Ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ ||Tomioka Giyuu X OC||

Bittersweet (ほろ苦い)

This is an extra chapter, so
Let's do a little flashback from Giyuu's POVヾ(*´∀｀*)ﾉ

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"Giyuu...please...live..."

"Tsutako Nee-sama!!!"

The last thing I remembered from that night is that my sister pushed me away so the demon can't grasped me. The next thing I remembered I already on a bed. She only left me with a maroon haori.

Sometimes later, I met him. He introduced himself as Sabito. We became a close friend because of our past are most likely the same.

Then I met her. Her black hair was tied into a pony tail. Her pink eyes are beautiful like flower blooming in the spring, but it holds coldness and gloom. Her name is Shirokawa Hanabi.

Her swordman skills are amazing. She defeated Sabito in her first fight. Even I can't defeated him after all this time. Sabito seems like to teased her a lot. I sympathize her sometimes. She is quite, like me. I think her pretty face will be much more beautiful if she smiles.

She smiled today. Even though it is for teasing Sabito back, it is still fascinating to me. I finally saw her showing an expression.

She opened up to us. She tell us that her brother was eaten by demon. I feel her, because that was what happened to me. Her eyes are finally showing a hint of happiness. She is more talkative now. I watch her smile with an awe.

He is dead. He protected me. He protected all of the candidates in the final selection. We promised to have each other's back and protect each other. But I failed to save him while he saved me. It is the same as Tsutako nee-sama. They saved me while I can't save them. If only I died that time, Tsutako nee-sama will be married now and live a happy life with her loved one. If I died, Sabito wouldn't have to saved me and died that night. If only I died...

"Don't!"

Who?

"Don't say that! They gave their life for you! That is more reason for you to keep living, to respect what was given to you!"

No, Hana, I am only a burden. I have no one left...

"Then what am I? Don't you have me? Am I not important to you!?"

... you are important to me.

"Then don't die, I am still here right?"

No, you will leave me. You will leave me again like the rest of them.

"I will not leave you! I won't! That is my promise to you!"

I can't protect you. I am weak. I can't even save Sabito. You will leave me in the end.

"Hey, don't you trust me?"

...

"Trust me. I will stay by yourside. That's why, don't leave me. Let's promise to not leave each other."

Can I...? I left Sabito behind before...

"You can! Don't worry and leave it to me! Just promised me that you won't leave me, then I will also promised you that I won't leave you."

Promise...?

"Promise."

That word is what saved me from my depth of sorrow.

But she is becoming distance to me. She have new friends beside her and I can't bring myself to talk with them. I can't started up a conversation. I can't keep her from her friends. It is better to let her be with her friends. It is better for me to keep a distance.

"Giyuu!"

Her voice. Her voice that called my name sounds perfectly in my ears. How long do I missed how she said my name in her voice. She holds my hand, making me turned my head towards her.

"Don't put a distance and walk besides me. What's bothering you?"

No, I just...don't want to be a bother to you.

"You are not! I cared for you, and you are important to me. Don't think of anything and just trust me and walk besides me." She smiled.

Her smile radiating like the sun peeking from a cloudy sky. Can I ever... have a smile like that? Even if it is just a little bit of light from there. The smile that I love so much.

But when I started to open up myself, that smile that I love the most is not radiating the same light again. It came back to when she first came to my life. Gloomy and stress is visible in that pretty face that I love the most. Those pink eyes that were glimmering like flowers in spring are not to be seen.

What's bothering you? How can I help you? Why are you sad?

"I am fine." She smiled.

Ah, that smile. I hate to see that smile. Smile that is holding pain. I hope that you can share your burden to me, so that I can see your bright smile again that is not holding any pain.

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A/n: have this short chapter for now, I will the next chapter later.