1 Chapter 1: With Great Achievements, Come Great Sacrifices

Year 20XX

The sound of an explosion erupted for the Nth number of time, echoing throughout the forest. A young man fanned through the smoke, coughing as he searched for the handle of his window.

As soon as he drew it open, ginger hair popped through the clouds of black. The young man coughed and coughed until the smoke had finally cleared up, revealing shimmering amber coloured eyes, welled up with tears and a flushed cheek from the earlier coughing fit.

"Haah... Finally caught my breath... It failed again. Ugh... I was so sure it would work this time!" I sighed as I leaned over the windowsill in defeat.

"It will work this time... I'm sure of it!" I said as I pumped my fists before being dragged back into the makeshift lab by a strong force grabbing my waist.

"What are you doing?! That's dangerous! Don't lean over like that!" another man's voice echoed in the lab, resounding so loudly in the young man's ears that he had to rub it with his hands.

"Ugh... Aries... not so loud... My ears are ringing." I said as I furrowed my brows and pouted.

"You.... Sigh... What would have happened if you fell? And if I wasn't around? ... I don't want to imagine that happening." Aries said with a frown as he dusted off the soot stuck on the young man's lab coat.

"You're such a worry wart. I'm fine. Always have been." I said as I wrinkled my nose when Aries ran a handkerchief over it to wipe off the soot.

"That's because I was always here for you. Sol... when I'm gone it's going to be very different. Please..."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Stop fussing. You make it sound like you are dying or something. You're simply taking that leap of faith to study overseas. I can take care of myself." I said as I waved off Aries who had been anxiously watching me.

"It's not me I'm worried about, but you. Sol, would it be so difficult for you to look after yourself? I don't want to die young, but watching you risk your life everyday for this experiment which has never succeeded is just...." Aries protested as he grabbed Sol's hand to turn him around, facing him.

"You said you were going to support me! Are you taking those words back now?! It will succeed! I know it! If you're just here to nag me, why don't you just leave?!" I yelled slapping Aries' hand off, glaring at the man standing before me.

Deep blue eyes akin to the sea and charcoal black hair. Oblong face with handsome features, a sharp gaze to go along with it, beautiful pair of lips and lovely knitted eyebrows. Well, it's knitted now because he is mad at me but still. I can still appreciate his looks, right? Aries is a one of a kind super handsome guy which happens to be my best friend. I'm not crazy to say he looks like dog sh*t when I know I will be eating my own words later on.

"Sol... I didn't say that..." Aries panicked as he frantically motioned his hands in an explaining manner.

"Then what does the, and I quote "experiment you will never succeed in accomplishing" mean?! You... are a hypocrite just like the rest of them! I don't want to see your face anymore! Get out!" I yelled as I turned around, folding my arms to seem upset.

I furrowed my brows and hoped he would leave as seeing his face was... It's such a handsome face, I feel like my anger would dissipate just as quickly as it arrived.

"Sol... I'm sorry. I said that in the heat of the moment. I... really care about you. I was afraid you would get hurt in a place where I cannot be. That scares me the most." Aries said as he held my shoulders with his large hands.

"... Okay, I forgive you." I said as I conceded in defeat.

"Really?" Aries' voice sounded sprightly as he enthusiastically spun me around before wrapping me in a tight embrace.

"You... Will be my test subject this time!" I exclaimed as I pushed him off of me, coughing into my fist as I tried to calm the racing palpitations in my chest.

"Yea--... wait... what?" Aries replied dumbfounded as he stared at me as if he had seen a ghost.

"I'll forgive you if you become my test subject this time." I repeated as I stood my ground, arms akimbo as the last of my defense was chipped away by him.

It was hard staying mad at Aries because of his handsome face. But that's not all. Since he claimed that all my gadgets would fail, wouldn't it be fine to make a wager?

"If it fails like you said, I'll be more careful. Maybe even slow down my experimental rate and do all those extra UNNECESSARY precautions you ask me to do. But if it succeeds... Heh." I grinned mischievously as I waggled my finger in front of Aries.

"... Fine. I'll do it. However, it won't... be so risky that my life would be on the line right?" Aries asked as he glanced my way with a worried look.

"T-- THERE'S NO WAY I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO INJURE YOUR HANDSOME FACE! And... this gadget is used as a frequency to understand the heart of a species of animal anyway." I exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders before realising what I was doing and coughing into my fist again to maintain decorum.

"Is it only my face you're worried about?" Aries asked with puppy dog eyes that made my heart waver before he snickered.

"Ah! Grr... Why you... Yeah, it's only your face I'm worried about. Don't worry though. There is no harmful effect to a person. I tested it out on myself but it didn't work. So... I tinkered with it a little. It should work now. Definitely should not be life threatening. " I mumbled as I grabbed the gadget off the table and placed it on Aries' chest.

"Uh...." my cheeks flushed as I glanced at his ripped body.

How is this person so well done. Ah... I meant. In terms of meat... He'd be akin to a plate of well done steak! Anyways... it's so unfair that some people have the looks and the body to go along with it.

"Why? Like what you see?" Aries teased as he grinned in my direction.

I huffed, slightly flustered and slapped the gadget harder onto his chest before turning around to get my tablet which I had left on the couch.

"It was a joke. Sol. Don't be so mad." Aries called out after me as I furrowed my brows.

His so called jokes flusters me so much! If I am to think about it... That one time I nearly got a girlfriend... Gah! She fell for him instantly and was all over him in a second. It's like I wasn't even there! Just thinking about it makes my blood boil.

"... Whatever." I muttered as I unlocked the gadget.

5% battery life... Ah, it's fine. I just need to turn the gadget on and....

"So? Any feelings?" I asked as I turned towards Aries, fingers pressing a few buttons which I was very familiar with in terms of positioning.

"Huh? What do you... Oh... Um... Was I... supposed to feel something?" Aries asked, almost as if he had expected me to have asked a different question.

"... It's fine if you didn't feel anything." I replied and pressed another button.

"My... Sol? S-Sol! It... my ears... my... my butt as well... they..." Aries exclaimed as he turned towards me with a frantic expression.

Is he joking again? His butt? .... Hmm? His expression seems to be wracked in anguish... It's not a joke?

"H-huh?! Aries! Are you okay?!" I gasped as I hurried to his side, dropping the tablet in my wake.

"It burns... Is it supposed to feel like that?" Aries asked as he grabbed onto my forearm with a strength he had never used before. His face tilted downwards, almost as if he were suppressing the pain.

I wanted to slap myself in the face for thinking he was joking 0.2 seconds ago. If Aries were to get fatally wounded I...

"C-calm down! I'll turn it off right now! J-just hang in there!" I exclaimed as I rushed towards the tablet.

I frantically tapped at the screen as I turned to glance over my shoulder, watching out for any other symptoms that may lead to complications. Ah, who am I kidding... this is already a complication!

"Why won't it register?!" I yelled as I pressed the screen fervently, only for a no battery sign to flash as if it were laughing at me for my idiocy.

"Damn it! Aries! I'll do a manual override! Hang in there!" I yelled as I ran towards him, running my fingers over the gadget frantically as I fumbled to find the emergency eject switch.

Dammit! I can't find it! Why?! No way... did I accidentally flip the emergency eject switch to the bottom part of the gadget?! Darn it! It's facing inwards his chest! I can't take it out! If... If Aries dies because of me... I...

"S-Sol... it's okay... I wanted to help as well." Aries said as he cupped my face in his hand. His deep blue eyes warm albeit the cold sweat trickling down his face.

"N-no... Aries... I... I'm sorry.... I should have listened to you..." I replied as my trembling hands clasped onto his outstretched hand.

"Don't... cry. I..." Aries trailed off before his body went limp and fell against my chest.

"A-Aries! N-no... What have I... what have I done?!"