Flights of Fancy [JJK Reader Insert]

Chapter 13: The Human Heart

Ah, it was colder than usual today...

It would be muggy right now in Japan.

June, July, August...

You usually visit in the summer or late winter when you had vacations.

In Peru, winter was always in the middle of the year. So when it got warm in Japan, winter came here.

Melon popsicles...

"Hey..."

She always asked if the three of you could grab some after playing.

"...[Name]..."

You don't know if Yuta would get some on his own. He always got a Ramune one but then asked if he could have a bite of yours.

"[Name]!'

You looked up.

Ellena looked down at you, upside down, as she stood over you near the crown of your head, the sun casting a shadow over her face. However, it didn't obscure the worried expression she wore.

When did she get here? It had been a while since you saw her...

She grimaced once she got your attention.

"S...sorry," she mumbled quietly. "I didn't mean to shout."

You looked back at the sky again and then forced yourself to sit on the grass hill you had laid on. You remember how surprised you were to find one just like this in Japan. You would roll down it sometimes with Yuta and Rika.

"No," you muttered back, rubbing your head for any grass strands caught in your hair. "It's okay."

Her frown deepened, though you don't think it was directly meant for you.

"You...you aren't mad at me...are you?" She whispered.

You turned your head slowly to meet her gaze, though as soon as you did, she skittishly averted her eyes.

"Why...would I be mad at you?" You asked in confusion.

Ellena's mouth twisted slightly, but she eventually mumbled, "I don't know..."

You were still confused about what gave her that idea as silence hung in the air.

"But if I did something wrong...that made you...not want to talk to me anymore...!" She then suddenly shouted, brown eyes glossy with unshed tears. "Then...please tell me! I'll fix it! I want you to be my friend still! So, please...!"

Her voice cracked, and she finally couldn't stop the tears she held back.

You couldn't help but watch silently and with a familiar pang in your heart.

This...

"P-p-please t-tell m-ee!"

"Do...don't cry, Ellena...!"

"I..."

"I'll tell you everything. So..."

This was your doing.

"...please...don't cry anymore."

And you'd never let it happen again.

===x

One thing that had changed was your morning routine. You usually would wake up, get dressed, and then meet Yuji outside the dorms. He'd be the most eager for your morning runs, while Kugisaki and Fushiguro would be less. Occasionally, it'd be just you and Yuji going on a night run at the end of the day, which your other two peers would pass off on.

You weren't expecting him to show up out of the blue the day after his death, but by habit, you had woken up early, your body anticipating that routine exercise. But today, you awoke a couple of minutes before your alarm. You had sat up staring at the sheets draped over you, half waiting for the morning brain fog to dissipate.