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ABC thought

- For every step we take, our love will grow stronger -

Chapter 30

Alright, calm down, Shiomi. Violence and continuous yelling won't solve anything in this case.

Therefore I make speed recovery because this is not the time and place for us to fight.

"Sesshomaru..."

Just as I'm about to explain, someone else cuts me off with a shout. "Sesshomaru!"

From afar, we see Nanase is rushing toward us with full speed.

"Jaken-sama, it's Nanase onee-san!" Rin informs him about her arrival and Jaken shifts his head back to see. "What? That Female Inu is still alive?"

Nanase stops beside Sesshomaru. Witnessing our wrecked states, she chuckles.

"Oh my…What do we have here? Let me guess, Sesshomaru has finally found out about your secret affair, huh?"

Secret affair? What the heck? And what does she mean by finally? It was for only one day that all of this chaos started!

"Do you see what happens now, Sesshomaru? I've warned you about this before, haven't I?"

Pleased by the look of nervousness on our faces, Nanase adds to make things look worse than it already is.

"Nanase-hime I…"

Hakuseki tries to explains to her but also gets interrupted. "You disappoint me, Hakuseki. Getting yourself involved with a lowly human like her..."

"You are a disgrace to our kind!"

She declares out loud and Hakuseki's eyes to widen in shock. Standing next to him, I notice that the man wants to open his mouth to protest but then decides not to. Biting his lips to endure the false accusation instead.

"Hey, that's not true! We're totally innocent here! There's absolutely nothing happened between us yesterday, okay?!"

Can't no longer stand being the victim, I step up to dismiss her nonsense.

"Come on, Hakuseki You have to tell them that this is just a misunderstanding!"

Then I turn to Hakuseki, urging him to tells the truth yet the light brown haired Inu averts my eyes. After a short moment of silence, he speaks up. However what he's saying is completely opposite to that I've imagined him to say.

"That's right. It was this human girl who has given herself to me on her own."

Hakuseki smirks viciously and admits his fake crime to Sesshomaru. Much to my surprise.

"And the coat that I gave her was to mark that she's mine."

What's going on?! Why is he lying now?!

Only waiting for that answer, Nanase laughs out loud and points at my face.

"You hear that? He finally admits everything! This wench has betrayed you with another man behind your back!"

"That's a lie! I didn't betray anyone! We didn't do anything!"

"Such an unforgivable act! You all shall pay your life for what you've done!"

Fuming with anger, Sesshomaru approaches us.

"Stand aside."

He orders me and lifts up Tokijin, about to take a strike.

"No! You've gotten it wrong, Sesshomaru! About everything!"

Being stubborn as ever, I refuse to move out of my spot.

"Fufu…Protecting her lover till the very end. How adorable"

Nanase giggles by the hilarious scene before her.

"I say, stand aside." Sesshomaru warns me one last time with a cold, dangerous tone. While Hakuseki just stands behind me and silently accepts his fate.

That's it. This drama is getting way overboard! I have to put an end to it right now before any regrettable action is bound to happens.

"Sesshomaru. After all that we've been through, you should at least know by now what kind of person I am."

I take off the leather coat and drop it onto the ground as I speak.

"However, if you truly believe that I've broken your trust. Then go ahead and kill me right here, right now."

Therefore I demand for my justice, maintaining our eyes contact and stepping forward. Facing the stubborn Sesshomaru with a sword in his hand recklessly.

"It should be easy since you've already known what my weakness is."

"Do it, Sesshomaru!" Nanase cheers for the lord from behind. "Hurry up and takes her life!"

Much to my delight. After a few seconds of consideration, Sesshomaru eventually lowers his sword and calms down for a bit.

"What's wrong, Sesshomaru?! Why did you stop?!"

On the other hand, Nanase doesn't seem too be contented as much as I am.

Ignoring Nanase's wrath from behind, Sesshomaru states. "I know that you're not lying."

Okay? Then why were you so mad earlier?

I shoot him a suspicious look. As I'm about to ask for his forgiveness for Hakuseki's action however, Sesshomaru chooses to eliminate his rival because Hakuseki has to pay for the damage he has done.

"That's right…I am, after all, still a criminal."

Hakuseki nods weakly in agreement and waits for his punishment. As Sesshomaru moves pass me to earn his kill, I grab his Kimono sleeve and yank it backward in hope to stop him.

"Wait! I know kidnapping is wrong but can we make an exception this time? Hakuseki-san did it wasn't because he wanted to…"

All of sudden, I feel feel a sharp pain at my chest. "H-Huh...?"

Catching the scent of blood, Sesshomaru turns around and his eyes widened by the sight of a knife stabbing through Shiomi's body from behind.

"Shiomi!"

He rushes to her side to catch her from falling.

"Onee-chan!"

Rin screams in horror and runs to their sides as Jaken also follows from behind. "Sesshomaru-sama!"

"Nanase-hime!"

Hakuseki shouts and causes everyone's attention shifts to her. There, they see Nanase slowly stepping backward and carrying a bloody knife in her hands, trembling heavily. "I…I…"

Shiomi gasps due to the pain and immediately collapse onto her knees, her mind starts going haywire seeing blood continuously pouring out from the deep cut.

"Why are you doing this, Nanase?!"

Horrified by her ruthless act, Hakuseki asks her and she shouts.

"It's because I have no other choice! If she lives I will never be able to become Sesshomaru's mate!"

Angered, Sesshomaru growls and his eyes turn red. "How dare you…"

Before he's able to release his warth however, Shiomi clings onto his arm to stop him.

"Stay here…"

She mutters weakly under her breath, holding him back with all the strength she has left.

"The wound will heal soon so… There's no need for you to go on rampage. Just…let me rest on you for a little bit."

Resting onto his chest, her eyes are slowly closed and she takes a deep breath.

"For I, shall be the one to take her down!"

The moment Shiomi open her eyes again, they both has turned into ruby red color. As if having make a full recovery, she releases Sesshomaru and stands up on her own.

What an enormous Youki. All coming out from one weak mortal girl, how is that possible?!

Hakuseki gulps, feeling fear running through his veins once she passes him by.

"You know, Nanase…Even though you've only been gone for a while, but I'm starting to miss you already"

Sora stops before Nanase and smirks.

She's completely fine?! How can that be?! Nanase immediately backs away, eyes widened in shock. Fear for her life, Nanase turns around and attempts to flee. However, Sora has already caught up to her.

"It's useless running, girl. You're mine!"

Sora thrusts her arm forward, aiming for her heart. Terrified by what is about to come, Nanase shuts her eyes tightly and screams. "Kyah!"

Yet the person who has taken the deadly hit for her is Hakuseki, Nanase's loyal servant.

"Hakuseki-san…?!"

Shocked by the turn of event, I regain my consciousness and the red ruby color on my eyes fades away. Throwing away all the pain and anger, I try to support the man from collapsing.

"Hakuseki-san!"

"W-What?!" Confused, Nanase slowly opens her eyes and gasps in horror once seeing Hakuseki is now lying on the ground with a big wound in his chest.

Quickly she rushes to his side and cries out. "Hakuseki!"

"Are…you alright, Nanase?"

Despite being heavily injured and greatly in pain, even coughing up blood. Hakyseki's still concerned for her safety.

"What are you saying, you idiot?! Of course I am fine! You protected me!"

She scolds him in her tears. And he laughs wryly before getting cuts off by another cough. "Ha ha…So I was in time…Thanks god"

"I'm so sorry! It was my fault! If only I could hold my anger, none of this could have happened!"

Watching Hakuseki suffering from the damage that I've caused toh im helplessly, I sob into my hands and apologize non stop.

"No, don't be…It's reasonable for you to be mad, I totally understand."

Yet Hakuseki does not blame me for a single thing. Even smiling to assure that this is bound to happen to him, sooner or later.

"He's definitely not going to make it with this kind of wound."

Both Jaken and Rin comment, standing some feet away with Sesshomaru as they watch Hakuseki's last moment.

"Nanase…"

the Inu youkai weakly reaches his hand to the woman he loves most. And Nanase takes his hand, holding it tightly and her voice is starting to crack. "Hakuseki! Hang in there!"

"I-I'm sorry…"

A drop of tear falls out from the corner of the man eye as he speaks.

"...It looks like….I no longer have enough strength to stay by your side and protect you…Please forgive me…"

"No! What are you saying sorry for?! I won't allow you to die! You hear me?!"

"This may sound a little weird but…I'm actually happy, seeing you crying for me right now…Happy to know that all my effort hasn't become worthless."

She sobs even more when Hakuseki eyes have closed half way through. "Listen to me, for one last time. I've always wanted you to know that... I love you…I will always love you, Nanase…"

"I…I… love you too…"

Nanase confesses, at long last realizing their feelings for each other. She pleads for him not to leave her. "So please…Don't leave me, Hakuseki."

"…I'm sorry."

Hakuseki's murmurs his last words to her before releasing his grips on her hand. As he's no longer breathing, Nanase screams and breaks down in tears. "Hakuseki! No! Wahhh!"

Hoping for the poor man to at least sleep in peace, I reach out my hand to close his eyes. Only to get slapped away by Nanase's hand. "Don't touch him! You monster!"

"Sesshomaru-sama, maybe we should help him. Your sword should be able to revive dead people, right?"

Suddenly Rin suggests, and I almost choke on my breath out of shock.

"What?! Reviving dead people?!"

However Jaken doesn't fond of the idea helping his lord's rival.

"Don't be ridiculous! Why does Sesshomaru-sama have to revive an enemy?!"

Confused about this new information, I grab Jaken's sleeve and pull him over to ask. "H-Hey! Is it true that Sesshomaru's sword can do that?!"

"Of course! That's Tenseiga's ability, don't you know?"

He scoffs like it's an obvious thing and yanks his arm back.

"No, I don't?"

I stare at him, completely dumbfounded. Hold on. Won't that mean we have been bailing our eyes out for nothing?

After a moment of hesitating, Sesshomaru steps forward and draws out the Tenseiga. Seeing him stands before them with a sword in his hand and swings it at Hakuseki's body, Nanase gasps.

"W-What are you doing?!"

In a blink of an eye, the wound on Hakuseki chest's miraculously healed along with other injuries on his body. Slowly, he gains his consciousness back. Much to my delight.

It worked! What an incredible sword!

"Hakuseki! You're alive!"

Overjoyed to see him being revived, Nanase hugs Hakuseki tightly as the guy sits up, checking the hole on his chest and confused to find that it has closed completely.

"What? I am…? But How?"

"You lived because Sesshomaru-sama saved your life! Be grateful!" Jaken stomps his feet to remind him his dept and Hakuseki's eyes widened in shock.

For real? Sesshomaru saved me? Hakuseki glances at Nanase in disbelief and she nods to verify it.

"You have my deepest gratitude. Sesshomaru-sama."

Hakuseki gets down on one knee before us to show his appreciation. "And you too, Shiomi-sama. I can never thank you enough."

"I didn't do anything really…I'm glad that you are alright now."

Feeling my eyelids getting extremely heavy after all the chaos, I smile to him one last time before collapsing onto the ground.

"Onee-chan! Shiomi!"

Worried, Rin and Jaken rush to her side to check.

"So hot! She's burning!" The little girl gasps once she touches Shiomi's skin.

Instantly, Sesshomaru lifts Shiomi up onto his lap to check on her. Notices something abnormal about her wound, Jaken frowns.

"It hasn't healed even a bit, how come?"

Just then he notices Nanase shifts her head away from them and hides behind Hakuseki's back. Getting suspicious about the woman's attitude, Jaken questions her.

"Hey you over there! You know something, don't you?!"

"Nanase, don't tell me that knife earlier was…" Figures that something is wrong, Hakuseki asks her and she stammers.

"Well…I…It's because I know… A normal blade wouldn't be able to kill her so…"

Finally realize what that knife was carrying on its blade, Hakuseki's shouts.

"You've put our race's secret poison on the knife?! Nanase, Why are you so reckless?!"

"It's because I was desperate…I'm sorry." Nanase lowers her head.

"Apologizing won't get the work done! Now hurry up and hands us the antidote!" Jaken urges her to fix the unconcious girl before Sesshomaru rages again.

"There's none."

However Hakuseki shakes his head and sighs.

"What?! There's none?!"

Both Rin and Jaken shout in disbeleif and he silently nods in confirm. In instant he feels the air surround them getting heavier and he gulps down a mouth-full of breath, sensing Sesshomaru's murderous aura is aiming straight at them.

"B-But… that doesn't mean everything is hopeless…We know the recipe for the cure!"

Hakuseki flutters, trying to calm the man down by suggesting to create an antidote for her.

"Since I know the place to find those ingredients. I will take you there."

However Nanase protests at that suicide idea. "But that place is dangerous! Even for both of you!"

"There's no other choice, Nanase. We're the ones who at fault. We definitely cannot leave Shiomi-sama in that condition, you know it too."

Hakuseki caress her cheek, persuading her why they have to and she has no choice but to agree.

"Enough chit-chat and tell us where it is already!"

Irritated by this newly love birds, Jaken breaks their cheesy moment and Hakuseki shifts his head to him.

"The antidote for this poison can be extracted from the rare red herbs, which reside at the top of the Odomatsumi mountain."

"O-Odomatsumi m-mountain?! A-Are you serious?!"

Jaken stammers after hearing the name coming out of his lips.

"Odomatsumi mountain?"

While Rin tilts her head at the strange title.

"The Odomatsumi mountain is famous for its uncommon medical plants indeed…However, they are strictly guarded by the mighty mountain's god."

The little youkai frowns deeply, explaining what the mountain is special about to his lord. "It is for sure, not an easy task even for Sesshomaru-sama."

"Is he that powerful?"

Rin asks him and he nods. "Very, not only him but also the youkai that live there. Sesshomaru-sama, perhaps we should reconsider about this."

Therefore Jaken suggests to leave Shiomi to die in exchange for Sesshomaru's precious safety, only to earn a kick from the lord right at his head. "Bwegh!"

Kaede's village

Inside Kaede's hut

"Sesshomaru?! What are you doing here in the human village?!"

Inuyasha's group stands up from their seat by the lord's sudden visit. Notices Shiomi is lying unconscious on Sesshomaru's arm and her chest covered in blood, Kagome gasps in horror.

"Senpai! What happened to her?! Why is she injured?!"

Kagome rushes over as Sesshomaru gently lay Shiomi onto the white futon on the wooden floor. She's sweating and breathing heavily, seems to be in pain.

"She is obviously got stabbed, are you blind?!"

Jaken spat and causes Kagome to get angry even more. "Sesshomaru! Wasn't she with you?! Why did you let this happen?!"

"Please don't blame him, Kagome onee-sama. It wasn't really Sesshomaru-sama fault..." Rin speaks up to ease the situation.

"And who is this? Another servant of yours?"

Notices another stranger presence in this older brother's group, Inuyasha points his thumb at Hakuseki, who is standing by the door's entrance.

"Not really. I'm just here to help, that's all." Hakuseki bows to him and smiles wryly.

After inspecting Shiomis's wound on her chest then her forehead, Kagome gasps at the hot temperature and quickly takes out her first aid kit.

"Oh no, she has a fever. We have to hurry to cool her down and clean the cut!"

"Let's go." Not wasting any more time, Sesshomaru orders Hakuseki and they both out of the small hut. "Y-Yes, sir!"

Not wanting to be left behind with a bunch of human, Jaken follows after his lord but he has already flown away.

"Sesshomaru-sama, let me come with you! Sesshomaru-sama!"

When the sun's down

Odomatsumi's Mountain

After spending half of the day traveling and killing, severely injured Sesshomaru and Hakuseki finally reach to the top of the mountain to confront Odomatsumi.

"Who?!" Angered when his peaceful home is disturbed, the guardian roars furiously at the sight of intruders. "Who dare to intrude my sacred land?!"

"Your demise." Those are Sesshomaru first and final words to the golem before drawing out Tokijin and charges forward….

Back to Shiomi

Within the Dream Dimension

"So I'm back here again, huh?"

Sighing at the familiar sight of darkness surrounding me, I sit with my back leaning against Sora's for a little company.

"Do you hate it here?"

She chuckles at my bored attitude.

"No, it's not that I hate it. It's more like I'm getting used to it."

"Is that so…"

Sora's voice trail off. After a short moment of silence, I speak up.

"You saw what happened back there, didn't you?"

"Did I so?"

"Stop lying, I know that you did."

"Then what of it?"

"Say, why don't we forgive Nanase? And leave all the bad things go to the past?"

Therefore I offers a truce. And Sora turns her head back to me in surprise.

"She probably has learnt her lesson by now. I believe that Hakuseki's love will soon change her way of thinking."

Recalling to the moment Hakuseki using his body as a shield for Nanase, Sora spat.

"Hmph! What a big fool. Sacrifice his own self for someone not even worth it."

"Who knows, from the way I see it… love actually lead people do many crazy things. It's scary yet amazing at the same time, don't you think so?"

Remembering all the crazy things that have happened after meeting Nanase, I laugh at hers and my own situation. Till now, both of us have been suffering the same pain. It's only the way we express our feelings outside that differentiates us from each other.

And Sora remains silent. Perhaps she has somewhat agreed with me.

"I believe that everyone deserves a chance to love and be loved…Even for you and me"

"I find no need to receive such chance."

"Why is that?"

She pauses for a while before responding.

"Love…it does nothing but hurting me"

"What do you mean by that?"

Confused by her answer, I ask her in ope to know more about her and yet, she snickers mischievously and throws another joke into my face.

"Just kidding!"

"Kidding?! Hey! I'm trying to be serious here."

Irritated, I turn around to confront her. But Sora has already vanished from her seat.

Hmm…Is it me or she act a little bit weird today?