Watashi no koibito (A Tomoe Love Story)

Chapter 6

Kimiko's POV

When Tomoe disappeared from my sight I dropped to my knees and looked down to the ground. I breath out a heavy sigh of relief as I gripped the grass. 

I flinched when I felt someone place their hand  on my back. I turned around and saw Mizuki with his hand on my back and sending me a comforting smile. I returned the smile to him as I slowly got up. I walked towards Yonomori and bowed my head.

"Thank you for all your help. Not only did you save me from death but also from the fox yokai." I said in respect, as I turned around and was about to leave.

"Wait!" Mizuki called out,

"I heard the Minori Shrine was burnt down. You don't have a place to go now, so we offer a place for you to stay at the Yonomori Shrine." Mizuki said standing next to Yonomori, who gave an approving smile.

"Thank you for the offer but I don't want to burden you both with a human." I said,

"It's really no trouble, I assure you." Yonomori said with a soft voice.

"Well if you insist. I thank you for your kindness Lady Yonomori" We walked back to the damaged shrine and I sighed at the sight. The roof was covered in ash and had burn holes. Some parts of the wall were burnt and had a few holes but overall it looked fixable. Mizuki brought Yonomori inside and sat her somewhere that was dry. I followed behind them until I spotted a plum tree but with very few blossoms on it. I stared at it for a while until Mizuki snapped me out of my mind.

"That's Lady Yonomori's plum tree. We would watch it bloom together but lately Lady Yonomori has become very weak." Mizuki said looking at the tree before turning his gaze to Yonomori who sat with her eyes close.

"What do you mean she has been becoming weak? Isn't she a god?" I asked, worried about the water goddess's health.

"Long ago, the children in the village would get washed away if they got too close with the river. The villagers thought it was a curse and built the Yonomori shrine to protect the children. Thats how Lady Yonomori came to be... Gods need humans to worship them. Without humans the God will no longer exist." Mizuki's eyes held sadness as he looked down. I heard talking and movement coming from the village. I look over and see a big wooden wagon with furniture and other personal items packed with people around it, preparing to leave. I see... The people are starting to leave this place, but why?

"Mizuki why are the villagers leaving?" 

"The lake. The water is rising and people who live near the lake are starting to leave because their houses are going to be flooded." I looked down in thought for a few seconds until speaking.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Unless you can stop the water from rising, I'm afraid there is nothing you can do." As soon as I heard that I am of no use, my head hung low. A cold breeze hit my body, causing my body to shiver in my damp kimono. Mizuki must have noticed because he looked towards me and wrapped his arm around me.

"Come Lady Kimiko, we must change you out of that kimono before you catch a cold." Mizuki escorted me towards Lady Yonomori and sat me next to her, before walking away.

"You poor child. You have gone through so much. Tell me did that fox yokai hurt you?" Lady Yonomori spoke. Come to think of it...  Tomoe never once hurt me ever since he kidnapped me. Suddenly a flash of Tomoe's face appeared before my eyes and I could hear his voice say "You're mine..."

"That fox burned down my village as well as the Minori shrine. He took everything from me..." I whispered loud enough for Lady Yonomori to hear.

"I see..." I heard footsteps behind, so I turn around and see Mizuki approaching with a dry set of kimono in his hand.

Third POV  

As the sky returned to its former brightness as the rain came to a halt, the fox yokai remained darkness. In his now empty Minka. He stood still with his dim lit eyes staring at the disorganized futon before him. The futon Kimiko slept in. The very thought of her, irritated the Tomoe as he swung around and left to the world over yonder. 

In the Red Light District, Tomoe gulped down cup after cups of sake, surrounded by Raccoon Dog yokai geisha s. Like dogs clinging onto their master they were, the geisha s squealed and giggled mainly to gain the attention of the almighty Tomoe, but he payed attention to none.

After drinking numerous cups of sake, his mind would still drift off to that one human girl... The fox yokai had enough as he gritted his teeth whilst holding his face in his hand. One of the geisha s decided to ask.

"Master Tomoe what's wrong? Is there something bothering you?" The fox yokai grabbed that geisha and pinned her down to the floor. Everyone in the room gasped in surprise. The pinned down Raccoon Dog yokai had a flustered expression on her face as she stared at Tomoe. 

The fox yokai looked back at her momentarily before Kimiko's bitter face flashed before his eyes. He then threw himself off the ground and walked out in search of the girl. 

During all of this, Kimiko was helping Mizuki fix the shrine. As the sun slowly lowered itself over the horizon.  The sky was tinted with different shades of pink and orange. The lake reflected the beautiful colors as the sun shimmered in the lake as well. The scene was tearful. Kimiko walked towards the scene as the soothing wind blew through her. Kimiko stopped in her tracks, beneath the plum blossom tree. As she took in the scene before her, Mizuki was also captivated by the scene but his eyes were magnetized to the beautiful girl standing under the plum blossom tree. 

As the sun set on that long day, it was clear that dawn would bring about a new story.

------------------------------------------------------------

  Minka - A traditional Japanese house