Hey guys, so I'm sharing this video here because while writing this chapter, I was incredibly influenced by this girl's beautiful singing voice and have decided that this is the perfect depiction of how I want Ren's singing voice to sound like. Even better that it's in Japanese. There's a part in this chapter where Ren is singing so I thought I'd include this because I honestly imagined her singing this while writing it. Please check out Erutan's other videos. She's a very gifted musician. Without any further ado, here's a nice long chapter to thank everyone for getting this story past 2000 views!
Shu's Perspective
"You seem frustrated despite working so hard this week. Were you perhaps trying to finish quickly?" My father asked lowly with a grin. I narrowed my eyes and said nothing.
"My familiars tell me you've had a young woman staying in your house. I hear she's a troubled one, at that. How do you think she's holding up without you? Like a baby duckling fares without their mother, I imagine."
I grit my teeth and glared at him. He was purposely trying to provoke me. He's probably had his familiars spying on me ever since I brought Ren to the mansion.
"A troubled soul who doesn't value her own life. Yet, she's managed to significantly impact yours. You seemed reluctant to become head of the family before...yet here you are. Is it because you want to get things done so you can return to her side?"
"What are you even saying, old man? Surely you have too high of hope for someone like me," I chuckled, denying his words openly.
"Well nonetheless, you have been exceptional these last few days. I could let you go if you're serious about that girl..."
"Oi, that's enough. Your voice is making me feel sick," I grunted in frustration. As always, he knew more than he should. Not like I was trying to hide it but it still bothered me that he checked up on her.
However, I sighed and relented. He wasn't wrong. I did want to leave and go back and see her. That alone was frustrating enough without him pointing it out. I guess I was just being immature.
"So are we done here? Can I go?" I asked, seeking confirmation from him. He laughed dryly and said, "Clearly you've already decided. Do as you wish. However, I expect full attention from you next time."
With a blank expression, I stood up and gave him one last hard look before disappearing. Now that he had managed to rile me up, I had no intentions of waiting any longer.
I had to face the facts. I couldn't turn a blind eye to Ren. I couldn't do it even before she made the effort to talk to me. This was something I had failed in suppressing.
As troublesome and annoying as it was, I do care about her even when I keep telling myself I don't.
But I'm afraid of what she will do with that information. She might even already know. She told me before that she's prepared to die no matter how satisfied she becomes. How could I have the audacity to ask her to change her mind?
Despite all these conflicting thoughts, there was one thing I knew. I needed to find her. My father's words lingered negatively in my mind. I hope she is okay...
---
No one's perspective
It didn't take long for Shu to return from the demon world. He decided to head home and rest up for a while before looking for Ren. He wouldn't know where to begin looking for her anyway. He figured he would look for her at school that night.
As he approached the mansion, he was greeted by Yui in the entrance hall. She wore a warm expression as she said, "Welcome back, Shu-san."
Shu nodded before walking past her and heading to his now vacant room. Sitting down on the bed, he placed his earbuds in his ears and began to play some music to calm down his adrenaline.
Resting his head on the pillow, he caught a whiff of Ren's scent which lingered behind. It was a alarmingly sweet smell that somewhat soothed Shu's anxiety over their separation. Shu felt that Ren was a strong individual despite her suicide attempt. He didn't believe that she'd crack beneath the pressure at a time like this. He just had to be patient and he would see her again soon.
~~~
That night at school, Shu was more nervous than usual. It had only been a week but it might as well have been a year in the human world. He still felt strangely eager as he waited outside of Ren's classroom, hoping to pull her aside. However, she didn't appear to be in the classroom. Sighing in frustration, Shu approached some girls in the classroom and asked them if they had seen her at all.
"She disappeared for a long time then showed up for only a couple days," one girl explained nonchalantly. Apparently, she wasn't very social in class, which came as no surprise to Shu. Frustrated, he continued to persist in asking questions before one of the girls mentioned something of interest.
"I actually heard there was an accident outside the school the other day," a girl with red hair explained, "They said there was a student involved in a car accident. It could've been the girl you're looking for. She might be in the hospital."
Stricken with more than a little bit of anxiety, Shu hurriedly thanked the girl for the information before storming out of the school. Reiji, however, attempted to stop him and ask where he was going.
"Out of my way," Shu warned wearily, not wishing to get into a confrontation with his younger brother.
"Are you that worried about that girl? Talk about being unhinged," Reiji commented before shrugging off Shu's glares and stating, "Do what you want but don't expect there not to be any consequences for missing so much school."
"Whatever," Shu scoffed before making haste in heading to the hospital. Upon arrival, he immediately asked the front desk where he could find a Ren Shizumi. After rigorous searching in their system, they located a room number. She was staying in the youth ward.
As Shu walked down the pasty white hospital corridors, he felt very tense. Not knowing any details regarding the accident, he expected the worst case scenario. However, that fear dispelled itself as he grew closer to the youth ward. Down the hallway, he heard a familiar voice singing in the distance. It sounded almost angelic as he neared closer to a large recreational room with windows to look through. He peeked through to find Ren, with bandages on her face and arms, holding a small harp and playing a song in front of a small audience of children. As she sang, she expressed a wholesome smile that was almost contagious. Shu felt a smile creep onto his face as he waited until she finished before knocking lightly.
As Ren looked up, her eyes almost sparkled in seeing Shu standing there. She stood up, bowed quickly before grabbing a set of crutches and limping over to him. Seeing her this way, he embraced her suddenly and sighed heavily.
"Shu," she murmured, seemingly surprised at his openly affectionate gesture. Looking down at the small girl in his arms, he softly asked, "Are you okay?"
Ren made a pinched expression before admitting, "Well, I've had better days."
"What happened?" he pressed further, his brow furrowing as he eyed her bandages closely. With a sigh, she crutched herself over to her hospital room and sat down on the bed before explaining, "It's kind of crazy how it happened, but basically a guy plowed through a red light at the crosswalk while there were kids crossing. I pushed them out of the way but ended up being the one who was hit the hardest. I have a concussion and I fractured my left leg but other than scratches and bruises, I'm still alive."
Just looking at her, Shu could tell she wasn't unscathed. She had bandages wrapped tight around her forehead as well as a cut on her lower lip. She chuckled lightly before going on, "It was honestly an eye opening experience. My body just moved before I had any rational thought to why. Now I think I can understand how you must have felt when you irrationally saved me."
Shu stifled a dry laugh before muttering, "I guess we're both foolish then," as he leaned in and rested his head on her shoulder letting out a huge sigh of relief. Ren stared distantly at the wall before sighing as well.
"Returning to my family went about as well as I could have predicted. They were so disappointed in me for disappearing that they wouldn't talk to me at all. After the accident, they've seemed to lighten up a little, but honestly, it's a good thing we are graduating soon. Then I can just disappear without anyone ever having to know," she rambled at length with a disappointed expression.
"Don't disappear," Shu emitted lowly in Ren's ear, "Just stay with me, Ren."
Ren shifted beneath the weight of Shu's head on her shoulder before looking at his expression. His tired eyes were serious, showing no signs of uneasiness or doubt. She appeared to be distressed over this suggestion as she meekly whispered, "Is it okay for me to accept?"
"Yeah," he stated while smirking suggestively. Noting the curtain at the edge of her bed, he pulled it closed so the two of them had privacy before pinning her down carefully. He exhaled heavily into her neck, kissing her throat and collar bone before kissing her on the mouth deeply. Breathing through her nose, Ren's cheeks reddened from the intense affection Shu was giving her as his tongue melted into hers. The sounds of their breaths shut out all other sound as she moaned quietly against him. After several minutes of passionate kissing, Ren broke away, panting deeply.
Her eyes were glazed over and Shu smiled before stubbornly pulling himself away, whispering, "We can continue this when you're no longer injured."
Ren looked sheepish as she laughed and admitted, "That could be awhile."
"Heh, it'll be fine. So where will you go from here?" he inquired curiously. After all, she had left the mansion prior to his leaving, so would she continue living with her parents?
"Good question," she muttered indiscreetly, "I've been thinking of telling my family that I want to live on my own."
"On your own?" Shu asked, genuinely intrigued of her suggestion. She nodded and explained, "There's a lot I would like to do with my time and I think having my own private place would be really beneficial to composing my own music."
"Sounds nice, but how will you pull it off?" Shu pressed.
"I have money saved up from my previous competitions," she affirmed, appearing a little distraught over the details.
Shu sighed before scratching his head and suggesting, "Well, I might know of a place you can go. If you travel a fair distance into the demon world, there's an old house. It could use some cleaning up but it belongs to us so it wouldn't cost you anything. You could just focus on your music."
Her face appeared crestfallen as she stuttered out, "S-Shu, I can't accept an offer that generous. I feel like I'm getting an undeserved free ride out of it."
"Is there something wrong with that?" he asked seriously, "You have talent that you worked hard for. Why shouldn't you take advantage of what's given to you? I wouldn't offer it to you if it was a burden to me."
"But why? I don't really understand why you're being so supportive of me right now," she paused, "Is it because you pity me?"
Shu scoffed and pulled her hair towards him somewhat roughly before spitting, "Don't be stupid. You've become a possession of mine and I simply don't see the harm in providing for such a person. I would never sink as lowly as pitying you."
"Oh," Ren murmured, wondering to herself if she misunderstood his actions from earlier. Did he do that with the intention that she belonged to him now? What had she subconcsiously agreed to?
"I should go," he said nonchalantly as he stood up, glancing down at her as he directed, "Call me when you've been released."
He reached into his pocket and handed her a cell phone he had prepared for her, so that there would no longer be any miscommunications and she could contact him whenever. Her eyes widened as she took the phone from him.
He turned his back to her and began walking out when she suddenly stopped him.
"Shu, wait. There's something I need to ask. How can I interpret this?" she asked, holding the phone in her hand as if holding something precious.
"It's simple. I'm pursuing you seriously from now on. I hope you can prepare yourself," he chuckled lowly before looking over his shoulder and whispering, "You alone are responsible for making me like this."
Her eyes were wide with shock as he sauntered out of the room. As he disappeared, Ren gripped the phone tightly as the weight of Shu's words and actions finally began to make sense to her. She realized just what kind of situation she was in now. It wasn't just letting him do as he pleases anymore. Now, he was serious and she had no idea what was in store for the two of them.
"He will pursue me seriously? Just what has he been doing this entire time?" Ren whispered to herself as she laid back on the hospital bed, her heart racing and cheeks red with embarrassment.
"I'm such an idiot," she scolded herself, thinking of all the times he had touched her or drank her blood. Suddenly, she felt so much more aware of the weight it carried, knowing that he would be more forthcoming from this point on. She felt almost afraid...but excited at the same time.
She closed her eyes almost painfully, burying her head in a pillow as she muttered, "Shu..."