stolen time

Ch115 last goodbye dr

He saw Senjuro's tear stained face and a frown immediately stood on his own, wondering who it was that caused his brother such grief when his eyes traced up to the person he was hugging. Kyojuro's frown was immediately replaced as quick as it appeared as he let out a silent gasp.

"Ayame!"

He wasn't sure whether to be on guard or not remembering his last encounter with her days ago, but seeing that Senjuro was perfectly fine set his mind at ease.

Her brows downturned followed by a closed eye smile, standing up with Senjuro to face his quickly approaching figure.

"Ani-ue..."

Senjuro was just about to say something else, but was intercepted by Ayame's willful voice.

"Don't come any closer"

Kyojuro's steps flinched to a stop just like that, with a similar confused expression that Senjuro had.

"What's wrong ayame, and what did Senjuro mean by a will!"

"Kyojuro..."

Her bangs covered her eyes, hiding any emotion that showed in them she didn't want him to see, otherwise it would make her decision harder than it already was.

"You saw me that day right? You should know what it means"

"No! I do not understand! And I do not want to know what that implies either! If you give it some time I'm sure kocho can come up with a solution!"

Sighing a small chuckle she looked into the palm of her hands, examining the blood that ran through her veins before putting it against her chest.

"If only it was possible I would've listened" she thought, knowing that it would take too long for a miracle to be created in time. Ayame held Senjuro's hand that tightly wrapped around her wrist, gaining his attention back from his brother.

"Senjuro you should go back with kyojuro now"

"But nee san!"

Admits Senjuro's plea the unique sound of compacted snow repeated in the background like a soundtrack, tracing closer and closer by the second, both kyojuro and ayame noticed with a hesitant heart.

"Rengoku san!"

A feminine high pitched voice called from behind kyojuro as he turned around to face them, both shinobu and mitsuri emerged with anxious expressions and cold sweat despite it being the dead of winter. While senjuro was distracted, ayame took this chance to pull her haori over Senjuro's head, veiling his sight before pushing him towards kyojuro by the shoulders.

Just in time to protect him from obanai and muichiro who was coming in for her head.

"Iguro san don't!"

Mitsuri shouted desperately with her eyes closed, shifting both muichiro and obanai's katana like a command as her scream shocked them away from her head. Cutting across her body instead, colouring the pure clean snow under her feet red.

"Ayame!"

Kyojuro screamed while covering Senjuro's gaze away.

"Though I do intend to die, I'm afraid I have one last thing to do before, so I cannot die here regrettably"

"Is it perhaps spilling everything to kibutsuji muzan?I knew we never should've trusted you"

Obanai glared with his katana aimed at her neck.

"No, I have someone troublesome to take care of with my remaining time...so I'll be leaving first now"

With one last smile she disbursed into a whirlwind of rose petals, disappearing from their grasp once more. Senjuro stared at the place she stood with teary eyes, but then he felt something clenched within his hands. He slowly looked down into his fist and shakily unraveled his cold fingers, ringing a serene sound.

Senjuro let out a gasp as his tears streamed down his cheek, within his palm was the bell ayame so dearly treasured and always kept by her side. He remembered the scene he saw moments before the haori was pulled over his eyes, ayame had taken the bell off her obi and placed it in his hands.

The view of the embroidered spider lilies flashed before his eyes as the cold winter breeze blew, realizing that it really was the last time he would ever see her again, a final goodbye and the bell was left as a inheritance to keep her memory.

*******

She was back once again in the temple, this time well before dawn just as Douma wished. Now all that was left, was to hope she can be in peace for the next few days. Ayame headed towards the bathroom with a new kimono in hand, she decided to take a bath in the hot spring and melt away all her troublesome thoughts before meeting up with Douma again.

No matter the occasion she often picked up the scent of sake in the room, it came as a shock to her the first time she experienced it. But after finding out the reason was because Douma enjoyed taking sake baths from one of the workers, it wasn't long until she got used to it and instead she thought it was quite a curious hobby.

She slid open the door and was immediately faced with a blow of warm steam, to her surprise a bath and towels had already been prepared for her as if it was predicted she would come here, and knowing Douma he was the only one who could've done this for her.

Smiling Ayame slid the door closed behind her to indulge in a relaxing night. She pulled her hair into a simple bun with a kanzashi and wrapped her quickly rinsed body with a towel before heading towards the hot spring on the other side of the fusama.

The cold air sent a chill through her body as it clashed with her warm temperature, instantly turning the warm droplets of water on her body cold. Lowering a foot down into the water, ayame slowly walked towards the middle, rippling the water as it eventually reached just beneath her shoulders.

She admired the stars above glistening like hidden gems, mesmerized by its beauty she wondered how long has it been since she last took time to watch them? Not long after, she heard the fusama slide open behind her, looking over her shoulder Ayame saw someone with eyes that could compete with even the brilliance of stars.

"Ara~ is Aya chan enjoying herself?"