Black Feather [Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Fan-fiction]

Chapter Four: A Little Misunderstanding

Stars filled the night sky like dots on a sheet of black paper, blinking every now and then. The night sky full of stars was a breathtaking view one must not miss. It was like, whenever you gazed at it, the problems seemed to dissolve and faded into black. It sent off a feeling of calmness and reassurance despite of the lurking danger at night.

Genpachi sat on a chair next to Shino's bed that was still sound asleep. Shino hadn't woken up since the last time he did and he was not in a pretty good shape which worried Genpachi. He tried waking the boy in vain as the latter would keep on groaning in protest. It had been hours since then and Genpachi wondered if Shino would ever wake up for dinner.

"Hey." Said Genpachi in a low voice so as not to aggravate Shino. He reached for the boy's hair and brushed it aside before stroking his hair. He watched the boy before him. His eyes, gentle and soft, lingered on the boy's smooth- looking, fair, and flawless skin. He traced the lines that made up Shino's eyebrows, nose, and cheeks. Sometimes he wondered if God made a mistake in making Shino a boy because he did not look like it.

Genpachi sighed as he withdrew his hand and leaned his back on his chair, staring at the ceiling and looking back at Shino. He shook the boy's shoulder and said, "Shino, wake up. Dinner will be ready."

A groan.

"C'mon…" Genpachi almost whined. "You didn't eat lunch already. Are you planning on skipping dinner, too?"

There was another groan before Shino's eyelids fluttered lazily, unravelling a pair of beautiful purple obs. He blinked a couple of times to adjust at the lightness of the room before turning to face Genpachi who was looking down at him.

"Hungry?" asked Genpachi.

Shino blinked again and nodded, but said, "Just give me two minutes."

"Okay."

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Shinobu dragged himself literally back to the manor with the rest of the gang, all were worn out and pretty exhausted.

"We found nothing." Said Daikaku in his usual tone.

"Yeah, thanks for stating the fact." Retorted Kabungo who was still worrying of his brother.

Dousetsu noticed the distress of his partner in the search, and so he asked, "Are you still thinking about the two?"

"Of course! What if my brother took advantage of Shino's fragility?"

Sousuke knew so well what Kabungo was worried of since he first witness it when Genpachi said Shino was his ideal woman while Keno, Dousetsu, Daikaku, and Shinobu were all oblivious of the predicament Kabungo had, but somehow they got a grasp of what was going on except Dousetsu.

"We're here!" exclaimed Shinobu in delight upon seeing the manor and miraculously felt energetic as he run off to it and Kabungo followed suit to check on Shino and his brother.

Sousuke sighed. "Finally…"

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Genpachi helped Shino got out of his bed and to his feet. Shino walked ahead with Genpachi tailing him as they both went out of the room and descended to the dining area. The purple haired boy sat in the table as Genpachi told him that he will get his meal.

"I want meat." Said Shino.

"Alright."

The dishes were already prepared by someone no one knew, so it did not take Genpachi too long to have Shino's food and placed it in front of him.

"Thanks, Genpachi!" he beamed. He was about to dig in when he suddenly felt nauseous. Covering his mouth, he pushed himself up, rattling the chair in the process and taking a few steps forward when he suddenly lost his balance and Genpachi caught him, but he too lost his balance when his foot accident tripped on Shino's and they both fell.

And that was the time when the search gang appeared and stared at the odd pair.

Keno whistled, gaining Shino's and Genpachi's attention.

"Oh, welcome back." Said the purple- eyed boy, unaware of the position he and the soldier was in.

"What're are you doing Shin?" asked Shinobu.

Sousuke averted his eyes somewhere and muttered, "Kabungo can go die now."

"Are you guys playing?" asked Dousetsu.

"That's almost a lethal position." Daikaku said his thoughts out.

And that was Shino's cue to see in what position they were in.

Shino was on top of Genpachi whose right hand looked like he was groping the boy's butt while the other hand held the boy's back so firm and so close to like the soldier was afraid to let go of the boy.

Shino blushed in embarrassment and wiggled himself off the man and Kabungo snapped.

"ANIKIIIIII! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW!?" cried Kabungo, grovelling.

"What? I did nothing yet"

"YET!? SO ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO IT LATER!?"

"Do what?" asked the still lying Genpachi with his elbow propped up to support himself.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB YOU PERVERT! I KNOW YOU DO! COME CLEAN ALREADY!" Kabungo kicked Genpachi's shin and the latter rolled over the pain.

Shino in the other hand had been restraining himself from puking. The bitterness of bile was pushing itself up to his throat, making him gagged, but he did not want to let it out. Not until he reached the bathroom, however, his body would not move. The noises his friends were making only made his condition worse.

Sousuke was the first one who noticed the disoriented look of Shino, so he rushed to his side. Noticing this, Kabungo stopped berating his brother and they all surged toward Shino. They asked him if what was wrong or if needed anything, but poor Shino could not hear them clearly. Their voices were all muffled by an invisible thick wall, black spots accumulating in his vision, he was sweating cold, and his breath was ragged and short.

He could not understand them, but maybe they would understand him.

"Shino! What's happening!?" asked the frantic Sousuke.

"…bath…room…" replied Shino between gasps of air.

Without thinking twice, Sousuke carried Shino in his arms and went to the bathroom, leaving the gang behind to wait for them.

Sousuke did not know what to do next as he was panicking, but Shino's weak pushed of his hand against the older one's shoulder made him realized that the boy in his arms wanted to be put down, and so he did.

Shino kneeled in front of the bath tub, and there he throw up the bitter yellowish liquid. After a good minute of throwing up, Shino sighed in relief. He felt lighter than before. With a help from Sousuke, Shino cleaned his mouth and went back to eat his dinner with the rest of the group as he was feeling really hungry.