"Quit my job? Are you insane?"
"Possibly. But hey, you're the one who agreed to help us, right? And you want to dedicate all your time to our cause, right? So quit your job. You told us yourself that you're on a vacation, so it would be a perfect time to quit. If you can come up with a really good excuse, I'm sure your boss will understand. Give 'em the two weeks notice, if it's really necessary, but after that, you'll be done with it. I want you to start working with us now...at the cafe. That way, you'll be around us constantly, and things will be much more convenient for everyone."
"But-"
"Ah-...no buts. I expect you to be at the cafe tomorrow morning jobless and ready to go on a trip."
"...yep, you really are insane."
I rolled over in my bed and groaned as I fixed my eyes on a discolored spot on the wall, reluctantly recalling the words Kyo had spoken to me earlier that day. "Quit my job? Okay, I know I don't have the most high-paying job in the city, but without that job, I wouldn't be able to afford living in this house, and there's no way I'm ever moving out of this place..." I sighed heavily again, suddenly finding myself arriving at a conclusion. "Then again, I did tell myself I would trust these guys, didn't I? If the job I have currently will get in the way of what means the most to me...if it gets in the way of finding Hanako...then I suppose I have no choice but to quit..." I sat up in bed and carefully took off my dresser the picture frame that held a photograph of my wife. "What do you think is best?"
+++
I awoke at around 8:30 the next morning and took care of the dilemma that had been bothering me all night. I...gave my boss the two weeks notice that I'd be quitting my job. My vacation was actually supposed to last for about two weeks, so I guess things worked out pretty conveniently. I could only hope that I wouldn't regret my decision.
By the time 10:00 came around, Yuta, Ushio, Kyo, and Niall were all waiting outside my house in Ushio's car. Well, that is, Yuta was standing on top of the car, shouting my name while Ushio and the others tried to get her down. Not wanting her to continue making a scene any longer, I hurried out of my house and scolded Yuta until she eventually hopped off the car.
"You are something else," I told her, trying to hide the irritation in my tone. "Was that really necessary?"
"You weren't answering your phone," she said ignorantly. "And besides, it got you out here, didn't it? Now we can get to where we're going quicker."
"And where exactly are we going?" I asked.
"To a certain, special little shopping mall in the city of Sorillia," said Ushio as he slid into the driver's seat, starting the engine.
"And before you ask what this has to do with finding you know who," added Kyo, "I might as well tell you that there's a certain employee at this mall that has close relations to the Midnight Legion. Specifically, Ylverys."
"If you can guess his name, I'll give you a quarter..."
"Yuta, shut up and sit in your seat properly," Ushio snapped, and his sister let out a heavy sigh.
"Killjoy..."
+++
June 3: 11:37 a.m.
"Hey, guys, look who decided to take a nap."
"I'm gonna draw a mustache on his face..."
"Yuta, don't."
I squeezed my eyes tightly as I began to hear the faint sounds of muffled voices. Upon opening my eyes, I discovered that Yuta was in the process of using a sharpie to draw something just under my nose. Startled by the sudden uncomfortable feeling of the marker on my face, I slapped the sharpie out of Yuta's hand and sat upright, shooting her an unpleasant look, which she simply shrugged off. I then glanced at Ushio, who was looking over at me from the driver's seat, and I pointed at the spot beneath my nose as if to ask 'is there anything there?' He placed a hand over his mouth and snorted, thus giving me the answer I was looking for.
"I have no regrets," Yuta blurted as she quickly grabbed the door handle and jumped out of the car. "I'm gonna beat you guys to the arcade!!"
"Yuta!!" Ushio shouted, and soon he was out of the car and chasing his sister down the block.
"Umm...we're here..." Kyo stated awkwardly, just as Yuta and Ushio had disappeared into a gigantic building.
"Are those two always like this?" I asked as I began rubbing the marker off my face with the wet paper towel Kyo handed me.
Kyo nodded immediately. "Yeah. We should probably go after them before...I don't know."
That being said, Kyo, Niall, and I exited the car and hurried down the sidewalk until we reached the building Yuta and Ushio had gone in.
We were greeted with a burst of activity the moment we stepped into the mall. It wasn't necessarily crowded, but the people that were visiting the area we had entered certainly knew how to make noise. However, I wasn't bothered by it, but rather I was actually amazed by the spectacular variety of sights and sounds. It seemed like forever since I had gone to such a place. It almost made me remember my childhood. My childhood that I spent with my best friend...the memories we made...gone now...most likely never to be relived...
"Hiro! Kyo! Niall! Over here!" Yuta shouted, and after briefly scanning the area, I found her wildly waving her arms in front of an arcade. She had a childlike grin on her face that almost made me feel like a father who just couldn't refuse his little girl's wish.
"Be right there!" I called back, returning her grin with a slightly less animated one. Turning to Niall and Kyo, I jabbed a thumb in the direction of the arcade, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Sure," said Kyo, actually sounding pretty satisfied with the idea. "It's been a while since I've been to an arcade. What about you, Niall?"
"I've never been to one before..." Niall stated shyly, closing his eyes to avoid meeting our gazes.
Kyo and I laughed at him. "Aw, come on, Niall," I urged, giving him a gentle push. "It's not something you have to learn how to do. Arcades are meant for fun."
Niall almost looked puzzled by my choice of words. "Fun...? I don't think I remember what it means..." His lips bent into a frown, and his gaze dropped sorrowfully. "I apologize for my lack of enthusiasm. But you know I've lived for a long time, and my memory does not always serve me well. However, I believe that-"
"Oh, shut up and follow me," I interrupted him, seizing his arm and taking off in the direction of the arcade. "Don't worry, Niall. I promise you by the time we leave this mall, you will fully understand the meaning of the word-....holy crap...."
"I don't think you need to explain what that means to me, Hiro..."
"No, that's not what I meant...look at this place, Niall. It's amazing..."
Stepping into that arcade was like walking right into a futuristic laboratory: high tech motorcycles hooked up to giant computer screens, virtual reality consoles, upgraded versions of older games like air hockey and foosball: flashing lights and upbeat music, people of all ages having a good time. My face lit up with excitement as I took it all in. "Science really has advanced, hasn't it...?" I released Niall's arm and began to walk further into the arcade. Suddenly I remembered Yuta calling to me earlier, so I shouted out her name. "Yuta? Where are you?"
"Shhh!!"
I flinched at the sound of a voice hissing at me. I looked to my right and discovered that Yuta was seated on top of one of the motorcycles. She appeared to be fully into the concept and motivity of the game; she had on a yellow and black motorcycle helmet, as well as leather gloves that she used to firmly grip the handles of the machine she was 'operating.' I looked up at the screen on which the game was being displayed and began following the course of the character Yuta was controlling. According to the number in the corner of the screen, she was in 1st place. "Nice," I said, nodding my head. She hissed at me again.
"Ushio's right behind me!"
I glanced over my shoulder. "I don't see him."
"I meant in the game, stupid."
"Oh." I craned my neck and peered at the tinted helmet of the player across from Yuta, soon arriving at the realization that it was her brother. "Hey there, Ushio."
"Shhh!"
Wow, these people really know how to get involved with their video games... Giving up on the idea of talking to them, I decided to go off and find something of my own to do. I quickly scanned the arcade in search of a game or console that wasn't being used. Air hockey...occupied. Pacman...occupied. Virtual reality console...hey, there's a couple of empty spots left. Should I...? Eh, why not? "Hey, Niall, d'ya wanna try it ou-...? Where'd you go? Niall!"
He was gone. The second I had spun around to ask him if he wanted to join me, he had already vanished. I called out his name a couple more times, but I still got no reply. Swiftly maneuvering my way through the crowds of people, I frantically searched the arcade for my lost friend. After about five minutes into my search, I discovered Kyo playing a game of air hockey with a little boy, so I asked him if he had seen Niall.
"Nope," he replied, not taking his eyes off the puck, which was so rapidly being knocked across the table by the two players. The table itself was brilliantly lit up by all sorts of colorful lights and patterns, making it necessary for both players to wear protective glasses to avoid damaging their eyesight. After just a few seconds of spectating, I felt my eyes begin to sting, so I turned away and continued to look for Niall.
It was about 10 minutes later that I finally found Niall sitting alone outside of the arcade on a bench. I felt incredibly stupid for not checking there in the first place, but pushed aside the thought as I approached him. "What're you doing out here?" I asked.
"I don't care for the noise," he said somberly. "...or the lights."
"Oh. Sorry..." My gaze dropped to the floor and I slowly sat down beside Niall, breathing a tiresome sigh. "I'm sorry, Niall. I shouldn't have dragged you in there. Are you okay?"
"Yes," he said, although the sad tone of his voice told me otherwise. "I'm alright. I apologize for my lack of enthusiasm, Hiro. I know you only meant well. But I should let you know, I haven't had 'fun' in decades. I don't believe I remember how to."
"Well, do you at least remember a time you did have fun?"
Niall was silent for a minute as he stared at the ground, his brow furrowed and making him appear deep in thought. "There was a time...I think...but it was in my past life, so I don't think it would really count..."
"Tell me about it," I said, attempting to brighten up the mood with a cheerful attitude. To be honest, it was difficult. Just by looking at Niall's face, I, too, felt depressed. I guess he just had that affect on people.
"I suppose I could try explaining it...although the memory isn't very clear," he told me, shifting in his seat so that he could rest his chin on his hand. "There was this friend I used to have...it was a long time ago, as I said, in my past life. His name was Jean. Jean was just a little boy at the time, but unlike other little children, Jean wasn't stubborn. He simply had no interest in anything."
"Is Jean the same boy as the one in your picture?"
Niall froze for a second, tensed up, then allowed his chin to fall against his chest. "Yes, that would be him..." He reached into the large pocket of his jacket and pulled out the picture frame, then began to gaze thoughtfully at it.
"You seem very fond of him," I noted by the look in Niall's eyes. I suddenly recalled Kyo's words from a couple of days ago.
'When we go to see him tomorrow, ask Traveler about the man in the photo. You'll be surprised at what he has to say.'
"Why don't you tell me about Jean? What did he mean to you?"
Much to my surprise, Niall didn't hesitate to respond, but he responded with an answer I was not expecting. "This photo actually isn't mine," he said, almost shamefully. "It's one of the pictures that was taken the day of his college graduation. I was able to get my hands on a copy of the photo, so I placed in the frame to keep it safe. I know that may sound creepy to you, but all I wanted was to have something to remember him by."
"It's not creepy at all," I said reassuringly. "I do have a question, though. If you knew he was graduating from college, why didn't you go to see him?"
"I did see him," said Niall. "I watched him graduate. I just didn't allow him to see me. I couldn't. After all, if he had seen me, he might have chased after me, and I couldn't let that happen."
"And why not?"
Niall's eyes once again flooded with sadness, and a look of horrific nostalgia dawned on his face. "If Jean were to ever lay eyes upon me, he would remember who I am. And I just can't let that happen...I refuse to let him get involved with my train wreck of a life again. Jean is an innocent, misfortunate boy who once carried the burden of having known me. I ruined his life before, and I don't plan on doing it again. Jean has a great opportunity in this reality...he can start a new life without ever having to cross paths with me. When I woke up in this new reality, his face was one of the only faces that remained in my mind, that is, besides Hanako and the rest of Midnight Legion. I had thought that this was meant to be a sign to me. A sign that he and I were supposed to be reunited one day. The thought of that happening thrilled me...it made me so happy. Jean was the only person that could really understand me, and I was the only person that could really understand him. He was...my only friend. Well, besides Hanako, but I had a feeling that I was the last person Hanako wanted to see. But that was okay.
'From the memories I had that were shared with Hanako, I had uncovered one that had brought him great sadness, and I was the one responsible. Additionally, from that mix of memories, I came across some others that were also very unpleasant. These memories...were of times I had spent with Jean. Now I'm not saying that my time with him was disagreeable, but there was one day that will forever be lingering painfully in my heart. The day I broke his heart...and left him. And the next time he was finally able to see me again...I was dead, and I'm sure I had broken his heart again. I don't want that to happen again...ever. That's why...that's why..."
"Please don't take this personally, Niall, but I think you're being extremely selfish."
"Wha-..." Niall's head shot up, and his eyes grew wide in surprise. "What did you just say...?"
"I said you're being selfish."
Niall stared at me like I had just grown another head. He titled his head to the side and opened his mouth slightly, and ever so quietly, he whispered, "I'm not sure I understand..."
I took in a deep breath and softened my gaze as I fixed my eyes on Niall's. "If you ask me, I think you're robbing Jean of his chance of happiness. If you two were as close as you made it sound, then I believe that you're actually keeping him from something that could potentially bring good into his life."
"Hiro, I-"
"So what if you've made mistakes in the past? We all have. And just because you think your mistakes are too great to make up for, doesn't mean you can't try." I let out a huff of air through my gritted teeth and my head fell, my eyes closing gently.
"Hiro-"
"To be honest, listening to you just now made me a little frustrated. Even though you've had the chance the say hello to him, you chose not to, thus allowing your happiness, and his happiness, to slip away. I'm jealous of you...if only I'd had that same chance...to say hello to Hanako...that's all I would ever ask for. But you...you...how could you steal that happiness from your friend?"
When I finally lifted my head up to look at Niall, I was shocked to discover not one, but four pairs of eyes staring at me. That's right...Yuta, Ushio, and Kyo had all come out of the arcade and decided to stand by and listen to the lecture I had just given Niall. Whether or not they had heard all of it, they definitely were present during the last part. "G-guys, hey, I, uh...."
Instead of getting a response, I received a rather abrupt, unexpected gesture. "Y-Yuta, what are you-...?"
"Shut up, you selfless idiot..." Yuta hugged my neck harder, causing me to tense up.
"I don't understa-..."
"We're sorry for wasting your time," she interrupted, her voice wavering. "No...no, it wasn't their fault. I'm the one who ran into the arcade first. I'm sorry...for acting like such a kid. I wasn't considering you...again..." She pulled away and cracked a slight smile, but her eyes still seemed saddened. "I'm really sorry, Hiro."
"Don't apologize," I told her. "I didn't mean it like that. You've done nothing wrong, Yuta. Don't be sad..."
"Only if you promise never to keep what you're really feeling from us. Okay? Can you do that for me?"
The sincerity in Yuta's sweet voice made it nearly impossible not to smile, and when I did, her smile grew even bigger. "Alright," I agreed. "I promise."
"Great. Now that that's settled..." Kyo leaned over and grabbed the back of Yuta's collar, giving it a slight tug. "We still need to go see Levin. That's what we came here for in the first place, right? So let's go talk to him. Who knows, maybe he has good news for us."
"We can only hope," sighed Ushio, turning around to lead the way as we all began to follow him passed the many shops of the mall.
+++
Ushio, Kyo, Yuta, Niall, and I all entered a large electronics store called Kanji Tech. The inside of the store was rather impressive, if you asked me. There were television flat screens, cell phones, laptops, game systems and more. It's like a computer nerd's paradise...
"So this Levin guy...he works here?" I asked, just as we passed a long line of touch screen phones that were being displayed. Without realizing it, I became distracted as I stared at them, and my walking speed decreased.
"You like what you s-....holy crap..."
I lifted my head, expecting to meet eyes with Kyo, but instead I soon found myself staring into the wide, blue eyes of a brown haired teenage boy. Somehow, in a very strange way that I could not quite describe, those eyes of his seemed somewhat familiar. Do I know him?
"Your looks haven't changed much," the boy said with a grin. "You still look rather young. How old are you now?"
"Twenty-five..." I answered hesitantly, raising my eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but have we met before...oh, we have...haven't we...?"
"Yup! It's me, Levin!"
I was surprised as I felt a smile begin to tug at the edges of my mouth. "Yes...I do remember you. You've really grown, Levin."
"Hold the phone right now!!"
Suddenly Yuta darted forward and seized one of the touch screen phones available for testing on the display table. She pursed her lips and locked her eyes on her brother, who was the one who had shouted this order in the first place. Although...Yuta obviously did this just to humor herself, for doing so was clearly not what Ushio had intended. "Look, Ushio..." She whispered, holding up the phone. "I'm holding it..." Then she began swiping the screen in search of something to do. "Ah...I should take a picture of my face and set it as the background..."
Ushio's eye twitched once, and he turned his head away from his sister to glare at me. "You're telling me that you and Levin know each other, too?" His voice showed complete and utter frustration, instantly reminding me of how he and Kyo reacted to my recognition of Niall just the other day. "You've got to be kidding me, right? Don't tell me...you two know each other from your past lives..."
Levin furrowed his brow, no doubt curious of Ushio's precise assumption. "How'd you know?"
Ushio slapped his forehead. "Okay, never mind. I give up..."
"Anyway..." Levin began, clearing his throat to get our attention. "I'm really glad you guys came by today. Especially you, Niall. I would have never guessed you'd ever set foot out of that little shack of yours. I'm relieved, though, because I'm sure you'd want to hear this."
"Tell us already," Kyo urged him, impatiently tapping his foot against the floor.
"We've discovered something about Connie. And let me tell you, it's a big discovery..." Levin took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, as if he were about to deliver some horrible news. "According to Ylverys, who called me just a couple of days ago, claimed that Connie had officially seceded from the Midnight Legion. She is no longer carrying out her master's plan, nor the sweet, innocent appearance she's had ever since she was created. However, we don't know what she looks like. We just know that this is a perfect opportunity for us. Think of it this way; if we somehow were able to convince Connie to join us, she could help lead us to Hanako. Who knows, maybe she even knows where he is and what he's doing now. That's exactly why you guys need to take action immediately."
"Us?" said Kyo, his tone indicating confusion. "How are we supposed to find her?"
"I know a way that'll make her come to you for sure," claimed Levin, making us all stare at him in surprise. A proud smirk spread across his face as he laughed at our expressions. "It's gonna be a long trip, but it may prove to be worth the trouble. After all, Connie is, in fact, the first and most powerful member of the Midnight Legion. With her help...those long years you've spent searching for Hanako won't end up being in vain."
"Maybe..." Kyo whispered, eyes narrowing as his gaze dropped to the floor. "But just as you said...she's the most powerful. What if she doesn't join us, huh? What'll happen then?"
"Considering the irrationality of her past actions, who knows what she'll do to us," said Ushio. Despite his saying this, a certain someone was quick to oppose.
"I say we go immediately."
Ushio's head twisted around, and he fixed his eyes on Yuta's. "Yu, would you please think logically for once-"
"Screw logic," she snapped. "If it means getting us closer to finding him, then I say we go, no matter how far away it is." She hurried over to me and grabbed my forearm, gripping it tightly, as if begging for my attention. "You agree with me...right?"
I looked down at Yuta and found myself unable to tear my eyes away. Her face was filled with hope, a hope that immediately reminded me of how I used to be. I had thought such an emotion to be foolish once upon a time, but these people, especially Yuta, had replenished this wonderful feeling. Hope. Possibilities. Something to look forward to. "I want to go," I said, slowly lifting my eyes to look sternly at Ushio. "Even if there's just the slightest chance Connie will bring us closer, then I say there should be no hesitation."
Kyo and Ushio looked absolutely stunned. At first, I thought they were going to refuse again. They looked at each other for a moment, exchanging controversial expressions, then released deep and thoughtful sighs. "You're awfully stubborn, the two of you," said Kyo, letting out a quiet laugh. "Alright then. I suppose we'll go along with it. As long as Niall is okay with the idea. Niall?"
"I will follow any path that will lead to my master," said Niall, and to my surprise, he was actually smiling. Barely, but it was still a smile.
"I suggest you hit the road as soon as possible," said Levin. "In order to summon Connie, you'll need to find the human she was in charge of, and this specific person doesn't tend to stay in one place for very long. At least...that's what Ylverys told me."
"What's this person's name?" I asked.
"Christopher. More formally, Lord Christopher Lynnias Valient, prince and heir to the throne of Amontyl."
My eyes shot open. Amontyl?! I shouted mentally. But that's a whole other country! It'll take us nearly a day by car! And not to mention, we're supposed to talk to the prince? How would we even do that? It'd be impossible for commoners like us to even see the prince, let alone get into the palace. Has Levin lost his mind?!
"Relax, Hiro," Yuta whispered in my ear. "You don't need to freak out. We'll figure out some way to see the prince, so don't worry."
Much to my relief, Yuta's words made the situation seem a little less nerve-wracking. Yeah, she's probably right, I told myself. We'll figure something out...I know we will...