The Emperor's Rose

Chapter 62//Roads

The Emperor froze. His mind blanching.
Her eyes were alive. Alive. Thanks to Hashimoto. Not him. Hashimoto. He didn't quite hear what she mumbled, but he heard the first word, 'my' something.

My love?
My life?
My sunshine? Every option ran through his mind, only making him redder with fury.

The Emperor slipped his hand underneath her arm.
"I have to talk to her," he hissed, yanking her away from the perplexed couple.

The Emperor started dragging her away. Aiko tried pulling her hand away from his iron grip. Her eyes always returning to Hashimoto.

"No...please..."she begged softly.
The Emperor tightened his grip on her wrist. He saw a large peach tree. His visions hazy and his blood boiling.As soon as he reached the tree he pushed Aiko in front of him, slamming her against the tree. Trapping her with his arms.

Aiko gasped softly. The rough trunk digging in her back.

"Why?" The Emperor asked. His voice reaching Aiko's ear softly. The tone he used was meant to be furious, but he sounded broken. Shattered. His eyes melancholic.

Aiko seemed to feel a shiver run through her. His tone pierced her heart straight, like an arrow made of pure ice. She blinked a few times, trying to understand where such pain was coming from.

"Hisato..."She whispered softly. Raising her hands to caress his cheek. As soon as her fingers grazed his cheek, he slapped her hand away. The dry sound resonating in the silent garden. Her palm stung. Aiko gasped, holding her hand. The pain was more in her heart. He hadn't hit her in so long. She had thought he was done doing this too, but it seemed today was a day for almost forgotten behavior to make its return.

"How dare y-" She started, but was cut off.

"WHY?!" He roared, his eyes cast downwards, his pupils black holes, sucking all of the happiness.
Aiko stared at him. Her chest panting. Confused. A frown on her face. "Why...why did you have such a reaction in seeing him?" The Emperor asked. His words harsh but his tone...his tone was sad. So sad it seemed destroyed. He slowly raised his eyes to meet her gaze. The thick layer of ice that was usually covering his eyes was cracked. Broken as his heart. He couldn't understand why. What was this pain he felt in his chest? It was oppressing...it was horrible. He hissed softly, his hand placed on his chest. He fell to his knees.

"Oh my god!" Aiko gasped. Her hand going to cover her mouth. She kneeled next to the Emperor.
"What happened?" She asked, worry lacing her tone.

The Emperor didn't respond. "A-answer...me," he finally managed to push out. Aiko felt her heart crack. The sound was audible.

She turned to face the other side. Her slender fingers crushing her kimono. She sighed brokenly. A deep sadness settling on her heart.

She couldn't tell him that Hashimoto was her long time love. She couldn't. It was out of question.
"I can't," she whispered broken.

The silence was oppressing.

"Oh," the Emperor said slowly. "You can't?" His tone was blunt.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered. Tears threatening to crawl out of her eyes.

Slap.

The harsh feeling of the Emperor's hand slapping her face was surprising. Aiko turned to him. Her eyes wide. Her hand on her burning cheek.
The Emperor was trembling with fury. His eyes were on his shoes, but as he caught sight of Aiko, kneeling on the floor, her kimono spread around her, her trustful eyes starting to leak it's trust in tears as she cried, her hand on her cheek. Red blossoming on it.
He felt his heart crack further.

You're a monster...
A voice whispered in his ear, but the Emperor quickly stuffed it under the thick layer of ice underneath his eyes. Drowning it.

"You lowlife...you will never be loved by anyone. I will destroy your happiness. I will personally make sure of it." He hissed. His voice blood curdling. His eyes pure frost.

Aiko widened her eyes in shock. His words cutting her like knifes. Her heart exploding into a thousand shards.

The Emperor stared at her pitiful state. He gave her a look of pure hatred before leaving.

Forgetting behind his soon to be wife, broken and hopeless. Tears running down her cheeks like rivers.
He left behind the road of happiness they had slowly created together. Embarking on a road of pure sadness, he had forged by himself. Destroying the past. Shattering it.
Leaving behind, the shards of the past, of his heart and of Aiko's