Katsuki was on his computer using Reddit as he was posting Brain Rot Anime Memes when he saw another user by the name of Beako Bako commenting, "There is something wrong with your brain, I suppose."
Katsuki: [What kind of username is Beako Bako?]
Katsuki sighed when he heard a knock on his door.
Katsuki: [Mom! Can you get the door?]
Katsuki's Mom: [I'm in the shower!]
Katsuki got up, his tired eyes rolling in annoyance as he walked down the stairs and opened the door to see the face of a person he had wronged beyond what he could forgive himself for. He looked like he was going to have a panic attack for a second before his eyes widened.
Katsuki: (It's... really him. Subaru.)
Subaru: [Um... hey Katsuki.]
Katsuki: [Su...Subaru?]
Katsuki reached out and gave him a hug, his tears flowing from his eyes as he clung to him desperately.
Katsuki: [I'm... I'm so sorry. I... I should have checked up on you. I... I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.]
Subaru's eyes widened for a second before a soft smile fell on his face.
Subaru: [It's been a while.]
Katsuki: [You're really back, right. This isn't some fucked up dream?]
His face was drenched with tears.
Subaru: [Hey! You're getting snot all over me.]
Katsuki: [You bastard! I thought you were dead!]
Subaru: [I think you look more dead than me right now.]
Katsuki looked away.
Katsuki: [I'm fine.]
Subaru: [I've heard from your dad. You've been holing yourself up since I went missing.]
Katsuki: [I'm fine.]
Subaru: [No, you're not. Come on. Aren't you going to let me in? We should catch up.]
Katsuki: [Subaru...]
Subaru could tell something was wrong with Katsuki. Katsuki couldn't hold eye contact with him for even a full second.
Subaru: [Let's talk Katsuki.]
Katsuki: [No. I'm fine. I promise. I've just been... sick. That's all.]
Subaru: [For 2 years?]
Katsuki: [...]
Subaru opened the door more, letting himself in as he sat down on the couch.
Subaru: [Let's talk.]
Katsuki sweated a little and sighed as he closed the door and sat across from Subaru, still unable to look him in the eyes.
Katsuki: [So... where have you been?]
Subaru: [Well, you know. Different country. Meeting new people.]
Katsuki: [Different country?]
Subaru: [Yeah. What about you?]
Katsuki let out an insincere laugh.
Katsuki: [Oh, nothing much. Just slaving away at my computer.]
Katsuki still had a dead look in his eyes.
Subaru: [Katsuki.]
Katsuki: [Hey. I'm having lots of fun though.]
Subaru: [Katsuki!]
Katsuki: [What?]
Subaru saw through everything. The look of guilt on his face that he tried to hide with a fake smile.
Subaru: [You are not okay.]
Katsuki stood up.
Katsuki: [What the hell do you know?!! You've been gone for 2 years! I didn't sit around in my room doing nothing with my life! I made something of myself. I'm the breadwinner of my family even now! Hahaha...]
Katsuki gritted his teeth. He could not bear the thought of his way of life being denied by the man who had made him this way. No. By the man who his actions had affected in the worst way.
Katsuki: [I've been working hard!]
Subaru stepped towards him.
Katsuki: [I... I'm not like I...]
Subaru hugged him.
Katgsuki: [Why are you...]
Subaru: [Can I not hug you?]
Katsuki: [Why would you...? After what I...]
Subaru: [I've forgiven worse.]
Katsuki felt his tears forming again as he felt himself go limp into Subaru's arms.
Katsuki: [I... I abandoned you. You holed yourself up in your room, and I never visited you even once. I thought you'd run off. I thought you'd died out there because of how inconsiderate I was... I... wanted to die so badly. I wanted to end this pathetic existence that just used you to entertain myself. I can't stand to look in the mirror and see this disgusting person.]
Subaru: [I know what it means to hate yourself. Trust me. It doesn't do anyone good.]
Katsuki: [It's my fault you felt that way.]
Subaru: [We were just dumb kids. We couldn't understand each other. We didn't even know what it meant to be friends with each other. I don't blame you for any of it.]
Katsuki: [I... I can't even look at anyone's faces without seeing you. I... can't stand it. It makes me want to die.]
Subaru sighed.
Subaru: [I know. I figured that it would turn out this way. That's why I wanted to see you first.]
Katsuki: [Why did you come?]
Subaru smirked, taking a pose.
Subaru: [I'm here to offer you a business proposal!]
Subaru smirked as Katsuki looked up at him, his eyes still heavy with regret.
Katsuki: [Business... proposal?]
Subaru: [You see. I'm starting up my own fashion brand, so... I will... need someone good at computers.]
Subaru said this while scratching the back of his head.
Katsuki: [Alright.]
Subaru: [Not for free. When we're steady, you're going to get paid.]
Katsuki: [You don't need to...]
Subaru: [No butts. And no more of this slaving away mentality. Your dad can't even look at himself in the mirror after seeing you like this.]
Katsuki's eyes widened.
Katsuki: [What?]
Subaru: [He can't bear to see you like this.]
Katsuki: [I see. I'm still the same inconsiderate jerk kid, huh?]
Katsuki let out another insincere laugh.
Subaru: [You're stretching yourself thin. Calm down, okay. You've made enough to keep your family afloat, and that's not even taking into account what your dad earns. He's no slouch either.]
Katsuki: [Subaru... thanks for coming to see me. I... I'll see you tomorrow.]
Subaru hesitated.
Subaru: [Sure.]
Subaru left as Katsuki walked back up to his room, sat down at his computer and opened his mail that had dozens of requests for web design and tech support.
Katsuki: [Another long day.]
Katsuki dragged the mouse to check them when he stopped and sighed. He pressed select all on his mail and then delete. He went to his official page and posted about no longer being freelance, and then he leaned back in his chair.
Katsuki: [Fashion, huh? Let's do some research then.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru was at home when he got a phone call.
Subaru: [Huh?]
Subaru picked it up.
Subaru: [Hello? Who is it?]
Katsuki: [Who the hell is that girl? Where'd you meet her?]
Subaru: [That's Emilia-tan. My lovely girlfriend.]
Katsuki: [... lucky bastard.]
Subaru sniggered.
Katsuki: [You already have a few designs here, but... you're gonna need to make them and get her to wear them.]
Subaru: [Yeah, um... I'm a bit low on funds. I'm figuring things out.]
Katsuki: [Ugh, you're really winging this, aren't you?]
Katsuki shook his head as if he were having a headache.
Subaru: [Don't worry. I've got this.]
Katsuki: [Well. I hope you do have this... who the hell is this Beako Bako person?]
Subaru: [Huh?]
Katsuki: [This damn Reditor keeps insulting me on all my posts.]
Subaru: (Beako... what are you doing on Reddit?)
Subaru sighed.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Rem sat down in her seat next to Ram. Spica was lying her head on Rem's lap.
Rem: [Nee-sama... what if... what if Subaru-Kun doesn't want to come back here?]
Ram: [You're worried about that?]
Rem: [I am. Subaru-Kun's family are over there, so I...]
Ram: [If that happens, we should just go over to him.]
Rem: [Nee-sama?]
Rem was shocked.
Rem: [But I thought that you... I heard from Garf-Kun that you were in love with Roswaal-sama.]
Ram: [... Rem. I'm not attracted to women. Especially not little girls.
Rem: [I see...]
Ram: [I'm not a lolimancer like Barasu.]
Rem: [Eh! Don't say those things about Subaru-Kun! Subaru-Kun and Miss Beatrice must have a very wholesome relationship.]
Ram: [They sleep in the same bed.]
Rem: [Like a father and daughter! I'm sure Subaru and Miss Beatrice feel that way. Subaru-kun is very considerate of Emilia-sama and my feelings.]
Ram smiled slightly.
Ram: [Surprisingly, Barasu is quite competent in terms of being considerate.]
Rem: [Subaru-Kun will be so happy to hear that you've complimented him about that.]
Ram: [I'll deny it till my deathbed.]
Rem sighed as a sweat drop fell from her forehead.
The two looked out the window to see Otto and Frederica sitting together.
Ram: [I'm not sure how to feel about those two.]
Rem: [I think it's sweet. I'm glad Frederica-san gets her own romance.]
Ram: [You're glad. I had to deal with Garf being abnoxiously happy for a whole week. Besides, it took him losing his memories for there to be any progression.]
Rem: [Well, I think it's good that Garf-Kun is happy for his sister. As for Otto-Kun losing his memories, I think it's sweet that things progressed like that. It's like a romance novel from Kararagi.]
Ram sighed as she looked at Spica.
Ram: [Are you sure about that child, Rem?]
Rem: [If I didn't have all these memories of her, I'm sure I'd hate her, but... I just can't.]
Ram: [... Very well. If that's truly how you feel, then so be it. At the very least, she's been well-behaved and given back Otto his memories.]
Rem: [Spica has been a good girl, hasn't she?]
Rem patted Spica's head, who smiled happily.
Ram: [Ram isn't willing to accept this yet...]
Rem: [Nee-sama...]
Ram: [... But Ram will try.]
Rem smiled at this.
Rem: [Thank you, Nee-sama.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru walked up to Emilia, who was learning to read and write from Beatrice.
Subaru: [How are things coming along?]
Emilia: [It's not very different from our world, so it makes it easier to learn. I still get confused a lot, though.]
Beatrice: [She's coming along nicely, in fact. But Betty would like you to review it since it is your language, I suppose.]
Subaru checked Emilia's work.
Subaru: [Hey, this is pretty good. You're getting the hang of it.]
Emilia smiled.
Subaru: [So Mili. Since you've gotten the hang of most of the phrases people will use a lot, why don't we go out on a date?]
Emilia: [A date?]
Beatrice: [Don't you have to get pictures of her in that new dress today, I suppose?]
Subaru: [We can do that later. Right Mili?]
Emilia got up.
Emilia: [Um, sure.]
Subaru extended his hand.
Subaru: [Then let us go, my fair lady.]
Emilia smiled a little.
Emilia: [You reaaally say the strangest things sometimes.]
The two left as Beatrice sat down with the computer in front of her, as she loaded a chess site. Her account name? As you would expect, "Beako Bako" and her rating? 1984.
Beatrice: [Betty will crush another poor soul today, I suppose.]
Beatrice turned on her camera as she began streaming.
Opponent: [Oh god no. It's one of those child chess prodigies. I'm so cooked.]
Beatrice: [Betty hopes you'll put up a good fight, I suppose.]
They seemed to be equal as they played against each other until one move.
Opponent: [Now! I'll sacrifice... the Rook!!!!]
Beatrice: [You'll do what, I suppose?]
Beatrice watched as her opponent sacrificed her Rook, and then she saw it.
Beatrice: [Betty knew she was forgetting something! That vile Bishop in the corner, in fact!]
A few moves later...
Beatrice: [Now... Betty shall also sacrifice the Rook!]
Opponent: [... that's... checkmate in 3...]
The opponent resigned.
Opponent: [It was a good match, though.]
Beatrice: [Betty agrees, I suppose.]
Opponent: [Rematch?]
Beatrice: [Very well. Betty will humour you, I suppose.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru led Emilia to a bowling rink.
Subaru: (With how ditzy Emilia-tan can be sometimes, maybe I can show off here and look cool to her.)
Subaru thought this before watching Emilia throw a bowling ball like a baseball, shattering the bowling pins and getting a strike.
Subaru: [...]
Everyone Else At The Bowling Rink: [...]
Manager: [...]
Emilia: [That's a strike, right?]
The Manager, enamoured by her beauty, then said.
Manager: [Yeah, it sure is. Please let me set up some more for you.]
Emilia smiled happily.
Subaru: [Emilia-tan... you're not meant to throw it. You're meant to roll it.]
Emilia: [Eh?]
Subaru: [You shouldn't break the pins either.]
Subaru managed to get a 240 game, but Emilia got a perfect 300 as party poppers exploded in celebration.
Manager: [A perfect 300!!!]
Everyone started celebrating as Emilia looked so happy.
Subaru: (Even if... even if I wanted to say goodbye to everyone else first... maybe getting brought here was the best outcome for Emilia-tan. After all, here she's not treated badly for her looks. The opposite even.)
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: (I'm really glad.)
That's when a young girl approached Emilia
Young Girl: [Pretty Lady. How can I be like you?]
Emilia: [Eh? Um...]
Emilia thought about it.
Emilia: [Make sure to keep your friends safe.]
She fixed the girl's hair behind her ear.
Emilia: [And even if you feel alone, there will definitely be someone who will reach their hand out to you. Even if the whole world hates you, there will definitely be someone.]
Young Girl: [Really?]
Emilia: [If there isn't, then I'll reach out my hand to you.]
Subaru smiled softly at the exchange. The woman he loved was the same and different from when he had first met her. Her kindness and the fact that she shared it with others were the same, but now... the way she shared it was on another level. She truly had blossomed.
Subaru: [Emilia-tan. Come on. You need to go claim your prize.]
Emilia nodded, smiling as she was led towards the free meal.
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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