The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 47

Megumi didn't respond, but his scowl softened just a little. Tsumiki stepped closer to her brother and took his hand. "It'll be okay, Megumi," she said softly. "We'll make it work."

Satoru grinned, clearly taking that as a win. "See? Tsumiki gets it. You'll be fine, kid. You might even like it here."

Megumi muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "doubt it," but he didn't argue further. The group began to disperse, leaving Sarah and Yuki to show the kids around.

Satoru kicked at a loose rock on the temple path, sending it skittering across the ground. The trip to pick up Tsumiki and Megumi had been a fun distraction—full of sassy banter, playful teasing, and plenty of opportunities to poke at Yuki and Sarah. For a little while, he'd almost forgotten about the heavy, gnawing emptiness that had settled in his chest.

But now, back at the temple, the distraction was gone, and the weight of everything came crashing back. Suguru hadn't spoken to him properly since that night. Not really. They exchanged the occasional word in passing, but it was always clipped, formal, and devoid of the warmth that had once been so natural between them. It was driving Satoru crazy. He couldn't make sense of his feelings, couldn't untangle the mess of emotions swirling inside him.

On one hand, he knew that he and Suguru hadn't really been all that different as a couple than they had been as friends. Sure, there had been kisses, and one... awkward attempt at something more intimate, but for the most part, they'd just been them. Satoru had never been one to overthink relationships—he'd always been more of a "go with the flow" kind of person. Breakups had never really meant much to him before. They were just... things that happened. No big deal.

But this was different. This wasn't just a breakup. This was Suguru. His best friend. His partner. The person who had always been there, no matter what. And now, Suguru wouldn't even look at him, let alone talk to him. That was what hurt the most. Not the end of whatever they'd been, but the silence. The distance. The way Suguru seemed to be actively avoiding him, like Satoru was some kind of stranger.

Satoru sighed heavily, brushing a hand through his hair as he leaned against a tree. He stared up at the sky, his sunglasses hiding the frustration and confusion in his eyes. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't know. He didn't know how to fix this, didn't even know if it could be fixed. All he knew was that he missed Suguru. Not just the relationship, but the easy camaraderie, the shared jokes, the quiet moments when they didn't need to say anything at all. He missed the way Suguru would roll his eyes at his antics, the way he'd smile that small, private smile when he thought no one was looking. He missed him.

As he turned a corner, he spotted Saturn trotting across the courtyard, his glowing form almost comical as he struggled to balance a large bone in his mouth. The pup's tail wagged furiously, his ears flopping with each step as he made his way toward the porch of the main temple. Satoru couldn't help but grin, his mood lifting just a little as he followed the dog.

Saturn finally settled down on the porch, dropping the bone with a loud clunk before flopping onto his side and starting to chew. Satoru sat down beside him, leaning back against the wooden railing as he watched the pup gnaw at the bone with single-minded determination. Saturn paused mid-chew, his glowing eyes locking onto Satoru's, his teeth still embedded in the bone as if daring him to try and take it.

Satoru chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, buddy. I'm not gonna take your bone. Calm down."

Saturn huffed through his nose, his tail thumping against the porch once before he went back to chewing, the loud crunching and gnawing filling the air. Satoru leaned his head back, staring up at the sky as he absently scratched behind Saturn's ears. The pup didn't seem to mind, his chewing uninterrupted as he enjoyed the attention.