Change of Fate // Kyojuro Rengoku

.053

pre-chapter note: it's got a bit of abuse going on so possibly trigger warning? I'm not sure if a warning is necessary but i'd rather be safe

Captive

Kasumi's eyes fluttered open, a groan escaping her lips. Her head spun as she raised her body to be sitting. It seemed she was in some sort of dark room, no windows to show the outside world. Only a door was framed against the wall across from her, which now opened as a figure stepped into the room. "Hm, awake now?" A voice spoke out.

It was the jewelry maker Riku, his tall figure stepping forward and looming over the seated girl as he held a small bowl of rice. Kasumi had never paid the man much mind before, only frequently visiting his booth to admire the moon necklace. This made the situation feel all the more strange, she couldn't imagine what it was that he wanted with her.

Her wide eyes stared at the dark haired man's face as he crouched down beside her, placing the bowl down on the ground. "W-what-" Kasumi opened her mouth to speak, wanting to ask what it was he wanted, when she felt a sharp stinging pain at the back of her head.

"I did not say you could speak." Riku hissed. The girl slowly reached her hand up, rubbing her fingers across her scalp to try to ease the throbbing feeling. Suddenly, his fingers reached forward to caress Kasumi's chin. "So pretty when you're quiet." The man sighed, patting the girl's head before standing and walking toward the exit. He turned to give her one last glance, a smile stretching across his pale face as he gestured to the food. "Eat."

She didn't touch the food, and instead waited until she was sure he left before getting up and searching for an exit. She tried opening the door, though it was obviously locked. She tried shoving against it or yanking on it, neither of which worked. She searched the room for some kind of exit, but it was truly a solid concrete box. So, she would only have to wait for a chance to escape.

Riku returned again the next night, and immediately noticed that she hadn't eaten her food, which only angered him. "That's very rude you know, you should eat the food I brought. I am the one that will care for you from now on after all..."

She stayed quiet, watching as he stepped closer into the room. Unfortunately, he firmly closed the door behind himself, though he didn't lock it...

"I'm feeling generous, so I will allow you to ask one question today." He sat beside her on the bed, not noticing her calculating eyes and the way she cringed away.

Though, she was going to use this opportunity...

"Why... why are you-"

"That's enough." He interrupted, cutting her small voice short. "I understand you're probably confused. See...I've been watching you for a while." His hand raised, brushing over her hair and causing a horrible chill to run over Kasumi's spine. "I can tell, you're going to grow up to be such a lovely woman. You just need some training is all, and that backwoods family of yours will never give it to you."

Her brows furrowed, anger quelling in her chest.

"I tried speaking to your father about you once, but he basically told me to stay away. I saw him today, they think you were killed in the woods by a demon. Isn't that the most idiotic thing you've heard? They aren't even searching for you..." Riku caressed her hair, as if trying to comfort the little girl.

"My brothers..." She tried asking, but she felt a sharp slap against the back of her head. It was still bruised from the hit yesterday, and she cowered down to try avoiding another hit.

"I said you could ask one question. If you speak again I will only hit harder." He warned. "Your brothers, they're young... they will forget you. Your parents have already accepted your death... you should just forget them all-"

Kasumi bolted up, trying to run toward the door and yanking it open. Though, she couldn't even manage to reach a foot out before she was yanked backward once again and her body went tumbling to the ground. She didn't stop, and instead she tried jumping up and throwing her fists into her kidnapper's stomach. Her punches were nothing, and he didn't even flinch from the small attacks.

Riku gripped her arms, ceasing her movements. "Do you know why I hit you on the back of the head?" He huffed, only slightly struggling to hold the little girl as she thrashed and cried. "So I don't bruise that cute little face... so get used to it." And with that, he brought his fist down on her head again. She was knocked out this time. When she awoke, she was alone.

Anytime Kasumi spoke, she would be hit. Anytime he would see her crying, she would be hit. Sometimes for no reason at all, Riku would hit her. It was always in the same spot, the soft spot at the base of the back of her neck. It was so often that the skin felt tender and sore, bruised to the core.

In the beginning, Kasumi would make attempts to escape. She would try unlocking the door, or even breaking through the wall. But it was all to no avail, she was too weak. And even then, if Riku would hear her attempts, she would be hit.

Then, she wasn't sure how much time had passed when he spoke something to her. He brought in her daily bowl of food, placing it down before muttering the words. "Your mother is sick. She will likely die." And then, he left.

And so, Kasumi gave up.

She would forget what even brought her to where she was, or what life was like before she was confined to the small room. How she lived before she would be hit for every little thing she did.

She eventually forgot her family, her mind hazy from all the damage to her head, the trauma resulting from the assaults.

She would forget her name, it would never be spoken to her anyways.

She would forget everything, only knowing this life in a small prison, her only interaction being with the dark haired man. Quiet, wordless and cold. This was all she knew.

When Emi awoke from her dreams, she already knew there would be tears in her eyes before she even felt them. She felt unbearably cold and lonely, as if she was still somehow trapped in the memory of her past.

She felt so terrible, that she didn't even give it a second thought before quietly making her way out of her room, across the hallway, and into Kyojuro's room. She crawled into his bed, already half asleep as she wiped away the tears and curled into his side. He was asleep, but he still felt her presence, pulling her in closer and easing her cold loneliness. Emi drifted back off into a dreamless slumber.

••••

Anyways, guess which obsessive author got a lil Rengoku tattoo the other day??? ThiS biTcH!!! Am I a psycho? Yes. Do I care? No.