Untamed Heart ✨

Chapter 34 - Building Up To The Breaking Point

"What's that?" I question, emerging out to what seems like the back of the school. In the distance I notice what seems like a sports gym all alone now, run down and decimated due to the closure of the school. Closer to us however, is a sign reading 'Garden Club', leading into a massive garden connecting to a hedge maze. I wish my school had stuff like this... We make our way over, Hinata thinking of the best way to phrase what she's about to explain to me. "I guess it's kind of like this force or this drive a person can experience that forces their bodies to do things possibly out of their control. It's pretty bad, I've read articles that explained it as something that 'consumes a person', or 'covers them in darkness so they adore it'. It sounds strange I know, but if you think about it, if it is something similar to a dark impulse, maybe it's triggered by him crying, which is why Smiley said don't cry earlier". I take multiple moments to take it all in, stepping lightly past a bed of dying or dead roses leading up to a shed. My brain starts going places momentarily, as I consider how maybe there's weapons in there we can defend ourselves with. But I quickly drag myself back to reality and shake the thoughts away. I don't really plan on injuring anyone. "Your point somehow makes a lot of sense you know". She nods, slowing the pace of her walk down as we continue on to the door we plan on entering. "Yep, but with Angry he used it to help us I guess, and still interacted with us and told us to run, so maybe it's a sort of positive impulse?". "Does that even exist?" I rapidly reply, looking back although I can't see the violent tussle anymore. "Probably not, but you get what I mean". I sigh, assessing everything after soon realising we've stumbled upon a familiar scene from before. Hina and I, minus Akkun sadly, standing in front of a door with no clue what is on the other side. I gather an idea that it's probably similar to the environment we were previously at, with barren halls and empty classrooms. "You ready?" Hina asks, placing a noticeably tremulous hand onto the cold and rusty handle. I send a nod in her direction, presenting her the green light as she delicately turns the handle in a direction that allows the door to pry open. At first she listens in, peering around the entrance as soon as there's enough room to look inside. She tilts her head to inform me of success before opening the door fully, an almost pitch black room residing inside. From what I can make out, it's a long hall with rows of classes either side, exactly like I said. On our left is a dead end, similar to where Akkun was attacked before. There's just grey doors with no indication with what lies inside. However what we see next is a stroke of luck. Seemingly a miracle if u will. Hina knocks me on the arm, almost shaking me as she points to what I make out to be a large staircase winding up to the next floor and maybe even more floors above that on our right. "Let's not waste time" I mutter, quickly sprinting up the stairs not really caring about the fact that I'm making quite a bit of noise sprinting up the hollow stairs. "Be careful" Hina calls, racing up after me as we both continue upwards in an attempt to fulfil Akkun's hopeful mission. We tread up about two flights before I stop, the sound of whistling followed by clattering catching my attention. "What?" Hina whispers, drawing up behind me and listening in. "I heard something" I whisper back, leaning back to look at her while I halt and wait for her to listen in for herself. The clanging sound turns into scratching, like metal hitting or scraping along a wall. "Think we should check it out?" I question, Hina staring into the back of my head with dreading and bothered eyes. "I don't know maybe we should just go and do what we were about to do"... "I know I know, and you're right, but... what if it's Tatsuo?" What if he's here and I've missed me opportunity to see him, find him, bring him home". She seems timid, but sighs realising that it would probably satisfy me if we checked it out. "Okay fine... But we'd better be quick, there's people everywhere and you know this". I nod, wandering a few paces before turning back and ensuring Hinata it's alright. "Hey stay here yeah? It's probably better if only one of us goes, just in case something happens". "I don't think that's a good idea Y/N, we shouldn't split up!". I look into her now-cynical and disapproving eyes, I can tell my idea has made her upset. "Hina I'll be fine, I promise. Give me five seconds to peer round the corner then I'll come right back, okay? I won't even leave your sight". She decides not to argue, instead keeping a very close eye, moving forward a few steps like I did so she's even closer and away from the staircase. I slowly creep down the hall, following the strange sound as all of a sudden, it ceases. Stopping as it starts to draw further and further away. Upon reaching the end of the hall, I get a glimpse of a man walking down the hall, his back to me and a flash of pink flourishing, being the only notable thing of vibrance around. Due to the darkness he's merely a blur at this stage, but I can still make out a lot. The colour of his hair as stated, his clothes etc. I stare with extensive eyes as straying away from me, is the man we spoke about before. The one we identified as Senju's brother, Haruchiyo Sanzu...