After who knew how long, Kōbe Hikaru awoke.
What met his eyes was a hazy play of light and shadow.
Moonlight spilled in through the lattice windows of the Shrine, casting a dappled silver upon the tatami, and the air was suffused with the scent of incense, mingled with a gentle, reassuring fragrance.
Like wildflowers in the mountains, and like morning dew.
Neither strong nor vivid, it offered no startling impression, yet it was very clean.
Kōbe Hikaru knew—this was Kikyō's scent.
"You're awake."
A cool, clear voice came from above his head.
Kōbe Hikaru blinked, his vision gradually coming into focus, the picture growing clear.
Then, he saw Kikyō's face.
That countenance was directly above him, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall, blocking off part of the moonlight.
Those jet-black eyes were lowered, gazing down at him, her expression calm, yet carrying a certain indescribable serenity and softness.
Kōbe Hikaru's body went still.
He realized his current posture.
This posture, this angle—at this very moment, his head, beyond any doubt, was pillowed upon Kikyō's thighs.
Those legs, wrapped in red hakama trousers, were soft and warm; even through the fabric he could feel that sensation that set his heart and soul astir.
But Kōbe Hikaru did not get up at once.
He merely gazed quietly at that cool, clear face above him.
"How long was I lying here?"
As a yōkai he had no need of sleep, but being an oni in essence, once his yōkai aura was fully depleted, he would fall into a brief state of being unable to move—unable even to maintain consciousness, as though comatose.
After all, whether his flesh or his brain, both at present needed yōkai aura to drive them.
Fortunately, the Blood Mutation was complete and the Bone Mutation was forged; even without yōkai aura they could circulate and recover on their own. Had it been an ordinary oni warrior, whether he would even wake from such a blow would be hard to say—but without these two mutations, Kōbe Hikaru might not have dared to gamble with his life so recklessly.
"Two shichen."
Kikyō's voice remained calm: "Your wounds haven't fully recovered yet—don't move about."
Kōbe Hikaru lowered his head to look at his own chest.
It had already been bound with white strips of cloth, the handiwork skillful.
But—what Kōbe Hikaru really wanted to say was: what use was binding all this? He was an oni, not a human. Yet, with considerable emotional tact, he did not blurt out such words; he still had a brain on his shoulders.
He only asked: "You bandaged me?"
"Mm."
"...Thank you."
"It's nothing."
The exchange was very brief.
But the atmosphere between the two of them was not at all awkward.
Kōbe Hikaru tilted his head back up again, looking at Kikyō.
Beneath the moonlight, that cool, clear face appeared exceptionally gentle.
Her lashes were very long, casting faint shadows beneath her eyes.
Her lips were pressed slightly together, and that touch of cherry-blossom hue looked especially enchanting under the silver moonlight.
Her white shrine maiden's blouse had been dyed a faint silver by the moonlight, the collar slightly parted, revealing a sliver of slender collarbone, and below it, the soft curves dimly visible.
Kōbe Hikaru's gaze drifted downward.
Kikyō's waist was very slender, bound by the red hakama, tracing out smooth, flowing lines.
His head was pillowed right upon her thighs.
Those legs were long and well-proportioned; even through the fabric he could truly feel their suppleness and warm softness.
"Have you looked your fill?"
Kikyō's voice came from above his head.
Kōbe Hikaru drew back his gaze, meeting her eyes squarely.
"No."
He said it with perfect candor.
Kikyō's expression stiffened slightly.
Those jet-black eyes seemed to flicker with some slight ripple, like a stone cast into the sea, stirring up layer upon layer of barely perceptible ripples.
"You... what a fellow you are..."
Her voice carried a touch of helplessness.
But the corners of her mouth curved up, just a little.
…
Silence spread out between them, yet that silence was not at all uncomfortable.
On the contrary, there was a reassuring tranquility to it.
In this moment Kōbe Hikaru thought of many things—of the road of battle he had walked since crossing over to this world, of the countless brushes with death—though in fact he had already died, and was instead, step by step, recovering his vitality; the Blood Mutation complete, the bone giving birth to its soul.
But having passed through such hardship, to have earned the peace and softness of this very moment in return—it was, after all, not such a bad bargain.
So-called power, to him, had always been but a means to pursue the things he himself desired.
In the midst of this, Kikyō, gazing down at Kōbe Hikaru's pale face, found herself thinking only that, beneath the moonlight, those crimson eyes of his looked exceptionally deep.
Though it was an inhuman color, it inexplicably struck her as... very beautiful.
Her thoughts began to drift far away.
She thought again of the first time she had met him.
Of how, from the initial wariness and hesitation, she had come to acceptance, then to trust, and then, naturally and as a matter of course.
It could not be denied, and she did not wish to deny it.
She had long grown used to his presence.
So long as he was by her side, she inexplicably felt at ease.
...And in the times when he was away, she found herself all the more looking forward to his return.
Kikyō closed her eyes.
As stated before, Kikyō, as a shrine maiden, had been taught from childhood to keep her heart still as water.
She had turned herself into a lone island, needing no one to draw near.
But this yōkai——
This oni warrior called Kōbe Hikaru——
He had not barged into her island, yet he had been drawing nearer, little by little.
With his candor, with his reliability, with his keeping of every promise.
By the time she noticed, he was already there.
Within her heart.
He had landed upon her island, and put down roots in her heart.
"Kikyō."
Kōbe Hikaru's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Mm?"
"What are you thinking about?"
Kikyō opened her eyes and looked down at him.
Beneath the moonlight, those crimson eyes were gazing straight at her.
No dodging, no probing—simply looking at her, purely.
"I was thinking..."
Kikyō's voice trailed off for a moment.
She drew a deep breath.
In this moment, she made a decision.
She, Kikyō, had never been one to shrink back.
"Kōbe Hikaru."
She spoke up.
"Mm?"
"I——"
"Wait."
Kōbe Hikaru suddenly cut her off.
Kikyō froze.
Kōbe Hikaru rose up from her lap, turned around, and faced her.
Beneath the moonlight, that pale face wore a certain earnest expression.
"Let me speak first."
he said.
Kikyō's brows knit slightly.
"You——"
"Kikyō."
Kōbe Hikaru cut her off once more.
His crimson eyes gazed straight at her, his voice calm yet resolute.
As though he had seen through the thoughts in the heart of the shrine maiden before him, he opened his mouth and suddenly said:
"Let's be together."
Kikyō's body went rigid.
The girl looked at him, her jet-black eyes brimming with shock.
And also——joy.
Kōbe Hikaru smiled too, smiling rather happily, and as a matter of course.
For someone he had loved from his previous life all the way into this one, his response was only a matter of course.
"I know I'm a yōkai."
he said.
He said: "I know there are far too many barriers between humans and yōkai."
"But none of that matters."
"What matters is——"
He reached out his hand and gently took hold of Kikyō's.
That hand was somewhat cold, yet it made Kikyō's heart skip a beat.
"The me of this very moment wants to be together with you."
"Kikyō."
____
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on (P). with 50 advanced chapters available on (P)
👻 Join the crew by searching Leanzin on (P). You know the spot! 😉