The Power within Innocence

Chapter 6 - Missing Home

Juo pov:

I stared at the drawing in my hands. I was shocked, surprised, puzzled beyond belief. This was the first time anyone from the village had ever treated my wounds, let alone spoken to me. This was the first time I had ever received anything from anyone too....especially with the intention of giving me good luck.

I was so happy, so hopeful that I could cry. For the past week I spent in the mansion, I slept with this piece of paper every day. I constantly thought of Yuki and how nice she had been to me. I couldn't get her or her two brothers out of my mind even for a moment.

When I had returned to the mansion on that day, I was probably the happiest I had ever been in my life. It was short lived through. When Hitoshi sama and Hirui sama had come to get my signature for another document pertaining to the yearly budget of the town from the main government, they had gotten the smell of the medicine Yuki had used to treat my cuts and bruises.

They were angry and had asked me what right I had to treat my injuries. In fact, I wasn't even allowed to know where the medicine box was in the mansion at all. I had lied saying that I found it in the corridor so I took the liberty to treat my wounds.

The maids and butlers got scolded a lot by Hitoshi sama. He had called them careless and I did feel a little bad for lying about them. But if I didn't do so, I would have been beaten even more than what I had got that time. Of course, the maids and butlers seemed to get even more indifferent about me, insulting me more than before. But surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as it did....I was too distracted by the gentle affection I had received from Yuki.

I didn't mind if no one else showed me any affection at all. Just meeting and talking to her once, I wanted to see Yuki more and more. And today was another chance for me.

I rolled up the sheet of paper and put it inside my shirt near my chest. I walked to my room door and opened it to make sure there was no one around. Hitoshi sama and Hirui sama were busy with a meeting that wouldn't end till after midnight. They wouldn't come to check on me until the morning and the maids and butlers didn't care at all. They only spoke to me if I asked them for something.

Closing the door and locking it, I walked to the window. I reached out to the tree branch and carefully got out the window. I climbed down slowly to make sure I didn't fall and make any noise that would attract attention. When I was on the ground, I looked at my room window once before running into the woods, following the same path I had taken the other day.

It was dark but the moonlight was enough for me to see the ground. It took me just a little while to reach the clearing behind Yuki's house and I peeked out from behind the trees. The kitchen door was closed making my heart drop a little. I hesitated, clenching my hands on the tree trunk before stepping out and walking towards the house.

I stayed unmoving for a moment as I stood in front of the door. I lifted my hand and knocked on the door softly. I trembled, anxious to see Yuki. But I was also a little nervous about any other person from the village being there and recognizing me and scolding me for coming here. After all, people said that even seeing me brought them bad luck. But Yuki was different.

I tensed when the door opened inwards. I saw Yuki as she stepped out from the other side and watched me silently for a moment. Then she smiled and my heart was right about ready to leap out of my chest in sheer happiness.

"Juo! You're here again! C'mon in!" She didn't hesitate to hold the door open to let me in. When I was inside, she closed the door and led me to the living room.

"We were just about to have our meal. Why don't you have dinner with us? Unless you're already done." She smiled as I saw the two kids sitting at a cozy four seater dining table. They were sitting on a pile of books to reach the table height.