Chapter 42: Chapter 38: Confused
The sun dipped below the horizon, drifting Yasushi's room into a monochrome of darkness. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows along the sterile white walls. The resumed bustle of the hospital had died down, replaced by an uncomfortable tranquility and the occasional echoing footsteps of the night staff.
Yasushi laid back in his bed, his eyes fixed blankly on the ceiling above, his mind trapped in a never-ending cycle of anger, fear, and self-loathing.
The memories of his capture, of the brutal beatings, the deaths, and Kaname's demeanor, played out like a twisted, fragmented nightmare. His body, still feeling the seared pain of each blow, the crack of his bones shattering under the relentless onslaught. Yet, the physical agony he succumbed stood minuscule to the shame, the humiliation of being utterly helpless and at the mercy of his captors.
You're pathetic! A voice from within him emerged.
A sorry excuse of an heir to the Chika clan.
A worthless warrior.
A worthless protector.
And… a worthless son!
You're a failure!
No wonder Kaname just stood there and watched you break.
She always knew the truth about you, even then.
A soft knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts. A nurse entered, carrying a tray of food. Seeing Yasushi still awake, she smiled. "Pardon my intrusion young master, Doctor Chiyo noticed you didn't touch your lunch or afternoon snack. It's essential to eat so that you can regain your strength. As our proud heir to the Chika clan, we're all doing our best to assist you in with your recovery."
Yasushi's eyes narrowed in irritation, unable to couldn't stomach the thought of nourishing his worthless body.
"For tonight's dinner, the royal chef cooked up an exclusive meal for you in honor of you waking up. It has all of your favori-"
With a sudden, violent motion, he lashed out, smacking the tray from the nurse's hands. The food splattered across the floor and the nurse's uniform, the tray clattered to the ground with a jarring metallic clang.
"I don't want your damn food!" Yasushi interrupted, his voice raw and savage. "Are you and everyone in this hospital deaf or just plain stupid? I've already told ya'll to leave me alone!"
The nurse stepped back, her eyes trembling with shock and hurt. Without another word, she bowed timidly and turned, hastily leaving the room.
You can't even control your own emotions.
No wonder you broke so easily.
That's why everyone will abandons you one day…
Just like Kaname did…
She never cared about you one bit.
You'll end up all alone once the clan finds out how weak you really are.
He glanced out the window, his eyes drawn to the churning, angry clouds blanketing the night's sky, tingling his senses. A suffocating pressure clenched Yasushi's heart as the voice grew louder and more insistent, its whispers consuming his mind.
YOU'RE WEAK.
A SORRY EXCUSE.
WHAT TIL THEY FIND OUR HOW WEAK YOU ARE.
WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT!
YOU'LL BE ALL ALONE.
BROKEN.
WORTHLESS.
PATHETIC!
In a fit of frustration, Yasushi grabbed his pillow, hurling it across the room. It hit the wall with a soft thud, sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap. He then staggered to his feet, body trembling with the effort. His legs, weakened from months of disuse, buckled beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground.
Pain shot through his body as he laid there for a moment, cheek pressed against the cold, wooden floor. Even as his body betrayed him, the frustration within him urged to escape the suffocating confines of the room.
With a growl of determination, Yasushi forced himself to his feet. His legs wobbled beneath him, threatening to give way at any moment. He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, stumbling towards the door as his hand fumbled for the handle. Pulling the door open, he staggered out into the hallway.
His feet carried him towards the stairwell, using the walls to balance his unstable motion. He climbed the stairs, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he reached the door to the rooftop balcony. With a shaking hand, he pushed it open, the cool night air hitting his face like a gentle caress. The sky above was a deep, velvety black, the stars hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. The scent of impending rain hung heavy in the air, confirming his senses.
Yasushi stepped out onto the roof, his eyes scanning the empty space as he proceeded forward, breathing in the fresh scent. Turning his gaze to the side, his eyes froze on the figure standing at the far edge of the roof, her back turned to him overlooking the Tsukiyama garden.
For a moment, he stared at the figure, his mind struggling to process her presence on the rooftop. The shock of seeing her so soon rendered him speechless, his thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind. Sensing his presence, Kaname turned to face him, her eyes meeting his in the dim, eerie light bathing the rooftop. The shadows played across her face, casting her features in sharp angles and deep hollows, making her expression unreadable.
Yasushi's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding in his chest as he took in the sight of her. She was dressed in an all-black kimono that covered her from neck to toe, the fabric draping over her hands and pooling at her feet. The garment blended into the darkness around her, appearing almost ethereal like a ghost haunting the edges of his vision.
"What are you doing out here, Yasu?" Kaname asked, her voice soft but firm. "You should be resting. Rain is coming, and you'll catch a cold."
He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "What does it matter if I rest or not?" he spat. "It's not like you care."
Yasushi turned away from her, his shoulders hunched against the cool wind whipping across the rooftop. His anger and resentment simmering beneath began to bubble. "Why are you even here?"
"Because… I do care," Kaname's voice cracked above the howling wind. "I came to see you because I needed to know that you were okay."
Hearing her gentle words tugged at his heart. Yasushi swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. He glanced back at her, eyes widening as he watched the vulnerability of her words seep out of an emotionlessly blank face.
"You're important to me Yasu… More than you could possibly understand."
The sight of her cold expression triggered a flood of memories in intervals, crashing over him like a tidal wave - The dark, dank cell, the dismembered body parts, his body broken and bleeding, Etsuyo's death, The Elder's death, his spirit shattered beyond repair, and the same eyes.
The flashbacks gripped him replaying the pain and trauma as the voice from within him stirred whispers into his mind.
She doesn't care about you, it hissed.
She never did.
She enjoyed seeing you hurt.
Waiting for you to fail.
Waiting for you to suffering.
She's lying.
She's just trying to manipulate you because you're weak.
Don't listen to her.
You can't trust her.
Yasushi's hands rolled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms drawing blood. "If I'm okay?" he recoiled, a surge of anger and betrayal rising up within him. "You think I'm okay, after what happened? After everything I went through, while you just stood there and watched?"
Kaname remained silent, her eyes still locked on his.
"Why?" he asked, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Why did you abandon me like that? Why did you betray me?
"I never betrayed you" Kamane calmly responded. "I've always been on your side, even when you couldn't see it. I exist only for you. Everything I did… Everything I do, I do it for you."
A wave of despair crashed over Yasushi, shunned by her words. As the resentment built boiled over, his eyes flashed with fury, exploding out of him in a torrent of rage and pain. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT TO ME KANAME! EVERYTHING YOU DID WAS FOR ME? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
He advanced towards her, his eyes wild and furious, his body trembling with the force of his emotions. "I WAS BEATEN FOR YOU!" he screamed. "ETSUYO AND THE ELDER DIED FOR YOU! EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WAS OVER YOU!! BUT DID YOU EVEN SHRED A TEAR? NO! DID YOU SHOW ANY CONCERN? NO!! YOU DID NOTHING! AND THAT WAS ALL OF ME!!"
Kaname flinched, eyes momentarily glistening. "Yasu, please… You don't understand. I-"
"SHUT UP!" Yasushi raged on. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR LIES! NOR YOUR DAMN EXCUSES! WHERE WAS THIS CONCERN, THIS CARE FOR ME WHILE I WAS GETTING HURT HUH? HOW LOWLY DO YOU THINK OF ME?
He lunged forward and hands lashed out grabbing Kaname's collar. His fingers dug into the soft fabric, tightly twisting it as he yanked her towards him with a force that belied his weakened state. "WAS THAT WHY YOU ABANDONED ME?! BECAUSE I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH?!"
Pulling her closer to his face, his hot breath washing over her skin. His eyes bore into hers, wild and frenzied, as if searching for an answer to ease the torment consuming him.
Unfazed by his tightened grip on her collar, Kaname unflinchingly met his gaze, her eyes devoid of any warmth or compassion. "Yasu, I'm confused," she said flatly.
"That's exactly what you are… Weak."
- -
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone