Chapter 34: Story of the Cursed Child

TETSU'S POV

Everyone sat quietly down around the room. Yamamami-san and Akesato-san sat down together, Ryouma across from them, Tatsu-nii sat down beside them, and I sat down near the entrance. I lean on the wall and wait for them to speak up. Yamanami-san clears his throat and begins, "If I were to begin, I will have to start from the beginning, to the time when I first met the cursed child."

YAMANAMI-SAN'S POV

"I was in my teen then when I first started the swordsmanship. The cursed child during my time was named, Ichihara Samanosuke. He was as much as interested in the sword like I was. We trained everyday together and before long, we become the best of friend. We were like brother, who never keep secrets from each other, and before I realize it, Samanosuke really did become my brother. However, those happy days didn't last long…"

Flashback

I put the book back into the bookshelf and skip to the next book, which caught my attention. The book cover was untitled and there nothing but a drawing on it. The drawing consists of a little girl in a bright pink kimono. She had short hair and look about 10 years old. Her eyes were quite puppy-like and she had the smile of an angel. I examine the drawing more closely. The outline of the girl was very-well drawn.

I curiously open the book, and inside was nothing but a journal-like book. It said, "May 16…" and the rest was writing scramble. I tried reading it, but before I could even start, it was yank out of my grip. I quickly look up, ready to yell at whomever it was, but then I stopped halfway when I realize who it was.

"Samanosuke, what are you doing?" I asked.

His eyes narrow into an angry scowl, "Me? What are you doing? You should know better than to touch someone's things!"

I frown angrily at his outburst. Why is it my fault just because I have the human nature call curiousness? "I should know better? What about you? Just yanking something that's not even yours out someone else's grip?"

"For your information," he growl back, "this book is mine! I can't believe you of all people would try to read my secrets."

"What secrets?" I argue back, "Everything we know, we told each other, what else is there to know? Wait," realization finally hit me, "You… didn't tell your entire secret didn't you?" I asked a little hurt that Samanosuke would keep secret from me.

His glared fell and he look away from me, "Just don't ever do it again. If you do, then consider us no longer friend." With that, he left the room and I was speechless, and… hurt above all else.

Flashback Ended

"Of course I knew that some secrets are left untold, but I was young and naive. I thought only of myself, and that," I closed my eyes, "result the lost of my best friend."

Flashback

"You told them about the book!" Samanosuke asked in disbelief and shock, almost fearful.

"So what," I asked, lazing off in the chair beside his bed. I was a little annoyed by his tone of voice and his temper. It was getting on my nerve.

"So what?" he repeated my question, a little hurt.

I ignore his hurt expression and continue on, "Why do you have to make it such a big problem? It's just a stupid book."

"A stupid book?" he repeated again, his voice cracked even more, "That book hold my secrets! How could you just call it a stupid book?"

I finally reach my limit and sprung up growling, "Look here Samanosuke! I don't know what's gotten into you, bu"

"What's gotten into me? What about you? You haven't been the Yamanami-san I know! You kept on acting like this spoil little brat who only thinks about himself! You're not even my best friend anymore!" he interrupted me.

Something within me clicked, and I couldn't help but be angry with him. "Fine," I said, "From now on, whatever happens to you is none of business. You could go ahead and die for all I care!" I left the room then, so I never gotten a chance to apologize then.

Flashback Ended

I could feel tears fall down my eyes, but I kept going nonetheless, "Samanosuke never came back to the dojo after that. All the teachers were worried, and yet the brat I was then, only shrugged it off whenever whoever asked me where he might have gone. It wasn't until the day I graduate from the dojo that I heard the news."

Flashback

"What," I asked my teacher in disbelief.

"Like I said," he repeated, "Samanosuke is in the hospital. Nobody knows what happened, even he himself won't tell anyone, but I manage to secretly asked his doctor and finally gotten the truth. It seems Samanosuke have an unknown illness that will slowly take away his vision and the will to walk. But that's not all the doctor can determine, they also said, that sooner or later, he will slowly suffer unimaginable pain until he…" he paused, "Won't you go see him? Whenever everyone visits, he always asked for you."

I froze in my spot, my body tensed up to its limit, and yet, my tears won't fall. I look away and what came next was the most regrettable thing I ever done, "No."

"What," he asked again, making sure if he heard me right.

"I said no," I said louder so he could hear, "I don't want to visit him."

"Yama"

"I don't care!" I shouted, "I don't care if he died! He's not even my friend anymore! Why should I still care about him?"

"You're right." My eyes widen to the size of dinner plates as I quickly sprung around. I froze as soon as I lay eyes on his weak sad smile.

"There was no need for you to come see me" he said weakly, "I came to give you this." His trembling hand reaches towards me with a book. I recognize the book from that time.

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"Because you are my friend," his word left an unimaginable pain in me. I grew angry, thinking he's probably only hurting me. I got angry and yank the book from his hand and rip it into two halves.

"You're not my friend," I growled, and then left him there.

Flashback Ended

"What follow after, was something I'll never forget."

Flashback

I lie down on my back against the soft mattress and look up at the ceiling. How could I be so angry over something as stupid as this? My best friend is dying and I'm acting like a spoil little brat! I shouldn't have been angry, I probably should have apologized.

I got up and off the bed. Walking towards the door, my body froze as soon as I heard a scream far off in the distance. I turned around and dash towards the open window. Outside, I could see everyone scrambling out of their room to see what was going on. I turn back to the door and dash out as well. I follow the other student in the dojo towards the open courtyard that the scream came from. On the way, I was stupid enough to slip and fall onto my front side and nearly gotten a nosebleed.

I was quickly left behind as I scramble to get up. I started running as soon as I got back up on my feet. More screams were heard and soon… none was heard. I panic and quicken my steps. When I arrived, the scene before me was truly a terrified one.

Corpses were everywhere, and among the corpse was student was left standing. He pull the bloody sword out of a corpse beside him and looks up at me with his sad smile, "You're a little too late, Yamanami-san."

My eyes widen, and there's no doubt, it is, "Sa… ma… no… suke…"