Kirin twitched, reminded of the disheartening event from the past morning. He snatched the papers from Shion's grip and smacked them hard against the table, demanding.
"Look close. To what extent are these not English?"
"Is that even a question? Ugh, why are we even fighting over this?"
"That's because you keep on getting on my nerves!"
Kirin fumed, his pride bruised.
"Oh is that so? But I'm just stating the facts right here? I'm an honest man. Is there a fault in staying true to my nature?" Shion taunted, not wanting to lose as his chin tipped higher and higher in defiance.
"That's called being obnoxious, you Idiot!"
"Damn you! Stop calling me Idiot!"
"Heh." The ends of Kirin's lips slightly lifted.
He didn't even know he could stoop this low, acting so immature as to bicker over something so trivial. However, he just couldn't control himself and his mouth. At this moment, he had only one thing in his mind – and that was to spite this guy to death and win!
"Why? Is stating the facts wrong to you? And here I thought you are an honest man who values honesty over everything else!"
Kirin thought that he had taken the absolute win, but Shion soon proved him terribly wrong with his unstoppable mouth.
"Whatever it is, it isn't my fault that your hideous handwriting looks more like a curse meant to unleash something shady."
"It's English!"
"And I'm telling you that it screams nothing but demonic!"
"You–"
– Drip!
Suddenly, silence loomed over the two. Shion stared at the thin red trail trickling down Kirin's right nostril. It was only then did he notice the other man's awfully pale complexion.
"Damn man, you look like a ghost! Are you… okay?"
Kirin hastily wiped the blood away, throwing his face to the side.
"You talk too much." He snapped out in sheer annoyance, only to spray out a fountain of blood the second after.
"What the hell?!!" Stunned, Shion flailed his arms everywhere, not knowing what to do as he saw Kirin's knees buckling, prompting his whole body to tilt forward.
Out of instinct, his arms stretched out to catch his falling figure, his heart skipping a bit when he felt Kirin's body softening upon contact, as if losing all strength.
"H-Hey! You need help! The hospital… right! I'll bring you to the hospital now!" Shion made a motion as if he was about to do a princess carry, but Kirin quickly pushed him away, escaping out of his grip and forcing himself to stand on his own two feet.
"This is bad." Kirin muttered under his breath, his gaze lost. "Everything's failing… There's not enough left… This is the end…"
"W-What?" Shion didn't understand.
"They're not coming… why… Why is no one coming?"
Kirin's voice was extremely soft – sounding weak and trembling. Something inside him seemed to have completely been snuffed out, his resolve perhaps, as what's left behind was nothing but a very bleak, and helpless choice.
Shion may have failed to decipher any of the man's gibberish words however, he could feel it. The loss, the despair, he could feel everything but couldn't help a thing.
Suddenly, Kirin raised his head, the light in his eyes so fierce that it scared Shion to the point of backing out a few feet out of consciousness.
Ignoring the guy's reaction, Kirin dragged himself before the huge painting with wobbling feet, raising a hand and placing them flat against the vibrant wall.
Shion couldn't understand his action but chose to shut his mouth, watching silently behind.
For a short moment, nothing but the soft bated breaths of the two could be heard. Then, something magical happened. The paintings of the mountains and seas, the rosy clouds and sparkling rivers – they all seemed to have gained life, time flowing along their movements.
"Oh my God…" Shion's mouth hung open. He blinked and blinked, thinking that he may be hallucinating. But then, something big happened.
The ominous black figure previously crouching on the foot of the mountain, it moved and danced, not within the painting but onto Kirin's skin, crawling up his pale arms like a venomous little snake.
Shion took a few steps forward to have a better look at where the black figure was heading, when Kirin abruptly turned around and met him in the eyes. Shion inwardly gulped and immediately looked away.
The look in Kirin's eyes was very sharp and piercing. However, he didn't say anything and simply bypassed the frigidly stoning Shion, their shoulders brushing past each other.
Unknowingly, Shion let out a sigh of relief. But then, panic immediately surged at him once more when he saw Kirin leaving.
"Wait, where are you going–" His feet hurriedly trail behind Kirin, but his intention was cruelly cut off by the man's cold voice.
"Stay in this room and no matter what happens, even if there's an explosion, even if the walls break apart… Even if there's someone begging for help and even if that person is me! NEVER – EVER step out of the door." Kirin sternly said, leaving no room to protest.
With that, the door slid open and closed with a crisp "Thud!"
As if not enough, he heard the sound of a "click" the second later, which was soon followed with another "click" for double assurance.
"..."
Locked.
That man had actually locked the door, leaving him there, alone – lost, confused, and shivering against the chilling air.
'F-Fine.' Shion shivered, looking left and right then settling on his two feet.
Since that man was being THAT serious, Shion, for once, forgot the rebellious bone inside him and chose to sit on the bed like the obedient child he never was, taking the subject of their previous argument into his hands and studying the stack of papers to distract himself.
Though once every few seconds, his eyes would unknowingly stray to the painted wall… and the foot of the mountain that was now empty…
Shion cleared his throat, thinking that he better stop before he scared himself to death.