Chapter Text
It's a day like any other when it's announced that the world may be ending in a week's time.
The weather was typical of that of a summer day – balmy, nap-encouraging, and with a light breeze. Kasumi was spending her day helping her mother clean up around the house, as she had decided to tidy up while the boys were staying with their grandparents. She wishes she could have gone too, but her mother needed Kasumi's help and her mother's word is law. Arguing with her always results in some sort of passive-aggressive treatment, it's better to lay low and avoid it.
Birds were chirping outside, subdued by the heat, yet still occasional flashes of wings passed by the windows. Her mother's radio buzzed in the background, playing a tinny version of Take Me Home, Country Roads as Kasumi swept.
Lost in her usual daydreams, Kasumi was humming along as she worked, so engrossed that she didn't notice when it was cut off. She does, however, notice when the squeal of static cuts off the song, a prelude to the blaring warning sound that followed it.
Surprised, Kasumi drops the broom and, as she bends down to retrieve it, a pleasant feminine voice replaces the noise.
”Good afternoon. The Federal Government of the United States is issuing a warning for an asteroid on course to hit Earth with an estimated time of arrival of seven days. Do not be alarmed, NASA and other international space agencies have been planning for this event and are sending Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or D.A.R.T., spacecrafts to intercept it. The 2022 D.A.R.T. test showed that it is a successful solution for redirection. So, I repeat, do not be alarmed. Please refer to the televised broadcast or the website www.usa.gov for more information. Thank you.”
The warning sound blares again, filling the otherwise quiet room.
“Kasumi, what have you done to the radio? What is that racket?” calls her mother from the bathroom. Kasumi is silent, shocked, as the message begins again. “Kasumi!” Vaguely, she registers her mother coming closer, a pinched look on her face.
Kasumi can only stare at her as she repeats her question, before sighing loudly and throwing her hands in the air.
“Answer me when I'm–” Her mother trails off as she tunes in to the message. It's almost comical how the blood drains from her face, Kasumi forces down the hysterical urge to laugh. She's sure she looks the same.
They've been told not to worry, but the sinking feeling in her stomach makes it feel like she was handed a death sentence. She doesn’t like how the size wasn’t mentioned, nor why they're scaring everyone if they do have the situation under control. Why not tell them after it was resolved? The adrenaline that fills her has no use, as she can't run from what feels like impending doom, so it leaves her feeling light-headed and prickly.
Her brothers. They need to be checked up on. Stiffly, Kasumi tests her limbs. They quiver but are usable. It feels kind of like learning to walk again as she staggers to her phone, before painstakingly searching for one of their contacts. However, when she taps it, the call doesn't go through. Too many other people must already be reaching out to their loved ones.
“My calls to Yukito and Hinaka aren't going through.” Her mother makes a pained sound but is otherwise silent, staring into space. The radio drones on, replaying the message over and over again.
Desperately, Kasumi tries some other apps, but they return similar results. It’s unfortunate, though kind of expected. She’ll just have to hope they eventually go through; Kasumi thinks as she shoots off some messages checking up on them.
With a shaky sigh, Kasumi tucks her phone in her pocket. They'll be fine, Granny is probably distracting them. There's no reason to panic, remember? The anxious shaking in her limbs does not lessen, no matter how often she reminds herself of it.
When she looks back up, her mother is still staring at her in mute horror.
“Kasumi,” Her voice cracks, trembles. The sound of her mother so anxious does nothing to help how Kasumi feels. “Why would they tell us this?” A little helplessly, Kasumi shrugs.
“They'll be launching spacecrafts, I guess people would get suspicious of all the activity.” The site of the original D.A.R.T. test is close to their house. It makes Kasumi a little uneasy to think that the next time something is launched, she’ll probably see it and know she's relying on it for her life. “Or maybe it was getting close enough that people could see it through their personal telescopes.”
Under Kasumi’s gaze, her mother’s face cycles through a range of emotions: terror, sorrow, hopelessness. Finally, it settles on grim resignation. Her mother takes a deep breath. Kasumi shrinks.
“We have to pray. Judgement Day may be upon us.”
“They told us not to worry. I'm sure we'll be fine.” Emphatically, her mother shakes her head. Her eyes lock onto one of the crosses on the wall.
“They cannot change His will. We're going to church.” A look towards Kasumi reveals now-blazing eyes, and Kasumi ducks her head.
“Yes, Mama.” she mumbles, obedient as ever.
“Now go pack, we may be there for a few days. And don't forget to put away the broom, we're trying to clean the house, not make more of a mess.” How keeping everything tidy is even on her mother's mind, Kasumi has no idea.
Carefully, Kasumi picks her way around the cleaning supplies and heads up to her room. She sits on her bed and stares out of the window, hoping to absorb the familiar comfort it brings before they leave. The sky is a perfect, cloudless blue.
The sound of her phone's notification tone alerts her. Hopefully, it's one of her brothers.
It isn't them, but instead a discord message from one of her online friends. When Kasumi wasn't busy with work, caring for her brothers or assisting her mother, she spent her free time on a multiplayer, action-adventure game called Jujutsu Kaisen.
The game centred around players levelling up in “Grades” and unlocking new powers to use against cursed spirits. Kasumi was part of a group who played regularly – she had chosen the role of a swordswoman, although she hadn't quite got the hang of it yet.
She had become quite close with the rest of her group over the past few months, even going as far as exchanging addresses to send each other birthday presents. The majority of the group was unfortunately spread out across the world, however, there was one who was within driving distance.
His name was Kokichi Muta, and he lived a good six-hour drive away. He was so tantalisingly close, yet Kasumi just didn't have that kind of time (or money) to visit him, and he didn’t have an easy way to reach her. During one of their calls, Kokichi had told her that he has Maffucci Syndrome – a rare disease that causes tumours in bones and veins. While he was able to stand and walk, it was only for very short periods, so he predominantly used a wheelchair. With additional complications, such as chronic pain and various braces, driving for six hours was just not feasible.
The pair had naturally gravitated towards each other as she played odd hours and he seemed to always be up (“painsomnia”, he called it). It helped that Kasumi found his dry sense of humour and warm voice kinda cute. He was also so intelligent and kindly helped walk (carry) her through the game, something Kasumi greatly appreciated.
Mechamaru: Crazy news. How are you holding up?
Kasumi chews on her bottom lip. Should she be honest? She doesn't want to freak him out with her nerves, but then again. Who could not be anxious after that broadcast?
Kasamurai: Nervous d: My mother wants us to stay at the church (help). How are you feeling?
The message doesn't send, but if his came through then surely hers will sooner or later.
“Are you almost ready?” The sounds of her mother rifling through the kitchen remind Kasumi that she's supposed to be packing.
“Um… Give me a few minutes.” she calls back. Her mother is purposefully silent. The sounds echoing from the kitchen increase in volume.
Slowly, she stands and takes what might be the last look around her room. The room is pretty much devoid of any sentimental items, aside from the photos primly pinned to her corkboard and small presents from her friends.
Kasumi never bought knick-knacks, afraid that she would be told off for wasting money. It wasn't like she could hide them either, it seemed like her mother always knew exactly what was going in and out of the house.
With her mind numb, Kasumi begins to take down the pictures. They collect on her desk, making a pitifully small pile. It's weird but knowing she's potentially not going to be alive in a week makes her want to surround herself with cheap items that have no physical use, like the photos.
There is no time to admire them all, so instead she handles them carefully and promises herself to look through them later. Hopefully, she has a box somewhere to protect them with.
It feels like she's in a dream as she begins sorting through her clothing. As if on autopilot, she mechanically retrieves and packs her clothing. First are two pairs of pyjamas, one for warm and one for cold weather. While it is summer, she has no idea what the church keeps its temperature at. Although Kasumi tries to ignore the thought, she has no idea whether the electricity will even be running later in the week.
What else? Kasumi stares blankly at her wardrobe. Normal clothing. Toiletries. A towel. Portable charger. Would she need money? Her head is spinning, but she has to keep moving. The panic hasn't properly set in yet, but she knows it can't be far off.
A look at the weather app shows perfect, warm weather for the next week. Kasumi wonders what she would have been doing if there had been no announcement.
Her most comfortable clothing is packed up, then enough underwear and socks for a week. Then, her swimming clothes in case there's little privacy when bathing (if they can bathe). A reusable bag to hold her dirty clothing. Her brothers’ largest portable charger, so big it had to be left behind as it didn’t meet airport guidelines, and a charging cord. She leaves her room to grab a towel, refill her water bottle, and collect her toiletries.
The bag is almost overflowing, but there's still space for her pictures. Kasumi empties a tissue box and then pushes her pictures through the slot. Alongside them, she adds gifted jewellery from her friends and a couple of postcards from her online friends. It fits perfectly.
Before her mother can call for her again, Kasumi grabs her pillow and bag, then heads back into the living room. She leaves them on the couch, alongside her usual handbag with her wallet, wired headphones, and keys.
The television is on now and Kasumi can't help but tune in as she tidies away what she had been cleaning with. The same lady whose voice was on the radio transmission is onscreen, accompanied by their usual news reporter. She seems so perfectly at ease that it almost makes Kasumi feel worse.
“The asteroid was spotted by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or A.T.L.A.S., weeks in advance and preparations have been underway since. Weeks ago, the first D.A.R.T. launch was publicised as a commercial launch from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, and will reach the asteroid this afternoon for redirection. Do not be alarmed. No national holiday has been announced, proceed as normal.”
Once she has finished tidying up, she heads into the kitchen. Her mother appears to be packing up some food, her own bag full of personal items already sitting on a counter.
“We'll walk to the church; I doubt we'll find parking today.”
Kasumi nods and stands to the side, unsure how to help. As a tense silence builds, her mother's actions become more forceful.
“Lord help me, Kasumi, can you not see what needs to be done? Go close the windows and make sure everything is turned off.”
Awkwardly, Kasumi nods and backs out of the room. She wanders around the house, making sure everything is up to her mother's standards. Extra attention is paid as she completes the request – her mother isn’t usually so snappish, but the circumstances are enough to put anyone on edge.
Her phone buzzes and finally, comfortingly, it's one of her brothers.
Yukito: we're all good. do u still have dad's walkie-talkie? probably easier to talk on that
Kasumi stares at the text. When they were much younger (and when their dad was still with them), he took the family on camping trips. He had bought long-range walkie-talkies in case of an emergency, keeping one with them and leaving the other with his parents. The garage had become a storage area for all of his old gear as her mother didn't want to get rid of it, so the walkie-talkie was probably in there.
She rushes through the rest of her task, then heads through the door to the garage. As Kasumi passes through the kitchen, her mother seems to have disappeared. It feels a bit unkind, but she’s glad that she’ll be able to talk to her brothers one-on-one unsupervised.
When it comes to locating the walkie-talkie, Kasumi is unsure where to start, she hasn't been through the gear in years. There are boxes upon boxes stacked along the back wall. Well, she’ll only find it once she starts looking. She pushes up the sleeves of her hoodie, before pulling down the first box. It doesn’t have anything of use, only colourful climbing rope, and neither do the next two boxes.
Then, in the third box, she comes across the bag her dad kept it in, nestled amongst a bunch of her dad’s old gadgets. Inside the bag is the walkie-talkie, accompanied by its screwdriver. She tests it, but the batteries are dead. Kasumi groans. Does everything have it out for her today? Resigned, she picks up the screwdriver and opens up the back panel. The batteries are easy enough to lever out, so she replaces them with some others lying around in the box, hoping they’re charged. Once she has the back panel back on, Kasumi holds her breath. It’s the moment of truth.
Fortunately, when she presses the button this time, it works. Kasumi just hopes that the frequency band doesn’t need to be changed – it has been a couple of years since they last checked the connection.
“Yukito? Hinaka? It’s Kasumi, are you guys there? Uh, over.” The line is silent for a few moments, then–
“Kasumi!” Yukito’s voice is wobbly and Kasumi’s heart melts. “You got my text! It didn’t go through for ages.” She can hear Hinaka sniffling in the background, accompanied by her grandmother’s voice, although she can’t tell what she’s saying.
“I’m happy to hear your voices, are you doing okay?”
“Yeah, we’re, um, all good. How are you?” Yukito pauses, when he speaks, his voice is quieter. “And Mama?”
“I’m fine. Mama’s taking us to church, she’s packing right now.”
“Yikes. Wish you were here instead.” The voices in the background pick up in volume and Kasumi smiles – she can recognize Hinaka’s whine anywhere. Usually, it’s annoying in a way that only siblings can be, but now she wishes she was in the room to hear it. “Hinaka wants to talk to you.” The walkie-talkie is passed over before she can say goodbye to Yukito.
“Where are you, ‘sumi?” She can almost hear his pout. “I miss you.”
“Sorry, but I’m going with Mama to church.”
“But Granny said it will be fine, so why aren’t you coming over?” His voice gets increasingly louder, words ending with a tell-tale shake.
“It wasn’t my choice to make, sorry, Hina.” Before he can get more upset, she decides to distract him. “Wanna talk to Mama?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll go find her.” She gets up and heads out of the garage. “Make sure to let Granny and Yukito know to call us every day, okay?”
“Mhm.” Kasumi spots her mother in the bathroom, double-checking the windows are locked.
“We’ll call you at lunch.” Yukito’s voice is loud, right up to the mic – Kasumi bets it’s because Hinaka isn’t letting him have the walkie-talkie back. Their mother looks over at the noise.
“Mama’s here. I love you both and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Her brothers chorus their goodbyes and Kasumi hands over the walkie-talkie.
Their mother takes it and flashes a grateful smile at Kasumi. She immediately presses down on the PTT button.
“How are my babies?” Her voice is warm, loving. Kasumi does her best to ignore it and quickly makes an exit.
In the living room lay what Kasumi and her mother have packed. It makes Kasumi feel a little number, knowing that the sum of all that the family have collected in their lifetimes has been reduced to a couple of bags worth of belongings.
Patiently, she waits on the couch for her mother to finish. She can hear laughter through the thin walls of the house, each peal making her feel a little smaller. Kasumi isn’t jealous of the unconditional love her brothers receive – not really. Kasumi has had a weird relationship with her mother for as long as she can remember. Her mother had suffered from severe postpartum depression in the months after Kasumi’s birth, which wouldn’t have bothered Kasumi – it can’t be helped, after all – but her mother seemingly never quite achieved the same love that she feels towards her sons.
Then, when Kasumi’s father passed away, it became worse. Her brothers were lovely little reminders of her dad, Yukito was equally as adventurous and intelligent, whereas Hinaka had the same friendliness and love to share. Kasumi was an average student, quiet, and a reflection of her mother’s own failures. Her dad had once told her that she was exactly how her mother was when she was younger: down-to-earth, kind-hearted, and loyal. Kasumi wonders what went wrong. Kasumi wonders if she was what went wrong.
Oh, her eyes are beginning to sting. She rubs them until the stinging dissipates.
“Time to go, Kasumi.” Her mother stands in the doorway, expression once again neutral, with the walkie-talkie outstretched. “Put this in your bag for me.” Kasumi stands quickly and takes it from her. With great care, she unrolls some of her clothing and wraps the walkie-talkie up, before putting it back in her bag. Then she puts her bag on and grabs her pillow and handbag, before joining her mother outside. Kasumi says a mental goodbye (hopefully, only for now) to the house.
The walk to the church is quiet. Kasumi’s not sure if that’s good or not. Through the windows they pass, she can see people hugging each other or crying or arguing. She shivers, clutching her pillow closer to her chest for comfort. The asteroid may not even hit, but it’s hard to be calm when faced with news like that, not to mention with to how everyone is reacting. Unnerved, Kasumi begins chewing on her lip. Her mother doesn’t seem to notice the people, striding forward towards the church. Slowly, more people begin to appear on the pavement, seemingly heading the same way. They also don’t make conversation. The air feels so tense and thick that Kasumi’s heart is starting to race. When they turn into the car park, Kasumi stops chewing on her lip, only to realise it’s bleeding.
“I wish we had time to redye your hair before we came.” Mouth twisted in disappointment; her mother finally broke the silence. “They haven’t seen you in so long and you show up looking like this.” It’s obvious that she just wants to avoid comments from her church friends, those whose children are all angelic and only have coloured hair in their nightmares. Kasumi just nods, eyes trained to the floor. They approach the open doors and Kasumi can hear people, so many people. Her heart begins to pound in her chest. It’s already too much.
As soon as Kasumi enters the church, she freezes up. The place is packed and so overwhelmingly loud. The majority are singing hymns and holding each other close. Usually, the passion can be moving, but today it just makes Kasumi feel sick. Others are in the aisle, crying and begging for their sins to be absolved as they prostrate themselves in front of the priest. Her mother is enveloped in hugs from regulars before they descend on Kasumi. The crush of bodies makes her feel claustrophobic and she just wants to scream or cry or escape. Being trapped in a room filled only with strangers is not where she wants to be. Kasumi can’t spend what may be her last week praying. Escape, she thinks wildly, she has to get away or she’ll never forgive herself.
Kasumi allows herself to be pulled to a corner by her mother, the gaggle of her friends following. Their children are already waiting. They eye up her blue hair, her bleeding lip, and her ratty hoodie, it’s almost painful how much she sticks out compared to them.
She taps her mother’s shoulder, pulling her out of the conversation. Her mother half-turns to her. The church friends and their children stare.
“Mama, I think I forgot something at home.”
“What did you forget, darling?” Kasumi internally cringes at her voice.
“Uh, the charger for the walkie-talkie.” The lie makes it feel like her throat is closing up, she’s so anxious. Fortunately, her mother doesn’t think too hard about it.
“You can go grab it. Do you have your keys?”
“Yeah.” Her mother fixes Kasumi’s hair, but the gesture comes off as more robotic than fond.
“Hurry back then. Love you.”
“Love you.” Kasumi shoots a smile at the group, then darts away before she can be asked why she was taking her bags with her.
Once she’s outside, she takes a deep breath of fresh air. The sounds of the singing fade away and Kasumi can feel her heartbeat slowing down. There was no way she would be coming back. But where could she go?
Her phone buzzes.
Mechamaru: I’m as good as I can be, considering… you know. Sucks that my parents aren’t in the country though, would be nice to have some comfort I guess.
Hm. She rereads the message. Hm. As Kasumi walks back towards the house, she considers something. What if… she went to provide that comfort? Her face flushes and she shakes her head violently, embarrassed, to remove the idea. A passerby gives her a weird look, but she doesn’t notice, too caught up in her thoughts. Well, it’s not like she has anywhere else to go. And, if the D.A.R.T.s do fail, then there won’t be another chance to go see him. That thought almost brings the ever-growing panic she’s trying to ignore to the forefront of her mind, but she forces it back. Her mother would find her if she just stayed home, and she doesn’t even want to think about the scolding she would receive.
Kasamurai: What ifffffff I said I’m on my way? (not joking) (road trip time babeyyyy) (want to come with?)
Kasumi has always been careful to think things through, a trait picked up from her mother’s parenting. But the spontaneity gave her such a rush. She stares at the message, giddy, before she stuffs her phone in her pocket. Maybe it’s from her sudden independence (or her pointedly dismissed terror), but she feels like she could float away, her body is so light. Suddenly, the sky seems bluer and the green of the trees more vibrant.
Now, how could she accomplish this? She has his address from when they had promised to send each other birthday gifts, so that was easy enough. For money, she was supposed to be saving for university, but if – if – the D.A.R.T.s didn’t work, then she might as well use it now. The real problem was her car. It could fit their belongings, food, and the gear they would need while travelling (she hopes he’ll join her). Unfortunately, it was too small to fit those as well as Kokichi’s larger mobility aids, such as his wheelchair and walker. The braces and cane would be fine, but what use was that if he mainly used his wheelchair? Not to mention the independent living aids he has.
As she walks up her driveway, Kasumi has a thought. A thought that will probably result in the unleashing of her mother’s wrath when (or if) she returns. The family car is a mum van, a beast of a thing that had carried the family, all of their luggage, and their camping gear around with ease. It is definitely big enough to fit all of the Kokichi’s aids, plus whatever else they need.
On one hand, that’s a perfect solution to her problems. On the other, if the crisis is averted, then her mother will probably report the van as stolen (plus her as missing) and Kasumi doesn’t particularly want to be arrested. Well. Fuck it. She’s taking the van.
Kasumi is buzzing as she enters the house, almost forgetting to relock the door in her daze. She makes a beeline for the kitchen, where she grabs the van’s spare keys from a drawer, before heading into the attached garage. The van sits there, scratched and dull from age, and it looks like freedom.
She throws open the doors and begins to chuck out every single thing she doesn’t need. Sports equipment goes flying, soon followed by random articles of clothing, and the disgusting air freshener that her mother insisted on hanging in the car. Kasumi is exuberant, high on the excitement of knowing she’s no longer restricted.
Once it’s empty, Kasumi opens the back of the car to access the luggage compartment. She scans her father’s gear, before grabbing a small tent and boxed up plastic dishes. They’re packed into the car, followed by a kerosene stove, a lighter, and its fuel. Then some air mattresses and a pump. Then two collapsible chairs and a table. Finally, two sleeping bags and a working lantern. Kasumi isn’t quite sure what else she needs; it has been many years since the family last went camping. She goes back into the kitchen with a cooler, stuffing it with nonperishable items. Next on the list is pans, then cutlery that she packs into some Tupperware. As she hasn’t decided where they’re going, she also lugs a full five-gallon water jug to the car and packs it in.
After adding the bags she had brought back from the church, Kasumi surveys the van. She can’t think of anything else. Kasumi has a whole six-hour drive to remember whatever she missed – she can buy it or probably grab it from Kokichi’s. The light feeling returns as she opens the garage door, only growing as she reverses out and closes the door behind her. She puts the car in Park as she connects her phone to the aux cord, leaving it on shuffle and laughing as – appropriately – Pearl Jam’s Daughter comes on. Once Google Maps has her route planned, Kasumi turns the volume up, louder than her mother would ever let her, and drives off.
Singing along, Kasumi peels off down the road. She’s free!!! The thought almost pushes the worry from her mind with the way it makes her feel so alive. She can go anywhere or do anything, although there isn’t anywhere else that she wants to visit so badly.
Well, it’s a close tie with the Jack In The Box drive-thru approaching on her right. Just because she can, she might as well get something. So, she does! Kasumi turns down her music as she approaches the microphone, then turns it down further as the worker greets her. She does her best to not let the subdued voice (and the reason why their voice is so subdued) get to her as she orders. Determined to make her drive as enjoyable as possible, Kasumi orders herself a large Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger Combo and, when she pays, it’s cheerfully for once. If this really could be her last week on Earth, Kasumi is going to make the most of it. Armed with a massive cheeseburger, Kasumi feels like she could take on the world.
The feeling furthers when, as she has pulled over to eat, her phone buzzes. Kasumi’s stomach fills with anxious, yet excited, butterflies.
Mechamaru: Excuse me? What??? Of course I’ll come with you. How big is your car?
Yes!!! If Kasumi wasn’t in a car, she would be kicking her feet. Instead, she settles for another mouthful of fries.
Kasamurai: I kinda stole my mother’s car. I could probably fit an elephant back there, so don’t worry about your stuff :D
Her excitement renews itself and Kasumi stuffs the last of her burger into her mouth. She wants to see him as soon as possible; she can eat the rest of her fries on the way. Would it be too much to hug him as soon as she sees him? Or is that weird? Kasumi has never felt so impatient in her life. As she pulls back out onto the road, Kasumi turns her music back up. Her face is starting to hurt from smiling so much.
Unfortunately, her excitement was never going to last.
Hours into the drive, Kasumi is momentarily distracted by a small, but bright light in her rear-view mirror. Its colour is stark against the night sky, arcing away and across the ocean. When she looks back to the road, she can see the light reflected in the awestruck eyes of the children in the car in front of her. They begin to talk all at once, so animated and lively. Kasumi’s heart has sunk into her seat, or perhaps deep into the Earth.
Why would they send out another spacecraft when one was scheduled to hit the asteroid that night unless something had gone wrong? Kasumi can feel that carefully compartmentalised panic uncurling, its tendrils reaching and reaching and–! Hands shaking, Kasumi reminds herself that there hasn’t been an announcement, so she shouldn’t worry herself about hypotheticals. Or maybe they were sending out the other early as a countermeasure. In events such as these, one couldn’t be too careful, after all. However, no matter how many times she reassured herself, her hands wouldn’t still.
Eventually, Kasumi has to pull in to top up the van’s petrol. It wasn’t the most fuel-efficient, but as long as it could take her and Kokichi around she was happy. The self-serve petrol station is unusually full for the time (don’t think why, don’t think why), but Kasumi finds a free pump. She pulls the lever to unlock the fuel door and gets out of the van.
The woman across from her has her windows down, playing some sort of mellow pop music, and is chatting to someone through it as she refuels. Kasumi offers her a smile when they accidentally make eye contact and receives one in return. While Kasumi is filling up the tank, a familiar warning sound cuts through the woman’s music.
When Kasumi was younger, she and her friends had a made-up game that they liked to play. They would all dance around, only stopping when one of them called “Freeze!”. That person would then go around and decide what they all looked like in their frozen positions. The frozen people would then resume moving, now acting like whatever the person said they looked like until the next person decided to shout “Freeze!”.
Kasumi is reminded of it as she, dazedly, takes in everyone’s reactions, the people around her are frozen mid-movement. Whoever is in the car turns up the volume.
”Good evening. The Federal Government of the United States has received an update on the D.A.R.T. spacecraft. Unfortunately,” Kasumi hears a pained cry, only registering that it came from her own mouth when the woman looks over at her, worried. the spacecraft did not reach the asteroid, as unforeseen solar flare affected its operations before impact. Do not be alarmed, a second D.A.R.T. spacecraft has been launched. There will be no more errors. Please refer to the televised broadcast or the website www.usa.gov for more information. Thank you.”
Trembling, Kasumi takes a step back. Her back hits the pump and she slides down it, ending up sitting on the ground. So, she could actually be dead in a week’s time, depending on wherever the asteroid strikes. Like, erased from this Earth, all traces of her very existence obliterated dead. She can feel her heart pounding in her head, throughout her limbs, in her stomach and, God, why does her chest hurt? The feeling is so overwhelming that Kasumi can’t help but gasp for air, yet she never seems to get enough. She tries to concentrate on her breathing, but her head is pounding and she’s sweating and she feels like she’s going to throw up at any second.
She vaguely registers warmth on her face and salt in her mouth and it feels like she’s drowning. Kasumi is floating high above the clouds, incorporeal, but her stomach is heavy, dragging her back down to Earth, and maybe Mama was right, maybe she is going to Hell. She’s terrified, she can’t control herself, and more streaks of warmth cascade down her face. Her mouth opens, but Kasumi can’t hear any sounds she makes. Lord, is this truly going to be the end of her existence? She can feel the march of time, crawling and then speeding, crawling and then speeding, her demise is but a finger’s stretch away. Kasumi recoils, yet it draws closer, calling to her Kasumi, Kasumi, Kasumi–
“Hey, Mai, come over here!” Kasumi’s skin is prickling as she trembles, goosebumps breaking out and she can feel them under her fingertips, yet she can’t feel feel them. Is this her body? Then why is she watching over herself, watching herself shake and tremble and drown.
A hand grabs hers and Kasumi yanks hers away, as if burned. Burning like the pits of Hell, oh, Mama, was she right? What sins had she committed to deserve this punishment? There are flames licking at her feet, she's damned and damned and–
“Not like that! Move over. Can you take care of her– yeah.” Dimly, Kasumi can feel a presence settle across from her and she’s scared, so scared, of what she’ll see if she opens her eyes. The space behind her eyes pulses as a wave of nausea passes through her. Please don't take me, she wants to whisper, but she can't make her lips move.
“Hey, Hun, I think you’re having a panic attack. Do you think you can try breathing with me? Deep in through your nose, then out through your mouth.” The presence sounds too nice to be a demon. Kasumi attempts to follow the instructions, but her inhalations are short and the sensation of drowning increases. Distressed, she whimpers.
“It’s okay to be scared, but you’re safe here and this will pass. Mai and I will look after you.” Kasumi hears the presence move. “Do you have any ice?”
“Yeah, in my drink?” The new voice sounds confused.
“Gimme.” Kasumi can’t tell what’s going on, all she can hear is liquid sloshing and fabric moving and the pounding of blood in her ears. “Put your hands out, you’re doing great. Keep working on that breathing.” It feels like it takes all of her energy to follow the request. Her spirit feels like it has been sapped, reduced to a cell-layer-thick shadow of herself. Kasumi can feel her heartbeat in her fingertips as she holds up her hands, palms up. A hand gently touches hers and, when Kasumi doesn’t move away, takes hold of her fingers. “I’m going to put some ice on you, okay? It should help shock you out of this.”
A couple of cubes are dropped into her palm and the hand curls her fingers around it. Kasumi gasps at the sensation, but it isn’t a bad feeling. The distraction gives her something else to focus on and suddenly it’s easier to breathe. The pounding of her pulse across her body fades away, leaving everything a little less overwhelming. Her heartbeat slowly lessens in speed and, once she’s feeling somewhat normal, Kasumi finally opens her eyes again.
In front of her, the woman from before is crouched and her expression is so gentle that Kasumi almost bursts into tears again.
“That’s better. Take your time.” Kasumi takes a shuddering breath and then forces it out. Somehow, despite her drained energy, she finds it in herself to squeeze the ice a little tighter.
“I feel alright, thank you so much. Um, sorry about that.” Shameful, Kasumi’s face burns.
“Don’t apologise, we’re all scared.” She pats Kasumi’s knee comfortingly. “I’m Momo, this is Mai.” Momo gestures to the woman standing beside her, who nods in acknowledgement.
“I’m Kasumi. It’s nice to meet you both.” Kasumi hiccups. “Sorry about your ice.”
“It’s all good.” Mai smiles minutely, eyes crinkling.
“As long as you’re feeling better.” Momo says it so genuinely, that Kasumi – still recovering – feels tears well up in her eyes. They spill down her cheeks, but as it’s without the hyperventilation, Kasumi can deal with it. Momo leans over and hugs her as Kasumi sobs into her shirt. It takes a second for Kasumi to notice, but Momo is crying too, silent as her small frame trembles. “It’s going to be okay, alright? You can’t spend the next week terrified. If everything passes, then you spent a week tormenting yourself for nothing. If shit hits the fan, then you spent your last week doing nothing but worrying. Okay?” She strokes Kasumi’s back comfortingly. “You have somewhere nice to spend the next few days, Hun?”
Kasumi nods into her shirt, not trusting her voice.
“That’s good, I’m glad. Go enjoy yourself. In case anything changes, I’ll give you my number. God knows when the text will come through, but you can hang out with me and Mai.” Momo pats her back. “And when all this is hopefully over, we can meet up again, hmm? You can tell us what you got up to.” Momo’s shirt is damp when Kasumi pulls away, but she’s still smiling. Hesitantly, Kasumi returns the smile.
“Thanks.” Still a little shaky, Kasumi pulls out her phone and opens a new contact, before handing it to Momo.
Emotionally exhausted, Kasumi leans back against the pump as Momo types away. The pump… Wait, she was in the middle of filling up her car. Her head shoots up, but Mai is standing beside the now-closed fuel door.
“Don’t worry, it’s taken care of. You’re all good to go.” Kasumi relaxes back against the pump, offering a weak smile to Mai as Momo returns her phone.
“Thank you both so much, I really appreciate it.” The pair chuckle.
“No thanks needed, we’re friends now, right?” Momo gets up, stretching her legs out. Gingerly, Kasumi follows suit, although her legs shake. Quickly, Mai steps forward to catch her, but Kasumi doesn’t fall.
“Right.”
“It was nice meeting you, Kasumi.” Mai wraps an arm around Momo’s shoulders, her expression fond. In turn, Momo leans into Mai’s touch, squinting at Kasumi as if it would help her better understand Kasumi’s condition.
“Text me! And don’t drive if you’re not feeling up to it.”
“Will do! I’ll see you both again sometime.” Mollified, Momo gives her a thumbs-up as the two head back to their car.
Once their car has left the station, Kasumi half-walks half-staggers back into her van. From the comfort of her seat, she stares blankly across the petrol station. People are gathered in groups, some crying just as she was. Just like with her and Momo, she watches as various strangers embrace or offer tissues to others. Kasumi has never felt so alone, yet so surrounded by love. Feeling a little sick, she drives away from the pump, not wanting to hold anyone else up. However, she stays on the property to collect herself some more. As Kasumi focuses on her breathing, she shakily composes a text to Momo.
To Momo <3: Thanks again, hope you both make it wherever you’re going safely! Lmk where, I’ll see if I’m in the area
She locks her phone and puts it down, but it buzzes almost immediately after. Kasumi’s first thought is that it’s Momo and the text services are running normally again, but it’s Kokichi.
Mechamaru: Stealing a car? Are you the same Kasumi I know? Suspicious. Either way, I’m excited to meet Imposter-Kasumi or real-Kasumi, but preferably the real one.
Kasamurai: I’m about an hour out, I’ll probably be there before you get this message. I can’t wait to see you!
Okay, that’s enough of a break. With no-longer-shaking hands, Kasumi restarts her Google Maps and continues on her way.
While she's still nervous, it's admittedly more because she'll be meeting Kokichi soon. She probably looks like a mess (thank God she wasn't wearing makeup), but who can be expected to look good after being trapped in a car for 6 hours? And, when they do travel together, he'll definitely see her looking worse.
As Kasumi debates on whether to park on his driveway (will she be in the way?) or not (she just wants to make everything as easy as possible for him), the highways fade into residential streets. Every couple of turns, she sneaks a look at her phone screen to see how much the line showing the route has shrunk as she draws closer.
When she finally turns onto his street, Kasumi decides to park up the driveway, as she can always move the van later on. She forces herself not to stare through the windows as she indicates and pulls onto the property. Park. Handbrake. Turn off the headlights, then the car. Equal parts nervous and excited, Kasumi takes a minute to calm herself. It's not as daunting as she's making it out to be. There is so much more that she should be nervous about, not meeting a friend for the first time.
Before the minute ends, Kasumi's excitement takes over. This moment was months in the making and she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Fighting back a grin, Kasumi jumps out of the car. She locks the car, almost dropping the keys in her haste. A stone path lined with flowers guides her towards the house, it’s all so cute that Kasumi can’t help but take in everything. Hopefully, Kokichi isn’t watching her stare at his home.
As Kasumi makes her way up the ramp leading to the door, her heartbeat seems to increase in tandem with her steps. She tries to breathe deeply to calm herself – Kokichi could probably hear it from inside the house. Oh well, it can't be helped. It’s a big moment!
The door is ajar, but Kasumi chooses to politely knock on it. There's no answer for a second, then two, and then–
“It’s open, come in.” Unfortunately for her attempts at soothing her heart, Kokichi's voice is just as warm as it was during their calls. His mic didn't quite pick up on its slightly scratchy undertone, nor the unmistakable sound of his smile. That’s fine. Kasumi’s fine.
The door opens to reveal a small hallway. All of the rooms branching off it are dark, bar one where golden light peters out from. That must be where he is.
Never one to forget her manners, Kasumi removes her shoes before she enters. The soft carpet and the photo frames holding lifetimes of memories draw her in, closer and closer to the one she so desperately wants to see. It’s tempting to stop and admire the little Kokichis she knows are in the pictures, but it would ruin the surprise.
Before she moves into the doorway, Kasumi pauses to straighten her clothing and hair. She pulls a face at the clothing she had chosen that morning, but – in her defence – she had been expecting to clean the whole day. Although, if he does say something unkind, she can just leave and finally get over her small, but persistent crush. With a deep breath, Kasumi rounds the corner.
And there he is.
Kokichi is sprawled on a couch, supported by a mass of soft-looking pillows. Much too late, Kasumi realises that she should have begged to see him before she drove over.
Kokichi's hair is longer than she was expecting, hanging past his sharp jaw. Its dark colour only accentuates the shadows caused by the angles of his face. From what she can see from across the room, his eyes are dark and probably going to feature in her daydreams for the foreseeable future. A small, content smile forms as he looks over at her, something that causes Kasumi's heart to skip a beat.
In a moment of despair, Kasumi's brain supplies her with a singular thought: a clip that Hinaka had found hilarious of Squidward bemoaning oh no, he's hot. She immediately cringes, pushing the thought away. At least Kokichi can't read her thoughts, maybe she'll somehow be able to convince him that she's cool.
Dimly, Kasumi realises that she hasn't said anything to him, only stared. Well, there goes that hope. Never mind. Her face flushes and she has to fight the overwhelming urge to hide her head in her hands or – better yet – disintegrate.
He beats her to it.
“Sorry for not coming to greet you, it's difficult to manoeuvre around another person in the hallway.” As he talks, his eyes slowly widen as they continue to flit across her face and body. He's probably judging her scruffy clothing. Kasumi begins to wish more fervently for disintegration.
“It's, uh,” she begins, voice cracking, “no problem at all! I'm just happy to finally meet you.” As casually as she can, Kasumi sidles a little closer, then a little more. Okay, yep, his eyes are as pretty as the rest of him. She isn’t even surprised. What has she got herself into?
“Same here! It feels long overdue. Nice to put a face to the name, Kasamurai.” His voice is teasing, and Kasumi can feel herself blushing terribly. It’s so unfair.
“Oh my gosh, don’t ever call me that again. It sounds so embarrassing out loud. Kasumi is fine!” Actually, it’s not fine, hearing the way he says her name in person is going to put her in an early grave. However, she can’t exactly tell him that.
“But I think it really suits you.” His smile widens and Kasumi has to force herself to look elsewhere before her face reaches world-record shades of red.
“I’m leaving.”
“I guess I take it back, then.” Devastatingly, his tone morphs into something more fond. “So, what do you have planned for us over the next week, Kasumi?”