Counterattack 12

No.

No.

NO.

At full speed, Lia ran back.

"Lia, listen, I… I'm sorry."

No. No. No!

Lia didn't want to hear it. This couldn't be Yano. It just couldn't be.

Why did he sound like he could die any second?

"I'm really sorry."

Why was there so much pain, so much sadness and lingering regret in his voice?

"It's my fault, I-"

"Yano, where are you?"

A brief moment of silence.

"Don't come."

Lia's heart beat faster. It wanted to explode, to suffocate her whole body.

Stop.

Stop.

Stop.

"Tell me. Now!"

Another moment of silence.

"Please Yano…"

Lia couldn't keep it in. Tears split. It couldn't be true. This was Yano they were talking about.

How? Who? Why? When? Just what?

"At the plaza," finally Yano's answer came.

"I'll be there soon," Lia's feet carried her faster and faster. The surroundings became a blur.