KHR : The Rainbow Seal

chapter 11: That old man

Hi guys! This is the long awaited updates! Because recently I think it is better to update two chapter at one go but it will take a bit longer time to complete two chapters but hey, continue to support okay! And please comment if you want me to go faster! Now, now, what will happen to Yukiko? Will someone help her now!?

* Time travel to 1 week later*

Yukiko POV

Today is already one week since the time I left Namimori. I wonder how is everyone doing? Shouldn't think about them all..I should just carry on with my life. Right now I am working as a telemarketer. Helping people to make calls and plan appointments. Another job that require nothing from me. I am feeling a little feverish but I guess that is alright since I took some pills early in the day. Life goes on as Yukiro Tomaru without anyone suspecting.

~ Time skip to night~

I can feel hotter now..and my vision is getting more and more unclear. At least let's me have the strength to reach home, which is under a bridge, I dont want to faint. Coco senses it too because he keep leaning against me as if to prevent me from falling. That's sweet of him but if I really fall, he will be flat than to support me..but I feel happy for that thought of his...

Ah..I feel like I am goona puke soon. No way would I waste 200 yen dinner away. Hold it in Yukiko, you can do this. Maybe I am walking like I am drunk because a lot of people are staring at me and Coco lean against me harder. Please hold it..you can yea you can do this Yukiko!! As I am still walking, I thought

" Home feels so far.. I better take a break somewhere.."

I look around for somewhere to sit and notice that my left side is a park. I go that way without thinking. What am I goona do there? Finding myself catching breath, this is no good. Somemore the wrap around my chest makes it worse. I really want to remove the thing at my chest.. Plus it seem that my chest is growing bigger than before..I need even thicker wrap than this. I have spot an empty space at the right end of the park.

Maybe it is evening, there aren't many people. I want to just lay here and take a break for a while. Throwing my bag on the ground, I lay down on the grassy patch and use my bag as a pillow. Coco simply sit beside me. I guess he knows that I am tired and a bit sick.

" Wake me up in 15 minutes." I pat Coco's head before I close my eyes.

I didn't know that I am dreaming because the next I see is the younger vision of me and Mihasa together.

We journeyed far enough. We had spent a week of walking to this place far away from the slums. And there's something wrong with Mihasa. She had many red watery spots on her. We survived because of the food from trash bins and water from lakes or toilet. Could it be the food or water we ate and drank? But I was fine even we shared everything together. She seems to be breathless every time she walked. Plus she sweated a lot when today was a cooling weather. I spotted smoke coming out from a hut at some distance far. Wanting to ask Mihasa to go over the hut to ask for help, she shook her head.

It was as if she knew what I was going to ask without me even asking. I knew the reason why she won't want to receive help. What if we were caught again by those men in suits. We had already lost Shitoro..cant accord to lose each other anymore.

I had to actually help her to walk because she cant walk properly now. This was how serious her condition was. We were walking down the way where the hut was. We walked about 10 minutes when Mihasa suddenly fall. I was feeling tired myself as well so I could not have enough strength to stop her from sliding down. She just sat on the floor and mumbled,

" We..just take a break here." she then gave me a weak smile. Mihasa looked so pale...I afraid that she might really leave me..and her body was so cold. No knowing what to do, I hugged her to at least to give her some warm. Really wishing there would be someone to help us, there was someone singing a song not too far.. The voice sounded like a man.

Could it be those men in suits!? Not at such a time. When the sound was getting closer, I prepared my stick and stood in front of Mihasa. I was going to protect her at all cost.

I saw a bend down figure approaching with something small. Like a pet or something. You can do this Yukiko! Protect Mihasa at all cost!!! I was shocked to see an old man with a thick round glasses with a dog. What?!?! Not those men in suits!! Lucky!! But still cannot let down my guard yet! What if he is the master mind? Taking a deep breath to allow myself to focus, he approached me.

" What a fierce stand!" he seem to be amused and continued

" my, my, your friend beside you seem to be sick. Shall I .." I cut him off when I waved my stick in front of his face.

" You dont come closer to Mihasa!" I shouted at him. He smirked and looked at his dog.

" Karl, settle her." what?!!? This old man was mocking me! By sending his dog to settle me! I won't let you have your way through.

The dog jumped on me and I blocked with my stick. What!?! A dog can actually fight!!?! As we continue to fight, I saw from the corner of my eyes that the old man was touching Mihasa.

" Hands off her!! You old fart!!!" I shouted as I blocked the dog's attack.

" You are tough. To able to hold Karl's attacks for so long. Not bad. And she is lucky. Or else if she dont receive treatment any sooner she might die." that old man smiled and said as he stood up from where Mihasa was. Whatever he said cause me to stunned and paused, receiving a kick from the dog in my stomach. Ouch!!! That's hurt!! But I bit my lips instead.

" Do you want to help your friend here?" the old man asked. I nodded my head slightly. As long it was for the better for Mihasa, I would do anything.

" What's the condition?" I asked him, eyeing him with doubts. He smiled and replied, "Smart.. The first is take care of my sheep. As you can see, the dog that you just fought is a sheep dog. So I need you to work together with Karl to help take care of my sheep. The another is to take care of my house and my well being.. You see I am old and penniless man..cant afford someone to take care of me." he laughed a little before continuing,

" the last is simple. Learn whatever I am goona teach you or else my skills are goona be lost when I die."

Before I could voice out my comments, he added, " You on the another hand receive free treatment for your friend laying over that, a place to stay and food to eat for as long as you want. Wonderful right?!" the old man continueto laugh. What!?! What's behind his motive? Is that's really simple? The way he laughed were getting on my nerves!!But I have no choice right?! Mihasa is suffering in front of me now!!

I need to do something! And I shook hands with him to indicate that the deal is made. I quickly carried Mihasa to follow the old man into his hut while he was preparing some towel and water, I did a quick tour. Quite simple, his hut I mean. He put a hot wet towel on her forehead and began to explain to me what's happened to Mihasa.

" What she has is a child's sickness called chicken poxs. It is usually happen to one when he is a child but sometimes it can happen to adults as well. Maybe because of all the food she takes." but the food we took were the same. And I told him that. He slowly explained to me how different sickness worked on different people.

~ Time skip to next day morning~

Seeing Mihasa seem to be a little better, I ate breakfast with the old man. And he was comfortable with me calling him old man. He even made fun of it sounding the phrase old man sounds like what the children would call their fathers or grandfathers. Oh well, I dont mind how he thought of this as well. Today he taught me how to chase the sheep back. They were really dumb, running around the big field. But at the same time, I envied them for the freedom running around without a care in the world.

Yukiko POV ( Currently)

I could hear some voices behind me. Sounds like a man. But I am too tired to even open my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I tried to push myself up when I heard a gentle voice whisper to me.

" Dont worry, I wont hurt you."

that voice makes me so comfortable and the scary thing is safe. Maybe I am running down with fever so I am imagining things. Suddenly, I feel myself being lift up and my vision black out.