Road to Ruisea

❆ ❆ XXX. CHIRO ❆ ❆

Chiro's finally dressed.

After rushing inside to take a shower and to wash his face and to brush his teeth and to brush his hair and to dry off and finally put a shirt, he stumbles out of the train, looking around for Kumari and Jae.

"Kumari?" He calls, looking around and finding that she's already gone. "Jae?"

Great. They're probably already in trouble. Now he's beginning to regret trying to convince Jae to let Kumari go exploring... It's such an internal conflict for Chiro, and one he's used to.

Should I keep my sister safe, or spoil her by letting her do what she wants?

Somehow, he'd always end up doing the latter, then regretting it later.

I'm regretting it now.

"Kumari?" He calls again, "Prin—"

He has to clamp his hand over his mouth. No need to expose his friend to people nearby, after they've worked so hard to keep her royal status under wraps. Even if they weren't very good at it.

Then again, there isn't anybody nearby, Chiro notices, as he's finally wandered into the nearest Axerian town. What's going on? Where is everyone?

Chills go up his spine as he passes by all the gray hanoks, gazing at the lifeless buildings, all shuttered and barred from intruders. Ominous Axerian text paints their sides, but Chiro can't read what it says. He's not sure if he wants to.

"Kumari?" He calls again. "Hello? Anyone? Jae?"

"Leave me alone."

That's definitely Kumari's voice, and Chiro's brain doesn't register her very un-Kumari-like response because he's just so relieved to hear her. He turns all around, looking for her, checking behind buildings, and after some more wandering finds her by a river.

A pitch black river, that's she splashing around in for no reason.

"Kumariii," he calls to her, stopping at the edge of the river bank. "You'll get your dress wet."

Her skirt is already stained black, as if she was playing in oil instead of water. "I don't care. Don't tell me what to do."

"What?" Chiro furrows his brow. "But you like that dress."

"Yeah."

She continues splashing, giggling to herself, turning away from Chiro so her back is to him.

He slowly steps into the water with a grimace, saying, "Come on Kumari. Let's go back to the train."

She splashes water in his face and he chokes, spluttering, as she says, "No! I don't wanna."

"Kumari," he wipes the black sludge off his face. This isn't water, is it? "Where's Jae?"

"Uzaqda, I hope."

"Far away?" He frowns heavily. "But Jae's your friend."

"So what? You're my friend," she spits the word like its poison. "And you're just as useless to me as he is."

Chiro can't help the hurt feeling that's weighing in his heart. "No... You don't mean that. Kumari, what's come over you?"

She glares at him, and Chiro's eyes widen.

It's not obvious — in fact, Chiro's sure if anybody else looked at her face, they wouldn't notice.

But he notices. It's his job to his notice.