Chapter 35: Story of the Cursed Child Part 2
My eyes widen, and there's no doubt, it is, "Sa… ma… no… suke…"
I could feel my body numb as the fear I didn't know I have grew inside me. Tears overwhelm me as my eyes met contact with his. His eyes were… dried and lifeless, despite the smile he put on. My own tears slide down from my eyes as a loud clash of thunder was heard over head. Droplet of rains, rain down from the sky, resembling his unshed tears. I turn away towards the wetted ground of corpses, "Why? Why did you them?"
"Do you want to hear a story, Yamanami-san?" he softly replied.
I look up at him, only to find he had already turned his gaze up towards the raining sky. He turns back to me, "Have you ever heard of the Cursed Child?"
I kept my face expressionless, but like always, he could see through me. He turns away towards the corpses, "In this time period, a cursed child would be someone who is cursed for their evil deeds, but for me… I was born as a cursed child, or a misfortune child who eventually died painfully by the hand of his best friend.
"Throughout my whole childhood life, I experience death and lost. I've watched those who are important to me died and wither away into nothingness. I kill countless citizens, and I don't even remember doing it. I live with guilt for almost all my life. Before I came here to this dojo, I already knew of this cursed. Many would call it illness, but I know… that it was a part of the misfortune. I was already losing my eye sight, and I could barely stand nowadays. Sooner or later, my body will unimaginably suffer until it sucks every last energy out of me. All of this happens… because I couldn't protect what was important to me. I couldn't protect," a sad smile cross his facial expression, "Okita-san, the captain, the Shinsengumi, and I couldn't even protect Saya." He looked back at me, "Remember the book you ripped earlier?" I flinched, but he continued on, "That book contains every memories of the past that I have gained. I want you to have it, because I know you will need it someday…" he looks up at the crying sky, "when the new cursed child is born… and it won't be long."
"W-What do you mean?" I stammered.
He looks back at me, "Everything… is written in the book."
"Samanosuke," I said quietly.
"You asked me why I kill them?" he asked, but then quickly answered, "Because I want to see how far I was willing to go in order to obtain what I've lost. It seems, I really was willing to go beyond my own limits. Cough!" he coughs up splatter of blood. I wanted to go to his side and see if he was alright, but my body wouldn't budge. It stays where it was, watching him cough.
Once the cough dies down, he looked down at the bloody sword in his grasp. "I'm sorry, Yamanami-san. I can't let you dirty yourself." He bought the sword up to his neck.
"What are you doing?" I asked in a harsh tone.
He looked at me and smile, "I have already made up my mind long ago. And don't worry; I don't blame you for anything."
"Yamanami-san!" I turned around just as some of the teachers appear around the corners and hallways. Everyone froze at the scene and stared at us. I quickly turned back to Samanosuke as soon as I heard what he said next, "Good-bye Yamanami-san."
"Samanosuke!" I tried to stop him, but I was too late like always. He was already gone, and I couldn't do anything but watch as everyone surrounded the lifeless body.
Flashback Ended
Akesato wiped away my tears and cuddle closer to me. Her warmth gave me the strength I needed to continue. I looked back at everyone in the room, but mostly at Tetsu, "I blamed myself for everything that happened that day. If I hadn't been thinking only of myself, Samanosuke wouldn't have died and he probably wouldn't have killed all those people. He himself may have said it was for a test, but I believed because it was fault that he did it," I took a deep breath, "Afterwards, I gotten a hold of the book and read through it like he asked. That was when I knew of his past and of the Shinsengumi. On the last page of the book, there was date written there indicating the day the new cursed child was born, along with the name."
"How did Samanosuke know the name for his next reincarnation?" Ryouma asked.
I shook my head, "I don't know, but I guess he knew by dream. And then the day finally came when the cursed child was born."
TETSU'S POV
I flinch a little as Yamanami-san look at me with a serious look in his eyes. Ryouma turns my way as well, "What is it?" he asked Yamanami-san.
He kept quiet and simply stared at me, as if he's waiting for a sign or something. I stared back at them, "Why are you looking at me?"
"You are…" Yamanami-san started.
"The cursed child," Ryouma finished with an unbelievable look.
My body tensed as everyone around me gasps in shocked and disbelief. I could feel drop of sweat slide down from my forehead. "W-What are you saying? I-I can't be the cursed child!"
"But you are," Yamanami-san replied.
"How!" I shouted in anger.
"Because you bear the mark of the cursed child," he replied calmly.