Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 392: Arc 6, - 8: The End of Honeyed Words

Though the ceiling was quite nice, it was not exactly something someone wanted to watch as they were trying to sleep. Even through her closed window, she could hear yelling coming from the roof.

That was not the thing keeping her up however and investigating it was far from her concern. At the onset of midnight, the brunette let out a loud groan while lying in her bed.

She got up and sat on the side of it, staring at the floor of her dark room. In her hand was a marble made of metallic rings she kept spinning in between her fingers.

What to say? How to do it? There was no manual of how to go about breaking someone’s heart. She paced around her room, then lied back in bed; then repeated the whole process again, finding it impossible to sleep.

By two in the morning, she was sat at her desk with a blank paper and a pen—her head in her hand. She yawned, but the twisting she felt in her stomach and uneasiness in her chest did not want to stop.

"Maybe I shouldn’t break it off...? UGhhhhh," her forehead hit the desk. "Oh no, she’s meant to be invited into our party too... What if I’m responsible for starting her off as an adventurer?" her head rose and fell back.

"What am I talking about, that’s not my responsibility—is it?" Fumeko placed the pen aside and got up, realizing any attempt at sleep was futile.

Coffee; coffee was her only survival method at this point. She left her room and dazedly walked downstairs. Her attention was brought to somewhere else all of a sudden, once she had reached the second floor.

Did she hear, faint whining...? Fluttering her eyes open, she walked past her father’s room with the door ajar and Kineko’s room shut.

Getting closer to Jotou and Hotaru’s room, she swore she could hear a few stammered sobs for a few seconds before it would stop. The crying sounded like... "Knock-knock." "Hotaru? Is that you? Are you crying?"

She heard a loud sniffling inhale come through the door a bit muffled. "Ahgh, I’m fine Meko. Yes, it’s me. It’s fine."

"You sure sound fine. Where’s Jotou, is she asleep?"

...

"Now’s not the time Fumeko, go away."

"What’s going on?"

"Nothing’s going on so, go do you detective work somewhere else and leave me the hell alone."

Fumeko furrowed her brows. Considering the wolf-girl’s past tendencies... "Clck, clck." The door was locked.

"I said get lost!"

"I’m worried about you."

"There’s no need to be, I’m fine!"

Fumeko leaned her head down and looked through the keyhole. "Woosh."

Hotaru’s tail was snuggled in her lap and her crimson ears were nearly flat against strands of her hair. In her arms she hugged a pillow and a plush puppy with one eye, before her head swivelled to the right. Fumeko stood in the room, by the door.

"Do you need to stick your nose into everything!?" Hotaru bared her fangs and threw a pillow with all her force towards her. Fumeko stood still as the pillow flew past her and hit the wall instead.

"That’s funny coming from you."

Hotaru stared for a moment till her ears spiked up, "What are you implying?" Her eyes were reddened and there were wiped away tear marks down her cheeks; her breath was frantic as some of her limbs would shudder slightly every now and again.

"...Let’s just say nothing for now," Fumeko approached slowly. "What in the world happened...?" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"..."

"You might wanna talk about it. I’ll leave in ten seconds if you don’t."

Hotaru’s breath hitched, "J-Jotou and I, she and I, had an argument. Happy now?"

Fumeko squinted a little, "Uh, can I ask what about?"

"Nothing you need to know."

"Well, I can tell it’s something serious, but fine. I’ll be around if you wanna talk," the brunette scanned as much as Hotaru’s body as she could. She turned.

Hotaru gulped... "It started off as something else, but then I," her demeanour shifted and she shied away a little. Her face cringed at the thought, "My anger might have gotten the better of me."

Fumeko turned back around.

"Which prompted her to say some things and I said some things back."

"Normally how an argument goes, yes."

"Eugh! Jotou thinks, I’m too controlling of her or that I’m somehow manipulating her decisions and," she exhaled. "I don’t want to get into it."

"I mean this sincerely, I feel like I’ve told you that you’re a bit overbearing."

"You can go explain that to her needy ass!" Hotaru exclaimed, but then sealed her lips shut and glared away.

"..."

"Sorry."

"It’s fine," Fumeko replied. "You should probably get some rest then. Sorry I can’t be of help."

"It’s not your fault," Hotaru kept looking away, "Sorry I yelled at you, I’m not feeling great."

Fumeko opened the locked knob and stepped out.

"Can you-?"

The brunette paused.

"Can you just, check where she is and... if she’s okay?" Hotaru looked back around to plead. "Don’t tell her I-"

"Sure," Fumeko walked out and shut the door behind her. "So that was what all that yelling was about," she muttered to herself as she headed downstairs.

The blank-faced Fumeko needed only to take a few steps down to see a blonde sprawled out on the sofa in the dark—arm resting on her forehead.

Jotou’s eyes darted in the dark, "D’you talk to her?"

"Did you hear anything specific?"

"I don’t have her hearing fortunately," Jotou sighed. "Why, something I should know about?"

"Not really," she blinked and appeared next to the sofa.

"Why are you still up detective?" her voice barely had energy.

"My own relationship problems," Fumeko took a seat on the armrest. "Thought coffee might help since I can’t sleep. Want some?"

"I prefer energy drinks; especially the ones loaded with sugar for times like these."

"I don’t know what that is, but I can assume. Apparently you think Hotaru’s too controlling is as far as I got," Fumeko replied.

"Mekooo..."

"Stop wailing."

"You know how I get into arguments and don’t back down? I said things Meko... things I didn’t wanna say," Jotou said all in one monotonous sigh.

"Here I thought everything in your relationship was going well."

"She can be a bit, controlling... at times. It’s definitely become more frequent though and I’m not sure how to feel about it. And it’s not like I’m not the problem either; Aru yelled at me as much."

"You’re moping and she’s furious. I feel like there’s a bigger picture here I’m not being told. How did it even start?"

"I... don’t think it’s right of me to say till this all gets sorted out."

"Is she controlling too much of your life or just enough to piss you off?"

Jotou sat up slowly, "I’m the Thundering Blade. I didn’t choose to be here, in this body which makes people stare and gawk at me; combine that with the fame and it only doubles.

Like, does she think I’m gonna leave her or something cause someone mildly flirted with me? I can’t drink without her cause I might get drunk and make a stupid decision, but she can get wasted when she wants?

She acts like her decisions are superior to mine and are the correct ones universally. You know that, she’s done the same with you too.

She treats me like I’m a child who isn’t capable of making sound decisions—she scolds me like one. I think it’s about time I put my foot down a little, when she’s overreacting like a child would. I’m not her deadbeat dad," she ranted with sparks in her eyes.

Fumeko winced an eye, "I don’t think you should say that to her..."

"Which is why I haven’t, you think I don’t know that?"

"Hey I’m trying to help here madam fussy."

"Sorry," Jotou relaxed her shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah." Fumeko fell back on the sofa and lied her head on the cushions while her legs dangled. "I hate to admit it, but Hotaru’s not unreasonable and sometimes her judgement’s sound. Not to mention, I feel like you’d have an easier time persuading her."

The blonde gave a dry chuckle, "I think there was a time that I used to. Whichever way you look at it, I feel like she’s asserting her will more and more than me; and I’m at the forefront while you and Sobi get less of it."

"Well, I can’t argue there, I can’t even judge."

...

...

"You’re happy with Hotaru, right? It seemed like you were; much more than when you were single at least."

’I don’t even have to think to answer that.’ "Yeah."

"So, whatever happened tonight, you’re gonna fix this and move forward together, right?" Fumeko queried.

"...I suppose."

"Then, you two really just need to talk it out with each other after you two cool down, that’s it. If you’re still together, then it’s inevitable you’ll make up. It’s better to be hopeful about that future really; everything will work out," shadows glimmered in her eyes.

...

...

Jotou took a deep breath and let it all out, feeling some tension disappear. "Thanks."

Fumeko gave a half-hearted smile. "Hotaru’s, really comforting. She’s motherly sure, and I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t have a mom and never had one. I’m not saying she’s like a mother to me, but it’s the closest thing I’ve had to one."

Jotou hummed and closed her eyes, "Sorry detective."

"It’s not like you killed her. I’m with you in most cases; Hotaru’s a bit too controlling and I go against it as much as you do, maybe less; but I think Hotaru being that isn’t so bad...

It keeps us steady while I’m blinking across the entire field, and you’re fighting for your life half the time, and Asobi’s invisibly running around. We’re so comfortable being reckless cause we know she’s there," Fumeko admitted.

...

She then continued, "Knowing we all trust and count on her? I don’t know what she feels, but that must take a toll on her. If Hotaru already has controlling or overbearing tendencies, we’re to blame for pushing her into that role even more—we incited it.

She’s become what she’s needed to be because we couldn’t take up the responsibility. And I don’t know if that’s good or bad, cause we wouldn’t’ve made it this far without her being that for us, and us being reckless by sometimes going against her."

Jotou frowned and stared at the unlit fireplace. "Can I admit something? Promise not to tell her?" she raised a brow and faced the brunette.

"Of course."

"She makes me feel, safe... As overbearing and controlling as she can be, it felt easy to let her do it; it was weight off my shoulders that I could trust her. I felt less insecure... I liked her doing that and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad.

It’s not like I don’t have the authority to say no or go against her, but it does make me feel complacent and I don’t like that. It feels... like I’m a teenager living under my parents again..." there was a haunted look in her eye.

Fumeko’s face saddened, "I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t be the one advising anyone, especially whatever’s happened between you two. Meanwhile, I have to go breakup with someone soon."

"I know I can’t shake that feeling; maybe it’s just my paranoia and imagination, but you may have a point. Maybe I’m being overdramatic with all of this. At the end of the day, I love her," Jotou exhaled. "I’ll be the one to face her and apologize first."

"Speaking of which, opposite issue. Do you have any idea how to help me?" an awkward smile wriggled onto her lips.

"Hm, I can try helping you; we’ll make some coffee first," Jotou smiled softly.

"Perfect."

The door to the house opened after the key was turned. Both of them glanced over to see Kazuo Namora finally entering the abode, "Kid? What are you two doing up so late?"

It was hard to see the marks of dust and other debris on his clothing in the dark, but the two squinted. "Can’t sleep. Where were you for so long dad? Just the police station?"

Kazuo’s eyes darted up and he sighed. "Not like you kids won’t see the news anyway. Dolpool Police Department is destroyed."

"What!?"

"What!?"