Beyond, With a Yokai

Chapter 7: A Spark in a Blink

"So either the goddess or one of the foxes is connected to Yesenia's appearance here. That's why they've taken it upon themselves to fix the mistake."

Yesenia swallowed hard.

"But if I don't belong here... then where do I belong?"

"I don't know," Tomoya replied wearily, closing his eyes. "Somewhere among the dead. I'm sorry — I've never been there myself."

A heavy silence followed.

"Those silver arrows were poisoned," he said after a moment, shifting the topic. "I've purged it, but the wound is still deep. Recovery will take time. You should leave this place with the furball. Right now, I'm just a burden."

"He's right — good idea!" the bakeneko perked up, grinning.

But Yesenia shook her head sharply.

"No! I won't leave him like this. If you're going to abandon him, abandon me too!"

"Yesenia, use your head," the cat narrowed his eyes. "The myōbu isn't after Tomoya. He's after you. If we leave, it'll be easier for me to shield you."

"I said I'm not going without him!"

The cat muttered a curse under his breath.

"You're so damn stubborn," he growled, though there was something more than irritation in his voice — worry. "You think you're protecting him, but you're putting him at even greater risk. If the myōbu comes, he'll kill us all. Including your precious fox."

He fell silent, then added with narrowed eyes:

"Besides, Tomoya isn't just any nogitsune. He's killed two of his own kind — and those are only the ones we know about. Do you think they'll let that slide if he's caught?"

The fox said nothing. He just listened to them argue, as if it didn't concern him.

Yesenia pressed her lips together and turned away.

"I have nothing more to say."

That was her final word. This pointless conversation was over. She wasn't changing her mind — not even with the cat's compelling arguments. If the bakeneko truly loved her, like he'd once confessed, then he would accept her choice.

The cat sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, Yesenia, have it your way," he finally relented. "But keep in mind: if we're found, saving you will be my only priority."

With that, he returned to the window, maintaining the protective barrier.

Yesenia clenched her hands nervously. Her heart beat wildly, like a bird trapped in a cage. She couldn't just stand by, watching Tomoya suffer while the cat coolly held the defenses. The helplessness weighed on her, pressing down like a stone.

"Tell me... is there anything I can do? Anything at all to help?" Her voice quivered, but it held firm resolve. "I can't just sit here while you deal with a mess that's my fault!"

The room sank into ominous silence.

Neither Tomoya nor the bakeneko responded.

Only the wind howled outside, brushing against the cracked windowpanes, while the candle on the table flickered, casting shifting shadows across the walls.

Yesenia waited patiently, but as the silence dragged on, irritation flared within her. She was just about to speak when the cat reluctantly muttered:

"I can't believe I'm saying this... but animals lick each other's wounds."