Through the Eyes of the Dragon

Chapter 33

Chapter 33 - Blossoms

“... Oh. Did I worry you?”

After he had gone through so much trouble to hunt down the best nurses in the area, wait for them to attend to the sick tactician, and then endure the agony of holding in the grave news presented to him by that mysterious shade, that was the thanks he got.

Feeling his eye begin to twitch, Tatsuya buried his face in his hands and exhausted a long, aggravated sigh. It was morning now, and after all that craziness from last night, Hanbei was now propped up against the headboard of his bed, bored gaze cast his way. Now, he knew it was unwise of him to pull an all-nighter to check on the boy’s progress, but usually if he ever got that excited or serious about something, it was hard for him to ignore. So that was why...

“... Sorry.”

Tatsuya blinked when he heard this word and glanced up to meet the boy’s innocent stare.

“I probably scared you since my father was quite ill before he... passed. I guess I should be thankful that it wasn’t too bad, but if you hadn’t noticed me, my stubbornness would have gotten me killed. So... that’s why I’m apologizing. Surrounded by all of you hotshots, I wanted to look strong and such too... So when I started to feel sick, I thought ‘I absolutely cannot let anyone notice’...”

Reaching out, he gently touched the top of the boy’s hand, beginning to understand the burden he carried. Though he hadn’t known the original Hanbei very well, he was aware of his reputation as a loyal and swift-minded strategist. So for his fourteen-year-old son to have to fill in the void he left behind upon his death... No child deserved to suffer such a responsibility.

“You are still young, Kado,” Tatsuya murmured, frowning slightly as he acknowledged the boy by Masamune’s strange nickname. He didn’t seem to mind, fortunately. “Therefore, you shouldn’t feel obligated to do more than you can handle. While it is true that you have succeeded in fooling a majority of us into acknowledging you as THE Takenaka Hanbei, you are still your own person, no? I myself have already seen a few differences between the two of you, and they aren’t bad. You have a kind, gentle outlook on the world, thanks to your youth. Your father, however, seemed to have been much more bitter and cynical.”

Hanbei stared down at his hand, his pinkie twitching beneath the King’s. For a brief moment, a look of grief crossed his face, and he actually began to look his age. “I... I... I just...” Then, before Tatsuya could react, the boy shot forward and hugged him close, tears beginning to stream down his face like rain. “I miss him so much!” he sobbed, his whole body trembling, “I.. I... why did he have to die?! I never got the chance to really know him, since he was always so busy and I... It’s just not fair!”

Petting his head gently, Tatsuya let him vent, recognizing his pain. Ah, so that gut feeling of his was most likely that brotherly instinct someone teased him about once. But he couldn’t help it. Whenever he saw grief upon the faces of his comrades, he could not bear to just stand by and watch.

“... Kado...” Tatsuya breathed after his sobbing began to die down, sitting the boy up on the bed and frowning at his miserable expression. He wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed, but at least their time together would help to lighten the weight on his shoulders.

Sniffling, Kado rubbed at his eyes a bit before sighing, most likely reflecting on how pitiful he looked at the moment. “... Yes? ... You... yesterday... there was something you wanted to talk to me about, right? O-other than... than this...” he murmured, his words fragmented as a slight bout of hiccups began to impede his ability to speak.

The King gazed down at his feet, remembering the grave news he received the previous day. How much time had he wasted? How much time did they have left? Was he too late? Kado seemed to pick up on this hesitation, as a look of guilt crossed his gaze.