bubblegum princess

chapter thirty eight

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the end of the beginning:
WAR OF HEARTS!
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HACHIYA COULDN'T HELP but feel embarrassed ━ not only did a konohagakure kunoichi save his life, but they also even patched him up after healing his injury that almost ended his life. His neck was now wrapped neatly by a bandage, he awkwardly sat still as Seiren continued to examine his vitals.

He glanced toward Sarada who had a glare that still hadn't left her eyes, thankfully ━ Seiren smiled in relief "Thank goodness..." She breathed out before looking back at her palm which still had some of his dried blood. She looked at it with an unexplainable gaze before looking back at Hachiya.

The boy recoiled slightly, inching backward as Seiren knelt down closer, her presence gentle yet unwavering. Her voice, soft as a breeze, broke the silence. "Who hurt you?" she whispered, her eyes full of concern and warmth, drawing him in with a sincerity that seemed to pierce right through his defenses.

Hachiya's gaze dropped in shame, his fingers trembling as he shifted himself lower, pressing his forehead against the cold floor. "T-Thank you... thank you so much for saving me," he stammered, his words catching in his throat. His heartbeat pounded heavily, echoing in his ears, the weight of it almost unbearable. "I-I... I never thought the people I despised would be the ones to save me," he choked, a sob spilling from his lips despite his efforts to contain it.

Seiren's expression softened further, her eyes downcast, understanding the struggle within him. She slowly approached, extending a gentle hand to gesture for him to sit up. Hachiya hesitated, then complied, his gaze downcast but his heart pounding with vulnerability. As Seiren's arms enveloped him in a soft embrace, a quiet gasp escaped him.

Sarada watched with a grunt, sensing the unspoken shift in the room, but her eyes softened too as she held back, giving the moment space.

For Hachiya, the embrace shattered the last of his composure. His shoulders began to shake, and a tidal wave of emotion crashed over him. Gripping Seiren's arms tightly, he broke down completely, sobbing with raw abandon. "I... I'm sorry!" he cried, his voice thick with regret. His hands clung to her, his heart too heavy with guilt, seeking the solace he never knew he needed. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, pleading, each word a desperate attempt to mend the fragments of trust he thought he'd never find.

"You don't have to be sorry..." she murmured softly, her voice a gentle balm to his wounds. Her hand moved in slow, soothing circles along his back, each stroke offering comfort he hadn't realized he craved. "Sometimes," she continued, her words laced with understanding, "we're caught in moments where we can't even think straight. We don't always get to control what we do in those times."

Her voice seemed to wrap around him like a warm embrace, her empathy easing the weight of his remorse. Hachiya's grip on her arms loosened as he let her words sink in, his sobs slowly subsiding. In her presence, he felt a release from the guilt that had weighed so heavily on him, finding, if only for a moment, that forgiveness might be something he could believe in.

Sarada knelt beside them and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, offering it with a gentle hand. Hachiya slowly pulled away from Seiren's embrace, his fingers trembling slightly as he took the cloth. As he dabbed at his eyes, his voice dropped to an urgent whisper, thick with worry.

"You... you must warn him," he said, his tone barely audible.

Sarada leaned in, straining to catch his words. "What?"