The Power within Innocence

Chapter 13 - Gentleness

Yuki pov:

"So, what is it you want for me to help you with?" I asked Sumire sama as we looked into each other's eyes.

"Yuki, I want you.....to help Juo."

I blinked at his request. I was half expecting him to ask me to plant trees somewhere or take care of this shrine or something related to helping him gain the trust and friendship of the other people in this town. He had said that he knew about everyone in this town after all. But asking me to help Juo was an unexpected surprise.

"Help Juo?" I pressed. Sumire sama nodded and let go of my hands.

"That is correct, Yuki. I know it may feel like a burden to you and I know that it wont be an easy request to fulfill. But you are the only one who can help him. You are the only one who can reach out to his locked up heart, care for him, show him kindness, give him the comfort he's never had ever since he was a child.....the only one who can love him."

My cheeks felt warm at the last thing he said. Love Juo? Yes, I did like him. He was an innocent, cheerful and sweet person. He was caring and protective of me and my brothers in his own way. He brought me flowers on every visit, he had given me a diamond necklace saying that I was his most important person and when we all played together, and he would always catch us if we stumbled or almost fell. He had gotten scratches on many occasions just because of catching us when we were about to fall and hurt ourselves. He said I was really important to him...and he was important to me too.

But love??

"Yuki, I know that you're worried. I know because Juo always comes to you with many injuries, you're uneasy and concerned about what could happen in the future. But he's not just hurting on the outside.....he's wounded very much on the inside. He has no one....no one to care for him. No one to think of him even as a friend. He needs your warmth, he needs your brothers' love. He needs a kind heart like you to heal his suffering. Please Yuki, you are the only who can help him." Sumire sama begged.

"We will help Juo nii chan!" Akio ran up to us overhearing what we were talking about. He was pouting and frowning slightly, giving me a look of determination.

"I want to see Juo nii chan again!" Arata added as he came to us giggling. I laughed softly seeing him hold out a bunch of flowers for me. I caressed his head gently taking the flowers form him and looking back at Sumire sama.

"But Sumire sama, I've never seen him in the town before. He just comes to see us and he is afraid to tell us where he lives." I reasoned out, hoping that he could give me a bit more reassurance to actually go ahead with fulfilling his request.

"That is correct....he is afraid. Terrified beyond belief." I felt a twinge in my heart as I remembered Juo's terrified face the first time I had seen him.

"That's why he needs you, Yuki." Sumire sama said. "He has never been normal....he has never received even a bit of love or care or kindness from anyone before. Especially since his parents passed on even before he learnt how to speak. But he is a gentle spirit with such a big heart. He yearns for love, for someone to reach out to him and help him out of the darkness. He is suffering very much though he doesn't show it in front of you."

Sumire sama stood up and walked into the gentle sunlight. He reached up and caught a falling flower. I put down the flowers in my hand and stood up, walking to join him.

"Juo....is someone who can bring about much happiness and joy to those around him. He is blamed for the death of his parents but it happened for a reason. His parents had to sacrifice themselves for the sake of making their son a good hearted and strong person. They knew it too.....so despite many oppositions, they gave all the love they could give to their son before they passed on."