Yuki and the Beast

Chapter 18: Restored Faith

Yuki's POV
Once I got back to the village after two days time, Father greeted me as soon as I walked inside my home.

"Yuki, welcome home! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Dad asked as he hugged me.

"I'm just fine, Father." I said as I didn't return the hug, raising a brow as I kept my arms at my side. It wasn't like him to hug me. I don't even remember the last time he hugged me. He released me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Don't you ever go back to that castle." He said, red eyes burning into my green eyes, gripping tightly onto my shoulders. I knew he wanted me to respond.

I'm going to admit that I was thinking about going back, but I don't think I will with the way Kira acted the last time I asked her a question, yet I could hardly stop thinking about her.

I lifted up my Dad's wrists from my shoulders and watched his expression change to surprise while he lowered his hands down. I started to walk away, but when I did, he grabbed my left arm and pulled on it with great strength, turning me around before I knew it.

"I said I don't want you ever going back there, son." He said.

"And I heard you the first time, Dad." I said as I yanked my wrist out of his grip, glared at him, and walked away.

"Dad? You've never called me that." He said.

"Get used to it."

With nothing else to say, I turned around and walked to my room.
*********
I was in town the next day to check out the bookstore. After I paid the owner of the store a visit as well as catching up with him, I started to walk back home, but halfway there I was stopped when someone slung their arms around my waist. I immediately knew it was Shelby since she was the only person who would do that.

"Where have you been, my little Yuki?" She asked. I unwrapped her arms from my waist and started walking away, yet that didn't stop Shelby from tightly grabbing my hand.

"Aw, come on! It's me! I'm your wife to be, remember?" Shelby asked as she smiled at me, but the look on her face hid a dark smile. There was no way she was being genuine about this.

Yanking my hand out of hers, I turned around and pointed at her.

"You are not going to be my wife. I don't like you, love you, and I never did. You are a horrible person and I love someone else. Get that through your head and find some other guy." I said, then turned back around and walked further away from her.

"And who is it that you've found?" Shelby asked me. Keeping my eyes in front of me, I continued walking away.

"A girl who's much better than you'll ever be."
************
When night time came, I was laying on my bed, I was staring at the ceiling and trying to get Kira out of my head, but it seemed like I couldn't no matter what I did. I could think about something else, but whatever I would think about would quickly dissolve and it would be about Kira in no time. Multiple scenarios flew through my head on what could happen if I was still with Kira and the rest of my friends.

"What have I done? Are we both to blame? The castle where Kira, Neon, Kori, and Hamilton are located at is my true home. This doesn't feel like home, but then again, did it ever?" I thought as I pulled the magic mirror from my pocket.

If I remember correctly, Kira said that I told the mirror what I wanted to see and it would show me.

"Show me Kira." I said to the mirror.

A green light enveloped the inside of the mirror. When it cleared, I saw Kira, but she sitting on her bed, her back hunched over and her face looking glum.