Chapter 10 *UNEDITED*
Toshizou raked his hair several times, leaving it messy and untamed. He didn't care, all he could think of was reaching to Chizuru as fast as he can. After she ran from him, he went to finance department looking for her but she wasn't there. He asked her cubical neighbours, they said she went out in a hurry without saying anything. Now, he hoped she went straight home. Even his calls were directed to voicemail. As he drove towards the familiar road he went by from house to his office, he sent a silent prayer wishing she'll be at home.
"Chizuru, please…"
His heart was beating wildly, his hands clammy when his car almost reaches his home. He saw her car on their drive way was the time he felt relief washed over him. Quickly turning off the ignition, he jumped out and made way into the house after hastily unlocking the door.
"Chizuru!" Toshziou skipped a few stairs upwards towards their room, noticing door left ajar.
"Chizuru?" The first place he checked was their closet. An open suitcase with a few articles thrown hastily inside made him nervous. No! She can't go without his explanation.
"Chizu –" Shocked overtook his face as he saw Chizuru lay on the floor unconscious, mirror glasses shattered around her and bleeding cuts marred her flawless face.
"No…no…Chizuru! Wake up!" he took her into his arms, gently placed her head on his shoulder and rocking her slowly.
"Chizu, wakeup sweet heart. Wake up!" Toshizou made small kisses across her face; ignoring blood stained his shirt and lips. He quickly called an ambulance. 15 minutes later, he followed helplessly behind the paramedics carrying his wife on a stretcher into the ambulance.
30 minutes before…
Chizuru's glassy and blurry eyes hindered her from focusing on the road. She furiously wiped those tears again with her palm. Her mind repeatedly playing the scenes when she caught her husband happily ate lunch with some woman whilst avoiding his wife for two weeks like a plague. Her fingers shook uncontrollably on stirring wheels. Focus on the road Chizuru. Whilst driving, she made plans on where to go after she packs her things. She needed to go somewhere – anywhere away for a while. Her pride wounded when she recalled the passionate night she spent with him, and discovered he left her alone on the bed the very next morning. Why? The thought itself caused her sudden nausea.
After reaching her house, she hastened to their bedroom, reaching for her small suitcase in the closet and grabbed some clothes within her reach into the suitcase. Her tear ducts worked like crazy producing endless stream of salty tears when she paused and looked at her side of half-empty wardrobe. She shook her sadness away and focused on the current tasks. I need my toiletries.
As she stared at her reflection on the mirror in front of the sink, she heard voices coming behind it.
Master! Our master is here! Our master has come to bring justice. Master Chizuru, master Chizuru, master Chizuru, master Chizuru…
Vivid images played rapidly behind her eyes. The most recognisable images were from her dream two weeks ago. The same lady wasn't holding her daughter anymore. She stood alone whilst holding a bloodied katana, her clothes battered; ignoring deep wounds on all parts of her body. Her eyes were focused on a figure of a laying man and a small bundle not far away from him. She felt emotionless as she came to recognise whose those lifeless bodies belonged to. It was her husband and her Momoe-chan. Rage consumed her senses and sanity, blood boiling to the extreme. Her ears caught movements from all directions. Crunching of leaves under straw slippers made her put her guard up. She was ready to avenge the death of her family. She needed blood – no, she wanted blood to quench her bloodthirst. These idiotic humans wanted her to unleash her demonic side, she'll show them. Raising her katana up, she lurched towards humans nearest her and enjoy the feel of warm blood sprayed all over her. This is for my husband and my child. She snickered.
Chizuru continued looking at her reflection, slightly dazed as if her reflection was chanting her names. Then she realised her reflection didn't reciprocate her action when Chizuru titled her head to study the stranger in the mirror. Her reflection smiled at Chizuru's confused face. Her smile grew as Chizuru's eyes widened. Somehow it terrified her. The reflection moved her lips as if she was trying to say something but Chizuru didn't have to strain her ears to hear it. The words itself sounded at the back of her head.
You and I will become one. I've been waiting for too long.
"No! This isn't real." Chizuru gripped the edge of the white wink tightly. She shook her head to get the voices away. The dreams hadn't haunted her for two weeks and now, it came back to antagonised her wrecked emotions.
You and I will become one. I've been waiting for too long.
"No! I don't know what you've been waiting for and I don't want to know." She felt nausea from before rising up her throat again but choked it away. She didn't have time to throw up.
You and I will become one. I've been waiting for too long.
"No! No! No!" The more she denied, the louder it became.
You and I will become one. I've been waiting for too long.
"No! Get away from me!"
You and I will become one! I've been waiting for too long!
"I'm dreaming. This is not real. This is not real." Chizuru closed her eyes tightly.
YOU AND I WILL BECOME ONE! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR TOO LONG!
"NOOO!" Chizuru screamed when the voice screeched her ears and before she could register anything, the mirror shattered, as if attacking her for denying what it wants. Hundreds of sharp glasses cut into her delicate skin causing her to lose consciousness and fell into darkness.
Toshizou sat on a chair next to Chizuru's bed. He enclosed her right hand with his two much larger ones and brought it to his lips to kiss it gently. He was scared when he found her unconscious in the bathroom and he was scared for her at the new found information. He replayed back his phone call with Grandma Kaneha, hating it immensely.
"Toshi, I think she has started to show her power. I must say this is rather sudden but I don't know why for sure. I felt it too Toshi. The katana began to gain enormous strength and I knew it wasn't from me. Then, it should be from her. My energy perfectly synchronised with hers. Good job Toshi. I know I can count on you."
Fear crossed his face as she explained.
"Nothing will happen to Chizuru, right grandma?" He voice quivered.
"It depends. Only time will tell either she'll be our friend or foe." Grandma Kaneha replied, void of any emotion.
"I don't want anything to happen to her."
She sighed. "It's not me to determine. If she has conceived, bring her to me once she reaches four months and we'll know."
"Wha –"
Grandma Kaneha cut his question. "Remember, the katana never lies. Goodbye and good luck Toshi. Don't disappoint me." She hung before he could say anything.
He sat silently, watching her even breathing and swept her bangs aside, carefully not to touch the freshly dressed wound on her forehead. Using his thumb, he slid tenderly along her old stich scar –the one received back in Kyoto.
"Help me, Chizu. I don't want to listen to her but I'd rather blindly following her words than endangered you. So, Chizuru, tell me what to do. You'll hate me one day if you discovered the truth behind our marriage façade." He kissed each of her small fingers lovingly. "But before situation turns ugly, I want you to know that I did everything to keep you safe - it includes that night. God, that night was beautiful sweetheart." Small tears made its way down Toshizou's handsome face. He sniffled to keep his emotion at bay, tightening his grip on her hand whilst brushing his lips lightly over hers.
"I'll see you when you wake up." A ghostly smile appeared on his face as he watched her serene face.
Chizuru's eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the bright light. It seemed déjà vu as her eyes took her surroundings. Then, she saw a figure with face down next to her with a large hand covered hers, realising it was Toshizou. Their last encounter played in her mind and she felt hurt creeped its way into her heart. She tried to free her hand without waking him but he stirred upon small movement made by her. He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes.
"You're awake. Do you need anything? Water?" He straightened on his chair, hand still gripping Chizuru's.
"Water will do." She lowered her head. He let go of her hand to pour water from her bedside and she took the opportunity to hide her hand under the blanket.
Toshizou handed her the glass and she took it gratefully. Silence fell between them as tension grew thicker. Chizuru examined the glass on her hand as if it was the most interesting thing in the world and Toshizou wanted to say something but he suppressed it. "I'll call the doctor." He said and went out of the room.
Chizuru exhaled and gritted her teeth to push away her anger as her mind recalled back the scene from their last encounter. By thinking of that woman's face made her blood boil and him avoiding her for past two weeks made her clenched her chest. "I mustn't cry." She chanted.
A few minutes later, Toshizou entered her room with a doctor in towed. He seemed to be in late fifties with short salt and pepper hair and well- built body almost reaching Toshizou's height. A statoscope coiled around his neck and a white coat made him looking professional.
"Hello Mrs Hijikata. It's good to see you up." He offered her a kind smile as he reached for her chart located at the end of her bed. Chizuru smiled back at him but winced as her lips curled.
"Do you remember anything before you faint?" He enquired while reading her chart.
She remembered hearing voices demanding her to get justice and images playing inside her head but she knew neither of them will believe her so she lied. "I…I don't think I remember anything."
"Apparently according to your husband, you fainted in the bathroom amongst shards of broken mirror. Fortunately, the cuts on your face aren't severe and simple dressing will do." He scanned the pages before continuing.
"You're anaemic, fatigue and stress. Your blood pressure is a little high so; you need plenty of rest and plenty of fluids to get back as usual. We just have to let you stay for two nights to monitor your condition and the baby inside you. This is a very crucial stage in pregnancy since you're only two weeks along. You need to be well rested to make sure your both healthy."
Chizuru's eyes darted to Toshizou in shock. The doctor's words floated away and neither of them listened anything after he told about the baby inside her.
Silence consumed them and the doctor decided to excuse himself to give them privacy. After he left the room, Toshizou carefully stepped towards her and took the empty seat he previously occupied. He tried taking her hand but she flinched, making his forehead furrowed.
"Chizuru, please…I can explain." He pleaded.
"Explain what Toshizou-san? That you avoided me for two weeks or you had lunch with that woman?" She snapped.
"I'm sorry if you feel like I avoided you but I had reasons. As for me having lunch with Ana, we're just friends." Really Toshi? That's all you can say? He scolded himself.
"So, you can spend time with that woman but you don't even have the decency to even properly see me for two weeks. Oh! You left right after that night!" Her eyes blazed with bitterness, which made him looked away in shame. He couldn't explain his reason for leaving her the next morning. Her confession right aftermath left him overwhelmed. He didn't expect it to be too soon considering the real reason he made love to her. Yes, he may be the bad guy but he cares deeply, heck he might starting to fall in love with her but he clearly didn't want their first time to be because of the pressure from Grandma Kaneha's persuasion of Fated Woman.
Toshi, I love you…
He remembered Chizuru's profess of love that night and took a deep breath to stay focus to what's in front of him.
"Chizuru… I apologise if you feel that way. If I could turn back the time, I would and won't leave the bed if that's what you want." He lifted his chin to look into her eyes.
Her scowls deepened despite faint blush stained her cheeks after hearing his vindication.
"What about that woman?"
"What? Ana? Chizuru, we're just friends. She happened to be in town and decided to have lunch with me in my office. I was tired after meeting Takuma and she brought lunch with her. That's all. Please Chizu…trust me."
Hearing him calling her Chizu made her lower her guard but she quickly brushed it off. "You could've just ask me and I'd bring lunch to you but no! You'd rather have any other woman to spend time with. Answer me Toshizou-san, were you intentionally avoiding me last Friday after the meeting? It was nearly lunch time. Did you have fancy lunch with her somewhere?" Her big brown eyes stared at him with such intense that guilt started to crawl from his throat.
Toshizou didn't answer. He broke their eye contact and she knew he won't deny it. Why would he when it was all true. She exhaled loudly whilst massaging the bridge of her nose. "Toshi, did you ever have an ounce of love towards me? I know we got married against our will but for the past five months since our marriage day, have you ever thought of me? Of us?" She said softly, averting her gaze to the empty corner of the room.
Her question left me flabbergasted. Love? Surely he was attracted to her when they first met ten years ago and he admitted she's a sweet and beautiful person since the first day they got married but love? He was scared to venture towards that direction considering their fragile situation with this whole Fated Woman thing. He wanted to keep her safe from harm and protect her from the ugly history behind Hijikata name. That consider as love right?
"I – "
"Stop – " Chizuru cut his words. She held his hand up to stop him. Her lips quivered but she refused to let tears escape. She was antsy for his answer and decided not to know at all. Ignorance is bliss right?
"No, Chizu, hear me out. I clearly fe –"
"I said stop!" She put both palms on her ears, not hearing whatever he wanted to say.
Toshizou grabbed her palms away and shook her shoulders gently. "Please sweetheart, listen to me. I li–" Chizuru squirmed from his hold.
"I don't want to know and I don't care!" The final string of her patience broke and she threw the glass she laid in her bed to his face. Her eyes turned gold with red rimmed around her iris as she glared at Toshizou. He staggered backwards, clearly startled by the obvious change on her either by the change of her eyes colour or her newfound temper.
Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. She didn't know where all her energy and pent-up anger came from but one thing for sure; she felt a sudden charge of energy from nowhere. Her body tensed as she saw his petrified face with blood trickled down his forehead and broken glass at his shoes.
"What did I do? Oh God. What did I do? I'm sorry Toshizou-san. I didn't know what happened to me. Oh no." Anxiety attacked her brain, causing her to hyperventilate and she hugged her knees towards her chest, rocking back and forth.
"Sweetheart, please. It's not your fault. It was mine. Please Chizu. Look at me." He carefully placed his arms around her shoulder. She shrugged him off, he hunched on frustration.
"Can you leave me alone? I'm tired." Her voice muffled against her tears.
His fist clenched and jaws tightened. "Chizu, please."
"If you care for me, please leave me alone." she lay down, turning her back facing him.
"Okay. Please take care of yourself and our baby." He leant closer to her, placing a small kiss at the top of her head and dragged his feet out of the room quietly.
He said our baby. Chizuru covered her mouth with her hands and cried under her blanket. She placed her palm on her still flat tummy and fell asleep with teary eyes.
Toshizou closed the door behind him and slide down against the wall. His shoulder slumped as tears betrayed his strong demeanour. He wiped it away, took his phone out to call the only person he trusted.
To be continued…
A/N = New update! Yay! For those who're wondering when Chizuru said 'I love you', it was in Fated Woman chapter 8 (M-rate) under Hakuouki Restricted Chapters folder on my profile.
Please rate and review. Happy holidays ;)