Chapter One-Hundred and Nine: Fifth night: Claimed by History

Christina's Arc: Bend or Break

I pushed my room door open, and Christina was right behind me.

"I swear, all I wanted to do was make a freaking character for a stupid game, but I can't even dig that without you railroading everything in my life!"

The door closed.

"I haven't done anything yet. But I will if you keep raising your fucking voice because you think you're angry," Christina said

I turned sharply as my blood boiled.

"I fucking dare you to say something to me," Christina said before she looked at the floor. "Look, I didn't know Natsuki would take my phone and talk to your nerdy friend," Christina said, holding her arms out like she wanted a hug or me to believe her.

I sat on my bed. After I took the phone from Natsuki, JT told me it was 'locked in' because she didn't want to be on the Court's murder list. Then that confusing asshole, Natsuki, acted like I wasn't supposed to get mad about it.

Christina started to sit down, but I pushed her angry ass away.

"What the hell are you doing, Antwon?"

"I don't want you next to me. I might lose something else."

She scoffed.

"Well, I'm trying to sleep."

I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms, and gave her the nastiest look I could muster.

"Go sleep with Natsuki and temper her since you care so much."

"Antwon—"

"You're not allowed to sleep in my bed tonight."

...

"Fine, have it your way," Christina said. Then she walked over to the bed.

I pushed her, but she didn't budge. Instead, she pulled me forward, lifting me off the bed, and threw me onto it. My head almost hit the wall.

I lay where I landed, petrified at Christina's sheer strength because I resisted.

When she pulled me, I was sure that I pulled back. I mean, I knew she was strong because she was a girl, but damn! Was that everything? Was my fight with Shizuka even real? I just thought—

Christina climbed over me.

"A-are you okay, hani? Did I scare you because you aren't moving?"

What kind of freaking question is that? She just effortlessly tossed me like I was a freaking pillow.

I tried to push her off of me; my arms shook until they buckled, and I groaned out, but she wouldn't budge. Then Christina crawled off of me. I got up and practically ran out of the room, but what was I afraid of? Was this fear?

I pushed open Sakura's room door and slammed it closed with my back pressed against it.

"What the fuck do you want… Antwon. Holy shit, what's happened?" Sakura said, and then I heard feet hit the ground.

Before I knew it, she was holding my face, peering into my eyes. Had my face betrayed me?

Sakura, how strong are you? No! How weak am I? When did the world become so dangerous?

I grabbed her wrists and opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"Antwon, look at me and breathe," Sakura said, and then she started taking deep breaths before exhaling slowly. Then I noticed I had stopped breathing and listened to her directions.

Sakura led me to her bed.

"There you go. Would you like some water or anything that would help you calm down?"

I shook my head, no, because nothing could have soothed me now.

"Are you calm enough to talk?"

I nodded.

"So, what's got you spooked to the point of running away?"

"I…I didn't run," I whispered, knowing that Christina might be listening through the door.

"Okay, so what brings my brave brother to his sister's room when he should be in bed?"

If Christina's that strong, how badly did she hurt Sakura? Nakamura and I had to help her to the nurse's office, but Christina toyed with her, from what I can remember. Shit, now I have to ask that monster how serious she was back then.

"I…I'm sorry, Sakura."

…

"Sorry for what?"

"For everything… for being me."

Sakura looked me over and then pressed my head against her chest. I listened to her heartbeat; it was steady, and it gave me comfort because it meant she was alive. Then Sakura leaned back onto her bed, still pressing me to her. I wrapped my arms around her as we fell.

"Don't ever apologize for being you, do you hear me? I love you, even with all your lame jokes and insensitivity—"

"But we aren't related—"

"I don't fucking care. You're my brother, and nothing is going to change that; no claim nor queen, do you understand?"

She's so stupid. How was she supposed to beat Christina? Sakura didn't have any formal training. She doesn't even work out beyond baseball. Also, this was bound to happen. After all, I live in a screwed-up country where girls have to claim boys, but why is it like this?

"Hey, Sakura. Why is claiming boys a thing in Kokiri? Why don't we get to choose?"

…

She gently brushed my hair as I stared at the white door, imagining Christina walking through it, yelling and screaming about ownership.

"Honestly, Antwon, I don't know when it happened; I just know that girls claim boys. That's just the way it's been since before you or me were born. I guess, ask a book."

I reached up and pinched the back of Sakura's hand.

"The most important rule of joking is timing, Sakura."

"That hurts, Antwon," Sakura growled.

I sat up, feeling better than when I walked in. Sakura didn't bother sitting up. She just adjusted her body and slipped under her blanket, not even the comforter.

"Well, now that you feel better, know that I love you—"

"You already said that—"

"—and get the hell out of my room so I can rest after being tortured by Christina."

I stood up and walked to the door. Then I turned the lights off. I looked back at Sakura. She meant so much to me, yet I still couldn't tell her the truth about me. But there was one truth I could give her.

"Sakura, I love you, too."

Then I stepped into the hallway and gently closed the door. When I made it back to my room, the lights were off. Christina was still in my bed, but she had only done what I asked, right? I told her to stop holding back, but damn, I didn't know she was that strong.

I closed the door gently because I didn't want to wake her up. I mean, I still wanted her out of my bed, but at least I didn't have to interact with her.

Pulling the sheets back, I could see that she was damn near hugging the wall. I lay in bed, but I couldn't stop staring at the fan symbol, and then I thought about Shimeko. It's been a while since I've visited her journal. The last thing I remember was Yoshemi telling her kids she would murder people.

I do have her diary, and I don't think I'm in a good enough mood to repel Shizuka's crazy ass. I wonder if slipping into the diary counts as sleeping. It's worth a shot. Besides, what's the worst thing that could happen?

I started to roll out of bed. My backpack was on the other side of the room.

"Antwon," Christina said.

I froze.

"I'm sorry. I really am," Christina whispered.

I got out of bed, walked to my bag, and retrieved Shimeko's diary because damn her and her apology. I'm diary diving tonight.

I walked back to the bed, climbed in, and tucked the book beneath my pillow. I'd deal with Christina first.

I reached over to her, grabbed her by the back of her stupid clan pajamas, and pulled her to me, knowing that she let me do it. Then I turned her toward me.

"Hug me and go to sleep."

…

"But I'm apologizing—"

"Okay, cool—"

"You're just blowing me off?"

"I'm not—"

"Don't you want to talk?"

I pressed her head against my chest the way Sakura had done to me earlier.

"Well, I do have one question: Why are you allowed to claim me? How long has this been going on?"

...

"I guess you don't know either, Christia."

"I can answer your question, but I don't know the exact moment; it was during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. That was the period immediately after the Sengoku period, when women took power."

Even as I live it, it's still a crazy thought. "A dispute broke out between a noblewoman and a commoner over the noblewoman's son."

I looked down at the top of Christina's head.

"The two women fought; first with words, then with fists. One of the women was killed."

I sighed.

"Let me guess. The commoner was killed, and we all learned our lesson?"

"Nope, the commoner killed the noble. The incident spread far and wide until the Court caught wind and launched an investigation. They didn't know what to do. But the birth rate was plummeting because men didn't know how to approach women, and now a noblewoman was killed over her son's future."

"How did this story suddenly become about babies?"

Christina looked up at me, but her eyes were downcast, and she was kind of frowning.

"Generations of courtship disappeared in what felt like the blink of an eye. Imagine how lost everyone felt. Naturally, the noble woman's family wanted retribution."

"Well, who wouldn't," I said.

"To avoid more bloodshed, my maternal ancestors established claim law to effectively give women a way to initiate marital unions between families. They also implemented guardianship to prevent an egregious age difference between combatants."

"Meaning?"

Christina exhaled.

"Meaning the commoner must have been much younger than the noblewoman. Also, killing your opponent was deemed illegal. Thus, creating order amidst chaos."

...

"So, their bright idea to protect men was taking power along with the right to choose?"

Christina looked down.

"So, did the commoner woman ever lose?"

"Nope, she kept winning, right into my bloodline."

"Are you serious, Christina?"

Her hug on me tightened, and her breathing steadied. I moved her hair from her face and couldn't find a trace of her blue eyes, bouncing off the street lights, peering through the window. Did she just fall asleep to her own bedtime story? Tough, Christina. Real Tough. I reached up with my right hand and slid the book from under my pillow because it was time to see if diary diving was the same as drifting in the void. I opened the book, and the room became too bright for me to see as I squinted and blocked the light with both hands