Mikan's Little Twin

Chapter 73: Tainted and dirty*

"Azumi.... Azumi Yuka?" Izumi calls out, shocked at the emotionless girl that was walking.

Hearing the familiar voice, Yuka pivots around in shock. It's as though a bright light were reaching for her in her hole of darkness and despair. Yuka turns around and there he is.

Yukihara-Sensei

The same man who had shown her what it was like to live life and live in the now, before she was sucked into the depths of hell once more.

He hadn't changed one bit. When he called her name, his voice was the same. His blonde tousled hair was the same. His warm hazel eyes.... they showed Yuka what she truly looked like. The monster that she had become.

Without moment of hesitation, Yuka runs in the opposite direction. She runs away as fast as her legs can carry her, even with Izumi calling her name in the distance.

Izumi watches the younger girl in confusion, wanting to know if the rumors were true. Although, he didn't get the chance to chase after her because he was quickly surrounded by many of his past students. Among them, Izumi paused when he saw a girl with many friends.

Luna stands there and smiles at the teacher, "Sensei!" She cheers. Some girls around her are smiling and giggling with her but that's not what makes Izumi's heart drop. On the necks of the girls around Luna, is a mark. The mark of the soul sucking Alice...

Elsewhere, Yuka finally stops running and leans on her knees as she catches her breath. 'That scared me... heart rate... too high...'

Yuka leans against the wall as she remembers seeing her Sensei. Tears pour out of her eyes, her hard facade slowly chipping away. Hearing him say her name... it was too good to be true, seeing her teacher. She sits on the ground and hugs her knees.

Her heart was overjoyed at the sight of Izumi but they can not be near each other anymore. She's in the middle school division and he's a part of the elementary division.

'The person that I was, has already changed...' she holds a hand to her mouth, trying to be quiet as the tears continue to spill down her rosy cheeks. 'I don't want Sensei to see me like this... I don't want him to know..'

:::

"Yuka..." The ESP's voice floods the young girl's head as she stands next to the elderly man. "Those who are dying have no right to own an Alice anymore. They are useless trash."

Yuka stares at the man who lays in the hospital bed, his frail body wheezing as he breathes with the help of an oxygen mask.

"Now, Yuka. Take it away." His voice is hard and merciless.

"Please don't take... my soul.." the old man coughs, reaching for Yuka and begging. After all, the Alice is a part of it's owner.

///

Yuka sits in the seat, staring at her hand. Kuonji places his hand on her head and smiles down at her. They're in a room with walls filled with shelves, on the shelves are many jars that contain different Alice stones.

"Good child, Yuka." He praises, "This room and you also... are mine forever. No matter how much you dislike this, your hands are the same as mine. There's no going back."

:::

Yuka rests her head in her arms. 'My dirty hands... and myself who is dirty as well..' Yuka sheds another tear. 'And my Alice, the dirtiest...'