𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘: 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖊

Chapter 22

The first thing Yui noticed when she woke up was the restraints on her body. She was bound by three leather belts holding her body firmly down to the bed, and her legs had lost sensation almost completely. Her eyes were flooded by hazy light colours, as her surroundings bathed in sunlight. Her hands patted her bed, trying to get used to her surroundings. Her hand slipped across something smooth, before her fingers got entangled in a bunch of hair.

"Huh..?" She wiped her eyes. She heard a familiar voice voice, as she blinked twice, trying to focus. "Ayato kun?"

"Yui," she heard someone say, as her vision cleared a bit, the objects gaining a bit of sharpness and saturation, yet a bit unfocused. A grey haired boy stood before her, and it took her some time to recognise him. "Ruki kun?"

"Are you all right?" He picked her hand in his, sitting down beside her on a stool. He looked a bit unkempt. As though he had fallen asleep in one spot for continuous nights. He smelled like smoke, mint and, to her surprise, takoyaki. Her gaze shifted to her bed, as she found him unfastening the buckles on the straps, and her limbs regained a bit of circulation. She got up, her palms facing downwards as she supported her weight on them, her hair a bird's nest on top of her head, her mouth stained with drool and cheeks wet with tears. She pressed her palms now on her cheeks, feeling unbalanced and woozy.

"Hey Ruki, should we change her sheets now-"

She raised her head to look at Ayato, his face frozen in absolute shock. He was holding a microwaveable tiffin box. His red hoodie sleeves were wet. Yui crossed her arms across her chest. She looked at him as he cocked his head at Ruki, asking, "For how long has she been up?"

Ruki looked back at him. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Ayato kun?" Yui asked, blinking.

Ayato's attention perked as he heard his name on Yui's lips. "Yo, Pancake."

She looked downwards, her hands resting in her lap. Her hair hung in limp strands on her shoulders, as she stuttered, "Can I get something to eat?"

***

After a rushed meal of warm porridge, Yui got up on her feet, wiping her mouth and limping weakly towards the bathroom. Her legs felt light and the pain was dull yet noticeable. Ruki scrambled to hold her as she stumbled on her unsteady steps, and Ayato interjected, pulling Yui away from Ruki. "Don't touch her."

Ruki was confused. "I was just helping her..."

"Doesn't matter." Ayato was adamant. "You will not have any contact with Pancake unless and until I tell you."

Ruki was annoyed. "Alright, Ayato, this is enough. If I do not help you with the plan, we might not be able to save her."

"Save... who?" Yui asked, her stare oscillating in between Ruki and Ayato, trying to wrap her head around the situation. "Is someone in danger?"

Ayato cast a glance at Ruki, who shook his head dismissively. Ayato picked Yui up in his arms, bridal style, and said, "You don't need to worry about that, Pancake."

Ruki snatched at Ayato's sleeve, halting him as he proceeded to take her to the bathroom. "Ayato, do not forget that Yui is our Eve. You may be housing her at the moment, but we intend to take her back and give her what she deserves."

"Give what? Isolation and pain?" Ayato growled at him.

"Ayato kun, Ruki kun," Yui said, her voice sounding extremely perturbed. "Do not talk about me like that."

Ruki was silenced as he heard that. He hung his head in shame as Ayato chuckled, jerking his sleeve away from Ruki's touch. "You heard her."

"Ayato kun," Yui warned, her voice strict. Ayato rolled his eyes. "Okay."