Ikémen Sengoku: Transcriptioned Romances Across Time (Masamune)

Masamune Date Romantic Route Chapter 12

Kennyo carried me through the forest and we emerged near a cliff. I hear water. There must be a river running below us. I've seen a river crossing the mountains south of Azuchi, that could be this one.

Mai: "Ahh! What the--" Kennyo lost his balance and fell to his knees. I fell away from him, landing on the rocky ground. Okay, what was that?! I nearly went tumbling off the cliff!

Kennyo: "Agh--!" When I got to my feet, I noticed Kennyo clutching his shoulder and grimacing in pain. He's hurt. Probably from before he kidnapped me.  I noticed a patch of dark blood seeping through his sleeve. Now's my chance to run away.

I looked toward the forest. If I ran now, chances were high I would find Masamune before Kennyo caught up to me--

          Kennyo: "I know that war breeds more hatred. Just as my own hatred came from him. But I cannot die until I am relieved of the horrible burden of this grief."
          ---
          ". . . Forgive me."

It was like listening to a twisted version of myself. If I'd shot Kenshin, if I'd lost Masamune, would that have been me? I looked down at Kennyo. He was still unable to move. It must hurt pretty bad. He hasn't been paying any attention to me. And there are dried blood stains around the wound, so it's bled before.

He was gritting his teeth in pain. Before I knew it, I was walking toward him.

Mai: "Were you hurt?"

Kennyo: "Why haven't you run?"

Mai: "Answer the question, please."

Kennyo: "You're too soft-hearted, girl." Kennyo slipped from his knees to a sitting position, smiling as he shook his head. "Yes. During my battle with Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi."

Mai: "That was some time ago. It's still bleeding?"

Kennyo: "The wrap came loose because I was carrying you, that's all." Kennyo exposed his shoulder to me. Unwrapping his blood-stained bandage, I took a good look at his wound. That looks like a bullet wound that's gone untreated too long. It can't heal this way.

"You still have time to run from me." With a harsh laugh, Kennyo began to rewrap the oozing wound with the dirty bandage. He poisoned Yojiro and the others. He tried to assassinate Nobunaga. And I'm sure he's going to do more horrible things until he kills Nobunaga. So why can't I bring myself to run?

Mai: "That bandage is unclean. You're going to give yourself an infection if you keep using it."

Kennyo: "What?" He could really use some clean, sterile water to wash the wound and an antibiotic. But I don't have anything like that.  I tore a strip of cloth off the inner layer of my kimono. It was the cleanest thing around. Then I began to wrap his wound.

"What are you thinking?"

Mai: "I'm thinking, demon or not, you need to keep the wound cleaned or it's going to kill you. This isn't sterile, but I changed this evening, so it's cleaner than your bandage." I wrapped the length of fabric around his wound as a dressing. I guess I've really become something of a field nurse. I didn't expect to use these skills on my kidnapper, though.

Kennyo: "Why are you taking pity on me? I've killed many of your allies and kidnapped you." I could tell Kennyo was asking because he really didn't understand.

Mai: "I don't believe you need a reason to help someone who's suffering." I've seen enough suffering and death on the battlefield. Friend or foe -- those are things decided by people in power. So many don't have the luxury of making that choice.