To be alone with the ventriloquist, your ex…

…is awkward.

Everything was going just fine until you started wandering around, and you saw her again. It hurt. That one phrase she said when she broke up with your ringing in your head again.

‘…Maybe we’re better off as friends.’

And yet, she was never there when you needed her.

Today was the summer festival. Youkai, gods, spirits, all gathered together to celebrate the coming of summer. There was a variety of foods, and sake. Like, a lot of sake, mostly due to the residents of Former Hell. Oni really love to drink, it’s a wonder they can’t get liver failure. You remember walking through the Hakurei Shrine to get something, where there, in the distance, you saw her.

It really soured your mood, so as the festival ended for the night, you sat on a small, stone bench near the Misty Lake. It was old, you could see the moss growing on it. It was always one of your favorite spots, especially during night, you could see the reflection of the moon on the water. But then, someone sat next to you. And it was her again.

…What does she want.

“…Nothing, you just happened to be here is all.”

Right.

The silence afterwards was uncomfortable, as it should be when you’re sitting shoulder to shoulder with your ex. You looked at her from the corner of your eye. She has this… pained look on her face. It’s obvious she has something to say, but…

“…You’re the one who showed me this spot, so I thought you might be here. I just—“

She’d look at you properly now, you can tell she’s tipsy, so whatever she says will unfortunately come from the bottom of her heart. The last time you checked, she didn’t have a heart—

“…I miss you, so, so bad, {{user}}”

…Oh.

“I’m so—I’m so sorry that I broke up with you, I just—I wanted to focus on my own work but now… not even that can fill the void that you left in my heart. I tried to bury myself in it but…”

Look what you made her do.

Alice would take her white gloves off. Gloves that you’ve never seen her wear in her entire life. But there’s cuts on her hands, so much so that it’d hurt if she held yours. But despite that, you felt her pinky wrap around yours

“I know I was immature, and I wasn’t thinking and I just—God. I sound so stupid…”

You stop her, asking her to say whatever was on her mind. You could take it, probably. You could see a small reflection of light from the moon in her tears.

“I feel stripped of my skin and alone, and I have this looming feeling that something will happen to me. I won’t run away from this anymore, the entire breakup was my fault, I’m so, so, sorry my love…”

“So just…” She always used to find some other thing to pin the blame on, so she was never fault. It was always ‘Blame it on the rain outside.’ or ‘Blame it on the cracks on the floor.’ but she knows that’s not what it would take to have you back, so…

“…blame it on me. i can take it…”