|COMPLETED| The Emotion Love - Heisuke x OC

Chapter 7 ~ A Tool, A Shield...

I watched everyone. They all looked at me with confusion, so I continued, "This is a story about my past.

"From what I know, my clan was wiped out by other clans. I don't know the specifics because I was not with my clan at the time.

"I was born into the Hirukami clan, the eldest daughter and youngest child. When I was able to walk, I started learning how to fight with a sword.

"When I was seven, my parents abounded me," I said, a sigh escaping my lips. It still effected me very much to this day. "I had nothing except the clothes on my back. After a month of living in the alleys and eating scraps, sometimes stealing, something fortunate happened.

"I was on the verge of death, and so I was willing to do anything to get food. I tried to steal but it did not end well. Would you like to guess who? This is your chance to speak."

Everyone looked at me, trying to find an answer. The answer was very simple. Hijikata spoke up, "It was Kazuma and his friends."

"Correct," I said. "Anyway, no talking now. I had stolen from Kazuma, and from then, I knew I was in deep shit. I tried escaping, but Amagiri had hold of me, and that bastard is strong.

"There was once a time when I admired all three of them," I murmured to myself, but everyone had heard. "Kazuma took me in and trained me, along with Amagiri and Shiranui. I trained with them for...till I was sixteen. So, ten years? No, nine years. I trained with them for nine years.

"When I was sixteen, there was a little feud. Like a little war. There were people who were after Kazuma, and because I loved him," I stopped, clarifying, "Not in that way. As in a sibling. He was like my idol. A god to me."

I sighed, running a hand through my untamed hair. I took in a deep breath. "I helped him, but..." I stopped. I reach for my scarf, my eyes closing shut tightly as I smelt the smell of blood, the sounds of swords clashing, the feel of that red liquid on my face.

"I think that is enough for today," I said, looking at the ground. I got up and walked out of the room, not listening as Chizuru called my name out. I just wanted to be alone, even if I found it hard. 

I reached a secluded area, sakura trees surrounding me. I grabbed the front of my scarf, clutching it tightly. I winced as memories of the day started to resurface, my back throbbing.

I sat there for a while, staring at the trees. I did not feel alone this time. I was surrounded by trees, flowers covering the floor in a pink blanket. As one made its way to the floor, the wind pushed it towards me.

I held my hands out, bringing the flower closer to my chest as it landed in my cupped hands. I looked down and stared at it with a faint smile. 

I heard footsteps. I looked from the corner of my eye to see Chizuru coming towards me. Then did I realize that I had tensed up. Relaxing, I shuffled over so Chizuru could sit down.

"Tsukino," she began, her voice low, "You said you used to adore Kazuma. What did he do to break that?"

I lowered my hands to my lap, white and dark blue and black pieces of fabric under it. Sighing, I gave a very short, simple explanation. "When fighting two years ago, when there was the feud, I lost many things that day. And one of them was my bond with Kazuma. And the ability to trust and accept people."

Chizuru looked shocked by what I had told her. I looked up to the sky, continuing, "Kazuma thinks I am dead because I never saw him in these two years. Plus, I have been in hiding, so he does not know that I am alive. And I plan to keep it that way a little longer. He ruined my life, Chizuru. He ruined it in so many ways..."

I felt a single tear roll down my right cheek. I closed my eyes as I remembered what exactly I had lost. "Tsukino..." Chizuru came closer, hugging me to comfort me. I tensed, only Senhime had done this for me. Never, never had anyone else.

I felt more tears come to my eyes as I let myself cry some more, my first time in a very long time.

~ Chizuru ~

I closed the door as I left Tsukino's room. I got up and started walking away, to the room where all the others would be.

When I had seen Tsukino by herself... When that single tear rolled down her cheek, that was when I saw how broken Tsukino truly was. She didn't show it, but that huge wall she had built around herself was thin and made of glass, ready to shatter at any second.

I had not learnt much, but I had learned enough. I had learned that Tsukino was broken. But, there was still some questions left unanswered. What had Kazuma done to Tsukino to make her break like that? She said that she could no longer trust or accept people into her life... That was what made me break. She felt as though she had no friends, no one she could rely upon or trust...

I stopped in front of the door, familiar voices speaking from behind. Knocking on the door and being granted permission to enter, I went into the room and sat down. The others continued to talk, while I sat silently.

"Chizuru, what's wrong?" I looked up to see Hijikata-san look at me with narrowed eyes. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Should I tell them?

Sighing, I said, "It's Tsukino. I went to see her after she left and..."

"And what?" Harada-san asked. I looked at him with pain filled eyes.

"Please, don't say anything about what I'm going to tell you," I said lightly, looking at the ground. I looked up to see everyone nod. I took in a deep, shaky breath.

"I asked Tsukino about her bond with Kazuma, and how he broke it. She said that when she was fighting with him when there was a feud, she lost many things." I closed my eyes as I continued, voice breaking on the last sentence, "She said she lost her bond with Kazuma. And the ability to trust and accept people."

I looked at everyone. I could tell I was on the verge of tears. Everyone looked at me with shock. I lowered my head as I felt a few tears spill.

"So, you're saying that Tsukino no longer trusts anyone. And she can't make friends?" I looked up to see Harada with a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head.

"Kazuma broke her! He ruined Tsukino! Even though a wall protects her, it's only made of glass and is thin! He ruined Tsukino to the point of where she won't even rely on people. The point where the word friend doesn't exist!"

"Then why does she protect you, Chizuru?" Okita-san asked. I looked over at him and said, "Because, she sees it as her job. Senhime sent her to look after me. And she looks after me because she does not want Kazuma to do what he did to her."

"But, what did he do to her?" Hijikata-san asked. "From what you have told us Chizuru, the bond between her and Kazuma broke. Then she has lost the ability to trust and accept people. To rely on them and understand that they are her friends. That's two things. And if I heard you correctly before, she also said that there was more."

I nodded my head as he said, "Well, the other ones must affect her the most. Maybe the other ones are what made the ones we know about."

"If you're right, Hijikata-san, then there's a problem. Tsukino lost the ability to let people in. And it is going to take a lot to make her open up to us." Harada-san seemed worried about Tsukino. I was, and the others did too.

"Harada-san, do you have a crush on the girl?" Okita-san said with a smirk. Harada blushed and replied quickly, "I'm just worried about her. It's not good for her if she continues like this."

I nodded my head in agreement. "I have a feeling, that Tsukino only sees herself as a tool, as a shield for me..." I trailed off the sentence, the silence taking over.

*Edited 24/9/18*