Chapter Text
“Q…” Kazuki called. His face was obstructed by his bangs, which were unusual for Q to see. Kazuki always looked straight and confident whenever he talked, so Q could sense something was wrong.
No, everything has been wrong since that day.
That day, Q suddenly woke up at the Ancient Sanctuary of Neo Chiyoda City with no recollection of what had happened to him. Suddenly, everyone called him by the name Oujiro, which confused him. When he asked Kazuki what had happened, Kazuki’s face… was a nightmare that Q couldn’t forget. He had never seen Kazuki so pale and so stressed. He looked like he was about to cry, and Q had never seen Kazuki cry.
“Yes?” He walked closer to Kazuki. Kazuki looked so small with his shoulders slumped down. He looked tired and could use a long sleep. Q wanted to reach out his arms so bad, to wrap him in his embrace and tell him that everything will be alright.
But he couldn’t, he knew that he was partially the cause of this. It had something to do with what he felt was missing or changed in him since that day.
So he listened, he watched, and offered every little comfort he could to Kazuki as much as he could.
“Q, I have to go back to Minato for a bit… Can you promise me one thing?” Kazuki didn’t look at his eyes. But Q nodded to him anyway.
“Of course, whatever I could do for you.”
“Then, until I come back, can you stay with everyone here at Hina cafe? Don’t go off on your own. Make sure you always have someone with you. It’ll be better if you could get any of the Akiba siblings to accompany you.” Q thought that it was such a weird demand. It felt as if he was a fugitive who needed surveillance 24/7. But Q abides by that demand. Kazuki may have thrown jokes sometimes, but not when he’s using that tone.
“When will you come back?” Q asked. He felt it was a bit unfair that Kazuki asked him to stay with someone while Kazuki ran off on his own. The can’t I come with you remains unasked. Q had a feeling that Kazuki wanted to stay away from him for a while, after all. It’s obvious how much Kazuki is avoiding his gaze right now. Though part of him didn’t want to believe that Kazuki was avoiding him.
“I’ll come back as soon as I can. I promise.” This time, Kazuki looked him in the eyes. Q could see how those clear azure eyes looked clouded. The shine in his eyes, which Q always admired and loved, was gone.
“Alright. Let me know if something happens, though… or if nothing happens, just to know that you are safe.” Q said. Kazuki squinted his eyes and made a single laugh.
“Ahah… alright, mom.” Kazuki replied with his trademark cynical face.
“I will wait for you.” Q promised. He wondered why he felt like he had to say it. Kazuki likes to do solo investigations on his own. And Q usually trusts him to do his thing. Kazuki always kept his promise. But this time, it felt like… it felt like if he didn’t tie him down with anything, even if it’s just words, Kazuki would disappear from him, forever.
Kazuki smiled at him, patted him on the shoulder, then waved him goodbye. And with that, Q watched as those tiny shoulders disappeared into the streets of Chiyoda.
The gloom in his face bloomed once again as Kazuki walked away from the crowds. “...If you can get worried like that for me, then why didn’t you tell me where you went at that time…” Kazuki muttered, but quickly dismissed the thought. It was his fault. He knew Oujiro wouldn’t tell anyone about his worries. Oujiro likes to keep things to himself. He should have known better. It was his fault.
It was entirely his fault.
With a deep sigh, Kazuki walked into the underground passage towards Minato. It’s not like he actually has business there. He just wanted… some time alone. He just remembered about one particular round grey cat that lives in Minato, and he just… used it as an excuse. Deep down, he knew he was just running away from Q. He couldn’t bear to look at him. He couldn’t bear to look at the absence of Oujiro.
How pathetic… Oujiro was able to face his sin. And here’s him running away from his.
Kazuki kept walking, unaware of his surroundings. The corridor felt long. The echo from his footsteps filled the room.
He kept thinking. What could he have done at that time? If only he had noticed that Q had disappeared faster. If only he had realized that Q would immediately go to the U-DX robot sooner. If only he had been faster to reach the Plaza. If only he had…
But those are all the things he couldn’t change. Kazuki didn’t like dwelling on the past, on
something that he had no power in changing. He always kept a cool head and looked forward. That’s what he is. He had to remind himself multiple times that dwelling in the past couldn’t change anything.
He was able to get Oujiro back before. He could do it again.
Or can he?
Oujiro is dead. He’s gone. Kazuki couldn’t revive the dead. Even the only person who could revive a person couldn’t get Oujiro back. Could Zero have done something else? Could he use the Ultra reward to get Oujiro back?
Kazuki made a single loud sigh that echoed in the hallways. “Ha..! I can’t believe that I ended up with that conclusion…” Oujiro would be mad at him if he thought of stealing the Ultra reward from Yo.
But what other ways could he use? Should he really give up on Oujiro? Should he let go of Oujiro… like how he should let go of the dead? Did Oujiro really wish he’d be let go? To disappear and be forgotten like the floating stuff in Neo Chiyoda City? Gone to who knows where…
Kazuki stopped in his steps.
“No…” Kazuki refused. Even if he had to suffer with whatever nightmares he’ll face from now on. Even if he had to drag Q to hell with him again. Kazuki refused to give up on Oujiro. Oujiro sacrificed so many in his life. His heart, his name, his future, and now even his entire being. Like damn will Kazuki let all of those go into vain.
But still, he couldn’t find a solution yet. He needs something. Maybe Nekomaru’s soft belly will let his mushy brain work once again. Thinking of the round, fluffy gray creature, Kazuki moved his feet once again with a little more motivation.
Only to see a sight that he had never seen before.
“...?” Lost in his thought, Kazuki didn’t realize that he had made his way to a hallway he had never seen before. It was bright, and the ceilings and the floor were white. On the walls are some posters and an Exit sign that says “To Exit 9.”
Did he make a wrong turn somewhere? Kazuki thought as he turned around. But to his surprise, he couldn’t find the exit, even after walking backwards from where he came. He kept finding the exit sign and the same posters all over again.
“What is this…?” Was it one of Zero’s doing？ Kazuki gritted his teeth. Then, as he turned backwards once again and moved forward, he found something new on the wall. A guide information panel.
Guide
- Do not overlook any anomalies
- If you find any anomalies, turn back immediately
- If you don’t find any anomalies, do not turn back
- Go out from Exit 9
“...Huh?” Kazuki couldn’t understand what this guide meant. Thinking that he’ll disregard it for now and find another way to exit this never-ending hallway, Kazuki turned from the corner. But this time, he hears footsteps that were not his own.
There, from the end of the hallway, he saw a sight that should not have existed.
Otori Oujiro was walking from the other end of the hallway. He was in his Tenshin military outfit, except without the gas mask. His hair was short like it was two years ago. His eyes were red, just like from back then when he was still under Tenshin’s influence.
“...O…jiro?” Kazuki called.
Oujiro stopped. His eyes were as cold as they were before. There was a hint of surprise. Neither was moving for a while.
This can’t be. This couldn’t be happening. Why is Oujiro here? Why is he still in that outfit? Why does he look like the Oujiro that kicked him away from back then.
A flash of the guide he had read earlier came to Kazuki’s mind. On bullet point number two, it says…
If you find any anomalies, turn back immediately.
And Kazuki bolted. Back to the corner where he found the guide. His brain was saying that this should be what he should have done. But in his heart, he knows. He’s still running away from Oujiro.
Ahh… in the end, I still couldn’t face him.
—
Oujiro looked down at the unmoving body underneath him. The blue-haired boy, Aoyama Kazuki, was his friend. Then he became his rival. Then he became his enemy. Now, he has become a loser. Kazuki had lost, and he had won. This never-ending game of deathly musical chairs is finally finished, and Oujiro had come out as the winner.
Tenshin had ordered him to break his arm, and he did. He crushed them until they cracked, and he had watched Kazuki writhe in agony. He had watched how Kazuki had called his name multiple times. Pathetic, he thought. And he remembered that he once admired the boy lying before him.
In the end, Kazuki was just another obstacle that he had to surpass. In the end, he was just like those other kids that Oujiro had crushed.
But still, Kazuki had been the only one.
In this cruel and cold facility where everyone is an enemy, Kazuki had been the only one who didn’t look at him as if they wanted to kill him.
Kazuki was his last spider thread, and he forcefully tugged it away. He didn’t need saving. He’s strong enough to protect himself now. He didn’t need Kazuki. He’s stronger than Kazuki now, and he’s proven that.
“Ou..ji…” He heard a faint sound. And perhaps, something was still left in his heart. Something that made Oujiro crouch down and attempt to reach down to the broken boy below him.
“Take him away.” But Tenshin’s loud voice echoed in the room. And in an instant, whatever small thing that was left had disappeared, and Oujiro watched as Kazuki was carried away by the people with those Hanya masks.
And just like that, Kazuki is gone from his life.
Perhaps, forever.
Oujiro had seen many other children go like this. Nobody ever knows where they’d gone. He had thought before that if they lost the XB game, they would simply return to where they came from. The orphanage where Oujiro and Kazuki grew up was a small orphanage that nobody ever paid attention to. The two of them getting “adopted” by the Otori family was their hope to become the greatest XB player that they wanted to be. Or at least, that’s what their younger selves thought.
Oujiro learned the hard truth the longer he spent his time here. That this is an elimination game. In the end, only one survivor can become the greatest. And that person was him, not Kazuki, not anyone else.
Was this worth it?
Oujiro couldn’t answer.
But one thing that he knew, he was alive.
Oujiro was quickly guided to his new room. A spacious and extravagant one. He was given new clothes, new XB gears, and three retainers. All three swore their loyalty to him. Oujiro couldn’t care less. He didn’t need anyone. He could protect himself just fine.
Kamiki Yui, Tenshin’s secretary, congratulated him and then told him his schedule for his official ceremony as Otori Oujiro tomorrow and that he should take his time to rest.
As Oujiro sat on the bed and all those people left him alone, Oujiro felt like he could finally breathe.
His mind immediately thought of the blue-haired boy who was limp and bloody. What will become of him? The thought strayed into his mind.
Oujiro started to become restless the more he thought of him. Why? He didn’t care about this before. He didn’t care about any other opponents he had crushed before. He couldn’t care less about each bone he broke. Because if he did, then his heart couldn’t survive.
But Kazuki was different.
The scream of anguish echoed in his eardrums, and the sound of the bone breakings gave him a chill colder than any temperature he’d felt before. It’s as if…
He had killed Kazuki himself.
Oujiro sprang from his bed.
Why was he agitated? He knew that the children who lost would get eliminated. So why is he… anxious now? No… this is… concern? He’s… worried?
“What a foolish thought…” Oujiro told himself.
However, his body couldn’t lie. With a swift motion, Oujiro exited his room and headed towards the underground. His three retainers in Hanya masks appeared before him to stop him and advised him to sleep. But he ordered them to stay away and continued forward. Until he stopped and looked back at them.
“The children who lost the XB game, where were they sent to?” He asked. He had the authority now. So he could find out, right?
“My lord… they were…” The tallest of them seemed to hesitate to answer. But then the shortest one answered in his stead. “From what we know, they were kept in the underground cellar until Lord Tenshin used them as he wished.”
“I see. Good work.” Oujiro told them and turned around.
“My lord, please wait… The underground cellar might not be a good place for you to visit.” The middle one, a girl, Oujiro deduced from her voice, warned with a hint of concern in her voice.
“I will be the judge of that.” But once again, Oujiro disregarded them and then headed towards the underground.
Underground cellar… Oujiro thought of a cold and dark prison. He thought of one Aoyama Kazuki, with those bloody injuries, alone in such a cold and dark space. His heart was tinged with pain. He hadn’t thought of what he would do once he found him, but…
He wants to see him.
That much is true, at least.
Oujiro stepped into the long white hallway. He had never been here before. It was brighter than he imagined, despite being called underground. On the ceiling was a panel that said “To Exit 9.” Oujiro glanced at it once before moving forward.
Then, as he turned past the corner, a familiar blue-haired figure was standing at the end of the hallway.
“Ou...jiro?” Aoyama Kazuki was standing there. He was wearing different clothes. However, something was odd. His face was clean. There was no sign of bruises, even if he looked slightly more… thinner? Than how Oujiro remembered.
Oujiro stared at his left arm. What should have been crushed completely was… fine. He couldn’t see it under that jacket and glove, but he could see that Kazuki could move it just fine.
What is happening? How is he fine? Why does he look that scared?
Maybe the last question wasn’t really strange. Maybe he did scare Kazuki after all those injuries he gave him. Maybe Kazuki hates him now.
Then, something else happened. Kazuki had turned away and run away. And it took Oujiro by surprise. Like a hunter chasing its prey, Oujiro’s feet started to move. He had to find out what was happening. He had to catch him. He had to get Kazuki.
Then he ran past the corner.
And Kazuki was gone.
—
Kazuki panted as he heard the footsteps approaching. Oujiro was chasing him. He should stop running and turn back. He had to find out why Oujiro is here. He had to ask him. But his feet wouldn’t let him, and he ran past the corner once again. It was then that he realized that the footsteps that were chasing him had disappeared completely.
When Kazuki turned back to look at Oujiro, he couldn’t find anyone but an empty hallway.
Was his mind playing a trick on him? Was he that scared of Oujiro that he’s starting to see hallucinations?
Or could it be…?
“Zero!! Did you play another trick on me?!” He shouted. He could feel the anger in his voice as it echoed through the long hallway. But there was no answer. Not the sound effect of something round jumping around, nor the fluffy evil voice that loves to tease people into despair.
“Zero!! I know you can hear me! Show yourself!!” Kazuki shouted once again.
What is this? What is all of this? Why is Zero not responding? If this is not his fault, he wouldn’t stand for the baseless accusation and would have gotten mad at him. If this is his doing, he wouldn’t lose the chance to be able to tease Kazuki into despair once again. So why…? Why is Zero not appearing?
Unless… this is not Zero’s doing, and currently Kazuki is in a place where even Zero couldn’t reach him.
“Damn it!” Kazuki slammed his right hand towards the wall.
Calm down, he told himself. If this is indeed his mind playing a trick, then he must have a clear mind. There’s no way Oujiro is here, let alone his past self.
It’s fine, he just had to find the way to the exit.
To go out from Exit 9.
He remembered the guide.
Fine, whatever game this is, he’ll play their game and win. Just like how he always does.
Kazuki turned around once again. The panel on the corner said Exit 0 and some other directions to places Kazuki had never heard of before. Just as he went past the corner, though, he bumped into someone and was sent a few steps backwards.
There, standing tall and firm before him was Otori Oujiro, the same hallucination that he had seen and run away from earlier.
“O…Oujiro…” Kazuki called once again. This wasn’t a hallucination. He felt the impact just now. Was it Neon’s hologram? There’s no way Oujiro could be here right now. Not when Q is supposed to be safe in Hina’s cafe under the guards of his retainers.
So, how…?
But as he was thinking, Oujiro had approached him and roughly shoved him into the wall. Kazuki gritted his teeth from the brunt of the impact and yelped in surprise. “It hurts…” As Kazuki looked up, he saw Oujiro’s face, which was very close to his. Oujiro’s tall and towering body pinned him to the wall.
Thump
Oujiro’s eyes had never been as intimidating as he saw right now. They were bloody red. Anger, Kazuki could feel. But why is he so angry?
Then he felt Oujiro’s hands grab his jacket to pull it down roughly. “W-wait! What are you doing?!” Kazuki tried to grab Oujiro’s hand to stop him, but an angry Oujiro was too strong for him to stop. And since he struggled to push Oujiro away, Oujiro decided to use his left hand to grab Kazuki by his neck and hold him in place.
“Kghu… Ou-ji…” Kazuki gasped. The hand had gripped him strongly enough to make him choke for air. As Kazuki was busy trying to remove Oujiro’s hand from his neck, Oujiro used the chance to inspect his left arm instead, now exposed as he had removed Kazuki’s jacket by force.
It was clean. Not dislocated in the wrong direction as he last saw it. Not bruised nor torn from the impact. Yet, there was a single long line of what looked to be a surgical scar. Something that shouldn’t have been possible, as it had not even been an hour since he broke Kazuki’s arm. Even the world’s skilled doctors will not be able to accomplish such a complicated surgery in a matter of minutes.
“What… did you do?” Kazuki heard Oujiro’s voice, deep and lower than what he was used to, yet less tired than Q’s.
“H..hu…” Kazuki tried to answer, but Oujiro’s grip on his neck was too strong, and he’d start to lose consciousness from the lack of air.
Then perhaps, Oujiro finally realized that and released him, which made Kazuki fall to his knees and cough violently. He gasped for air now that it finally flowed to his lungs.
“Tell me, what did you do? Was it one of your tricks?!” Oujiro growled as he looked down at Kazuki, who was crouching on the ground as he massaged his throbbing throat. An obvious, red, swollen mark was visible on his neck now.
“Kh… what… are you talking about?” Kazuki sighed, finally catching his breath, and stood up against Oujiro. He couldn’t figure out why Oujiro was so angry, but he couldn’t bring himself to get mad. Somewhere in his heart, he felt this was the retribution for his uselessness for being unable to save Oujiro back then.
“Your arm… how is it not broken?” Oujiro stared at Kazuki’s left arm. Then it finally dawned on Kazuki.
Ahh… You’re… The Oujiro from back then…
Kazuki shifted his right hand over the surgery scars. There’s only one explanation to this situation that popped into his head, but Kazuki is hesitating about how much he could say. Oujiro didn’t seem to realize yet, but they are probably…
“Ahh, this? It’s been two years, so it’s already healed completely.” Kazuki answered with a smile. With that hint, even Oujiro should have realized something.
And he surely did, as his eyes widened in shock that made him take another look at Kazuki from top to bottom, examining every inch of his body.
“What?” Still in shock, Oujiro just stared there dumbfounded. He still didn’t seem to believe in Kazuki’s words.
Kazuki sighed and picked up his fallen jacket. “Really, how long are you going to stare in shock, Oujiro? Or should I call you Oujiro-kun? I’m probably two years older than you right now.” Kazuki snickered. Somehow, seeing this Oujiro was refreshing, and he had the urge to tease him like a little brother.
“Here, you can even examine it until you’re satisfied. This should be enough proof, right?” Kazuki approached him and offered him his left arm. Oujiro hesitated at first, but then he took the offer and started to probe Kazuki’s arm. He traced the scar with his thumb, then squeezed his arm tightly. Oujiro was trying to inspect his bones. And surely, they were intact.
It felt… less comfortable than when Q was holding him. Q was so gentle, perhaps, in fear of breaking him. But this Oujiro was different. His hand was rough and firm. The anger and confusion he emitted were so obvious. Kazuki couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
You were such a brat back then, huh?
Once he was satisfied, he finally let go of Kazuki’s arm. “How is this happening?” He asked, as if accusing. Kazuki just shrugged at him. “I wish I could tell you, but even I was surprised by this situation.” Kazuki sighed.
He was just on his way to Minato to pay a visit to Nekomaru in an attempt to free himself from stress, but someway somehow, he ended up in this never-ending corridor and met a version of Oujiro that he remembered from two years ago. The Oujiro who’s still under Tenshin’s influence…
What should he do in this situation?
“Say, let’s trade information. I’m sure that you also want to know what is happening. Now, I know that you probably hate me right now, but why don’t we have a truce until we both get out of this situation and come back to where we came from, hm?” Kazuki offered. If this Oujiro is the same Oujiro from back then, then he probably didn’t even care about him at all. This Oujiro was so blinded by power that he’d discarded everything around him.
If he’s lucky, then maybe Oujiro will listen to him this time. But Kazuki didn’t put his hope too far. He knows how it went, his words always fell into deaf ears. Not until a bloody XB fight, another broken bone, and an impact from Chiyoda’s train crash later, at least.
But unbeknownst to him, Oujiro flinched at his words.
Hate? Does Kazuki think I hate him?
Oujiro never considered the possibility that Kazuki would think of him that way. No, he never thought about Kazuki’s feelings before. All the things that were in his head were winning, winning, and winning. To be stronger, to be more powerful, until the day he can crush everything else with his hands. To survive…
He found himself staring into Kazuki’s face. It really didn’t look like Kazuki had aged at all, but Oujiro could feel that something was different. The Kazuki he knew was blindingly bright. To the point it’s hurting his eyes. There was fire in his eyes, and Oujiro was always afraid they would one day burn him alive. That’s why Oujiro never looked him in the eyes anymore. Afraid that those flames will consume him instead.
But this Kazuki was different. Despite the way he’s smiling like always, something was missing. His words were hollow. Even the way he just resigned and didn’t struggle much when Oujiro had grabbed his neck was also different from the Kazuki he knew. The Kazuki he knew wouldn’t give up that easily. He’s seen his matches, he’s seen how he fought. Kazuki fought his best even in their last XB battle.
What changed?
“...Fine. But you better not be a dead weight.” Oujiro sighed with reluctance.
“Great. Then, I’m pleased to work with you, Oujiro-kun.” Kazuki offered a handshake, but Oujiro slapped it away.
“Call me that way once more and you’ll regret it.” He warned.
Kazuki shrugged once more and corrected himself. “Alright alright, Oujiro. No need to be so hostile, hm?”
With their agreement established, the two started to walk forward.
To him, the boy of the past was not his Oujiro but a reflection of his most beloved person, whom he couldn’t save.
To him, the boy from the future was not his Kazuki but a glimpse of a Schrodinger’s cat’s future whose current fate is yet unknown.
As the two walked together in the corridor, their thoughts blended into one.
Ahh, I want to see the real him.