Confessions
1919 Words
At the forest entrance, a fork in the road met us.
“Ow, you are hurting me, Keita,” Girly freed her arm from my grip.
“Hey, what was that?” Vampire tugged me towards him.
“I-I was not sure. My body suddenly reacted upon seeing it,” I answered.
“What did it look like?”
“It did not have a face, but it had long arms like vines aiming for my neck.”
“You could have slashed it the moment you saw it. Geez Keita, you are lower than chicken crap.”
“Enough, Vampire. I somehow understand how Keita feels,” Girly intervened.
“Stay out of this, you sly woman. All I ever hear about is Keita this and Keita that. I am so sick of it.”
“What are you implying?”
“What about me, Girly? Huh? Did you ever think about me? About how I feel?”
“I never meant to hurt you or anyone else.”
“Goodness, Girly. Do not give me that crap.”
“Stop it, you two,” I stood between them.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Our hero here is now our damsel in distress. You should grow a spine.”
“What you are doing is counterproductive. It is important that we work together. I already lost Kun, I do not want to lose anyone else. That is all I wanted,” I breathed slowly.
“You know what? You are all selfish. Screw you all.”
“Where are you going?” Girly grabbed his arm.
“Get your dirty hands off me. I am warning you if you touch me again, I will kill you without having second thoughts,” Vampire gave her a bloody gaze.
“Come on, Girly. Let him be. He will come back, I am sure of it,” I wrapped my arms around her.
“I am sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone. I was only trying to help you,” warm streaks from her eyes soaked my armor.
“I know and you are doing so much for me. I don’t know if I could repay you for what you have done for me.”
“You don’t have to do that. A simple thank you is enough.”
“No, it won’t ever be enough. How about I make it up to you once we get out of this game?”
“That sounds nice,” she buried her face to my chest.
We sat down on the lush green grass. She sat over my lap while I caressed her head. Suddenly, she pulled her face away and her hands slowly locked on mine. Our eyes matched again. It was like talking using our minds, we already knew what we both wanted.
“Can I ask you something?” I whispered to her ear.
“What do you want to know?” I felt her smile.
“How was your life like in the real world?”
“Hmmm… There is not much to me, really.”
“I still want to know.”
“Well, I grew up alone. I lived with some close relatives for a time until I ultimately decided to live on my own.”
“What about your parents?”
“I never knew about them. I mean, someone found me crying on a trash bin.”
“That must have been hard. How can they be so heartless to do something like that?”
“You know, I hated them for a time upon learning the truth. Later on, I tried to understand why. Maybe they had no money, or maybe they were not ready yet to have me. I hope that they could find me someday so that I could understand them. After all, they are still my parents.”
“You are brave. You are even braver than me,” I brushed her hair.
“I prepared myself to get hurt in case that happens, but I am more prepared to accept them.”
“I hope I can be like you.”
“What about you? What is your story?”
“Me? Oh, I live a boring life. I don’t want to ruin the moment.”
“That is so unfair. I told you mine,” she pouted.
“Alright, alright, I will tell you if you stop pouting,” I chuckled at her cute face.
“Fine,” she gave me a half smile.
“Okay, here it goes. I live with my mom and my annoying little sister. Other than my story with Kun, I play Heroic Stone Legends for hours after school. I sometimes forget to eat so my mom drags me out of the room to the dining table.”
“So that’s why you are so skinny,” she poked my broad chest.
“Hey, that is my pectoral muscle. It’s sensitive when touched,” I covered it with my hand.
“Oh? I want to poke it some more,” she did so, and I convulsively laughed.
“Stop it, I might lose my manhood.”
“Okay. What is your sister like?”
“I told you she is annoying. She creeps up to my room early in the morning, then jumps on me like a dog. She weighs like my CPU.”
“She sounds fun to be with. I have a feeling that we will get along well.”
“I think she will be thrilled to have a sister like you.”
“Aww, I would love that. So, what was your mom like?”
“My mom is as annoying as my sister. She checks up on me every hour. It’s not like I have a dead body in my closet or something.”
“Did you try locking your door?”
“I did, but she always has the keys with her.”
“What if I was the one hidden in your closet?”
“Then I will hide you no more.”
“I feel the ants boring at my cheeks now. I mean, we don’t have to rush things. We still have time.”
“I know. It’s your fault for giving me wild imaginations.”
“Want me to tell you something wilder?”
“Please, no. I might lose my mind thinking about you.”
“Alright, I will save it for later,” she winked at me.
We kept on giggling and poking at each other. Soon, the sun sunk to the horizon. Her eyes glimmered as I talked to her. She was like the brightest star that I see at night. It felt compelled towards her. I hope we can talk like this forever. Then Vampire emerged from the trees.
“Oh Vampire, you are back,” Girly noticed him.
“I heard you back there,” he replied.
“Oh? You were listening?” My eyes widened.
“Yeah, I think it is only fair.”
“What were you doing back there?”
“I went on slashing some monsters while you two made out in this open field.”
“You are already at level thirty,” Girly looked at his stats.
“Get up lovebirds, you need to catch up.”
“I am sorry, Vampire,” I heard Girly whisper to him.
“Don’t mention it. I still haven’t gotten over this,” he glared at us.
We followed Vampire beyond the trees. Faerie Harpies filled the open area. Pointed wings of steel flapped against the wind. Red scales covered the lower half of their bodies while the rest was human. Suddenly, my body walked towards them as if pulled by strings.
“Keita, don’t listen to them. Darn it,” Vampire cursed.
“Keita, don’t walk towards them. Keita!” Girly grabbed my arm, and she got dragged with me.
“You are so beautiful. Can I touch you?” I asked one of them.
“Will you offer your soul to me?” It answered.
“Take anything you want.”
“No! You can’t have him, he is mine,” another scowled.
“Vampire, what are we going to do? We can’t let them have him.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Why are you saying this to me?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Okay, I want you to run with me, Girly. Leave your lover behind, he does not love you anymore,” Vampire shouted.
“But I can’t do that. I lo-, I lo-, I can’t do it.”
“If you really care about him, you have to say it.”
“What about you? I don’t want to hurt you even more.”
“Don’t worry about me, I can handle it.”
“But I will end up hurting you.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“Okay. Keita, I have already decided. I don’t actually love you. I care more about Vampire than you. My heart truly belongs to him and no one else.”
“Hey, that is not true. Girly, I thought you loved me,” her words pulled me back to reality.
“I only made you believe that. Now that you learned the truth, please forget about me.”
“Girly, what are you doing?” Vampire growled.
“You heard me, Vampire. Don’t you understand? I… love… you…”
“I don’t believe that. You must be joking.”
“I am not, I really do love you. Take me away from here before I change my mind.”
“I-I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you love me, too.”
“I love you,” there was a hint of hesitation.
“There, that wasn’t so hard. Come on.”
“Are you crying?”
“These are tears of joy.”
“Girly, no! You promised! You promised!” I struggled to free myself from the Harpies.
“I thought you promised too, Keita. Goodbye.”
“Girly? Girly! Come back! I love you! I love you…,” my eyes were like a forgotten faucet.
I shook my head from the hypnotizing gaze. I partially came to my senses, enough for me to see her flowing tears as she looked at me before vanishing between the trees. I closed my eyes and summoned my sword.
Shrill cries of women sounded every time I slashed their distasteful bodies. I opened my eyes and saw my surroundings turn to black. The harpies stabbed my sides with their talons then slicing them with their wings. The pain felt negligible.
When I got clear of them, the wind blew in the opposite direction. The sky swirled, revealing another one of their kind. This time, its body was bigger than the others. Each flap of its wings sent out a shockwave. It let out a horizontal s***h, which I happily received.
My health bar was at its limit. I looked at the stars. They reminded me of how Girly looked at me each time. Then my blood pumped at high velocity. I rushed at the beast and let out a bone chilling cry. Steel wings caught my sword. A violet line of liquid flowed out from it.
The beast screamed from the pain. I almost lost my hearing as I plugged out my sword. It became quiet, then it spun itself at me like an ax being thrown. I dodged to the side. It came at me again like a circular saw blade.
I threw my shield at it, but it flew back to me. Finally, it stopped spinning. It sat down, puking some indiscernible mush. I struck its head with my shield. While under the stunned state, I stabbed its neck until it broke from its attachment.
I dropped to the ground. I could not feel my arms and legs. The stars twinkled brightly at me. The moon decided to show up this time. Soon, my eyes became heavy and closed completely.
Suddenly, I felt someone pulling my legs. I don’t have the strength to open my eyes as it dragged on. I heard my weapon clinking.
“Hey, man. Are you okay?” A familiar voice called to me.
“Who are you? Why do you sound like someone I know?”
“It’s me, man. Did you miss me?”
“Am I still dreaming?” I opened my eyes.
“No, you are not, buddy.”
“Then where am I?”
“You are in my secret place. Thank goodness, I saw you. I found you lying there, and I thought you were gone.”
“I am so glad to see you again, Kun!” I hugged him.
“Shhh… be quiet. Go back to sleep now.”
“Will you leave me again?”
“Sleep well, buddy.”
I couldn’t sleep. Was it really Kun? Why was he acting weird? I looked at the vines and sticks that held the ceiling. A flap made out of leaves covered the entrance. Moments later, two pairs of footsteps rushed to the place I rested. I grabbed my sword and shield.
“Keita, are you there?” Girly asked.
“Hey, answer us!” Vampire followed.
“In here, guys. Come in,” I called to them.
“Keita, I am so glad that you are okay.”
“Same here. Hey, did you see Kun on your way here?”
“Huh? We did not see him on our way here.”
“Forget that. How did you find me?”
“We heard someone call for help. Thank goodness, we found you,” Girly placed her arms around me.
- Writer
