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The place he wandered was familiar to him but yet it also felt so different.
It looked like the High School he attended, the corridors, he knew by heart, were the same as always.
So why did this place feel so wrong?It was dark and he could barely see. The school was completely empty, not a single soul and not a single sound could be heard, besides the frantic beating of his own heart hammering in his eardrums.To him the silence felt more like a graveyard.
He didn’t know how he ended up here but this whole place had such a heavy atmosphere around it that it was dragging him down.
Slowing his steps and setting all of his senses into alarm mode.
In this school something was definitely off.It smelled rotten and where was everyone and why was the school so dark when outside it seemed to be a bright day?
Of course he had tried to break in the windows but they wouldn’t budge, not even his powers were able to destroy them.
Same goes for the entrance doors.He was trapped here like some lab rat, fearing the worst might happen.
The option’s he had only were a few and so he decided to head for the student council office hoping to find some clue as to what was going on here.The way to the office seemed to stretch on forever and the closer he got the more the building changed and it felt like he didn’t know where he was anymore.This didn’t look like his high school although the layout was the same.
How could that be?
Every step felt so heavy and even the door to the student council room, it looked so different from what he remembered.What was this feeling in his chest, so dreadful like there was a big knot in his stomach, something churning his organs and clenching around his heart.He carefully grabbed for the golden handle of the door, trying to twist it but it didn’t budge.
It was strange and he tried again, over and over but all his attempts were futile.If he couldn’t upon it just like that, then it must mean something important was hidden there.
Well for him that meant there was only one way to find out.He felt the power flowing through his body, making his magenta eyes glow dangerously in the dark and he was so ready to use it and smash that door but he was stopped as a voice called for him in the distance.“ Watch out!”He could see the shadow of a figure running towards him. Another human? He couldn’t tell.
Watch out? But what for?It was too late before he realized and whirled around but the last thing he saw were bright red eyes and then excruciating pain shooting through his whole body…~🌃~Haida snapped up from his sleep in mere milliseconds, frantically looking around the dark room.
It’s been a dream? Just a dream…
The same one he’s been experiencing every night for the last two weeks…What did it mean? There must be more behind it but Haida couldn’t figure it out for the life of him.
What had the school to do with it and who was that shadow trying to warn him about the…whatever that thing with the red eyes was.Were they connected somehow? Was it even a human? And if so, who was it?
Although Haida could only ever make out the silhouette of the other person, he felt awfully familiar.
Was it someone he knew?Haida had no idea what any of that meant and it was so frustrating, he grabbed for his hurting head.“ That…nightmare again, huh?”He didn’t flinch or react at all, when a hand grabbed for his own knowing all too well, that there was nothing he had to fear.“ Did I wake you?”Haruno slightly shook his head.“ It was nearly impossible not to notice how you tossed and turned like madly.”“ I just can’t figure it out…it makes no sense…” Haida moved his head to the side, his eyes catching sight of his boyfriend looking up at him with those beautiful green eyes.
Not that Haida would ever say that out loudly though.“Mhh…do you think it might be a bad omen?” Haruno whispered quietly, sitting himself up ever so slowly.“ How would I know you dumbass?” Haida snorted like he was annoyed.After everything that had happened already, he wasn’t exactly fond of the idea of another disaster.
His hand traveled to his lower chest where “that” scar was still visible and it would be for the rest of his life.What a weird twist of fate that now Haidawas friends with the guy who was responsible for giving him that scar.
And not only Reiji but everyone else too.Except for Haruno because Haida was pretty sure that their current relationship didn’t fall under the category of friendship anymore. That line’s been long crossed.All that time recovering in the hospital being annoyed day in and out by Haruno it was only a matter of time that their feelings for each other changed.Haruno who always appeared to be so confident, known for being a playboy, suddenly became all flustered and shy, stuttering absolute nonsense when he tried to ask Haida out for the first time.Haida remembered that night very vividly and how stupid Haruno had looked after he actually said yes.Things changed a lot ever since the machine got destroyed and the people of the military and academy who were involved in its creation either vanished or got what they deserved.Now Haida could live a normal life, having friends and finishing school and being in love for the first time.
Everything had been so perfect up until two weeks ago when the nightmare started.Night after night it would be the same dream and everytime Haida would wake up, startled and sweating but as soon as he fell back asleep the dream wouldn’t happen again.Maybe it was just a late reaction from all the trauma he experienced in the past.
Haida wasn’t so sure if he could handle another disaster caused because of him.
Not again…“ Well whatever it is…I’m sure together we’ll figure it out. Maybe we should ask Shigure, he's smart after all.”Haida didn’t mind getting pressed against a broad chest although it’s been weird the first few times he got used to this kind of affection pretty quick.
It has been a long time since anyone had hugged him before Haruno came into his life.Never would have Haida said it out loud but he was thankful because who knows where he'd be right now if Haruno hadn’t kept him right where he belonged.
How often had Haida thought about just bailing and vanishing when he was confined in that hospital.
But Haruno gave him a reason to stay and now Haida didn’t want to be anywhere else in this world then right here.“ Can’t be helped, having to rely on Shigure-senpai because you are an idiot…”
Haida snickered triumphantly upon seeing that clear pout on Haruno’s face.“ It’s okay though…you are good at other things…” he added quietly, cheekily looking up at the other, letting his fingers travel over that broad chest.Haruno was blushing madly, probably remembering what they did before sleeping, very much to Haida’s liking because this was a side of his senpai only Haida was allowed to see.“ Heh…and you are actually pretty cute underneath all that bad temper.”“ Haa?” now it was Haida’s turn to visibly blush and he released an angry little huff “ don’t call me cute and what do you mean bad temper?” Haida’s face visibly darkened after recovering from the wave of embarrassment “ I show you bad temper, you little shit” and with that said his hands found their way into orange hair, pulling rather harshly.Of course Haruno was very well aware that he’d been walking on thin ice dropping such a comment but it was the truth after all and if it was for Haida, Haruno could deal with a little bit of pain.“ Ouch, ouch, ouch…okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But I love you though.”That seemed to do the trick, as the death grip Haida had on his hair loosened before those hands retreated completely.“ Hmpf!” Haida released another angry hufg, turning his head to the side, so as to not directly look at the other, “ Haruno-senpai you are so annoying…”“ Good thing I am, huh? Keeps you ocupied at least”Although Haida had tried to hide it by looking away, Haruno had still caught that rosy tint on his cheeks.
Yes, without a doubt, his boyfriend was truly adorable and Haruno almost smirked devilishly as he forced the other to look at him again but before Haida could protest or start another attempt at murder, he gently pushed their lips together.Oh well, Haida was giving up at least for now. After all, tomorrow was also a good day to kill Haruno and while he kissed back all shyly but visibly relaxing, the nightmare was long forgotten in the back of his mind….
~🌇~What a horrible night it had been.
Shiki audibly yawned, not being sure how he would manage to survive the upcoming day at school.
It was a miracle he even made it out of bed and out of the house on time with how little he had slept and it was all that nightmares fault.Since two weeks it plagued him, night after night after night and it was always the same horrible dream and he would always wake up crying and drenched in sweat, unable to properly sleep again afterwards.Shiki couldn’t figure out what exactly it meant but he was pretty sure that having the same nightmare over and over wasn’t something ordinary but he couldn’t understand why it was happening to him and why it always was the same.He was in a dark school that somehow looked but also at the same time didn’t look like his own.
Navigating through dark corridors, seemingly running for his life although he didn’t know what was after him and it did hurt a lot because it felt like his heart would give up at every second but yet he couldn’t stop.And then there was…him? Or at least Shiki thought it must be another guy because all he could make out in the dark was some kind of silhouette.
No matter how hard Shiki tried, how fast he was running, trying to warn that mysterious person by screaming at the top of his lungs, he was always too late.Forced to watch how that other human was killed by, what seemed like some kind of monster, with blood splattering everywhere before he would wake up with a start.
Who was this other guy and why couldn’t Shiki help him? Why must he watch such a horrible scene every night, being unable to change it?
What did all of that mean?Shiki would have racked his brain about it the whole way to school if it wasn’t for someone very enthusiastically hugging him from behind all of a sudden.“ Good Morning little sunshine!”“ Ah, Harunacchi, Good Morningsie-ssu” Shiki turned around in the embrace, happily snuggling into the comforting warmth his boyfriend was providing.It was like that every morning. Haruna would always wait for him at the same spot and they would continue their way to school together.
Shiki enjoyed those moments because he knew all too well that in a few months they would be over.All of his senpais would graduate, leaving him behind to fend another year for himself, before finally graduating too.
From then on there wouldn’t be anymore walks to school together and meeting up with everyone in the club room.
Shiki didn’t like to think about his last year in High School being pretty lonely.Things would surely change but at least they would always be HighxJoker.
So it wasn’t like a goodbye forever. They still would be together and see each other because Shiki was sure he would die if he wasn’t able to see Haruna anymore.After all Shiki finally had the guts to confess his feelings at the end of his first year so now he would do everything as long as they could stay together.
Even trying his best at school and dealing with Jun scolding him day after day during their learning sessions. As long as Shiki would graduate and then all five of them would be able to fully concentrate on HighxJoker, he was fine with everything.
Yes, that seemed like a perfect plan to him.“ Are you feeling well? You seem kind of tired lately?” Haruna noted with that worried undertone in his voice, his thumb gently stroking over the slightly visible eye bag under Shiki’s right eye.Typical Haruna he would always notice those small details and he would always worry about Shiki if anything seemed kind of off.
Really, Shiki was a happy person and a small smile graced over his lips.“ I’m giga fine-ssu. It was just a badsie dream-ssu”“ Poor you. If I was there I’d just cuddle you all tightly and make the bad dream go away. You know like Shoo, Shoo”Shiki had to giggle lightly, enjoying how Haruna just hugged him tighter. He was madly in love and that’s why he couldn’t bring himself to tell his boyfriend the whole truth. Haruna would get super worried if he knew that Shiki was suffering from that dream for two weeks already.It was important that his boyfriend concentrated on school now so Haruna would be able to graduate properly. Shiki couldn’t burden him with stuff like that.“ Mhh idea! Tonight after school, your home, you and me, a good movie, lots of snacks, a cool blanket fort and all the cuddles you want. I’m sure it will be no problem if I sleep over. What do you say?”“ Mhh…sounds….mega perfect-ssu. I’d love that-ssu.”“ Then it’s a deal”They both giggled in unison and Shiki released the breath he was holding before he got kissed so softly he thought that he might melt.
How come that he got so lucky in life?Shiki wished moments like that would never end. It was too bad that they both needed to breathe at some point.“ Mouu now I don’t wanna go to school at all-ssu” Shiki whined like a spoiled little child.“ Impossible. You know that Jun will scold you” Haruna shook his head with a small smile.“ Ughyu…so unfairsie-ssu…”But Haruna was right. There was no way Shiki could miss class. So he came to terms with his destiny, grabbing Haruna's hand with another sight before they continued their way to school together.Of course soon enough they bumped into Hayato and then Jun and Natsuki and all five of them arrived at their school while chatting away about this and that.
It was such a normal morning with nothing out of the ordinary happening but Shiki loved it anyway and he wished those days would stretch on for all the years to come and he shoved the memory of the gruesome nightmare to the back of his mind for now…
All of his classes were also pretty uneventful, besides the fact that his math class gave Shiki another headache, so he was glad when lunchtime finally approached.He was on the way to their clubroom now, holding on tightly to his spicy cup ramen, while humming HighxJoker’s newest song to himself.
Shiki was still awfully tired and he was sure if he sat down now he would fall asleep immediately but at least he could see Haruna again.That was enough motivation for him to keep going, yet he couldn’t suppress the big yawn escaping from his mouth and Shiki closed his eyes for what must have been not even a second but when he opened them again he instantly froze in his spot.That wasn’t the corridor of his school anymore but he still knew that place…from his nightmare.
No, that couldn’t be! This must be a dream. It was impossible! He couldn’t be here.“ Hey, look!”The sudden female voice made Shiki’s head turn to the side and without noticing what was happening the surroundings were his school again and he saw two girls standing at one of the huge windows.“ Seems like a big storm is approaching” it was the same voice as before so it must have been that girl who had been talking “ Yikes! That’s not good.”Shiki blinked confused. What was that just a moment ago? Did he imagine it?
Was he hallucinating because of the lack of sleep?
He carefully put a hand to his hurting temple. It must have been Shiki’s imagination.
There’s no way it could have been real.
He needed to rest urgently once he got home. Catch up on his sleep or whatever.Shiki’s turquoise eyes shifted out of the window and that girl had been right. The sky suddenly looked all dark and cloudy and he could already hear loud thunder roaring.It would be better to hurry since the way to the clubroom was still long and involving to cross the outside sport field to get into the other part of the school building and Shiki didn’t fancy to get all wet because the storm was getting closer and fast as he now could already see lightning striking the air as well.Shiki picked up his pace wanting to reach the door that led outside quickly and when he finally was there he pushed it open with force, expecting to breathe the outside air but…nothing of the sort happened.Instead he was caught in another room he didn’t recognize. It was dark and there were a lot of old TV’s stacked all over each other.
He could hear heavy rain hammering against the window glass. There was another door at the other side of the room.“ What is this?” Shiki whispered quietly in a voice completely laced with fear, “ that can’t be. God damnit Shiki you idiot, wake up, wake up, wake up…”
he shut his eyes tightly, hitting his fist lightly against his forehead.
It must be a bad dream, there was no other explanation for this. He probably had managed to fall asleep in class.“Wake up…ssu” but when Shiki opened his eyes again, the room was still there and he was still here. “ It’s impossible-ssu…”A lightning struck through the sky illuminating the whole room in a white light for seconds, scaring the living hell out of Shiki and even worse suddenly all the TV’s in the room came on, transmitting nothing but a gray, black and white screen as there seemed to be no signal, the only sound they were making was a rustle, so loud it did hurt in Shiki’s ears.Shiki had enough of this. It was too scary and with tears in his eyes, he dashed towards the other side of the room. This definitely was another nightmare and once he was through that door he would wake up and Haruna would be waiting for him…His hand hurriedly grabbed for the handle, twisting it and pushing the door open, expecting to finally wake up.
Instead he was met with a bright white light, hurting his eyes so much he had to close them instantly in fear of getting blinded and suddenly he felt like he was falling and everything went dark…
~🌠~Haida blinked his eyes open confused.
What just happened?There had been a big storm going on outside with heavy rain, thunder and lightning striking through the air.
He had hurried through the corridors trying to reach the student council office to talk to Shigure-senpai about the nightmare but when he opened that door a huge lightning struck the light blinding him for a second, forcing him to close his eyes and suddenly it felt like he was pulled to somewhere and when he opened them again he was…where?Where exactly was here?
Haida looked around shocked, not recognizing his surroundings at all.
This wasn’t his school.
Where the hell was he and why was he suddenly outside, holding spicy cup ramen in his hand and how come the weather was completely fine when it had been storming just seconds ago?Some people walked past him, chatting with each other and judging from their clothes they must be students. So was this another school but how did he end up here?
Haida looked down at his body, realizing with another shock that he wasn’t wearing his usual school uniform anymore.“ What is this?” he turned his head around to get a good look at his new outfit. “ is this supposed to be a joke? What are those clothes? That’s so weird.”Haida used his free hand to remove the glasses from his face, noting with a relieved sight that at least those were still the same before putting them back on and touching his face and hair. Luckily he was also still himself.It still didn’t explain what happened? why was he suddenly in a place that he didn’t know, a school to be precise, being dressed up as what seemed to be a clown, well except for that Kumacchi wristband, that was pretty neat.
He carefully grabbed for his chest, letting out a deep breath when he noticed that it was still there.The necklace Haruno always wore and which he had gifted Haida when he was still recovering in the hospital.
Haida had been wearing it secretly every day since then because it would be too embarrassing if Haruno knew he’d been keeping it on him like some precious treasure. Except for Haida it was like that and he would not know what to do if he’d lost it.Anyways it was besides the point right now because it didn’t explain how he ended up here and where this place exactly was and where the others had vanished too.
He needed to find a way back quickly…“ THERE you are! S~h~i~k~i~♡”Haida was suddenly grabbed from behind and he acted instinctively, dropping the cup of instant ramen from his hand, swiftly turning around and landing a good punch at the offender's face, who screeched in pain and stumbled back a few steps.“ OUCH! Shiki what in…?!”Haida would have landed another punch if it wasn’t for the fact that he froze into place as soon as he had turned around and took a look at the person that had grabbed him and the other three guys standing there.“ What…the fuck…” Haida hissed out in disbelief.Who were those guys…looking exactly like his friends? It couldn’t be his senpais…that was impossible. This must be some trick or anything.“ Shiki what the hell?” the guy that looked like Shishio asked in disbelief, turning his attention towards the person Haida had just punched in the face.
A guy that looked like he could be Haruno’s identical twin.
What kind of sick joke was this?“ What is wrong with you Shiki? Are you out of your mind?”“ Look, the little gremlin knows how to talk” Haida snarled back, giving the obvious fake Reiji a death stare. “ Who the fuck are you and what did you do to my senpais?!”“ I have…no…idea….what you are…talking about…Shiki…are you…fine?”“ Shut up you fake Shigure-senpai! Where am I? And who the hell is this Shiki you are talking about? I don’t know someone like that!”“did you hit your head Shiki-kun?”“ Stop calling me that!” Haida hissed, clearly annoyed.“Wait…does that mean…you are not…Shiki…but ..huh?”“ Duh! Captain obvious. I’ve been trying to tell you that” Haida rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed.
They might not be his senpais but they still were exactly as stupid as them.“ Of course he’s not. Shiki is nothing like that. He’s loveable, cute and caring and definitely not this rude”Haida didn’t know what exactly it was but something about the fact that this guy looked exactly like Haruno, irked him to his guts.
Those same vibrant green eyes staring him up and down.
It didn’t sit right with him.
Also what’s with that idiot judging him after a few seconds.
Haida didn’t like him at all.“ Now that Haruna says it he also doesn’t talk like Shiki.”Haruna? Even their names were too similar for Haida’s taste.
What a disgusting joke this was.“ And even his eyes are different. Shiki’s aren’t magenta…”“ But other than that he looks exactly the same…”Those four idiots were talking all over each other. Trying to figure out what exactly was going on and Haida had to roll his eyes at them acting so stupid.“ Look you morons. I don’t understand what happened either. I was just here all of a sudden but I’m not that Shiki guy or whatever. My name is Haida Susumu”“ I can hardly believe any of this…but you are really…not Shiki…you look exactly like him. But you aren’t? Where is Shiki then? Ugh, whatever it is. It’s nice to meet you Susumu. Oh also I’m Hayato, this is Jun and Natsuki and I guess you already know Haruna” Hayato pointed at all of them.What’s with this guy addressing him so casually all of a sudden?
So their names were different but they looked just like his senpais and according to them there was someone running around here that looked like him too?
Shiki? What a stupid name. What kind of places was this?
Everything seemed so ordinary.
Anyways those guys didn’t seem to be a threat at all. They were just normal boys.“ It’s better to continue this talk in the club room also Haruna needs to get that treated” Jun suggested.Haida clicked his tongue, sparing only a small and disapproving glance at that Haruna guy. It was too weird how he looked exactly like his boyfriend. He didn’t like that at all.
How was he supposed to feel about that? What would anyone do in such a crazy situation?Haida needed to figure out what happened and how he could get back.
Haruno would probably worry sick about him…and Haida…not being close to his senpai…it wasn’t good…it was like all of the bad kept slowly crawling back, throwing Haida into a constant state of anxiousness if Haruno wasn’t around…Someone gently took his hand and Haida’s magenta eyes shot up to look at the person.“ Shishio-senpai…”“ Eeh? What weird name is that? I told you it’s Hayato and please don’t call me senpai. Come on Susumu-kun, the club room is this way.”Right, how could Haida forget that?
Those weren’t his friends and senpais although they looked the same.
Could he really trust them? When they only knew each other for about ten minutes?
But they seemed nice and genuine. Maybe it was okay to trust them? Because if they looked like his senpais, they must be good guys, right?
At least that’s what Haida hoped…~📀~“ So let me get this straight…you are not Shiki and you are not from here…but you look exactly like him…and you have friends…that look exactly like us…how is that possible?” Jun tried his best to comprehend the whole situation, although it sounded downright implausible.“ I’ve been trying to tell you this from the start. I have no idea what happened but from everything you told me…I’m not even sure if this is the same world I am from. I once heard Shigure-senpai talk about this with Reiji…stuff like the possibility of multiple universes existing…thousands or even millions of other worlds…some that are very similar to each other and some that are completely different. Maybe I got zapped from my world into yours…”“ What? That makes even less sense. This sounds like some sci-fi movie” Hayato was gripping his head in frustration.“ Yes of course it doesn’t make any sense for your pea sized brain” Haida huffed annoyed “I need to get back as soon as possible”“ So even hypothetically if all of this is true and you landed here, what happened to Shiki?”Haida hated to hear that voice because it sounded way too similar to Haruno’s and he tried not to look at Haruna, who was still holding a cool pack to his hurting cheek, utterly disgusted.“ Well if I am here then it might be that this guy you call Shiki ended up in my world…and that’s even more reason for me to find a way back as soon as possible” with those words Haida sprung up from his chair, bolting out of the room with quick steps.Why was all of this happening? There must be a reason why Haida was brought here. Would something dangerous happen?
Had this anything to do with the nightmare he’d been experiencing for two weeks?This world…although it was similar to his own…it seemed so peaceful and quiet here.
Hayato had told him everything about this place and how he and the other guys were in an idol band together.
Haida had looked at their picture pinned to the whiteboard. It was so weird seeing a guy looking exactly like him.
So did it mean that there might be more versions of himself existing in all kinds of different worlds in an endless universe?Anyways those four guys were just ordinary humans living their lives in this normal, average world…and now Haida was one of them.
He hadn’t told them anything about it but ever since arriving here the voices in his head suddenly had quiet down. He couldn’t feel the energy flowing around him anymore. He had lost his powers.
TenagexTensage was gone.
Haida was a normal human now, with no ability like everyone else here. He figured out pretty quickly that nothing like special abilities existed in this world.It was another reason to worry about because if his powers were gone that might mean his other self now might be in possession of them.
A really worrisome thought because Haida’s powers weren’t something anyone could control easily. It even took him years of training to be able to do it and yet it still cost him a lot everytime he used it.If anything went wrong then this power might kill Shiki on the spot. Maybe the nightmare wanted to warn Haida about that? Maybe this weird creature he saw were his own powers going out of control because they were in the wrong hands? Or was it something else?
After wandering this school for a bit, Haida was sure that him being brought here and his nightmare were connected because he recognized parts of the building from his dream. He’d been wandering through those corridors night after night.
Something was about to happen…something bad…“ Oi please hold on for a second”Haida resisted the strong urge to turn around and hit Haruna’s other cheek when that guy so casually grabbed his hand, sending a shiver down Haida’s spin.
Even the warmth of their hands was the exact same…Haida turned around agonizingly slow, not understanding why his heart did weird flips when he looked into those green eyes.
God, how stupid was he? This guy wasn’t Haruno. Although they looked alike, this wasn’t his boyfriend.“ What is it?” Haida hissed out, willing his heart to stop with the nonsense, telling himself over and over again that it wasn’t Haruno.“ Don’t just run away like that. I know everything that happened sounds like it can’t be real but I believe you and so does everyone else.”“ And? What about it? It’s not your fucking problem?”“ You don’t know anything about this world so we can’t just let you run around like that. Also all of our classmates will get suspicious if they encounter a Shiki with such bad temper” Haruna lightly giggled “So let us help you, Susumu-kun”How dare that guy also address him so casually.
“ Haa? What do you mean bad temper…” Haida mumbled.God, he even talked like Haruno.“ And I’m worried sick about Shiki too. If he ended up in your world he must be so scared and confused. I hope nothing bad happened to him. I’m sure he wants to get home just as much as you. So let us help with that”What a good hearted idiot. Yet another thing Haruna and his boyfriend had in common. Well great…
Haida took a deep breath.“ Don’t worry about it. If I was able to run into you I’m pretty sure Shiki has met my senpais too…he’s safe with them…oh also…” Haida carefully put his fingers to Haruna’s cheek that still looked red and swollen. “ I’m sorry about that…does it still hurt?”“ It’s bearable but damn you know how to punch, don’t you?”“ Well it’s a given. In my world if you can’t fend for yourself you might as well die” Haida sighed, putting his hands on his hips. Really, this world was full of average, dull people.“ Doesn’t sounds like a nice place at all also makes me worry about Shiki even more”“ Like I said, I'm pretty sure he met my senpais. Haruno is strong, he won’t let anything happen to him.”“ Haruno…that sounds like…” Haruna let his head fall to one side.“ Yes…it’s so weird…you both look exactly the same”“ Is that the reason why you look at me so disapprovingly?” Haruna asked straightforwardly with a cocky smile.“ T-that’s…!”, Haida whispered out, how dare Haruna just call him out like that “ I can’t help it…you both look too similar. It’s weird…it’s just so weird…” he mumbled, feeling his own cheeks getting hot, knowing he was definitely madly blushing and doing his best to hide it by letting his head sink low but Haruna still noticed it.It took the other a few seconds, blinking in confusion but when it finally hit Haruna he gasped in both, shock and surprise.“ Wait…you and that Haruno guy…are you perhaps?”“ So what..if we are..?” Haida mumbled quietly.There were a few moments of silence before Haruna broke out into delighted laughter.“ Wha-? What’s so funny about that?” Haida blurted out, clearly angered and ready to lash out.“ Sorry, sorry…it’s just…doesn’t matter which world it is, or which versions of us…seems like we always manage to fall in love with each other, huh?”“ Wait…so you and Shiki too?”“ Yep” Haruna answered “ and it’s the best thing to ever happen to me”“ Oh…wow…” to be fair, Haida hadn’t expected that at all.“ You see that’s why, I really wanna help you. I want my Shiki back and I also want you to be with your own boyfriend. He must miss you just as much as I miss Shiki. So let us figure this out together. There must be a way to get you back. I’m not really smart but if there’s anything I can do…”Haida looked at Haruna with his magenta eyes, so similar but also so different from Shiki’s turquoise ones.
They didn’t hold that same gentleness and warmth like Haida had already experienced a lot of horrible things in his life.
Things Haruna probably couldn’t even think about and even less imagine…“ Now that I think about it I might already know something…” Haida said with a cheeky grin and Haruna audibly swallowed…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
How long has he been running around this place, confused and not knowing how he suddenly ended up here?The last thing Shiki could remember was the room with the TVs and a bright light and suddenly he was here.What happened and where was this place?
Shiki tried not to entirely freak out and fall into panic.Surely it must be another high school, as people who walked past him seemed to be around his age and wearing clothes that looked like school uniforms.
Shiki also wore one like those, his normal clothes entirely gone.
It was so weird, like how was it possible to be at another school in completely different clothes in just the blink of an eye. There couldn’t be any logical explanation for this.He tried to ask the other students about his whereabouts and how all of this was possible but they all seemed to ignore him, shooting him nasty looks, walking off as soon as Shiki tried to talk to them.“ What is happening? I don’t understand-ssu” Shiki sniffled quietly, clearly stressed out from the whole situation.
All he had wanted was to spend his lunch break with Haruna and the others and now something absolutely crazy happened.Maybe he was dreaming again. Shiki had no other explanation for all of this. It was too crazy for it to be real and it wouldn’t be surprising if Shiki’s mind came up with such nonsense while he was sleeping.Worst of all his head was feeling heavy and dull, painful jabs bolting through it here and there. Shiki’s heart was racing like he’d been running a whole marathon.
Undoubtedly something strange was happening with Shiki’s body, he could clearly feel it but yet he couldn’t understand, nor shake off the wave of drowsiness that suddenly hit him.He had to halt in his steps gripping for his hurting head.
This was not good. Shiki needed to find someone to help him and explain all of this. Anyone.It happened in just that moment, he heard a very familiar voice reaching his ears.
A laugh, Shiki would have recognized anywhere in the world.
Picking his head up ever so carefully, his vision still blurry from the pain he could still make out the features of a person very familiar to him in the distance .Shiki was not dreaming, was he? It felt surreal seeing his own boyfriend right there, surrounded by a flock of girls, happily talking like nothing out of the ordinary happened.
Then again wouldn’t that be typical for Shiki having Haruna appear in one of his weird dreams.
Maybe this was real and maybe it was not, Shiki wasn’t so sure anymore.
The guy, who must have been Haruna like who else could he be, suddenly seemed to notice Shiki standing there and he raised a hand to wave with a smile on his face.Dream or not, Shiki wasn’t able to take it anymore. Although still feeling weak, he just made a running start and with the last of his strength threw himself right into the other’s arms, sobbing like the biggest stone had been lifted off his shoulders.“HARUNACCHI” Shiki screeched like his whole life depended on it, clinging to his boyfriend, who was seemingly overwhelmed with the whole situation “ you are here thank godsie-ssu! I don’t knowsie what’s happening. What are those clothsies? What is this weird place?”
“ Uuhm…what are you talking about?” Haruno was more than confused and shocked, just like everyone else around them.
What was Haida talking about and why was he sounding like he’d been inhaling at least two cans of helium? And was Haida crying?
But most weird of all since when did Haida show any kind of affection, besides regularly hitting him, in any public spaces? Did his boyfriend hit his head somewhere?
“Haida-kun are you alrig-?”
But Haruno couldn’t finish his sentence because suddenly he was kissed by his probably-not-so-sane-anymore boyfriend.Haruno’s brain couldn’t catch up with that and he only managed to look at the other, blinking confused, as soon as they separated.
Did Haida just kiss Haruno in front of everyone? Surely Haida must have lost the last bit of his sanity.
Haruno looked at the other entirely confused.
How come…wait a moment…it suddenly hit Haruno like a brick.“ Harunacchi…what is-” but then suddenly Shiki was hit by a strong gust of wind, sending him flying back a few meters and landing very unceremoniously on his behind with a painful yelp.“ Who the hell are you?” Haruno asked dangerously low, ready to fight and eyes glowing vibrant green.Haruno should have noticed it way sooner. Although they looked like identical twins, this guy before him definitely wasn’t Haida Susumu. The last time Haruno checked his boyfriend’s eyes hadn’t been turquoise but a beautiful magenta colour.
He’d almost been fooled if it hadn’t been for that minor detail.
So who was this imposter looking just like Haida?
Shiki looked even more confused than he had been before.
People around them were screaming and backing up. Getting themselves to safety.
What was Haruna doing? Where had that wind come from sweeping Shiki off his feet so easily? Why were Haruna’s eyes glowing and why did he look so angrily at Shiki treating him so harshly?“ Harunacchi…” Shiki sobbed so quietly but so heartbroken, doing his best to lift himself up on all fours.
He was feeling distraught, not knowing what was going on.
His body was hurting, burning like fire was scorching through it and Shiki couldn’t understand why Haruna was acting like that. “ What is happening with me?”Seconds later Haruno could feel the ground underneath them shaking, cracking and he knew what that meant, looking at the other guy with panic rising in his eyes.“ It hurtsie-ssu…” Shiki whispered out painfully, hiccuping and still crying, now on his knees and desperately gripping for his hurting chest.Haruno didn’t know how any of this was possible as he watched the other’s glowing magenta eyes, the light soon enough engulfing his whole body.If this was not Haida then how come he was able to use his ability?
Haruno decided that he could worry about that later. He needed to stop him before TenagexTensage exploded, probably blowing up half of the school grounds again.Haruno was ready to strike but then the other looked at him, so much pain swimming in those eyes, it made Haruno halt in his steps.“ Harunacchi…help…” Shiki whimpered, his head was hurting like someone was trying to split it open.
He wanted this to end, all of this must be a bad dream. Soon Shiki would wake up and he would be at home in his bed and Haruna would wait for him on the way to school just like everyday.The next thing Shiki noticed was a dull pain in his neck and suddenly everything was dark.“ What are you doing just standing around?” Haruno was instantly lectured by Shigure who had gracefully slipped into the scene and knocked out that guy before TenagexTensage got out of control.“ It’s weird…I don’t understand…” Haruno mused as he scooted closer to take a look at the unconscious boy “ he looks exactly like Haida…he even has his ability…but it’s not him…”“ What do you mean by that?” Shigure asked, raising a confused eyebrow.“ He didn’t act like Haida at all…and he seemed to be confused about his whereabouts, dare I say scared even…and though they look identical… this guy’s eye colour is different. What is going on here?” Haruno squatted down to take an even closer look at the other, gently poking his cheek “ weird…”“ Hmm…” Shigure seemed to think for a while “ I think I might have an idea…” he finally concluded. Taking a look around them he noticed how more and more students scooted closer, wanting to know what was going on and being curious “ let’s get the others and get that boy to the headquarters first. Shimon-san might know what to do”~*~Shiki didn’t know how long he’d been out for but when he slowly blinked his eyes open again he had no idea where he was or what exactly happened.
He only remembered suddenly being at that strange highschool and then he met Haruna or at least he thought it was his boyfriend and then there was a lot of pain and suddenly everything went black.Ever so carefully he lifted himself up from the ground, dusting off his clothes and taking a good look at his surroundings. This seemed to be a room and Shiki was locked away inside a glass cubicle, standing in that same room.
Where was this? It looked so futuristic in here with some weird computers standing along a wall.“ Look, he finally woke up again!”Shiki almost jumped out of his skin at the sudden voice, turning his body around in what must have been milliseconds.“ HAYATOCCHI!” he screeched, looking at the boy on the other side of the glass who looked exactly like his best friend.“ Eeeh? I don’t know who that is? People normally call me Shishio but the question is: Who exactly are you?”So another guy that looked like one of his friends but wasn’t? Shiki had no idea what was going on.“ Really don’t scare him like that Shishio-kun” another stoic voice mixed into the conversation.Shiki’s eyes fell on a guy that looked and talked like Jun but surely he wasn’t.“ Hehe sorry Reiji but it’s so weird. I mean look at him. It’s like Haida-kun’s identical twin.”“ But yet he isn’t”“ Then who exactly is he Shigure-senpai?” Shishio asked the guy that looked like Natsuki.“ Well that’s what I want to know…”“ Harunacchi…?” Shiki couldn’t believe this. Why were those guys looking like his friends but yet they weren’t?
What was this place?“ It’s not Harunacchi. It’s Ibuki. Ibuki Haruno. Got it?” Haruno seemed to be clearly annoyed by the guy looking like his boyfriend who was staring at him with those frightened puppy eyes. “ So tell us who you are and where are you from? Why do you have Haida’s ability and what did you do to him?”“ I…I…I don’t knowsie-ssu. I’m not even sure how I ended up here and I have no idea who that Haida guysie is or what you mean by powers-ssu. I just wanna get homesie-ssu” Shiki sniffled, “ I was just about to have lunch break at school and suddenly I was in that weird room and then there was this bright light and as soon as I opened my eyes I was here in clothes that aren’t even my own and everyone treats me like some criminal-ssu…”“ Could it be that…” Shigure mused.“ Right It seemed like you managed to catch yourself an universe traveler although he seemingly has no idea that he did it.” another voice mixed in with them.“ But I thought all that talk about a Multiversum was just nonsense” Reiji said to the man that just entered the room.He looked exactly like Teru but if Shiki had learned one thing by now then it was that although they looked like people he knew, those guys weren’t them.“ Well there isn’t significant proof that other universes exist but if they don’t then I don’t know how we explain our little friend here. It seems like he comes from a different universe, an alternate reality if you will. A world that is kinda the same like ours but yet different in some aspects. People think that sometimes small cracks between different universes can open, making them overlap at some points and sometimes people, willingly or not slip through.”“ That means he is like an alternate version of Haida-kun from a different universe?” Shishio asked “ That's kinda cool. Does that mean there’s an alternate version of me too?”“ I don’t hope so. One of you is already annoying enough” Reiji grumbled.“ Whatever it is. It’s something very exciting. Something that never happened before. Ah, don’t worry about anything though. You are safe here at the Public Security Force” the guy that looked like Teru said in Shiki’s direction, smiling all brightly, “ I’m the head of the organisation. Nokoru Shimon.”“ But if he’s here then what happened to Haida?” Shigure tried to think about it.“ Well it seems like when Haida’s alternate version slipped through the crack, another one opened right before him and dragged him away into this guy’s universe but what’s even more interesting is that TenagexTensage didn’t go with him and instead it shifted into this guy. This is very interesting. Does that mean our abilities have a will of their own? Like they can jump from one person to another? This gives a whole new perspective…we definitely need to investigate this now that we found such an interesting specimen…” Shimon mused.Shiki didn’t even understand half of what they all were saying. What did they mean, other universe? and what kind of ability? Did he just get called a specimen? What were those people trying to do with him?
Didn’t that Shimon guy say he was safe? This sounded more like they were planning on doing some weird experiments on him…No, no Shiki didn’t want to be used as some sort of guinea pig…definitely not. He’d seen enough alien movies to know that never could mean something good…
How did he end up in such a nightmare? All he wanted to do was to have a nice lunch break and now he was a prisoner in a world he didn’t know, trapped by people that looked like his friends back home.Shiki wasn’t sure what to feel or to think. He carefully backed up against the glass wall looking at everyone with big scared eyes unsure what to do or to say.Haruno had been staying quiet until now but of course he noticed how the other seemed to be feeling unwell in this kind of situation. Of course he would after hearing all that, Haruno would be confused too.It shouldn’t bother Haruno that much and yet he couldn’t help but to pity the boy, who’s name he didn’t even know yet.
Maybe it was because he looked the same as Haida and although their eyes were different colours, they displayed the same kind of fear and helplessness that Haruno had already seen in Haida’s magenta eyes back at that fateful day…he wished to forget.
He couldn’t just stand there and watch…“ Oi enough of that nonsense, can’t you see you are scaring him?”, Haruno harshly bolted in on the conversation “ I don’t think he’s dangerous or anything. Open that cage door now.”“ Are you sure about that?” Reiji interjected “ this guy is in possession of a very dangerous ability he can’t even control. Behind the glass he won’t be able to use it. What will you do if we let him out and TenagexTensage gets out of control? We can’t have another disastrous event...”“ That won’t happen. I’ll take care of him and protect him”“ Hee? Haruno you are only saying that because he looks like Haida” Shishio couldn’t help but to tease with an amused grin.“ Haa? That’s absolute nonsense…”And while Haruno and Shishio still bantered with each other, Shimon looked at them with a smile.
It was typical of his subordinates…though they still were young, they all had a lot of potential in them.“ What are you thinking?” Shigure asked his leader.“ I guess why not? Haruno is good at jobs like that and it could be interesting to see what happens.”Shigure released a huff at that statement of course their boss would make such a rushed decision because he was moved by how determined Haruno was.
Shiki hasn’t really been able to catch up to everything that was happening but somehow he got the feeling those guys might not be as bad as he thought.
Yet he still tried to vanish even more into the glass wall when the door to his prison opened and that guy who looked like Haruna came walking in.
What did they call him again? Haruno or something?
It was too weird being confronted with a guy that looked like the twin of Shiki’s boyfriend. It kinda felt like a really distasteful joke. Not that Shiki had any experience with those though…“ Come on, stop looking at me like I’m going to eat you alive. I’m sorry we must have scared you a lot. We really got each other on the wrong foot back at school, huh? Let’s start over shall we?” Haruno held out his hand towards the other “ I’m Haruno…Haruno Ibuki and you don’t have to worry. I’ll protect you from now on. What’s your name?”Shiki looked at the hand that was held out towards him and then back at Haruno. Maybe it was because he looked like Haruna with that same genuine and gentle smile but somehow Shiki’s mind felt weirdly at ease and he carefully took the hand that was offered to him.“ I’m Shiki…Shiki Iseya.”