Isas was up very late that night, unable to sleep. He was trying to get back, or, at least try the habit of sleeping when he was supposed to, but after what happened earlier on in the day, he couldn't sleep a wink.

Exhausted but unable to find sleep, Isas turned to his side, putting on his glasses, and taking his phone, beginning to text Jumin.

.

Jumin: alright, so you caught me 😝

Jumin: What's up?

Isas: I can't sleep.

Jumin: when have you ever slept?

Jumin: 😂😂😂

Jumin: holy shit dude!

Isas: I picked up a few things. Mainly from Kimi.

Isas: an art only she can master.

Jumin:

Isas: you are the devil.

Jumin: 😂😛😝

Isas laughed, but his joy was short lived when he remembered something, his negative feelings returning once more.

Isas:...I'm sorry Jumin...I'm sorry...

Jumin: ?

Jumin: sorry for what?

By that time, Isas had already shut off his phone, covering his face with his arms and began crying, then sobbing into his pillow.

It's my fault....It's all my fault...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March

Morning.

It had started raining early that morning. Yasahiro woke up to make Isas breakfast-but he didn't know how to cook, so he just poured him some juice and waited at the kitchen table. A little while later, Isas could be heard walking down the stairs. Excitingly, Yasahiro got up from his seat and ran to greet him.

"Good morning Isa-! Isas?!"

From the looks of it, Isas had been crying for hours and a little more this morning.

"G-good morning, Yasahiro..." He mumbled.

"Isas, what's wrong?! Why are you crying?!"

Isas wiped the remaining tears away. "I-I'm not crying. You do not have to worry about me...now, if you'll excuse me, I have to hurry or I'll be late."

"B-but you haven't eaten yet-"

"I'll eat tomorrow..."

And with that statement, Isas left, shutting the door behind him. Yasahiro's bottom lip began to quiver as he began to cry.

"D-did I do something wrong..?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suki arrived at school, seemingly before anyone else. Or maybe they had all retreated inside since it was raining. Either way, no one was there.

Except for a familiar face who was heading to the back of the school.

"Isas?"

Suki quickly walked in the direction where Isas was heading. What was he doing outside in this weather? Isas soon stopped with Suki a short distance away from him. He then fell onto his knees, then collapsing to his side and broke down crying.

Suki gasped as she raced to his side and knelt down.

"Isas?! What's wrong?!" She questioned in a panic.

"..I-it's me, Ichika-San...I-I am what's wrong..." Isas sobbed.

Suki sighed as she picked up Isas in her arms. "Let's go inside. You'll get sick."

Isas nodded as he reluctantly stood up and be led inside by Suki.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much to her chagrin, Isas' vice president Maya went to go get him some towels from the locker room and allowed him and Suki a pass to attend class later on in the day.

Suki thoroughly dried Isas' wet hair as he kept his gaze to the floor, feeling ashamed. Suki smiled sadly as she gently stroked his cheek with her finger.

"....Why are you helping me?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you being so nice to me? Why are you so caring? And why to me of all people?" Isas asked, seemingly emotionless, eyes cold and blank.

"B-because you're my friend. Why wouldn't I care about you?"

Isas looked up at her, taking off his glasses. "Just look at me, Suki-San. I have one blind eye and the other I can hardly see out of. I'm a pathetic child who does nothing but whine how no one sees my pain and suffering when I don't even have the damn nerve to tell anyone what's wrong. That's why..."

Tears once again began to fall from Isas' eyes.

"That's why it's my fault...I-it's always been my fault....! It's my fault that you and the others had to venture down into that horrible place...! IT'S MY FAULT THAT YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS PAIN NOW! I-IT'S MY FAULT THAT EVERY TIME I LOOK AT JUMIN I SEE HIM DEAD! I SEE THE SCAR THAT I GAVE HIM! ME! ME AND ME ALONE! I HURT THE PERSON WHOM I CARED ABOUT THE MOST! IT'S MY FAULT-!!"

Before he could degrade himself any further, Suki lunged at him, hugging him tightly, suffocating him a bit.

"Isas Chikako, listen to me as if I was your mother- except I actually love you."

Isas nodded.

"None of what happen was your fault. It was all out of your control! You could have never predicted what would happen there! What could have happen to you, or I, or Jumin. This was not your fault in the slightest. At all. I am so glad to have gone through everything I had so I could meet you. So I could save you! And I am sure that Jumin feels the same way! But...if you do feel this way, I suggest you tell Jumin. Talk to him, or talk to me! Please! You do not have to go through this alone...not anymore."

Isas stared at Suki, almost in disbelief. His breath hitched as he held her tightly. Suki smiled warmly, feeling her bond with Isas became stronger.

Emporer Arcana: Rank 2

The bell rang as the two broke away from the hug.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Suki asked.

"I should be fine, thanks to you....I'm sorry to ask you this, but may we reschedule our 'date' for another time?"

Suki nodded. "Of course. Just give me a call."

"Thank you, Suki-San."

Suki smiled sweetly. "Of course, Isas."

She turned away and headed for the door, not noticing the strange woman peaking from behind a corner.

She smiled menacingly.