The Swimming Butterfly (Giyushino Fanfic)

Chapter 20

𝙺𝚘𝚌𝚑𝚘 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚘𝚋𝚞

When I heard from Mitsuri that Tomioka was going to visit his master, I decided to pitch along, interested in learning about Tomioka's upbringing. As we ascended the mountain, the air began to thin out near the top. Taking heavy but concealed breaths, I continued in my plan, trailing the loner to learn more about him.

He never stopped while hiking up, seeming to recall the directions to his old home perfectly. As a shabby looking building came into view, he picked up his pace.

My nose reddened as snow piled up on the ground, the only marks in the snow coming from the man ahead of me. Practically sprinting as he approached the house, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly man with a mask concealing his face. Hiding behind a tree, I waited for the door to shut before exploring the area.

A delicious aroma wafted from the house, causing my food-stricken stomach to rumble in response. I sighed, wishing that I could go inside and enjoy a pleasant meal with Tomioka and his guardian.

After examining the land surrounding the hut and getting bored of staring at the forestry, I was naturally drawn to the quiet conversation taking place inside. Sneaking up to one of the flimsy walls, the sound from their mouths traveled quite easily to my ears. I held my breath and strained my ears, trying to catch every word they said.

"I came here today to get your blessing for my marriage. We're not married yet, but I know we will be one day." Tomioka's proposal resonated throughout the room with his deep voice. Although I wasn't the one asking for permission, my heart pounded as I waited for Tomioka's mentor to answer.

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𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚘𝚔𝚊 𝙶𝚒𝚢𝚞

His voice gradually loudened as he began to berate me. "Tomioka, we are living in a world of constant fear, of constant death, and you want to get married." He scoffed as he continued. "I've always thought you had a good head on your shoulders. You've never let your emotions get the best of you, yet here you are making these ridiculous claims. Are you kidding me? What kind of idiot do you have to be to have this level of wishful thinking?"

Each sentence stung more than the last, feeling worse than getting slapped across the face. As my heart crumpled inside, I kept my stoic mask on to hide my pain.

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𝙺𝚘𝚌𝚑𝚘 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚘𝚋𝚞

Even though the snow was piling quickly, Tomioka walked out from the house with no regard to the cold. His steps were heavy and full of sorrow, staining with the white snow with the dirt from his footprints. Hearing Urodaki's harsh words for myself, I also felt hurt and dejected. I couldn't imagine the pain Tomioka was feeling after his reunion with his father figure, his mentor.

I wanted to run up to Tomioka, hug him, and reassure him that everything was fine, but I had to keep myself hidden. My heart ached for him as I watched him descend the mountain, snow piling on top of his shoulders. Keeping a distance of 15 meters between us, I carefully descended as well. Taking care to be as silent as possible, I walked in tracks. Although I've always known he was much larger and taller than me, it was clear to me when my feet were barely filled 3/5s of his footprints.

Looking at his footprints reminded me about how massive his hands were and how many times he'd touched me with them. Despite the freezing temperatures, my cheeks began to heat up as blushed at all of the embarrassing, yet pleasant memories that came to mind. 'If only things could go back to how they were.'