IKIGAI
"The reason to be"
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Page VII
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"Buah!"
It's the effusive appreciation Moroha makes, almost one and a half years old, when she sees how my appearance shifts from hanyou to human; you laugh. Since she had only six moons of life, her way of looking at me every time this happened, even during one of the most recent new moons, she would reach out to me, crawling, to smell me and make sure it was me. Yet this time her expression is verbal, exaggerated as if she was seeing it for the first time.
"What's wrong, Moroha? Has Daddy changed?" You ask her, leaning towards her, and our daughter grabs a strand of your hair, looks at it, lets it go and then climbs my leg to take one of mine. Next, she decides it no longer matters, snuggles up to my chest and sucks on her thumb.
"She is going to fall asleep." I say. "Should we read her?" She lifts her head and looks at me, emitting a sound close to a growl, her thumb still in her mouth.
"I'd say that's a yes." You smile.
The truth is that since Moroha is in our lives, she has become a spectacle of emotions. We aren't always happy, sometimes we are worried about her health or even our own patience reaches its limit; yet, every aspect is precious.
"I think I have here the perfect moment to read." You say, as you bring the book along and begin your search. "Here." Your gaze finds me. "Want me to read it?"
We both hear again a thumb-sucking growl.
"Alright, you like daddy's voice better." After handing me the book, you stroke her hair, kneeling in front of us.
Then I begin to read the page you've marked.
"... 'I don't trust anybody.'. It wasn't the worst thing InuYasha had ever said to me, since we met he'd call me witch, idiot, and some other things, yet by that moment I thought we were becoming friends. To hear him say that felt like being slapped, one strong enough to turn your face around." I sigh, for back then I still couldn't quite understand what your kindness was leaving in me. "However, I didn't have time to stop to think about it. Nazuna, the girl we had saved by the river, appeared again and so we were back at the temple. InuYasha told me to stay back, to wait, but it just wasn't possible...
I look at you as you keep stroking Moroha's head, who is still laying against my chest with her eyes closed and her thumb in her mouth, sucking at short intervals with some pauses in between, inevitably bringing her to sleep and dream.
"She's going to fall asleep soon enough." You whisper, I nod.
I return my gaze to the book, and fast forward a few pages, looking for one part, one moment, I read only for myself.
"... In that instant, resting on my lap, InuYasha said he liked my scent and that all that he said before about hating it, had been a lie. That day, I felt my heart going out of tune, missing a beat only to find out later on, that same beat had been a gift for you."
I lift my gaze towards you, and find yours staring at me too. I believe you know what I'm reading because you smile in that beautiful way you use to tell me about your love, subtly.
"I love you." I say without voice.
"I love you." You express.
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A/N
Kisses,
Anyara
This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart
