AN: bEtA ReaDeR iS JDubZ. IS ALso GoOd guY, MucH Help, VerY KiND, WoW!

Chapter 25: No Distractions

"Mr. Natsuki!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Subaru looked up to the teacher at the front of the class. The teacher's face was furious, and he looked like he was about to snap.

"This is your last warning, Mr. Natsuki! One more and I'll send you to the Principal's Office!"

Subaru apologized for not paying attention so the teacher would leave him alone. Still not happy, the teacher turned back around to continue his lesson on mathematics.

Relieved that he survived yet another scolding from the teacher, Subaru looked out the window to stare at the birds. Starting a few weeks ago, Subaru watched as two small birds built a nest right outside the window. Together, the nest grew to a large size that fit two eggs for the female to lay. He had never witnessed something like that, but it put a smile on his face knowing that the birds were starting a family. This got him thinking about doing the same with Rem. He thought he would like that.

What had also been on his mind was the cultist he killed. It had already been almost two months ago, but Subaru still couldn't stop think about how he had to kill another person. Judging on how little it seemed to affect Okabe, he had probably killed many times. Despite how much Subaru hated the cultists, especially with them causing the death of Rem on multiple occasions, Subaru still couldn't stomach the thought of the cultist's head being ripped open by the bullet he shot with his own hand. Never in his life did Subaru think he would have to kill another person, and even if it was to happen, he certainly didn't expect it to happen at such a young age. No one should have to go through that.

For most of the time between his confession and now, It seemed that Okabe had been trying to win Subaru's trust; fixing his metia that he now held in his pocket, befriending Michael to teach him about the mechanics of the gateway, and calling Subaru every once in awhile to see how he was doing. This didn't get on Subaru's nerves, but Subaru didn't want to be swayed into liking Okabe again just in case he wasn't totally against the witch. He didn't want to take the chance of Okabe still planning to finish the gateway for the witch to use, so after he got Rem back he was going to make sure Okabe destroyed the gateway. If Okabe really wasn't with the witch then he wouldn't mind if he also ripped up the gateway's blueprints.

Someone nudged Subaru's arm. Subaru looked to his right, Michael was pointing two fingers at his eyes and pointed them towards the front of the class. With raised eyebrows, Subaru knew he meant 'pay attention'. He smiled and playfully punched Michael's shoulder before turning his attention to the front of the class.

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RIIIIIIIIING!

Students filled the hallways, making their way to the exits, some stopping to takes supplies from their lockers. Subaru was among them, placing a textbook into his locker. Michael came up and leaned on the locker next to Subaru's. "So what are you gonna do right now?"

Subaru threw the book in the locker and slammed it shut, locking it. "Well, I was going to go home and probably watch some anime, but your question makes it sound like you're up to something."

Michael walked with Subaru as he made his way towards the front exit. "Well, Okabe wanted to finish teaching me about the gateway."

"You guys sure do talk a lot. What are you, best buddies now?"

"No, we're more like teacher and student. He is pretty cool though."

When Okabe first showed Michael the gateway, it seemed like Okabe saw some great potential in Michael. That was when Okabe took him under his wing, teaching him the science behind his project. Subaru didn't want to say anything, but he didn't quite like how much time Michael spent with Okabe, he didn't want Okabe to have a bad influence on Michael.

"You know what, I'm not doing much anyway so I'll join you guys while you talk about….Synthetic Theory."

"It's Systems Theory, and I think Okabe would enjoy having you there."

"What makes you say that?"

Michael stopped walking, so Subaru did the same. "Well, he seems pretty intent on getting this portal up. I think he really wants to help you get back to Rem."

Or he really wants to open it for the witch.

Subaru didn't say that though. Instead, "I'll be sure to thank him when I see Rem."

Michael likes what Subaru said and continued to walk, "I think you'll like the new upgrades we put on the gateway. The archway lights up when it's activated-."

Subaru looked puzzled, "What's that good for?"

Michael adjusted his glasses as he put a hand up, "Uh duh, it looks cooler, where have you been?"

Subaru slapped Michael's hand out of the air, "In case you forgot, I've been gone for a year."

"Yeah well, you've been back long enough to know by now."

"2 months, that's not a long time, Michael."

"You know what I'm trying to say!" Michael removed his glasses to clean a smudge off of it. Subaru pushed through the school exit, holding it open for Michael, "Thanks."

When Michael walked past, Subaru let go of the door and followed, "How'd we get so damn off topic?"

"I don't know, I was telling you about the gateway and then we started talking about this."

"Right, right, so what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Michael put a finger up, but then put it back down, waving a hand at Subaru, "Ahh, I let Okabe explain it, I'm still learning."

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Okabe was dramatically moving around the gateway, pointing and showcasing it as if it were a prize in a game show.

"I replaced the-,"

Okabe saw Michael glaring at him and started over.

"We replaced the old portam with a newer model that I..we made."

Subaru raised his hand, "What's a portam?"

"It's a device that I-," Okabe looked at Michael, "...created that collects mana from the air. The newer one should collect it more efficiently allowing the system to become more stable when turned on. In case you haven't been following along, this means the portal will be able to stay open longer. The device's name is Latin for 'gate' by the way, for obvious reasons."

Okabe's eyes lit up, "Oh yeah, Subaru look!" He flipped a switch, activating the light bulbs that were attached to the gateway. "It lights up now!"

Subaru got up from the chair he was previously sitting in and started clapping as loud as he could, feigning amusement, "Damn good, that was just plain amazing!"

Michael and Okabe bowed as if they just finished giving a performance. After, they explained more about the gateway and its slight improvements that Subaru didn't understand in the slightest bit, so he just nodded whenever they paused.

"Don't you agree, Subaru?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, totally, 100 percent."

Subaru excused himself to go to the restroom in the middle of their spiel. Oh thank god!

When Subaru emerged from the elevator, he realized he didn't want to be stuck in their Systems Theory knowledge crosshairs, so he stayed in the control room. He wandered around the room, waiting for the two in the gateway room to finish up.

Quickly growing bored, Subaru browsed the various shelves along the wall. However, there was nothing new in any of them. The shelf that had been knocked over by Okabe was empty, all of its contents had broken from the fall.

In fact the only thing different about the room was the placement of the framed picture of Okabe and Makise. It once stood on top of the blueprint, but now it was on a shelf. Okabe must have looked at it, and moved it. Subaru picked it up again, looking at the two people in the picture. He reread the words on the picture to himself, wondering what they meant.

Stay safe wherever you are! I miss you!

"She was stubborn, not as stubborn as you obviously, but still, she was stubborn. She was also a softie, however."

Subaru turned around to see Okabe looking over his shoulder. Immediately, he put the photo back down on the table. "Umm sorry, I didn't mean to be nosy." That's exactly what I meant to be.

Okabe waved a hand in front of Subaru, "No, no, it's quite alright." Subaru moved out of his way so he could look at Makise. "In fact, I did leave it on the open so I imagine you would have noticed it at some point."

Subaru watched as Okabe picked up the picture, a little bit of guilt was in the scientist's eyes. Wanting to know, Subaru asked, "Who was she, Okabe?"

Okabe answered without looking at Subaru, rubbing his thumb against the frame's glass, "Makise was...everything to me." Okabe looked at Subaru with sad eyes, "...my fiancé." Subaru noticed that Okabe said 'was', as if she wasn't anymore.

Putting a hand to the back of his head, Subaru asked in a quiet voice, "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to her?"

Okabe looked back at the picture, he stayed silent for a few seconds before answering, "She died."

Subaru said nothing.

"I thought she would be strong, but-," Okabe choked on his tears, "she wasn't."

Subaru kept his distance, feeling awkward, "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"She was so adorable, getting embarrassed whenever we kissed. She rarely smiled, but when she did, the whole world would light up….or at least my world would."

Okabe was silent for a moment.

"I went through so much so we could be together, but she didn't know what I had to do. I wanted to shield her from going down that same path as I did, but finally I was happy with her, to be with her." Okabe started to shiver, tears starting to fall. "After 5 years I finally had the guts to ask her to marry me. Hehehe. She said yes before I could even finish my proposal."

Subaru continued to listen intently to what he was saying.

"She was so happy and that made me happy….but it was that same week that I was taken to Lugnica, transported by the witch. I told you this story of my rise in power and creation of Kararagi, I was having the time of my life, but I never knew what was happening in our world." Okabe wiped the tears falling from his face and forced himself to stop crying. "I never found out what was happening until 5 years later when I returned here. Makise was alone, she didn't know what happened to me. I had disappeared off the face of the Earth right after getting engaged, she thought I ran. She probably thought that something had happened to me, but after 3 years she lost faith in me ever returning to her. I never thought it would ever happen, but according to her friends, Makise couldn't live without me anymore and committed suicide. This picture was the last thing she sent to my house before….."

Stay safe wherever you are! I miss you!

"I tried to save her, I tried and tried, but found no solution. It was fate that she would die, so in the end, I quit." Without Subaru's knowing, Okabe glared at the microwave device. He squeezed the frame picture hard enough that a crack appeared on the glass. He whispered, "I don't understand, why did you do it, Makise? Why?"

Subaru put his hand on Okabe's shoulder, "At least she died loving you."

Okabe shook his head and closed his eyes, "I don't believe it. How can you love someone that you haven't seen in years? How does someone see the same person they once knew after being isolated from them for so long?" Okabe paused before answering himself, "They don't, Subaru. They don't see the same person, especially after the things I did for the witch. I'm even surprised you still come here after learning about my mission."

"..."

After a few minutes of silence, Okabe said, "But all that is in the past, and nothing can change that." He placed the picture face down on the table, the sound of glass breaking came from the frame, Okabe slammed it down a bit too hard. "Now, let's get this portal open soon so you don't have to go through what I did." He slid the frame away from him.

Subaru saw this, knowing that Okabe was trying to forget about Makise. He wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

Okabe quickly changed the subject, wiping his eyes of any stray tears. "You hungry? I'm hungry. I'll be right back." He moved towards the elevator doors.

Subaru didn't follow, but he did call out to him, "Okabe…."

Before disappearing through the doors, Okabe said, "It's Hououin Kyouma."

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Upstairs, Okabe turned on the kitchen sink, cupped some of the water into his hands and washed his face. Repeating this a few more times, Okabe put his hands on the counter. An agitated look was on his face, "Keep it together, Okabe. Remember, no distractions." He knocked aside a glass cup that was on the counter, it fell to the ground, shattering. "Nothing will stop me from getting what I want. Nothing."

The plan was set in motion, all Okabe had to do was his part, and everything would fall into place. Envy would return.

"The art of pleasing is the art of deception."

-Luc de Clapiers

AN: And so the story starts to come to a close. Rem has found the clock tower and Subaru is only days away from having the portal ready, it seems everything is falling into place, but not every story has a happy ending. Could this be one of them?

