~This heart it beats

Beats for only you

My heart is yours.

My Heart by Paramore~

Shinpachi's POV:

Okita-san and Kagura-chan's older brother, Kamui-san, was fighting and Okita-san was obviously losing. Kagura-chan looked like she was drained out of strength-which I thought I'll never see in my whole life. But I was wrong. The energetic, strong, and cheerful girl was now gone. Blood was dripping from her open wounds, her beautiful kimono was torn, her hair was ruined, and some of her vermillion locks were on her cold-sweat-drenched face but she was holding tightly on her wrist. It seems that her bracelet was really important to her. Damn it! Why did this have to happen? This was supposed to be a happy moment for all of us.

I turned my head slightly to scan the place. There were corpses from the shinsengumi, kihetai, and some amantos from the harusame. It was awful. I'd probably never forget this-that is if I survive this nightmare. All the hope I had was gone.

I then focused my sight on the battle in front of me. Okita-san coughed blood and held onto his sword. He can barely stand up. But for a moment I thought I saw Kamui-san grit his teeth in pain. But that couldn't be right? Okita-san never really landed a hit on him. All he did was dodging for his life.

Huh? Why? I was right. He was in pain … But why?

"Kagura-chan, look at Kamui-san, he seems to be in pain."

"What?"

Then we both saw something we never expected. Kamui was coughing blood.

"But why?!" She asked. Concern was written all over her face. It was hard to believe that she still cared for him after everything that happened. "Why is he-" She took a long pause. "Don't tell me…" Her eyes grew wider in shock.

"Is there something wrong Kagura-chan?"

"It can't be … Kamui … Nii-chan … he's… he's…"

"Calm down Kagura-chan."

"No… he's" Tears fell down from her blue eyes. "He's sick." She could barely grasp for air.

"What do you mean?"

Kagura's POV:

He was, without a doubt, sick. Not the fever-kind but the dangerous kind. I remember it like it was yesterday, the day that Mami started showing the symptoms of a dangerous disease for us Yatos. First was coughing blood, and then having a hard time breathing. But … I wanted to save him. I wanted to be with him. But after wasting years by pushing each other away, we were too late.

After the symptoms start showing, he will lose all his strength within a few hours.

"Shinpachi, he's going to die."

"Who? Okita-san or Kamui-san?"

"Both."

"But why? Kamui-san didn't even get a scratch from Okita-san."

"He's sick and he's going to die." The words I uttered repeatedly ran through my head. He's sick and he's going to die. Why did it have to end like this? I thought I could save him but it was impossible to begin with.

I stood up and tore the hanging kimono sleeves. I also tore the skirt up to my knees. I flexed my fingers to check if there were any broken bones.

"What are you planning to do Kagura-chan?"

"I plan on asking him the truth."

"What truth?"

"Everything, where it all started, and why it all happened." I clenched my fist and glared at him. "KAMUI!" I shouted and jumped in front of Sadist. Kamui turned to me. From where I stood I could hear the sadist breathing heavily and coughing blood while on his knees.

"I'm starting to get bored." Kamui pretended to yawn.

"Stand back China, I can still… *cough*" Sadist barely uttered.

"Shut up sadist. From now on, it's my fight, don't interfere."

"But I promised you I'd-"

"You also promised me that you'll survive."

"I'd rather die than to live without you!" He growled.

My heart ached. I've been waiting so long to hear this from him. I wanted to cry but my eyes were red and itchy from too much crying.

"I'm sorry. This is something I have to do on my own. I don't know if I'll survive, but I wanted you to know that I love you. Even though you always annoy and irritate me, you accepted and loved me as I am, both my Yato blood-controlled-self and the real me. Thank you for always staying by my side when all I did was hurt you." I held his blood-stained hand and gently placed it on my cheek. It was so warm. My eyes were locked onto his teary crimson eyes. A tear fell and I wiped it.

"No… no, don't leave me. If you leave, I'll have nothing left. Aneue, mom and dad, everyone I love just keeps slipping away from my hands..."

"I'm sorry…" I kissed his warm and big hands and slowly let it go. I can hear his hushed sobbing voice. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned around and saw Kamui kneeling and coughing. "Nii-chan!" I ran to him but he pushed me off.

"Don't touch me…"