Tears Behind the Emotionless Face

Ch - 2 ° You wouldn't understand

It was night, the lights brightly glowed in the streets. It started to become quiet and people began settling down in their homes. Aoi and Kanao were winding up with their chores while the triplets were setting the table.

"Shinobu-sama. Will you eat dinner?" Aoi asked.

"Don't bother. I'll be on the roof if you want." Shinobu's face dropped showing a hint of tiredness.

'This has been going on every year on her death anniversary. When will she move on, Kanae-sama?' Aoi's eyebrows furrowed, highlighting an expression of worry.

The others however, ate dinner and visited Kanae's grave on her death anniversary and went to their respective rooms. Though they did feel very low today, they couldn't quite match Shinobu's grief.

It was quite late, around midnight when Giyuu's eyes slowly woke. Upon seeing the unfamiliar surroundings his reflexes quickly acted upon and he jolted up.

After a few seconds he realized that he was at the Butterfly Mansion.

'I fell asleep?' Giyuu looked around.

He felt sick sitting in the closed room. It felt like a locked cage. He wanted to get out of there immediately.

Giyuu wandered outside without any clue where to go until he reached the pool of fishes in the garden. He sat there and gazed at the fishes peacefully swimming in the water.

It was quiet until he heard a faint voice of a woman talking. The voice was quite shrill though sweet. It sounded like clueless rambling than a conversation.

'Is that Kochou's voice?' Giyuu looked around to find her.

Though he didn't usually approach her, her voice and tone seemed to be quite unusual for her usual behavior.

'It's coming from above. Is it the roof?' He tried tracking the direction of her voice.

He sprinted to the roof only to see her sitting on the roof. He couldn't see her as he was standing a few meters behind her.

'Oh. Tomioka-san?' Shinobu turned.

His eyes widened when he saw her.

The first button of her shirt was opened.

Her hair was open.

Her face was flushed.

She was completely intoxicated with alcohol.

His eyes still lingered on her body. It was as if her entire demeanor had changed.

'Come here! Join me!' Shinobu gracefully smiled. She was still as elegant even when drunk.

Unsure if he should join, he didn't have any choice as he was under her care.

Upon getting a closer look on her face, he realized that her eyes were puffy and red. Dried tears laid on her cheek. He's actually never seen her cry. Neither did he see her cry at Kanae's funeral. In fact she had only gotten a lot more fake with her emotions.

'What are you doing here?' She laughed.

'Nothing.' He replied trying to not upset her in any way.

'I know you're wondering why I was crying.' She smiled.

He turned his away, quite surprised how he read him so easily.

'Today's Ne-san's death anniversary. I'm pretty sure you know her.' Her voice cracked a bit, almost exposing her mask.

It took him a second to register.

'I shouldn't have come here.' His mind repeated the same sentence again and again while his body stood frozen and his eyes widened.

'I'm very sorry. I understand your grief.' Giyuu's usual monotonous voice reflected guilt. He did have emotions after all.

He wasn't the best at comforting people and due to his behavior people often misunderstood him as an arrogant man.

'Hah! Understand my pain? You're cracking real jokes! You don't know a single ounce of what I went through!' Shinobu scoffed, a complete opposite of her composed nature. She acted more like her past nature.

Giyuu's face completely changed. The statement single-handedly showed her real emotions.

'If you want to show pity then so be it! I don't want your fake empathy. You wouldn't understand the pain and guilt I faced.' Her face heated more and more as the alcohol completely took control of her mind.

'I thought you of all people wouldn't be like this, Shinobu.' He stood up, completely ignoring any eye contact. He turned away and left.

'Eh? Did I say something wrong? It's his fault anyways! He could've just shut up like he always does.' Shinobu's face scrunched in confusion.

His image only got smaller and smaller as he walked further away without turning away.

-----------------

'She probably didn't mean it. She was drunk anyway...... Were those her real thoughts about me? I thought she was better than the others. I really thought she wouldn't just assume like them. Does she really think like that?'

He sauntered back to his room, took his haori and uniform ready for tomorrow. He planned to quickly leave after the examination the next day.

'I should calm down. I'm probably upset about her comments. She's intoxicated right now and she isn't thinking straight for now. Right?'