lifeline | bl | jjk

6: starvation

6: starvation

kyoto, japan

"From now on, stay close to me. We'll be entering the Sagano Bamboo Forest through the Tenryuji Temple. The disappearances happened around the area so we'll first investigate near the temple. Whether we're dealing with a curse or cursed users, I'm not sure. So, be a bit more vigilant, Yuuta-kun."

"Yes, Shihori-san."

Okkotsu Yuuta happily toddled behind Shihori, grasping the strap of his katana while smiling like a silly person. When Yua Shihori saw this, he couldn't help but feel even more worried about the youth he brought along. Maybe he had been a little impulsive when he made the decision to bring Yuuta.

Meanwhile, Yuuta was busy echoing the words stay close to me inside his head. If it had been burned into a CD, the CD might have already scratches from how many times he repeated it in a day. "Yuuta-kun, be careful, okay?"

"Yes, Shihori-san." Came his obedient answer. Seeing this, Shihori couldn't even say his regrets for bringing Yuuta into this almost suicidal mission. The words he wanted to say, that maybe Yuuta should wait for him at an inn, were stuck in his throat.

How could he make that smiling face of this obedient kid turn into one of dejection? That would be a crime he would never be able to forget.

As they hiked up through the path leading to the Tenryuji Temple, Yuuta finally snapped out of his thoughts to ask a question that had been floating around for quite a while. "Shihori-san, why are we going to look around in the dark? Wouldn't it be better if we wait until morning?"

"Don't worry," was Shihori's response. "I can use my cursed technique even better in the dark. This way, even if you don't have time to react, I'll be able to protect you easily."

Warmth spread across his chest, the word protect gave Yuuta so much reassurance and happiness that he impulsively grabbed hold of the hem of Shihori's shirt. This made the nurse turn around, flustering the poor youth. "This, Shihori-san--"

"It's okay if you're scared; I'm here, aren't I?" Instead of letting the youth keep on holding onto his shirt, what he did next almost made Yuuta faint on the spot. A cold, rough hand intertwined itself with his own, clasping around Yuuta's slender and shaky hand. "Don't let go. This way, we won't get separated."

A burst of inexplicable feelings spread across his body, up from his head and down to the toes of his feet. For a second there, Yuuta felt like crying.

How long had it been since he felt like he could depend on someone?

How long had it been since he felt this kind of tenderness?

Ever since he isolated himself from everyone and after losing contact with Shihori three years ago, Yuuta lived as if he was against the world and the world against him. Unless necessary, he wouldn't even talk to anyone nor make contact with other people. He was afraid Rika would come out and hurt them.

Little did he know, if he had tried harder, if he had just gone to the hospital back then and not lock himself up in his room, maybe he could have asked for Shihori's number again. If he only had courage to do so, he wouldn't have lost the only lifeline he had clung onto.

.

.

It took them a little over an hour to check the area near the temple but they found nothing out of place. Thus, they headed farther into the bamboo forest. And ever since they held hands, they had never once separated.

Shihori had nothing else in mind other than the fact that he wanted to comfort Yuuta who seemed scared -- Yuuta was not. In fact, the youth was nervous because he didn't know how he would explain his sudden act of grabbing onto the nurse's shirt.