Chapter 54: Chapter 51: Come back to Me
"Light."
Light looked as he arrived at the rendezvous. He still masked himself from the people but he allowed Yvan to see him because he waited long enough for the news.
"Tell me what happened with Stellar."
______
She doesn't know what she'd do when she finally sees him again. She had tendencies to think of because she restrains herself from running towards him like a lost person waiting to be found in the dark place she'd been living for a month since she last saw him. There was a part of her that wanted to see him- but there was also a part of her that don't want to even catch a glimpse of his hair because she knew that she'd come running to him and get in his way.
For the past month, Light had been trying so hard not to get her involved and she felt angry for some reasons--she wanted to help him because she hates the thought of having Light suffer alone.
But she wants him back at her side. She wants him to be near her at all times because just his presence assures her that everything was going to be alright. She had already lost count of the missions that the necklace projected--it might be 20 or even more, and she just did 3 of them while Light had been doing the missions alone.
She walked and walked until she reached the playground turned park at the near end of the city - to where she saw Light unconscious before. That sight of him still haunted her deepest nightmares and she never wanted to see him like that ever again but it was like Light doesn't even want her because he left with no return.
What would you do when the person you rely on the most suddenly disappears? You can't do anything about it- because you have always relied- and Joy understood it.
The park was filled with many people--parents and children and every ride was packed with laughter and glee that was completely unknown to her. She envied the children who looked happy with their parents. She envied people that possess things that she didn't have--because she never saw her parents again since her mother died when she gave birth to her brother while her father abandoned them even if he knew that her mother was pregnant and sick. Despite that, she never hated them because she can't blame people for not being co tented with what they have.
As humans, they have the tendency to be irrational and uncontented with what they have and that makes them yearn for more things, neglecting the things they actually have.
She's not the one to talk because she also wanted things she cannot have and can't keep- Light.
There was the river at the end of the park and all the benches that stood in the shore was empty--except for the beach in front of her.
He looked at her like he used to- but the innocent look on his face was gone--Akuji was still awake.
Ren was alone on the bench--and Light wasn't with him. However, he looked happier now even thought Joy knew that it wasn't Ren. It was Akuji.
"Who did this to you?" Joy asked Akuji who looked confused.
"Oh, this strange Akuji smiling? Looking innocent?" Akuji replied and laughed off. "I don't know what you mean. But someone with a blurry face saved me when I tried to cut myself in the clinic. He told me why I needed to fight and keep living."
"It was then that I realized that even the strangest person can save a heart who knew no love. Even the smallest words can make someone feel even if they are numb. I wish I could have remembered his name." he added.
Joy remembered. "Oh, yeah. You were ought to forget. Go now. Doctor Tristan was searching for you" she said and Akuji stood up from the bench.
"Whoever he is, I'm thankful. I really am." He said as he looked at the bench he used to sit and left.
Tall green grasses surrounded the sides of the benches and flowers had started blooming on the area. It was supposed to be autumn but everywhere felt like summer and autumn seems to not come to them at all.
"Seems like the heavens are different to my sufferings. How can the river shine so beautifully when there are so many things that happens in this world?" She approached the bench and sat down, tears forming in her eyes.
"I guess I'm sitting where you sat a while ago, Light. I'm breathing the air you breathed a while ago. But where are you now my guardian angel? I'm lost..." Joy whispered to the air, hoping that the gust would send it to Light.
She remembered that she can call out to Light everytime she pictured a clear image of him and wished to see him so badly and that gave her a hope beyond comprehension. She closed her eyes and thought about him the hardest way she can--his silver hair, his golden eyes, his cold gaze, his beautiful porcelain skin, and his assuring presence. She thought about him so hard and she thought of him sitting beside her on the bench until she can clearly see him in her imagination.
She slowly opened her eyes as she faced the river and she felt Light's presence beside her..
She turned to face him on the other side of the bench where she sat, but there was no one there. She checked her back but Light was nowhere to be found.
"When will I be with you again?" Joy asked herself and she let out the tears she had been holding up inside her that she tried to suppress for so long. "Guess I'm just talking to the air but if there is even a 0.1 probability that you can hear me out, that would make me happy. Super happy in fact."
Joy looked at the river again, and she imagined Light beside her, on the bench where she sat alone.
" Sometimes I wonder why I'm still existing. This world's tough and the hardships I'm facing really wants me to just disappear or to never get up from my bed again. Sometimes these cuts on my body makes me feel ashamed because what right do I have to be sad when some people are having tougher times than me? I don't have the right to be sad because everyone sees me as a ray of sunshine--of hope. I conceal every pain that I have and keep it all inside where no one can see it because I'm afraid that my sadness will affect others. I'm getting tired but I know that you are getting tired as well so I don't want to stop here. We are still going to save many people together! We are going to finish this mission and we will be finally happy. That's what we promised right? That's what it's ought to be. So please go back to me now Light! Come back! Please. I'm begging you. Come back..." She cried.
The sun began to dim and the clouds changed colors. The scene was so beautiful--like a painting that came to life-- but Joy was sad because she knew she was alone and there was nothing she could have possibly done to reverse it.
Cammy was gone and he dispersed into the air like ashes. Light was nowhere to be found and she feels lost. For the past months since she had met Light, she saw him as a landmark but now that she was without him, she could feel every ounce of her energy leave her body. She watched the pristine river under the bridge and wondered how it would feel like if she drifted into it- however, she remembered that she was supposed to be alive so she can see Light again.
"You chose me out of the many billion people you could've chose-and I am grateful for that. But why do I feel like I've been abandoned and left to die?" Joy asked herself and looked at her sides to see if Light was there.
Sadly, he wasn't.
"You sure don't like me getting in the way of the missions." she continued and stood up. "I guess I should get going since I'm not needed here anymore."
Light watched her as she left. He had been beside her the moment she sat down the bench and he heard everything. He wanted to go and run to her but he wasn't sure what would happen if he did. Yvan had just updated him-
"You probably hadn't realized how much I need you, Hope. I'm staying away from you because I need you to be used to a life without me but it hurts... It's hurts me so much that I can't bear it."
Joy continued to walk away.
"Damn it."
Until he can no longer hear her footsteps.
"Damn it all!"
Until he can no longer see her when he turned back.
"Damn it!"
Light stood up and ran towards her. He ran as fast as he could to reach her. He released the power he had that restricted Joy to see him and he ran as he cried.
"You don't know how much effort I've put to keep myself from running to you- from coming back--you probably don't know how much I need you an longed to be with you. You don't know anything and please!" Light shouted. The sight of Hope, who was on the ground, crying, made him stop. She saw him again, and she was lost for words. She had waited for hat moment. Light also waited for that moment and it was the best thing--to be reunited with someone he held so dearly.
He started to walk towards her with open arms, ready to wrap her with a warm hug he knew she loved so much. Hope was crying because of happiness she can't explain and she stood up, as if her strength was back even if she felt dizzy.
"Is that really you Light? Is that really yo-"
Light ran fast and he threw himself to her and hugged her as tight as he could, hoping Joy to feel his happiness.
"It is I, Hope. It is I... I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I left." Light cried as he hugged her.
Joy hugged her back. "Stop crying Light. That's not important anymore." she looked at him and wiped away his tears. "What's important is you are with me again. You are with me again and you will be by my side so stop crying now, Light!"
The two of them walked hand in hand as they reached the train station. They managed to catch the last train and they boarded it, still hand in hand. The both of them were afraid to let go of each other because they had been away for too long. They sat down the train beside each other and Light led Hope's head to lean on his shoulder. Her bag had been opened and her phone was sticking out. Light took it and took a picture of them and made it wallpaper because it turned out well.
"The picture of this scene will forever be in my heart. I will cherish them forever." Light whispered and placed her phone back at her bag.
The train came to stop and Light woke Joy up because they had to go down. They walked the streets until they reached their houses.
" I want to be with you until you tell me you don't want me anymore." Light said and broke their silence as they faced the gate of Joy's home.
"Then I guess you'd be with me forever." Joy said and smiled at him.
"Jeez. I really don't want us to part ways yet." Light said and refused to let go of her hand.
"I'm not going anywhere and you can always look outside your window." Joy said. "I have to go now. Nana will be mad at me because it's dinner time and I need to clean myself before that. Good bye Light. See you tomorrow!" She walked away and waved her hand to Light.
"Sayonara, yume." Light muttered to himself and went to his house.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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