17 Koi no Yokan

"Shina?"

"Have you seen, Shina?"

"Did Shina came by here?"

Is Shina here?"

Yu sat beside grandmother Sumika who was busy with the other grandmother of the village. Grandmother Sumika is the Elder's wife. Every now and then, all the older women of the village gather at her house to weave baskets.

"You've been roaming the whole village looking for Shina. It seems like she's been hiding from you, isn't she?" said one of the grandma's

Yu laughed as he shakes his head. "That's impossible, grandma. The relationship we have, how would I say this, we've started to get closer."

"Would we be seeing a shower of flowers soon, Yu?"

The grandma's started to giggle like teenage girls. He knew that they were teasing him but how could he deny it?

It had been years since Ayakawa left him. He just met Shina just a few months ago and from those months, his consciousness was in and out. But all he could say what he felt was 'Koi no Yokan'.

The moment he saw her, he knew that one of these days he would develop some kind of affection towards Shina. No, it wasn't love at first sight. But more of the trust that he would eventually fall in love with her.

It started from the feeling of gratefulness. That he wanted to repay Shina and Naru. But in the end, all were just an excuse so he could stay by her side.

"Yu," called grandmother Sumika. "The day you decide to do whatever you needed to do, it will be your lucky day. I say you, my child, I say you."

The other grandmothers agreed to what Grandma Sumika said.

"You think so, huh," Yu nodded to them and laughed. "But what if it'll end up like what happened to me and Ayakawa? What would happen if…"

"No matter how much the spring wind love," Grandma Sumika answered him again. "The peach blossoms, they still fall."

Yu looked at Grandma Sumika. The old lady always uses these kinds of words every time she would give a bit of advice. At times he cannot understand but this time, Yu just smiled and stood up.

"Thank you, grandma," he bowed to everyone before leaving. "I'll look for Shina and tell her."

The grandma's just waved at him as he sprinted towards the house of the twins.

"Looks like we needed to gather some flowers."

******

Shina tried her best to stay away from Yu. It's been more than a week since the last time she saw and talked to him. She thought it was the best. It stopped her from thinking about what had happened that morning.

Having to focus her feelings on only one person is not right. Her emotions affected the powers that she had. And it'll be the people of the village will suffer.

It's either she controls her feelings or leaves the village all over.

And she chose the prior.

They stayed and she needed to control what she was feeling.

"Shina!"

Her eyes grew wide as she heard Yu's voice. No—she was just imagining it again. It has always been like that every time she was sleeping. Yu calling her but when she opened her eyes, she was still in her room and there was no Yu insight.

And this is one of those moments.

"Shina! I finally found you!"

The wind blew as Shina looked back to where Yu's voice was coming from. She sighed at the moment she laid her eyes on Yu. Was someone playing with her?

She closed her eyes as it was playing her. She now was having hallucinations. That cannot be.

But when she opened her eyes this time, Yu was a lot closer now. He then stopped in front of her. He looked tired as if he had run from there. But despite that, he could still smile.

Yu reached his hands and touched her face. Gently stroking his finger to her cheeks as he tucked a few strands of her hair to her ear.

"I finally found you. Please, don't hide from me again," Yu pleaded. "The days had been dark. And I've experienced a lot of it, too. But you were there. And it changes everything."

Shina looked away as Yu seems different today. His playful smile was not there as his mischievous stare ere different. "Are…are you—"

"I like you, Shina," Yu blurted out then shook his head. "no, it's far more stronger than that. I love you. Yes, I love you."

Shina quickly put her hands to Yu's mouth to stop him from talking. She could feel the heat on her face. "W-what are you saying? Y-you're just…just mistaken. You cannot—"

"Shina, please listen to me," Yu said as she removed Shina's hand and held it in his. "I'm not mistaken. I'm sure. So, please be with me. You don't have to love me back, I'm confident that my love would be enough for the both of us."

"No, Yu, this is wrong."

"How can loving someone could be wrong, Shina?" Yu disagreed. "I know what wrong is, keeping this feeling just because I'm telling myself to keep the memories of Ayakawa. Her memories are nothing more than traces of brush and ink. They are there, all but memories."

"But the people in the village…" Shina still continued to protest. She was trying her hardest to run away but this man, he as if felt that she was trying to push away. He came running to her and wanting to pull her back.

"Let them be. Shina, I'm here." Yu cupped her face and lovingly traced her lips with his thumb. "I'm willing to fight the whole village for you. It was a mistake to let Ayakawa go and sacrifice herself. I didn't do anything when they took her away. But this time, I don't mind if the Gods would wage war against me for loving you, I would readily fight them just to have you."

Yu didn't speak for a while as he stared at her face as if memorizing each curve and line.

"Shina. Stay with me."

Yu stared at her eyes. Lingering. Coaxing. Wooing. A sad smile that drew on lips as if saying he was in agony yet happy.

"Then what will you do if…if I disappear one day?"

Yu stopped what he was doing and just stared at her. Not moving. It took a few more moments before was able to move.

Yu smiled. Yu laughed. Yu cried.

"If…if you'd disappear one day…please tell me a goodbye." Yu smiled painfully this time. "A kiss. A hug. Anything. Leave me something I could remember."

Shina started crying, too as she watched Yu poured his heart into her. Was it her words? Was it his years? Or was it her? Her and what her heart was saying?

"I'll stay," Shina answered. "With you. I cannot say that we have the same feelings but you will teach me, right?"

"Yes! I won't stop teaching you," Yu rejoiced and cried her as he twirled them around. "But I won't force you onto something you don't want to. Set a boundary. I want you to tell me if I'm crossing that boundary. We will stop. I'll be waiting until can cross that. One by one. Together."

Shina just nodded at him as he embraced her.

And that was the beginning.

******END OF CHAPTER********

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