Chapter 99 - Hinata-C POV Faded Yellow Ribbon (1/2)

Akira was gone.

The loss made his heart thump with an unbearable ache.  His mind reeled with thoughts of telling his mother. Her tears would further break his heart.

He dropped to his knees on a soil patch,  beneath the shady canopy of an aged old wisteria tree. Disturbing a cluster of fall-red leaves with his body. His long hair had come undone. Straggly tufts tumbled about his head to hide his ugly face. The ground's moisture was soaking through his kimono to make his skin go cold.

His heart slowed into an irregular rhythm. A numbing pain overwhelmed his body. His mind became a clutter of garbage thoughts, agitated by mixed emotions. Sweat made his skin clammy and unbearable.

Colors faded from his vision. Soon the world around him was a blur. His mind couldn't cope with the pain. He lost consciousness.

--

”Chikafuji-san!”

Hinata groaned as stirred to consciousness.  Yuri's voice was frantic as he kept calling out his name.

”Sakamoto-san?” He weakly asked.

”Thank god!” Yuri bellowed with a sigh of relief.

”Baka! Tell me why a cripple, blind man and woman should be carrying a fool of man back to his home!”  Yuri's sigh of relief became hearty scolding.

Hinata looked about, confused. He glanced in his surroundings and saw that he was lying on his futon in his room.

”Hina-tan!” Shouta cried as he dived on Hinata.

The boy sobbed into his chest.

”I thawt you dead again!” He continued to cry as his arms squeezed Hinata's waist tighter. His small, skinny, body trembled like a shaking leaf.

”He was worried about you.” Rei said coolly from the doorway with Kei next to him.

Hinata shuffled into a sitting position with Shouta still clinging to him.

Miki, Miwa and Mei-chan poked their heads around, from behind the twin's backs. Their eyes lit up with joy at seeing Hinata awake.  They dived on him the same way Shouta did. Hugging him tight so he almost stumbled back down.

”Kids! Get off him!” Mei-san scolded the children. She managed to pry them off him.

”He needs to rest!”

Hinata wistfully sighed when she ushered the reluctant kids from the room, with Rei and Kei closing the shoji door behind them.

He was alone with Yuri again.

”Aki's gone.” Yuri's voice was level. Stating a fact.

He peered into Hinata's eyes, who was trying to avoid them.

”You're not to blame.”

Hinata bowed his head low. ”Who is if not me?”

”That secret policeman that stabbed him is.”

Hinata flew into a fit and outburst. Arguing his point against Yuri's fact.  He was to blame because the kenpeitai wouldn't have been looking for them if it wasn't for him.

”Do you think I'm a traitor?” He blurted. ”I must be for the secret police to hunt me.”

”No.” Yuri instantly answered. ”Hell, no! That thought is stupid when all you've ever done is work your shop and live your life.”

Hinata raised his head to meet his eyes. ”I don't understand. Why?”

Tears rained down his eyes again. Yuri sighed. He tenderly pulled Hinata into a hug with understanding of a different meaning.

”War. That's why.”

”It's over.”

”Soldiers fighting, maybe. The country is facing a new war, I figure.”