Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 26

I wake up. I must've blacked out again. Why was I so weak and tired? Why have I become so... So... Fragile?

It's almost night so they all must be having dinner. It'll explain why I'm alone. They must've forced Souji to go and eat.

I listen.

"So... What's gonna happen to Sakura?" Heisuke asks.

"For now all she can do I rest and get better." Yamazaki says.

"Yeah but..." Heisuke thinks how to word it.

"He means, about how she actually is. She acts fine but it's obvious she's on edge." Sano says.

"I get that the guy is still out there but... Sakura seems so..." Shinpachi trails off.

"I know what you are are trying to say but I believe her unhealthy habit of pushing things aside like they're nothing plays a major role in her change of attitude." Sannan says.

"Her brother said his clan is still searching and for now he will give Sakura space. But he also informed me that we can do nothing but let her help herself." Hijikata adds.

"Sakura will... She might not get better." I hear everyone gasp at Mei's sudden comment.

"What do you mean?" Souji asks.

"Sakura is vary strong. When she trains me she tells me why I have to be patient and stay strong. She tells me that I will be the first Fury who will not need to be broken and I asked her what that meant one time... She compared it to the walls and gates. She said that even the strongest and tallest can be broken. That all you need to do is be patient and continue on chipping away at they're exterior. And when they finally make the crack it will take a long time to heal if it does at all so it will be the perfect time to break down the whole thing so the inside will be exposed and vulnerable. It takes a long time to build strong walls. Too long. So then you make the final blow and destroy the inside like an invasion. And then you can't fix what's been lost."

"She told you that?" Kondou asks in surprise.

"Sakura is the strongest person I know but she talks in her sleep when she's frustrated. A lot of people have tried to invade her walls but all they do is chip it so she brushes it off. But now... She doesn't have any walls. And all she can do is start making new ones. But that means she can be invaded and that means... She can be destroyed."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. She was more clever than she looked.

I go outside taking slow and small steps to keep from falling.

I'm too weak to climb the tree so I sit at the base, out of sight. I let out a heavy sigh.

"You know, I realized what I did wrong." I startle and press myself against the tree trembling and shaking. I was vulnerable.

"W-what are you doing here?" I ask clenching my eyes shut to keep me from seeing his face.

"It's funny that you always said you never had pride yet it's what is keeping you from screaming for help."

"Not pride, I know what will happen if they come to help me." I hear him chuckle.

"You're right as always... But, now I know how you work. And I know how to make you crack. Because you will tell me what happens. This time or else I'll keep coming back and doing this in your home where your supposed "family" is basically a few rooms away. So don't make any noise or whoever comes to save you will suffer what you suffer."

"No..." I beg.

"Remember, don't scream." He laughs as he painfully drags me up while grinding my back against the tree.