Chapter 474: Hopeless Situation |
[Play STAR ANIS: discolored dream by Mori+]
While Hope was en route to the Myth Incorporated Headquarters and also en route to the best night of her life, someone else was having the worst night of his life.
Kai quietly sipped a glass of wine, sitting at the head of a table in a private restaurant.
To his right, his childhood friend, the girl he failed to save... Sakura Hibana sat.
To his left, the mother of his child, the girl he loved and left... Elise Jin, nee Rothschild sat.
It was midnight. Monday- No, since the clock had rolled over, it was technically early Tuesday morning.
Normally at this time, he'd be in bed after having combed over the next strategies for managing Prodigy.
But tonight, he had other business.
Specifically...
Elise nodded and shook Sakura's hand. "Yes. This is the first time we've met, Miss Sakura. And I'm Elise."
'Well. At least it's smooth so far.'
It could be worse.
In many ways, actually.
After all, Sakura was the one who had reached out saying it was time to talk. All three of them.
And Elise could have said no, since she was the one who had taken Kai's last name. His proper wife.
But instead, she had agreed to come along. Even though it was a late meeting. Not evening, not later that day, but midnight. Specifically midnight.
...If Kai was being honest, it was a bit too much grace.
The fact that he was here with both women. The fact that neither of him had completely blamed him for his mistakes, even though they could have. The fact that both could have left him to suffer.
Instead, they were here. Together. To talk it out cordially.
Kai let out a soft sigh and refilled his glass, letting the two women who each had half of his heart lead the conversation.
===
Sakura stared at the woman across from her.
Spoiler
'Beautiful.'
Sakura had known about it intellectually. Rin had said that Tsuki's mother was pretty. And Sakura had caught a few glimpses of her before.
But this was the first time that Sakura had the chance to properly view her.
Skin as pale as fresh snow. Almost deathly, but with just enough color to look beautiful instead of ghastly.
Eyes a beautiful emerald hue, but tinged yellow. Like the neonlights that Sakura used to work under to make ends meet.
Soft golden hair, looking like faded light. Ethereal, but undoubtedly eye-catching.
And then there were her clothes, a fancy white jacket over a white blouse, but with a black skirt that contrasted perfectly.
She looked like money. Old money. A fairytale princess from a distant land.
Except...
'You didn't get your happy ending either. Not really.'
Sakura's hands tightened over her knees.
===
Elise was quiet, watching the woman seated across from her.
'So this is Kai's first love. Beautiful.'
Spoiler
She was beautiful.
Light brown hair that looked faded from stress and time, giving her a delicate air.
Her skin was pale, likely from years of poor health. But as if to make up for that, she wore a colorful bright orange blouse, paired with a pair of blue jeans.
In her hair, she wore a fireworks hairpin. Likely to reflect her last name: Hibana. Fire flower, but twisted. Not quite 'Hanabi', real fireworks. But close enough.
Her eyes, a light brown, looked like a blazing orange in this light, reflecting her blouse.
Elise could tell. Once upon at time, Sakura was a wonderful and energetic beauty- No, SHOULD have been a wonderful and energetic beauty.
Tsuki had told Elise about Rin. And Elise herself had seen Rin's streams as Hana.
So she knew. What Rin was right now was everything that Sakura could have been... SHOULD have been.
If Kai had managed to save her.
But instead...
Elise pursed her lips and clenched the hem of her black skirt.
'...It was supposed to be her. Wasn't it?'
The woman who should have Elise's place. The one who STILL had Kai's heart. Or at least half of it.
Elise could tell by the melancholic expression on her face. A thin smile that didn't reach anywhere close to her eyes. And a gaze that looked like it was remembering a distant memory.
Elise let out a shuddering breath.
===
Kai was quiet, sipping on his glass of wine.
...What was there to say?
He was sorry?
There weren't enough words in the world to make up for how he failed both of them.
That he would be better?
He already was, and that changed nothing about the past. COULD change nothing about the past.
That they should move on?
He didn't have the right to say it. Because he was the one who failed them.
Still...
'I never meant to hurt you.'
Words that could apply to either woman seated beside him.
The cheerful young girl he had failed and who became a mother while still a child.
The delicate beauty who reached her hand out for salvation, only for him to leave her to the wolves afterwords.
Both of them were hurt because he couldn't commit. Wouldn't choose.
And now here they all were. Him, and two girls who had become women, both with bleeding hearts from wounds he made that never fully healed.
If John was here, that guy would probably say something like 'man up and just admit you made a mistake.'
But that was easy to say, hard to do.
Because...
How could he admit that by saving one he gave the other up? That because he couldn't give one up, he left both to drown in misery?
After a long while, Sakura sighed and said, "I guess life is just like that sometimes." She poured herself a glass of wine and glanced at Kai, a faint teasing smile on her face. "You always were too soft for that side of the world, Kai."
"Sakura..."
Elise let out a soft laugh, reaching out for the bottle from Sakura. She poured herself a glass of wine and said, "Yes. Mister Kai was always too heroic. That was why he made so many mistakes. Sometimes, you have to be the villain. And when you try too hard to be a hero, everyone makes you fail."
"...Yeah." Sakura nodded, taking a long swig from her glass. "Ain't that the truth of it. Well, unless you're John. That crazy bastard's a miracle worker in more ways than one."
Elise laughed again, a bit more energetic. "Yes. Mister John is prone to making wishes come true, isn't he?"
"Mmhm. Him and all his daughters. Speaking of which..." Sakura shifted her gaze back to Kai. "...So, Kai. About Tsuki."
"A-Ah. Yes?" Kai straightened up, finally being addressed. "W-What about my daughter? Ahem. I mean, what about Tsuki?"
"I heard from Betty that she got in a spat with Meggie, but then that they made up and that they're dating now? Is that true, or is she just saying nonsense again?"
Kai blinked.
Elise coughed, staining her white coat with a bit of wine. "I-I beg your pardon?"
"...Huh." Sakura let out a teasing smile. "So you don't know yet, do you? Guess karma has a sense of humor after all."