I'm jumping ahead a bit so to briefly fill you in on what has happened: Juuzou and Akira now know each other's identities as Death Frost and Storm respectively; Ayu, Sayuri, and Rin also know of each other's identities as Lively Eden, Pacifica, and Arctic respectively; both Juuzou and Ayu have independently realized they cannot continue being Agents of Thade/Naturae if they want to be together romantically and that their search for the true identities of the cosplayers may put the other in danger, motivating them to complete their quest as quickly as possible; finally, the whole gang went on a group outing to an amusement park, where Juuzou and Ayu voiced their concerns and pledged to devote themselves for the cosplayer search in the hopes of relieving their duties as Agents so they can be together freely. Chapter 24 occurs the day after the amusement park outing, after Juuzou finds a childhood photograph dug up by his mother depicting himself and a very familiar-looking girl...
“Hanazoe?” Ayu stopped walking. She frowned as she observed Juuzou’s expression. “Hanazoe, is everything alright?”
“…Why are you calling me that?”
Ayu stifled a gasp as Juuzou’s arms wrapped around her shoulders. He gazed down from behind her, his slate blue eyes meeting her warm brown ones. Ayu blinked up at him—her cheeks flushing crimson red—and squeaked, “H-Hanazoe-!?”
“You knew all along, didn’t you?” Juuzou’s grip tightened. He felt Ayu’s breath hitch in her throat. “Why didn’t you try to jog my memory? Ayu…”
Her eyes widened. She opened her mouth but pursed her lips. Ayu’s voice was quiet when she finally found the words to admit, “I didn’t want to force it. I knew you didn’t recognize me. And at the start… I wanted to rekindle our bond. I wanted to go back to what once was. But,” Ayu’s eyes welled with tears, “that was impossible right from the start. You changed. And I refused to accept that.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“When we first met, I projected my past knowledge of you onto the present. I hurt you because of that,” Ayu confessed. “I felt so awful after I realized my mistake. You changed. B-But that’s not a bad thing! You’re wonderful as you are. I see that now. So… I didn’t try to tell you because I wanted to know you. But ultimately… A-All I ever wanted was to be your friend again. I…” She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears overflowed. “I missed you so much, Juuzou.”
“Ayu… Hey, don’t cry.” Juuzou cupped her cheek with his palm and wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes with his thumb. “Thank you for trying so hard. I can’t believe I ever forgot someone who was so important to me…”
“How did…?”
“My mom dug up some old photographs to organize,” Juuzou explained. “I found one of me and you. It was definitely you in that photo.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t… I don’t like remembering those years. I can’t really recall what happened during that time; it’s one big block I’ve sealed away in the back of my mind. When something does slip through… It’s painful. Just thinking about it makes me want to hurl. But because of that,” Juuzou’s heart leaped into his throat, “I forgot all about you.”
“Juuzou…”
“But I remember you now, Ayu. I know you were there. You were the only light in the darkest part of my life. Even if I can’t recall everything, that doesn’t make you any less important to me. Not now nor in the past.”
“I… I…” Ayu turned around and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Juuzou.”
“Hey, for what?” he asked, cradling her against him. “If anything, I should be the one thanking you.”
“For everything, I guess.” Ayu hiccupped. “For putting up with me at the start. For sticking with me despite everything. For remembering me. I’m so happy,” she murmured, leaning into Juuzou’s chest.
Ayu smiled. It was that smile. Even though her face was strewn with tears and sweat from the usual summer humidity, it was the prettiest smile Juuzou had ever seen. He rubbed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the water staining her skin. Her large brown eyes stared up at him from behind her half-rimmed glasses, the lenses clouded from the tears. Juuzou traced his thumb down Ayu’s face, placing it next to her lips. Ayu turned her head and closed her eyes. She leaned into Juuzou, pressing her ears against his chest. He could feel her listening to the heartbeat thrumming beneath his ribcage.
Juuzou couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Mmph—!”
Ayu’s eyes popped open and widened to the size of saucer plates. One of Juuzou’s arms clutched her hip as the other angled her face upwards to meet him. His long fingers tangled themselves in her auburn hair, cupping her head in an embrace. His lips moved against hers as he pressed them closer together. Ayu’s hands flattened against Juuzou’s chest. Her heart went still. Then it beat. Once. Twice. Three times.
Juuzou pulled back, gasping slightly as if he’d just taken a brisk sprint. Ayu looked up at him, her face burning with heat. Juuzou blinked at the sight of her tomato-red face and flabbergasted expression. Ayu’s mouth was dropped open and formulating words she no longer had the function to say. Juuzou’s eyes widened and he jerked away from her, taking several steps backwards. His hand slapped over the lower half of his face, covering his lips, which still tingled from Ayu’s warmth.
Shit. Oh, my God, what the hell did I just do!? Shit, shit, shit— She was just right there and I couldn’t help myself— Damn it! Fucking hell, you just had to go and ruin it, didn’t you, Juuzou!?
“I— Sorry,” Juuzou stuttered. “Ayu, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean— Shit.” He pushed his bangs back and turned away from her. “I’m— Gonna go now. I don’t know what came over me. Just… forget this ever happened.”
“Wait.” Ayu tugged at the end of Juuzou’s gakuran. He paused, his heart racing against his chest.
“…What is it?”
“Juuzou, do you like me?”
“Huh?”
“Do you like me?” Ayu’s lips quavered but she kept her voice steady. “Like… romantically. As maybe… more than friends?”
“I…” Juuzou gulped. There was no running away from this. If he didn’t shoot his shot right now… No. He didn’t even want to think of what might happen. “I… Y-Yeah,” he admitted, running a hand down his face to hide the heat inflaming his cheeks, “I do. I really like you, Ayu. As more than just a friend. I… love you.”
Fuck, now I’ve really gone and done it, haven’t I?
But when Juuzou glanced back at Ayu’s face, her expression was one of bewilderment. Not rejection or hatred or disgust, but soft shock. She processed this information slowly. The blush pervading her cheeks spread to the tips of her ears. She gasped and hugged herself. Then Ayu looked up at him with those big, brown eyes of hers.
“…Do you really mean that?”
“Huh?” Then it hit him and Juuzou had to stifle a laugh. “Oh, c’mon, we’re really not gonna go through this whole song and dance again, are we?” He grasped Ayu’s hand in both of his and declared, “I love you, Ayu. I’ll say it as many times as it takes for you to understand. I love you.”
“I…” Ayu’s head looked like it was about to explode. Then her face broke into a giddy, blushing mess of a smile. She glanced at the floor for a moment before rising to meet Juuzou’s gaze. The tears at her eyelids glittered like gemstones. Her blush mixed with the redness in her cheeks from crying and combined, it created the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. “I… I do too. I love you, Juuzou.”
“Then that’s all I need to hear.”
Juuzou kissed Ayu again and this time, she responded. She threw her arms around his neck and leaned in. She stood on the tips of her toes; Juuzou held her aloft so she wouldn’t lose her balance. Ayu’s hands tangled themselves in his long oak brown hair; his fingers stroked her messy auburn bob. Juuzou felt her warmth spread throughout his entire body, from her lips to her hands down to his nerves.
“…What the hell is this!?”
Juuzou’s eye twitched and he pulled away from Ayu. She blinked at his narrowed eyes and deep glower. He turned around. Kurosaki Yuuto stood alone in the middle of the empty corridor. His indigo-violet eyes were wide with aghast fury and popped veins snaked around his face and neck. His hands clenched in and out of fists as his teeth grinded against each other.
“K-Kurosaki?” Ayu piped up. Juuzou stepped forward and shielded her, spreading his arm out so she could keep her distance.
“Get the fuck,” Juuzou blinked; he hadn’t even seen Yuuto move, “away from her.”
Yuuto’s fist collided right into Juuzou’s face; he flew straight into the wall. Juuzou choked on his spittle as the impact wracked his chest with whiplash. Pain radiated from his cheek and numbed his brain. What the fuck? Where the hell was that blond twink hiding this kind of strength? Juuzou dropped to his knees. Ayu’s eyes widened and she screamed.
“J-Juuzou!”
Yuuto grabbed Ayu by the face and arm and slammed her against the wall. She yelped as his nails dug into her skin; his grip squeezed her wrist like a python. Ayu squirmed, but it was no use. Yuuto was too strong. She shuddered as his thumb traced the outline of her lips. He was so close to her that she could feel his rapid breaths against her skin. Yuuto’s indigo-violet eyes stared intently at her face, scrutinizing Ayu as if she were a piece of art. He seized her cheek and she squeaked as his nails dug into her face.
“K-Kurosaki, y-you’re hurting me.”
“How dare you.”
“K-Kurosaki?” Ayu whimpered as his grip tightened.
“I am the only one allowed to kiss you,” Yuuto growled. “I am the only one allowed to touch you, to savor you. You belong to me, Hiiragi. But you let another man hold you in his arms and run his hands along your body. That’s no good, my darling Ayu. I’ll have to punish you.”
“K-Kurosaki!? W-What are you—”
Juuzou rammed his shoulder into Yuuto. The blond snarled as the tackle shoved him onto the ground. He looked back at Juuzou with venom in his eyes and sprung back up as quickly as he was brought down. This time, Juuzou caught Yuuto’s punch and retaliated with a kick to the gut.
“Ayu, get the hell outta here!” She glanced nervously between Juuzou and Yuuto. “Hurry!” Juuzou bellowed as Yuuto recovered and punched his collarbone.
Ayu turned on her heel and dashed down the hallway. Yuuto skirted to Juuzou’s left to chase after her. Juuzou growled and tripped him before he could get too far. When Yuuto glanced up from the floor, Ayu was gone. He turned to Juuzou slowly. Veins popped along his flushed skin and the look in his eyes was murderous. A sinister smile snaked along his lips as his nails screeched against the tile flooring. Juuzou’s toes clenched within his slippers.
“I didn’t expect you to make a drastic move so soon,” Yuuto rasped, rising from the ground. “One kiss and that’s all you think it’ll take, huh?”
“Shut it, Kurosaki,” Juuzou spat. “You don’t know a goddamn thing about us.”
“I won’t let you have her.” Yuuto seized Juuzou’s throat as he shrieked, “Ayu belongs to me, she’s mine. She’s my darling, my soulmate. Stop getting in my way!”
Yuuto coughed. Juuzou scoffed and lowered his knee. He stepped away as Yuuto crumpled onto the floor, clutching his stomach. The blond glowered at Juuzou, who responded by slamming his foot into Yuuto’s face. The blond hacked again as his skull rattled from the impact with the ground. He groaned as Juuzou applied more pressure.
“Shut up, Kurosaki,” Juuzou snarled. “Don’t come near me or Ayu ever again. If you do, I’ll send you to hell with my own two hands.”
Yuuto glared daggers at Juuzou. He ground his foot into the blond’s face. Yuuto yelled as Juuzou kicked him in the chin and he rolled over the floor. Juuzou turned his back to his rival. Ayu had made her choice. Yuuto knew he couldn’t win. And if he still didn’t, Juuzou would beat it into his brain. He had to find her. Where did Ayu go?
Juuzou winced as his Thade sense pierced his brain. Goddammit, Storm. He shoved his hand into his pocket as he raced down the hall. Now that his feelings for Ayu were out in the open, he had to unmask the Lively Trio. She and Juuzou would never find peace as long as he was Death Frost. They couldn’t be together so long as he was tethered to Thade. He couldn’t let this drag on forever but no matter how many tries it took, he had to free himself to protect Ayu.