Butterflies? Or something telling me to run away? || GiyuShino

Chapter 19 | Past & Future

We'll be together, whatever the ending.

After all, you were the love that came without warning.

You had my heart before I could say no.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Shinobu-sama!" Kocho was warmly welcomed by the girls at the Butterfly Mansion as soon as she entered the front door, Aoi bowed politely behind them.

It took a couple of hours, but she's here. She's back home.

"I'm home..." She smiled at the familiar scene before her, a lot has changed in her life since the last time she came back. She looked around at the familiar faces, but didn't spot her Tsuguko.

"Where's Kanao?"

"She's at the back training" Aoi indicated to the backyard, "would you like me to call her here?"

Kocho smiled, unsurprised with this answer "No, it's quite alright. I'll go find her later"

"Shinobu-sama, are you staying here tonight? Would you like me to prepare your bedroom for you?" Aoi was as reliable as always, Kocho thought to herself. She really did seem to manage the mansion well alongside Kanao.

"No, no. I'll be heading back to the black estate tonight" she paused a bit watching the girls' faces drop in disappointment "but I promise I'll try and come back to visit more often", she crouched down to give the youngest girl a hug.

"Aoi, was there a boy who was sent here around 2 weeks ago?" she stood up and asked, too much had happened, and she only just got the chance to come back and have a chat with him.

"The red ranked?" Aoi tilted her head thinking "he's still resting in one of the guest rooms I believe"

"Please take me to him"

❀❀❀

After thanking Aoi, Kocho knocked gently on the door of the guest room.

"Please come in" she heard a voice say quietly behind the door, she pushed the door open and smiled at the boy who was sitting up in the bed reading a book. As he looked up and saw who was visiting, his eyes widened and he quickly scrambled to stand up.

Kocho walked over to him and pushed him back on the bed "Don't worry about it, you're a patient so just rest"

The boy nodded and settled down, watching the Insect Pillar grab a chair to sit down next to his bed.

"Um... thank you again for the other day" he looked down and managed to make out, she could tell that he was trying to hold back tears.

"Have you been alright?" she asked in concern. The boy nodded with determination "Yes, I told myself that I'll not cry over it again" but his puffy eyes betrayed him.

Kocho sighed "You should cry if it makes you feel better" the boy looked at her, confused.

"Why wouldn't you cry? You lost a part of you that day" She continued, looking out the window in the room. The sun was starting to set, and warm golden rays were shining into the room.

Golden hour, they called it. Her least favourite time of the day, for right after this fleeting moment of warmth and brightness comes the darkness. Slow and gradual, seeping into your thoughts and mindset without you even noticing.

"Kocho-sama-"

"Please just call me Shinobu" she smiled at the boy, making him blush a little.

"Uh... ok Shinobu-san, have you by any chance... lost someone as well before?"