Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

110 | S2: The Endless Song

<Nagisa>
When we parted with Lord Akabane inside the Palace, Karma insisted that we recollect ourselves in our chamber room before dinner that evening.

"I'm not tired though." I tried to escape Karma's grasp while he dragged me towards the bed, "it's noon."

"Stop being complicated." Karma rolled his eyes, "it's not like I can walk around the garden in the state that I am."

I stared back down at his injured leg and his overall state. Honestly, guilt did make me uncomfortable and essentially it was my obligation to help him when he's been the one shouldering my burdens.

I scratched my head and helped him on the bed so that he wouldn't strain his body. It's not like he can pin me down if he uses his injury as an excuse to break me.

For his sake, I joined him on the bed and leaned my head on his shoulder quietly. As we both stared out the window and watched our Kingdom together, the thought of our responsibilities distracted me.

"You're suppose to relax." Karma spoke, "didn't I say not to worry about it?"

"I can't help but to feel nervous." I confessed, "this irritable sensation in my chest won't go away."

"Well, I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the same." Karma reached out for my hand and gently squeezed it. "It's good to be back home."

I nodded my head slightly and inched our to meet his gaze.

"I agree." I smiled.

Karma gleamed and leaned in, kissing me on my lips with his. It wasn't forceful and had no intentions of escalating from there. With his left hand, he caressed my cheek and slightly chuckled.

"What is it?" I wondered while closing my eyes and he continued to touch me.

"I must of trained you well to pay no mind to acts like these. You would usually be bright red and embarrassed." He teased.

"Depends on my mood." I sighed with a raised brow as he continued to test me. By then, I got more comfortable and laid down on the bed while he sat.

His large hands hovered over me until he placed it on my head, combing my hair back in a repetitive motion. A blissful ease settled over and I felt safe.

"And what did I say?" Karma brought up the fact that originally I did say that I wasn't tired.

"You'll have to take responsibility if I fall asleep." I looked up to see Karma gazing down at me, his golden-mercury eyes that were mesmerizingly warm.

"Of course." He replied, "besides, it's nice to take a breather especially when we'll be bombarded right after this. For now, let it just be us. Just you and me as the world stops spinning, the birds stop flying, and wind stops blowing."

"And the purpose for all of this?" I asked while my eyes closed, listening only to his soothing voice.

"So that we can become familiar with our Kingdom and ourselves again." He replied. "So if you want to close your eyes and fall asleep, I will wake you up later."

"That would be nice." I snuggled close.

Karma rubbed my cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Sweet dreams."
••••••••
It's been awhile since I've see visions in my sleep; it was the dreams that consisted of Yua giving me advice. This time, it wasn't like that at all.

Instead of a green garden basking in the sunset in Magnolia Landing, I was back at home. The icy cool that remained in my bedroom and the white linen that would be washed regularly, emitting the scent of clean cotton.

"Nagisa."

I sat up and noticed someone at the door of my empty room. My heart suddenly shook from his appearance as I crawled out of bed. How could I forget that in a few days that it would be his birthday?

"M-mamoru!" My voice slipped with confusion but I was utterly convinced that this wasn't a dream. However, I cannot let myself harm the stability in my heart, the stitches that healed after I lost Mamoru that day.

Healed, but the scar is permanent.

"What's with you all of a sudden? Hurry and get out of bed, breakfast is waiting." He brushed my hands away and walked back out into the hall.

"Wait!" I exclaimed while reaching out to grab him, "Mamoru, don't go!"

Mamoru turned around with a puzzled expression and slight irritation. Placing his hand on his hip, he tilted his head.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere." He sighed, "did you have a fight with Mother again?"

"What?" I drew my hands down by my side and looked to the mirror in the corner of my room. It was definitely my reflection but the Nagisa that Mamoru saw was the one before his death. This body of mine was when I was sixteen last year, a few days before meeting Karma again.

"Hurry up and get changed." He flicked my forehead, "today is a special day you know."

Why was my thoughts bringing me back here? It aches, my heart aches that this is the only interaction I can have with him now. Like his future has yet to come, a second chance that my mind is creating for him and I.

But I can't change how things are when Mamoru has left with me so much. I will continue living for him as he desperately gave up his life to save mine.

My hands tightened and I let the tears rolled down my cheeks. If this is a way to cope after all this time, I don't like it. I want to remember the memories, our fruiting relationship even if it did cause your demise.

"Mamoru, I've missed you." My voice trembled as his eyes widen from my sudden outburst of emotion. "Thank you for looking after me, I'm sorry." I stared down at my feet, wanting to scream.

"You're acting so strange." His caustic voice startled me and he took a step forward, his polished shoes within my sight.

Lifting my head, Mamoru placed his right hand on my shoulder. A gentle familiar smile covered his face with a short chuckle and he surprised me. Mamoru inched in and wrapped his arms around my back, an embrace that I felt with all my nerves.

"You've been doing fine without me for so long Nagisa, whether or not you forget about me, I'll always be here." He spoke.

With my face pressed up against his chest, my voice cracked.

"How could you say something like that?" I pouted.

"That's just the person I am." He laughed, "but even so, you'll always be my baby brother." He patted my head with a lot of pressure.

"You're hurting me Mamoru." I inched back away from his hands.

The soft expression that was left on his face continued to shatter me.

"I'm proud of you Nagisa. You'll do great things for this Kingdom, I'm sure of it. If your ever lonely and need someone to talk to, you'll know where to find me."

He took a step back and walked down the halls that we used to chase each other down in. The fading image of our childhood that reminisced as a mere memory now, as he hummed a tune that Aika used to sing.

I can't help feeling homesick.