Friends With Benefits | Chishiya x Reader

Chapter Thirty

☆ In which Arisu has a lot to say, and the truth is brought to light. ☆

At first, there is no response.

You can see the change in expression that begins to ripple from person to person; faces drawn together, eyes widening in disbelief. People begin to shuffle backwards, creating a subtle wave of withdrawal, even though all they are doing is pressing themselves tighter against the painted walls. 

Aguni holds his place at the lobby's centre, his head angled as if daring someone to challenge his statement. 

The militants raise their guns again, but this time, they are aimed at Aguni instead. You frown. He's lying. He's lying and you know it. It just wouldn't make sense for Aguni to be the witch - he has no prior connections to Momoka. Hearts games don't work this way; sure, Aguni probably does have issues, but he is not the witch. So why is he trying to get himself killed? 

Aguni begins to walk. 

A militant trembles as Aguni approaches him, unsure of what to do when the man doesn't stop and presses himself against the barrel of his gun. 

"Shoot me," he says. The militant's eyes grow wide with horror. "Do it!" Aguni roars, and the gun shakes against his chest. With the thick shell Aguni has formed around himself, you are not even sure the bullet would be able to penetrate his heart.

"Just shoot him!" Another person screams, frantic.

"No! Aguni is not the witch!" Arisu shouts.

What is he doing? You want to tell him to stop, to back down. Aguni is not the witch, yes, but Arisu is fighting a losing battle, and Aguni looks as if he is about to commit another rather unforgivable act of violence. At this rate, Arisu would be the one getting himself killed. You shake your head, but either the man cannot see you or his telepathic receptors are turned off. No matter how neatly the risks of continuing to press Aguni are laid out in front of him like playing cards, he dashes the hand he was dealt in favour of his apparent suicide mission.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch another glimpse of Momoka's body. Your gaze lingers on her while Aguni, consumed with emotion, demands his own death. Arisu must know who the real witch is, then, if he is so adamant that Aguni is not. 

And then, something clicks.

Oh, you think. Oh. 

Later, when you revisit this moment, you don't exactly know how you understood, but you did. One more glance at Arisu, and you know he knows it too.

Momoka's death wasn't murder.

It was suicide.

"This is a Ten of Hearts game!" Arisu's voice echoes throughout the lobby's chambers. People are beginning to turn his way once more, but Aguni does not. You push forward through the crowd, as something unbeknownst to even you compels you to bring yourself closer to the scene unfolding upon Arisu's words. "It's a game that toys with people's feelings! It's not a game where you win by killing Aguni!" 

You make it to the front row just in time to see Aguni turn. 

As if it takes all of his worldly energy to do so, as if it has become a burdensome, menial task to look someone else in the eye, Aguni finally sets his gaze upon Arisu. His eyes settle on the other man's face, unwilling to listen, but Arisu continues undeterred. 

"You're not the witch," Arisu says softly. He speaks directly to Aguni, demanding his return to earth. "So why? It's because you have another motive, right?"