Beyond Shattered Glass - Fushigi Yuugi Nakago Love Story

Chapter 15 - Running Away

By the time I had escaped from Tomo, Chichiri was almost out of commission. He had almost no energy because of how much Nakago had beat him up and Nakago was now holding him up by the throat with his feet dangling a few inches off the ground. The symbol on Nakago's forehead was still glowing brightly and he was looking at Chichiri with narrow eyes. He was right about ready to finish him off but just before he could summon any more of his life force, I threw myself at him and took a hold of his arm with both my hands.

"Nakago! Please, that's enough! Let Chichiri go!" I said with a yank to his arm.

He looked at me close to glowering and it was enough to make my heart skip a beat and the blood to drain out of my face. That's right, I knew that Nakago was one person I could not overpower no matter what fighting skills or physical strength I had. He was way out of my league and he had proved it enough times. And with how violent he was being now, I knew that he was seconds away from frying me alive with his energy blasts.

"P-please! I'm not going to escape with him so just let him go! I beg you!" I said, summoning all the courage I could.

"Let him go? You expect me to let one of the Suzaku Seven go alive when he's walked right into our trap?" Nakago mused and looked back at Chichiri with a smirk.

"You've hurt him enough! Please, just let him go back alive! I'll do anything!" I said, closing my eyes and pulling on his arm again.

Nakago chuckled bitterly as he let Chichiri fall to the ground in a heap. I let go of Nakago so I could check up on Chichiri and make sure he was okay but I wasn't given the chance. A tight grip was taken on my upper arm and I was shoved back violently. I landed on the ground a few feet away with a wince as sticks and stones left burning scratches on my skin. I was lifted off the ground yet again and thrown back against a tree trunk this time and I gasped, my eyes going wide as I felt splinters pierce my skin. When I fell to the ground, I clutched my chest that had clenched up a bit from both the pain and the slowly rising fear.

"You'll do anything to save this pathetic fool? How amusing....now I can definitely say that you are a liar, a deceitful person. First escaping and then showing such concern over our enemy – and you say that you aren't backstabbing anyone. I wonder what Lady Yui will say when she hears of this breech in loyalty."

I looked up at him, my heart hurting at his knife-like words. Why wasn't he trying to understand me?! I had told him that I liked him, that even though I had been in love with Hotohori, my feelings were wavering because of him! He had misunderstood when I told him about that and now he was misunderstanding about my escape and my thoughts on not seeing anyone in this world as an enemy! Why couldn't he just realize that I was doing this because I considered the people I knew, both in Konan and in Kutou, as precious friends I wanted to protect?!

"Nakago! You don't understand! I'm not trying to support anyone! I already told Tomo that I would have tried to protect those of Suzaku and Seiryu alike if need be! I just don't want any of my friends to get hurt, even if they are fighting against each other!" I called out but I was rewarded with another painful meeting with the ground, but this time from his life force.

"Get out of here before I change my mind, Suzaku Warrior. Seeing how weak and pathetic you are, it's not even worth my time killing you." Nakago spat and walked towards me and away from Chichiri.

"Sa-Sayuri...." Chichiri stuttered while reaching a hand to me.

"Just go, Chichiri! I beg of you! Just leave! I don't want you to get hurt anymore! I'll be fine here so just go!" I said, my eyes feeling a sting just looking at how badly hurt he was.

He hesitated for a moment but mumbled a word of apology before disappearing into his cape, back to Konan, back to where he would be alive and safe. It was at the moment he disappeared that I looked at Nakago again and felt a chill go down my spine at how intensely he was glaring at me. I scooted back a bit but not fast enough to get away from him. He reached me in no time, took a tight and rather painful grip on my wrist and yanked me up.