Setsura sighed, "It's okay, I'm just overreacting," she rubbed the temple of her forehead with her hands. "I do have a bad headache, though…."
"Should I call for Lyra?"
Setsura shook her head, "There is no need. I'll close my eyes for a bit; there is still time, right?"
Akito nodded. "Go ahead and rest."
"Okay, I'm borrowing your lap."
Before Akito knew it, Setsura had laid down on his lap. She was knocked out within seconds. His gaze fell on the girl; she must have been exhausted. He supposes it can't be helped. Lately, she's been working a lot. She is working so much, and yet Akito knows she hasn't met with Katakura even once.
He's had people secretly follow her around. All she does is work. She hasn't met Katakura. For him, that was a good thing, and yet he wondered if it were okay. She needs to know what her mission is; she needs to know her purpose of coming here. What if something terrible happens because she doesn't complete her mission?
Even his wife said that the reason she worked so hard was so they could be together.
…..
K Quarter
Whenever he closes his eyes, all he can see is brunette and violet — the color of her eyes and the color of the clothes she always wears. Despite being in pitched darkness, he can always identify those colors. The colors that bind him to her. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with his vision. But Akito you got into an accident recently correct?"
Akito nodded, "Yes. All of a sudden I heard a ringing sound and everything turned black." It happened three days back; he was riding his horse when everything turned black. Thankfully, he only crashed into a tree and not buildings. It was a good thing that he was using a scenic route that day and not the main streets.
"Maybe it's the darkness implanted in your arm... Can you put your arm through this?" Kuri asked, pointing to the white device.
Akito nodded and slipped his arm through it; he dislikes being tested. But he knew that annoying guy would eventually show up and pester him about it. Since Lyra is the one asking him, he might as well. There's that, and he too wants to get to the bottom of this. He doesn't want to do anything with those people anymore. However, with the way this is going, it will revert to how they were both last month. "Now lie down."
He doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore. All he wants to do is make her happy. Especially Setsura, if Setsura finds out what kind of person he is.. Would she hate him? Akito didn't want to wait to find out the answer.
That was the last thought he had when he faded into a deep slumber. It felt like he was drowning; it felt like he was falling, falling into an endless pit with no end yet no beginning either — a world of the unknown.
The unknown, huh? Maybe it would be better for him. Back then, not only did he get possessed by a blood lord. He ended up driving his wife to a corner. Even if he didn't get possessed, even if that incident didn't happen, nothing would have changed. Things would have eventually fallen apart.
Maybe it would be better if he remained an unwanted child. A child with nothing. At least during those days, he could smile even when things were painful. But now? Smiling is difficult for him, genuinely smiling. Recently it's gotten better because of Setsura. But that's only temporary; he can't rely on Setsura forever.
..
When he next woke up, a frantic looking Lyra was beside him. It was a first for him, seeing her so frantic. Did something go wrong?
"You're awake," Lyra sighed a breath of relief. "Did you know your heart stopped several times?"
Ah...
"I'm glad. Kuri."
The black-haired woman placed her hand on his forehead and his neck, "Yes, yes. His fever has gone down, and his pulse seems to be normal. Just now though he was reacting very violently. It's calmed down a great deal."
"To what?" he mumbled.
"We tested the x drugs on to you."
Huh? Hold on a second, why the hell did they do something like that? No wonder his heads spinning. These people really don't hesitate to use people as their test subjects, not that it's new already. Now that he's gone through this, there's no way he would let Setsura go to Kuri for a check-up.
Lyra should do. It's only a headache after all.
"And bingo. There's a reaction. You already had some in your system Akito. Did you not notice?
". .What? I've never taken any. ." He trails of seeing the results on the watch wrapped around his arm. A strong reaction? What's more, a recent one…
He wants to continue believing in her he really does, and it isn't just because that woman was somebody his wife cared for and. It's because once upon a time he did care for her. During his time of depression, she was the one right beside him. He owes a lot to her. Although he can never love her, he at least wanted to have faith in her even when the claims came of her being the wife of that man.
Akito wanted to believe in her. How is he supposed to do that now after seeing this with his own eyes? A part of him had already known that the claims are real. He had known already, yet as long as he didn't see it, then it would be fine.
"Kuri?"
'Yes, I'll take my leave now. The tests are done for today, but you should come back for the next few days." Kuri trails of,
"You may be in shock right now, and it's only natural to be. However, the results weren't completely negative. You probably didn't realize it, but the reason you didn't notice is because somebody put lightness in you."
Lightness. . He turned to Lyra yet she shook her head, "I can't have put lightness in you without you noticing, unless I did what that woman did and frankly speaking if I did that, you would have noticed. Sumire did it, she came in that time you were sick and when you were in the medical center."
"Setsura?"
Lyra sighed. "Your timing was so bad. The carriage bringing her home was headed that way too. She saw and accompanied you to the medic center. You probably didn't realize since you hit your head."
So, the one who was frantically calling his name was Setsura. Back then, "I almost thought it was her," he mumbled. That frantic voice, those tears. It resembled his late wife. Maybe he is going crazy. His late wife is a time traveler, and even Katakura confirmed that she was back where she belonged.
In a place thousand of years from now. A place he isn't familiar with. It's only normal, she - she was never meant to be here. It's the same with Setsura. Can he convince her to leave her loved ones behind? It would be difficult to ask.