The winter wind blew hard against her tiny humble home, shaking the roof a little. The freezing air made her tremble in the bitter cold despite covering herself in several layers of quilts. She lay on the futon, weak and alone. Her frail body no longer obeyed her and she could only stare straight at the old ceiling while her mind was flooded with many thoughts.

An illness has invaded her body and she knew that she was dying soon. A youkai as weak as her wouldn't be able to survive long enough on her own in the outside world.

Rihan...

Tears pricked her eyes when she thought of him. She missed him so much. Not a day has passed without her thinking about him, and she often wondered if he was doing well.

Back in the past, she was the one who would always welcome him home whenever Rihan went out to hunt down youkai. And she always made sure he eats well. Not only that, she was the one who would always cover the quilt over him properly again because he loved to kick it away during his sleep. Moreover, she would always let him sleep on her lap whenever he wanted to take a short nap. But now, without her by his side, who was doing all of these for him?

However, she didn't regret her decision of leaving him. What was the point of staying by his side when she wasn't doing a great job of being his wife? Neither could she bear a heir for him nor was she a strong youkai. She was obviously a burden that her husband had to shoulder. The elders in the Nura Clan weren't pleased with her and she frequently overheard them criticizing behind her back. Their words upset her but she knew that they spoke of the truth.

She was useless and she didn't want poor Rihan to suffer because of her.

And so, she left him. She made sure that she went to an isolated and faraway place where Rihan couldn't find her. She knew that he would be hurt a lot and the only thing she could do now was to pray that the wounds that she has inflicted on his heart would someday heal. Perhaps, he would meet somebody else who would be able to support and give him the happiness as well as bear him a child that she wasn't able to give him. She trusted that his loyal subordinates would support him and be there for him.

Please, Rihan... Don't ever forgive me for hurting you...

"Otome-chan? Otome-chan? Are you in there?" A few seconds later, Setsura burst through the door, looking anxious and worried. When she saw Otome lying on the bed and looking terribly sick, she gasped in shock and ran to her side quickly.

"Otome-chan!? Are you alright? What happened?" Setsura's cool fingers gripped hers tightly.

"Ahh... You're finally here..." She could only manage to give her a weak smile but she was very happy to see Setsura after so many months. A few days ago, she had sent out a letter to her, asking for her to come, for she wanted somebody to help convey a message to Rihan. And only Setsura could travel in the snow easily.

"Please..." Her feeble voice was so soft that Setsura has to lean down closer to hear her properly.

"There's something that I've to tell Rihan..." Otome's voice whispered into her ear.

Her voice was faltering and she knew that her consciousness was fading away soon. But she must tell Rihan something before she regretted it. Using her last bit of energy, she spoke her last few words in her dying moment.

"Please tell Rihan..."

My dear Rihan, I thank you for loving me in this life.

"...that I'm sorry..."

And please, don't ever forgive me for hurting you.

"...and..."

I will pray for your happiness and watch over you from the sky.

"...I love him forever."

She closed her eyes and fell into a bottomless pit of darkness.

Like a yamabuki flower, it was finally time for her to wither and die.

The last light of the day disappeared from the horizon and the porcelain moonlight shone down at the town. Reika was strolling on the streets, unafraid of people seeing her. Well, to be exact, humans weren't able to see her because she has concealed her presence from them.

At long last, she has finally arrived at Ukiyoe.

A lot of things have changed over a couple of centuries ever since the last time she was here. She has ordered her subordinates, much to their reluctance, to come later because she wanted to check something out. And right now, she was alone and heading in a certain direction that was familiar to her and yet, it was no longer her home.

She was getting closer to the mansion that the Nura Clan lived in.

She walked past many fragile humans, who simply have no idea how oblivious they were to the darkness in this world. Imagine how they would react when the youkai would take over the world once again. They would certainly be terrified out of their wits.

She walked through a small forest, welcoming the silent and darkness. Even if youkai attacked her out of nowhere, she would be able to handle them easily. But there probably wouldn't be any, because she too, has concealed her Fear so that she would be able to enter the mansion secretly.

But what she didn't expect, was a small human boy to bump into her legs.

"Ow!" The little boy fell back and smacked on his bottoms while her body froze. The old her would definitely stop and pick him up immediately. But not her, she wouldn't do that now. Instead, she stared down at him with icy, cold eyes while a question was running through her mind at the same time.

Why was a little boy running in a forest alone?

The top half of his hair was brown, but the bottom half was black. He seemed to be around the age of four years old. Which crazy parents would let a four-year-old run out in the dark alone?

Quiet and calm, he didn't seem to be scared of her. She noticed that he was staring up at her with warm chocolate-brown eyes that were full of curiosity.

"Onee-chan, who are you?" he asked innocently. Reika stared back at him, wondering how she should reply him.

In her mind, she decided that she should play nice instead.

Kneeling down in front of him, she picked him up and patted off the dirty soil and dead leaves from his pants. "I'm sorry. Onee-chan didn't see you since it was too dark," she apologized. However, he kept staring at her, as though hypnotized by her beauty.

What an innocent and naive child... He didn't know that she was a dangerous youkai. In his eyes, she appeared to be just a pretty teenager girl.

"I'm lost," she lied to him. "I've no idea where is this place. Can you tell me where I'm?" she asked him sweetly. Hearing her words, his face broke into a cute grin.

"Sure! We're very close to my house." He pointed with his tiny fingers in the direction of the Nura House. When he did that, her heart nearly stopped.

Impossible, she thought. A human living in a mansion full of youkai?

But then again, she reminded herself that the Nura Clan wouldn't mind living with humans. Rihan was born after Nurarihyon married a female human. So, this shouldn't be surprising at all.

"Can you please take me to your house? I would like to ask for directions from your parents," she asked him nicely again.

"Of course!" he replied excitedly. He grabbed her hand and held onto it while leading her to his house. She hated him holding her hand but she decided to endure it.

Their light and quick steps took them to the pathway that led to the Nura House. She stopped for a moment to take in the full view of the back entrance of the ancient, yet beautiful mansion. To her surprise, everything was exactly the same.

"Wait here, I'll go get Daddy!" The little boy ran into the house quickly while she stared after his back. She was very curious to know whose child he was.

Over here, she could see yamabuki flowers that she used to always gazed at with Rihan. She stepped forward slowly, until the sweet smell of the flowers hit her nose and she stopped.

So much memories... Both painful and happy ones...

It was such a nostalgic feeling to be standing here, where she had spent fifty years of her previous life here. But it was soon replaced with fury that was boiling within her. She hasn't forgotten her motive for being here.

Hearing laughter from behind her, she knew that the little boy was back and that he has brought someone along with him.

"So, who is this pretty Onee-chan that you are speaking of, Rikuo?" A familiar, deep voice asked the boy.

Reika recognized the voice instantly. Her body stiffened when it dawned on her who the boy's father really was.

"Hey, Onee-chan! I've brought my Daddy here!" The boy, who was called Rikuo, shouted and waved at her.

This was what she has wanted to find out, right?

With a glacial smile on her face, she turned around slowly to face both the father and son. An extremely handsome youkai, wearing a kimono with green and white stripes, stood beside the human boy. He was holding little Rikuo's hand.

A few seconds of silence passed as Reika and Rikuo's father locked eyes. He looked extremely bewildered to see her appearance as recognition lit up in his amber eyes. His mouth opened to form a name that she detested a lot and hasn't heard anyone calling her that for such a long time.

"...O-Otome?"

Reviews, pretty please? :)