Chapter 81

POV: Asher

That makes me stop and look back at him only to be met with his alarmed face, which shocks me more than anything before.

Because this person in front of me could not be the always strong and independent samurai, now made a monstrosity that never bowed to anyone, could he?

"… I'm not leaving." I find myself saying for some reason, something about his weakened state pulls a string in my chest that makes me close my hand into fists.

Seiji seems to calm down a little after I say it, and more once I sit back on the toilet to help him clean himself up, but as I brush the sponge at his skin I cannot stop being bothered by his depressed state, too far from his normal confident self, it could not be just the booze talking, could it be?

As some say, what is spoken in the heat of the moment is something thought about before… and perhaps the alcohol got him in some way as to uncover the thick layers that involved his heart.