Chapter 42: Before another Disaster Comes

Cammy reached out his hand to reach Ajan as he stumbled and fell on the ground but she just sat there--frozen behind the people who surrounded her as she saw how Cammy struggled to go to her with all his might.

'Cammy, stop. Why are you doing this to yourself? Stop... don't come I'll only hurt you.. Please listen to them.. Don't go here.' Ajan thought but Cammy was smiling at her- it was the familiar smile she had loved before and has been a welcoming home to her- he still had the same eyes when he promised her a lifetime of love. They had shared so many years together and Ajan had been tired of everything. 'Why are you still smiling at me like nothing is wrong? Cammy.. You should be mad at me! Stop!'

But Cammy still reached out his hand to her and smiled as he reached her and she reached out her hand to him as he got closer but, as Cammy was about to reach her, just as their hands were about to be joined together again, he dispersed then, disappeared...

Only a butterfly was left flying, and it went in Ajan's hands, reaching out to her like it was saying something only them can understand, making her cry... Ajan understood everything he wanted to tell her- all his pain- his love for Ajan... His..

His message...

'He wanted me to live the life that I deserve, find someone who will love me, graduate, and be happy...' It was surreal- he didn't even open his mouth but Ajan understood every single thing he thought as he looked at her a while ago- his eyes were so sad that just looking at them infected her heart with his pain.

The butterfly went straight onto her hands and she felt that.... It was him... It was Cammy, and he is finally happy... Ajan felt his happiness as he stayed onto her hand...

She could tell that he wanted to stay.. And now she knows why he dispersed- he wanted to live again when he saw her...

But he was leaving- the butterfly flew away from her and went to Light and Joy.

Ajan felt dizziness as it crept over her, but she still tried to stay conscious because it was the last time that she will be able to see him.

'For you, Cammy, I'll live... I'll try to be strong because that is what you want me to be. I'll be happy. I'll be what you want me to be.'

In the midst of Ajan's almost fainting, Light came to her and looked at her with his serious eyes.

"Finally, you have heard what he wanted to say." he said. "He wanted you to live and be happy, so if you permit me, I'll take half your pain and carry it with you. I will be with you as you heal. All it takes is your decision and wil to live."

"You still are the happiness in his eyes. Light, please let me take over here. Let me be the one to help her." Joy approached and said.

With wary eyes, Light looked at her as if frightened with her idea.

"No. Stay out of here." he coldly said and turned to Ajan again, trying to regain his posture.

"What's your problem?" Joy asked him, annoyed with his attitude towards her.

"Just let me do the job here please... Hope.. It's not only one person's pain that we are talking about here- it's both Cammy's and Ajan's."

"Light, please... Cammy is so important to me and I want to carry the burden with Ajan because it will be like I am to carry Cammy's as well. Please Light... Let me"

Joy was almost crying but she was trying so hard not to. Seeing that pained expression on Joy's face, Light closed his eyes and pondered hard, trying to come up with a solution. After a short while, he looked at her again.

"Fine. I have came up with an idea. You take over here but you won't take over on the next five missions or so. Is that a deal?"

" Fine! Deal! " Joy screamed hard because she really hate losing. Just the thought of it killed her. Light glared at her- making her feel like there was snow on the area. She felt chills as he held his stare- and she tried so hard not to avert her gaze because she don't want him to see that she was afraid of him.

"Take over then." he said without averting his gaze from her- he looked worried and sad at the same time- like he was a little helpless human being who seemed to be cute but scary.

'Gosh, what was I thinking?' Joy thought. She approached Ajan but as she tried to speak, Ajan fainted.

"You see. She should have endured her dizziness for the time we were arguing. Come on Light. Why must you insist? Is it because she is Ajan? I smell something fishy between you two." Joy said. She sulked because she has been really annoyed with the way he acted- and she knew that the scenario was pissing him off too but she felt that she really needed to voice that out.

" So you are admitting that you are jealous? "

Joy almost jumped as he said that and she felt her cheeks burn again because of embarrassment. 'Why must you say something so trivial Light?!'

"No. Of course not! Why would I be jealous? You know what? You should shut up and let me do the work I will be missing because you won't let me do them in the next couple of missions." Joy turned to Ajan to finish the job. She was getting ready to chant and help but she felt him approaching her- his presence was very strong she cannot even turn around because she knew she pissed him off.

'I'm scared of him because of his eyes- I can't fall deeper! Wait- what was I even thinking? AGAIN?!' Joy shook her head because she knew that that was not the case there- he was mad- she made him mad!

'I'm screwed.'

Joy tried to not notice him but she can really feel him getting closer to her. "Light, can you turn around, please? I'm not being rude or what but I can clearly feel your presence here and it's distracting m-"

[He...]

[He just.....]

[Hugged me..... from my back...]

`Wait- is this really happening?`

Joy tried to pinch herself to possibly figure out if she was dreaming, but no- he was really on her back, and his arms were wrapped on her waist.

[Light.... Did.... Really hug me!]

All the lesser lights paled into insignificance- Joy's heartbeats were in a rush- her cheeks were burning and she can feel his heartbeats and they resonated with her- she can feel his breathing-

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's only you that I like? You needn't be jealous with other people. Do you not trust me?" he asked.

['Why does he have to be like this? I think he wants to kill me by giving me a heart attack!]

..

"I- i do trust you... But please let me do my work now..." Joy said, acting unfazed and trying to shoo him away.

[I wish he'd jnsist...]

[I wish he won't back-off...]

[I wish he won't back-off...]

`But he did. What have I done? IT WAS MY FIRST HUG! AND IT IS FROM LIGHT! I SHOULDN'T HAVE SHOOED HIM AWAY! I'm hopeless! I'm on my mission mode and I cannot let myself be distracted.`

She then fixed her own posture and positioned herself before Ajan who was silently laying on the ground in the middle of the crowd who has stopped due to Light's abilities...

"Okay. I am ready." Joy said and placed her hands at the top of her chest.

"As the heavens appointed me,

I stand before you.

I am Hope, the chosen one.

I saw how you suffered-

now I'm ending them one by one.

The pain in your heart, share it with me.

For you to see the beauty this world has to give.

So now be happy, hopeful and joyful.

Live life as you have resurrected from the dead

And as you recover, I also will

From now on, you will never be alone."

The necklace glowed so white it almost blinded her- it was strange- she didn't have cuts so she did not acquire one.

'A good thing- I guess?'

But then, a pang hit her heart hard- half her pain was in her- she can feel them- it was so dark and sad.

'So this is what I get for saving a person without cuts.... Their internal thoughts and sadness are in me-'

[The people who have cut themselves means that it is their way of releasing the tension inside them- but Ajan's was never released- crying wasn't enough for her and she tried killing herself already for a couple of times. She is a miracle.]

`It's a relief that she is willing to live now.`

But Joy felt sadness beyond her imagination and comprehension.... She felt like she was carry the whole sadness of the world.. ' I'm going insane...'

There was a darkness trying to engulf her- it was the darkness of Ajan- and also Cammy's- it was getting darker and darker every moment- and the necklace was still shining and she still cannot move until it's over.

All she can do then was shut her eyes because the light was blinding her- and she realized that of all the missions, Ajan and Cammy was the most painful of them.

______

"Hope, you seem to be awake." Light said as he noticed that Joy moved.

Joy woke up with the sight of the school clinic while Ajan was on the other bed, laying peacefully.

'I must have exhausted myself.'

"I knew that the idea was terrible. Look what happened. You exhausted yourself too much and have taken so many things that I was supposed to be taking." Light sulked.

"Enough with the lecture please... Light.. Let's go to class." Joy said, not wanting to hear any kind of criticisms from him.

"You seem to like worrying me Hope. Why must you act like that? Do you not care about me at all?" But he did criticized Joy.