Bonded and Broken

Chapter 35

Kakashi's POV

A steady downpour continued to cascade over Hanaoka. It's approaching evening already, but the rainfall shows no signs of stopping yet. The rhythmic pattering of raindrops, occasional rumbling of thunder, and whistling of the winds constantly echoed all around the village.

The droplets of water racing down the window provided a distorted view of the world beyond the cozy confines of Sumire's room. I gazed at the scene outside with a steaming cup of peppermint tea in hand, drinking the hot liquid slowly while observing the trees across the street as they uncontrollably swayed with the gusts of winds sweeping through the area.

As I was sipping the final drops of tea from my cup, I directed my eyes towards the silver-haired girl sleeping soundly in the room. The warmth from the drink provided a comforting shield against the chilly weather, yet the sight of her emitted a different kind of warmth- it was a sensation that seeped deep within me. Something that was able to effortlessly penetrate straight to my heart.

The purple-eyed girl appeared terribly exhausted earlier. Fortunately, she followed my suggestion to take a quick shower and change into warm clothes as soon as we got here because she'd probably get sick if she hadn't. After tending to her wounds and getting her something to eat, I noticed her being drowsy so I let her have some much-needed rest.

The clock just struck six in the evening, so it was already dark.

The dim room's only source of light is the warm glow emanating from the lamp on the nightstand. It provided just enough light for me to contentedly gaze at Sumire while I was seated on a chair by her bed. In the subdued glow, her face looked so serene as she dreamt away, and I wished she was having a pleasant kind of dream.

The girl stirred a bit in her sleep, causing her hair to cover a part of her face. Instinctively, my hand moved as if it had a mind of its own, reaching out to gently brush the strands of hair away.

She blinked a few times when she sensed my hand caressing her face. I anticipated she might pull away when she reached out to touch it, but she pressed my hand snugly against her cheek while giving me a smile.

"I'm probably still dreaming," her voice was husky and she still looked half-asleep at the moment. "I dreamt about you earlier too. We met in the town square and it felt so real when you hugged me. But I'll probably wake up soon, then I'd be disappointed not to find you with me again."

So, she believes what transpired earlier was just a dream.

I was about to tell her that what happened was real when she shifted and pulled me closer, causing me to tumble onto the bed beside her. Fortunately, I was relieved that I didn't accidentally hurt her injured arm in the process.

I tried to stand and move back to my seat, but she didn't let go of me. So I just laid down next to her because she was comfortable with it anyway.

"I wish this was real. I wish you were real," she whispered as she leaned her head on my chest. "Do you know how many times I think about you everyday? Now, you're invading my dreams too."

I lay there motionlessly next to her, my heart racing wildly due to how close we are at the moment. I was lost for words and overwhelmed with happiness with what she's saying to me.

"Don't go yet, okay?" She pleaded, her amethyst eyes piercing onto my gray ones. "Stay with me in my dream until I wake up."

I nodded in acknowledgment of her plea then whispered in her ear, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here even after you wake up."

The girl beside me was still caught in between the hazy realm of her dreams and reality. With a soft voice and drooping eyes, she uttered words that electrified me to the core of my very being, "I love you, Kakashi."