After the Hero Left - His tears, and the first kiss

The rain had stopped before she knew it. Outside the window, the eastern sky was beginning to pale. The light of dawn was wetting the damp asphalt with silver. Takahashi Lisa sat on a wooden chair placed at the edge of the bed, watching Kyle O'Connor's sleeping face the whole time. Kyle was asleep. Shallow breathing. Every so often, his face twisted in pain. A faint sheen of sweat had risen on his forehead. *(How long has it been since then?)* Lisa picked up a towel and gently wiped Kyle's forehead. He still had a bit of a fever. But compared to that bloodless face from last night, he was far better off. His broken right arm had been fixed in place somehow with bandages and a splint that Amy had bought. His ribs had severe internal bruising. Above his left eyebrow, the skin was split, blood dried and crusted. He was covered in painful-looking wounds everywhere. *(Voidcrest did this to him.)* The area around Lisa's stomach went cold and tight. The sound of iron pipes striking flesh, Kyle's agonized voice, the smell of blood. The scene she'd witnessed in the basement of that collapsing building resurfaced behind her eyelids. She'd been terrified. She'd thought she was going to die. Even so, she hadn't left him alone. She'd brought him back. Lisa touched the gold necklace at her throat. Her mother's keepsake. She gripped the small pendant between her fingertips. The coldness of the metal calmed her trembling heart, just a little. *(I'll protect you.)* *(I won't let you go alone anymore.)* Lisa swore it firmly. This feeling had, in the storm last night, clearly turned into conviction. --- Kyle's finger twitched. Lisa caught her breath. She straightened her back and peered into Kyle's face. "...Where... am I?" Kyle's voice was hoarse. Slowly, his eyelids opened. His deep blue eyes stared vaguely at the ceiling, then caught Lisa's face. "Lisa...?" For a moment, Kyle didn't seem to understand the situation he was in. He looked around. An unfamiliar ceiling, floral-patterned curtains, a small bookshelf. It was Lisa's apartment. "Thank goodness... you're awake. Hey, can you drink some water? Or do you want to sit up?" Lisa hurriedly held out a cup of water. But Kyle's expression grew more and more severe by the second. "Why am I here?" It was a low voice. A cold resonance, like a completely different person from his usual gentle self. "Huh... what do you mean, why? You're here because... I brought you back. Last night, in that basement..." "That's what I'm asking. Why did you come to a place like that? Why did you bring me back? You don't understand anything." Kyle tried to sit up. But his body wouldn't obey. The moment he put strength into his broken right arm, a violent pain seemed to shoot through him, and his face contorted. "Don't move! Your arm is broken!" Lisa pressed her hand against Kyle's chest and pushed him back down. "Let go of me. ...I can't drag you into this. Voidcrest already knows about you. Your face, your name, where you live—everything. As long as I'm near you, you'll..." "So that's why you went alone? To protect me? Did you think it was fine if you died?" Lisa's voice trembled. Tears blurred her vision. "I'm that kind of person. There's no way you could understand." "I do understand!" Crying, Lisa gripped Kyle's left hand with both of hers. His hand was bony and cold. His fingertips were trembling faintly. "I understand... You always do this—carry everything alone, and smile the most when things are dangerous. But if someone gets hurt because of that, you suffer even more, don't you? I've been watching you. The way your fingertips tremble. The way your eyes look so terribly sad sometimes, behind your smile." Kyle's shoulders trembled, just slightly. "I've decided. I won't leave you alone. Your past, Project Remnant, your feelings for your ex-girlfriend—all of it, everything included. I'll protect you. I'll stay by your side. So... please. Don't go alone. ...Let yourself be protected." Tears ran down Lisa's cheeks and fell onto the back of Kyle's hand, which she held. Silence filled the room. In the distance, morning birds were singing. Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, casting their shadows on the floor. Kyle moved his lips, trying to say something. But the words wouldn't come. His deep blue eyes grew wet and wavered. "...I..." The voice he finally squeezed out was terribly hoarse. "I don't have the right to be protected by anyone. Far from protecting anyone, just being near me has put you in danger. Last night, too. Because of me, you were—those monster-like people..." "I chased after you on my own!" Lisa spoke rapidly, breathlessly. "I was the one who couldn't stop thinking about you, couldn't leave you alone, went into the Red Zone, got targeted by Voidcrest... All of it—I started all of it! It's not your fault. So why do you try to carry it all yourself? Why do you run away from being protected, all alone?" A single tear spilled from Kyle's eyes. That tear reflected the morning light and glittered. Lisa saw it for the first time. The first tears of the man who was always smiling. "...I'm sorry." Kyle said it in a trembling voice. "I'm sorry... I was fine being alone, all this time. Making people worry, losing people—I was afraid of it. I never wanted to feel that way again. When I broke up with my ex-girlfriend, when the Shield collapsed, when Remnant was frozen... I couldn't protect anything. So, I just..." Kyle's voice broke off through tears. A grown man, crying quietly, without raising his voice. Lisa reached out to his cheek and wiped the tears away. Gently, with her thumb. "You didn't fail to protect anything. You just stopped letting yourself have the chance to protect. But I'm right here, so that you can be protected." Lisa's voice was terribly gentle. Her heart was so calm it surprised even herself. *It's okay,* she thought, from the bottom of her heart. Kyle placed his hand over Lisa's, against his own cheek. That hand was still trembling a little. "...You're strong." Kyle smiled, faintly. Smiled while crying. "I'm not, really. My legs are shaking. And my heart's making some kind of weird sound." Lisa laughed too, through her tears. For a while, the two of them gazed at each other in the morning light. --- Neither of them initiated it. It happened truly, naturally. Lisa's face drew closer to Kyle's. Kyle closed his eyes too. Their lips touched. For an instant, it was cold. But soon, it became warm. It was soft, and there was a faint taste of iron. Maybe because Kyle's lip was split. But even that was dear to her. Something pulsed hard deep in her chest. Lisa felt the strength drain from her whole body. She was happy—frighteningly so. It was a long, long kiss. Quiet and deep, as if confirming each other's warmth. When their lips finally parted, Kyle gently wrapped his arm around Lisa's back. His left arm—the one that wasn't broken. He held her close, as if he wouldn't let her go. "Lisa... I'm a coward. I know I'm putting you in danger, and even so, I want to stay by your side." Kyle's voice resonated low, right by Lisa's ear. Lisa buried her face in his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. Fast. Just as fast as her own. "It's okay. I want to stay by your side too. Even if it's dangerous, no matter what happens. ...No—it's *because* it's dangerous that I'll stay. Because I'm going to protect you." Kyle said nothing, but tightened his arms around Lisa. --- Early afternoon. The doorbell rang abruptly. *Ding-dong.* The languid sound sliced through the air flowing between the two of them. "...Who is it?" Kyle released his arms and glanced toward the window. His wariness returned in an instant. "It's fine. I think it's Amy. She said she'd bring food and medical supplies." Lisa looked through the peephole, then undid the chain. When the door opened, Amy Chen was standing there. Her light brown hair, cut to her shoulders, swayed softly. She was holding plastic bags in both hands, her slanted eyes slanting even further upward. "...Excuse me. Wait—your face. What's that? Were you crying? Or did something... happen?" Amy looked back and forth between Lisa's swollen eyes and Kyle's bandaged form. "I-I wasn't crying! I just... got something in my eye..." "Something in your eye, indoors. Your tear ducts are really working overtime today, huh. ...Well, whatever. Food, extra bandages, fever reducers. And also, a completely legal get-well gift that I bought using my student ID and driver's license." Amy leaned in close to Lisa and whispered in her ear. "So, what happened? Your face looks like a completely different person from yesterday's 'end of the world' face. Hey, don't tell me..." Amy's gaze pricked at the corner of Lisa's lips. "D-don't tell me what? Nothing happened! Nothing!" Lisa turned bright red and waved both hands frantically. Amy put a hand to her mouth and giggled. "You know, your voice cracks when you lie. Well, whatever. As long as you look happy, that's all that matters." Amy turned toward Kyle. "So, you. How much can you move? Tell me honestly. Fever? Your wounds haven't opened up more than last night, have they?" "...I'm sorry about last night. You helped me too. The fever's fine. The wounds are fine too." Kyle's voice was gradually regaining its usual softness. "Yeah, yeah. There it is again—'I'm fine, I'm okay.' Your catchphrase isn't even slightly trustworthy, you know. ...Hey, Lisa. Do you think we should tell Margaret about this? The head of Section Gray. She's your boss, right?" At Amy's words, Kyle's expression clouded slightly. "Wait. I'd like you to hold off on that." "Why? Voidcrest actually kidnapped and tortured you, right? This isn't something you can handle on your own." "...Dario Fenz doesn't intend to kill me. He has a different objective. If we tell Section Gray, Margaret will definitely move. But if that happens, Voidcrest won't stay quiet either. It'll become a large-scale conflict. And if that happens, civilians will definitely get hurt." Kyle's voice was flat. As if he were talking about someone else's business. Amy let out a long sigh. "...Fine. If that's what you say, I'll keep quiet for now. But you—don't leave this place until your body can move again. Actually, you *can't* leave, in that condition. ...Lisa, keep a good eye on this guy." Amy placed her hand on Kyle's forehead and checked his temperature. "...Yeah. I'll watch him. I mean—Amy, you're a lifesaver. Thank you. I'm really glad you're here." Lisa said it from the heart. For a moment, Amy twisted her mouth as if embarrassed. Then, deliberately, she lightly tapped Lisa on the head. "Being praised for my caretaking skills by you doesn't make me happy at all. ...But, well. The two of you making me worry from now on—that's what I'd call within expectations." Amy smiled. --- Evening came. Outside the window, the sky was dyed in madder red. Amy said she'd be back by nightfall and left the apartment. Once again, only Lisa and Kyle remained in the room. Kyle sat up in bed and finally managed to eat a little of a convenience store rice ball. Lisa had wedged a cushion behind his back. "How is it? Can you eat the rice ball? It's soy sauce flavor." "Yeah, it's good. ...Feels like I haven't eaten in a while." "Wait, really? Do you want another one? Amy bought a ton." Lisa opened the refrigerator. There were several rice balls inside that Amy had bought. "Maybe I'll have another one later. ...Anyway, your room is warm. And it smells nice." Kyle sniffed the air. "W-what, does it smell weird!? Sorry, I haven't cleaned recently..." "No, that's not it. ...I said it smells nice. It's your scent." At Kyle's words, Lisa turned red to the tips of her ears. "S-stop, what are you saying, that's embarrassing, cut it out!" Lisa covered her face with both hands. They laughed. The storm from yesterday felt like a lie. It was a quiet, pea

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Episode 7

Name: After the Hero Left
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