It had been a year since Takahashi Akari had seen her family. Now she was back and at a glance, everything is more than perfect. But when she becomes her own enemy and her worst nightmares turn into reality, what will she do? Will she be able to sur...
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"Please! I beg of you! Spare him!"
Akari groaned.
" No! Give him back to me! I won't forgive you if you kill him!" The woman's tear-streamed face reflected her own.
"I'm sorry!"
The hashira screamed as she woke from her nightmare with a jolt. Her hands reached up to her face as she felt the wetness that coated her skin.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me..." She whispered while sobbing into her hands.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The girl apologized again and again to seemingly no one. But she saw it.
The pair of glowing tear-filled eyes that glared at her across from the dark room.
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Worn out from her nightmare, Akari dragged herself out of the hotel bed and started to walk towards the bathroom. Seeing her reflection on a mirror out of the corner of her eye made her stop.
Tousled hair, baggy eyes with dark circles, dried and cut lips all proved her malaise the previous night. Her hands came up and stretched the corners of her mouth with her forefingers, forming a wide plastic smile. A few seconds of staring at herself passed.
She sighed as she let her arms drop to her sides before continuing to her original destination.
Memories filled her head as the hashira scrubbed herself clean.
"Give him back to me!"
She shook her head but the hateful voice remained.
"I won't forgive you!"
"Stop." She whispered as all her movements ceased. "Please."
"I hope you die a painful death, you murderer!"
"SHUT UP!" She threw the bar of soap in her hand against the wall. The soap stuck to the now cracked wall.
"Fuck." She chuckled humorlessly and ran her hands through her wet hair.
After bathing, she dried herself and dressed quickly. She was out of the inn and walking to Hayashi's workspace in less than fifteen minutes.
Her morning weariness dissipated when she saw the swordsmith standing nervously at the entrance of his home, a bouquet in one hand and her new sword in the other.
"Ohayo, Akari." He smiled charmingly.
"Good morning!" She waved back before her eyes returned to the vibrant flowers. "Got something for me?"
"Ah, here is your sword, try not to break it this time." His eyes hardened momentarily. It sounded more of a warning than a request.
"I didn't break the last one! It was merely chipped!" She protested.
