The Risk I am Willing To Take

Chapter 11

I woke up in Kuguri's arms the next morning. I slowly and carefully got out of my boyfriend's grip and started dressing. While dressing I realised something... 'This is our last day together with Nao...' I felt my heart sink. I felt like I could cry in a second. I don't know how long I was standing there but then I felt a pair of arms wrapping around my waist.
-Morning Sunshine.
Said my boyfriend in a deep husky voice. Then I felt his head on my shoulder.
-Morning Nao...
I suddenly felt his head lifting.
-Are you okay? You sound sad.
I sighed. 'How am I gonna tell you Nao...' I questioned myself.
-Nao... Think about it... What's our next destination?
I said and turned around in his arms. I put my head on his chest and waited for him to realise.
-Our today's destination is the mountains. The secret way.
-Yes. And now think about it...
We stayed in silence. I waited and waited. Suddenly I felt his head on mine and the hug tightened.
-You realised, didn't you?
He said nothing just kept me close. I felt like crying. Or I thought I felt like it. Because I was already crying, making my boyfriend's shirt wet.
-I don't wanna go yet...
I said between sobs. I felt my hair getting wet.
-And I don't want to let go of you yet...
The silence set on us again. We stayed like that for a while. Then I felt him letting go of my waist and putting his hands on my shoulders. He slightly pushed me away. I lifted my head up.
-Yuki. As much as I don't want to let you go... But like you said, the sooner you get to know what is going on the more chances we have to get away...
-I know but...
-Hey! We will still spend this day together before we reach the secret way.
I just smiled at his positivity.
-You know... Even if they say you are a pessimist you are being pretty optimistic right now Nao.
We both chuckled. After a few more looks at each other we eventually started dressing. I had one more pair of clothes before I run out of the clean ones. After we got dressed I still took on the cloak. We eat breakfast downstairs in the presence of Teshiro. He greeted us and gave us some warm breakfast. Right after we finished we went upstairs, grabbed our belongings, said goodbye to my friend and we eventually started our last journey together.
In a few hours we stopped for a while to eat.
-Soon we will reach the path where we have to leave the main road.
I stated as we sat in the shadow of a big oak tree.
-How long will it take to reach the side path?
-About 2 or more hours, depending on the speed of our walking.
-Oh... Okay.
We stayed in silence. I could feel the sadness sitting on us. I knew this day would come but I didn't think it would be this fast...
Till the end of our journey we stayed in sad and kind of uncomfortable silence. We held hands but we said no words. Within 2 hours we actually reached the small secret path. It started in a cave. On the other side of the cave lane became a little bit bigger. It was bordered by two rock walls. The path is always shadowed by the two walls and sometimes there are huge stone bridges running over the path. The small way was made by the river that runs across the capital. One of the old, dried out rivers ran there. As we reached the cave I stopped in front of it. I turned around and looked at my boyfriend. He looked like he was about to cry but held himself together. He could hold himself but I couldn't. As I cried he started to cry too. We thought the same thing when we both stepped a few steps ahead and hugged each other, crying on each other's shoulder. Crying, crying and crying. Crying for minutes. Tones of salty tears landed on the other's shoulder, wetting it. But we just cried and just held each other tight. After thirty minutes of crying we let go of each other. Neither of us had any more tears. We just stood there looking at each other. We shared small kisses. Kisses, kisses, just kisses. Kisses and hugging. For another half an hour. Now we were just looking at each other.
-I love you Yuki.
-I love you too, Nao.
We said as we shared one more small kiss before we let go of each other.
-We will see each other soon, I promise Nao.
-You do?
-I do.
One more kiss before I turned around and walked into the dark cave. I already knew where to step. In a few minutes I could already see the light in front of me. I looked back. The light from behind me was already gone. I sighed and continued my way towards the light. In 5 minutes I could see the cave ending in front of me. I could clearly see the canyon I will be walking for a while. In a few seconds I was out of the dark and mysterious cave. I looked up. I put my hands in front of my eyes so I could see. It was around 4 in the afternoon. 'It will take at least 6 or more hours to reach the small brook running in the cracks of the rocks. 'I should get going If I want to sleep there' I thought and started walking in the winding canyon.
The sun was setting. From here, from the bottom of the canyon it looked beautiful. This is one of my favourite things about this place. I stopped for a minute when I realised I had left Kuguri alone around 5 hours ago. 'I wonder where is he? He will probably try to reach the city.' I thought as I took more and more steps forward.
It was already dark when I arrived at the small trickling brook in between the rocks. I dropped my thing to the ground and fell on my knees right next to the water. I dipped my hands into the cold water and took some water. In the first dip I splashed the water in my face, I drank the 2nd and 3rd dips.
After I took off my cloak and sat next to the wall I looked up one more time. I thought of one thing. 'Good Night Kuguri' I thought before I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
In the morning the only thing that could wake me up was the sunshine blinding me through my eyelids.