"Subaru." A voice snapped Subaru out of the trance that he was in. He turned around to find Sakura, the girl who lived across from him. He is already in front of his apartment without even realizing it.
"Subaru." Sakura walked closer to him. "Are you alright?"
"I'm I'm alright." Subaru answered, trying his best to keep his voice calm. He kept his head down so she can't see his face.
"Are you sure?" Sakura reached up to touch Subaru's cheek. Subaru flinched at her touch. "You're so cold. You're shivering." Sakura felt something at her finger tip. At a closer look, Subaru is crying. He avoided her eyes. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked but Subaru only shock his head. "Lets go inside. You're going to get sick if you stay out here."
Subaru opened the door to his apartment and the two entered. Subaru went to changed his clothes while Sakura stay in the living room. He dried his tears before returning to the living room. Sakura was not on the couch, she was behind the counter in the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind me using your kitchen." Sakura said with a gentle smile and a cup in her hand. Subaru shock his head. He smiled a bit. Sakura's smile always calm him down.
Subaru took a sit at the couch. After she finished in the kitchen, Sakura joined Subaru. "Here." Sakura handed him the cup. It was hot milk with honey. Subaru took it and raised it to his lips. Sakura noticed that he was still shivering. Sakura took a blanket next to her on the couch and fling it around Subaru's shoulders.
"Thank you." Subaru said timidly. Without much words, Subaru look down at the cup in his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for taking up your time."
"Don't say sorry. I'm here because I wants to be here." Sakura didn't know what else to say. She didn't want to bring up anything that could hurt him.
Subaru began to tell Sakura about the mother and the inugami. He didn't know why he was telling her this. Sakura was a gentle person, he shouldn't be bothering her with something this terrible. "I'm a liar. I couldn't tell her the truth." Subaru said after he told Sakura the story.
"There is no right decision in these kind of situation. You can only do the best you can." Sakura reached out to touch Subaru's hand. "At the moment, you were the most clear headed person there. The mother was not. You did what you thought was best."
"Who was I to decide what was best and what was not? I just didn't want her to go through with that curse. It would have only brought her more sadness." Subaru began to tear up again.
"I can't tell you that there won't be people who disagree with the decision you made but I do know that Subaru always try his best. No matter what, I believe in the decisions Subaru makes and he should too. Have a little more confident. Trust yourself and your decisions because Hokuto and Seishiro and I believe in you." Sakura gave Subaru a bright kind smile.
At Sakura's words, Subaru threw himself at Sakura and laid his head on her lap. Sakura was a bit surprised but she stayed still. Subaru didn't know what got into him. Normally he wouldn't break down like this but with Sakura around, he couldn't help but lose control of himself sometimes. He wanted to stay like this. He didn't want to move. He wanted to be near her. Sakura has a way of giving him the confident that Hokuto often said he lack, but more importantly, she made him feel safe and protected.
"Its late. You should go to sleep Subaru." Sakura pet Subaru's head before putting both hands on Subaru's shoulders and lift him off her lap. He was already asleep from the look of it. His eyes was barely open. Sakura stood up and lay Subaru down on the couch. She covered him up properly with the blanket and was about to leave when Subaru grip her hand. She looked down at him; Subaru was already asleep.
"Please don't leave." Only with Sakura would Subaru be selfish and ask things for himself. Sakura smiled. Subaru looked like a child right now and so cute. Sakura sat down on the floor and lay her hand on the couch. Soon after, she fell asleep with Subaru still holding her hand.
NEXT MORNING
The bright sunlight coming through the window woke Subaru. He opened his eyes to see a blurry ceiling but recognize it to not be the ceiling of his bedroom. Subaru rubbed his eyes and remembering the events of the day before, he signed. Then being more awake now, he felt something heavy on his other hand. Subaru looked to find Sakura next to him, still asleep. Moving his eyes to his hand, he saw that he has been gripping her hand all night. That was why she didn't leave. She didn't want to wake up him.
Even though Subaru felt a bit guilty for making her stay all night, he was happy that she was the first he saw upon waking up. Subaru sat up on the couch and was careful to not wake Sakura up. Looking at her sleeping face, Subaru was mesmerized. Without realizing it, he leaned in closer to her face...
"Subaruuuu!" A high voice called as the apartment door slammed open. "'BAM!"' The voice and the sound made Subaru jumped and he suddenly realized what he was about to do. Sakura woke up from the noise.
Hokuto and Seishiro walked into the apartment to find a barely awake Sakura and a blushing Subaru. Hokuto walked toward the couch while Seishiro closed the door.
"Spending the night together already? How scandalous." Seishiro teased with his same old smile behind Hokuto.
"...night together...scandalous?" Sakura looked at Subaru confusingly. She was still half asleep so she was just hearing every other words from the two.
"Its...its nothing Sakura. Don't listen to them." Subaru waved his hands in front of himself. He had slip his hand out from under Sakura's the moment his sister and Seishiro walked in.
"Subaru I expected better from you." Hokuto leaned forward and scowled. "Sakura is still too young."
"But Hokuto, didn't you say differences in age can't stand up against the power of love?" Seishiro said.
With each passing words, Subaru grows redder and Sakura more confused. Subaru covers Sakura's ears with his hands. "Both of you, please stop!" Subaru yelled, eyes closed and blushing.
Hokuto and Seishiro did stop and they smiled to themselves as they walk into the kitchen.
Subaru turned his attention back to Sakura. "Morning." He didn't know what else to say.
"Morning." Sakura greeted with a cheerful smile. She observed him closer and reached for his cheeks again. "You're red Subaru. Are you sick." She moved her face closer to his.
Subaru blushed even redder and moved his face back away from her in hope she wouldn't notice. "N...no. I'm fine." Subaru could hear Hokuto and Seishiro chuckle in the background. Sakura was oblivious as always but that's one of reasons she's so cute.
"Ok. If you say so." Sakura retracted her hands and stood him. "Are you alright now?" Sakura asked as she place her hands on her knees and stretch her legs.
Subaru nodded and gave her a smile for reassurance. "Thanks to you."
"Okay, you two. Get ready for breakfast." Hokuto cut in. "Sakura. Here's something cute for you to wear for the day. And you too Subaru." Hokuto was so excited that she was leaning out the counter from the kitchen to the living room. Seishiro handed the two different bags.
Sakura took one of the bag that was handed to her. "Thanks Hokuto."
"No problem, I just love to make clothes for people as cute as you and Subaru." Hokuto said cheerfully. The comment made Sakura blushed. Subaru was just used to it.
"I'll be back soon." With that Sakura left Subaru's apartment and returned to hers to get ready for the day.
"Su-ba-ru. Such a pedophile. Seducing such a young cute girl like that. You're lucky Sakura's so innocent that she doesn't notice your naughty intentions." Hokuto said with mischief in her eyes.
"Hokutoo! Please stop saying such things!" Subaru quickly stood up from the couch and walk to his room. Before closing his door, he poke his head out and says, "No more please. That goes for you too Seishiro."
Subaru's room was still dark because the curtain had not been raise and the light was off. He leaned against his door. The day was just starting but Hokuto and Seishiro have a way of making it last very long and tiring. Subaru let out a long sign as he slid down to the floor. He looked at the hand that held Sakura's hand all night. He held it with his other hand and raised it to his lip. A content smile appeared on his face. Subaru was glad that he was able to talk with Sakura last night because only she is able to help him get past the bad things in life. Around Sakura, Subaru can become a bit selfish and she makes him happy. According to Hokuto, Sakura made him more human.