The Swimming Butterfly (Giyushino Fanfic)

Chapter 26

𝙶𝚒𝚢𝚞 𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚘𝚔𝚊

Amidst the pitch-black void, all I could do was dream. I dreamt of worlds where I hadn't lost everyone, of worlds where I lost more than I already had, of worlds where demons didn't reside, yet in each world, a tinge of loneliness pained my heart. 

Even in the pseudo dream worlds where Tsutako, Sabito, and Makimo survive, where everything seems to be perfect, the sense that someone was absent in my life never subsided. 

All I could associate with the missing person was the color purple. Even the most vibrant lavender flowers couldn't hold a candle to the deep, rich purple they held. 

Despite the hundreds, the thousands of dreams I cycled through, they were never present. With each passing dream, the tinge of loneliness grew into an undeniable feeling of solitude. Despite having my family and friends around me, without them, it would mean nothing. 

Day by day, bits and pieces about the mysterious figure came to me. After a while, I could finally remember her name, her annoying tendencies, her cute face, her petite figure, and most importantly, our love for each other. 

Shinobu Kocho. The most precious person to me.

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I opened my eyes, the brightness of the world blinding with a splendid white. 

She stared at me with shock, visible tears streaming down her face. I struggled to get up, wincing as I attempted to prop myself with my left elbow. Shinobu quickly set her cup of tea on a table and moved after to assist me. 

Or so I thought. She immediately pushed me downwards, forcing me to lie down on the bed. 

"Do you know how long you've been asleep? Did you really think your body could prop itself upright? You really are a fool." In contrast to her harsh words, her voice was quiet and tender. 

"Do you know how worried I was?" She managed to croak out. Her voice held an unbearable feeling of grief and pain.

I reached out from beneath the blanket to clasp one of her hands. "I'm glad you're fine."

Shinobu finally cracked, no longer holding back her tears. 

"You're really an idiot, you know that?" She knelt, burying her face into my chest. "A big idiot. The biggest one ever." 

Having already used most of my energy trying to sit up, all I could do was tighten my grip on her hand. 

"I'm back."

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I slid open the shoji to my rehabilitation room, allowing sunlight to filter in. The pleasant warmth of the rays combined with the cool breeze combined for a comforting atmosphere. 

Setting down a cushion, I knelt down and gazed at the swaying branches of the sakura. Shinobu, my dog, crawled onto my lap and positioned herself to watch the scenery with me. Despite her human counterpart's disdain for animals, a special exception was made for her. 

The wind tore off a single pink petal, sending it across the courtyard and onto the cushion I had previously set next to myself. 

A knock simultaneously sounded from behind me. Not bothering to wait for a response, the door was swung open, revealing a petite woman balancing a tray of tea in one hand. 

"I see you have become more courteous, Giyu. Setting down a cushion for your savior without being asked to. Is this what people call personal growth?" 

She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye. "I can't believe I have lived long enough to watch this occur."

I sighed, motioning her to come and sit down beside me. 

"You're so deeply and madly in love with me that you can't bear to waste another second without my presence? Oh my Giyu, you're such a romantic." 

She laughed as she drops onto the cushion, handing one of the cups on the tray to me. 

We watched the trees undulate beneath the gentle wind, the koi fish swim languidly in the pond, the songbirds chirp their tunes of love, the multitude of flowers sway lazily, the teenager wearing a boarhead mask scream as he rushed around the mansion frantically. 

Sometime during our appreciationof the scenery, our hands had made their way to each other, our fingers intertwined tightly like the cords of a rope. 

I tilt my head to the side, admiring the most beautiful flower in all of the estate. It doesn't take long for Shinobu to notice me. 

"It's rude to stare, you know." Taking her free hand, she laid it onto my cheek. "But I'll make an exception just for you." 

I stared at her blankly. "Thank you." 

Shinobu laughed at my response, the birds chirping in agreement with her. 

Despite it being months since I had fallen into a coma, our relationship stayed relatively the same. The only difference would be that Shinobu talked much more than before, which I didn't know to be possible, as if to make up for our lost time. 

"It's already been two months since you woke up, and you were asleep for five months." Her grip on me tightened as if she were scared it would disappear into thin air if she let go. "Each day felt like a year, each night I had nightmares of you leaving me. Every time I walked into this room, dread filled my heart. I didn't know if you would be dead the next day or not."

I took her other hand and pressed it to my chest. "I'm here now, aren't I?" 

She left her hand in mine, looking down at the ground. "And what if you weren't. How would I live?" 

I freed my hands and tenderly cupped her cheeks, bringing my face to hers. Sometime during our conversation, Shinobu scampered through the open doors to chase Inosuke. 

Her lips were unbelievably soft, the lingering taste of tea still left on her mouth. After a while, we pulled away, panting heavily to regain our breath. 

Picking her up, I went to slide the door shut and dropped her onto the bed. She gave a surprised gasp once she fell, causing me to feel the slightest bit of guilt. 

Her look of surprise quickly dissipated, turning into one of desire and yearning, making it impossible for me to look away. 

"I love you." 

"I love you too."

pain. that's all I feel anymore. pain. pain. pain. pain. pain. pain. Anways, thank you all for reading and supporting me all this time :)

School is almost over, but I still am somehow fumbling my grades. Also, just want to mention, Shinobu and Shinoa are basically the same character from different animes. Both have purple hair, both are short, both have the same voice actress, both have a dead older sister, both live in a world where there are supernatural beings that eat people, both wield special weapons, both are apart of a special organization, and yeah. 

Sorry for the short chapter, I'm just so busy with tests and homework.