The first rays of sunlight slipped through the window, casting a soft golden glow across the room.
Kagerou was still sleeping soundly on the futon, his body covered in bandages from the battle. Beside him, Kanae remained asleep as well, still holding his hand tightly within both of hers as though she were afraid to let go.
The sunlight gradually reached her face.
Kanae stirred.
"Uhhh..."
She groaned softly as she slowly raised herself from the floor beside the futon. For several seconds, she simply sat there, blinking sleepily as her mind struggled to catch up with her surroundings.
Then she remembered.
Her eyes immediately snapped toward him.
"Kagerou-kun..."
Fear flashed across her face.
But when she saw him still lying there, his chest rising and falling with each quiet breath, the tension in her body finally eased.
He was still unconscious.
But he was alive.
A wave of relief washed over her.
Yet that relief quickly turned into something else.
Her eyes began to fill with tears.
Kanae slowly leaned forward until her forehead rested against Kagerou's chest. Then she wrapped both arms around him, holding him as gently as she could without disturbing his wounds.
A quiet sob escaped her lips.
"...I... I was afraid, Kagerou-kun"
Her voice trembled.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, soaking the collar of her nemaki and the edge of the bandages wrapped around Kagerou's chest.
"Even after what you said to me..."
Her arms tightened slightly around him.
"How could you...?"
Another sob escaped her.
"How could you do this to me?"
She buried her face against his chest, desperately trying to hold back the tears.
"If you ever do something like this again..."
Her voice cracked.
"I... I'll hate you forever"
She knew she didn't mean it.
Not even remotely.
But the words were the only way she could express the fear that had consumed her when she thought she might lose him.
"So please..."
Her voice became barely more than a whisper.
"Please wake up, Kagerou-kun"
For several moments, only Kanae's quiet sobbing filled the room.
Then-
*pat*
"Umm... What did I say to you?"
The gentle pat against her head made Kanae freeze. Her entire body stiffened. For several seconds, she didn't dare move.
Her mind seemed incapable of processing what she had just heard.
That voice...
That familiar, slightly tired voice...
"...What?"
Slowly, Kanae lifted her head.
Her tear-filled eyes met a pair of half-open grey eyes.
Kagerou was looking at her.
His face was pale, and his features still carried the exhaustion of someone who had only just returned from the edge of death. A faint flush from his lingering fever remained across his cheeks.
But there was no mistaking it.
He was awake.
"...Kagerou-kun?"
His eyes blinked slowly, as though even keeping them open required effort.
"Yeah..." His voice was hoarse. "...I'm here"
For a moment, Kanae simply stared at him.
Then her lips began to tremble.
The emotions she had been desperately holding back finally overwhelmed her.
"Kagerou-kun!"
Without thinking, she threw her arms around him again
*Thump*
Kagerou's battered body sank slightly into the futon from the force of the embrace.
"Ugh..."
A faint groan escaped his lips.
Kanae immediately froze.
Her arms loosened at once, and she hurriedly pulled herself away.
"I'm sorry!"
Her face filled with panic.
"Did I hurt you?!"
Kagerou stared at her for several seconds.
His tired eyes slowly blinked.
Then, with complete honesty...
"...A little"
Kanae's face paled.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"But..."
Kagerou slowly raised his hand.
His movements were sluggish, weakened by the injuries that still covered his body. Even so, his fingers gently reached her cheek and brushed away a tear that had remained there.
"...I don't mind"
Kanae froze.
Kagerou's eyes softened.
"I've been asleep for a long time, haven't I?"
Kanae nodded silently.
"How long?"
"...Several days"
Kagerou's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Several..." His gaze drifted toward the window, where the morning sunlight poured softly into the room. "...days?"
Kanae nodded again.
"You were badly injured"
Her eyes lowered toward the bandages covering his body.
"And you had a very high fever"
Kagerou was silent.
Then he remembered.
The darkness.
The memories.
Kanae dying.
Kyojuro.
Everyone.
His fingers tightened slightly against the futon.
"...I had a strange dream"
Kanae's expression changed.
"A dream?"
Kagerou nodded.
"It felt real"
His eyes lowered.
"I saw you"
Kanae's heart skipped.
"...Me?"
"You were dying"
Her breath caught.
"I tried to save you"
Kagerou's expression darkened.
"But I couldn't"
He looked down at his hands.
"No matter what I did..." His fingers curled slightly. "...I couldn't change anything"
Kanae remained silent.
She understood that he wasn't merely describing an ordinary nightmare.
"There were others too"
Kagerou's voice became quieter.
"Kyojuro..."
He paused.
"...Obanai. Shinobu"
His eyes trembled faintly.
"People I knew"
Another pause.
"People I'd never even met..."
Kanae watched him carefully.
"And everyone..."
Kagerou swallowed.
"...kept dying"
The room fell silent.
Only the soft rustling of the morning breeze passing through the open window disturbed the quiet.
Kanae slowly reached out and placed her hand over his.
"But it was only a dream"
Kagerou looked at her.
"I know"
A faint smile appeared on his tired face.
"That's why I'm relieved"
His fingers slowly intertwined with hers.
"You're here"
Kanae's eyes softened.
"I'm here"
"And you're alive."
"...Yes"
Kagerou closed his eyes for a moment.
His shoulders finally relaxed.
"Good"
A quiet silence settled between them.
For the first time since waking, Kagerou felt as though the weight pressing against his chest had finally begun to disappear.
Then Kanae remembered something.
Her cheeks gradually turned red.
"...Kagerou-kun"
"Hm?"
"You said something before you fell unconscious that day"
Kagerou opened his eyes.
"...Did I?"
Kanae nodded.
"You did"
He stared at her blankly.
"What did I say?"
Kanae's face became even redder.
She looked away, suddenly finding the floor much more interesting.
"You..." Her voice became quieter. "...said that I was the woman you loved the most"
Kagerou froze.
"..."
Kanae glanced back at him.
"After your mother"
"..."
Kagerou's expression slowly changed as the memory returned.
His eyes widened slightly.
"...I said that?"
"You did"
"..."
He stared silently at the ceiling.
"...I see"
Kanae stared at him in disbelief.
"I see?... That's all you have to say?"
Kagerou turned his head toward her.
"What else am I supposed to say?"
"You confessed your feelings while you were unconscious!"
"I wasn't unconscious when I said it"
"You were practically dying!"
"That's true"
Kanae puffed out her cheeks.
"And then when I came to see you, you were asleep! For days!"
Kagerou thought about it for a moment.
"...That sounds like something I'd do"
Kanae couldn't help herself.
A small laugh escaped her lips.
It was quiet and fragile, but genuine.
Kagerou smiled.
Then his expression softened.
"...Kanae"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you heard it"
Kanae's smile slowly faded.
"...Why?"
Kagerou looked directly into her eyes.
"Because I meant it"
Kanae's cheeks immediately flushed.
She lowered her gaze.
"...You really are cruel sometimes"
"How?"
"You say things like that so casually"
"I just said what was on my mind"
His expression remained completely sincere.
"It's my true feeling. It's not cruel"
Kanae looked at him.
"...That's not an excuse"
"It seems like a reasonable excuse"
Despite herself, Kanae laughed again.
Then she leaned forward and gently rested her forehead against his.
"...Idiot"
Kagerou smiled faintly.
"Probably"
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The morning sunlight continued pouring into the room, bathing the two of them in a soft golden glow.
Then Kanae remembered something else.
Her expression became more serious.
"You frightened everyone"
Kagerou blinked.
"Everyone?"
"Shinjuro-san. Kyojuro-kun. Senjuro-kun. Obanai-kun. Shinobu..."
She paused.
"And me"
Kagerou's gaze softened.
"...I'm sorry"
Kanae shook her head.
"Don't apologize"
She tightened her fingers around his.
"Just..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"...don't make me experience that again"
Kagerou looked at her hand.
Then back at her face.
"I'll try"
Kanae narrowed her eyes.
"Try?"
Kagerou hesitated.
"...I'll do my best"
"Better"
A faint smile returned to Kanae's face.
Then she took a quiet breath.
"...I'm too"
"Hm?"
Kagerou looked at her.
Kanae's face turned bright red.
"I..."
She hesitated.
For someone who could face demons without fear, somehow these few words were more difficult than any battle.
Finally, she lowered her gaze.
"...I love you"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Yet Kagerou heard every word.
His expression softened into a gentle smile.
He slowly lifted his hand and gently patted the top of her head.
Kanae closed her eyes for a moment.
"And you know, I also love-"
*Slide*
The door suddenly opened.
"KAGE-NII!"
Kyojuro's booming voice nearly shook the entire room.
Kagerou flinched.
Kanae jumped.
Both of them immediately turned toward the doorway.
A moment later, Kyojuro rushed into the room, followed closely by Senjuro, Shinjuro, Obanai, and finally Shinobu.
"Nii-san!"
"You're awake!"
Kagerou stared at his younger brothers.
"...Good morning"
Kyojuro's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"KAGE-NII!"
He rushed forward.
"Kyojuro, wait-"
Too late.
*THUD!*
Kyojuro wrapped his arms around him.
Kagerou's expression twisted in pain.
"...Ow"
Kyojuro immediately released him.
"I'm sorry!"
Senjuro hurried over as well, his eyes already wet.
"Nii-san..."
Kagerou's expression softened.
"Come here"
Senjuro carefully embraced him from the other side.
Kagerou closed his eyes.
For the first time since waking...
He felt completely at peace.
The nightmare was gone.
The darkness was gone.
Kanae was alive.
His brothers were alive.
Everyone was here.
And as the morning sun continued to shine through the window, Kagerou finally understood something.
Perhaps this was what that strange dream had been trying to show him.
He had been given another chance.
Not to change the past.
Not to become stronger.
Not to prove himself to anyone.
But simply...To protect the people who had become his world.
---
#A/N: "Whoops, sorry for the long delay. I've been reading too many fanfics about Naruto lately, and with my job, I didn't have much time to write anything... Sorry!!"