Chapter 54: Idle Time
"This is the last box," it was a small box full of bolts.
"Could you put that on the desk? Are you sure there are no more boxes on the ship, I thought I saw one more... I'm going to check," and I zoomed past Ureksa leaving him to deliver the box to my desk at the work shop.
I left the diary on the desk; it was unlocked, open and tempting. If all goes according to plan Ureksa should take a peak. One thing is a heart felt confession, but reading it from a diary that was supposed to be read by no one but the writer has a special feel to it. It's just a subtle reminder that I have not received an answer yet. If he doesn't like me, and there's no chance that he could, then I would prefer if he just said so. I'm tired of waiting, but I've wasted so much time that I feel I shouldn't be impatient, plus I'm still too shy to confess directly twice.
That final note I added to the diary read, "PS: I started liking Ureksa more after moving to Vance and before Alora came. I will forever treasure Sakuro as a dear friend but that's it. I hope Ureksa says something soon, yes, no or wait, I don't mind being asked to wait for an answer as long as I know what waiting and not being ignored. Fell free to write your answer here you mischievous boy who reads other people's diaries."
I gave Ureksa plenty of time to read if he was going to read. I waked around the docks and finally went back to the shop. Stopped and hung around idly watching Tyram work, then finally returned to my work area just as Ureksa came out and informed him, "you were right; there were no more boxes on the ship."
"I thought so, but these materials should last a while," our conversation was completely casual. I wonder if Ureksa was tempted to read at all.
However, when I looked at the diary I was happy to find that he did read it. I didn't want to say anything directly; I didn't want to rush him if he was thinking. After all, I was the one who kept quiet for such a long time. "Okay you got me, I peeked, but you knew that would happen. Can you wait a little longer?" I don't mind waiting, I'm just glad I got some sort of reply.
I had an urge to practice with an axe later that evening. I finished work and forged one. It wasn't smooth at all but it was somewhat sharp. Predictably it didn't go well. I did bring back some wood and piled it up in a corner of the work shop, and set the axe aside.
I was making a small delivery to a store at Vance that helped with the distribution process of the weapons we produced. I saw Ureksa heading towards Rumari's house returning from his craft lord work in Wystern, and walked with him part of the way back to the shop. "You're hurt?"
"Eh?" I stared at Ureksa dumbly. What's this all of a sudden asking if I'm hurt? "I'm alright..." I finally reply, is this about his answer in my diary?
"No, you're bleeding," I blink and continue to stare at Ureksa.
"Bleeding?" I repeat, and automatically my eyes look at my right shoulder. I shouldn't have made a double bladed axe when I can only wield a drill decently, knuckles are pretty easy to handle to but I'm not good with bladed weapons such as swords and axes. "It's nothing, I just a little accident." Did I mention I'm also bad at bandaging? My shoulder hurts, I notice, sometimes I amaze myself at how distracted I can get to the point where I feel no pain.
"Let's go, you need to do something about that." I don't know if I should be glad Ureksa thinks about my safety or if I should kick myself for clumsily getting hurt.
"No, really, I'm fine, it's nothing." I caught one of the axe's blades on my shoulder┘ I found part of a tree trunk on the ground, people leave them there for others to use when they have obtained enough wood. First I didn't hit it hard enough and the axe practically bounced off since it wasn't too sharp, which I guess I should be thankful for, but it was just sharp enough to give me a cut, though not too deep. I thought I had learned from my mistake and tried hitting the tree trunk harder, but the axe got stuck and I ended up having a hard time pulling it out.
"Don't be stubborn," I stop in front of the shop even if my work is done, and start to walk towards it, but Ureksa stops me, takes my hand and leads me away.
"I told you I was fine, I can take care of this myself..." I would rather hold hands in a different situation.
"But you don't take care of yourself. You push yourself until you faint when you're sick and you disregard injuries as if they were nothing." I think Ureksa still remembers how we first met.
"Am I the only one?" I ask, Ureksa has been known to claim he's alright all the time and be stubborn too, though it is quite rare that he's not well enough for it to be true.
"Admittedly you're not, but that's not really an excuse." We go to Rumari's house, where Ureksa tells her that I'm injured.
Rumari takes care of bandaging my shoulder far better than what I could have done. "Try not to move that arm too much, okay?"
I nod, "I'm sure it will heal in no time." Not much has happened as I continue to wait for whatever life has for me. I just hope that when the time comes for me to find out what it is, I won't be disappointed. But I'll be prepared for it in case disappointment becomes inevitable again as it always has been.
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I do not own Summon Night: A Swordcraft Story.
