Chapter 20 : When A Sakura Falls
≿ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ≾
As the sun burrowed into the grassy grounds, the team of eight finally arrived at the Myoui Shiro. Thatched roofs layered upon each other until the structure reached the sky. Like Sunoo had wished for, majestic sakura trees surrounded the entire palace. The daily evening glow of the sakura trees had begun–cherry blossoms invaded the grounds, and the sweet petals infused the air.
Servants led the team to Lady Myoui Mina–the owner of the Myoui Shiro. A lavender floral kimono flowed down Lady Myoui's figure. She instantly welcomed the warriors with a bow and a gentle smile. "Ah, Nishimura Riki! It has been so long since I've seen you. You've already matured since the last time we met. You look even more like your father," Mina chuckled, remarking on his mature features. "I've always known you'd do fantastic things with your talents."
"Thank you, Lady Myoui. It's been quite some time," Niki hummed with a grin.
Mina nodded, and she faced the rest of the team. "Your appearance has been anticipated since we were informed about your stay here for your journey. Knowing that my home will serve meaning in your mission brings me great honor," Mina expressed. She displayed her sweet smile and gestured towards the entrance. "Well, you should rest. I will have my servants prepare a soothing tea for all of you. Please, follow me to our guest bedrooms."
The eight eventually claimed their bedrooms. As Suyin entered hers through shoji screen doors, she scanned the cream tan room. Her bed rested on the floor against the wall, and a black lowered table sat at the center. On the opposite side, another opening led to the outdoors. She entered her personal bathroom to freshen herself up before bed, but she ceased her footsteps. I forgot my bag, she thought, realizing she had left her bag near their dragons. Suyin sighed to herself and exited her room.
On her own, Suyin reached the front entrance again. She welcomed the floral air to her face as soon as she opened the wide doors. Her eyes focused on the stone bridge ahead of her until voices surfaced from the corner. Suyin shrunk back, allowing her ears to listen in.
"Why did Lady Myoui agree to let the warriors stay when that girl is a part of them?" a woman's voice uttered. "Does Lady Myoui have no sympathy for the rest of us?"
"Absolutely. That Shadow Wielder is a menace. I wouldn't dare to go anywhere near her," another woman agreed.
"I would have welcomed the Eight Warriors full-heartedly. But if it counts the girl, then I'd refuse. She's a danger to everyone here. She could potentially wreck this whole Shiro," the other went on. "If anything, she'd be our kingdom's downfall."
"I wonder why the sword chose her out of all nobles. Don't others see just how threatening she is?"
Two women dressed in pastel kimonos turned from the right corner. Gasps rang and bounced off their mouths. Their eyes fell onto Suyin, and they slithered down her figure. "Um– Warrior Huang, what an...honor it is to meet you," the lady in blue spoke.
Suyin gulped the thick lump clogging up her throat. She gave them a simple nod and proceeded forward without a word.
≿━━━━༺◎༻━━━━≾
Night time rolled along, and the palace had fallen into a silent slumber, all but for one room. Suyin sat at the opening of her shoji screens, admiring the peaceful outdoors. A heavy claw wrapped around her heart, tempting tears to rise to the surface. She constantly pinched at her robe's sleeves, controlling her breaths.
After all this time, Suyin still missed her best friend, Miyoung, all the way back from home. She missed Miyoung's gleaming grin and bold voice that always brought laughter to light. She missed Miyoung's mother and her kindhearted soul. She even missed little Chenle, for she wondered if he had grown taller. She missed home and everything her life had been before. Now, her life was filled with hatred, criticism, and damage for all that she was. A Shadow Wielder.
Her reverie cracked. Suyin picked up her head at the sound of footsteps patting outside her room. She squinted her eyes as a familiar silhouette of a boy shadowed the shoji walls. Her doors slid open, and a jittery Jungwon popped in.
"Why the fuck is your cat here again??" Jungwon shuddered, balancing on one foot. He hadn't glanced at Suyin yet, for he focused all on the cat fairy beside his legs.
Suyin stared at the boy through her hair—still clutching the ends of her sleeves. Jungwon took a step back and jumped at how quickly the cat dashed off to Suyin. He exhaled a heavy sigh, resting a hand on his hip. "Explain to me how it randomly appeared in my room," Jungwon huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Nothing but a quiet breeze fluttered the room, inviting a few sakura petals through the opening of the shoji screens on Suyin's side. Suyin's head tilted away, and her hair obscured most of her face.
"Yah, you look like a Sadako ghost with your hair like that," Jungwon commented.
Suyin shrunk. She held her knees closer to her chest. Once more, her eyes glanced at the boy, who seemed confused yet aware of the gloom resting in the room.
"Why are you so quiet?" Jungwon asked, dropping his arms to his sides. Suyin shook her head gently. Nebula snuck up to Suyin's front, expressing a soft meow as she nudged her nose against her hands. Suyin's lower lip quivered, and she closed her eyes.
Jungwon raised an eyebrow skeptically, shifting his weight on his feet. "Are you okay?"
"...No," Suyin managed, and she gulped down the lump sitting in her throat. "I...want to leave."
"Huh?" Jungwon narrowed his eyebrows, unable to catch her words. His face loosened up as soon as he captured the noise of sniffling.
"I– I want to leave," Suyin uttered, finally gaining the courage to pick up her head, revealing her salt-soaked eyes. "I want to leave this warrior life. I don't deserve to have the destiny of one of our kingdom's greatest warriors."
Jungwon's figure disappeared as tears blurred into her intense stare. Her eyes sank to the floor. "It's hard when you're the kingdom's greatest fear. It's shameful when you're the cause of almost every controversy. No matter how much effort I give...I can't ever seem to satisfy anyone. Why should I try to be one if no one wants me to be a warrior? Why was I given this destiny when I'm only being tortured?" Suyin whimpered, and she dug her face into her knees. Her tears clung to her cheeks and burrowed into her silk clothing.
"Hey, I told you not to listen to Jay earlier. Jay acted out in the moment because he has uncontrolled anger," Jungwon said.
"But it's not even– it's not just today!" Suyin huffed, shaking her head. "It's everyone every single day. I'm haunted by the side comments, the death wishes, the judgemental glares...And you guys don't even try to hide your comments sometimes. I hate it...because I deeply agree with it all. I'm a Shadow Wielder–the thing our kingdom wants dead the most. I'm nothing but a weakness amongst our team. I should've been killed at birth–that was my true destiny."
Suyin's shoulders shuddered. Tears leaked from her tightened eyes, soaking her lashes. Her heart punched against her chest vigorously, luring a faint black smoke to her fists.
A gentle hand laid on her shoulder. Suyin's fists loosened, and the shadows scurried off. She slowly poked her head up, greeting Jungwon's face instantly—the mystical violet vanished from her irises. Jungwon sat in front of her, unbothered by their firm eye contact.
"Suyin," Jungwon started with a quiet, stern tone. "Stop."
Suyin's face stilled. However sturdy Jungwon's gaze remained, a hint of hesitance stirred deep in his eyes, testing his following words. His thumb rubbed against Suyin's shoulder. "After training for days on end and pushing most of your effort to the edge, are you willing to let all of it go now?"
As Suyin listened to his austere eyes, her lips tightened, and her shoulders fell.
"Listen, nobles don't see it, Jay doesn't see it, they don't see it, but...you put mountains of hours into your training. Even when your muscles are compressing your bones and heavy sweat clenches your skin, you keep pushing yourself forward. A warrior takes more than strength, intelligence, and bravery. A warrior has flaws, ambition, and humility. You don't see it, but you're a fighter without realizing it."
A few glowing sakura petals invaded their quiet air through the slit of the shoji screens. They delicately sprinkled onto the wooden floors–one landing on Suyin's head. Jungwon pinched the petal off her head, and he folded her hair behind her ear–partially stroking her cheek with the petal.
"You're stronger than you think...stronger than me, even," Jungwon muttered. "I wouldn't be able to handle anything if I were you; no one would because...you always climb back on your feet when you're shoved so brutally."
Suyin blinked her vision back. As she sunk into Jungwon's soft skin and burnt umber eyes, her breath's rhythm found itself.
"Don't remain fallen now. Stand up as you've done before like a warrior, Suyin. It's...one of your best qualities," Jungwon finished.
After being still for his entire response, Suyin mutely nodded. Red bloomed inside Suyin's cheeks as Jungwon placed the luminescent sakura petal on the tip of her nose. She exhaled and closed her eyes, stealing Jungwon's hand before he could take it back. She hugged his warm hand close to her face for a moment, feeling the tips of his fingers against her delicate skin. Her eyes opened halfway, holding a glimpse of the slightest smile on his lips.
She didn't know what to say. She sat in the same speechless state as when Jungwon defended her against Jay's criticism. However, there was one phrase she could at least give. "Jungwon," Suyin began. She inhaled, controlling the intense sentiment caressing her heart. "Thank you."
Jungwon's eyes darted around her face, and he hummed. They sat face to face for a moment longer. His hand remained near her face until Suyin lowered it. "So you're finally saying...that I'm stronger than you?" Suyin teased, lowering his hand.
"Y–Yah, don't rub it in like a brat." Jungwon rolled his eyes, slipping his hand out of her hold.
Suyin smiled–lips glowing bright pink like the raining sakura petals. "How can I not? You basically just admitted that I'm better than you," she bantered, leaning forward.
"God, you're so annoying," Jungwon groused, slitting his stare.
The two absorbed each other's presence for a few moments, sinking into each other's eyes until Jungwon blinked away. "Suyin," he said. The softness in his voice poured over Suyin. She clung onto it like a comfortable blanket she couldn't let go of. "Get some rest, yeah? Or your eyes are going to be nonexistent by tomorrow morning."
"Good– I won't have to look at you by then," Suyin replied, earning a short laugh.
Jungwon stood up from her front, stepping away until Suyin tugged at his sleeve. He glanced down at the girl, and his lip curled in cringe. "What? Do you want me to block the moonlight for you now?"
Suyin shook her head. "No– thank you," Suyin said again softly. "For believing in me...when no one else would."
Jungwon scrutinized her glistening eyes, flushed nose and cheeks, and vibrant lips. He closed his eyes and nodded his head. He continued his way out of her room with Nebula secretly following him.