how important you must be to me if my brain prioritized you out of everything in my life to remember? I may not remember you, but I know that you were the most important thing in my life." I say.