Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 129: Arc 3, - 39: Our Moments Part II

Jotou continued to explain, through the second loop. "You didn’t believe me and thought I went mad."

"Did I?" Hotaru widened her eyes, "I hope I didn’t do anyth-"

"Hang on, let me finish. You felt, like a stranger almost the entire day. Till, we went to the minister’s again and I teased you about the chocolate thing."

"Of course you did..."

"Hey, listen, it’s just a moment stuck in my mind, alright? It was too, adorable."

"Stop making fun of me!"

"Only if you do."

"Fine, you’ve started a war Jotou Howllett," Hotaru brushed it off before she placed a hand over her mouth, "Ohp, sorry, I didn’t mean it that way."

"It’s fine," Jotou smiled, "It’s not like I’m starting the war; and it’s just a battle. But after that, you kinda came to terms with it; even so, you acted the same with the boy that tried to steal your purse again.

I, was pretty upset with you for no good reason. We have trauma; I’ve seen you in the worst of times and you’ve seen me in mine," Jotou faced away.

"That’s, what happened in the tent this time while you cut off my nails. I had told you what happened the last time, but not everything like I am now. You apologized.

I was unjustly angry that at breakfast, Fumeko, and by extension Asobi, believed me before you did. You’ve kept me alive for so long and it hurt. It hurt, a lot, that you didn’t believe me.

But it was wrong of me to expect you to. All the moments we shared in private; thinking of that was what made me angry. So I apologized."

"I, see..."

Jotou then faced up, the same brilliant blue pools she saw in the past. "But then you said something I didn’t expect." Hotaru’s ears stiffened.

"You asked me to expect that of you. That you have no one, left and it’s just the three of us. You thought, when I woke I from being reset that for a moment, you’d lost me and you felt like that through my explanation.

Which, you had the same expression this morning, didn’t you?" Jotou stared back.

Hotaru’s eyes shied away, "Maybe; and I’m sorry."

"You didn’t stop there. You told me something else. That you never wished to hurt me and, about the promise you made on the night we spoke on the roof. When you told me I can’t change the world just by myself."

Hotaru’s eyes widened, "What," Hotaru readjusted her crimson locks, standing a little straighter, "did I say?"

’That moment... It was so special... How could I ever forget?’ "You held me by the side of my chin and told me I’m a blessing. That I saved you from hurting yourself and you still never have.

That you think of me and your mind, slows down. That I’ve given you a chance at becoming an adventurer and brought you along to greatness.

You will always make me feel wanted and that we’ll always stand together. You want to see the world, with me," Jotou’s lips were agape, staring to the floor.

The blonde couldn’t see Hotaru’s face till she faced up with tears in the corners of her eyes, "I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like you; to be a part of your dream, but thank you."

Hotaru wore a bittersweet smile, "How would you not know when I told you exactly why?" her eyes welled up while her tail swayed.

"I, just helped you. I’m glad that I did, but no one should face something like that. What made you promise so much? It can’t just be that," Jotou shook her head.

"Oh, Jotou, Jotou... There’re so many more reasons..." fangs poked out of her lips as she practically melted looking at Jotou, "How can you be this dense...?"

"Hey I’m not dense just, nervous. Because I already have a working theory. Mainly because, during that, we got, closer while talking. You pulled me in and... we got interrupted by the other two popping up."

"And you filed that, given that moment, under, ’working theory’?" Hotaru giggled.

"I’m just covering my bases, alright!? It’s not like I’m a hundred percent sure," Jotou shrugged.

Hotaru rolled her eyes, "Well, there was more to that verbal contract."

"Verbal contract?"

"Don’t worry, it only applies in Kria, but my promise to you doesn’t; the contract doesn’t stipulate you doing anything."

"Wasn’t my issue," Jotou stared, "You made a verbal contract? That’s, that’s kinda more than a promise. It’s just my heart fluttered like crazy and, you were just..." she fiddled with her blonde hair.

"Go on," Hotaru’s tail wagged, trying to tease the blonde into saying it. Only then did it hit the redhead, "Wait, if that’s the second loop, that’s the one I-"

Her sentence didn’t even complete. Jotou had already nodded her head, "I already woke up in the next reset and I knew you wouldn’t remember any of it.

I practically pushed any thought of it aside too. I was too hellbent on trying to make sure nobody died that time as well. I threw away any chance at our moments, hoping to save ourselves.

So I didn’t bring it up and I only wished I did, after all three of you died that time," Jotou faced the floor, Hotaru sharing the same view. Both of their reddened faces cooled down.

"I," Jotou took a deep breath, "You were the last one to go. I made a promise to you that I’d figure it out. That I’d save all of you.

You made me promise to tell all of you everything again. You told me to make you believe again. And that you trusted me. Asked me to stay strong, said I look much better with a smile and you wanted to make me happy.

You died after casting rejuvenate on me whilst we were hours away from Hartamat and I had to walk all the way back. Not much to tell you about that loop, other than what I’ve already told you. Now’s the..."

"Last time," Hotaru stepped forward, taking hold of Jotou’s hand, "I’m listening; one by one, I know you can say it."

Jotou faced away, "It’s like you can tell when I’m having trouble. No matter the loop I can’t escape your eyes; neither the detective’s."

"You told me what happened normally; that you didn’t tell us in that loop. And that break down in the battle after Fumeko and I died. Jotou, tell me what happened before," Hotaru kept her gaze.

The blonde’s head watched the wall, "You could tell something was wrong with me and forced me to spit it out. I was being a bit of a hypocrite in not telling you.

I thought not telling any of you might lead to a better outcome, but it didn’t. I screwed it up the moment I woke up. I told you to trust me and that I’ll tell you later.

You did; even though I basically broke the promise I made by not telling you already. You defended me—completely. You were on my side the entire time.

Everything else happened like I said, until the moment came that I had to tell all of you. You defended me against Fumeko when I was in the wrong."

"You killed pointlessly... Is that what you’re ashamed of to tell me?" Hotaru held Jotou by the cheek and pushed it to face her.

Jotou’s eyes closed, "My judgement was so clouded, but no that’s not why. You confronted me... and we had an argument, questioning my decisions.

And I, I..." ’Tell her. It’s only fair Jotou.’ "I said I did what I had to. I think I was breaking. And when you didn’t let me behave like the monster I was being...

I said you’d be thanking me that you were still alive. I brought up that I was a blessing even though you had no memory of telling me about the verbal contract you made.

I said, if you wanted to be as dead as your father, you should’ve given up during the velatos attacks... You slapped me and walked off," there it was, the stinging in her heart—her free fist clenched.

Jotou couldn’t look at her and yet the hand holding hers did not leave. "I’m sorry. We never spoke again and the next time I saw you, you got shot in front of my eyes.

I apologize. I know you’ll hate me for this. I can’t believe what I said and I regret ever saying it, I’m-"

"You’re fine," Hotaru’s soft voice broke the blonde out of it. Jotou looked up, some tears in the blue of her eyes, but that other hand still held Jotou’s cheek.

"I- What- I-" flabbergasted, her mouth moved before words were even formed.

"You were under that much pressure and you never once took a proper rest. You never said that to, ’me’, right now. Don’t dwell on it, that’s just not good for you.

You standing here, telling me sorry for something I don’t even remember, means a lot more to me than you think. Nothing’s changed about how I see you. Thank you for telling me," Hotaru smiled.

Tears ran loose down the blonde’s cheeks, "Really?"

"Well, maybe some things right now. It’s for the better though," Hotaru chuckled, "A tense moment like that; it’s nicer to talk here, when hell hasn’t broken loose."

"So, that’s it. You don’t... You still trust me?"

Hotaru giggled—her tail wagging as she bumped their foreheads together, "I slapped you that hard huh?"

The corners of Jotou’s lips rose, both of them forehead to forehead with their eyes closed, "Well it did hurt—a lot..."

"Looks like I’ve already sentenced you then. I forgive you. Okay?"

The two chuckled, tears streaming down. "Okay."

They opened their eyes, staring into one another—their noses a fraction away from touching. "Uhm, that’s all there is to the story; at least with you."

"Oh, right," Hotaru kept staring. The two couldn’t stop grinning, gold and red strands—like autumnal leaves.

"We should uhm, get back on task Aru," Jotou smiled, both their faces turning deep red.

"Hm, we should," Hotaru gave a half-cocked smirk back, before letting go. Their eyes however, never let go. "Shall I get Fumeko?"

"Yeah, if you could."

Hotaru brushed the blonde locks behind Jotou’s ear before letting go. "I’ll go do that then."