Page 56 of The Oni's Heart

“Momoi,” I whispered, my voice raw, quieter than intended. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how to fix this, but I’m not going to give up on us. I won’t lose you. Please, talk to me. Let me make it right. We can re-examine our options.”

The Oni’s voice was still a part of me, simmering beneath the surface, but I focused on the part of me that could still reach her."She has to hear me, Tatsuya. If you don’t make her understand..."

I didn’t need to hear it. I already knew. There was no going back now. The part of me that wanted her,neededher, was too strong. And I would make sure the Oni knew it too. If this was the only way to keep her, so be it.

“Momoi,” I whispered again, my voice trembling with uncertainty.

31

The Reckoning

MOMOI

Iwatched them—Tatsuya and the Oni—squirming. If it weren’t so serious, I might’ve laughed. The two of them, usually so full of arrogance and fire, were now practically begging me for forgiveness. It was hard to ignore the tiny, mischievous spark of satisfaction flickering in my chest. Who would’ve thought they could be so... human?

But I also couldn’t ignore the underlying tension. Tatsuya’s voice, trembling with desperation, had gotten to me. I wasn’t sure if it was guilt, the lingering remnants of my own desires, or something else entirely, but I couldn’t keep pretending that this situation didn’t have me on edge.

His words, his apologies, were a siren call. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to hell with him or run as far away as possible. Living in hell didn’t sound great, but the idea of being with both of them, constantly walking the edge between pleasure and peril... it wasn’t so clear-cut anymore.

I could feel them both in the room, the dual presence of Tatsuya and the Oni, both vying for my attention in their own twisted ways.

The Oni was the first to break the silence, his voice low and menacing. “You’re not going to leave us, Momoi. We’ve offered you everything.”

Tatsuya followed closely, his voice softer, almost pleading. “We don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you.”

It was strange—hearing them both speak as though they cared. Their pride, especially the Oni’s, had always been a strange wall between us. But now, here they were, with their knees metaphorically on the ground.

I crossed my arms, tilting my head as I considered them. It wasn’t just their words. There was something in the way they were both acting—something almost desperate.Were they really that afraid of losing me?The thought lingered in my mind, and for the first time, I realized how it felt to be needed this way. To be seen.

But what really caught me off guard was how, despite their chaos, both the Oni and Tatsuya had managed to start healing a part of me that I never expected them to touch. A part that had always told me I was worthless, unworthy of love or care. I’d buried that voice for so long, convincing myself it was easier to be cold and distant than to face what I truly craved: connection.

But now, here they were—two beings that should have been my enemies, tearing through everything I thought I knew about myself, and they were slowly, almost imperceptibly, undoing the damage. Their actions weren’t just about power, dominance, or desire. Somewhere beneath all of that, there was something raw, something human. And unexpectedly, that human part of them was starting to mend the pieces of me I’d long discarded.

I felt the weight of it, the realization that they were doing for me what I couldn’t even do for myself—seeingme. All of me. Even the parts I didn’t want to acknowledge.

The Oni’s burning gaze lingered on me, darker than ever, but there was a trace of something softer, almost reluctant, in it.

“You think you’re too good for me, human?” he asked, though the words were heavy with a hint of vulnerability I wasn’t used to hearing from him.

I wasn’t sure how to answer him. How could I? But as I stood there, facing them, I realized that I wasn’t just fighting against them anymore. I was fighting against myself. The walls I’d built around my heart had been cracked wide open, which terrified me. But a part of me, one I hadn’t listened to in years, wasn’t so afraid anymore. It didn’t want to be alone in the dark. Not anymore.

I finally let out a breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. "I don’t want to be saved," I told myself.

But even as the words reverberated through my head like a broken record, I knew it wasn’t true. I wanted to be saved—I neededto be saved, even if I didn’t know what that meant just yet. The Oni and Tatsuya, with all their flaws and darkness, were offering me a chance to find something I’d given up on long ago: belonging.

I let the silence stretch between us for a moment, simply to make them stew in it a little longer.

But then, just as Tatsuya seemed to think he might have worn me down, I couldn’t help myself anymore.

"Hell, huh?" I said, my voice tinged with a bite I wasn’t sure I could hold back. "I’ve got to admit, I’m curious. What kind of life would we even have in hell? Not sure I’d love it, but... there’s something oddly tempting about it."

The Oni growled under his breath, his presence pushing against my thoughts again.

"You wouldn’t last a day."He scoffed, clearly not enjoying the direction I was taking.

I tilted my head slightly, looking at him.

“Oh? You don’t think I could handle it? You’re lying. Why else would you even bring it up in the first place, demon?” Icouldn’t help but tease, the dangerous amusement bubbling to the surface. “I guess I could get used to the fire and brimstone. The demons... probably some interesting characters to chat with. Not sure if it’s my style, but I could find a way to adapt. Or not. Maybe I’d have fun being the queen of hell, who knows?”

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