Sakura Eyes

Chapter 21

It took me a while to get past the squeezing feeling in my chest; by the time I did, everyone was ready for dinner.

I watched from the entrance as Tristan and Yuri helped pass the food with big smiles on their faces, Catherine and Julia passed out dishes to all the villagers and gang members before they got into a line to eat, and Ethan surveyed the area to make sure there was no fighting against the villagers and the gang members. 

An uneasy feeling stirred in my stomach.  Would this village really be alright? How long would it take for the villagers to accept the gang members as part as their village? Do the members even want to stay here? What about Ethan?

I sighed and rustled my hair in annoyance. Shaking my head as if that could free my thoughts, I grabbed a drumstick and began looking for a certain redhead. I finally spotted him talking to a few of his friends. David's friend stopped talking when they noticed me and pointed at me to get his attention. I smiled at him as he turned around, his face melting into a smile. His friends trudged away as David trotted up to me.

"Hey," I greeted.

"You feeling okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I have some things I want to ask you."

"Great because I do too," he replied. "Let's go somewhere quieter."

As I let David lead me, he asked, "Did you eat yet?"

"Yeah—" I started. Growlll. David turned around to get me a patronizing stare as I looked away. He sighed and motioned for me to stay put before running off somewhere. A second later, he came back with a drumstick in his hand. "Here. Eat up."

I nodded gratefully and bit into the juicy meat happily. Soon, we had walked far enough for the village chatter to die down. David turned around and leaned on one of the villager's house; I waited for him to start as I chewed on my drumstick.

"So," he said. " What did you want to ask me?"

"Are you and you friends planning on staying here?" I asked.

"I think so," he nodded. " We don't really have anywhere else to go."

"How about the villagers? And Ethan's approval?"

"Well, the villagers will probably take some time to get used to us. But it's alright. We all understand that part. Ethan...I think he'll say yes?"

David's answer sounded more like a question than a statement. I frowned. "That means you guys will have to build more houses and have more people to feed."

David nodded. "That's alright though since we've been doing that since day one. We have more manpower, and we can help out with the village to catch food and all those other chores while they take their time to get used to us and heal."

"Do you think you'll be able to wait that long? I mean, Justin already got a scratch on himself when he tried to coax some villagers out of their house."

"Me and my boys only wanted a home to live in from the beginning of time. If we are finally able to be given a chance to have one, we'll work and wait as long as God makes us."

This time, I could tell David's answers were firm and ready. I smiled. They'll get along just fine with everyone else. 

"My turn," David said.

I nodded and David's eyes and expression suddenly turned serious. He took a deep breath. "Sakura...are you—"

"Yo David!"

We turned our heads to see Tristan running towards us. David looked slightly bemused and irked that his question was interrupted, but it was gone when Tristan said, "In ten."