The Power within Innocence

Chapter 22 - Seeing You Again

This chapter is dedicated to ashley_collins! Happy reading!

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Hirui pov:

I glanced at Yuki for the fifth time during breakfast today. She was unusually quiet and she hadn't eaten much of her food either.

She had gotten well adjusted to our household. Ka san taught her some of our etiquette which she had learnt quickly and followed precisely. Unlike how she had been when she first started living here, she had a more cheerful aura. I was sure it was because of the excitement of our marriage date finally setting in. It was barely a week and two days away and I was very much excited myself.

But she was acting strange today. She hadn't looked up at us and smiled even once. Tou san and ka san too were giving her occasional glances trying to figure out why she was acting this way.

I for one, wasn't very happy with this sudden change in attitude.

A few more minutes passed and Yuki gave a barely audible sigh. She put down her spoon and lowered her hands onto her lap.

"Thank you for the food." Her voice too was not energetic.

"Yuki dear, you've barely eaten anything. Are you feeling alright?" Ka san asked her making her look up with a forced smile.

"I'm okay, thank you."

"You look pale. Perhaps we should call the doctor. Or perhaps it's just wedding jitters?" Tou san smiled knowingly.

So that's what was wrong with her! She was nervous before the wedding. It's understandable. I was nervous too but my excitement seemed to overpower my nervousness. Being a girl, I'm sure Yuki was just uneasy about having to stay with new people and experience the married life on such short notice.

"Actually...." Yuki started, making all of our attention focus to her. She was looking down frowning slightly. "I was wondering....if my brothers and I could go to the shrine today. Just the three of us."

"Alone? If you're going to the shrine, Hirui should go with you so you can get the blessings of the Gods for a happy future. It is a good idea to pray for good fortune before your marriage." Tou san suggested, though I felt the tension around him. It was obvious that I would go with her without her brothers to get the blessings of the Gods and tou san was not happy that Yuki was asking for something against the rules that we wanted her to follow.

"This isn't for the marriage. Today is the first year anniversary since my family passed on. I'm not really in good spirits....and I'd really like to have some time alone. I hope you can understand." She bowed her head and the tense atmosphere that was around us instantly disappeared.

"Oh.....forgive us, Yuki dear. We didn't know. Are you feeling okay?" Ka san asked, reached to her and placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

She nodded half heartedly and stood up. "So can I go to the shrine?"

"Of course! Of course! Would you like someone to accompany you?" Tou san asked glancing at me. I got the message and nodded.

Yuki obviously refused and tou san agreed to that. But I was going to follow her for a while to make sure the wasn't lying and trying to trick us. Once Yuki was out of the dining room to fetch her brothers, tou san gave me instructions on how to follow her without her finding out that I was there.

I gave him a bow as I stood up. Ka san too gave me a nod and I headed out of the dining room to find Yuki.

Yuki pov:

"Yay! We're going out with nee chan!!" "Nee chan! Nee chan!" My brothers cheered as I helped them into some warm clothes.

"Yes you are. And were going to the shrine to see Sumire sama and Juo." I said softly to make sure that those names weren't heard. "You remember that you shouldn't tell anyone about Juo nii chan, right?"