Chapter Text
It was a normal breakfast as ever. It was usually quiet anyways. Emu looked up at her brothers. She felt the need to say something or confront them. It wasn’t fair that people’s childhood wonders were disappearing. The whole theme park was so people could smile, that’s what grandpa told her… She gathered her courage to speak up. She began. “Shosuke, Keisuke. I know you’ve already made up your minds but, ple-“ She flinched at the sudden bang on the table. “No Emu!” Shosuke raised his voice. “You’re stupid little ‘dreams’ won’t work! You’re lucky you got to keep your dumb wonder stage!” Shosuke scowled at his youngest sister. Keisuke put his hand on Shosuke’s shoulder. “Don’t do anything rash now.” He warned. Shosuke pushed him away. “Rash? Aren’t you full of yourself!” He grunted. Shosuke looked at Emu. “But Shosuke! You don’t understand! People are coming because of the nostalgia! They love the old rides! And-“ Shosuke walked up to Emu and slapped her. He grabbed her by the jacket collar. “Emu Otori! What don’t you understand?! No is no!” He threw her on the ground as she hit the chair she was sitting in. The plate fell on the floor and smashed. Keisuke raised his voice, “That’s enough Shosuke! Don’t you see what you’ve done?” He tried grabbing him but Shosuke pushed him away. “Shut the hell up, she’ll learn soon.” He grabbed his plate, enough was enough. He raised the plate and Emu shrieked and the plate shattered on her head. She sobbed. “Shosuke! Stop please!” She felt a glass smashed on her head. She could even feel it bleeding. She felt herself getting light headed. The last thing she saw was Hinata stopping him and pushing him away. She closed her eyes.
She awoken to her room, half of her head was covered with a tight bandage. Her head felt painful. She tried getting up. Maybe water would help. Just then, Emu’s father walked in. “Oh, hi poppy!” She smiled sadly. Emu’s father glared at her. Her smiled began to fade as she bit her lip. Her father gave her a glass of water and walked away. She sighed. “Where did everything go wrong?” She looked at her water. It reflected her sad, bandaged face. She hated it. It was covered in dried up blood. She began taking it off, it wasn’t so bad. There was a scar but it wasn’t too bad. At least it wasn’t noticeable. She began to walk out her room and downstairs.
’what a mess..’ she thought to herself. She grabbed a broom and started sweeping the shards. She was reminded on how Shosuke kept repeatedly hitting her. She held in her tears. She used to be able to trust him but now she felt unsafe around him. She continued cleaning up. Just then, she saw Shosuke. He grunted. “What are you doing?” He towered above her. “Just cleaning the mess…” she stammered. He scowled. “Pathetic.” He pushed her again. Emu stumbled but still kept on her feet. “Listen, this wouldn’t have happened if you had just agreed with it instead of resisting. It’ll happen either way. So why don’t you do this whole family and favor and tie that damn rope around your neck. Everything isn’t sunshine and rainbows.” She was left stunned by his words. She had to have imagined it. Shosuke wouldn’t say that! She ran to her backyard. She looked outside, she looked at her flower garden. White blooming flowers. But the flower buds warped into the messed up faces of everyone she knew. The jump rope in the garden was right there. She thought to herself, ‘but, Tsukasa would be so sad. Everyone would…’ but it doesn’t matter now. Nothing does. Second thoughts don’t exist. But, she had to say goodbye. It would be rude otherwise.
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Tsukasa stretched. Where was Emu? Usually she always snuck into his school. Maybe she finally decided to stop sneaking in. It got kind of lonely though, but it was stressful. Just then he saw Emu at the gate. “Emu?” He called out to the pink haired girl. Emu smiled at him. “Tsukasa-Kun! Let’s go!” She grabbed his hand. Tsukasa tried resisting but couldn’t. “Emu! Where are we going?!” He couldn’t help but blush. His heart felt all nice when around Emu, but it didn’t stop him from questioning where in the name of SEKAI are they going?!
They finally got to Phoenix Wonderland. Tsukasa gasped for air. “Emu, what are we doing here…” He panted. Emu looked at him. “We’re gonna go on a bunch of rides!” She grinned. Tsukasa sighed. It couldn’t be helped, he did want to take a break. The evening was fun. Emu won him a bunch of prizes and Tsukasa did the same. Naturally, Tsukasa boasted a bunch as Emu encouraged and cheered him on. Tsukasa looked at Emu and gave her a flower clip. A pink and white flower. The conversation between them was awkward, but comforting.
”Why’d you do that Tsukasa-Kun?” Emu smiled.
”I just thought it looked cute, plus it’s not like I could wear it…” He mumbled, stammering over his words. He never did that, ever. He stared at her eyes. They were so full of joy and happiness, a warmth spread over him. He just wanted to hug her and looked into her eyes.
There was a thick silence. He suddenly snapped out of it as Emu replied. “I think it’d look great on you Tsukasa!” She giggled. Tsukasa soon gained is normal persona. “Well yes! I, Tsukasa Temna, look good in everyth-“ He was cut off by Emu exclaiming. “Tsukasa-kun! Let’s go on the ferries wheel!” She ran up towards it. He was caught off gaurd. “Emu! Wait!” He caught up to her.
As they got on the Ferris Wheel, Emu looked at Tsukasa and smiled. Tsukasa smiled back but he swore he caught a sad smile. They sat down and Emu hummed as Tsukasa check the time. ‘6:09? Seems later.’ But he didn’t mind. He wanted to spend as much time Emu as he could. He looked at Emu and smiled, she began talking about how she wished she could change schools and a bunch of that other stuff. ‘I’ll spoil everything by saying something stupid. Won’t I?’ He thought to himself. But that was fine, if anything, they were both stupid together. What more could you ask for?
”Tsukasa?” Emu looked at him with a sad smile. Tsukasa’s head perked up. “Yeah?” He looked at her. She took a deep breath in. “If anything bad happens to me, you’ll take care of Rui and Nene and yourself, right? And all of your friends!” She asked him. “It’d be nice if you did and it would mean a lot!” She smiled. Tsukasa was a bit confused by the question but promised. He held her hand and got on his knee, he was just extra for no reason. “I promise you Emu, I shall fulfill your request to 12,000%! No, even higher! You’re my #3rd fan!” He looked at her with the most determined expression. She smiled but it was hard with tears in her eyes. She hugged Tsukasa tightly. He was caught off guard but returned the hug. It was a long hug. It lasted until of the Ferris Wheel. Tsukasa felt the bugging need to ask. “Are you sure you’re alright Emu?” He looked at her with a concerned look, Emu wiped her eyes and smiled. “Yep! I’m fine, it was just a rough day!” She looked at the flower Tsukasa gave her. Tsukasa nodded “Remember, you can tell me anything. We’re friends.” Emu looked at him and smiled. “Of course!”
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The day at the park was weird today, Emu wasn’t there. Tsukasa decided go to the residency with Nene and Rui. “Are you sure this isn’t a breach of privacy Tsukasa?” Nene asked worriedly. “Isn’t this something a boyfriend would do?~” Rui teased. “Oh shut up Rui.” Tsukasa grumbled, his face feeling hot. The door was already open. He looked inside. No one was there? It was odd. “I guess we go in? I hope this isn’t illegal” Tsukasa muttered. It was for a good cause. They went inside. They saw a figure in the backyard. “That must be Emu!” Tsukasa said. Perhaps she was tending to their garden? She did mention one. In any case, it just felt right. He gently opened the backyard door.
”Emu?-“ He gasped, falling to his knees. This can’t be real, it’s not real. Emu wouldn’t do this! It’s some sick dream, isn’t it? He’ll eventually wake up and he’ll see her again. But it wasn’t, the grass was real, everything was. The tightened pink jump rope around her neck. That damned rope. He looked at her body and just froze. Just yesterday, he’d promise he’d always be there for her. He hoped that one day, he’d get to tell her how he felt. What went wrong? Was it him? Why couldn’t he move to untie her? Why couldn’t he breathe. What was wrong with him?
Nene ran up to Emu, trying to untie the rope while in a blubber of tears. She couldn’t see straight or think straight. She desperately tried untying the rope from her neck and managed to. She looked at her body. Her eyes were dull and no longer a vibrant dark pink. Rui came back with the Otori family. Rui then realized what had happened. He looked away, he couldn’t look at one of his friends dead body. She was like a little sister. Keisuke had vomited and Hinita sobbed while punching Shosuke. Tsukasa looked at the body as well. The flower in her hair, the dull, lifeless, pink eyes. He grew some strength and walked over to Nene. He wanted to hold Emu at least one more time. It felt cold and alone. He couldn’t hear Hinata cursing at Shosuke. He couldn’t hear Nene’s loud sobbing. He couldn’t hear Rui’s repeated cries. He just wanted to make her happy and he failed. “I’m so sorry Emu, I failed you.” He whispered, hopefully loud enough for her to hear.