The Cursed Iris

Sprout 10: I Want to Get Stronger

Katsumi ran out behind Ayame even in his current state. Each step hurt, each breath he took hurt like it was glass piercing his lungs, but he had to find her. He had to reassure her that she wasn't those things that Natsume told her, and he had to let her know that she was stronger than he was. 

Katsumi caught her scent just as it began to rain, I have to let her know. Ayame you aren't weak, strength isn't just physical. The mental strength I've seen from you since our first meeting is amazing. Don't let the word Natsume said to you get you down. Katsumi thought as he continued running.

He followed her scent as it continued to get stronger. Then he finally reached her, and she was standing on the edge of a cliff; Katsumi stopped, "Ayame!" he yelled.

She turned to him, and even in the rain he could tell she was crying a lot.

"Katsu-mi," she choked.

He didn't want her to do what he thought she was going to do, so he decided to walk towards her slowly, "Just stop it," Ayame told him. "I know what you're going to say. I know what you're going to do. Please just stop, I'm begging you, please."

Katsumi, at a loss for words, didn't know how to respond to her. "Ayame please don't do this."

"But why not? If I'm gone, then I wouldn't be a burden to anyone anymore. I'm weak, pathetic, a crybaby, and I'm also not decisive enough to choose who lives and who dies," she stated as she took a step closer to the edge, trying to get away from him. The cliff looked about a few hundred feet high. "The only life I can decide on is mine and mine alone, I don't have the strength to decide on other people's lives."

As Katsumi continued to try getting closer to her, she constantly backed away from him. She knew Natsume's words were right all along, she was weak ever since she was younger, she wanted to rely on others to protect her and not the other way around.

She backed away too far this time and her foot was sent over the edge, causing her to fall, "Ayame no!" he yelled as he ran towards the edge. He jumped after her with no hesitation trying to close the distance. He had never done that before for anyone else, so why was Ayame different? He reached his hand out, and he missed hers just barely, "One more try," he strained reaching for it again. This time he was able to grab it.

"Let me go!" Ayame yelled at him. "You'll get hurt too!"

"No, I won't," he replied back as he adjusted their position so he could take the brunt of the fall.

"Katsumi please."

He smiled, "You know I wish..." he was saying as the ground got closer and his words were drowned out by the wind. Just stay strong and you'll get through any hardship life throws at you, he remembered his mother saying to him when she was going to be executed. 

Time seemingly stood still, the ground closing in faster, and the rain began to fall slower. It was like the world was holding its breath as the two of them fell.

They hit the ground leaving a massive crater, but Katsumi did what he wanted. He protected Ayame. He went unconscious as Ayame began crying. "No, no, no. Katsumi don't," she said frantically.

The flash of lightning and the roar of thunder brought the world back from its trance, while Ayame kneeled beside Katsumi fearing for the worst.

She continued shaking him but no luck. He wasn't responding to her at all. "Why?" she sniffled. "Why am I always hurting the people who want to protect me?" from her friends protecting her from being bullied to her mother struggling to raise her all by herself. Ayame felt like a burden to everyone, and now she's lost the one person who she thought she could grow stronger with.