Efflorescence
Chapter Fifteen: Silhouettes
by Autumn Win-Dow
(AoGA House Cup. Words: 500)
"Is anyone out there?" A female voice called out from the ochaya, causing both of them to freeze.
Kurike instinctively looked back down – hiding her face behind her hair again, as she reached forward and grabbed Natsume's arm. He found himself being dragged into the shed, with the door closing shut from behind him. In a hurry, she unceremoniously let go of Natsume – causing him to almost run into the wall – and blew out the candle with a single whiff.
Natsume glanced at her – the only thing he could see was her slim silhouette.
He found out that he didn't care if someone had discovered them in the shed – all he felt at that moment was discontentment upon not being able to see her face yet.
He could hear her shushing him in the dark.
I didn't even say anything…
The duo could hear the sound of slippers against gravel outside – the footsteps were growing louder, and becoming closer to the shed.
Even though the shed was pitch black, Natsume could easily sense her panic. All of a sudden, she rushed towards him and started to push him towards the corner of the room, behind a stack of boxes. He resisted the force she was using by grabbing her wrists.
"What are you doing?" He hissed, as she struggled desperately in his arms.
"What are you doing?!" Kurike growled back, while maintaining her volume. "We have to hide!"
Natsume rolled his eyes at her words. "Why are you so desperate on hiding?" He should have remembered that he wasn't exactly supposed to be there, but when he eventually did, he was still relaxed – he didn't mind receiving the punishment.
"Because! I'll be punished if they find out that I'm outside with you! Adding to that, bare-faced!" She pleaded, and for a moment he thought he had caught a glimpse of a tear in her eye.
The male sighed, and while grabbing her shoulders, pushed her into the corner of the room. He heard the sound of metal scrape on wood as they moved.
Just as they were finally out of view, the door creaked open. The silhouette scanned the room left and right, before a sigh was heard, followed by the sound of the door finally closing shut.
After a brief moment, he heard Kurike exhale, and her breath seemed to tingle on the skin of his neck. In his hands, Natsume could feel her body relax.
"…That was close."
"Yeah."
Suddenly, he felt her body tense under him again. Natsume looked down to see that Kurike was looking away from him – and it was then when he realised that he was holding her against the wall.
Although reluctantly, he let go of her shoulders. Natsume noticed her shuffling, as if she was adjusting something.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking out a match."
Right on cue, he heard the sound of a match being struck. When the room lit up, he found out what the metal scrape he had heard before was.
It was the candle.
A/N: Yes, allow me to be shot at with many arrows.
I don't think I've written an author's note in a while? Actually, no. I think I have. Well, I'm writing one in order to voice my thanks to all of you for reading my story. You guys just make me smile. :)