Chapter 2 ~Collapse~

As the first rays of dawn gently filtered through the curtains, Chizuru slowly emerged from the depths of slumber, her senses gradually awakening to the world around her. Suddenly, her tranquility was interrupted by Harada's persistent shaking, urging her to rise from her restful state. "Come now, wake up, or you will miss the splendid beach." he implored, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

In response, she emitted a loud yawn, a testament to her resistance to parting with the realm of dreams. It was then that her eyes fluttered open, meeting the piercing gaze of his golden orbs, which observed her with unwavering intensity. "Good morning," she greeted, a delicate smile gracing her lips.

The mere sight of his presence brought a sense of joy to her heart. "I have bought you a new Yukata," he informed her, his words echoing within her consciousness.

The revelation propelled her into an upright position, a surge of confusion coursing through her veins. He had acquired such a gift for her? But how? Yesterday, she had witnessed no such item in his possession, just his hunt.

A surge of curiosity mingled with disbelief flooded her mind, as she began to question if he had truly returned to bed at all last night. She did fall asleep and he was yet to return.

"Sano?" Her hand held his and her grip tightened, her fingers trembling slightly. The room seemed to grow colder, the once cozy atmosphere now suffocating with an underlying tension.

"You are really scaring me right now, can you tell me what's going on?" Chizuru's voice quivered with a mixture of fear and sadness.

Her eyes searched his face for answers, desperately seeking some form of reassurance. The man raised an eyebrow, perplexed by her sudden distress.

He looked at her as if she had grown three heads, struggling to comprehend the source of her anxiety. "What brought such a question? Did I hurt your feelings? We were okay, right?" His words were laced with uncertainty, a hint of guilt creeping into his voice.

But Chizuru couldn't shake off the sense of worry that was now coming back tenfold.

She felt her heart pound in her chest, each beat resonating with a growing unease. Is he for real asking her about this? She knew that this was probably just a joke, an attempt to ease the tension, but it wasn't nice. It wasn't fair.

"Your behavior yesterday is abnormal - it scares me," Chizuru said, her voice quivering with a mixture of anger and hurt. She tightened her grip on his hand, searching for some semblance of understanding in his eyes. "And you are cracking a joke at my expense?" Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken frustration.

"What behavior?" Sano moved slightly away from her, his confusion turning into a genuine sense of fear. His eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an answer that eluded him. "Now I'm scared," he whispered, the vulnerability in his voice mirroring Chizuru's own. Anger began to bubble within Chizuru, mingling with the fear that had taken root in her heart.

She could feel her temples throb with frustration, her hands trembling with a mix of emotions. "Ignoring me and barely talking, standing still at the cliff," she began, her voice tinged with a mixture of accusation and pain.

"Now you probably walked to the town in the middle of the night to buy me an outfit?" A single tear welled up in her left eye, threatening to spill onto her flushed cheeks. It was true. His actions today didn't make any sense. If she hadn't been so worried, she would have laughed at him, brushed it off as a mere quirk. But now, she couldn't help but be angry. Angry at him for making her worry, for making her doubt their once unbreakable bond. Especially after the day they had, filled with laughter and stolen kisses, she couldn't understand how everything had spiraled into this confusion.

This time, Sano was actually getting serious. The color drained from his face as he realized the weight of her words. "You're making no sense, what are you talking about?" His voice cracked with a mix of disbelief and genuine concern.

Chizuru huffed, her anger now transforming into a resolute determination. She released his hand and rose from the futon.

She couldn't bear to be in that room any longer, suffocated by the weight of their crumbling relationship. "Fine, then. I won't talk," she declared, her voice laced with a bitter resolve.

Sano watched her as she walked out of the bedroom, his heart sinking with each retreating step. He wanted to reach out, to pull her back into his embrace, to make everything right again. But she didn't look like she believed he even wanted to talk anymore.

As Chizuru made her way down the hallway, her mind was reeling with confusion. This was all so wrong. It had been too perfect, he had been too perfect at first, and it was just so wrong. The future loomed uncertain before her, a dense fog obscuring the once vibrant colors of their love. As she stood there, lost in her thoughts, she couldn't shake off the sinking feeling that their once unbreakable bond was now on the precipice of shattering into irreparable fragments.

In the depths of silence, a haunting cry shattered the stillness.

Chizuru's heart clenched as she turned to face Harada emerging from the bedroom, his voice trembling with uncertainty. Something was undeniably wrong with him. Tremors ran through her as she caught sight of his pallid skin, marred by veins as dark as the night. Harada appeared sickly, and it was all Chizuru could do to stifle her panic. "Chizuru. . .Something is wrong!"

She gasped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth as he crumpled to his knees, his grip on his chest tightening. "Chizuru," he rasped, coughing with a rawness that sent shivers down her spine. "Sano...you don't look good," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

She knelt beside him, her own trembling hands reaching out to touch his.

Each uneven breath he took seemed to push her closer to the brink of despair. "No," she pleaded, shaking her head as her tear-filled eyes gazed down at his fragile form. "No, please, Harada, please tell me what's going on." His voice caught, his breathing becoming more rapid.

Tears mingled with fear cascaded down her cheeks as she leaned forward, gripping his trembling hands tightly in her own. "Please, Harada, talk to me!" she implored.

But as soon as she spoke his name, the convulsions ceased.

Harada's eyes widened, his face contorting with shock. "Wait, Chizuru...where are we?"

"What?"

The single word escaped her lips, the only response she could muster.

"Hijikata san will be mad if he finds us here, alone. He will probably think of us as a bunch of boundaryless slackers." He said clearly with a chuckle.

The mention of Hijikata san, the former commander of the Shinsengumi, stirred a mix of longing within her. The war had taken its toll on them all, and she couldn't help but wonder if Hijikata had survived the chaos that had consumed their lives.

But as Harada's behavior grew more erratic, she didn't know what to do.

His smile, though strained, masked the turmoil brewing inside him. She watched as he approached, his touch scorching her skin like a blazing fire. Instinctively, she recoiled, a mix of sadness and hurt coursing through her veins.

"Shinpachi will probably scold me for not inviting him over for a drink," Harada chuckled, his voice strained.

But Chizuru's mind was elsewhere, fixated on the bloodstains marring the tatami matting. "Darling, maybe you should return to bed and lay down for a moment." She suggested.

Harada looked at her again and this time his eyes changed color to pure black.

She wanted to scream but held her tongue and slowly touched his arm. "Come on," she whispered and then started to walk back with him to the bedroom, This time he was silent, for some reason. "Lay down and I will bring you a worm drink," She said. Chizuru did not wait for him to answer, she left the bed-chamber and closed the door behind her.

Slowly she fell on her knees, sobbing silently. Now it's clear, he wasn't getting bored with her, he was sick. A sickness she knows nothing about.

"What am I going to do?" she murmured.

" Miss Chizuru!" A call at the front door interrupted her thoughts. With no hesitation, she hurried and opened the door.

Miss Hana stood there with another tray in her hand, but her smile vanished the moment she saw Chizuru. "Did something happen?" She asked.

"My husband is sick," her voice cracked. "I don't know why. Please, help me."

Hana's shoulder sagged as she mumbled. "Oh god, not that." and so she followed her inside, no more words to be said. Until the two women stood at the door of their bed-chamber. Miss Hana drew a breath and then slid the door open. The redhead man was under the blanket, shaking ever so often.

Slowly the woman got closer and kneeled before him. Her hand slowly lifted the blanket off his face and let out a gasp. That was all she needed to see. The neighbor left the room and urged Chizuru to follow her. She led her outside and closed the front door.

"Please forgive me for what I'm about to say,"

Chizuru's heart ached even more at her words, as she waited in anticipation for what was about to come.

"Your husband is dying, he was probably bitten by an animal that carried this sickness,"

Chizuru covered her mouth with her hand again, "But He!" The tears gushed from her eyes, blinding her. "He can't die! He mustn't! How could I manage without . . ."

Miss Hana pulled the young woman into her warm embrace.

"I'm so sorry for being the bearer of bad news. There is a possibility for a cure but it won't be easy."

"I don't care, just tell me everything." Chizuru cut her off, "I will do it."

That would be all for now.