The Last Descendant || KnY OC Fanfic

19 | Reunion

MITSUKO HUMMED AS she trudged through the wooden hallways of the Butterfly Estate. She was thrilled to finally have the bandage off her head and she can start hunting again after a little more time in rehabilitation training.

She was humming the lullaby Amane had lulled her. The melody was stuck in her. She didn't expect her to sing her a lullaby, but she should've seen it coming. After all, Amane is a mother too.

A warm smile spread on Mitsuko's lips at the thought of such a motherly gesture.

Mitsuko had no clue why the song was stuck in her head, not that she minded. It was familiar and so nostalgic. She swore she heard it before. But, where and when?

"Mitsuko-san." The young Pillar was greeted by Shinobu with a welcoming smile plastered on her face.

Mitsuko was surprised. Shinobu-san's doing better than I thought.

"I suppose you're here to have you bandages removed."

Mitsuko nodded. Shinobu ushered her into her office. Mitsuko was studying Shinobu. She was cheerful and all smiley. It was so contradicting to her bold attitude before.

As soon as Mitsuko settled on a chair, Shinobu started on the bandages.

"It's all on your face."

"What?" Mitsuko tried to peek at Shinobu's expression in attempt to read through her.

Mitsuko felt the bandages loosening on her head. Shinobu said, "The guilt."

Her hands slowly circled around her head, the white bandage following suit.

"You should stop blaming yourself for Nee-san's death. It can't be helped. I'm sure she wanted us to move on and continued to fight."

Mitsuko looked down on her lap. Her fists were clenched on it. She spoke, "I'm glad you've been better."

Shinobu hummed. "And you looked like you've cried all the burden away."

The Pillar's hand shot up to her eyes. She whispered, "Is it obvious?"

Shinobu laughed. She appeared in Mitsuko's vision with her bandage in hand. "Nope. You seemed to be holding it in this past few weeks and I've been worried. I'm glad, Mitsuko-chan."

Mitsuko smiled. This time, it was genuine and full of appreciation. "Thank you, Shinobu-san."

* * *

"Muichirou?"

Mitsuko's eyes brighten in delight, happiness, and relief at the sight of the teal-haired boy in the garden of the Ubayashiki Estate.

She had been summoned again by Kagaya, stating in the letter she needs to meet someone. She arrived earlier and planned to stroll around the estate in hopes of seeing the Ubayashiki siblings. Instead, she saw Muichirou training.

Mitsuko stood on the engawa, eyes wide and trained on the boy outside. She was glad Muichirou was alive. There are still signs of his injuries. There were bandages wrapped around his head and gauzes littered across his body. He was holding a wooden sword. She hopped off the engawa to engulf him in a hug, but was denied when Muichirou stepped away from her.

Her brows scrunched in confusion. Muichirou had a tense and indifferent expression on his face. "Who are you?"

Mitsuko took a step back. Her heart shattered. The guilt weighed heavy on her shoulders. It was her fault why Muichirou is like this.

She took a deep breath. It can't be helped.

Once again, she introduced herself to Muichirou, "I'm Tomioka Mitsuko. You can call me Mitsuko."

She hoped her name will ring a bell in Muichirou's mind, but it was nothing. Another hope crashing down to earth. She asked, "How about you?"

Muichirou had a deadpan look. He answered, "Tokitou Muichirou. It seems like you know."

"Is it a bad thing?"

"No." He averted his eyes from her and focused on the sword in his hand. He spoke, "Can you please go away? I'm training."

She felt rejected. Her smile appeared sorrowful and sad. It made a pang of guilt hit Muichirou. Mitsuko turned around, doing her best not to let the tears spill her eyes. You've cried enough, Mitsuko. Stop being a crybaby! You've been crying too much now.

Tears blurred her vision, but she didn't let them escape her eyes.

Muichirou was about to call out to her when she left, almost as if she was running away from him.

"Nichika!" Mitsuko squeal, almost bumping into the girl. "Oyakata-sama is waiting."

"Of course."

Mitsuko let Nichika lead her to where the Pillar meetings are held.

As she turned around the corner, her breath hitched in her throat. She felt her throat thickening and her eyes stinging by the tears that threatened to fall. Her hands covered her mouth to muffle the hiccups and sobs.

Her neutral facade broke. Her mask was forcefully removed from her face. It revealed a little girl, broken and grieving from a loss of her family.

"G-Giyuu-nii-san..." She managed to squeak out. Her suppressed emotions stirred up inside her and eventually giving her the pain of loss. Like a broken dam, her tears streaked down on her cheeks; dropping onto the ebony pebbles of the Ubayashiki estate.

There, who stood across her within a few meters, was Giyuu. She watched closely as he turned around and saw her standing her. She watched how her brother's eyes widened. His blue eyes started to be overwhelmed by his own tears.

"Mitsuko." Her legs gave out beneath her. Giyuu immediately rushed to her side, engulfing her into his arms. He muttered, "It is you," through his own sobs.

Mitsuko wrapped her arms around Giyuu's trembling body. She can't believe it. It was almost too good to be true. It brought her relief and fear. Relief because she saw her older brother again. Fear due to the fact all of this might have only be a hallucination her subconscious is giving to her.

She felt Giyuu's arms tightening around her. She could feel his tears staining her own uniform. At that moment, she came to accept that Giyuu is here; alive and breathing before her. She believed that the one hugging her is the real Giyuu.

Mitsuko buried her face deep into Giyuu's shoulders. She cried, "Nii-san!"

No words can express the euphoria of being reunited with someone you love.

"I'm here, Mitsuko. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

She clutched onto Giyuu's haori and cried. Mitsuko wept, sobbed, cried, and grieved.

"Nii-san!!"