Chapter 18: Lost & Found

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That night Ikuto was walking to his house he walked past an alleyway then came back to it, he saw someone lying on the floor. Not looking in good shape at all.

 

Ikuto's eyes widened in shock "Souma!" 

Ikuto ran over to Kukkai and put it him up against the wall, Ikuto looked at Kukkai he had bruises and scars all over him, he was a mess.

"Sou-" Ikuto began to say

"What?" Kukkai interrupted his head low, his voice quiet and kind of sad.

"What happened to you? What are you doing here?" Ikuto asked

"I'm here because there's no were else I need to be or can be." Kukkai paused "everything is pointless. I give up, it's all just stupid." He said slowly

Ikuto gritted his teeth, "You're stupid. I would hit you right now for saying that-" 

"go ahead" Kukkai mumbled.

"huh?" Ikuto said, confused.

"Those other guys had no hesitation hitting me and you, why would you? We fight all the time. Go ahead, hit me. I don't care anymore, like I said; it's all just stupid." Kukkai explained

"That's why you look so beat up, just going around doing whatever? Why not just go home?" Ikuto said.

Kukkai looked at Ikuto, "What home?" he mumbled again

"I meant to your family" Ikuto corrected

Kukkai didn't respond, he looked down back at the ground again.

"Fine. You're obviously too weak and beat up to stand..." Ikuto said as he got Kukkai on his back.

"What are you doing?" Kukkai said

"My place" Ikuto said as he began too walk.

"Why? Why help me? Just leave me back there to die" Kukkai mumbled

Ikuto kept walking "Like i'd do that" he said.

 

 

Kukkai looked up a little and after a while he began to say, "When I was little, Kaidou would carry me on his back, whenever I'd work to hard at soccer training, I was tired or hurt my ankle, he would carry me or walk me home. We'd always compete with each other, I wanted to beat him at everything, or even anything but I knew he had the advantage of being way older than me. Sometimes he'd be hell mature, so much that I could hardly recognise him, i'd hate him alot of times, but all in all, he was a good brother." Kukkai explained

"Makes me think of my real father" Ikuto muttered

After some time, Kukkai took a deep breath,

"You win. I'm not going to compete with you over Amu or try to get her back. Count me out" Kukkai said

Ikuto stopped walking "You saying you give up?"

"yeah"

"That's bloody stupid. Like hell, I'd let you. You really are stupid enough to give up, even though you still love her? You've become a real coward. You don't just give up because things get harder, thats when you work harder, not give up like its the end of the world. She's right, no one knows who you even are anymore, so who are you!?" Ikuto told him.

"I don't know" Kukkai said

"Well you better figure that out. You know, you're bloody heavy,geez, go back to being yourself already' Ikuto said and kept on walking.

 

Ikuto took Kukkai to the place he was staying at and called Amu over. She came in and saw the beat up, half awake Kukkai. Her eyes grew wide, standing before him. 

She had felt a bit hesitant about seeing him, but her worries about him had gone away. 

Before Kukkai knew it, she had hugged him, Kukkai was shocked, he had thought she would never talk to him again. 

"I'm glad you're okay" she said. "lets treat your wounds" while Amu was treating Kukkai he asked,

"You're still mad?" Kukkai asked

Amu looked at his cut "I can't say that I am not upset at you and that I forgive you yet..but I'm putting that aside for now, since you need me...and Ikuto too" she glanced at Ikuto giving him a smile.

"To be honest I was a bit hesitant after seeing you, but I've been so worried that something could of happened to you or where you might have gone, so that other stuff doesn't matter now..." 

"She's been...worried about me?" Kukkai thought

After she had finished, "Thanks, Amu." Kukkai got up, sort of unbalanced, but still able to stand. "I might go" he said as he headed to the door.

"Wait" Amu said as she walked to him, "You need to rest and get better. I'll go, so you don't have to. Bye Ikuto...Kukkai." She said and closed the door behind her.

"Why'd you invite her here?" Kukkai asked turning to Ikuto

"Reasons...You know, she was telling me how your family is worried about you. You should go back" Ikuto explained

Amu on the other side of the door, sighed and began to walk out. "What do i do?...I can't find myself to forgive him, yet I this feeling...I can't stop worrying about him and thinking of how I should be there with him, even though I can't yet come to terms with what he did...I'm so confused. This is how he must feel, not knowing what to do about this either..."

"I can't. It will only make things worse...especially for them" Kukkai said sitting down again

"What you mean?" He asked

"I went back to my house, the one that burnt down. I wanted to see what was left, but instead I found something else. The stairs and walls were all damaged but I managed to get up to the second floor, I started looking around and there were these chemicals on the walls, ones that spread fire. They seemed like they were only just put there. Long story short, everything led to my room. I found out that, without knowing it...." Kukkai paused and swallowed hard,

"I was the one that started that fire" He said, full of regret.