Gintama; Takasugi X Reader (part 2) [Save Me]

Chapter 37 {Y/N}

     I stand upon the forecastle and gaze up to the night atmosphere. Not even a single lump of cloud do I spot in the black sky filled with twinkling little stars that give off their lights. Aside, hangs the luminous crescent moon, lone and seemingly melancholy without any close stars to surround it.

Cool night breeze sweeps across the air, gathering my hair into my view of the moon. I avert my eyes back down to meet with the thick layer of trees and undergrowth of Yamanashi.

Everything seems so quiet, so still. Not even a trace of birds that might be flying around the night.

Maybe they are grieving. Along me.

No matter how hard I try to block out Komu's words, they keep gnawing at my mind until they eventually break it open. No matter how hard I try to believe them, the image of the truth flashes clear in my head.

 

     "Please," I beg the crowd of the village people. "Please, let me through!"

I push pass a line of turned backs and thrust my way to the front where the people gather.

And the sight before me erupts a gasp from my throat.

A dozen of people, laying on their back with white sheet covering their whole body and face. Beside them kneel their family members all men, women and children with hands to their faces shaking with sobs and cries.

I unevenly turn around and try to find my voice to speak.

     "What happened?"

A middle-aged women looks to me, her eyes fill with tears. And she wipes them before answering.

     "There was a fire spreading around this place one night ago," she shakily says. "These were the only victims from the accident that were found."

My heart sinks at her response. "Fire? H-Here?"

She nods, suppressing a sob. And I can't hear anymore as her words echo in my ears.

     "A-And have you heard of a girl named Shizuka Senya?" I ask, forcing the question out of my mouth.

I don't allow a single whisper of any thoughts to enter my head. But at the woman's hesitation, a flash of a terrifying possibility slides between the unspoken words.

Then slowly, she walks forward to the people laying on the ground and stop beside one of them. My breaths become shallow, as my heart pounds beneath my chest. Then the woman hesitatingly extends out her hand and lifts up the sheet.

I can hear something breaks within me at the sight before my eyes.

Senya.

Burned to the point of almost unrecognizable.

Tears pour down from my eyes and I rush to her and drop to her side, clutching her tight to my body.

     "Senya!"

I shout her name again and again, but the word doesn't reach her ears. I shake her shoulders again and over, but she doesn't budge.

     "Senya!"

I cry until my throat becomes raw and dry. But crying doesn't soothe the pain I feel engraving in my heart. It doesn't fill back the vacancy that's beginning to extend.

It doesn't bring her back.

     "I'm truly sorry for your lost. The fire spread so quick she was not able to escape on time. May her soul rest in peace."