Blissful [Shinazugawa Sanemi]

Chapter 19

Shiori smiled happily when she saw her little sister running into her room.

"Sis!!" She cried as she jumped toward Shiori and latched herself onto her body.

"I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me!!" She wailed.

"I promise I won't wander off like that again so please don't get hurt again!!"

Shiori chuckled as she patted Sayu's back. She was sitting on her bed, hugging Sayu's small body on her lap. She then looked up to the new person who just walked in. Her smile dropped when she saw Izuru.

"Shiori..." He called out.

He finally looked at her like the way he used to.

In just three days, Shiori's injuries completely healed. Her face returned to how it used to be, spotless and healthy. Izuru slowly caressed her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay..."

Shiori moved her face away from his hand. She didn't spare another glance at him and she focused on her younger sister.

"I'm okay now, Sayu. Don't cry." She comforted the girl. She buried her head on top of Sayu's smaller one.

"But, but, you threw up blood yesterday!" Sayu cried. "It hurts a lot, doesn't it?"

"I'm fine now. I'm not hurt at all. Sis gets to see your face so sis is not in pain anymore." Shiori mumbled against Sayu's head.

"Really?" Sayu looked up, sobbing.

Shiori gently wiped away Sayu's tears. She noticed how red and swollen her eyes were. It aches her heart knowing that her sister hasn't stopped crying since who knows how many days.

"I don't want to see you hurt." Sayu said.

"Okay, I will try to be more careful from now on." Shiori nodded.

Shiori turned her head to the door when another person walked in. She gasped in surprise when she saw Izuru's mother.

"Takagi-san?!"

"Oh, Shiori... I'm so glad you're okay...!"

The older woman wrapped her arms around Shiori as she breathed out a sigh of relief. "You don't know how worried I was when Izuru told me you're hurt!"

Shiori looked up at the woman's face, it was painted with worry. She couldn't help but feel touched at her kind gesture. Having lost her mother at an early age, the only person who could remind her of a mother figure is this woman beside her.

"Does anything still hurt?" She asked and Shiori shook her head.

"But, Takagi-san, shouldn't you be resting?" Shiori asked, her eyebrows slanted in worry.

"Oh, don't mind me! A little walk here and there is not a big deal for me." She smiled reassuringly but Shiori was still worried about her condition. She's not terminally ill, but she has a weak heart. Over exercise can worsen her condition.

"What caused you to get hurt like this, Shiori?" Takagi asked.

"It's because of this demon hunter corps, isn't it?" Izuru piped in before Shiori could answer. "How many times do I have to tell you, Shiori? I don't know what kind of work you're doing but it's dangerous!"

"What if you end up the same as my sister?!"

Hearing those words coming out from Izuru's mouth, everyone in the room went dead silent. Even Sayu stopped crying. Izuru covered his mouth with his hand, realizing what he just said.

"I... I didn't mean it that way." Izuru quickly said. He let out a yelp when his mother slapped his arm.

"How can you say that to Shiori?! You know she's the most hurt by that accident!" She reprimanded him.