Whispers of Water and Wind

Chapter 6 Tears on Your Shoulder

Giyuu's voice was soft but resolute. "Hold me."

Sanemi's face turned a shade of red that matched his rising confusion. "W-what did you say?"

"Hold me," Giyuu repeated. "Take me outside. I want to see the moon. I can't walk, you know. By the way, what were you thinking when I said 'hold me'?"

Sanemi's cheeks flushed even more, his embarrassment evident. "Nothing. (,,Ծ‸Ծ,,) Just... come here. Let me hold you."

With some effort, Sanemi stood and reached out to Giyuu. He took her hand, attempting to lift her gently. Giyuu managed to stand on her feet, but she wobbled and stumbled, falling into Sanemi's arms. He was unsure how to proceed, struggling to figure out how to pick her up without making her uncomfortable.

Giyuu looked up at him, a hint of impatience in her eyes. "Hold me in a bridal style, idiot. Haven't you seen how your dad holds your mom?"

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"What happened, Mr. Shinazugawa?" Giyuu asked, her tone a mix of amusement and frustration.

Sanemi blinked, caught off guard by her words. "What the... you were watching your dad hold your mom in bridal style?"

"No," Giyuu replied flatly. "I haven't seen my dad hold my mom. But I have seen my brother-in-law hold my sister when she was hurt or tired."

He carefully lifted Giyuu into his arms, holding her in the bridal style. As he started walking outside, he tried to make sense of the new information.

"You have a sister, and she's married?" Sanemi asked, trying to keep the conversation light despite the emotional weight.

"Hmmm," Giyuu murmured in response.

Sanemi pressed on, frustration tinged with concern. "What's with the 'hmm'? You know, your problem is that you don't talk, and when you do, you mess things up. Like what happened in the meeting—that was really rude. Don't you have any respect for your position and for Oyakata Sama? Because of you, we all got scolded too."

Giyuu's expression darkened as she listened. Her emotions, long suppressed, began to surface. "My sister... she died years ago, and today is her death anniversary. That's why I was feeling down and angry. I'm sorry. I think... I-I spoke too much in the meeting. I couldn't control my anger and emotions."

Tears welled up in Giyuu's eyes, spilling over as she began to sob quietly. She clung to Sanemi's clothes with a desperate grip, as if trying to anchor herself in this moment of vulnerability. This was a side of her she had never shown to anyone before, a side she had always hidden away in the privacy of her bedroom or bathroom. She was allowing herself to be emotionally exposed, something she had fought hard to avoid.

Sanemi's heart ached at the sound of her sobs. He had never seen her like this—so raw, so vulnerable. The weight of her grief and the realization of how harshly he and the others had treated her hit him hard. He felt a pang of guilt for not understanding her situation sooner. The way they had scolded her in the meeting now seemed cruel in light of her personal struggles.

Sanemi held her tighter, his own feelings of discomfort and regret mingling with his desire to provide comfort. The reality of Giyuu's pain was overwhelming, and he felt a deep sense of remorse for the way they had handled the situation.

Sanemi tried to offer comfort, found himself overwhelmed. Sanemi gently lowered Giyuu to the ground, his arms never leaving her. Sitting down with her. Giyuu was still gripping Sanemi tightly and sobbing. His heart ached as he felt the tremors of her sobs against his chest, her fingers gripping his clothing as if she feared being lost to the darkness. 

Sanemi could only hold her tighter. Sanemi's one hand was on her back and other hand on head patting her head trying to calm her down. But Giyuu was not stopping sobbing so Sanemi let her sob in his arms for now. They both sat outside, Sanemi continued to hold Giyuu close.

As Giyuu's sobs gradually began to subside, the silence between them felt almost sacred. Sanemi's heart, though heavy, was filled with a quiet resolve to be there for her, to understand her pain, and to offer the strength she needed.

As they sat together in the moonlit night. The moon, so bright and beautiful, seemed a stark contrast to the turmoil within. It was as if the universe itself was bearing witness to Giyuu's sorrow, a silent.

She eventually drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep, her head resting comfortably on Sanemi shoulder. Sanemi carefully lifted Giyuu and carried her, bridal style, through the dimly lit corridors of the inn. The gentle weight of her in his arms felt like a delicate promise, a silent vow to protect and comfort her.

When he reached her room, he gently laid her down on the bed, his movements slow and deliberate. Giyuu was still gripping Sanemi's cloths. Sanemi doesn't want to disturb her and pull away from the comforting presence she had found in him.

Sanemi decided to sleep beside, close enough to ensure she felt his reassuring presence. Once she leaves his cloths he will leave Giyuu' room. After some time he found himself lost in the silence of the room, staring at Giyuu's serene face. 

He had heard about her deep blue eyes, a color that had once been bright and attractive. Although he could no longer see their colors, he imagined them in his mind's eye – deep, intense, and full of untold stories. (Sanemi Become color blind after killing her mother before that Sanemi was able to see color's.)

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

Thank You So Much For Reading.

Write your opinion about this chapter and tell me whether you like it or not.

Next Chapter: Waking up in your arms.