Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 114 - Under The Tree Alone

Jin was walking out of the main Kuoh Academy building. School had ended and he was walking out with Aika and Mittelt by his sides. All looking at the heavy pouring rain. However, Aika was prepared as she pulled out a foldable umbrella from her bag. Unfolding it and holding it out above her head as Jin looked at the rain and the tree.

Mittelt: You know you don't have to keep on staying under the tree! If she doesn't want to see you that's her loss!

Aika: It has been a while Jin. Maybe just wait until she comes to school. You said she was going to come here. She's a part of Rias and her peerage. It's guaranteed she's coming here.

Aika said as she has watched Jin go and sit under the tree. He was consistent about it. In the cold, heat or rain, he didn't stop sitting under the tree. He needed to wait and if she never came, this was his punishment.

Jin: I know. I'm going to see her again eventually no matter what. But... I really want to see her again under that tree. No matter the rain. Even if it windy or if it was snowing, I want to see her under that tree again.

Jin said as he missed Koneko and her gentle touch. Her warmth that would make any snow or ice melt. Her hugs would have covered him from the rain and wind. He missed her small warming smile and her adorable giggle. Their shows of affection. Everything about Koneko, he missed.

He was going to continue waiting under that tree. Even if she never came in the end.

Mittelt: But it's raining!

Mittelt said as she pointed out at the heavy pouring rain. Even she didn't want to step out into that. Her shoes were getting wet and she was under the school's extended roof. She didn't think Jin deserved any of this. Jin wasn't a bad person and she knew that, even if Jin didn't know that.

Aika: Mittelt, Jin feels as if he needs to do this. So let's go home.

Mittelt: We could always wait with him!

Aika: No. We'll go back and make a nice dinner for him. This is something he wants to do alone.

Mittelt listened to Aika and looked at Jin. Seeing the face on him that she saw when Aika hurt him. Jin was really hurt by what he had done to Koneko and Mittelt could only give Jin a small hug as she walked close to Aika and under the umbrella.

Aika: I'll walk Mittelt back home, I'll go to my parents and tell them I want to cook dinner for you today. I'm sure they'll understand.

Aika said giving a small kiss to Jin as he leaned down for it. Giving a small kiss back to her, because she was in support of what Jin decided to do. The choices he made, she loved him for it.

Jin: Thank you Aika.

Jin said as he watched Aika walking away with Mittelt. But they didn't leave without looking back. But Jin was already gone. Going somewhere else and transforming into a fox.

All so he could do was wait under a tree in the rain for someone he hoped would come back.

Time skip

Jin was in his small fox form, with one tail. Sitting under the tree he always did with Koneko. Completely soaked as it was raining hard. His fur was drenched and his tail was like a sponge that absorbed the rain. Waiting for the return of someone who might have never come back.

Jin: {I... I still can't think of a single way I could have introduced myself without leading to this. I... I don't think there was a single way to do it without hurting her. The only reason I got to enjoy her comfort was because I hid who I was.}

Jin just sat in the mud as he didn't shake off or move. Stuck with his thoughts and what he did wrong. Knowing he couldn't have avoided hurting Koneko.

Jin: {She felt safe with me. I was someone she could confide in, smile around, feel calm and relaxed around. But I completely ruined it.} I hurt her.

Jin said as he waited in the rain and mud beneath him. He wouldn't compromise on waiting. He would stay here as long as he needed to. Even if his fur got dirty he would wait for her. Even if he was drenched in rain he would wait for her. Even if he felt cold he would continue waiting for her to come back.

He didn't know what he would say he didn't know how to fix the hurt in her heart he made. But as long as she came back, there had to be a way of fixing this.

But somewhere between the wind getting in his eyes, the cold of the rain and mud. With him closing his eyes more often and the tree he was sitting under. Jins eyes didn't open again.

He fell asleep.