Diana is a 28th years old single woman who's patient and caring for her bed-ridden father. The only joy and stress-reliever for her is when she played her favorite Otome game Love dating simulator ), Hakuōki Shinsengumi. Spending many years of takin...
Eyes filled with blurry vision, hotness, and all of those which Shun never understand—suddenly just pouring out like that without her consent. How strange, truly strange... even though Shun had made an endless abyss in her heart in order to swallow all of her pain... now everything is just an endless sadness.
" What was it again... that keep me on my sanity? "
Hand as pale as the bone under her flesh, reaching out to those redness which bloom on Okita's chest. It was warm, just like the trace of the living.
" I'm searching... for my reason... the reason why should I still keep on doing this... why should I be this desperate... for what reason... do I have to endure all the guilt of death that I've caused... "
Even though she had completed the first aid on Okita, her ray of hope just vanished into nothingness. The damage he had to dealt with is not as devastating as others--Shun even had dealt with the death of Okuzawa, and yet... all of her hope just evaporate with her breath.
" Souji... I'm such a selfish person... I've caused many deaths... hiding under the gods protection... and even then, I still wanted to protect many people... heh, what a ludicrous act... I even forgot to laugh. " Shun quietly sneered at herself with a hollow voice.
The sky sighed on such tragedy, the sigh became the winds which carry the fragrance of spring. Perhaps, the moon take pity on her, to which the moon bestowed their light on two pitiful souls. When the wind swiftly untangled the cloth on her head, hair as red as sunset, comparable to that of a genuine lustrous, they fall loosely covering half of Shun's body.
The night world could never lost its beauty, Shun.
Amidst the sigh of the sky, the coldness on each tip of her fingernails, slowly... wrapped with warmth.
" .......Un.... You... stu...pid... " The dying man insult. Even when he's in the brink of death, he's surely still has his cocky side intact.
" ...... S....Souji.... " Even so, it was an endearing side for Shun.
" Even.... if.... I'm.... gone.... Kondou-san.... Hijikata-san.... everyone's gone..... the meaning.... of your life..... is for you to.... decide.... cough cough... it.... got nothing to do with.... anyone.... We–cough cough... are..... human..... this is.... our privilege.... of.... choosing.... what do we want... to do... with our lives... "
".... A-ahh... haa.... Souji... no.... don't talk anymore...." Shun wrapped her hands on his, trembling, as if touching the silk.
" .... I... want to live.... because I... hate to lose.... I.... want Kondou-san.... to live.... because he's kind to me..... I want.... Hijikata-san to live.... because I want him.... to protect Kondou-san..... with me.... I.... I.... want you to live...... because.... you are beautiful.....when you saved..... me..... at that time..... So.... please..... "
" Souji...... ahhhh!..... No... no....I....I'm not like that...!"
" Gee... what.... are you.... saying..... even now.... you're beautiful..... just like the sunset.... at that time.... when you saved me..... "
The bloody-like hair that he accidentally witnessed at that time, since then, he has always been wondering, will it be as warm as the real blood? And with finally able to grant his own wish of touching the lustrous hair which resembles to that of a sky, Souji finally lost the strength in his hands.
" I see... it's warm... glad... that you're alive... Shun. " However, the woman will not let his soft touch fall.
".... Please.... hang in there.... Souji.... I won't.... I won't.... let you die.... not by the demon.... or even by the fate..... I.... will save you..... that's right.... that's.... my only reason for still able to keep my sanity.... I have to.... avoid everyone's tragedies..... "
Soon after that, a running sounds echoed clearly from the bottom up to the second floor. It's Hijikata and Chizuru. When the both of them witness the scene in front of them, the gentleman immediately come to Shun's side and hold her shoulder.
" It's alright, you've done your first-aid. Let me carry him, he'll be alright. " With that Hijikata proceeds to pull Souji's hand to his shoulder in order to support his body.
He was thinking of carrying him alone, since it looks like Souji is still half-awake and have the energy to stand. But turned out the rubbles around them make it hard for them to freely move around.
" Oi, Chizuru! Help me out here a little! " Hijikata ordered, alas he's ignored—unintentionally.
How can Chizuru be as calm as Hijikata who has seen Shun's night hair several times? How can Chizuru not overwhelmed by tremble and feae when her body suddenly just kneeled in front of Shun in reflex?
" Chizuru...? What the hell are— " Just when Hijikata about to scowl at her, Shun then cut him off.
" You may rise, help Hijikata-San now. " Shun's not even looking at her directly or showing her authority like usual, but her words was like magic that unbind Chizuru's legs from kneeling in fear.
" .... y...yes.... " There's too much going on in this one fateful night, which many of them are not a good news. Thus, Chizuru didn't dare to question anything anymore—not even the fact at Shun's glowing red hair. Because even though she didn't want to admit it, her whole body remember what to do in front of the superior.
With that, Chizuru then begin to help Hijikata who's still flabbergasted by what he had just witnessed. But he doesn't have the time to question Shun right now, not even Shun herself feeling stable—mentally.
The night has illuminated by the lights. Sky as dark as a charcoal, now begin to lightened with blue-violet color just like its counterpart, dusk. The rise of the sun made Shun's crimson hair begin to lose its light gradually, thus she doesn't need to hide it under the cloth anymore.
The Shinsengumi marched throughout the road full with pride. Even the death of their member was an honorable one. No matter what those bystander said, they can only watch in fear. It's natural, they fear the unknown. Perhaps the Shinsengumi is seen like that, something that the citizen of Kyoto never truly understand at that time—neither do they try to understand them. But even so... the Shinsengumi walk their own path, the path that they forge with honor.
Shun walks the furthest from the front line. The one who's injured and those who died in battle need to be carried at the back with a some kind of rickshaw. Shun is not supposed to stay behind like that, but she refused to walk at front because she thought that her duty is to watch the injured. Everyone is really touched by her words, but little do they know... It's all just because Shun wants to see the amount of people she needs to protect.
" Hijikata-San... if you're going to throw your life for the Shinsengumi... then I will throw my life... and honor... for protecting yours.... "
Strange... truly strange it is, even though she walks the furthest from the front, his back is still as clear as a gem even from this distant. Everyone around him seems to emit lights which cleared her heart.
" Ahh... I can see... the reason why am I here... I'm glad... I'm glad... Thank you gods... for letting me to witness this moment... For leading me to the reason of my rebirth.... finally.... I can... die in peace. "
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At that moment, Shun has found the reason of her life, as well as her death.
