Leaving love behind

Chapter 5 - The conversation that started it all...

Sayuri did not falter as she faced his question, keeping her eyes locked onto Denki's, unwavering, resolute. 

"No." Her voice rang through the silence like a hammer against glass. "Because this world failed you first." 

Dead silence reigned between them as Denki's breath hitched. 

Sayuri reached out, cupping his face, her fingers firm, warm, grounding. 

"Denki, you were just a kid. A child born into a war he never asked for. You were not given a choice. You were forged into this. Molded into this. Tell me, who has ever wished to be raised to become a killer? Who was forced to hold a blade before they even understood what death was? Who was ever commanded by the very person who gave them life to end it?" 

Denki's hands trembled. 

"I don't condone it. I don't celebrate it. But do I blame you?" She shook her head. "No." 

Denki felt the air escape his lungs. His heart slammed against his ribs, faster, harder, as if trying to force itself back to life. 

For the first time in years, he felt seen. 

Understood. 

Not as a monster, not as a murderer. 

But as a person.

Sayuri leaned in, her voice softer now, meant for him alone. "You are not your past, Denki. You are not the sins forced upon you. And no matter what they think-" 

Her forehead rested against his. "-I'll still choose you. For that what was seen by me back there, made me realize you're not a bad person, just have some bad dumb luck. In the end, it's lucky that I have you with me, by my side- protecting me and loving me to the end."

Denki took a deep sigh as he registered the girl's words. "Sayuri, you'll learn to love a broken shard."

"Then it is my responsibility to collect them and make them into a beautiful art."

"Fine then...." said Denki as he hugged the girl lightly, his bigger frame capturing her smaller one wholly. "I'll be in your care."

"So," Sayuri said after a long time as she dislodged from the hug. "What should we do now?"

Looking around, Denki saw food set on a table. It was probably night, and perhaps some rest was for the best.

Denki glanced at Sayuri, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, dinner's ready," he said, stepping toward the table. "Might as well enjoy it."

His gaze flickered to Sayuri, who was watching him with an amused tilt of her head. The candlelight painted soft shadows over her skin, making her look almost unreal. They sat close, knees brushing under the table. The air between them was thick with something unspoken, a tension that neither seemed eager to break just yet. 

Still, the girl kept staring, hard.

"You keep looking at me like that," he murmured, setting his glass of champagne down, "and I'm going to think you have something on your mind."

Sayuri leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. "Maybe I do," she teased, running her toe along his calf under the table. "Or maybe you're just imagining things."

Denki sucked in a breath but didn't move away. Instead, he let his fingers trail along the rim of his glass, slow and deliberate. "Am I?"

She bit into a strawberry, the juice glistening on her lips as she smirked. "Mmhmm."

Denki exhaled, his patience fraying. "You're playing dangerous games."

Sayuri simply shrugged, reaching for another piece of fruit. But before she could take a bite, Denki caught her wrist. His thumb lazily stroked the pulse point there as he brought the fruit to his own lips instead. He bit into it, the juice dripping slightly onto her fingers.