The Subjects of KOI

Valentine's Day Special

Note: This is all platonic friend valentines. I didn't realize I'd have to specify, but I guess some people don't do platonic valentines. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hex POV

It's Valentine's day again.

I rip one of the blank pages out of the back of one of Swatch and my books. I get the pink colored pencil I've been hiding in the hole in the wall for months and color the piece of paper. I fold it up into a nice heart shape and leave it there for Tangerine.

She'll be back from tests soon and as soon as she's back, it'll be my turn.

When I hear the footsteps and struggles in Tangerine's voice, I hide the small card in the wall and greet Tangerine as she staggers inside. I catch her before she falls on the floor. Once she's back in our world, I give her the small heart card. She smiles at me with tears in her eyes and leans on me.

It's exactly like Swatch and my first Valentine's day together.

At the thought of Swatch, I get up to pace around. I accidentally walk right into the new worker. She grabs onto my arm.

"Just in time," she says, dragging me off.

This time when they cut out gray and put in color, it's pink-ish red. Holiday themed.

I'm so sick of this.

~ • ~ • ~

Tahre POV

I trek the long hallways before arriving at my small dorm and falling back onto my bed. It's been a long day.

Every day is a long day.

I wrap my fluffy charcoal blanket around my body and laying on my back, tears of burnout streak down my face. I've seen too much blood and suffering lately.

Why do they have to hurt the kids when they did nothing wrong?

I glance over at the bulletin board. The desk beneath it. The absence of a flower or card or something is jarring. Painful, even.

It's not the same without her.

Ever since she died, nothing's gone right.

Everyone's been hurting more.

Except #15121c-9849. #15121c-9849 is free now.

Just the thought of the rescued subject brings a smile to my face.

Something hits my window. Glass shatters.

I jump up and find a small, flat rock with a pink flower painted on it.

"Cypher" is written on the back in big letters. "9849" is in smaller letters below it.

#15121c-9849.

Cypher.

They're safe.

~ • ~ • ~

Swatch POV

One of the bad people approaches me, my destroyed body.

They hand me a small piece of paper with "happy valentines day" written in sorry lettering and pathetic little hearts.

All that said, it's something.

It's a holiday.

And for the first time in forever, my hatred goes down.

~ • ~ • ~

Tangerine POV

I hate that they haven't found who killed me.

But today is the day of love.

So I can't legally hate anything apparently.

But this is KOI.

Nothing is legal.

I hate everything.