Chapter 6: Vanitas Tohajima

Four years. Four years since I was here. The memory of this place was still fresh, as if it was yesterday. Two days ago, I came here on another mission; one of our soldiers "disappeared" while heading back from completing a mission. While I was unpacking my things, I came across a boy about my age, who for some reason seemed familiar.

We talked a bit at first, and I learned that his name was Karma. As we got to know each other, I realized-we did, but I realized first- that he was my long, "dead" cousin, Grai.

But earlier in the morning, I was walking by when I saw Grai walking outside as well. I decided to go talk to him; I could've if that car crash happened and left him unconscious for about two and a half hours. Now, he was sitting in my living room, with four other kids who-except for one, who was on the ceiling fan (I have no idea how he got up there)-were truly bad at hiding.

I checked the time. Quarter to ten. I went back to doing the dishes. As I did, I could hear voices. I recognized both of them; Grai and the kid I met outside not a few minutes ago. I placed the last dish away and stared at them.

The two of them seemed to be arguing about something. I watched them and waited for at least someone in the room to notice that the only thing breaking the silence was them talking and the ceiling fan. After what felt like hours, I gave up.

"Ahem." I said loudly. They both looked at me. I looked at the kid talking to Grai. "I thought I told no one was here."

"You lied. You said my brother wasn't here, when in fact he was here talking to you a few minutes ago." He said, glaring at me. I looked at Grai. He frowned, but nodded.

"Okay, fine. I did have your brother here, but that was because he and I were having a conversation." I said, trying to make up an excuse for them to get out of my house.

"The only reason I didn't tell you was because he didn't want me to tell you. And since we're done, you can go with him along with the person behind the curtains, the person behind the couch opposite of your brother, and-" I paused, staring at the kid on the fan. "And the kid on the ceiling."

He looked at me, confused. Then he slowly turned around and jumped. "Nico! What in the world are you doing up there?!"He said to Nico. "Better yet, How did you even get up there?"

Nico jumped off the fan, miraculously not cutting himself in the process, and shrugged. "You told us to hide. I didn't know where to go, so I jumped on the fan." The boy with spectacles that hid behind the couch looked at him, confused, while the boy that was behind the curtain looked at him, terrified. I sighed.

"Like I said, you can go now." I said, my paitentce running on a thin rope on fire. "Before I get rid of you myself."

In less than two minutes, they were outside, walking as fast as they could home. I closed the door and turned around. I walked up the stairs, but before I could reach the top, I heard a voice downstairs. A voice that seemed to taunt me in my sleep.

"Have you found him, Vanitas? Or have you given up? Because it seems to me like you wish to stay here with your cousin, Grai." I looked downstairs to see Yuuto grinning at me. I stared at the scar on his eye I gave him when I first met Yuuto. I sneered at him.

"No, I couldn't find him. I still have to search the school." I gritted my teeth.

"You know, it's not easy when you're trying to find a guy who can slip through the smallest of cracks." I walked down slowly, watching him carefully. He chuckled, amused.

"Perhaps. But are you sure it's hard to find because of your cousin, Vanitas? Because I do hope not." I hesitated, not knowing what to say. He walked up the stairs slowly, and whispered something in my ear before disappearing again. "The next time you try slacking off from your mission, think what might happen to Grai, Vanitas, before you lose him too." The same tired feeling came back to me, my eyelids heavy, my body limp.

Snap out of it Vanitas! The same voice yelled at me again from four years. I whipped my head around, only to be left alone on the staircase again.

I clenched my fists, gritted my teeth, and let out a scream. I sat at the top and covered my face. Why, why was it every time I went on a mission, he was always there? Doesn't he trust me enough to go alone? I stomped upstairs, my anger still boiling inside me.

I layed in my bed and didn't sleep until I was sure Yuuto wouldn't pop in again.