It Started at the Temple {Akaza x Reader}

Chapter 19

One month I had to prepare for the festival. I’ve been working hard for the past week ever since I gotten the sheet music. Maybe a bit too hard because my father came into my room one evening while I was playing.

“Y/n get out here, I have something to show you,” I couldn’t read the expression on his face which wasn’t a good sign.

I stood up and followed him out to the backyard. There, stood Fumiko with a wooden sword in her hand. She had a big smile plastered on her face, “Hi Y/n!”

“Hello Fumiko, nice to see you here,” I darted my eyes to my father, trying to figure out what’s going on. He just looked as proud as ever.

“You must be curious as to why I am here. Well, you mentioned about knowing how to use a katana and I was wondering if you could teach me. But your father opened the door, so I talked to him instead. He agreed to let me practice with you. Isn’t that amazing?” She must have seen the confusion on my face, so she answered the question before I asked it.

“Oh, well let me go get dressed then,” I started to walk back into my room. When I came back out, with my pretty katana in hand, I saw Fumiko already learning the basics. My father was trying to show her how to hold it correctly and how to fix her stance. She wasn’t a very fast learner, but my dad was the most patient person in the world, he was going to be a perfect teacher for her.

I focused on my own thing and unsheathed my sword. I started to swing it, trying to get used to the weight again. But every time I closed my eyes, even for a split second, I could see someone lunging at me. Not only that but there were multiple people surrounding me. I felt trapped. I opened my eyes again and remembered that I was okay, I was in the safety of my garden. I let out a deep breath before slowly closing my eyes. You’re not here, You’re not here, You’re not here.

I kept repeating to myself those same words over and over until the images slowly disappeared into the darkness from my eyelids. Right then, I felt a tap on my back. Out of instinct, I immediately turned around and used my sword to defend myself, but it was just my dad trying to get my attention.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” my father said, trying to comfort me. He had a cut across his forearm that started to bleed.

“Dad, I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to,” I dropped the katana and rushed over to him, distraught clear in my voice. Fumiko saw the whole thing and hurried inside to get something for the cut.

“It’s okay, I should have known better. You were taken not even a month ago, of course you were going to be paranoid. It’s not your fault sweetie,” he held my face with his good hand. I could see the pain in his eye, and how he tried to ignore it. It made me feel worse that he couldn’t even show his week side with me. I was his daughter for crying out loud. Sure, he would want to be someone I could rely on, but he was human too.

I leaned into his hand, and sighed, “You’re always making excuses for people. You’re too nice, one day you’re going to get hurt even worse than today.” It pained me to know that the world never has good things stored for kind natured people like him.

Fumiko finally made it back, with my mother at her heels. “Oh Sumiyoshi, dear, does it hurt?” My mother started to clean up his wound. “I’ll be fine,” he answered.

“I think you’re going to need stitches. C’mon let’s go,” she had wrapped his arm while still keeping pressure on his wound. We all started to follow her out before she stopped us, “You girls stay here. I have food cooking so please keep an eye on that. We’ll be back before you know it.” I tried to protest but she left too fast.

“We really tried calling out for you, but you were too focused on something,” Fumiko spoke beside me. 

I turned to go back to the garden, “I was just thinking about something.” I picked the katana off the floor and cleaned the blood with a rag. My eyes started to sting, tears threatening to fall. Fumiko must have noticed because she rushed over to me and embraced me.