Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 90: Comfort

     Kazumi stood there in silence as the servants around who managed to hear it kept their mouths shut.

"Please do tell the lord I have to go back for something urgent. If he asked what it is, tell him what my crow just said." She said in a monotonous tone facing the male servant who's about to announce her presence, a very unusual manner of her talking that way.

The man just nodded as she turned around to leave. Misayo then chuckled that made her stop from walking away.

"So a Pillar died. How sad, I give my condolences to you." She said in a sarcastic way despite sounding sad and making herself look as if she's truly sorry for Kazumi.

"Thank you."

With short exchange of words, Kazumi completely walked away. She's still calm and composed even after hearing what the crow just said. By the time she reached outside the estate, she vanished from her spot jumping from one roof to another until she reached the gate of the village. Riku immediately came out of the bushes as Kazumi ride on his back and he started running.

'Sora-san.... you idiot....'

Their scene changed again as Kazumi's now in front of the Water Estate, Yuki's place. She approached the place with the usual smile on her face calling outside as it showed Nobuko who opened the doors for her.

"Is Hotaru-nee inside?" She asked.

"She is."

Nobuko stepped aside as he let her in then closing the doors.

"I do believe you already received the news about Sora." Kazumi stopped from her tracks as she face Nobuko behind.
"Tell Hotaru what she have to hear, I bet you're the only one who knows since none of us does."

Kazumi just nodded still with her smile as she continued to walk towards Hotaru's room. She hasn't entered yet but she could already hear her sobs. She knocked on the door and waited for what like a couple of seconds before slowly opening it. There they saw Hotaru sobbing as she quickly dried her tears up upon seeing Kazumi enter. Kazumi didn't say a word as she plainly walked over to her and sat down the floor beside her. Silence, as only Hotaru's sniffing sounds from sobbing can be heard.

"I.... Honestly I.... already expected such a thing to happen." Hotaru finally said.
"I just can't believe that that'll be.... the last time I get to see him."

Kazumi just listened as she let Hotaru rest her head on her shoulder. Kazumi lifted her arm up rubbing circles on her back.

"I was never able to confess to him."

"The truth is, Sora-san told me something. That day we helped here that happened just a week ago, the day you last saw him, we walked back home together." Hotaru kept sobbing as she shake her head.
"He told me to tell you that, it'll make him happier if you find another and fall for someone new other than him. And that, he would always watch over you and your family from the other side."

".... That idiot.... he knows but he didn't tell me anything."

"Yeah.... he's an idiot.... He told me those words as if he managed to predict his own death."

Kazumi then turned around as she hugged Hotaru who cried a river on her shoulder. She stayed with her until she managed to calm down and fall asleep from exhaustion. Just as she come out of the room, Hiro's there sitting on the floor, his back leaning on the wall behind him.

"Thanks." He said as he look at Kazumi.
"Sora doesn't talk much about what he really feels. I'm glad that idiot talked to you."

"Well, at least I got to tell him that him and your sister are a perfect match." Kazumi replied sitting down with him.
"You heard everything. And now you're seeing your sister like that, what would you do?"

"If you're asking about the future, I'm well aware that death is always a step closer behind me as I am a slayer. Seeing her react like that to Sora's death...." Hiro's eyes started to become teary as he look down.
".... it'll hurt me to see her react like that to mine. So I always try my best to keep myself alive every after missions. I.... try my best to always come back home, here at this place, and see her running towards me with a smile on her face and hug me." His tears then dripped down on the floor making wet water droplet marks.

Kazumi sighed as she pats his shoulder lightly. She then stopped as she just made her hand remain on his shoulder resting it.

"It must've been hard for you too. Maybe harder than this during Haru's death. You're quite a strong child."

"How so?"

"Seeing how you're still able to act normally. Always smiling and laughing as if you never lost anyone. I know you're lonely but, you're trying your best to endure and hide it. Even making others happy and comfort them."

Kazumi just chuckled as she lightly hit his arm with her fist. The two just gave each other a light hearted laugh easing the sadness around them. Just then, Nobuko arrived and saw them.

"You two looked like a couple of crazy people laughing there." He said that made them turn to him.

"Come on Nobuko, that's harsh." Hiro replied smiling at him.

"Stand up you two and help me. The kitchen's empty and it's time to cook lunch."

"Nah, you can do that yourself." Hiro waved his hand as he lean back on the wall and close his eyes.

"Yeah. You can cook." Kazumi agreed.

Irk marks started to form on Nobuko's forehead as he grit his teeth. He then stepped in front of them grabbing Hiro's right ankle and Kazumi's left ankle.

'Oh no.'

He then pulled them that made Hiro snap his eyes open.

"Wait! Nobuko! Not like this! The slayers are watching us!" Hiro exclaimed as he turn around to grab the floor.

"Shut it. Let them watch then."

The two kept on struggling as Nobuko kept his tight grip on their ankles pulling them as the two get wiped on the floor. The slayers walking by that are recovering there watched stiffling in their laughter.

"Nobuko-san! This isn't how you're supposed to treat your juniors!"

"You're a Pillar Kazumi." He kept on pulling them until they arrived at the kitchen did he let go of their ankles.

Hiro immediately stood up about to run away when Nobuko grabbed him by the back of his collar and kicked him into the kitchen.

"Hey! That's abuse!" Hiro pointed a finger at him.

"Said by someone who hit my head with a tree branch three years ago as a form of joke."

"Forget that already! That was a long time ago!"

(A/N: In a friend group there's always the ✨mother✨. Yes Nobuko-san, raise them.)