Hatori's polished black shoes hit the shiny hospital floor with each step and echoed repetitively down the hall. Rather than listening to the whispers each person or group that he passed, he started imagining Ichika in his head and focused on her. Her appearance in his mind slowly dispersed the tension in his stomach and loosened his stiff shoulders.
After passing by several doors he came to a stop.
305, it read. Under it was the name assigned to the room. Rin Sohma.
He took a deep breath in and pulled the door open. He stepped into the room and slid the door close behind him, all while facing the injured girl in the bed.
She was sat up motionlessly on her bed. Her arm was brought into a cast and all areas of her body including the neck, arm, head and wrist were covered in white bandages. Her previous jagged haircut was now trimmed neatly and tidy which Hatori assumed the nurses must've helped her with that.
The raven-haired girl turned to face him after hearing him enter, her eyes switched from anger to relief in the matter of seconds after recognising him.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, pulling a chair beside her bed to sit on. He then reached over to the side table where a small fruit bowl sat and grabbed the first thing he saw. An apple and a knife.
"Like shit." She answered bluntly. "Akito did a number on me this time."
"He went too far." Hatori shook his head as he begun to carefully peel the red fruit.
"She went too far," She corrected him. "Speak my mind and this is what happens. All I did to "trigger" her was mention Hatsuharu. Who knew she'd lock me up like a dog after beating me unconscious. But then again, can't expect much human decency from her, huh? You and I both know how much she hates me."
Hatori didn't know how to respond to that because it was the truth. All of the Zodiac members knew Akito had a sort of inferiority complex towards the Horse Spirit. He knew why. If the bond, the curse, the Zodiac spirits and God didn't exist, what kind of life would Akito live? Wouldn't he just live as a normal girl? Wouldn't he look just like Rin if he was able to live as girl, rather than having to fake his gender?
He didn't have the opportunity to pick and choose what life gave him, and neither did they, the Zodiac members. These 'roles' were just forced on them and nobody could do anything about it. Despite all of this, his violence, torture and pain inflicted is not justified.
"I'll take you to Shigure's house after you get discharged. Stay there for as long as you want and don't go back to the Estate. It's not safe nor is it in the best interest for you right now. I'll figure something out with your parents." Hatori stated. As soon as the words left his mouth, a wave of nostalgia flowed through him. He remembered saying a similar thing to Ichika once upon a time.
"Wow." She raised her brows slightly.
The Doctor tilted his head in slight confusion but kept his attention on the slices of fruit he was cutting that he made to look like rabbits.
"You've changed, Hatori."
Finally, Hatori lifted his surprised eyes to meet hers. "What?"
"When one of us got injured, you'd always treat us and then you'd go away. You never got involved in business, but there was always this helpless and guilty look in your eyes that never seemed to go away." Rin let out a deep breath and she glanced away from him to the view of the blue sky outside her window. "That look... I don't see it anymore."
A small heartening smile slowly made its way up his lips as he followed her gaze. The sky was so very blue today. "Is that so."
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Here's another chapter yall! I hope you enjoyed reading :) please vote and/or share my story to reach more audiences!
I've been in a great mood recently and thought I'd share something a little personal here. I've been going to therapy for the last two years and today my therapist told me I officially only have two more sessions left to go!! Boy has it been a long ride but I've come such a long way!!! For those who want therapy, please go for it. I've learnt some much about myself and so can you. Don't be afraid to reach out to someone for some help or guidance.
