Silver Wish

It seems like mother's feelings for father never vanished. Lila wondered how that felt, to love somebody so deeply that it brought tears to her eyes.

"Say, mother."

"Hmmm?"

"Haruka and me, we fought a lot. But after I separated from him, I realized something. The stuff we fought about was stupid. I wish I spent more time treasuring his love than fight over pointless things."

Her mother's gaze softened. "Lila-chan should understand it better than anybody; even though you got angry at him, he never got mad at you, did he?"

Lila struggled to keep the tears falling from her eyes when she heard those words. Mother extended her hand out and patted her head.

"Lila-chan should go to the tree."

"The tree?"

"In that place, you will find all your answers."

__

Meanwhile, back in the normal realm, Yuhi was busy cleaning a few of Sumires things. She needs to learn to organize her stuff. He sighed as he recalled what happened a few minutes ago.

It was very difficult to send Kiryu away. That guy, since when did he have such a dark look in his eyes? He was not like that before.

The moment he felt a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, Yuhi sighed. "Back already, my lovely wife?"

"Mmm, I missed you."

"You're the one who pulled me away earlier."

"Because the kids were around."

Yuhi turned the girl around until she was in his arms. "You left Lila?"

"She needs to stay there for a bit. When I was with her, I noticed something strange attached to her, so I made her meditate in the temple."

"I see, and you.."

Sumire shook her head. "It still isn't possible."

'She looks so disappointed.'

Yuhi leaned forward and kissed her lips, causing her to laugh. "Your still needy, Yuhi-san?"

"Not as much."

"Hmmm, but what about me?"

"Don't fool around."

Sumire rolled her eyes. "Then why did you cling to me earlier?"

"That-"

"Well, forget it-" Sumire turned away, but he wrapped his arms around her waist. Yuhi pulled her into his arms again.

"You know that I have always wanted you."

"Do I?"

"Sumire," Yuhi mumbled. "Your brother is doing a good job with the negotiations. But if this becomes a territorial fight again, your hometown will suffer some serious damage. Are you fine with that?"

Sumire nodded. "Mmm, I do understand it you know Yuhi?"

"I want to confess to you again."

Sumire laughed. "What are you saying? Silly, do you know how old you are now."

"I'm eternally twenty."

"Quit it."

"But when I was that age, you couldn't stop staring at me. You kept talking about how handsome I was and all that."

She rolled her eyes at his words. "Yuhi-san, why are you behaving like this today? You went to investigate, but now your mind is corrupted like this."

Yuhi didn't reply as he kept kissing her neck.

It did not take long before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yuhi." She mumbled softly.

…

He wonders why that was, why has nothing changed? Yuhi continued to watch her silently. She currently had her head down, busy reading documents with an intense gaze.

"Yuhi-san, instead of staring at me, you should be trying to help."

Yuhi cupped her cheeks the moment she turned around. Sumire blinked before she laughed softly. "Uh, what are you thinking?"

"I find it strange, wife, and I am even more in love with you than before."

"Well, that isn't strange."

"It isn't?" Yuhi said, amused.

Sumire nodded. "After all in the seven years I left, I fell even more in love with you."

Yuhi flinched when he heard her mention that time. Seven years apart, huh? Whenever he thought about it, all the pain he felt back then would return. Truthfully he has yet to get over what happened then. Sumire returned only a year ago, no less, so the wounds remained fresh for him.

Since she returned, he has to make sure she falls asleep before him or sleeps in his arms, but he would wake up anxious even then. He spent the last two years with another woman just because he could no longer take it, but it worsened the situation.

"When you left, did you see Nagawa at some point?" Yuhi recalled something Nagawa Sano told him recently.

He wanted to help around finding his daughter's husband. So he asked for information from people that guy interacted with before the accident. His wife's ex-boyfriend Nagawa Sano was one of those people. Sumire paused and laughed awkwardly.

Yuhi frowned when he heard her reaction. 'I wanted her to deny it, but it seems that isn't the case here.'

"Will you talk to me?"

"There was a time Yuhi, where I got separated from Ryuuji-kun in the mountains. It seems I fell when I woke up; my memories were hazy. The person who found me claimed to be my husband, and strangely enough, his touch felt familiar, so I didn't doubt it."

Yuhi clenched his fist. 'How could Nagawa do that?' He understood that the two of them could never get along. But after what happened with Sumire, he thought the man would refrain from doing anything.

How did Nagawa find her? He looked all over for her, but Nagawa discovered her before him.

Sumire tugged on his shirt. "Please don't doubt me, Yuhi."

"No, it's just, did you two…"

"Mm, we did. But really, it was when I didn't have my memories. The moment I remembered, I left right away!"

"You ran off?"

"Well yeah, I got the shock of my life when I woke up nȧkėd beside Sano."

"..I see," Yuhi mumbled quietly.

To think Nagawa touched her, though, 'this doesn't sit well with me.' Even though he understood, for some reason, right now, he does not want to see her.

"Yuhi?"

"Sorry, I just want to be left alone for a while."

Yuhi did not wait for her to reply as he pried her off him and left the room. He needs to go somewhere for a bit. She is not at fault; he understood that very well. It should concern him more that she got hurt. How long did it take before Nagawa found her? She was in pain in the mountains for how long?

But right now, all he can think of is her being with the person he hates the most in this world.