On the way to the park, the brothers were chattier than usual. "So, that girl Rikka, I would assume is your crush, right?" said Akito while walking with his hands on top of his head. "Hmm, yes, she is, and why do you ask?" said Satoshi with an aggravated tone. "Oh nothing, I was just wondering why you joined the club I formed?" said Akito with closed eyes. "Yeah, I don't really know, and I don't care as long as it keeps me somewhat interested," he said. "Yeah, I bet with her in the club, you will be very interested," said Akito with an intelligent look. "Ahh, why are you so annoying, and what's with you? Is Yui your crush? Perhaps she is the one you were dreaming about smooching not too long ago, huh?" while continuously bumping his shoulder onto his brother's shoulder. "Will you stop pushing me over, and no, she wasn't the one!" He said. "Huh? Then who is your crush? I mean, it just feels like you both are too close! Almost giving out 'couple' vibes!" He says with a confused look. "I… I uhh, I don't. We're only best friends, okay!" he said while blushing.
…
Finally, the boys arrived at the path, stretching and getting all ready for the run. Akito mentions that he had never seen his brother act like that around girls, and it was his first time observing him being extra gentle with any girl apart from their mother. "Usually, you're quiet and cool acting around girls, but around Rikka, you're different, you're almost too talkative and gentle with her, why's that?" He rambles. "I don't know, and I don't think I want to answer that at the moment, Akito." He says while touching his toes. Then, sensing the seriousness that is imitating from his brother, he stops the rambling and finally says: "So, are you ready, Satoshi! 2.5 miles are awaiting us to finish." he boldly says to his brother. "Yeah! Let's crush it, brother!" Satoshi replies with excitement.
…
After the run, the boys seemed exhausted, especially Akito. Due to his "strict diet," as he calls it, is only made up of 500 calories of daily intake, including food and liquid. Akito calls this the gateway to the fit lives. In other words, "calories deficit" is what he is attempting, and if performed wrong, it could result in some nasty errors. Akito, now gasping for air, takes a seat by the giant tree that once haunted him. "I uhh, finished all my water. Can I have some of yours, Satoshi?" Said Akito. "Yeah here," as he handed the bottle over to his brother. Gulping the water till its last drop, Satoshi watched his now almost bone skinny brother as he attempted to burp but instead coughed. "You okay?" he rushed over to his side as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "Ye…" as he was cut short after a following cough. "Dude, you good? Let's go grab some soy milk?" he said. "No! I don't want any," replied Akito. "Akito, what are you doing to yourself? I mean, seriously, you barely ate anything yesterday night and today. I watched you take one bite of your tonkatsu and just got up and left. Seriously man, what is up with you?" screamed Satoshi at his seated brother. Akito then stands up on both of his feet and starts to vent his heart out: "You know what's wrong with me, Satoshi! Because I don't even know! I mean hell, I killed someone, for heaven's sake! I watched him die! I watched on as every part of his body left with those mysterious beams! I was only aware of it after I had done it! After that, the Devil completely was out of it! If I had known, I would've spared him! I don't know anything about myself; I don't know anything about it, okay! Now please, let's go home. I'm tired."
Left speechless, with teary eyes, Satoshi cried, causing the two brothers to cry together. "You know Akito, this is the first time you have opened up to anyone since that incident," he said as he was sobbing. "Truly, I had thought you had gone insane after you murdered that Devil. I thought that you had turned into a monster somehow. You were cold, distant, and even scary. I tried to avoid you at times, but now I see that you are nothing other than a lost cause like Kazuto and me. After the incident, I have been in touch with him. Kazuto and I grew weary of your actions and decided that maybe if we kept questioning you, it would finally burst your bubble to either vent to us or hurt us. I'm sorry, Akito, I should've realized sooner that all you needed was someone to talk to, hug you and let you know that you are important, forgive me, brother, from now on. Whatever it is you choose to do, I will support you fully. No matter what, I love you, always." As he walked towards his brother with his arms wide open, hugging him tightly, as they cried in each other's arms.
…
Back home, one after the other, they took a shower and headed downstairs where they had seemed relaxed and almost like they had forgotten what had just unfolded at the park. "trying to play a 1v1 Combat assault on the console. For a bit, Akito?" Said Satoshi as he held the controller out in Akitos' direction. "Uhh, bruh, fine. Just don't cry after I beat you," he says as he takes the controller. The boys, this time, both skipped dinner and played games. But, again, their mother worried, let the boys have it their way, and stayed out of the situation.
The night went by, and the brothers headed to sleep. For the first time in a while, the brothers seemed a little more protected in their rooms. Separate, the brothers screamed across rooms. "Goodnight!"
…
A bright light came shining through the window of Akito's room, yet he was still in the darkness of his head, asleep. He could only see the hate that surrounded him, fearful, he rose out of bed. For the first time in a while, he sat and shared a warm breakfast with his family, emotions as high as ever. When he took that bite of his mother's beautifully cooked rice, he couldn't help but shed a tear of relief, knowing that he was alive.
During his walk to school with his brother, he finally felt once again connected to his loved ones, and he can feel their emotions, love, and caring towards him; is what had uplifted his spirit once again, the reason he once again deemed himself human.
In the early morning, the pair met up with Kazuto and Yui in the new club room. Feeling guilty Akito, bowed down and apologized to the three. Then, promising the boys that he will never quit and that one day he will up bring their situation and will learn of the truth, which left Yui in confusion, sensing that Aktio remained on his knees with his forehead touching the cold ground, and tells her; "I will tell you everything, Yui! You of all people deserve to know the most." All while he was spitting out these lines, a warm tear dripped down his face as he kept apologizing for the mishaps created for his friends, for the reason that he never checked up on Kazuto and for also leaving his best friend out of the truth.
The three, in a daze, walked up to Aktio, standing over him. They reached their arms out, seeing what was occurring. Akito looked up and was amazed at how his friends vanished, only to see their arms reaching from what seemed to be the heavens. Pulling him upwards from the trial he was in, grappling him from both of his arms. Finally, the three lifted him back up to his feet.
Speechless and with tears running down his cheeks, the boy smiled. Yui grabbed her handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped the tears off of his face. Then, the three hugged him as tight as ever, leaving the boy in shock but also in the comfort of their love.
All while the three were in the comfort of one another. A figure from afar was monitoring and spying on the group.
…
At the club room, the hugging and crying had finally come to a stop, chatter picked up, and laughter came out as if nothing had happened, as nothing was witnessed. The group eventually parted ways when the bell rang. On their way to class, Akito and Kazuto parted ways with Yui. Taking a seat, Akito looked over to where Rias was, seeing her on her phone, he for the first time, tried to say something only to be cut off by a group of her girlfriends.
"Okay, class, take a seat, please," Said the homeroom teacher as she walked in and placed her book down.
...
*Last Class Period begins.*
Akito's mind for two continuous periods of class time was filled with an idea, "What if I reach out to her by asking for her Intergram, she might express her interest and give it to me, right? I mean, after all, I'm almost a different person. I don't even fit in my clothes anymore." He looks down at his clothes and realizes, "Oh crap! I need a new uniform, and I also have to buy myself some new clothes that would fit!" He then soon realizes that class is over, and it's time to proceed to the next class period, and upon getting up from his chair, Rias reaches over and taps him on the shoulder to speak to him. As he turns around to notice her, she immediately asks him for his Intergram account, to which he blushes and replies. "Uhh, yes, my intergram, here umm, its…."
After the exchange. Finally, Akito came to finalize the conclusion to what just happened, snapping out of it, and Rias had already left. He stood there daydreaming about her, blushing and happy came a swinging arm
*boom*
Yui swang away, hitting Akito on top of his head, knocking him back to the present again. She poses the question: "what did I just witness?"
To which he Unconsciously responds too. "Uhh, I don't even know, and I don't care. I just gave out my Intergram account to Rias." He then looks down at his phone with excitement, and as he added her back, he puts his phone in his pocket. Still standing there, mute, Yui grabs Akito by the arm and tells him, "don't you get a…." When she suddenly was stopped in her tracks by Kazuto. "Meeting room! Now!" He tells them.
"Why!" They both replied. In which Kazuto had to remind both of them. "Aren't we going to reveal the truth to Yui, Mr. Akito? Or perhaps you want to spit it all out here?" With a stupid look, Akito stood there scratching away at the back of his head and nervously laughing. The three took a seat around the little desk and chairs left behind from the previous club. Waiting for Satoshi, the three became very nervous. Akito was clenching his fist. Finally, he shouts, "I can't wait any longer," Kazuto replies. "You have to. We all agreed to do this together, remember?"
As finally the door slid open and Satoshi walked in alone, the atmosphere became even thicker, as the words they wanted to spit out became heavier to talk. Finally, however, they knew that the truth could not be avoided anymore.
…
After the conversation, Yui seemed left in a state of shock and disbelief. She wanted to believe in her best friends but could not. All along, she thought it was a prank, "haha, this is a prank? Right?" she asked with a burst of soft nervous laughter.
Akito stared into the floor, wandering in the distance in his mind. Then, finally, he said: "I know what it sounds like, Yui, but believe me, we are telling you the truth."
"Akito, I'm sorry. I can't bring myself to believe it." She replied.
With that, the four friends had risen from their seated positions and headed home. As usual, the brothers walked home, Kazuto had walked in the opposite direction, but Yui had her mother pick her up this time.
At home, Akito seemed frustrated. This time, he had reverted, finished only have his plate. He had gotten up and thanked his mother for the food. He headed for his room with one thought in his mind. "I need to get stronger." Shivering, he could feel someone watching him as if he was being monitored from afar or perhaps from everywhere.
In his room, he stood up. Still, he wandered in his head, and an immediate ominous thought came across his mind.
"I can do magic," he thought to himself. "But how do I activate it?" He screamed out loud. To which someone appeared at his window and replied, "I can help you with that, boy." A beautiful, curvy woman crouched on the inside of his window. "I am Merlin, the Great Mage," she introduced herself.