| |
I love you, Hisa...
Whispered to me in the nothingness. That’s what I heard. I knew the voice from somewhere. Somewhere between promises and dreams.
Hisa...
Kwan... That’s who. I remembered. But felt so tired, so weak. So cold...
I’m here, Hisa.
A warmth graced my face.
I’m here. Always here... Hisa...
I felt myself being called back. To where, or from what, I didn’t know. The light touch of lips on mine, like a butterfly’s kiss.
Sunlight danced on my skin. A breeze brought the scent of jasmine and peach blossoms. Melodies of birds, soft and distant, broke the silence. My eyes batted against the brightness, and the shadows of leaves as they swayed. A room. Familiar, yet I couldn’t place it. Plush blankets over me, I lay on a soft bed. All of it somehow familiar.
It was my room. Kwan’s room—our room. While I ached in my movements, I made my head turn to look around and orientate myself.
Long, black hair, draped over the still features of the man I loved. His face lain down, he’d fallen asleep at my side.
“Kwan,” I whispered, and hardly that. I wanted to call out, to reach and pull him in.
His eyes were slow to open, and I repeated my quiet voice. He looked at me then, as if not believing I was awake. I smiled at him, the best I could. To my surprise, he smiled back, bright.
“Hisa,” said Kwan, breathing out elation.
In that moment, he was someone unfamiliar to me. I’d never seen him so expressive.
“Thank the heavens. Hisa, you’re awake.”
Blinking, my worn mind tried to understand what I was seeing, hearing. “Kwan?”
“I’m here, Hisa.” He took my hand, skin warm. “I thought I’d lost you.”
It was all strange, taking me a while to piece things together.
“Gumiho is gone,” said Kwan, firming his hold for reassurance. “For good this time.”
“The soul...”
“I have it,” said Kwan, keeping a gentle smile and pressed brow. “I owe its safekeeping, and its return, to you.”
I began a new smile, remembering then and pausing. “Urekkato. He was—” I made to get up, stopped by a surge of pain.
Kwan supported my effort, expending some of his magic to ease my hurting body. “His soul is returned.” He met my eye, seeing if I understood or believed him. “I’m sorry.” He turned, reaching to bring me a cup of water.
I drank with a great thirst, giving my mind time to catch up. “I thought. You said he never—” again, he took my hands in his. That alien warmth soothing me.
“I didn’t want you to blame yourself for his arrogance. I kept it from you, hoping to protect you. For that, I am sorry, Hisa.”
“So,” I stuttered. “H-he’s not...?”
“He’s not dead,” assured Kwan. “He’s recovering, like you. His eyes might never be as they were before, but he will live.”
“Beom was there,” I said, remembering more of the battle. “And Kwang—”
“My brothers are safe and well,” cooed Kwan, easing my anxiousness. “As are Koji and Saburo.”
I breathed my relief. “Feng?”
“She’s at Bitgaram, hosted by Kwang.”
I blinked.
“They’ve grown a closeness. After he protected her, she felt compelled to repay his actions and care for him in his recovery.”
To that, I smiled.
“Syaoran and Uno are safe as well,” said Kwan. “I left your side only once, to bring his sister here.”
“Then, she’s alright too?”
He nodded.
“I’m glad.”
“You mustn’t blame Syaoran’s—”
I shook my head. “I ran up the mountain to beg my brother’s life. I couldn’t blame Syaoran from any part of my heart. Or you.”
Gentle, he took me into an embrace, whispering my name. For a long while, we stayed that way, allowing me to revel in his scent, his heartbeat, the strength of his arms, everything that assured me this was the man I loved. This was Kwan. In my joy, tears fell from me.
“I thought I’d lost you,” said Kwan.
I shook my head against his chest. “Never.”
When he parted from our hug, his thumb wiped away the free rolling drops. “Hisa.”
I looked up to meet his eyes. Eyes that now held so much light and expression.
“Will you marry me?”
My smile beamed as I nodded, unable to stop from crying. “Yes. Of course I will.”
His fingers softly cleaned up my face. “No more tears.”
“No,” I started to repeat. “Except happy ones.”
He placed a kiss to my forehead. I pulled him down to my lips.