𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐊𝐄 • Chishiya Shuntarō

XVIII: SPLIT UP

some of y'all bout to be real mad at me

"You know, I was really scared when I thought you'd died," Chishiya said. They were back at their base now, sat on the couch.

"You didn't seem like it," Hana said.

"I cried."

"Yeah, for, like, a second."

"What? You think I'm lying?"

"You just don't seem to care much."

"Hana."

"Shiya."

"I care. I care so much. I really like you, and I wanna be with you. Why does it seem so hard for you to accept that?"

Hana was quiet for a minute. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologise for anything, I just wish you'd understand that I genuinely do like you."

"It's just- It's such a foreign feeling, you know? Only one person ever really liked my, but my parents forced me out of that relationship. I guess it's just not something I'm used to."

"Well get used to it. Can I ask you a question?"

"Maybe."

"What the fuck does maybe mean?"

"Chill, man. Yes, you can ask me a question."

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Maybe."

"Are you-"

"Yeah. I will."

Chishiya leaned into Hana, kissing her. He didn't let it go on forever like he had before, but Hana was the one to lean back in. She placed her hands on the back of the couch behind him, pulling herself to sit on his lap. She kissed along his neck, before placing her hands on his jaw and moving back up to his lips.

"Are we gonna-?" Chishiya asked.

"Do you want to?"

"Obviously."

"King of Diamonds? No way in hell," Hana said.

"Why not?" Chishiya asked.

"Because I'd fucking die, idiot!"

"What if I help you?"

"And what if it ends up being a game that you can't team up for? How about you go to the King of Diamonds, I'll go to the Queen of Clubs, and we can meet up in the middle once it's over. Deal?"

"I don't wanna leave you, but okay. Deal. Just promise me something?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't die."

Hana and Chishiya had agreed upon a meeting spot and finally went their separate ways since the second stage started. It felt weird to go into a game without him, but she had a bad feeling about the King of Diamonds.

She walked into the Queen of Clubs game, to se everyone was grouped up in threes. She looked around, her eyes landing on a pair.

"Kuina! Ann!" She ran over to the two.

"Hana! Where's Chishiya?" Kuina asked.

"He's fine, he's just in another game. King of Diamonds. We agreed to meet up when we're both done, if you wanna come?"

Kuina thought for a minute. "It's fine, I'll let you guys reunite on your own. I'm just glad your both okay."

"Wait," Ann said, "Is something going on between you and Chishiya?"

"I'd hope so. He's my boyfriend, after all."

Before Kuina or Ann could say anything about this new information, the game started. The game was called 'Target'. They had to get into teams of three, which was perfect, and basically just throw balls at the other teams until they fell off their beam. The last team standing won.

Hana stood on the beam. She was ready for this game. One of the many sports she was forced to do was gymnastics. She didn't do it for long, though. Only six months. But those six months of her life were spent perfecting her posture and movement on the beam.

She always hated her parents for forcing her into sport. Being twelve years old and doing multiple different sports that required completely different skill sets really didn't do any good for her mental health. At least now, the trauma was paying off.

She felt bad every time she knocked someone off their beam. She was killing people. But, at this point, she'd do anything to survive.

Her mindset now was different to her mindset when she first got here. When she first stepped out of that telephone box, onto the empty street, she had no friends. She didn't want to die, but she wouldn't have minded it. Now she'd do anything to stay alive. She had something to live for. Arisu, Usagi, Ann, Kuina, Tatta, and obviously Chishiya. Then, she was hit with a bombshell.

"Tatta's dead," Kuina said. Hana nearly fell of the beam, and was steadied by Ann. "Sorry to tell you like this, I didn't wanna throw you off before the game."

"So you threw me off right in the middle of it?" Hana asked.

"I'm sorry. I thought you'd wanna know. He told Arisu to thank you for explaining the game to him that one time. He said he never forgot you after that. That blonde guy, Arisu's friend, was mean to him, but you explained everything to him and made him less confused, even if he did end up totally frightened."

"How did it happen?"

"Blood loss."

So he was in pain. Hana felt tears in her eyes, letting them fall. She didn't wanna be seen crying, but she knew if she held her tears in her vision would become blurry and she wouldn't be able to play properly.

"There's something else I should tell you," Kuina said.

"Does it involve someone being dead?"

"I mean... not exactly."

"Then it can wait until we win."

And they did win. They walked away from the game as the blimp fell, causing a fire behind them. Hana turned to Kuina. "So? What was it you were gonna tell me?" She asked.

"Niragi's alive," Kuina said.

"What?" Hana and Ann yelled in sync.

"What the fuck?" Hana said, "How the- Jesus Christ. He literally got set on fire twice. Aguni should've survived instead of him."

"Listen, Hana. If you're going off on your own, be careful. I doubt Niragi's happy with you."

"I'm not the one who set him on fire."

"Yeah, but your boyfriend is. Not to mention you knocked him over before Aguni dragged him into that fire. Maybe if you didn't knock him Aguni wouldn't have been able to 'kill' him."

"Maybe. It's fine, I could so fight him. Especially now that he's fried. I'll see you guys soon, okay?"

"Bye," Kuina said. Ann waved. Hana smiled as she watched the two walk off together.

She sat down in the spot her and Chishiya had agreed upon. She waited for hours, and was beginning to grow impatient. And worried. Maybe the game was like the Jack of Hearts one, where there was no time limit. Maybe he'd went to the wrong place. Maybe he's already been here and waited, then went off to look for her because he'd been waiting for too long. Her game did go on for a while.

Although she didn't wanna leave, it soon became evident that she had to. Gunfire and screams. That's was she heard. The King of Spades.

Hana saw a crowd running towards her, so she got up and ran. Once she lost him, she looked out to see the damage he'd caused. Dead bodies were scattered all over the ground. She couldn't stay here long, he might have came back.

She went back to the furniture store. Chishiya wasn't there. When she realised the store of empty, she let herself cry, silently praying that he was still in the game, and that he'd come back.