A Wilting Sakura

The sun shone threw the paper windows and radiated gently on her face. She first winced at the light then welcomed the warmth it brought. Turning over on her futon her hand rested on something broad and hairy. She opened her eyes to find an older man beside her snoring loudly. Yumi sat up and held the silky covers to her chest for they were both near to naked. She sat staring at the man for a while and felt a great burning sensation throughout her body. She recognized it well for it was a feeling she had since childhood...hate.

She got up and grabbed a silk robe from the nearby chair. As she started to walk to her mirror and knelt down in front of it the man still in bed started to stir. He grunted a little and sat up to see Yumi's reflection in the mirror. Their eyes met unexpectedly and Yumi quickly diverted her eyes to combing her chocolate brown hair. The man then stood up and started pulling on his pants and buttoned up his shirt in silence. After the man finished tying his shoelaces Yumi stood up clutching her robe closer to her throat and slide open the door for the man looking at the floor in what he understood as respect. He smiled very satisfied with her, and started walking down the hall. Yumi then looked up and watched him turn the corner and rammed the door shut with a loud noise. She knew he thought she revered him, which was of course nothing further from the truth. She quickly put her hair up with two elegantly decorated hair sticks and walked out the door to the bathhouse.

On her way out she picked up some towels and passed the same man in the halls. He saw Yumi in the halls carrying her towel and saw that she was clearly trying to avoid his eyesight. He decided to fool her a bit. He continued giving an older woman the money for his night with Yumi and let her pass him until he turned around and gave her ass a pinch. Yumi stopped and closed her eyes reminding herself to stay calm even though she had the same burning sensation as before. The man was chuckling as he put away his wallet. Yumi knew what was expected of her and no matter how much she didn't want to do it she would let him get the better of her. So she put on a happy smile and turned her head to the man and started laughing herself.

The man soon quieted down and said in a whisper so close to her ear, "Look pretty for me tonight Yumi."

Yumi looked to the floor in disgust but kept her voice sweet as honey, "Yes of course Danna-san."

He then started to walk out to the hall and slid open the door and stepped outside into the street. Yumi then let her picture perfect smile drop and replaced it with a stern glare as she continued to walk to the bathhouse where the maid had the fire going already. As she opened the door the steam was a welcomed rejuvenation. Yumi closed the door behind her and undid the knot of her robe. She lifted her legs over and slowly slid them in the gray-blue water then submersed herself completely...

She opened her eyes in the water and watched the light dance on the walls of the tub. She felt calm again, peaceful. There had been hundreds of times she sat in the same tub and thought about drowning herself. Just ending it all here, there was no more reason for living without him. Shishio, her love, the man she almost gave her life for and gladly would have. If it weren't for that idiot of a tall rooster head she would have already been with Shishio in hell together. If only Sagara didn't go a scoop her up from the burning roof of the building and ran out with her. If only Shishio could have saved himself and not let the Rurouni kill him and leave his body for the flames to engulf. If only she could still be with him.

Everyday she regretted having lived through the surgery that woman doctor gave her, she wished she died right there and then. Yumi then lifted her head from the water and took in a deep breath letting her hair swing back. She couldn't bring herself to commit suicide today. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, not ever so it seemed. Something still made her hang on to this world, she didn't know what. Tears started to glisten down her face and her face trembled as she pictured Shishio waiting on his fiery throne waiting for her to come. He shoulders started to shake and she brought her hands to her face sobbing. Shishio was gone and he wasn't coming back. Yumi moved her hand to her chest where she still carried the scar he gave her, the only memory she had of him.

"SHISHIOOOOOOO!"