Back To Darkness

Chapter 18: Epilogue: Snowdrops

Three Years Later

Tohru shifted the papers scattered around her, searching for one. She found it eventually but the words blurred before her eyes. After realising she had read the same sentence several times she set it down with a sigh. She wasn't focused today. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and reached for her mug. It was empty. She rose slowly and padded barefoot to the kettle. Her arm reached out instinctually to select a second mug. She would make him tea too. He might like that.

She closed her eyes as she poured the water, letting the sound soothe her. She sighed as she stirred the tea, deep in thought. She set the mugs down on the floor of the hall as she pulled her boots and jacket on in the quiet house.

There was a thick carpet of snow this year. It crunched under her soles as she walked away from the warmth of the house. She let her mind wander.

Kyo had texted the day before, asking how things were. He had invited her to his and Kagura's flat for dinner. Tohru couldn't help but smile when she thought of how Kyo had matured. He had excelled at his carpentry apprentiship, and greatly enjoyed teaching martial arts to underprivileged children.

In fact, Tohru thought, they had all done well. She herself was starting her final semester of nursing at college, which she found very rewarding. Haru hadn't continued with education after school, instead he was a janitor in a care home. Kagura was studying to be a social worker. Most of them were drawing near the end of their studies, except Momiji of course. He had surprised and surpassed everyone and was in his second year studying veterinary medicine. She smiled.

Sometimes it saddened her... she thought of how brilliant he could have been... how much potential he had.

Ayame still ran his shop, and had recently proposed to his assistant Mine. Tohru thought he had been waiting... possibly hoping his brother could be more involved...

Shigure still wrote, very successfully. He was moving to another house soon but had promised to sell Tohru the house at a very reasonable rate, something the two of them could afford.

Hatori and his new partner were setting up a medical practice. Despite how busy he was with this Hatori still visited once a week, every week. He had been very good to them. In the beginning he had come every day to check on him...

Tohru sighed sadly.

.

Eventually she reached the garden. She reached him.

He sat on a foldable deck chair on the edge of the garden.

His eyes were closed. His face was tilted towards the white sky.

With a slight frown she saw he had flung his jacket away. It lay abandoned in the snow.

She swallowed. Cleared her throat.

"Yuki? I brought tea." She waited, hoping today was a good day.

After a moment the head lowered. The eyes flickered open. He gazed at her.

For a moment he looked unsure. His wide eyes darted about. His mouth twisted.

Following a moment of struggle he swallowed. Nodded.

"Thank you," Yuki said.

Tohru smiled and carefully passed him the mug. He held it close to his face, inhaling the rapidly rising steam.

Tohru went to a nearby tree and retrieved a second foldable deck chair. She positioned it several metres from his and sat down. She crossed her legs and sipped her tea.

They sat in silence for some time. Occasionally Tohru's eyes wandered to him.

Hatori had helped her to understand.