Let these biding chains fall and rust.
Let this bleeding heart die and just,
Put thy arms around me and let yourself cry,
Let thy take my broken wings and let me fly…
Wings
"Hurry," Akito would snap, "The surrounding things makes me want to retch."
And as the twisted girl lead Kureno to their room, he would feel the pain and sadness Shigure held in his heart; the same pain and sadness he held in his for the other girl – Arisa Uotani.
"Kureno," Akito would call. "I want that girl… that wretched woman gone, here me? Make her disappear. Make her realise that she is not one of us, and make her gone. Go."
The wind was cold as Kureno stepped out from the Main House. How he yearned for company, yet he knew that the others would give him none. How he yearned for acceptance, yet he knew that the others would give him none. How he yearned…
"Kureno – san?" a young voice inquired.
Kureno stopped, eyes adjusting to the light of the setting sun.
"Honda – san," he replied, giving her a forced smile.
Tohru smiled back, her aura of peace and tranquillity forming a protective shell against Akito's spite that was imbedded in Kureno's heart.
"How are you, Kureno – san?" she asked, her hands full with shopping bags.
"I…"
He had no idea how to answer. The words 'good', 'fine', 'well', did not apply to him. What he wanted was for someone else to answer for him. Someone to comfort him and tell him that everything would be alright.
"Oh! Uo – chan was playing the Prince in our play. Did you see it?" Tohru pressed, desperate to hear some sort of life in Kureno's voice.
"… I'm sorry, Honda – san. I've been extremely rude. Let me answer your first question," Kureno said in a low voice.
"Ok. Take your time," Tohru beamed.
"I'm… I've been through worse…" Kureno began, his hands shaking. "There's a pain in my heart that I can't ignore, but I can't erase either. I want to see her, but I can't. It's not like anyone can stop me, but this guilt… this pain that I cannot ignore…"
Tohru leaned over to place a small hand over one of Kureno's.
"It's alright. I know you care about her, and that is what really matters, isn't it?" Tohru said.
Kureno felt like curling up and crying.
"I want to see her," he broke out in a ragged whisper. "I want to see her…"
Tohru let her shopping bags fall and wrapped her arms around the frail man.
"You will," she replied, tears streaming down her face. "I promise you, you will."