— Damn forest where nothing ever dries!
I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate this forest—it's quite a nice place to live, and it offers us precious protection—but I still wouldn't want to spend my whole life here. To begin with, the bluish tint of the light filtering through the vegetation is downright eerie. Then, not being able to see the sky makes the weather completely unpredictable. And finally, that blasted humidity that clings to your skin and clothes. Because of it, I have to carry the laundry all the way to the top of a seaside hill so it can dry in the gentle warmth of the sun.
Once the laundry is hung, I find myself envying those little black pieces of cloth, sunbathing in the breeze, caressed by the soft sea air.
∼ Oh, whatever! My other chores can wait. This is too pleasant not to give up to the elements.
I sit down on the grass and close my eyes, imagining I'm a plant, soaking up the sun, the wind, the fresh grass, and the distant sound of waves.
∼ How I wish I could travel…
For as long as I can remember, I've always dreamed of leaving everything behind, running away from my worries and responsibilities, and going far, far enough that they'd never catch up to me. But born behind city walls, I've always been a prisoner of them. Or rather, I never had the courage to step beyond them. After all, I was always told that a frail young girl like me wouldn't survive a day outside. Even so, I often stood on the ramparts, gazing out at the world and dreaming about escape—just to live for one day. And now that I've finally left those walls behind, I find myself trapped in this damn forest where nothing dries.
∼ If only I hadn't listened to the adults. If only I'd had more faith in myself. Maybe then, I too would have wild stories to tell…
I snap my eyes open, struck by a truth that suddenly hits me like a wave.
∼ If his presence irritates me so much, it's simply because I'm…
— … jealous?! I say aloud, allowing the wind to carry my confession and making the ocean my witness.
∼ Of course! He managed to do what I was always too afraid to even try—while being even weaker than me…
I think back to my conversation with Ishizora, then Mai's words echo in my mind, followed by Mother's:
— … In my opinion, that boy belongs with us. You must have felt it too… If there's anyone here who could tell you your truths without holding back, it's him.
— … If this young man can awaken something within her, perhaps he will be able to carry away her sorrows, like the wind sweeping fallen autumn leaves.
∼ Honestly, the people in this Geika really have a knack for sticking their noses where they don't belong…
— I have to go apologize to him, I say at last while standing up, resolute.
∼ After all, I saw the way Mai looked at him, and I can pretty much guess what Mother wanted to talk to him about this morning. If he ends up turning down her offer because of me, I'll feel too guilty to even look Mai in the eye.
I grab my laundry basket and head back to Sylvheim at a brisk pace. When I finally reach the edge of Sylvheim, I spot Ishizora walking toward the gate, his travel bag slung over his shoulder.
∼ So he really did refuse…
I drop the basket and take a step toward him, but my courage fails me, and I stay hidden, leaning against a tree trunk.
∼ What if he refuses to forgive me?
I was too weak to understand his honesty, and now I'm too weak to share my own. As much as I hate this cowardly version of myself, I remain frozen, fists clenched in frustration, when I suddenly hear Natsuki's voice.
— Waaiiit!!!
Natsuki and Mai catch up to Ishizora, running and out of breath. He stops and waits for them beneath the old metal gate overgrown with ivy.
— You're leaving? Mai asks, resting her hands on her knees as she catches her breath.
Ishizora just nods. If he's not used to meeting new people, he must be even less used to saying goodbye.
— And you were just gonna leave without a word? Natsuki protests, a bit annoyed, a bandage on his nose.
— Where are you heading? asks Mai.
— I don't know yet, replies the traveler. I think I'll head north again, then go wherever the wind takes me.
— So that's it then? Your mind's made up? I know we haven't known each other that long but… I'm gonna miss you, Natsuki admits, stepping closer to place a friendly hand on his shoulder.
— I hope you find what you're looking for, says Mai while looking at him in the eyes.
∼ You weren't going to try and stop him? Mai…
— Even if it was just for a short while, thank you for welcoming me as one of your own. You're the first friends I've ever had. And yesterday's meal was delicious.
Natsuki starts to pretend he's crying, like he does so well, burying his broken nose into Ishizora's tunic to hide his face and sniff loudly.
— You really are a good guy! says the fake crybaby.
— You'll come visit us again someday, right? Mai asks, worried.
— If I ever get lost in these woods again, I'll stop by to say hello. If that happens, I'd be glad to share my new adventures over a good meal.
— Deal. We'll be waiting for you! replies Mai, turning her head to discreetly wipe away a tear.
∼ What an idiot. Can't he see that his place is here? No… this is probably all because of me… Because I took my anger out on him.
— Tell Kana goodbye for me, says Ishizora, to my surprise. I wish I could have thanked her properly, but it seems I won't get the chance.
— Don't you want to stay one more day? Mai persists. That way you could tell her yourself.
— Mai! Natsuki interjects, releasing Ishizora and placing a serious hand on Mai's shoulder. You don't stop a man once he's made up his mind. Don't you see the resolve in his eyes?
— Sorry, but I need to get back to my training, Ishizora says apologetically.
Mai and Natsuki say their final goodbyes, and Ishizora resumes his journey, while I pick up my basket again. Even after his silhouette is completely swallowed by the forest's darkness, and though Natsuki has already turned back, Mai keeps her eyes fixed on the path he took.
— He'll come back, she murmurs. I'm sure of it.
…
After over an hour spent pulling weeds in Sylvheim, I help out in the kitchen chopping ingredients. Lunch is always pretty modest—mostly soup and bread, which we serve outside when it's not raining. I guess you could call it a picnic, though that kind of ordinary activity never really had a place in my life. After lunch, most of the Shinzuites take a nap, lying innocently on the freshly cleaned grass. Some just close their eyes, others tell stories, and a few pass the time with sewing or playing instruments. As for me, just watching them is enough. I probably could never understand their idleness, let alone imitate it, but making sure they can keep living peaceful days like this—that's the mission I've chosen for myself.
Once I grow bored, I grab my trusty basket once more and head back to the hill where I left the laundry to dry. After a few breaths of sea air under the stifling heat of the midday sun, I return to the dormitory to get ready for a trip to the city. Since I already went two days ago, technically someone else should've gone this time, but I volunteered—I need to clear my head.
I slip on a short-sleeved shirt to hide the Geika Shinzui emblem just above my bicep. Even though we're allowed to enter the city, plenty of citizens still hold grudges against the renegade Geika, and I'd rather not have to knock out rude people at every street corner.
Once ready, I set off toward the city and pass through the Sylvheim gate. Around midday, the crystals shine brilliantly, lighting the forest from every angle. I soon reach what I've started calling the "cozy rock" because of its roundness and strangely smooth surface. Who knows how long it's been there, or how it got there in the first place. Stones, like living beings, have their own stories. And while it's possible—with some training—to communicate with animals, no one has ever succeeded in talking to a rock. Not as far as I know, at least.
This time, I stop beside the rock—not to admire its shape, but because a strange sound reaches my ears. It's like some large animal hitting a tree trunk at regular intervals.
∼ What kind of animal would do something like that?
It piques my curiosity, but not enough for me to go out of my way and check. Monsters aren't supposed to enter the forest, but many strange species do live here—ones that would surprise anyone unfamiliar with the area. Like those four-winged birds that glow in the dark, for instance.
I decide to ignore the sounds and head toward the nearest mole-tree to the city. There are several trees like this scattered throughout the forest, used as exits. They're called "mole-trees" because they grow in reverse, burrowing ever deeper into the ground. Once you're accepted as a resident of the forest, you can invoke its mysterious powers to raise the tree above the canopy. It must be an ancient spell cast upon the forest by our ancestors, and nowadays, no one really understands how it works—whether that's a blessing or a curse. After all, if all its mysteries were revealed, this forest would lose much of its charm.
…
Back from my errands, I glance one last time at the tinged orange sky, and spot the gray clouds gathering overhead. Without delay, I kneel on one knee, place a hand on the ground, and begin to whisper:
— Forest of life, forest of peace. You who shelter pure souls and protect from vice. Fleeting nature that spans the ages. I am your sister, I am your daughter. Forgive my past and allow my soul to enter your domain.
The ground rumbles, then begins to lower. I raise my chin and watch the cloudy sky retract, disappearing as leafy branches quickly move in to seal the opening left behind the mole-tree. Once the descent is complete, I lift my basket—full of fruits and vegetables that don't grow in this damned forest—and hurry back to Sylvheim before the rain starts to fall. I stop once again beside the smooth rock and listen, alert for any sound.
— The beast must have rejoined its own to prepare for the night, I conclude after a few seconds of complete silence. What was I expecting?
I grab my basket, and after one step, I freeze again. A loud splash reaches my ears, like a rock falling into a lake. Too intrigued to ignore it, I set the basket down next to the rock and quietly make my way toward the source of the sound. I stop behind a tree on the edge of a small clearing, then peek out to spot a little pond fed by a thin trickle of water spilling from a rocky wall. In the middle of the pond sits a small flat rock—and standing on top of it is Ishizora.
He's performing martial arts movements, constantly balancing on one leg. Sweat clings to his shirt, molding to his well-built frame.
∼ Has he been training here since he left this morning?!
I suddenly notice that many of the surrounding trees have damaged bark, some even stained with drops of blood. Seeing the bandages wrapped around Ishizora's hands and shins, I realize it wasn't a wild animal I heard earlier.
I hear the same splash again and watch Ishizora quickly climb back onto his pedestal to resume his balancing act, striking at invisible enemies with fierce precision. I must admit—I'm staring with my mouth open.
∼ When he said he wanted to get back to training, I didn't think he meant this urgently. I already suspected he was missing a screw, but maybe he's short two. His body won't last long if he keeps this up…
A raindrop snaps me out of my thoughts as it bursts against my shoulder, quickly followed by several more.
∼ I should head back before the rain really picks up. He'll probably stop soon too… before finding a cave or hole to sleep in for the night.
I retrace my steps and glance back one last time, having just heard Ishizora fall into the water again. I thought fatigue and rain would have finally worn down his stubbornness, but when I see him climb back onto the little rock to resume his exercises, I can't help but call him an idiot out loud once more. It's as if this man was born solely to get on my nerves. I decide to give up on him entirely and run back to Sylvheim to take shelter
∼ After all, it's none of my business anymore, since he chose to leave on his own.
…
Night has now fully settled in, and the darkness is so absolute that it hides even the countless raindrops pounding Sylvheim in a relentless clatter. Under shelter, and with your ears properly covered, you could almost believe it's not raining at all. The noise doesn't seem to bother my dorm mates, who are sleeping soundly all around me.
∼ Am I really the only one who can't sleep? Don't tell me it's because I'm worried about him…
Resigned, I get up to watch the raindrops fall from the window.
∼ Somewhere in that darkness, maybe Ishizora is still training… What am I even thinking, no one would be crazy enough to keep training this late at night in such a downpour. He must've found shelter under a rock or a tree by now.
Amused by the stupidity of my thoughts, I wander absentmindedly toward the dormitory exit, carefully avoiding stepping on my sleeping companions.
— Going out? whispers Mai's voice, half-sitting up as I near the door.
— Just getting some air, I answer reflexively, not really sure myself why I'm going.
— In this rain?! she exclaims, understandably surprised. Is something wrong?
— No, nothing, don't worry. Go back to sleep.
— I can't…
— Then keep trying! I snap before slipping out of the dorm.
∼ Of course it had to be Mai who was awake… Ishizora's departure must be weighing on her mind. All the more reason not to worry her. If she knew Ishizora might be passed out somewhere in the rain, she'd come running in her sandals and nightshirt to search for him in the dark, and no doubt end up with a nasty case of bronchitis.
I feel the rain slicing into me, and my shirt is already as soaked as if I had just taken a fully clothed bath.
— I swear, if he hasn't found shelter yet, I'm knocking him out before I wake him up and knock him out again, I mutter as I dash down Elvijkiar's main staircase as fast as my slippery sandals will allow.
I race through the gate at full speed, plunging into the darkness of the forest. Normally, wandering the forest at night like this would be completely reckless, and if Mother ever found out, she'd chew me out for sure.
∼ Knowing Mother, she will find out eventually.
— Ugh, why the hell am I doing this for that guy?!
Torn between irritation and worry, I finally reach my destination. Without that faithful rock as a landmark, it might have taken me a while to find the exact spot again. I leave the path and stop at the same hiding place as earlier. I take a moment to catch my breath, letting the suspense linger, then step out from behind my cover.
My soaked hair clings to my face and gets into my eyes. I brush it away with the back of my hand and squint, trying to confirm that what I'm seeing is real and not a trick of the rain and my imagination. But no—it's real. Ishizora is truly there, facing me from atop his pedestal, motionless like a statue. He's just standing there, legs straight, arms at his sides, head tilted back, letting his drenched hair hang behind him and exposing his bare, muscular chest as it's pelted by a billion raindrops. The scene is almost moving—like the image of a legendary ancient warrior who fought until he could no more and died pierced by a billion arrows. If I hadn't met this man before, I might've mistaken him for a perfectly preserved statue, or even believed I was seeing a divine vision. That's the kind of presence he exudes in this moment.
When I realize how I'm staring at him, I blush and lower my gaze. That's when I notice my soaked shirt, plastered to my body like a second skin, leaves nothing of my figure to the imagination. I flush even harder.
∼ Thank goodness he seems unconscious—otherwise I'd jab both fingers straight into his eyes... I wonder how long he's been standing like that. He probably hasn't eaten anything all day.
— What an idiot, really, I sigh while slowly stepping toward the pool without taking my eyes off Ishizora.
I slip off my shoes and gently enter the water. My shirt floats on the churning surface as I move slowly toward him, as if trying not to wake him up. If he regains consciousness, I won't be able to keep staring at this marble statue—this body sculpted by the gods.
Now I'm right in front of him, taking in every detail of his physique, nearly forgetting that the poor man is unconscious and that I need to get him somewhere warm as soon as possible. I don't even have to figure out how to get him onto my shoulders—his limp body begins to tilt toward me, as if drawn by some invisible force, before finally collapsing into my arms like a stone.
∼ The touch matches the sight.
Not exactly used to this kind of embrace, I freeze in place, panicked, his faint breath brushing against my neck as if to reassure me that he's still alive. Beneath my hands, resting just under his shoulder blades, I feel the heat radiating from his body. It's faint, but warmer than anything I've felt since a time long lost to memory. I look at his sleeping face and see the features of a child—fragile, unaware of the world's cruelties. That clear vulnerability contrasts starkly with his grown, muscular body, and I can't stop myself from staring.
— Why are you doing so much for a past you don't even remember? What kind of strength could be driving you like this?
I've always believed that anger was the greatest fuel for becoming stronger, but I have to admit—this walking wall of muscle has found another kind. I will need to have a long talk with him. And this time, I'll listen.
…
I admit it—I didn't think he'd be this heavy. He's every bit of his six-foot-one frame, packed with muscle. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem—I've sent heavier guys flying—but there are a few aggravating factors here. Like the fact that I left my sandals by the edge of the pool, and now my bare feet sink into the mud with every step. Or the fact that a half-naked man is pressed up against my back while I'm practically naked myself in this soaked shirt. Or the fact that his breath keeps tickling my neck while my hands are wedged under his thighs. By the time I finally spot the gate, I'm as surprised as I am relieved to see Mai standing there, nervously biting her nails.
∼ Was she… worried about me?!
To be fair, I did run off in just a shirt during a storm without offering any kind of explanation. She spots me right away and runs toward me. Though she doesn't seem shocked to see Ishizora's face resting over my shoulder, she does freeze for a second, scanning him to make sure he's still breathing. Then, without a word, she hoists him onto her own shoulders, making me suddenly feel as light as air. Then, without even a glance, she urges me to hurry, and runs as fast as her burden allows.
∼ What was I even thinking…? She wasn't worried about me. The day I decide to run away from here, who would even notice I was gone? There are already so many wild beasts in these woods—one less wouldn't surprise anyone…