FILLING THE MISSING PIECES

The genocide which killed Chrisprel, Ranley, and Daughty, together with the burnt houses and shattered highways was disguised as a terrorist bomb attack. It was to keep the normal people in the dark. The Black Cross Legion somehow intervened and forged a fake news. I can't blame them because the public might panic if they discovered that there are monsters and superhumans that mercilessly slaughter innocent people.

But there are two people who know the whole truth... Heushac and Mr. Kent. All those happenings may have traumatized them in some way. At the three's funeral, they sat on my side, comforting me as I sob for the death of my three friends.

"I'm sorry I was so weak to protect you. Chrisprel. Ranley. Daughty…" I whispered as I softly slammed my fist in their coffin minutes before they descend six feet below the ground. But before that, I made an oath to them.

I promise to kill Diadem with my own hands. It may cost me an arm, a leg, or even my life, but I'll make sure I'll have my revenge.

The whole class, including Mr. Kent, attended at my three friend's burial, except for one student. Tiara didn't. She should have felt ashamed of her brother's killing spree.

She did the right thing to not show her face. It's completely her fault that I failed to get the justice my friends deserved.

When I was finally home, I opened my PC and play murderous and brutal online games to relieve me of my frustrations in life. But as I opened up the multiplayer, it made my broken heart shatter more into a million pieces.

I saw Chrisprel's account [YoMommaSoFat], as well as Ranley's [Xwhip_me_grandmaX] and Daughty's in-game-name [SugoiBootyCall].

Those game accounts have been offline for days, and certainly forever will be logged out. It's so tragic… and sad.

I miss them.

<>

Classes have resumed as I try to move on. I have lost a lot of friends, but life must go on and I have to keep moving forward. But there are a lot of gaps left in my heart. Now that the whole squad is gone, I felt lonely in this classroom.

Heushac is still my friend, but that Helena is a problem. She guarded Heushac in strict supervision, always watching behind her brother. Helena is wary that Cursed Guardians will attack again and take her brother's life, so wherever Heushac goes, she goes. I'm uncomfortable being watched by that judging eyes of that pesky tomboy, so as much as possible, I would avoid contact with her little brother.

My friendship with Tiara turned sour. Our atmosphere always becomes awkward when she's around. Whenever we crossed paths in the corridor, she will bow down to hide her face. She no longer had the courage to look at me in the eyes. And I always treat her like air.

The only person I could talk to wholeheartedly is Amy since she was my childhood friend. During that bloody debate in the Kozukata Shrine, her purple eyes are the only thing that was not staring at me with doubt.

Whenever she's talking to me, she had this adorable smile to cheer me up. She made efforts to temporarily fill the missing pieces of my shattered heart.

She ignored the fact that I injured her during the last fight. She even forgot that I yelled at her during the meeting in the Kozukata Shrine. It's as if those things didn't happen in the first place. She acts as if she has already forgiven me, and I haven't made any apology yet.

Moreover, she avoided tackling sensitive topics. She knows how fragile my heart is to such things, especially that I have lost persons dear to me.

<>

She only got the nerve to tackle our problems when it was already Thursday, hoping that I have moved on a little.

Our classes have just dismissed, and now we're on a bus going home to Mirose Grande. She's staring at the windows with a disgusted face. I can see it due to the reflection in the window.

"It feels so disgusting for having Kristoff on my team…" Amy groaned.

I let out a laugh. "You can't complain since it's the recent decision of the Black Cross. Maybe they realized that you two have great synergy."

"You don't know how annoying that guy is. He's even flirting on Helena..." Amy gave me an unmotivated face. Suddenly, a light bulb went lit on her head. "Oh, I know! I'll assign him to investigate the faraway cities where the Cursed Guardians of the New Order are reportedly active!"

"Isn't that a harsh job for your lover?" I said with a smirk.

"Geez, he's no longer my lover! How many times do I have to tell you!?" Amy's face is red, but I don't know if she's infatuated or angry.

"Maybe you should fix your relationship properly." I continued to tease her.

"You should, too." Amy pouted. "Maybe you should talk to Tiara so that your love story would continue."

"Stop saying weird things." The tables have turned. My mood shifted from teasing to annoyed. "As if I would fall in love with the twin sister of the man who murdered my friends."

After that sentence, Amy became dead serious with her words.

"Joking aside, you need to talk to her soon. I know she's feeling bad for what happened, and you can't blame her for protecting her brother. I don't understand sibling love since I'm the only child, but you… You have a younger brother and sister too. You know how much are you willing to protect them."

I ignored that whole paragraph. Maybe she has a lot of points, but there's no way my aching heart would accept those. The deaths are still fresh in my memories. As long as I feel this hatred, I won't be able to forgive that witch.

<>

It was the school bell once again, ending this tiring life in a classroom. It was already Friday, so that means this stressful week is over.

For a brief moment, Heushac gave an idiotic advice to me. He always does.

"Ric… Don't blame Tiara for what happened. I know that Chrisprel, Ranley, and Daughty would never condemn her. She did nothing wrong. If I were on her shoes, I would do the same thing to protect my sibling."

"Amy already said that to me. What's new?" I lazily commented.

"You're still full of pride and hatred…" Heushac scratched his head. When he noticed his sister waiting in front of the room, he packed his things. "I have to go…"

He paused a little and didn't move an inch. I looked at his face when I sensed something he wanted to tell me.

"And oh… That hug that night… No homo, bro."

"Yes, No homo." I smirked. I almost thought that he's gay since he always says that he's not interested in girls. At least I can sleep without worries now.

Then Heushac went rushingly out of the scene. I would like to spend more time with him and maybe drink some beer and share our despair, but he's going to his sister, who is quite mad at me right now.

I looked at the empty seat beside me. That witch didn't attend her classes this afternoon because probably, she was busy with their practice in the Idol Club.

Amy was absent too because of some meeting in the Kozukata Shrine. I already banned myself from entering that place so I won't be seeing her this afternoon.

Guess I'll go home alone.

I thought I will go to my regular routine of drowning in online games until somebody from the senior class specifically confronted me in our room.

"You're Alaric Eisenhower, right?" A girl said as she went in front of my desk. I've seen her beautiful face before, but I couldn't remember it.

"Yes," I mumbled as I pack my things in a lazy manner. I don't want anyone pestering me since I'm still in a bad mood so I wanted to cast her off. "I'm sorry I'm not entertaining any confessions right now. I have to defend the high ground in my clan battle."

"I'm not here to confess, idiot!" The girl said as she put her hands on her pocket. "Come with me!"

She used her skinny arm to make a wrestling lariat, smashing me to the floor and pinned to the ground!

"Ack!"

I felt some cold and hard bracelets on my arm! I just got handcuffed!

"You have no right to remain silent, and anything you say will always go against you!" The lady said with a cold glare.

<>

As I thought, this girl is familiar. She's from the Idol Club. Right now, I'm being dragged to the school amphitheater where the said club does their workshops. They were already in practice for the upcoming summer festival of Dradecim. They gained a lot of popularity because they managed to nail the concert thanks to the newest Idol of their club (I'm talking about THAT witch).

At the theater hall, half of the club are rehearsing their newly released song, while the others are preparing their costumes, or watching the others dance and sing. Some of them are even coloring their faces like a three-year-old. Oh, it's make-up.

There was a particular girl in the group where she keeps her distance by seating at the leftmost corner at the back, eating spicy Chinese noodles on a cup. That's the wicked witch.

I already know what this upperclassman wanted, so I tried shrugging her off. "Hey, I still have something to do! I need to leave now!"

"Yes, there is something you should do, and you're not leaving!" She shouted.

This girl seriously didn't know what's going on between Tiara and me! She didn't even have any idea that this is a problem that should never be talked about!

Tiara must have noticed my voice because she glanced back. What's with her? Her eyes are so red and exhausted, I could mistake her for a panda!

Suddenly, the senior idol pushed me to the seat next to Tiara. Then she locked the handcuff to my chair!

"Hey! This is a violation of my human rights!" I screamed. But the Idol Club president didn't care.

Everybody's attention turned to me. They even stopped singing or dancing or postponed their makeups just to witness this embarrassing scene.

"You guys talk to each other until you got your problems solved!!!" The Idol Club senior pointed at me and glared as if she's a shark that would swallow me alive!

"Hey, why are you forcing us?" I reasoned out. "Our problem has nothing to do with you!"

"It has everything to do with our club!" The senior idol shouted. "Our girl Tiara is always bothered and looks so down! She even performs like she was a withered bamboo tree! She seriously needs inspiration! We can't have the face of the Idol Club to be shamelessly singing and dancing like a zombie!"

"...B-B-But… Miss Awane-" Tiara tried to bring her argument but she was completely cut down.

"I know that love is forbidden in the Idol Club, my cute Tiara." The senior cried. "But if it's the only thing that would make you smile, like that concert after midterms, then we shall break the rules and I shall take responsibility!"

"U-Um, it's not what you think Miss Awane… We're not l-l-lovers…" Tiara mumbled as she bowed and shyly wriggle her body.

But Miss Awane ignored what she said. She caressed the head of her junior idol and made a smiling face. "No need to keep it a secret, my cute Tiara-chan!"

Suddenly, the senior turned to me once again and shouted with her full force!

"You should take responsibility too! So start fixing that lover's spat already!"

"Y-Y-Yes!" I was forced to answer.

"Good." The senior said. Then she turned back to us and clapped at the idols, ordering them to continue the practice and ignore us for the rest of the afternoon. Then she sat on the stage, completely watching our movements from afar with the aid of some scope.

Wait, is that an AWP sniping rifle!?

I looked at Tiara, who is still bowing down. She's not going to start a conversation any minute. I also looked at the ground, thinking of the starting words I should say.

This is the most awkward silence I ever had in my life.