Toshiro
My break is almost over. I glanced next to me. She was smiling, while tapping the flower that had grown at the edge of her grave. It didn't go unnoticed by her as she looked at me. "What's wrong?" She asked, still holding a smile that I found so fragile. It looked as if it would disappear at any wrong move.
"I told you before that I am a Soul Reaper. I hold the position as a captain," I said, looking at her too. "Yes, you told me before. I still can't believe it," she stated, "You complain about your subordinate a lot too."
She let out a short laugh. "Still can't believe it."
"I suppose it is a lot to take in."
"So," she crossed her arms, "what about it?"
Hesitation is what I felt when she looked up at me. Apparently, she died at a young age, so she would've been taller than me if she was still alive. She never spoke much about her death or when. She never told me anything beyond the cause of her death: a hollow killed her. An unnatural cause, which means either her family member or she had high spiritual pressure.
"Karin," I managed to say, catching her attention completely. She was reserved when it came to her families name, so I had no choice to call her by her first name. She used this to her advantage and called me by my first name too.
At one point, I dismissed it.
"I have to get back to my duties as captain, so I will be leaving soon. My break is almost over," I finally admitted. I did not know if she would be disappointed, but deep down, I was. I wanted to talk to her more.
This was unlike me, indeed.
"Oh." Karin's smile dropped. That smile was fragile after all. For a considerable amount of time, there was silence. Nothing was said. I was the one staring at those flowers this time, while she glanced around with a frown. "Can you... can you still visit?" I heard her ask shyly.
I perked up, surprised and taken off guard by her question. She's asking me to visit her again. I was glad. I felt weirdly happy that she wanted to see me again. This feeling took over, making me smile without my realization at the time. "It... it won't be as often, but..." I trailed off.
"It doesn't matter; I'll wait for you," Karin said, but her eyes had yet to meet mine. We both stared at the flowers, settling with that. Albeit, I did not expect her to pick one of those flowers and then giving it to me. Finally, our eyes met again. Something odd stirring up my already scattered feelings.
"Here, a reminder," she said simply. I hesitantly took the flower and stared at it with wonder. Her voice was not too expressive, but I knew she meant every word. "Keep it with you, so you remember that you've got someone waiting for you."
A reminder.
Someone waiting for me.
These are new concepts to me.
It confused me, but still, these words meant something to me. "Right." I nodded, still looking at the flower with the same look as before.
Just a little longer. Just wait for me. I had thought.
I should have done my job. I should have let her rest, but I wanted this to last a bit longer. This feelings I have kept on morphing into something I couldn't understand.
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│ The first few chapters was made last year and I would say my writing improved a bit and my thoughts have changed too.
│ So editing this chapter made me realize how cliché and cringy I made this. This was the first book I intended on making slightly romantic. Clearly, I am blinded by cringe to actually go through it. But I'll try.
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╭Lamented╮
General Fiction"Excuse me," Toshiro managed to say. She didn't respond, but her small, frail, body jolted. The ghost looked at him with her gray, tear-filled, eyes. "H... Hello," he stuttered out. "H-hello." What was the reasoning behind him approaching this gi...
