Scarlet

20. Eternity

Gouenji had hoped that with time she would recover and bury her fears deep down in her heart and forget about them forever. But six months and that didn't happen. She wasn't just worrying for herself, she was worrying for the both of them and that fear was eating at her heart.

He finally decided to address it one day. She was sitting on the armchair near the fireplace, staring at the fire with unblinking eyes.

He walked up to her and sat down on his knees in front of her chair. At this, her concentration broke and she looked at him. He squeezed her hands gently before speaking,

"Kira, I think you should travel again. "

Kira gasped at the word 'travel' and then shook her head rapidly.

"This fear that's eating at your heart, you must face it." He was trying to sound as gentle as possible.

"You said you will always protect me and now you're telling me this?!" She was agitated.

"You don't need me to protect you. You're brave. If you weren't, we wouldn't have even met." He placed his hand on her cheek.

"You promised me! It was right here when you said that I will be safe with you!" She exclaimed in anxiety.

"And I'll always keep that promise. But you owe it to yourself to complete that journey you marked on that map. "

Kira became quiet and the look of anxiety on her face took a pause. Seeing this, hope rose in Gouenji's heart that he was getting through to her.

He sprang up and quickly brought her map to her and sat down on the chair beside her.

"Look at this. You were here. " He pointed at a blue cross on a city marked by her, "Only three stations were left. It won't take you more than twenty days. " He spoke enthusiastically and then glanced at her. She had begun contemplating as she stared at the map. A fleeting look of fondness went past her face as she traced the markings on her map.

Gouenji made one last remark to hammer his point.

"And when it's all said and done and you'll come back to me, I will turn you if you'll ask. "

"You will?" Kira's eyes immediately darted at him.

"Whenever you'll say, I'll do it without question. " Gouenji assured her.

Kira smiled with a childlike wonder, "Okay, if you say that, then I'll go. " She glanced at her map one more time and then lovingly folded it up.

...

Once again Gouenji stood facing Kira near the front door, his heart heavy. Every time she left, she took his heart with her, he was restless until she returned. But this time at least there was this faint flicker of relief that he had made the right decision. He knew when she would return, she would happily do so, not out of fear. She would be doing it because his love brought her back.

"Take care." He said as he took both her hands and kissed them.

"Don't forget, once I come back you will have to turn me. As soon as I step foot in the house." She looked at him with sombre eyes.

"Of course. " He answered and then pulled her close. He placed a kiss on her forehead and let her go.

...

Once again his days were dreary and nights were restless. His mind was constantly focused on Kira, where she might be and what she would be doing. He hoped the atmosphere outside was clearing up the fog in her mind.

However, this time, he didn't have to suffer for long. Twenty days passed one by one and one day she returned to him, safe and sound.

He hugged her at the doorstep as he always did. When he broke apart and gazed at her, he could see a glow on her face. Her smile was radiant this time.