𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄 - ★彡[ᴋᴀᴍɪꜱᴀᴛᴏ ᴀʏᴀᴛᴏ]彡★

二十七 - 27

 If you have the sentence "the black cat jumped on the fence" and you take away the word "cat" the sentence becomes "the black jumped on the fence," which is nonsensical. However if you take away the word "black," the sentence becomes "the cat jumped on the fence," which is grammatically correct. Humans work in the same way. The world as well as operations and businesses can function fine without certain people, and fall to pieces without others. It would only make sense that if the words "black" and "cat" in that sentence were put up for debate on which one should be removed, everyone would pick "black." That was how (Y/n)'s perception of the world had been, and unfortunately, the perception of her own life. 

It was weird to simply sum up the emotions of someone thinking that they're an adjective to someone's noun, akin to the saying that one is a side character in a main character's story. It's easy to indulge in these thoughts and let them justify your selfless actions, which is what (Y/n) had done. Ayato couldn't say he understood why she placed so little value to herself up until her death, yet knew it would've been pointless to try and change her thinking.

"Brother, will you be going to the service?" Ayaka asked him, peeking past the door of his office and cutting through his thoughts. She was dressed in a long black dress and there were noticeable dark circles under her eyes.

"Mhm," Ayato nodded, not looking up from the letter in his hands. He had read it over and over, trying to see if maybe reading it enough times would cause her to come back.
"Her body is going to be preserved at the Grand Narukami Shrine," Ayaka dipped her head, "the service will be held there as well."

"Alright, I'll get dressed," Ayato stood up and felt the world shift from under him- it almost felt like Teyvat was flipping on its back.

"Brother!" Ayaka raced forward and caught him as he fell to the ground. "What's wrong?"
Ayato wrapped his arms around her shoulders and clutched her tightly, trembling. "I'm so glad you're alive."

No matter what he had sacrificed, all that mattered was that he had his beloved sister by his side. Even though his heart felt like it was torn in two, so long as she was there, he knew that there was at least some shred of purity in the dark and corrupted world.

Ayaka returned the embrace. "I'm sorry, I ended up taking (Y/n)'s future," he could hear her voice quivering, "I'm so sorry."

"You didn't take her future." Ayato said, rage building in his chest. "The ones who took her future away are those damned Fatui. I swear, I'll get my revenge on them and hurt them just as they hurt her. But even saying that... I'm the reason she went there."

That's right. He was nothing but a haughty man who happened to speak too loudly on a matter that she shouldn't have been involved with at all. Due to his mistakes, he put more people at risk. The Shogun would be disappointed if she ever were to find out about him failing his task. A disappointment to all, that's what I am.

It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, Kamisato Ayato always fell just short of what he wanted.

"It's not your fault," Ayaka whispered, "so please, don't blame yourself."
If only it were that easy.

"I failed her, just as I failed Mother," he spat. "I only bring harm to those around me. If she hadn't met me, then she would've been happier. I wish I had never-"

"Don't say that!" Ayaka's normally calm and collected voice was cracking as she pulled away and grabbed his shoulders. "How do you think that (Y/n) would feel if she heard all that?"

Ayato shoved his sister off of him and walked out of the room, ignoring his uneven steps and going to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

He drew his sword as he saw a woman sprawled out on his bed, her long snowy blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she smirked at him.

La Signora.

Normally his brain would have asked simple questions like 'how did she get in' or 'why did no one stop her;' but he was simply too exhausted to care.

"Do you want to save her?" Those simple words were enough to tear through his heart.

"Is there a way?" Ayato found himself struggling to maintain his composure. "A way that I can bring her back?"

"Why, yes," Signora grinned, "there is a way. A very easy way, in fact."

Ayato gripped the hilt of his sword harder. "Tell me, I'll do anything."

"All you have to do is forget about her. Oh, and pay us a sufficient amount of mora."

.  .  .

Ayaka placed her hands in a prayer, feeling her eyes grow wet with tears as she stared at (Y/n)'s body. Her brother had refused to come along and Thoma was too bedridden so only (Y/n)'s father and a few of the servants and people she had vaguely known had attended.

Her father was a wreck, crying nonstop and unable to control his sobbing. Ayaka felt pity for him, yet also knew that she was the reason that (Y/n) was in this state in the first place. She was the one who had made him like this- so Ayaka was not in the place to comfort him.

"I'm sorry," Ayaka dipped her head to him as she passed him and walked away.

Coincidentally, it was raining outside. For some reason, there were no shrine maidens around, despite the fact that there had been plenty when she arrived. Ayaka had not brought her sword to the service and found herself feeling unguarded.

There was a rustle in the bushes behind her, and she stared at it, desperately scanning the ground before it to see signs of anything that could be used as a weapon.

"Come out," Ayaka spoke, her voice quivering. If the devil had come to take her life for her sins, she wouldn't go out without a fight. After all, what had (Y/n) sacrificed her own life for? "Who are you?"

Her brother stepped out of the bushes with a blank expression on his face. He was holding a handkerchief in his hand which was embroidered with red chrysanthemums. Feeling relief wash over her, Ayaka relaxed her terse body with a smile.

"You came to the service, Brother?" she asked him quietly.

Sorrow still filled her brother's gaze, like a deep ocean full of never-receding waves. The waves in his eyes would not quell, he had control over them yet he was completely powerless all at the same time. The handkerchief blew slightly in the wind, the rain pattering down onto it and causing the bright red flower to dampen into a dark mahogany. His hair was messy and slightly tangled, falling over his neck and shadowing his eyes.

"Yes," he replied to me after a long moment of silence. "Sister, would you close your eyes for me?"

"Why?" Ayaka tilted her head to the side.

"I want to embrace you, however I am far too embarrassed to do it when you have your eyes open," Ayato replied flatly.

Ayaka was far too trusting– this was one of her greatest weaknesses. So she easily believed her brother and let her eyes flutter shut without question, and when she felt the feeling of the handkerchief against her lips and the acidic burn in her nose, she was caught completely by surprise.

"Sorry," he murmured, "you'll be alright, I promise."

Hey guys, 

Don't worry- the story is far from over! Thank you for 30k reads.

Much love,

Wasabi