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CHAPTER EIGHT,
a matter of time

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༇ UNFORTUNATELY, society teaches you how to handle these things.

Which ends up being fortunate after all, when the situation takes place. It's just unfortunate that it needs to be taught.

Baya's eyelids slowly flutter open, her vision hazy and swaying. The air is cool, a contrast compared to the heat she feels creeping up her legs.

When she recognizes the heat as not only Niragi's breath, but also his tongue, her chest heaves with panic so heavy that she expects herself to start trashing around, but that never happens.

Her breath shatters against her ribs. Every nerve in her body screams at her to fight him off, but she's drowning in the moment. The wet trail Niragi left behind burns. Burns like the geyser had, except this is worse.

Her stomach churns violently. Nausea climbs up her throat, body jolting with terror. Slowly, she moves. She just squirms lightly, enough to let him know she's awake. The moment he notices, hands clamp down on her arms, nails digging into her flesh.

A wince escapes her. "Please don't," she begs.

His face appears above hers, close enough to allow him to whisper. "Deep down, you know it, don't you? This world shows what we've always been. It doesn't make us monsters. Back in the real world, people had to hide what they really wanted. Had to follow the rules." He kisses her neck, tongue gliding along her collarbone. "But here, there are no rules. Nothing's illegal anymore. It's just human nature."

She tries to swallow the fear—and maybe the truth—away, but she's unable to. What if he has a point? Back in the real world, she already committed these illegal things. Stealing, avoiding the police, selling at the black market—it's no better than what Niragi is doing. But that doesn't mean she has to let this happen.

"Why don't you find someone who wants this? I'm sure you'll get way more pleasure from that," she says through her breaths.

"I like a challenge." He presses his lips down to the other side of his neck, dragging them down to her arm, and then back up to her collarbone. Baya's breaths heave, yet she still can't find the power to push him off. Maybe that strategy won't even work. If she can somehow talk him out of this...

"You don't like me," she answers. "So why—"

"Who said that?"

She's at a loss of words for a second, then recovers and says with ease, "Kaito bullied you, didn't he? I was Kaito's friend. Why would you like your bully's friend?"

He stops in his tracks at the mention of Kaito and bullying. She can feel his breathing hitch, a slight change in the atmosphere before the wetness of his tongue continues sliding along her body.

Baya realizes he will never respond, so she adds, "Are you trying to prove something? Because if that's the case, give up already. The only good thing you can prove is that you're different from them. That you became a better person after they—"

"After they aimed baseballs at me? After they made me eat rice with urine in it?" He interrupts harshly. His grip on her tightens as he pulls her down, his legs clasping around her waist. "You know what I will prove?"

The only thought that swims through her mind is the fact she will most likely not escape this. "What?" She whispers.

"That I can make you feel better than they can." His fingers slither down to the bottom of her two-piece, hooking them around and—

Baya cups his face, leaning in with parted lips.

And bites his nose. No matter how hard Niragi tries to pull away, cursing as he does so, Baya continues sinking her teeth into his skin.

"You bitch!" Until the gunshots echo through the room. That's when she stops, shocked. Her eyes jump around the room, searching for what he aimed at. Eventually, she finds holes in the ceiling.

Phew.

Niragi isn't done. His flat palm collides with her cheek at least three times, then he uses his fist.

The force of the blows sends her head spinning. With her hands, she tries to cover her head. Niragi pins them together with one hand.

She spits in his face, a mixture of saliva and blood. His lips curve into a dark, pleased smile. Terribly slow, he uses his tongue to lick the leftover spit off his lips before doing the same to her entire face.

Niragi rips his blouse off with one hand, wrapping the fabric around her hands to keep them stuck together. Her legs remain stuck beneath his weight. Baya's chest moves up and down so fast that he has trouble running his tongue along it.

Unfortunately, society teaches you how to handle these things. One, you scream.

Each cry becomes louder, until her throat is raw from yelling. Niragi slaps her across the face again, but it doesn't stop her.

Because two, never stop fighting back.

Niragi rips more fabric apart. This time, a pillow. He stuffs it into Baya's mouth. She gags automatically. "Shut it," he hisses, moving back down to suck her neck.

She kicks forcefully. Niragi grins in response, his eyes focused on the way the resistance makes her hips thrust up. "Impatient?"

When he steps back, hands near the waistline of his pants, she takes her chance and kicks him. Niragi stumbles back, caught in surprise, his gaze hardening. In a smooth motion, he grabs the gun. He hits her so hard that everything fades black. Again.

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"Baya?" The voice comes from far, far away. The other side of the rooms in the hearts game. Behind the door of the chainsaw game. Beneath the baseball arena. "Baya?!"

This time, her headache is even worse when her eyes open. Even after blinking dozens of times, Tatta's face appears blurry. His voice sounds strange in her ears—far away.

"Baya!" He shakes her even harder. "Don't pass out again!" His arms embrace her into a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're awake."

"Where..." she croaks, her throat cracked and dry. "Niragi... where—"

"Shh. It's okay. He's gone," Tatta reassures, squeezing her hand. "How are you feeling?"

Her eyebrows furrow. Everything seems too bright. "Gone?" She repeats.

"Yes. Gone. You're safe now, I promise."

"What... happened?" She's only able to whisper. Something feels off, but she can't tell what it is. "Did... you send him away? Or did someone else... save me?" she manages to ask.

Tatta looks around the room. His Adam's Apple bobbles as he bites the inside of his cheek. Then he shakes his head.

Some kind of questioning hum vibrates through her. As if asking what he means.

He continues shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he cries, throwing his arms around her again. "I'm so sorry!"

She pushes him off with a certain urgency that makes him realize he needs to explain.

"No one..." his voice catches. He clears his throat. "No one... eh, no one saved you. He left by himself."

Baya's body stiffens as the realization creeps. The ache between her legs is what felt off. She feels a cold sweat break out on her forehead as she tries to ignore the physical discomfort, but it's impossible. It's as if her body has betrayed her, leaving her in a state of reminder of what occurred.

The tears that had been threatening to spill since she awoke now start to form, her eyes burning as she stares at Tatta. He's kneeling beside her, his hand still in hers, but she's no longer sure if his presence is comforting or unsettling. His apology seems hollow now, empty words in a world that no longer makes sense.

"Can you... can you go?" She asks, her voice shaking. The question tastes bitter in her mouth.

Tatta nods fast. "I'll be right outside the door. I'm here if you... need anything."

She also nods. Once Tatta has left, she slowly rises from the bed, her legs trembling as they try to reach the bathroom.

Hesitation hits her. It's as if Niragi will be right there when she opens this door.

But she quickly shakes her head and pushes the door open. Turns the shower on. Stands below it before it even turns hot. Starts scrubbing every inch of her body with soap, wishing to peel a layer of skin off.

She doesn't know how long she soaks her body in the water. It could be hours, it could be seconds. Once she's done, she dresses into normal clothes. Clothes that cover every inch of skin Niragi just touched.

Baya moves quietly, her steps tentative as she walks through the hotel, away from the Beach, her mind barely processing the sounds of people partying in the distance. The air feels cold against her skin. She pulls her jacket tighter around her as if to shield herself from the chill of both the world and her own thoughts.

Her hands shake as she pulls the door open to a small, abandoned pharmacy. The bell above the door rings softly, a sound that would normally be comforting.

Baya moves through the aisles, her eyes scanning the shelves for anything that might help her. A small section of the store has a few boxes on display. Morning-after pill. Emergency contraception. A wave of relief washes over her. She snatches one of the boxes, clutching it tightly in her hands.

Rapidly, Baya opens it. She only reads half of the instructions before sticking a pill in her mouth. The dry texture clingers to her cheeks, but even through the discomfort, she keeps chewing.

The process repeats three times before she can walk off with certainty. She hides the box inside the pocket of her jacket, just in case.

Never in her life has she felt this... gruesome. Not when stealing the organs that are meant to save lives away. Not when making those doctors lose hope. Not when running away from the police. Not when living from the illegal money she made. Not when she survived her first game, leaving others behind. Not when she felt the pain of the man who got crushed between the walls. Not when Chishiya told her she has no heart. Not when she watched the geysers melt people to the ground.

Outside the walls of the Beach, she undresses with a heavy sigh. Leaving in normal clothes was enough of a risk. She'll return in her bikini.

As she walks past the familiar entrance, her eyes catch a flicker of movement—someone stepping out of the shadows. Baya freezes, her body tensing instinctively.

Chishiya. His figure emerges from the dimly lit corner. His gaze lands on her, and for a moment, everything else fades into the background.

"Baya," he says.

"Chishiya," she breathes, feeling vulnerable in front of him like this. Straightening her shoulders doesn't gain her the confidence she wants to gain.

He steps closer. "You okay?"

He doesn't care. He's lying. He wants something from you. He doesn't care. He wants something from you. He's lying. Baya nods sharply. The last thing she needs is the state of her mind to get her into more problems. Whatever Chishiya is trying, it will disadvantage her, and benefit him.

"I suppose I don't need to ask where you've been, then." He looks down at the clothes in her hands.

Before he can say anything else, Baya raises her voice, louder this time, "You're trying to manipulate me, and it's not going to work."

A sly smile grows on his lips. "I guess you caught me." Chishiya moves, walking past her, hands in pockets, his expression weighted out just how he wants. "But it's all just a matter of time."

"Until what?"

He's already gone.

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🂱 — A/N: this is like my fourth time saying this but once again, please reach out if anything has every happened to you or is happening. 

I hope I portrayed it right, but without graphic detail. The same goes for the aftermath. Please let me know if any of this can come across as disrespectful towards the real world, or if it's just weird, I don't know. I was unsure while writing this.

Or I'm being dramatic :)

Anyway, I hope you don't mind two updates in one day !!

Another thing my grandma said:
Niragi: "I want to be hated until the very end."
My grandma: "That won't be a problem for you."

I laughed so hard

lol have a good day!