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Chapter 157: Her Feelings
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 17:03:24 +0000 UTCHorikita shivered slightly as drops of cold water slid down her body. The cave’s damp chill clung to her skin, and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ignore the faint tremors in her hands.
She looked at Tatsuya, his expression heavy with remorse. Her mind buzzed as she tried to piece together the meaning behind his words.
“Your fault?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Tatsuya nodded and sat down beside her. The cave was small, their shoulders brushing as he settled in. Horikita didn’t have the energy to care about the closeness.
“It’s hard to explain,” he began, running a hand through his wet hair. “But I’ll simplify it for you. I’m the product of a biological experiment.”
“Experiment?” Horikita’s brow furrowed, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Yes. Don’t overthink it. It’s exactly as you’re imagining. I was born and raised in a lab, subjected to countless experiments.”
“What kind of experiments?” She turned toward him, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and unease. “And… why you?”
“I wasn’t special. Just one of many test subjects. The goal was to create perfect humans.”
Horikita’s mind raced. “Wait… if you were raised as a test subject, your story about your family and sister…?” Her voice trailed off, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face.
The reason she had begun to sympathize with him, to grow closer, was his tragic story about his sister and not being able to see her in her final moments.
If that was a lie…
“It wasn’t a lie,” Tatsuya said, his voice soft but firm. “My sister really did die. I’ve only met my family twice, and the second time… I was told she was gone. It was the last straw. I couldn’t take it anymore. I rebelled and escaped.”
Horikita listened quietly, her gaze fixed on his face. She searched his eyes for any hint of deception but found only pain.
“I thought I could be safe if I joined ANHS,” he continued. “But I didn’t expect our first special exam to be on an island.”
“What’s the name of this organization?” she asked, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside her.
“Blackroom,” Tatsuya answered without hesitation.
Horikita lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. “It’s hard to believe,” she admitted.
“I know.”
“But… I believe you.”
Tatsuya blinked, surprised. “Really?”
“Yes.” She shook her head. “Everything makes sense now. Your strength, the people outside…” Her voice faltered as she glanced toward the cave’s entrance, where the faint sound of distant screams still lingered.
She was just a young girl. How could she not be frightened by the thought of armed men hunting them down? The memory of their blades slicing through the air sent a shiver down her spine.
She hugged herself tighter, trying to stifle the tears threatening to spill.
Then, warmth enveloped her.
Tatsuya pulled her into his arms, his embrace firm but gentle. His hand moved in slow, soothing circles on her back. “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured. “I’ll protect you.”
Horikita leaned into him, her face buried against his chest. She didn’t speak, but her trembling gradually subsided.
“It’s not empty words,” he added. “Just an hour. That’s all we need. The government will send people to investigate. I asked Chabashira-sensei out of curiosity earlier, and she said if no one responds, they’ll send support.”
“You don’t have to console me,” Horikita whispered, her voice shaking. “I know we’re probably going to die. Even if the government sends help, how many people will it be? Will they have soldiers? Firearms?”
“I’m sorry,” Tatsuya said, his voice heavy. “Even if I surrender, they won’t let anyone live. They’ll hunt down everyone who was on this island. But I promise you, we’ll survive.”
Horikita looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “How?”
“I’m the only successful test subject in twenty years. They won’t risk losing me. I’ll threaten to kill myself if they don’t let you go.”
Her breath hitched. “You’d do that?”
“For you? Yes.”
Horikita stared at him, her heart pounding. His expression was calm, almost reassuring, but she could see the resolve burning in his eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tatsuya’s arms tightened around her. “You don’t have to thank me.”
For a moment, they sat in silence.
Horikita’s mind raced, torn between fear and a strange sense of comfort.
“How sad,” Tatsuya said suddenly, breaking the silence. “I was excited to win the island exam.”
The comment caught her off guard, and a small, unexpected laugh escaped her lips. She quickly stifled it, her face flushing as she remembered their conversation on the cruise ship.
Her laughter faded as she became acutely aware of their position. She could feel the warmth of his body, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the strength of his arms around her. She should pull away, she thought. But she didn’t.
Instead, she tightened her grip on his shirt, her fingers trembling. “I wouldn’t say I love you,” she said quietly. “But I won’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy the time we spent together last month.”
This time it was Tatsuya who remained silent as Horikita laid her feelings bare.
“I’ve had a strange life,” she continued, her voice soft. “For most of it, I didn’t talk to anyone. I was so focused on proving myself to my brother that I lost sight of what really mattered. It’s funny… when I saw groups of friends laughing together… when I saw couples enjoying each other’s company… when I saw people working toward their goals…”
“...I was jealous. I told myself they were beneath me, that they were wasting their time. But deep down, I knew I was just lying to myself.”
Horikita sighed, her hands moving to cup his face. “I don’t want to bore you with my life story." She shook her head, it seemed like she was talking to Tatsuya but at the same time it appeared as if she was making peace with her own heart, "What I want to say is… thank you.” Her face broke into a smile. A smile so beautiful it almost seemed inhumane. “Thank you for letting me experience all of this.”
Her lips brushed against his in a gentle, fleeting kiss.
Comments
ImmortalSkyDxddy
🥲
sunny
nigga more pls
CrowThingz
And the ice queen’s ice heart has been thawed!
