21I can't even comprehend how far I've gotten...this is a first. Chapter 15 everyone! Just saying this isn't intended to be perfect. I want this to be my first debut story with more than 13 chapters, and because I'm 13, I'm not exactly the best writer. Gotta give that title to the experienced, older, vocabulary-enriched authors.
I've noticed that the past chapters are worse than the later chapters...yeah gotta edit those out...
The bright lights of the white-painted room completely blinded me. I could not comprehend what had happened at the moment, but I knew that my abdomen was pierced through. How did I survive that attack? The slick red blood was all over my body by the time they rushed me.
"Kazu-channnn," I heard Juuzou whisper above me.
"J-Juuzou...what happen..ed?" I asked weakly. Looking around the room, I tried to spot Taiki, but he wasn't there. "Where's..T-Taiki...?"
"Taiki...Taiki," Juuzou repeated, as if he didn't want to say a single word to me.
"What?" I wondered what had actually happened.
"Taiki's...dead," Juuzou announced.
Dead?
No, he wasn't dead. He's just perfectly fine...
"What actually happened?" I thought Juuzou was just joking around like the five-year-old he was.
"He got stabbed to death," Shinohara-san said behind Juuzou.
"No he didn't. You-You're lying...!" I said.
"Crescent is also dead," Shinohara spoke again.
"Taiki...he's...not...he's not dead...you're just messing with me, right?" I tried saying again, shakily.
"He's confirmed dead. As for Crescent, we verified that he was not mentally insane or any sort. They're doing an autopsy for research and if, by any chance, he was your father like he said. I doubt it, though, so don't worry about it," Shinohara replied, quietly walking away.
Taiki...?
No.
"Juzu-kun, could you stay here for a moment?" I asked wearily.
"Okayyyy!" He happily wandered over to my side. Plopping himself on the bed, I winced. "Oh, sorry!"
"I-it's fine. Just hurts a bit, that's all," I whispered. Sitting up, I asked him, "How can you just...be so...calm in the midst of this?"
"I don't know, I don't care," Juuzou giggled his trademark giggle. "Besides, I only like you and Shinohara-san. Everyone else is really...meaningless if you think about it." Silently, I smiled weakly.
"Smile! Don't be sad..." Juuzou grinned. "I love you and you should love us too!"
For the first time, I looked at him in a different way. I blushed for a moment.
"Love...? D-don't be silly," I tried to say.
"I do! At least, I think I do!" Juuzou exclaimed. "So don't be sad," he said quietly.
"I'm not s-sad..." My voice shaked. My hand shook.
"You're crying again, Kazu-chan. You cry a lot," Juuzou said.
"I don't care."
Pulling out a lollipop, he unwrapped it, the crinkling of the paper ringing throughout the room. He handed it to me gently, wiping my tears. Smiling, he said, "Please...be happy...I hate seeing you sad..."
I kissed him on the cheek. "I...won't b-be sad..."
His cheek felt warm on my lips.
My own cheeks were burning as I turned away. I slowly sucked on the sweet candy, my favorite candy, that Juuzou always liked to bring for me.
Juuzou.
Covering my face with my bloodied hands, I quietly contemplated what had happened.
Taiki?
No.
What about his wife? What would she do? She was...going to be pregnant...going to have a life. How would she live with herself?
"Kaa-san...help me..." I whispered.
"I love you and you should love us too!"
"I...miss...everything..." My voice shook as I spoke the soft words.
I felt arms wrapping around me. Were they kaa-san's? Were they oto-san's?
Were they Juuzou's? I let myself think. But I didn't care. I sank into the warmth of their arms, so inviting, so...perfect. They had to be kaa-san's. When I looked up, the whole world was blurry. But between the furious blinks of my eyes, I saw Juuzou. "D-D-don't...leave me..." I whispered.
Instead of answering, he just held me there, smiling, murmuring comforting words as I continued to sob.
We sat like that for a long, long time. Or at least, to me, it felt like forever.
"I have to go, Kazu-chan!"
Don't go.
Don't leave me here.
It's dark.
"Okay, Juuzou-kun."
Don't go, Juuzou.
Please, just sit here with me.
Please stay.
"I'll see you later!" He smiled.
After the door was closed, I drifted slowly to sleep, knowing what a real hug felt like.
I knew, for the first time, who Juuzou was actually.
He, I realized, gave me reason, along with everyone else.
And I promised that I'd never let him go.
WELL HELLO AGAIN
This chapter was the first time Kazumi held romantic feelings for Juuzou.
So. It's only going to continue from here...I'm so excited!
Thank you all for reading and reviewing!