AN: Here's another IF chapter. Thanks to all the kind words in the comments (and also I see that many people want to see Main!Oguri getting jealous; don't worry, that's coming soon). There still isn't a concrete schedule about these; I'm mostly just making them whenever I have the time.
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The telephone's handset made a soft crackle as he placed it back onto its base, and Kitahara Jo couldn't help but lean back into his chair and stare at the ceiling for a good minute.
Because-, what did he just listen to?
He sighed as he pulled his cap and ran a hand through his hair.
So, first off—apparently other alternate universes existed. Which was awesome, by the way. He'd been secretly hoping that the multiverse was a real thing, especially after all the comics and manga he'd read in his spare time. The concept of branching alternate universes was just a man's dream.
Even more shocking was the fact that another Belno had appeared from thin air, having apparently crossed dimensions through methods unknown. He'd even talked with her over the phone for a little bit, and though he couldn't see her, he could feel the difference just from her tone alone. There was gravity to Light's words, and it almost reminded him of the way Rudolf had spoken during their first encounter.
But it was the request Belno had given that'd stumped him.
"Blossom Star…" He repeated, trying to remember if he'd ever heard of an umamusume with that specific name. She was surely someone exceptional, considering how Light was talking about her. Practically made her sound like some fated Hero who just happened to also be an umamusume.
Yet no matter how much he tried, he couldn't recall an umamusume with that name. No one here in Kasamatsu Tracen had that name, and there weren't that many umamusume out here in the boonies.
Could it just be an alternate universe thing? Maybe this Blossom Star was one of the things that made Light's universe different from this one? It was certainly possible—not that he knew how alternative universes worked in the first place.
Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had heard that name once. That name barely skirted with familiarity, as if he'd offhandedly heard it being mentioned once or twice.
…well, might as well go and look for her then. There's no better reason to get away from his homework than to fulfil the promise of his trainees, right?
So he got to work. He quickly excused himself from Kasamatsu Tracen, and with a head full of steam, he began combing through Kasamatsu. He left no place unturned, keeping a vigilant eye out for anything that mentioned even one part of Blossom Star's name. It almost got him into trouble one time when a woman thought he was a stalker, but he quickly explained that he was just trying to find someone called Blossom Star.
But as the afternoon slowly turned to the evenings, he still hadn't found her. No one he'd talked to had heard of Blossom Star. Kasamatsu Tracen had never had a student with that name.
Kitahara sighed. "Agh, my legs…" He hissed, pursing his lips as he collapsed onto the bench. By this point, he'd been walking for almost three hours, and he was no closer to when he began. Blossom Star remained an elusive figure, and the more he searched, the more it felt like she just didn't exist in this universe. He'd practically searched everywhere!
…or did he?
His heart clenched as he thought of the one place he hadn't visited throughout his venture around Kasamatsu—the local cemetery. It was a place he really didn't want to visit, but now that he was here, it seemed like it was the only place he could go to.
His assumptions came out false many times before.
He hoped they were false this time around as well.
Taking a deep breath, he stood up from the bench and began making his way there. The journey wasn't long, but his legs felt heavy the entire time. And when he finally reached the entrance of the local cemetery, his heart was beating so fast that he felt like he was seconds away from passing out.
Kitahara gulped as he stood in front of the cemetery. He could see all the gravestones, each carved with words likely spoken by their loved ones; a final eulogy to the person whose life had sadly perished.
"Please don't be here." He whispered—a prayer, almost. He wasn't particularly religious, but for the first time in years, he prayed to the Goddesses that assumptions would come out false this time as well.
With tentative steps, he walked into the cemetery.
It was…calm here. There was an undeniable tranquility to this place, despite the morbid circumstances. The graves were all well-kept, and some even had fresh flowers placed before them. The soft fragrance of an early Spring danced in the air, colored by the soft oranges of the setting sun.
The calm didn't last as he eventually reached a gravestone tucked in the back corner of the cemetery, suggesting that it'd been recently added.
And there, written upon the stone was the one thing he dearly wished wasn't there.
Blossom Star
"May you soar into the sky, our Starlight."
1972 - 1988
He stood there for who knows how long, staring at the grave, his fists clenched so hard that his nails had cut into his skin.
He wasn't unfamiliar with death. Everyone dies eventually. He knew that. He knew that. Yet as he stood before the grave, he couldn't help but feel like the world had suddenly become much colder.
Because, more than anything,
"She was so young." He whispered.
And that was truly what hurt the most. Blossom Star had been so young. She was just Oguri's age, and had she been here, he had no doubts that he would've also gone to Kasamatsu Tracen. They could've met in the hallways, perhaps as acquaintances, perhaps as friends, perhaps as more.
His vision blurred as tears gathered in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. "Sorry." He whispered, unsure who he was really talking to. "I'm sorry."
He didn't know her. Had never met her. The only thing he knew was the little factoids Light had told him over the phone.
But he remembered the fondness in her voice as she spoke of her, the way she spoke of how they had all gone to Tracen Central together. She told him of how Star refused to let him remain back in Kasamatsu, that their team wouldn't be complete if he wasn't there as well.
Someone so kind, so loyal,
And now she was gone.
…
If only he could meet her. Even if only once. Even if only from a distance. He wanted to know what she looked like. What his trainee looked like. He wanted to carve her into his memory for eternity, so that she would at least be more than words written upon a gravestone.
If only–
Suddenly, his world went white, and he nearly shrieked when he realized that a giant pillar of light had descended just behind him. He quickly jumped back in terror, careful not to hit any of the gravestones as he watched the whole thing with wide eyes, his whole body shaking.
Then, as the light slowly thinned away, his jaw fell wide open as he saw the man standing right where that pillar of light had been.
"This is…Kasamatsu?" The man spoke, with a voice that was undeniably his. "What the hell? Wasn't I in…?"
His words stopped when he noticed Kitahara hiding behind one of the graves, shaking like a leaf. Their eyes met, the man's amber eyes exactly mirroring his own.
Kitahara's brain finally began working again, and his jaw fell wide open. "You're…me?"
His other him blinked, before he sighed. "Your name's also Kitahara Jo?" He asked. Kitahara nodded slowly, and the other him smiled wryly. "I'm guessing this isn't a dream. Is it?"
Kitahara gulped. "I don't think so?"
The man rubbed a hand across his face. "Fuuu-, Roppei-san's going to kill me…"
Kitahara stared incredulously. Was that really the thing he should be focusing on right now?
The other him shook his head. "Anyway, I-, uh," He scratched the back of his head. "This is awkward. Both our names are Kitahara." He went quiet for a moment, before he grinned. "Well, since I'm here, call me Jones."
Kitahara's eyes twitched. "Oi, seriously?"
Jones shrugged. "I'm already called a Demon King. This isn't too bad."
"...what?"
Jones didn't explain. "By the way, this is Kasamatsu's local cemetery, right?" Kitahara nodded slowly, and Jones hummed. "Why're you even here anyway? You trying to slack off–" His words went quiet as he finally saw the gravestone before him, and his eyes went wide. "Oh."
Jones didn't scream in surprise. There was no anger. No shock. He stared at the gravestone like he'd already known about it. Instead, there was only a soft regret as he went down to his knees and gently placed his hand on the gravestone. "I'm sorry." He whispered, smiling sadly. "You must've been so lonely."
At that moment, it felt like Kitahara was the one who was intruding. As if he was the stranger, despite Jones having literally come from another world.
…
It only made him feel worse.