They both were moving toward General Center, just like the first time they had gone to General Center though so much have changed, changes those even they may like or may not like.
"I can carry you If you want." She said though while running she was trying to stay at Akarum's place and not leave him behind.
"No need, today's act won't change who you are." He refused coldly without looking at her." Selfish, that's what you are." His voice was barely audible, that's not what he truly thought of her just the moment had blinded him.
Even though Kashime didn't able to hear him properly, the word "Selfish" still end up reaching her ears as she was hyper fixated on every sound around them.
She wanted to reply him, to tell him his conclusion was one sided but she didn't as she doesn't to push things futher.
Eventually they reached to General Center, while in this whole journey, they didn't talk, just were following the route Kashime had stayed in slow pace to not let Akarum fall behind.
Even though the place was familiar, it still felt strange like it's walls had grown it's own eyes.
They didn't go to Laixo instead they turned heading to back side of the General Center.
Suddenly, urge to grab Akarum's hand ignited inside Kashime's mind, to lead him even though she shouldn't have grabbed his hand but then she reached out, hesitantly taking his hand, it wasn't romantic, just a strange urge to lead him, to take control.
Irritation boiled inside Akarum as he felt her hand on his own, he sharply turned his head to her, to Kashime the ground was suddenly so interesting bracing herself for his up coming reaction.
He wanted to pull his hand away from hers but a part of him felt like she still cares about him, the tug of war was loud and between that he was stuck as they both kept moving eventually he decided to let his hand stay.
As they reached the back side of General Center, even in backside there was an entrance, a Light was sitting on a chair before the door, a table stood before him, on his both sides Lights were standing their eyes fixated in the surroundings.
Kashime and Akarum went and stood before him, as there was no one standing because everyone just had woken up, but "Above" which handles every region's paper work that's why Lights the moment they woke up, began to work again.
Why is gse gripping my hand ? That's not what you do to people you don't label as important.
Akarum was staring at her cheek for some reason.
Maybe I shouldn't have said that he is less important.
Guit began to form inside her even if she doesn't realise Akarum had become like a family to her.
"Finally, I will be free."
Akarum muttered loud enough so she can hear, numbness was making him feel like he wasn't affected by the shift of things.
"Like I had trapped you or something." Kashime responded in impulse.
"Huh! Why are you arguing here ?" The Light who was sitting on chair asked before Akarum could throw another jab as the Light was waiting for them to say something to him and explain why they are here.
"Sorry about that." Kashime shifted her focus on the Light.
"Speak"
"As Akarum is going to his actual guardian." Kashime said, her expressions neutral.
She is lying, seriously?
Akarum clutched his free hand.
Kashime, continued.", I will no longer want to his guardian in that condition. So, please adjust my papers."
The Light hummed in response as he wrote what she wanted to be adjusted.
He paused as realised something, he lifted his head up to meet Kashime's gaze.
"Well, Kashime it isn't possible as My Ruler have ordered General Center to not do any adjustments in Tatsuo 's adoption papers." The Light streched a like over her name till the request part.
"He didn't even tell me about that." Kashime said both with surprise and irritation. However, a part of her was was relieved because now Akarum won't have to leave.
Without arguing, the Light folded his folder, stood and began to walk inside.
"I am going inside, I will send someone else in my place. Don't go anywhere." The Light said to the Lights who were standing on both sides of the table.
"What if I give you something in return." Kashime stated, the Light stopped at the door's frame, he didn't turn behind.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I am not that kind of person." Then, he disappeared inside.
What would she do now ?
Akarum glanced at her before turning his gaze toward the Lights.
As the door was shut, Kashime started to move away from there with Akarum.
Why is she still gripping my hand ? If she doesn't leave now. I will pull away.
He glanced at her, whole she wasn't even looking at him.
"I said it so causally." Kashime lowered her hand feeling ashamed of herself on that she was about to bribe someone again."I feel like someone else."
Upon hearing her say that Akarum instinctively replied.
"You are still the same."
"Kashime shifted her head in his direction."I..."
Before she could say anything, Akarum interrupted her.
"You are still Kashime." Akarum gave her a understanding nod.
Why did I say that ?
For moments no one spoke, they kept walking, Kashime was feeling bad for telling Akarum to leave after hearing him said that but Akarum was finally understanding it, understanding that no matter how much her pretends to not be a affected by Kashime that will always be perfomance but beneath it all, he cares about her, about what she says to him.
"Maybe...you should...stay...as they refused to change anything."
Kashime paused reflected that she truly was feeling bad for what she said to him, for causing a crack in their bond.
Akarum's grip tightened on her hand." I am not going to that weirdo."
"He isn't a weirdo, show some respect." Kashime replied sharply, she turned her gaze toward him, he wasn't looking, she wanted him to look.
"Respect?" Akarum's voice came out sharper then intended.
"He wants to kill me, what do you mean ?" Frustration flashed before his face.
"He lost his mother, try to understand it."
"His mother? But he..." he shook his head in mild disbelief."weird, you call your mother 'sister' he calls his mother 'grandma.'"
"It's not weird." She glared at him accusingly." Well, I was the one who had taught him that when we were children."
She told Akarum, when she was a child playing in "Heavenly Kaatoumo" with Flint, she had told him that his mother is "grandma" every single day until Flint began to speak that naturally. While Asami always wondered from where he is learning that as Kashime had already told him not to tell anyone about her being the one who taught him that.
"You were evil for doing that." Akarum commented though his face held a quiet smile, he met her eyes.
"Maybe I was." She turned her head behind to glance at General Center which was now blurring in long distance."He used to obey me as I was his only friend."
"How do?" Akarum asked in confusion.
"He was just bad at making friends." She answered though in reality whenever he talked to anyone, she glared at them from behind, if that didn't work, she threatened them as she always got jealous if he talked to anyone else.
When I realised it was wrong, it was too late as he himself stopped trying to talk to anyone else except me but I never felt guilty for doing that.
She let out a soft giggle, Akarum shrugged his shoulders upon her giggle as he didn't know the reason behind her giggle.
"He was like a little pet. But now I feel like there's distance, I wonder if he feels what I feel." Her gaze lowers to the ground her steps getting slower.
"Huh?" Akarum lowered his pace to hers.
As she realised she almost told Akarum what she feels for Flint, panic flashed across her face." I mean, I wonder if he feels like he was like a pet in childhood." She responded impulsively.
"It's strange that even after what happened you are normally communicating to him." He asked as even though he didn't mind the normalise but he wanted to know the reason.
"Because I believe in you. I know, you wouldn't kill aunty."
She gave him a recurring smile.
Is she really the same person who had asked me to leave ?
He tried to see through the smile, to find any lies, but he found none.
The frustration was increasing now inside him, she was confusing, she didn't have straight patterns which he could understand.
He sharply left her hand, and stepped back.
"What are you ?"
She paused on her track, facing him fully with puzzled expressions.
"What do you mean ?"
"I don't understand, you had told me to leave with." His voice got quieter but loudest to Kashime." Coldness, then you offered me to come and live in Kaatoumo." He formed fists, clutching then tightly, his nails were digging in his palms." You also had said I am 'less important' and now you are saying, you believe in what I was saying."
As Akarum's words shrink in, her puzzled expressions were replaced by understanding and the need to tell him what he was feeling isn't wrong that she is just terrible at expressing herself.
"Are you a bad person or a good ? Maybe you wanted me to leave because of Flint. You are so confusing." The emotional exhaustion was surfacing, his brain was trying to solve itself, solve what he was feeling.