The Pharmacist and Her Knight

Story 8

Shirayuki sighed to herself as she flipped another page. The lamplight let out a faint glow by her table, illuminating her corner of the room. Ryuu laid sleeping on the bed as he buried himself deep in the blankets due to the lack of Shirayuki's warmth. She sat there at her desk, a shawl draped over her shoulders, with her eyebrows furrowed in anxiety. A stack of books - which had already been read - laid at the foot of her desk. 

"Why is there nothing?" she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

She had taken out all the books related to medical diseases and epidemics in Sereg but even so, there was not one hint regarding what it actually was. Within the reference books, there was no mention of an epidemic that had taken over a sixth of the population. Brushing back her hair and tucking it behind her ear, she picked up another one.

"I don't believe that there's nothing recorded down," she said, her eyes skimming over the dull words.

Her eyes had begun to grow heavy and the words across the book were beginning to mingle and blur together. She looked outside and noticed how dark it was; it was probably already after midnight. She sighed and stood up, walking over to the window. Snow was falling down and the streetlights only made its presence ever more soothing. As she pulled away the blinds to see further, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Obi?" she breathed.

He was sitting on the edge of the balcony, the snow starting to pile up on his hair and clothes. He breathed, his breath foggy and white and Shirayuki saw the redness of his nose and cheeks. She stared at him, wondering what he had been doing on the balcony. Realizing that he was probably freezing to death, she hurriedly opened the window panel of the balcony. Obi saw this and if it weren't for his skills as an assassin, he would've fallen.

"M-Miss?!" he exclaimed with widened eyes.

"What are you doing out there, Obi?!" she yelled in a hushed voice. "Hurry up and come in!"

Shirayuki pulled him by the arm and patted the snow off his clothes while Obi stamped his feet, ridding it of the cold white snow. She hurriedly took off his jacket and muffler and wrapped a warm heated blanket around him. Obi felt himself relaxing but the intimidating aura that Shirayuki was letting out forced him to break out of his thoughts.

"What were you doing out there?" she yelled.

She had pulled him into another room, away from where Ryuu was sleeping in fear that the two's conversation would wake him up. Shirayuki bore her emerald green eyes into his, demanding an answer from him. He was cold to the touch and a feeling of agitation and torment plagued her heart. Her eyes softened as she looked at him in pain.

"What do you think you were doing?" she asked again.

Obi saw the look in her eyes and realized that he had caused her to worry. She, who had lost two of her most precious family members, was scared that she might lose another. However, one thing that he wasn't aware of was that Shirayuki wasn't just afraid of losing anyone, it was losing him.

"Miss..." he said.

"Is there a reason why you stayed outside until way past midnight?" 

Obi eyed her. "It was because I saw the light still on in your room even though it was way past midnight. Miss," he reached out to her. "Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"

"That's..." Shirayuki began to say.

"I'm worried about you," Obi grabbed her hand and tightened his grip on it - but not the point where it hurt her. "Think more about yourself."

"Obi," she widened her eyes at his touch.

Just a second ago, his hands were freezing cold yet now, there was a tingling warmth in them that enveloped her wrists. Her hands were now colder than his and she didn't want him to let go. She smiled softly and nodded her head.