Understanding II (Inukashi - December 2019)

When she met Safu a few months ago, Inukashi was able to confirm obliviousness was truly Shion's own nature, not nurtured by No. 6. But Safu was as thoughtful as Shion, in her practical way. A hand-knit sweater. Luxurious breakfasts. A meticulous backyard landscaping proposal because Inukashi had mentioned off-hand two days before that she might like to start gardening but preparation seemed too difficult…

No! Stop thinking about it…

"Sometimes I forget you're a guest. You gotta relax. Geez. Feels like I should be paying you or something."

Safu laughed. "I'm just grateful. Escaping to the West raises my spirits. Even though it's 'New City' now, No. 6 brings back bad memories."

But how is it even possible?

"Inukashi, are you alright?"

"Huh?"

"Something on your mind? It kind of reminds me of Shion, how spaced out you are."

Nope. No use trying to ignore it…

"Speaking of Shion, how was it? …Last night, I mean?"

Safu turned pale, at a loss for words. Her gaze became fixed to her mug.

"I don't mean to tease. Just… I couldn't believe it. I didn't think he had it in him."

"W-well… we had a promise."

"You had a promise to f—?"

"BEFORE Shion ended up in the West Block," Safu interrupted in a loud voice, then calmed. "Things were… different."

"You were his girlfriend then?"

"No. Not then. Not now. We're just… very, very close friends."

Safu's voice said she did not want to be only 'very, very close friends.'

Before No. 6 was brought down; before she agreed to watch over the baby, Inukashi would have been irritated by another's tears. But Inukashi liked Safu. And she wasn't quite the same person she was, two years ago.

"Sorry— Didn't mean to— I didn't think…"

"Last night, he wanted to show me he'd wholeheartedly keep that promise. He wanted it to be my choice." Safu's eyes shut tight, holding back tears. "I couldn't lie about what I wanted. I've always waited for him. But he didn't notice. Not the way I wanted."

"Oblivious idiot."

Safu smiled sadly at Inukashi's rough endearments. "I don't regret it though…"

"It's just he doesn't feel the same, right?"

"I needed to hear it from his lips. That he's in love…"

"He even said so? So what was last night, then? Consolation sex? I don't get it."

"It's very like Shion. He'd never break a promise. And he believes it won't make a difference to… him." Safu looked up. "But where is he, Inukashi? They lost contact."

"So that Nezumi stopped writing?" Inukashi's eyebrows arched upwards.

Safu nodded gravely. "Those letters mean a lot to Shion."

"Something happened. Good or bad, I don't know. But Nezumi doesn't change habits easily. Something's changed."

"Inukashi," Safu sobbed. "Even though I knew… I came back. I chose to live, just so I could see Shion. But if he could have only one of us come back… he wouldn't have chosen me."

She wrapped her arms around Safu protectively, rubbing her back to comfort her as automatically as she would the baby. "Don't think he's coming outta the basement till the dogs're all clean, but let's head upstairs, just in case."

Inukashi patiently listened to Safu talk about how much Shion meant to her, and how she woke up during the night to catch him staring out an opened window.

No. 6 and Shion. Both are painful to her…

A/N:
If you're wondering what's going on here, chapter 5 of my story Waiting will shed more light on these first two chapters of The West Block. Chapter 6 (the final chapter) of Waiting illuminates some aspects of this story's chapter 3 as well. Just sayin'. ;)

Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated! :)