"Now, now, kid, if you don't want to get hurt, come with us-"
"Ugh," the man in the middle clutched his neck, his eyes widening in surprise as he stumbled backward. With a heavy thud, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The other two men reacted swiftly, their eyes darting around in panic, but before they could react, they too suddenly clutched their necks dropping to the forest floor like lifeless dolls.
When I looked beside me, Takumi was holding a gun pointed at them,
"Just what did you do?" I asked.
"I just shot them with some sleeping bullets. They won't be able to wake up for the time being."
"Ha-haha..." I chuckled under my breath as I grasped the situation. "So, are you going to use those on me as well?"
Takumi didn't bother saying anything and came to me. Before I knew it, handcuffs were placed on my left hand, and the other one on her right.
"Hey, what's this?"
"It's necessary."
"Huh?"
"Hey, remove this right now."
"I can't. You'll run if I do."
With that, she started pulling me along, like a dog tied to its owner, with nothing I could do but follow.
***
"Just where are you taking me?" I asked, the frustration evident in my voice.
She remained silent, her gaze fixed ahead as we continued to trek through the forest.
"We've been walking for an hour already. Why won't you tell me?" I pressed, growing impatient.
Still, she offered no response. Then, abruptly, she halted, her movements swift as she began to undress right in front of me.
"Hey, what are you trying to do?" I exclaimed, caught off guard by her sudden actions.
"There's a nearby river just past the bushes," she replied nonchalantly, continuing to shed her top, revealing her bra
"So?" I questioned, bewildered by her proposal.
"Let's take a bath," she suggested, her tone casual as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Huh? Are you serious? Are we supposed to get in at the same time?" I balked at the idea.
"Yeah, is there a problem?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Clearly, there's a problem with that," I retorted, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck.
"Are you afraid of cold water?" she teased, her lips twitching with amusement.
"It's not that," I protested, feeling flustered by the situation.
"Then what is it?" she pressed, her gaze unwavering.
"I'm a man, and you're a woman," I stated, averting my eyes as the realization sank in.
"And you're just wearing underwear," I added, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Is that bad? Do you prefer if I wear nothing?" she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she made to remove her panties.
"That's not what I meant, seriously!" I sputtered, feeling my face grow even hotter.
"Whatever, do what you want," I muttered, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment.
"Aren't you going to take off your clothes? We're about to get into the water," she pointed out, unfazed by my discomfort.
"Without a choice, tsk... Make sure not to look," I grumbled as I reluctantly removed all my clothes and wrapped myself in the towel she had given me.
...
.....
.....
With only a piece of towel barely concealing our bodies, bathing next to each other was infuriating beyond words. The coldness of the water made me shiver, and as our backs accidentally brushed against each other, she couldn't help but giggle.
"What are you laughing at?" I snapped, feeling irritated by her nonchalant attitude.
"Nothing... just having fun," she replied innocently, her laughter grating on my nerves.
"Too good for you, huh? You're having fun," I muttered, making an annoyed face. "Fuck it!"
With frustration boiling inside me, I slammed both my hands into the water, causing it to splash all over us. Despite my outburst, she continued to laugh, her amusement only fueling my irritation.
"Isn't it time to get out of the water?" I mumbled, leaning purposely on Takumi in an attempt to make her uncomfortable. Surprisingly, she remained unfazed.
Silent and seething with frustration, I pondered over my next move. She had been one step ahead of me the entire time, and it was starting to get under my skin. As thoughts of retaliation swirled in my mind, a ridiculous idea suddenly took hold.
Surely, she would hate this, I thought to myself, a mischievous smirk forming on my lips. With determination, I turned towards her and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Hya!" she yelped in surprise as I caught her off guard, causing her to jolt.
"Now what do you say? Let's get out of the water," I suggested, my hands inadvertently coming into contact with a squishy, warm sensation. It took a moment for me to realize that I was inadvertently grappling her breast.
Takumi fell silent, her expression unreadable as she averted her gaze and after a few minutes of me embracing her, she began to climb out of the water.
Despite my unexpected embrace, she made no attempt to push me away or protest. I don't know what she's thinking but I guess my plans work.
Looking at her, she hastily started drying herself off and redressing, she avoided making eye contact with me, leaving me to struggle with my own clothes as the handcuffs hindered my movements. Her silence spoke volumes, leaving me to ponder over the implications of her actions.
"Let's go," she said, her tone firm as she tugged at my handcuffs.
"Where exactly are we going?" I inquired, feeling a sense of unease settling in.
"We're staying here for the night. We need to collect some supplies," Takumi explained tersely.
"Can't we just find a normal place to sleep, like a house?" I suggested hopefully.
"We can't afford that luxury," she replied, her grip tightening on the handcuffs, reminding me of my lack of freedom.
***
Under the starry night sky, with the moon casting a gentle glow, Takumi finally spoke up.
"Matsuki, about a week ago..." Her voice trailed off, her fingers digging into my chest like sharp nails.
"What are you sorry about?" I interrupted, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "Even if you apologize for what you did, it doesn't change anything. I can't just forgive you."
"And why are you handcuffing me and taking me somewhere without even telling me? what's going on in your head?" I demanded, my voice tinged with anger and confusion.
The silence enveloped us, punctuated only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
"And if you're not going to answer any of my questions, could you at least stop clinging to me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the confusion swirling inside me.
"But it's cold... Just let me," her voice trembled, barely audible above the night's whispers.
"We can't be separated because of the handcuffs," she added, her words trailing off.
"And who do you think put us in this situation? Just get the key and uncuff me already!" I retorted, frustration creeping into my tone.
"No!" she replied, her grip tightening around me.
Feeling her hands pressed against my chest, my gaze involuntarily shifted to her fingers, recognizing a familiar pattern.
"Is that the ring I gave you?" I asked, trying to sound convincing despite my uncertainty. I couldn't recall if I had given it to her or if we had acquired them separately, but I needed to maintain the facade.
"Eh?" Her hand stilled, and she glanced down at the ring, a flicker of surprise crossing her features.
"Do you remember?" she inquired.
So, that ring truly belonged to Takumi and Kira... What was that guy thinking... The me before...
"Yeah, memories are starting to come back..." I trailed off, fabricating the truth as best I could, my words barely audible amidst the quiet of the night.
""I'm relieved," she said, a hint of happiness evident in her voice. Suddenly, she sprang up and sat, and with the handcuffs restraining my hands, I was compelled to follow suit.
"That means you remember our promise..."
"But..." Her smile vanished as she glanced at her hands, the ring gleaming on her finger.
"...Though, I don't think I'll be able to keep it, so..." With a solemn expression, she removed the ring from her finger.
"Here..." Tenderly, she placed the ring in my palm and closed my fingers around it.
"Thank you for remembering it."
As I gazed at her, her faint smile tugged at my heart in an unexpected way. But before I could fully process the moment, she swiftly sprayed something again, and a surge of dizziness and lethargy swept over me. My vision blurred, but through the haze, I noticed tears trickling down her cheeks.
"I love you, from the time I met you even till this day..."
Her words echoed in my mind, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions and questions. But before I could respond, darkness descended upon me, swallowing me whole.
In that fleeting moment before unconsciousness claimed me, I felt her presence hovering over me, her saddened face inches away from mine, I blinked several times, trying to regain my composure, but in that fleeting moment I caught a glimpse of her hand reaching out, gently caressing my cheeks, "I'm sorry..."
And then, everything faded into oblivion.