『Neizan: Yes… I think so… 』
Neizan looked down, distracted, as his thoughts wandered. The soft glow of the candle barely illuminated his features, highlighting the mix of fatigue and confusion in his eyes. Lina, sitting beside him, watched him in silence for a few seconds before gathering the courage to speak.
『Lina: Yesterday, I wanted to talk to you about something, but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to say it. 』
Her voice was soft, almost trembling, as if she feared Neizan's reaction. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers, trying to read what Lina seemed to be hiding in her expression.
『Neizan: What is it? 』
Lina took a deep breath, and after a brief silence, spoke in a low voice.
『Lina: For some strange reason, sometimes… I can see your memories, Neizan. 』
Lina's words fell like a whisper, but the impact on Neizan was immediate. He frowned, unable to comprehend what he had just heard.
『Neizan: What? My memories? What do you mean? 』
Lina pressed her lips together, searching for the right words.
『Lina: It only happened once… just the day before we were detained and separated. When I woke up, I remembered what I had dreamed. In that dream, there were things I had never seen or heard before… 』
Neizan felt a chill run down his spine. The idea that Lina had seen something so intimate, his own memories, filled him with a mix of surprise and vulnerability.
『Neizan: Are you saying you entered my dreams and accidentally saw my memories? 』
Lina nodded in silence, her eyes reflecting the confusion and guilt she felt. Neizan looked at her, his eyes wide with disbelief, trying to process what this could mean. How could someone, even someone as close as Lina, penetrate the confines of his mind?
『Lina: I'm sorry, Neizan… I don't know how it happened, but… 』
The weight of her words slowly fell into the atmosphere, wrapping the room in an uncomfortable silence.
『Neizan: What did you see? 』
Lina looked away, as if fearing her words could open old wounds.
『Lina: I saw you as a child… You were going to school and living with your mother. Aside from that, I can't remember seeing anything else. 』
Neizan fell silent, absorbed in his thoughts. The memories of his childhood, those years he had buried so deeply, now felt vulnerable and exposed. How could it be possible that Lina had accessed them? What did this mean?
『Neizan: …I don't understand. How is this possible? 』
Lina sighed, feeling the weight of discomfort between them.
『Lina: I don't know… But I think that if I don't spend more nights with you, you won't have to worry about it. 』
A deep silence took over the room, and Neizan looked away, his expression darkening. He wasn't sure how to interpret his feelings. Part of him wanted to avoid at all costs having something so personal resurface, but another part wondered if there was something he needed to learn from this unusual connection.
『Lina: What are you thinking? 』
Neizan remained silent, lost in his thoughts.
『Neizan: Nothing… It's just that I'm not sure what I should do. Maybe it's something I shouldn't avoid, though I worry about what you might end up seeing. 』
Lina watched him with compassion, sensing the internal struggle in his eyes. She slid her hand over Neizan's, in a gesture of support. They both knew that this inexplicable connection was something that would change the nature of their relationship, and possibly of themselves. Their gazes met, and in that silent exchange, an unspoken promise formed between them: together, they would face whatever lay ahead, no matter how unknown or unsettling it might be.
『Neizan: ...Lina. 』
Neizan spoke her name in a low voice, as if each syllable carried an invisible weight. Lina looked at him, curious, sensing an unusual vulnerability in his words.
『Lina: Yes? 』
Lina's voice was barely a whisper, full of calm and expectation. Neizan sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor, as if searching for the right words among the grain of the wood.
『Neizan: I... sometimes I've had insomnia. The nightmares and restless sleep don't let me rest. 』
Neizan paused, frowning as he recalled those long, sleepless nights with his heart racing and fear lurking in the darkness. The tension in his shoulders seemed to ease, but a lingering shadow still reflected on his face.
『Neizan: But when I sleep by your side… 』
Lina lifted her gaze, surprised, watching him attentively. Neizan swallowed and continued, his voice softer, almost a whisper.
『Neizan: ...I feel better. For some reason, I can rest in peace because of it. 』
There was a hopeful sincerity in his words, and Lina felt her heart beat strongly. It was as if an invisible wall between them had crumbled. Silence stretched between them for a moment, giving them space to absorb the confession.
『Neizan: Anyway, I know I can trust you. So I don't mind if it means sharing the same space. Is that okay with you? 』
Lina nodded, her eyes shining with a mix of emotion and relief. There was something comforting in knowing she could be a safe haven for him, a place of calm amid his storms. Her voice was soft, full of gratitude.
『Lina: Okay. Thank you for trusting me. 』
They both smiled, and in that shared moment, the room seemed less cold, less lonely. A silent connection grew between them, beyond words and reason. There was a promise in their eyes, a quiet commitment to keep caring for each other, even when the world showed them its darkest shadows.
The next day, everyone gathered in the dining hall to have lunch together. Conversations mingled in the air until Arthur broke the murmur with a direct question.
『Arthur: Alberto, what happened yesterday? 』
『Alberto: What do you mean? 』
『Arthur: Two factions were completely disqualified yesterday. Plus, ours ended up the smallest, with only two participants left. Meanwhile, some groups were so well-trained and organized that they managed to keep all ten of their participants intact. 』