NOCTURNE
Chapter XIX (19): Rejected
Yukina's cries are heard echoing throughout the empty corridors of the mansion. Despite the comforting words of Miwako and the mistress, she continues to cry, continually saying that she doesn't want to die. It is very clear that she is in a pure state of both shock and amnesia.
After being taken in by the mistress and Miwako, she was sent straight to Miwako's room for medical attention. Akira followed but didn't dare enter, for he didn't want to get in the way of their procedures. After about half an hour later, Yukina was brought out. She looked nowhere near as bright and cheerful as Akira had seen her last. Instead, her looks of cheerfulness are replaced with looks of dread, fear, and confusion, and her once-twinkling eyes were dead and almost looked soulless. As Miwako brought Yukina out of her own room, the mistress came out behind them and told Miwako to bring Yukina upstairs to one of the spare rooms. The mistress then went back to her room. Shortly after the mistress left, Miwako asks Akira for help to carry Yukina up the stairs. Akira hesitates for a bit, but eventually helps out. When they reach the top of the stairs, Miwako tells Akira to take Yukina to the room right next to his own. Akira does as he is told and takes Yukina into the unused room. Just a few seconds after placing her on the bed, Yukina seems to go mad and scream aloud as she looks at Akira. Even though Akira tries his best to make her feel safe, he can't help but think that he's being more of a problem than of service. After leaving the room, he tells Miwako (who was standing outside the room) to go in and check on Yukina's condition, for she was acting very strange. Miwako bows and enters the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Yukina is heard crying hysterically inside, and Miwako's voice tells her that everything is going to be okay. At certain times, Yukina can be heard saying that she doesn't want to die and that she killed someone. The thunderstorm outside has stopped, but the winds continue, and every time they blow past the windows, Yukina screams in fright and continues to cry harder. Akira goes back to his room and shuts his door. Dark (who was under the bed) pops out and notices that Akira looks really down. Try as he might, Dark cannot make Akira cheer up. Akira eventually lies down on his bed and falls asleep, listening to Yukina's crying and Miwako's comforting words in the next room.
As the sun begins to peek over the horizon, Akira begins to open his eyes from his deep sleep. He sits up quickly and yawns. He then notices that Dark is still awake. Dark looks very tired, but also seems to look very concerned and depressed. He is staring outside the window, staring at the golden rays of sun that seem to beam from the endless forest that surrounds the mansion.
"What's wrong, Dark? Something is troubling you, I can see it."
Dark continues to gaze out the window, not looking at Akira. Akira gets up off his bed and picks Dark up, rubbing his fingers across Dark's smooth head.
"What's wrong? I know you can't speak yet, but try to show me what is bothering you. Maybe I can help."
Dark's tired eyes peer up at Akira. Dark snorts and jumps out of Akira's arms. He dashes towards the closed door, scratching at it.
"Okay, okay, so you want out. Hang on."
Akira walks over to the door, turns the copper knob, and opens the door for Dark to get out. Dark does just that and takes a sharp right. Akira follows Dark with his eyes and notices he stops before a door. A door right next to his own room. The room containing Yukina. Dark looks back at Akira sadly. Akira gives Dark an uncertain look.
"I don't know, it might be a bad idea to go in there…"
Dark begins to whine softly, almost like a small puppy waiting to drink milk from its mother.
"Hey, don't give me that. I can't do anything for her anyway. I'll just get in the way of her recovery. Besides… She probably doesn't know who I am, considering she has amnesia…"
Dark starts to scratch the door gently. The door opens slowly by itself. Before Akira can react, Dark takes advantage of the moment and zips in the door's opened crack.
"Shit! Dark, you idiot! Get back here!"
It's no use. Dark has disappeared into Yukina's room.
"Damn it… Next time I'm not going to let him do this to me… I'm getting much too soft…"
Akira gulps and tiptoes quietly to Yukina's slightly opened door and peeks inside. She hears the sound of a young woman giggling inside. As Akira's eyes manage to get a closer look in the room, he notices that Dark is being pet on the head playfully by Yukina, who looks just fine and doesn't seem to be in a state of either fear or loss of memory. Dark is wagging his tail frantically and is chirping softly, enjoying the attention he is getting from Yukina. Akira calms a little and wonders if he should enter or not. Eventually, frustration nags at him long enough and he decides to enter the room. No more than two steps into the room, Yukina looks up at him. Her once happy face is now twisted in fright and she stops petting Dark. Dark's eyes widen slightly and he races out of the room the second Yukina screams.
"What the—Yukina? Hey!"
Yukina continues to scream and cowers in the corner of the room in dread. Her hands manage to grab many items that are on the dresser she is crouched next to and she tosses all the items at Akira.
"What the--? Yukina! It's just me, Akira! Stop that!"
No matter what Akira says, Yukina continues to toss item after item at Akira. Tears are streaming down her face and once she runs out of items to throw she stays motionless at the far side of the room, sobbing wildly and keeping her attention on Akira. It is almost like she is seeing someone else rather than seeing Akira himself.
Behind him, Akira hears footsteps rushing up the staircase. Miwako's head appears from the stairs and she makes it into the room, noticing the jumble of items scattered all over the floor, including some supplies that she used on Yukina just last night.
"Oh, dear… Mr. Tanaka, I'm going to have to ask you to leave this room."
"But I didn't… I didn't harm her in any way…"
"I know, but… Ms. Yukina… She's not in the right state of mind. Who knows how long it will be before she gains her memory back. Until then, I don't want you in here, for she might do something to herself that we will all regret."
Miwako shoos Akira out of Yukina's room and closes the door. Akira listens inside as he hears Miwako calming Yukina down, who is still crying.
"Bah! Who needs her anyway! Such a weak person... I don't need her! What the hell, I don't need anyone! I try to help out, but look what happens! And…"
Akira stomps back into his room.
"It's all…"
He slams the door.
"Because of…!"
Akira points his finger at Dark, who is standing shakily on Akira's bed.
"YOU!"
Dark makes a meeping sound, jumps off the bed, and hurries under it, cowering as far back as he can.
Akira breathes heavily and tries to calm down.
"What is wrong with me? Why am I so pissed? I don't normally gets so angry at such small things as this…"
Akira manages to cool down after opening his window and breathing in the fresh air several times. He then remembers Dark, who is still huddled under his bed, waiting to be punished at any given moment. Akira lies on his stomach and spots Dark at the far left, next to one of the legs of the bed. He motions to Dark, who walks, quivering in fright. As soon as Dark is within arms reach of Akira, Akira picks him from under the bed and places him on his bed, covering him with his blanket.
"You stay here. I'm going to investigate this mansion a bit more… And don't go messing around the window! I've had just about enough trouble this morning."
Akira smiles at Dark. Dark begins to relax and falls asleep as Akira leaves the room, going down the stairs to the dining room. Akira can't help but wonder what could have happened to Yukina to make her behave so strangely.
"And why does she keep saying that she killed someone? She couldn't of killed someone… Could she?"
NOCTURNE
"It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all." –Samuel Butler
