Kourin was panting hard after dropping her wooden sword on the ground. Hitoshi just declared the end of her training after a tedious hour of sword training for that day. Even though she glared at her brother who just laughed at her, she followed his suggestion. Her brother was considered a monster when it comes to training people. But it appeared that the monstrosity accompanying his training and teaching skills implied the gravity of the situation at the moment.
Hindi siya tanga para hindi maramdaman iyon. Kahit pa prinsesa siyang maituturing sa klase ng pag-aalaga at pagtrato sa kanya ng mga kasamahan nila sa Shrouded Flowers, it wasn't like she would be oblivious to the dangerous truth.
Kourin just sat on the grass and looked at the sky. It was a clear blue sky, with the cool breeze blowing on the side. She had to say that it was refreshing.
"Do you miss him?"
Kourin immediately stopped what she was doing and looked at her brother because of his question. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Rin-chan. He left our house two weeks ago. Since then, you've been even more quiet than usual. Does that mean you miss him?"
Kourin became silent because of that question. In fact, she should not have been surprised with her brother's straightforward inquiry. In the first place, when did she hide anything from this guy? Wala talaga siyang maitatago rito, lalo pa at ito ang madalas niyang kasama sa mansyon.
"I don't know. Maybe I do... Maybe I don't. I'm still a little confused. But each time I'd close my eyes, the majority of what I'd see in my mind were those times we got to spend together here. And then my heart would feel that ache because... I don't know if they will even happen after this."
"It's unlike you to feel negatively like this. What could have possibly triggered it in you?"
Natahimik na lang siya matapos marinig ang tanong na iyon. Ilang sandali rin siyang nag-isip.
Kourin took a deep breath not long after. "Perhaps it's the way I thought about our lives -- and how unusual it is for a lot of people."
On those occasions, Kourin knew Hitoshi understood her point.
"But Rin-chan, you have to remember that even in our not-so-normal lives, people like us still managed to find something special that ultimately served as their greatest strength along the way. It became even more special when those people became accustomed with everything related to us Shrouded Flowers. All because they had faith that we could pull through and we shall return safe and sound to their side. And that's all that mattered to them," Hitoshi explained.
Siyempre pa, alam niya iyon. Marami na siyang nakitang pruweba tungkol doon. Pero…
"Onii-sama, even with that thought, I don't think I would have the heart to drag him in our affairs, no matter what I've been starting to feel about him. From what I know, Seiichi-san has something to deal with on his own."
"But you have to know, Rin-chan, that you became his additional strength for him to be able to deal with that. For sure, you've already felt his affection towards you, right?"
Kourin said nothing after hearing those words from her brother. Not just because it was right, but because that confirmation brought more fear to her heart. Takot na hindi na niya nagawang pigilang lukubin ang puso niya. "Am I even worthy to earn such affection from him?"
Iyon ang tanong na patuloy na nagbibigay ng disappointment at insecurity sa kanya hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon.
"For him, you have every right. He said so himself. And according to him, it was the first time he'd felt something like that towards anyone."
Kourin took another deep breath and looked at the sky once more. Ilang sandali rin niyang ginawa iyon. At the sight of it, she couldn't help smiling sadly as another memory surged in her mind. "One time, he didn't like the sky. But after meeting me, he said he had found a new reason for him to love it."
"That's because it was daytime that he lost his memories when he was 13. And it was also daytime that his parents left but never made it back."
"Never made it back? Were they killed?"
"Assumed to be murdered, yes. Or at least, Seiichi's grandfather believed in that theory quite strongly. So that's why the sky would always remind him of the people he'd lost. But he mentioned that since two of your titles included the word 'sky', he thought it might have been a sign for him to finally change his thoughts about it." Then Hitoshi chuckled. "It looks like a dear friend of mine is smitten with my beloved little sister."
"Onii-sama..." Kourin's cheeks inevitably blushed and she could feel the heat creeping towards it. "It's embarrassing for you to state it like that."
"I'm merely stating the truth. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"
Napatingin lang si Kourin kay Hitoshi matapos niyon. Then again, she had nothing else to say after he stated that. He had a point. But her heart was still having a hard time accepting it to be true. It was hard in a way that she couldn't explain the joy coming from her heart at the moment.
Wala naman sigurong masama na maramdaman niya ang sayang iyon, 'di ba? Hindi naman siguro ipagkakait iyon sa kanya sa kabila ng katayuan niya sa kanyang angkan?
"Then there's nothing wrong if I say I miss that dear friend of yours, right? To the point that I truly want to be with him at this very moment. But I know it can't be because of the distance."
Narinig niyang natawa si Hitoshi pero hindi siya nainsulto roon. It seemed like he was amused.
"Then let your heart fulfill that for you. You already let him in there, right? As long as you don't forget him, as long as he's there in your heart, no matter how much you miss him now, just believe in one thing. Your heart will one day lead you back to him, as long as you truly and earnestly believe in it."
Kourin smiled at her older brother's words. Kahit na kailan talaga, hindi pumapalya ang kapatid niyang ito na pahangain siya sa mga salita nito. Once again, he had a point. And for now, that was all she could do. She just had to believe and one day, she was sure her wish would come true…
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