Chapter 229 - What If I Stopped Running?
She lived most of her life avoiding people like the plague so despite Hino's uncomfortable question she managed to brush him off. Her next few days in the hospital she did not hear from tt Hino or Sano and soon the day arrived where she was back at school.
Sumire was just leaving the library when she spotted somebody waiting for her.
Yuhi was leaning against the wall, lighter and cigarette in his fingertips.
"You came?"
His lips curve to a smile. "To welcome you back to school."
"Are you leaving later?" She buried her face in his arms and felt his hands wrap around her waist.
"Yeah, work." He trailed off. "Did you get scolded?"
Sumire shook her head. "Some judgemental stares. I mean I think somebody saw us in town that time."
"Then they should understand. Exercise is important for a sick patient."
"I thought you said schools were a institution to force their values?"
Yuhi chuckled. "Indeed I do think that."
"Then they wouldn't understand since they believe their way is right."
He patted her hair and ran his hand through her back. "You seem tired."
"Well I have been sleeping most of the time. I still feel sluggish too."
"Lets ditch for a bit. You can sleep."
Sumire slowly nodded her head. Normally she would say no but her drowsiness was strong. She lifted her face from his arms and Yuhi squeezed her hands. "Alright of we go."
Since that day she did not speak to Sano neither did he message her again. She thought he would persist more but maybe it was exactly like what she thought. He got tired and decided to move on. There are other people who are easier to manipulate, Why would he bother with somebody like her?
She shook her head. There is no use thinking about such things now.
.......
A few hours later
It takes all the running you can do to keep the same pace.'
But what if she stopped running?
What if she stopped looking ahead?
If she stopped, then what would happen?
A deep sigh escaped her lips when she saw the name on the screen. It was a good thing that the teachers had to speak with Yuhi. Her gaze lingered on the screen for a few minutes before she decided to pick it up. At first the other person on the other end of the line seemed busy, but then a familiar voice called out to her.
"Sumire, are you there?"
"Yes. Are you done running away from me?"
She hears laughter on the other end of the phone and sighed. "It isn't funny, quit messing with me."
Dont appear before me if you're just going to disappear again.
Sumire swallowed those words and took a deep breath. "You wanted me for something?"
"A little bird told me that you're contacting that person frequently these days."
She immediately knew who he was talking about. "Is it wrong that I built my own connections? Isn't that what you wanted from me?"
"I never said you had to entangle yourself to this extent." Aki trailed off. "When I helped you back then it was not for this purpose. I didnt bring you to this world for you to fall into a deeper darkness."
"It wouldn't have made a difference."
In the end she would have fallen down this dark path. It just so happened that Aki saved her and the process was much slower due to this interference. "I can guess who is telling you things. But my goal has not changed."
"The path of vengeance does not suit you." Aki did not reply to her previous statement and concluded things on his own.
"Whether or not it suits me, it is already too late to go back."
"This stubborn behaviour of yours makes me speechless.."
Sumire laughed weakly. "I know you don't think that highly of me."
"If you need help, just say so."
"I know you're busy, and you have already done enough for me." Sumire could hear the voices in the background. "Aren't you in a pinch right now because of those random attacks on high members of the underworld?"
"You got me there. But Sumire, even if it isn't me, will you at least rely on Yuhi?"
"What makes you think I don't?"
For the next few minutes nobody spoke. Sumire felt a cold gust of wind blow by and she tugged on her cardigan pulling it down.
"For one your behaviour. If Yuhi knew about this do you think I would need to call you?"
It seems he is still unnecessarily trying to pry into her affairs. She is grateful for what he did. He helped keep her mind occupied and introduced her to such kind people. But, whether it was that incident or Rus' accident - she would eventually have had to walk this dark path.
'I never had anything to begin with.
Every time I tried to reach for something with my own hands, it slipped away. It was never mine to begin with.
So how could I lose it?
But these days, why does it feel like I lost something so very important?'
The more she pondered it the more confused she became. Sumire felt a throbbing pain in her head and crouched down to the ground. It hurts so much, her head hurts and this pain in her chest. It is so suffocating. Why does she still feel this way?
Her thoughts broke off when somebody crouched down and gently took her hands. "Hey love, is the view nice down here?" Yuhis tone is playful but she saw the concerned look in his eyes.
"It got better just now." Sumire mumbled. She was on the verge of crying but just now when she saw Yuhi she wanted something different. She extended her hands out and he picked her up.
"Want to go somewhere?"
"A quiet place."
.....
A quiet place meaning a corner outside the main building where nobody would find them.
Yuhi rubbed the edge of her eyes with his thumb. "Cry if you want, crying silently hurts more."
"You know I am tired of crying all the time." Sumire trailed off. "Besides I feel like I used up all my tears that time."
"Unfortunately you can never run out of tears."
"Stupid."
He leaned forward and brushed his forehead against hers. "I'm here."
"..."
Why does this person say the words she wants to hear? A part of her is still afraid. This behaviour is familiar. Sano did the same. He acted like he understood her but threw her away when it was convenient. However Sumire understood already, these two are different. There is nothing superficial about Yuhi's words.