𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 | 𝒂. 𝒌𝒆𝒊𝒋𝒊

𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆

As you're falling, you fall against some branches that have grown out of the cracks of the cliff and receive many cuts on your legs and face. Trying to grab onto one of the branches to somehow keep yourself from falling to your death, you suddenly land with a thump giving your back a sharp pain.

"Ouch! What the heck?!" you groan. With all your strength left, you lift your body up with your left hand to see you had fallen on one of the branches. "Great, still alive," you sarcastically say and stare at your right wrist.

"What? You wanted to die? I heard you say earlier that you'd see your manz later," a voice suddenly calls out to you which causes you to flinch and bring your hands up in defense. Looking around, you don't see anything but fog.

"Come out!" you yell without any fear. Laughter fills the air.

"I'm surprised you aren't scared, missy!" the voice says back as you try to stand up. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

You let out a 'tch.'

"If you stand up and lose your balance, you'll fall off for good and for sure you won't be able to survive." Understanding your physical state at the moment, you decided that he was right and stayed seated. The branch was barely big enough to fit your body. Seeing you following his advice, he chuckles. "So you do want to live."

"Just show yourself and stop hiding!" you growl in irritation. Within a quick moment, a boy appears before you. Observing his appearance you knew who he was. "I thought it would be you, snake boy." The snake boy giggles.

"The name's Suguru, missy." Suguru gives you a smile. "So, what brings you and your manz here to the Garden of Eternity?" he asks and places both of his hands on his hips. Before you answer, you give him a glare.

"You were the one who made the rocks fall knowing that it would stop us from going, huh?" you question him as he laughs in amusement.

"You're so smart, F/n-chan! I mean, it is my job as the guardian of the garden. I need to keep people who will harm the garden out," he informs you with a smile. Hearing your name roll off of someone else's tongue besides Akaashi's made you cringe.

His smile then turns into a smirk. "But since it can get boring, I tend to have a little extra fun while I'm on the job." This causes you to frown deeper. Knowing that the best option would just be to answer his questions since he was the guardian of the garden, you sigh in defeat.

"That boy up there is the prince of HQ Kingdom. He is getting married in a couple of days and has come here to give his fiancé a flower for an eternal love with her," you honestly answer as he nods to himself.

"What a hopeless romantic!" Suguru laughs as you just watch. Once his laughter dies out, he grins at you. "So that fiancé of his isn't you, I'm guessing." This almost causes you to blush in embarrassment, but you contain it.

"Of course not. I am merely just a guide," you explain. He nods then looks out to the sky as the fog starts to fade away.

"Well then, I will allow him to safely pass through," Suguru says as you mentally sigh in relief.

'Thank goodnes—'

"But, it's not like he's going to go even if I let him go by peacefully," he interrupts your thoughts which catches your attention.

"What do you mean?" you ask.

"The poor boy is waiting up there at the same spot mourning over your fall," Suguru dramatically explains and places a hand over his chest. Your heart slightly breaks hearing the news.

"Can't you tell him to continue, Suguru-san? Tell him that he is free to go and I'm okay—"

"You're okay for now, but how will you get off this branch, F/n-chan?" Suguru interrupts you while raising a brow. "There's no way to safely get back up there and going down is even worse." Your fists start to shake and you bite your lip.