Fragments of You: Chapter 3- Yuu's Confession

“I just don’t understand, “ Madeline rambled as she finished unpacking the last piece of clothing, “how can someone forget saying something like that?” She questioned, placing the shirt in a drawer.
“W-Well it has been two years.” Yuu answered, placing a framed picture on a small mantlepiece, his voice was filled with concern, trying to make the situation a little less bitter.
“I know, I know, i’m just confused is all..”Maddi replied, walking into the kitchen, “I mean you can’t just go ‘OH HEY by the way I love you and I hope you have fun several thousand miles away!” She goofed, covering one of her eyes and deepening her voice, imitating Ai. Yuu chuckled a little, taking a seat in a nearby chair. He leaned his hand onto the side of his face, just listening to Maddi’s rambling, of course there were other things clouding his mind, something a little more guilt-filled.
“You ok Yuu?”, Madeline asked giving him a concerned look, “you seem a little occupied lately.” She said as she sat down across from him, her arms reaching behind her  to place an EX8 bottle into her back.
“Hmm? Oh, uh yeah it’s just-“ He replied, hesitating, he couldn’t tell her, not yet, “i’ve just been thinking about this guy lately..” He lied, well, half-lying.
“Oh really?” She asked, the subject peeking her interest raising a brow smirking. “Is he cute?” She asked again, scooting closer, wanting to hear every detail.
“Yeah, he’s really nice, you’ve already met him.” Yuu replied blushing and giggling slightly. Madeline gave him a confused look, then a lightbulb went off in her head.
“Wait, is it Clockwise?” She asked hesitantly. Yuu nodded in response, his face felt heated and blushed, at least he was keeping his mind off of the separate subject of guilt. Yuu needed to tell someone, just not Madeline.


The sun was setting in the distance as Yuu walked up the porch in front of the house, inserting his key and turning it, unlocking the door. When upon entering the house he sees Ai taking off his jacket, placing it on a nearby rack. Yuu’s heart was racing, his hands shaking.
“Hey Ai, did you just get home?” Yuu asked, noticing Ai’s guard gear had been set aside on a nearby table. “Yeah, my shift ended a bit early.” Ai replied, plopping onto the couch, obviously exhausted. Yuu walked over sitting next to him.
“Can I talk to you about something?” Yuu asked, a large lump filled his throat, making it difficult for him to make out words. Ai raised a brow, confused.
“You know you can talk to me about anything Yuu,” Ai replied, “what’s wrong?”
Yuu hesitated, “Soooo you know how you can’t remember much of the night Maddi left?” He asked, his index fingers poking at each other shamefully. Ai gave him a confused look and then his brow lowered, almost to a glare. “Yeah?” Ai replied.
“Well, I may have, kinda, sorta, kinda hypnotized you to say you loved her….”  Yuu responded, shrinking down in shame and guilt, too scared to even look at his brother in the eye. Ai sat there his lower eye lid twitching, his hands clenching into a tight fist, and proceeded to explode with rage. “YOU DID WHAT?!” He yelled standing his hands shaking in pure fury. He definitely hasn’t been this angry in the longest time. “Yuu we talked about this! What the hell were you thinking?!”
“I’m sorry I really am, but I couldn’t help it!” Yuu replied standing, facing his brother. “I couldn’t just sit there and watch you two say goodbye! I just thought you would be happy!”
Ai went silent and took deep breaths to calm himself down. “Yuu i-..Look I understand you had good intentions, but hypnotizing me is not the way to go about those kinds of situations. I appreciating you wanting us to be happy but-..“
“But what Ai? What?” Yuu interrupted, his body shaking in frustration, “Don’t you understand that over the past few years the only time i’ve ever actually seen you happy was with her? Don’t you understand that a girl like Maddi comes once in a blue moon? Don’t you understand that I just wanted to help because I thought you deserved someone like her after all the shit you put up with here?”
Ai sighs rubbing his eye, his breaths shaky. “Madeline is a nice girl, I understand that. But you have to understand that you can’t force people to be together. I’m not ready for a relationship, I might never be. But when the time comes around, then maybe I might give it a shot, just not right now.” A silence came across the room, the two brothers looking at each other, each standing their grounds, and both take a seat, trying to calm down. “Have you told Maddi at all about this?” Ai asked.
“No,” Yuu replied immediately, “I wanted to tell you first. Plus, Maddi’s scary when she’s mad.” He continued, trying to crack a small joke to lighten the atmosphere. However, Madeline’s scorn is more like a sharp poison than an aggravated one.
“We’re telling her. Right now.” Ai stands, Yuu sighing and following behind him as they walk out of the house.


“Hey guys!” Madeline answered opening the door, smiling. “Come on in, but be careful I just swept the floors.” Yuu and Ai exchange glances at each other, Ai giving him the notion to say something, but Yuu was too scared to move or say anything. “What brings you guys at this hour? It’s starting to get dark out.”
“Yuu has something he’d like to tell you.” Ai replied bluntly nudging Yuu towards her, Madeline’s brows narrowed in concern looking between them.
“Maddi, I um,” Yuu began, sighing, “The reason Ai doesn’t remember a whole lot about the night you left, it’s because of me, I hypnotized him to say those things. I’m really really sorry.” Madeline’s face grew grim her eyes widening in horror. Her hands starting to shake and gave out a weak and uncomfortable laugh.
N-no, Yuu, this- this is a j-joke right?” Madeline’s breathing became uneasy as she backed up a bit. Her heart pounding in her chest.
“Maddi..” Ai said trying to calm her down. She jolted her arm away, tears streaming down her face, there wasn’t any scorn, no anger, not any kind of anger whatsoever. All that was left was her shaking body.
“I-I…I have to  go.” She replied, her voice shaking as she sprinted out of the room, out the door, and outside into the coming darkness of night.
“Maddi! Wait!” Yuu yelled running after her, but she had disappeared. She was nowhere to be seen. Ai followed him out his fist clenching looking over seeing the sun drifting down. They had to fix this. She was hurt, just as much as he was.