Ibuki POV
I walked in the courtyard towards the tree. The tree where most of my memories were attached. The tree where I understood the meaning of love. It seems I had just woken up from my sleep. My father must have gone to dojo so I had all the time for myself. I could spend my time with her and look over the flowers.
As I entered the courtyard I saw the tree. And there she was sitting on a swing attached to the tree looking at the sun with a beautiful rose in her hand. Her lap was quite tempting, able to comfort me at my hardest moments. I slowly started to make my way towards her wanting to be in her embrace.
How I wanted to hear her beautiful voice, to tell me again and again, how beautiful the world was.
I finally reached her.
She looked back and smiled when she saw me. Her eyes held tenderness. It was as if she was the most precious thing for me. So delicate yet so beautiful. How she would compliment my long hair which I had inherited from her.
She moved her hand which held the beautiful rose towards me. I smiled and took the rose in my hand.
I didnt need anything more; she was there for me every time.
But
The rose started wilting at a fast rate.
I was shocked and turned towards my Mother to ask her whats the matter with the rose I gave her.
But there was no one on the swing. I called out from my mother, where might she be hiding at this moment? Today is her birthday so she should be happy right? I even made her cake. Of course, I had to hide from my father to make it. But it was beautiful. It was her favorite flavor, A strawberry one. Thank god my friend had taught and helped me in baking. I might have ended up destroying the whole kitchen then father would have gotten another reason to yell at me.
I made my way towards the house. Where could she be? Could she be in her room? I opened the door but was instead met by silence.
I sighed; mother was very good in hiding. But I knew her favorite place, my room. She even knew where I hid the manga stack from my father. She knew everything about me. So, I rushed to find her. I sighed when I came in front of a room.
And opened the door.
The rose in my hand has wilted completely by now. So, was she? I looked at the woman who just few minutes ago was the definition of beauty.
Now I saw as everyone surrounded her sleeping form. Why was she sleeping, it was her birthday! Many people were surrounding her.
I rushed and started to wake her. Mom sleep after you eat your cake. Rest of the people in the room just looked down. Even my father, who I had never seen cry had tear stains on his eyes.
I continued trying to wake her up, but she wasnt waking. I kept trying, until I felt someone embrace me. It was my father. Why was he embracing me, didnt he hate me?
Then he whispered in my ear, She is not going to wake up Mio, Im sorry.
Finally, all things came back. I remembered everything. My mothers funeral, the news that said she had committed suicide.
I didnt realize that I had tears in my eyes. She betrayed me. She had promised to stay by my side, yet she gave up.
The tears werent stopping and I didnt want them to stop. I wanted to cry myself to sleep because I know the next morning she will come back to me.
But it seems I was wrong. She never came back.
Why? Why does all the shitty things happen to me? Being hated by my father, losing my mother and even losing myself.
But then I felt strong pairs of arms embrace me. I didnt know who it was nor did I care. I just wanted whoever it was to hold me.
I wanted someone who could wake me up from this dream. I cried not caring about the time passing by. I needed it.
Then suddenly everything came back. I remembered that fight. Aynaokoujis betrayal.
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My eyes snapped open; it took a moment to adjust to the light. I looked at the room. I was in the infirmary. I then realized that someone was embracing me. It was Ayanokouji.
I pushed him away from me. That damn idiot.
"What the hell were you doing you pervert." I asked in anger.
He got up from where he had fallen. He shrugged and said, It looked like you were having a nightmare so I thought embracing you might help.
"And who told you I needed comfort?" I yelled at him with an irk mark on my head. This damn pervert, does he not realize that he is the reason Im in this shit hole.
He said nothing but touched my cheeks. Then I realized there were tears on my eyes.
"Your tears told me otherwise." He said as he gently wiped my cheeks with his hand.
"Th..that.." I stuttered not knowing what to say.
I heard him sigh as he sat on the chair next to me. He closed his eyes and said,
"You have PTSD don't you?"
I looked down not knowing how to reply.
"You know ibuki, I can understand you to some extent. How it feels to be betrayed by someone."
As he said those words I looked at him. For the first time I saw him with an emotion. But I couldnt understand what that emotion was. But I knew it wasnt his usual monotonous expression.
"My mother abandoned me the day I was born. I too had a cruel father just like you."
As he said those words my eyes widened.
"I never knew what love was my entire life. So, I never knew what losing something actually felt. Because I wasnt attached to anything I didnt have anything to lose."
As he continued, I felt stupid. I was an idiot. He had gone through much worse than me. Yet I kept moping. About how bad my life was.
"But ibuki, I always had a hope. A hope that one day I will be free. Free to explore this world. Maybe search for that mother who left me and forgive her. And finally, be happy for once."
His words left a hole in my heart.
He turned towards me, "So Ibuki, cherish what you have right now. The past is something which you cant change. But the past has made you what you are today. It has given you strength to carve your own future. So Ibuki, dont just give up. Because you are not alone."
As he said those words my eyes widened.
"I dont know about the future, but I will be there for you this three years. To wipe all your tears just like today. So be yourself. And know one thing, even if I betrayed you today. I would never judge you."
Then I realized. All this time, I only wanted one thing. Even after my mother passed away, I wanted to be acknowledged by him. I was so fixed on my past that I couldnt see anything else.
In the race of getting acknowledged by everyone, I forgot to acknowledge myself.
I looked at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Ayanokouji, thanks for showing me how naïve I was. Next time we both meet; I will make sure we are on equal grounds. I will become someone whom you can rely on.
In the next three years, I will be the one to save you from your darkness, just like you saved me.
Thank you, Ayanokouji Kun for staying by my side.
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(A.N. There was a typo on the chapters. Apparently there were no punctuation marks. So I have edited it.)