Chapter 72

"With that, he can remove his name, right?" Gabriela said, asking the staff.

"Yes... But are you sure?"

"Yes, I trust my friend,"

"She's talking about Yukina right?" Yuji thought.

"So? Can he remove it now?"

The staff began typing on the laptop, "Wait for a second, ma'am," after a short moment, "yes, sir you can remove your name now,"

"Thanks," Yuji said.

Gabriela turned around, "Well then, I'll be on my way now," Gabriela said, "you don't have to follow me, I'm heading toward one of my sisters, bye!" she began to run away.

"Ah! Thank you!" Yuji shouted, waving as Gabriela left, waving back without looking back.

"Today wasn't so bad... But what is it with him...? Why do I feel like this, it's like I'm feeling comfortable around him...? Why?" Gabriela thought as she started to jump from building to building.

"Ah!" Yuji said in shock, seeing Gabriela jump high from building to building, "she must be in a real hurry to not take a vehicle..."

"Anyway, I can take my name off that board now," Yuji began to walk towards the board, "now where did Gabriela say my picture was at?"

He searched the area Gabriela pointed, seeing multiple people around the area, he took notice of some people.

"Damn, so there's this many that died from our school,"

"Yeah, lucky for us we made it,"

"I feel sorry for some though,"

Yuji quietly listened to some people on the spot.

"Hey look it's this guy," a man pointed at Yuji's picture.

"There's my picture!" Yuji thought.

"Yeah, there was no way he was going to make it,"

"Haha, yeah,"

"Hey, you two! This is a place for a memorial! Don't go talking bad stuff about the fallen,"

"S... sorry,"

Suddenly Yuji stepped between the people talking, "I'm glad I'm at least remembered for something,".

The people were stunned with shocked expressions imprinted on their faces.

"W... weakling?"

"It's Yuji Amanda, it's written right there," Yuji walked past them, with an expressionless face and a not caring tone, "excuse me," feeling of wanting to get over it quickly, he asked the female blocking Yuji's picture to move aside.

The woman stepped aside with a shocked expression, not being able to say a word.

Yuji grabbed his photo, "now then,"

He pulled out his photo and name tag then ripped them into shreds.

"I doubt anyone will need this," he said as he left.

The people had the same expression until Yuji left, not being able to take a single step for a while.

As Yuji was leaving, "I had to rip that photo apart, I can't let Gabriela come back for it later, more or less have Yukina see it," he thought, with a worried expression, he walked away.

Suddenly.

"Y... Yuji? Right?"

Suddenly a familiar voice took his attention, searching for the source of the voice, he looked around.

"Ah!" Looking to his left, he saw a very familiar look, leaving his eyes stunned, with a surprised look on his face, as he saw a woman with thick and long hair, with a style he was familiar with.

"Elizabeth..." Yuji thought.

Layla walked closer, "you're Yuji... Right!?"

"And you're Layla if I remember correctly?"

Layla's eyes let out a single tear, "ah!" Quickly noticing it, she wiped her eye, holding back the rest, "I'm glad... Looks like my sister managed to save you!" Layla smiled.

Yuji's eyes shrunk, as he held back his tears, feeling they were about to burst out, "yeah... She saved me! And helped me in multiple ways!" He smiled.

Yuji bowed his head, facing Layla, "that's why..."

"Hold on! hold on!" Layla said, interrupting Yuji, "I want to hear everything, and that might take a while, so..."

Layla looked around, "ah! Over there!" She said, pointing at the cafe from a distance.

After some time, they both sat down inside the cafe, where no one seemed to be sitting near.

"So... Layla,"

"Not yet!"

Yuji stayed quiet.

"Can we at least wait till our drinks arrive? I... Still need to prepare,"

"I see, in that case, we can take our time,"

Layla nodded.

A waitress dropped by after a short moment, leaving their hot drinks then quickly left.

Layla took a deep breath, lifting up her cup of coffee, she took a sip and exhaled, "I... Think I'm ready,"

"What should I tell her..." Yuji thought, "I feel like she deserves to know everything... I don't want to lie... But I have to hide something... What should I..."

"Yuji?"

"Ah! Sorry, I was deep in thought,"

"Seeing my look, did it remind you of something?"

Yuji nodded, "if you don't mind... Let's start with what happened after she saved me from that building..."

"On that building... she said she wanted to heal you no matter what... Sorry but, I didn't want to let her go at first, but her determined eyes convinced me to, that's how we separated, then I ran towards the central and left the others to deal with the Akuma..." Looking disappointed, she looked down.

"I don't think you trying to stop her was wrong... You were her sister, right?"

"Yeah... In the end, I was the one that let her go..."

"And thanks to that I'm here,"

Layla raised her head.

"If it wasn't for her... I won't be here, that's why I owe my life to the both of you,"

Layla slightly brightened up.

"I got a lot of help getting here in one peace, and I might owe other people too... But if Elizabeth hasn't started it all, I..."

"I get it!" Layla smiled, interrupting Yuji, "so tell me, how did my sister save you actually?" Sounding slightly shaky.

"She..."

"I don't want to lie..." Yuji thought, "but..."

"At first it was from that building... I was stunned in pain, not being able to move, then I saw an Akuma slowly walking towards me, and if Elizabeth had come any later, I would have been bitten..."

"What did she do?"

"She charged at the Akuma and pushed it off the building, after that she quickly healed me,"

Layla giggled, "as expected of her, I can imagine her doing something like that,"

"After that... After that..." he shivered.

Layla notices Yuji struggling, "It's ok Yuji... I'm glad my sister had an effect on you, so if it's a painful memory that comes next, you can take your time..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Hm?"

"I'm... Sorry!" Yuji's voice began to tremble, "I... We were placed in a tough situation, she healed me and healed me and healed me, over and over and over again!" Yuji looked down, hiding his face, "we both gave it our best... She kept me alive all this time... But I... Wasn't able to protect her..."

Layla shivered.

"It took a while, but someone came to help. But... But... It was too late..." Yuji's voice began to crack and faint.

Layla gripped her skirt, with her shivering hands, as Yuji continues.

Trying his best to sound normal, he continued, "if only... If only I was able to keep her longer... If only... I was stronger!"

"Stop it!" Layla shouted, with teary eyes about to burst, "I get it already, you don't have to blame yourself for what gift you didn't have by then... It's ok," Layla looked down, as her eyes cried out, not being able to hold back.

Yuji looked at her, feeling useless, not being able to do anything, he held back his own tears.

As Layla began to cry out, Yuji felt his heart aching, feeling as if he was about to cry himself.

Looking down on the ground, he tried to hide his face, and as tears were about to come out.

SMACK*

"Aw! Yuji backed up, after being hit by an empty tissue box.

"Don't you dare cry..." With teary eyes, Layla smiled as she puts back the box on the table, "that's not the end of it right?"

Yuji locked eyes with her.

"Tell me, what was the result of my sister's work? How did you end up here, I want to hear all of it!"

Yuji regained his composure and let out a grin, "alright..."