We Save Our World (私たちの世界を救います) [Completed]

Part.13 Noticing Kou

"Wait! Fight with us?"
I say.
He looks at me seriously now.
"Yes. I want to fight with you against the Fallen."
"What?"
I repeat in shock.

There's no way!
Why is this happening to me?

"He... Well, remembered... And he wants to fight with us."
Arina explains.
"But! You guys! Are you... Well... You know?"
I ask.
"Um... What? I think you'll have to be a bit more specific."
Arina gives me a puzzled look.
"Well... You know... Together."
I say looking them up and down.

He is holding her quite close, or maybe I'm just too incocent.

I sigh.
"Well, I'm not sure."
Arina says.

Wait, so maybe I wasn't too far off!

"So you'll fight for us?"
Haruki interrupts.
"When did you get in here?"
He startles me.
"That matters not. Now tell, do you really mean to fight with us?"
Haruki look at Hiroto again.
"Yes I do. I mean it"
They are looking at each other not breaking the strare.
"Good."
Haruki walks out.
"I'll... Go too..."
I look at the two of them and quickly walk out of the room.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Walking down the hall, I notice Kou sitting against the wall.
I call out to him.
"Hey, Kou!"
He looks up at me and begins to speak.
"Oh, hey...uh, Setsuna?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
I ask.
He looks down.
"Listen, I don't mind spending so much time with you... But I really miss the cafe. You know? Being cooped up in the place all day... It's not right."
"Oh... Well I mean you don't have to stay here."
I say to Kou.
"Setsuna... But I can't. Remember I said I wouldn't leave your side when we were taken? I don't plan to."
Kou says looking back up at me.

Kou...
Why would you sacrafic your own happiness for me?

"You really are too nice."
I say.
I smile at him but all I really want to do it cry.
"You could say that or maybe I'm just too jealous of a certain redhead."
Kou says smiling back at me.
My smile fades.
"What?"
I ask.

Is this some kind of competition and I'm the prize?
Why are they always like this?
They always give each other dirty looks.
Why can't they just get along?

I turn around and walk away.
Kou doesn't say bye, he lets me leave.

♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧

Oh, Kou.
Why would you do that to yourself?
Him sacrificing his happiness for my attention is just making me even more depressed.

I think sitting down onto my bed.
I sigh.
"Thinking on it now, I have liked Kou since I started working there... No! I can't do that... I have to be with Haruki. I have to carry on the goddess race."
I say to myself.
I sit there and sulk for the rest of the night.

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I hear a knock on my bedroom door.
I slowly move head upwards.
"Who is it?"
I groan.
"Yukiko. Master, food has been prepared! So why don't you come and have some."
Yukiko says, smiling and poking her face through the cracked door.
"Um, sure."
I rub my face and get up.

Yukiko has never gotten me up for breakfast before.

She takes my hand.
"Hmm?"
I'm now utterly confused.
She continues to lead me down the hall and into the dinning room.
"All right, here we are."
Yukiko let's go of my hand.
She opens the door but the room is dark inside.
I enter slowly.

What is going on?

She enters slowly behind me and closes the door.

What the heck!

Suddenly the lights flip on.
The long table in front of me is full of food. All the servants have gathered along the sides of the wall.
Hiroto, Arina, and Kou are gathered in front of me at the end of the table I'm closest to.
"SURPRISE!"
Everyone even the servants shout.

Wait what!?

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SETSUNA!"
They all shout again.

Oh yeah!
Well... Things have been so hectic here I'd forgotten all about my own birthday.

I stand there and don't make a sound.
Just stunned, suprised, blown away.
"Um..."
I begin.
"How do you like it?"
Kou asks.
"How? Wait I didn't tell anyone my birthday..."
I say.
"You didn't have to.
Seeing as you were my only employee. I remembered your birthday."
Kou says looking at me.
"I see."
I say looking down.

Huh.
He cares too much.
It's making all this so much harder.

"So Setsuna, I think now that we've seen you use magic I can begin to teach you."
Haruki says.

Magic?
Am I... Ready for this?