Chapter Nineteen

Soryu's POV

Hearing of Chieko's past helped me understand why Yoichi and his men were so dedicated in hiding her and protecting her from everything that was evil in our world. I could feel my heart hurt and longing for the shattered Chieko. I wished that I knew her sooner, I wished that I was there instead of Yoichi, I wished that I was the one she went away with to heal. I wished that she was mine, then and now. I wished her to love me back.

I have fallen indubitably in love for Chieko.

No matter how wrong it sounds, the better it felt in my heart because finally I accepted the inevitable. I wanted her to be happy, but I want myself to be the reason why she's smiling. I frowned. Admitting this feeling, even in my own thoughts meant that I was actually betraying and pushing away all my principle all because I loved her. But can you really stop a heart from loving somebody, no matter what the circumstances are?

God knows how hard I tried to stop this for the benefit of others, but I never thought of my happiness. I wanted her and it seems unfair to please everybody but I cannot give myself the only thing that I want most. I cursed myself for not paying attention to how much her past have affected her deeply. Now I understand why she shakes so badly whenever she had those nightmares, the way her eyes panicked when she looked at me as I shook her awake, the way her sobs sounded as she screamed. Knowing all about her past made me want to protect her more than Yoichi wanted to. I want to be the person whom she goes home to every single day, the person she smiles at, the person she adores.

I want to be her everything.

As I thought everything through, I had the epiphany that these feelings were immense that they must've been waiting for some kind of trigger for it to overflow. In this case, learning of her past was the trigger. I was too engrossed on my own thoughts that I forgot Yoichi was in front of me. My gaze turned to him and I saw him watching me.

I'm sorry, Yoichi. I tried.

"Now that you know about her past, please protect her with all your might." He said. I nodded.

"I came here to thank you and to tell you that I'll be taking her back with me in two weeks." He said. I froze.

His gaze never left mine as he said those. I prayed to god that the shock and anger that rushed through me won't be noticed. I stiffly nodded.

"Please bear with me a little bit longer. But I have fixed plans, and I am able to get her back to me with protection stronger that 3 mafia groups combined." He said as he smiled and stood up.

I nodded.

"It seems all you can do is nod. I'm sorry that it came of as a shock, but she still belongs to me." He silently said. We stared at each other and I could notice that something in my friend has changed. Something sinister is going on in his mind. He talks about Chieko as if she was his property and that he will resort to violence if somebody tried to take her away from him.

But I wasn't deterred.

The cold glint in his eyes served as a warning and he left with a nod.

I sat back on the sofa and closed my eyes.

What mess have I gotten myself into?

Chieko's POV

Rain.

Heavy rain on my skin, the cold's creeping up underneath my flesh that I shudder. I smell iron and I blanch as I feel myself feel nauseous of the smell. Take me away from here. I can see all the blood and all the lifeless eyes. Samo's, Mr. Shizuna's, Mother's, Yoichi's, Tsuyoshi and Tadao's…

Soryu's.

I can hear laughter burst through my horrific reverie and feel it echo as it touches my skin, warm and disgusting, a shadow taking shape of a man, people holding me down as I struggle. I can't breathe. Dark hands reach onto my face, clutches my chin on a deadly grip, I shook my head as his grips tighten.

"N-no…" I tried saying, but as I open my mouth, nothing comes out. I am at a loss. I feel so helpless. Tears spring from my eyes as I realize that the dark figure was Ryuichi. His eyes were hungry and crazed as he loomed over me, crushing his weight onto me. I shook my head as I said a silent plea. He shook his head.

"You're mine now." He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed.

I tried to scream as loud as I could and I opened my eyes to an empty room in Tres Spades, the rain violently knocking on the window. I held my throat as I suppressed another scream. I panted as I tried to regain my senses of what I am, of where I am.

I'm here, far away from everything Ryuichi has done. I am safe. Why do my dreams turn worse every single day? I felt tears prickle my eyes and I let it flow as I let go of all the frustration and fear that I feel.

I am so scared and I don't know what to do. These dreams are telling me something, however I don't want to acknowledge its message. I got out of bed and walked to the window and watched the scenery outside. The rain was ruthless as it showers heavy fat drops of rain below the busy city. No matter how perilous the rain was, the view of entire place still takes my breath away. Somehow I couldn't stop the tears from falling from my eyes that I eventually succumbed to the crying fool I was stopping myself to be. Everything seems so dangerous, so wrong, and I cannot do anything but hide from it all. Here I am staring at a wonderful view amidst the merciless rain, and my family might be somewhere out there, fighting for something that will be only for my benefit.

The door to where I slept opened and from the silent knock I knew it was Soryu. I didn't have time to wipe away the tears as he stared at my reflection in the glass window. We both stared at each other as his figure and face was reflected in the window as well.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Yoichi says that you'll be home in two weeks' time." He silently said. I was not sure, but I could hear regret and pain in his voice. The realization that I'd be far away from him after two weeks made me feel all the more devastated. The guilty weight for Yoichi and my family weighed in my heart again, I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from bawling. I told myself that I couldn't fall in love with him, but who knew that even from afar; it is possible to actually grow fonder for the person. With every smile he gave me as I stared, my heart and resolve grew weaker and the stronger intensified every single day. By watching him, I knew a lot of things about him.

"What's wrong?" he asked worried that I haven't jumped in excitement. "Aren't you glad?" he added.

I didn't answer.

I closed my eyes and I shook my head.

When I looked up, he was still where he was and I slowly turned to him and looked at him face to face. I didn't care whether I looked horrible with fat tears flowing down my cheeks. I wanted to be honest. I could no longer stop the growing anguish I have been feeling and hearing about my leaving this place made me feel worse.

"No." I softly replied. "I'm not glad at all."

Soryu's POV

"No." She softly said. "I'm not glad at all."

What does she mean? However, the way her wonderful long curls framed her crying face, did something to me. The emotions that I have kept bottling up started to overflow and I knew I was already a goner.

There's no going back now.

"W-what do you mean?" I boldly asked. Her eyes widened for a moment, however she never took her eye contact away.

"I don't want to part with you…" she whispered and looked away as new tears flowed.

Her voice sounded louder than a whisper and something in me exploded. I had a sudden strong urge to hold her in my arms until she says what was on her mind. Seeing her this honest, this vulnerable… Oh gods, I love her.

I stood there, as if my feet were buried deep on the floors, as I let the emotion I have denied and rejected for so long crushed me and engulfed me so fast that I couldn't even breathe. Then all of a sudden, my mind cracked and my body, having a mind on its own, reached for the only thing that I wanted, I yearned for, and I denied myself of.

I could see her eyes widen, but she made no move to get away as I walked to her and held her face. She looked up at me and with a shaking voice I asked,

"Are you certain of what you're saying?" I whispered. She slowly nodded.

I smiled as she slowly smiled and she cried more tears.

I pulled her face close to mine and kissed her for the very first time.