Ch. 6: Change
With Haku carrying me in his arms, we returned to the castle…
Haku: “…”
Haku carefully disinfected the wound on my knee and wrapped it in a bandage.
(Ah…)
The wounded rabbit we’d encountered the day before came hopping over to me.
(Oh good…it’s gotten better.)
Haku: “Does it hurt?”
OO: “Ah, no…”
Haku looked at my knee, his eyes filled with worry.
Haku: “I’m sorry…I suppose that was too much of a reaction in that kind of situation.”
OO: “But…you were protecting me…”
Haku: “…were you scared?”
OO: “…yes.”
I answered honestly and…-.
Haku: “…I see.”
Suddenly, I realized Haku’s eyes looked sharp as blades.
OO: “Haku…?”
Haku: “…”
He didn’t respond as I called his name…
Once again, he just stared at my injured knee.
Ch. 7: Hidden Fury
There was a hard glint to Haku’s eyes…
(I wonder what’s wrong…)
OO: “Um…”
As I spoke out, the rabbit hopped around Haku’s feet.
Then the sharpness disappeared from his gaze as he looked towards the rabbit.
Haku: “…”
OO: “It looks like it’s completely better. I know, why don’t we take it back to the forest? I bet it has friends there.”
Haku: “The forest…”
I thought I saw Haku’s expression darken slightly at my proposal.
Haku: “Thieves might appear in the forest again. It’s dangerous…that man…he looked at you and smiled…”
I remembered the sneer the thief had directed at me as he’d left.
(So he noticed it…)
At that time, I noticed Haku’s body beginning to tremble.
OO: “Haku…?”
Haku: “When I think of that guy doing anything to you…I feel something dark dominate my heart.”
Haku turned to look to me, and his voice was low and heavy as he spoke.
(…)
This time, I saw confusion projected in Haku’s eyes…
Haku: “What…is this? Tell me…!”
OO: “Haku…!?”
In confusion Haku grabbed my shoulders and in the face of that strength, I cried out.
OO: “…”
(Haku is a little frightening…)
At that time…the rabbit hopped around us without a care in the world.
Haku: “…”
Little by little, Haku’s fury faded.
Haku: “…if that’s what you want to do, we’ll bring the rabbit back to the forest. But…I will not forgive anyone who hurts you.”
Haku’s voice was cool and level as he spoke, and I couldn’t get it out of my ears…
The next day…-.
Haku and I came to bring the rabbit back to the forest.
OO: “It’s looking much better.”
Haku carefully set down the rabbit he’d been holding and…
It cheerfully hopped around us, then returned to the depths of the forest.
OO: “I’m glad…”
Haku: “…glad?”
Haku quietly watched the rabbit as it darted away.
(He was a little scary yesterday but…)
I felt my heart ease in relief as I saw the gentleness in his eyes.
At that time…-.
There was a rustle, and an unnatural sound split the silence.
OO: “…”
For some reason, I could feel a hateful presence from the direction of the sound…
OO: “Haku…”
Without thinking, I grabbed Haku’s shirt.
Haku: “…it’s alright.”
Haku held me gently to make me feel more at ease.
Haku: “Come out.”
OO: “…!”
As Haku called out, a single man I recognized appeared from the shadow of a tree.
Thief 1: “Aw, you found me.”
OO: “…!”
It was the man who had attacked us in the forest the other day.
Thief 1: “I ain’t alone this time. See, I brought some friends.”
I became aware of multiple men surrounding us.
(What do we do…?)
Haku: “…”
I looked up at Haku and saw him staring fixedly at the men with a surprising amount of calm.
His eyes were the same as I’d seen the day before: dark and sharp as daggers.
Ch. 8: Overflowing Emotions
The trees of the forest seemed to rustle in concern…-.
Haku: “…”
Haku and I were completely surrounded by the thieves.
Thief 1: “Prince Haku…today’s the day you’re comin’ with us.”
Thief 2: “We’ll get a huge ransom for you from the country.”
Haku: “…how ridiculous.”
That’s what I thought I heard Haku mutter as he drew his dagger and ran towards the men.
In that same instant…-.
OO: “Eh…!?”
Another man appeared from the shadows of the trees and grabbed me from behind.
Haku: “…!”
OO: “…”
He tightly wrapped his arm around my neck, and I couldn’t breathe.
Thief 2: “Prince Haku, don’t move…”
Haku: “OO…!”
(Haku…!)
OO: “…”
The words caught in my throat and only a breath escaped.
Thief 2: “You’ll come quietly. Otherwise… …!?”
Haku dashed towards me, fast as the wind, and sent the man holding me flying.
Haku: “Don’t touch her…!”
Haku’s face was twisted in fury.
Released from the man, I felt as if I’d collapse on the spot when…-.
Haku: “…!”
Haku caught me and held me up.
Haku: “Are you okay…!?”
OO: “Y…yes…”
I was suddenly able to breathe again and answered amidst a fit of coughing…
Haku: “…”
Haku’s expression changed into something quite frightening.
Haku: “You…!”
He gently lowered me down, then Haku turned his ferocity on the thieves.
Thief: “…!”
In the face of Haku’s overwhelming strength, the thieves were all cut down.
(Wow…)
Haku: “…unforgivable.”
The thieves were bleeding, so much that they were unable to move, and yet Haku continued his attack.
Haku: “…more…I’ll make you hurt more…!”
Thief 1: “Ee…”
The thief’s face froze in terror.
OO: “Haku…! That’s enough…!”
Haku: “…!”
At my voice, Haku suddenly came to his senses.
Haku: “…”
Every single one of the thieves was on the ground.
Haku: “OO…I’m glad. I could protect you.”
Haku said it with a smile, but his eyes seemed somehow hollow…-.
OO: “Um…are you alright?”
Haku: “Yeah…this is happiness, right? I’m happy I could protect you…and then that feeling before… hahaha…!”
Haku’s laugh seemed inappropriate for the situation, and it echoed in the quiet forest.
(Haku…?)
Haku: “Can you stand? We’ll go back to the castle.”
Haku’s expression was so scary; something new had been created…
At that time, I could sense within my heart that something in Haku had changed…
The butler and maid saw us as we returned, then shouted in shock.
Maid: “Lord Haku! Lady OO…! How did your clothes get so dirty…!?”
Butler: “What on earth happened!?”
Haku: “Today, I experienced anger.”
Haku reported in delight as the butler and maid were in a panic.
Haku: “Getting angry is nice…I felt myself get stronger than usual when experiencing that emotion. I see, so Mother also had that same feeling…hehe.”
(Haku…)
I recalled Haku’s fearless laughter from earlier.
Haku: “What’s wrong…?”
Haku studied my bewildered expression curiously.
Haku: “Are you hurt somewhere…?”
OO: “I’m alright…”
My voice came out shrill as I managed an answer, then…-.
OO: “…!”
Suddenly, Haku pulled me into an embrace.
OO: “Haku…?”
Haku: “I won’t forgive anyone for putting you through something so dangerous…After all, from now on, I’ll always protect you.”
He traced his finger through my hair and there was a faint smile in the way he spoke.
Haku: “This is…when something is important, right? You taught me that.”
Haku held me with such force that I felt like he’d snap me in two.
Haku: “This…is what it means to like someone right?”
OO: “Eh…”
Held in Haku’s arms, I searched my own feelings.
I wasn’t sure if what I felt was relief or fear at the strength of those arms…
(I don’t know…)
Haku: “I see…I like you. And you…?”
As I held onto those feelings that couldn’t be put into words, the one thing I was sure of was that the beating of his heart was incredibly fast…
Haku: “OO…”
His lips kissed the nape of my neck.
(These are Haku’s feelings…?)
OO: “Haku…what are you feeling right now…?”
Haku: “My heart feels full. It’s a very nice feeling.”
(Then…I’m glad…)
I couldn’t bring myself to reject Haku’s arms…
And he gently placed his fevered hand over mine.
END