A little grammatical errors here and there but hopefully you enjoy~ Any comments or opinions are greatly appreciated:)

* * * * * *

Chapter 5: Trouble Arises

By the time they finished eating, full dark had almost fallen and a hazy moon stood above a bank of clouds to the east. The dark shape of a high bird passed across the face of the moon. Some night stars were already out, acting as bright beacons in the indigo sky.

"Haaa..."

A quiet, taunting breath escaped Keisuke's mouth. After ingesting the food the girl prepared for him, he sat and leaned his back against a tree. Away from the campfire. Away from the girl. His fingers throbbing, his head cramping, and his vision burning. Keisuke's sensibility was belied by the repeated tapping of his finger he rested on his knee.

"...What?"

By chance, he felt something in his pocket. Intrigued, he reached to it; and he found his phone. Because of his previous state of panic, he did not notice, but when he woke up stranded in this forest, both his wallet and smartphone were still in his pocket.

Inside his wallet is his school identification card and what little bit of allowance he had left for this month supposedly. In this world, his items are considered otherworldly.

"Just my luck."

Keisuke stared at his phone with spectral nostalgia. No reaction from the power button means the battery's dead. Although useless, he was glad to know that something still connects him from his world aside from his bloody uniform.

Just from his previous actions, Keisuke knew the future could be changed. The question is, is he strong enough to prevent her death? He questioned himself. But just like always, he remained positive, looking to find a future where both of them are alive.

Keisuke closed his eyes and remembered.... a long time ago.

His mind drifted into the distant past, which was filled with darkness and consequences. The cold disbelief. His denial to accept the reality. Only Keisuke knows the truth.

* * * * * *

Its musty, dark, full of cobwebs and certainly gives an eerie vibe. That's the place what Reina calls home. She lives with her oh so very young and gorgeous looking mom, and the two of them runs an antique shop together. They both live a humble and simple life yet they spend each day in satisfaction. One day while I was helping them clean, I stumbled upon a book entitled Soul Stream.

Confused at what to do with it, I showed it to Reina's mom and she replied with, "Hmm, I have no recollection of such book existing in our shop."

Her words are to be trusted since she is the owner after all. All of the merchandise they sell in their shop has its own story and yet she remembers every single one of them, except for this one. It was definitely weird I know. The book itself was covered in dust and the contents were written in a different language.

I thought to myself back then, "Oh, maybe its a book from a different country!"

"Kukuku.. Well done finding such a treasure my significant other." Reina said so as she took the dusty old book from my hands and started examining it herself. "This is...! The secret knowledge regarding a forbidden rite that will finally awaken my true powers!"

Yeah right, I know you just thought of that ridiculous idea just now.

Reina's eye rolled around as she flip through the pages. "Hmm, hmm.. A virgin's heart, a dragon's heart and lastly..."

Chop!

"Stop with the nonsense," I gave Reina a karate chop on her head.

"It hurts, Keisuke...."

Reina crouched down on the floor and covered the area where I hit her. Her looking up at me with weeping eyes sparked the sadistic side I've carefully laid hidden.

"Want one more?"

"Aiyuuu.... Keisuke is a big idiot!!"

Reina started sobbing and went running back to her room while carrying the book on one hand and the other on her head. She's such a troublesome chuunibyou.

The following day, Reina started talking in an even more archaic method.

"Mayhap thee would fancy deciphering thine ancient text?"

My jaw dropped out of surprise but I quickly accepted the facts in front of me. Reina was already an active chuunibyou but her syndrome just rose to a higher level. She started babbling about mystical legends regarding a forgotten goddess and a human falling in love.

Until before her death, I've never really bothered to think about why her personality changed so much in a course of a single night. There was so much for me to think about. That very same day, the moment I got back home, I immediately turned my computer on, headed straight to the internet and researched about Soul Stream.

"A never ending stream of worlds where a dead person's soul can hop on."

That's the only piece of information I found interesting after searching the net forever.

And the very next day, she died... No, no, I killed her.

* * * * * *

In Keisuke's mind, his killer, although strikingly similar to his dead childhood friend, is an entirely different person. He refused to believe the facts handed out in front of him. For Keisuke, Reina is just an open chuunibyou that taught him the weirdest things that he could possibly imagine in his life.

He was attracted to her, fascinated by her liveliness, and most importantly, he's fallen inlove. Each and everyday he was dragged around doing whatever, but it was fun. That's why no matter how much the two resembles each other, they cannot be the same person. Because for Keisuke, Reina is the last person he knew that would commit murder. And definitely not a brutal one at that.

And now he's deluding himself to this girl who resembles Reina. Keisuke was aware of the harsh reality, yet he could not stop the longing in his heart. Just like a dream. No more than a convenient escape created by his longing.

"What is that?"

As his thoughts went adrift, the girl quietly approached him with a peculiar expression. She leaned over to his side and curiously points to the items that she hasn't seen or heard of in her life.

Damn, she's really beautiful.

Contemplating her beauty in his mind, Keisuke fought himself from staring at her. Viewing her beautiful features up close isn't really good for his heart.

"Neh.. What is that?" She asked again.

"This one is called Id while this one is my smartphone.."

"I-d? Smarto-phone? What are those?"

Her strong desire to learn is hindering the guard that she has set up for herself. This time, Keisuke felt two soft, yet close to flat things pressing against his arm. It was almost nonexistent, but he knew it's there, so he hurriedly pulled his arm away from her, even though it did felt great.

"I'm sorry.."

"Stupid.. What are you apologizing for?"

"Haa.."

Keisuke couldn't help but blew a sigh. When he glance back to the girl, her expression remains unchanged. As a flat chest lover, her innocent bosom was more than a weapon of mass destruction.

"This one is a communication device." Keisuke said while pointing at his phone. "Everybody has one from where I came from. It's dead right now so it won't do us any good, but we might be able to find a way to charge it back on later."

He carefully explained the details in regards to what a phone is to this clueless girl, even though a part of him is saying it's futile.

"Dead? What do you mean dead? You can trap somebody in this small box? Is it a curse item after all?" Her eccentric gaze was replaced by one full of doubts. A reaction Keisuke was anticipating.

"Ahahaha... It's not like that." Keisuke chuckled at her ridiculousness.

"Hmph. Stop it with the pitying look."

"Of course."

Keisuke answered with a big smile, but it just made her act more displeased. Taking a deep breath, she inquired Keisuke about his Id, returning that curious look on her face.

"What about this blunt knife? These engravings are quite puzzling... Its the first time I've seen such complex writing..."

"...It's my language."

"You got your head cut off at one point?"

"...It hurts to be honest."

That last comment, with wry humor, caused her to smile back to Keisuke. But as soon as she noticed her smile herself, she arched and twisted away from him, refusal stamped on her expression.

"D-Don't misunderstand."

Her evasion almost caused an awkward collision of their heads. Her cheeks went scarlet, reminding Keisuke of someone important.

"Reina?"

His hand is floating in the air, stopped just in the nick of time before he held her beautiful face. Embarrassed, he wished for time to rewind in the most silliest way.

"What... did you just call me?"

She turned back to face Keisuke, far from being appeased and her mouth curved to a childish pout.

"Just a minor slip of the tongue. Don't mind me.."

"Hmmm."

A perplexed smile touched her lips, her gaze were directed at his items. Keisuke noticed this, and promptly cooked up a scheme.

"If you tell me your name, I'll give it to you."

"...Huh?"

"Your name."

"...Eririnuesha Lye Sylvant."

She said innocently, seemingly unperturbed by his hidden intentions. So to keep his end of the bargain, he gave both of the items to her. The girl grumpily accepted it from his hands, but happily slid them inside her clothes.

What a long name. It even sounds royalty. Although a young girl like her with no companion to protect her negates his thoughts.

"Can I shorten it to Erin instead?"

"Mhm."

She nodded her in agreement, her expression was neutral. Maybe in this world, their not so picky regarding such matters. Keisuke was glad, definitely glad to at least know her name.

"Can I asked Erin another question?"

"...What is it?"

"Do you have a map?"

"...A map? What do you need it for?"

She gave him a look as though she wanted to argue, so he replied back with utmost politeness.

"I wanted to confirm something, if that's okay.."

"Tsk."

Although displeased, she still took the effort to stand up, and walked back to her horse. At the very least, her display of antagonism from before was gone, and she had begun to smile. Keisuke's already deduced that this is a parallel world, nonetheless, he still wanted to confirm.

"Here you go! I'm the one who made that, so it's the probably the best that you could find around here."

Ambling back with a proud face, she handed Keisuke an antique like piece of paper rolled over thinly. Curiously opening the map---

"---As expected..."

The map is drawn in a sketch, with doodles of mountain, trees, and what seemed to be houses. This is what she calls a map? Keisuke was about to burst in laughter when he suddenly noticed the words written on her map. It's not similar to his language at all. How could they converse if they're speaking two entirely different languages? Once more, another mystery was added to his booklet.

"Erin, what is the name of this world again?"

"...Huh? You don't even know? It's Aestrea. A-E-S-T-R-E-A. Idiot, you don't even know the simplest of things?"

Although Keisuke said it as a joke, he didn't expect her to answer so seriously. He stole a glance back at Erin, and her face really doesn't show a hint of lying. She's just honestly saying what she's been taught.

"Then can you please point me to the direction of the town?"

"The town?... Umm, let me see..."

She crouched on her knees and started jiggling, her eyes are darting around the area. Just as if an ice was pouring down on her back. There was silence, except for the small crackle of the fire.

"Umm, you don't know?"

"!!"

That question imparted her face of warmth, and she was almost startled.

So she doesn't know then... How troublesome. Keisuke was instantly distressed, and an endless stream of question floated inside his head. Seeing the frozen look on the girl's face, Keisuke began to laugh.

"Ahaha... Just tell me what you know.."

"....D-Directly to the west is the Forest of Souls, and you could reach Saphir in a matter of days. It's also the only the path available for me to take if I want to bring my luggage and my horse with me. That's what I've been told."

She smiled as soon as she finished, but Keisuke didn't return the smile, only leveled a cool, speculative stare at her. That moment, she understood. That Keisuke was suspicious of her. Although on where those suspicions are directed at, she doesn't know.

"Is there a roundabout way?"

"Why so?"

She blinked and stared at him in confusion, not understanding his reason. Yes, everything finally clicked together inside his head. The monster appearing over there and Erin having a horse was no coincidence. That someone wanted her to take that route. Although he still cannot verify his conclusions, Keisuke knew that someone is out there with wicked intentions in mind.

"Just for backup."

"N-None that I know of..."

It was quick, but her face stiffened and she answered with lies. For an observant person like Keisuke, that's all he needed to know to figure out the truth behind her words.

"Please tell me!!" Gripping her arm tightly, Keisuke roared a question. It wasn't intentional of course. His accumulated stress, and the feverish feeling he's having led him to that behavior. "Dammit!! Simple question you can't even answer honestly?!"

" It...hurts...Let go... "

Whoo-peesh!!

She flung her arm forward, whipping it across his face. The noise and sensation Keisuke felt from her slap was enough to wake him up in his delusion. His voice was low and remorseful when he withdrew.

"I-I didn't mean to.." Keisuke's head was bent so that she couldn't even see his face.

"Just when I decided to trust you... Humans can't be trusted after all!"

Reddening in outrage, the girl whirled away from him, and cast a bottle of liquid in the dark lake. It was an antidote that she was supposed to give to Keisuke. She drugged his food for self defense.

"What...?"

As soon as she showed her back to Keisuke, his eyes had begun to water up; the effects of the poison finally kicked in. Erin's teary face filled his chronic vision before his face rushed towards the dirt and body collapse on the ground. Aware that his consciousness is rapidly drifting away, Keisuke bitched and moaned nonstop, yet not even his voice could escape his own mouth.

* * * * * *

Erin knew that what she did was not right, and that her actions had been wrong and hurtful. She tried hard to do the right thing-- she agonized her actions all too late-- but he had gone and accused her of something really nasty, which she did not deserve.

The poison was made from a combination of herbs and flowers that will induce drowsiness to whoever will be close enough to smell it directly. It is a type of perfume. Adding a trickle of this poison to Keisuke's portion, it turned out to be really effective.

Its been a while since she had her last bath, so Erin didn't waste such a perfect opportunity. Erin hurriedly set her things aside and took her clothes off to enjoy the pool of water in front of her. Enduring the cold sting, she started to dip her sleek naked body while stealing some glances at Keisuke. Once her skin had settled at the water's temperature, she felt relaxed as nothing beats a nice and relaxing bath after a such a long and hard journey, even though a person she considers a pervert is within walking distance.

Volius was stashed away in her luggage for he always comments on useless things; notably her breast size.

[Is something bothering you?] Levasti asked.

The very fact that Erin was pacing told her that something was bothering her. Erin sank below the water surface, hiding her cheeks that were flushed in embarrassment. Keisuke's abruptness had taken her off guard.

[It's nothing.]

[For heaven's sake. Don't tell me you're interested in that boy?]

Coming face to face with Keisuke without any warning and being held inside his fierce possessiveness, Erin was definitely startled. It made her heart thump in excitement and her mind drift into a sea of clouds. Until today, she had never paid that much attention to the opposite sex.

[It wasn't like that. I was just thinking about what he said.]

[Deceits!] Levasti said in immediate protest. [Do not be fooled by his colorful words.]

[Mhm.. ] Erin murmured skeptically. [I do agree that he's suspicious, but there was something about his words that made me wonder.]

Nothing near a declaration of love, but Keisuke's words carried a special warmth. So vague, so blurred. She struggled to clarify them.

[Well, he's a pervert first and foremost.]

[That, we could agree on without a doubt.]

Erin and Levasti continued their chat underneath the dark sky. Keisuke remained collapse on the dirt, motionless.

[Girls and their breast problems... Why can they not understand that smaller is better?]

Volius rude remarked caused him to be stashed deeper inside Erin's belongings.