♦⊱ Chapter 29 - Guests ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

No one spoke for a good ten minutes. All three of them were shocked, speechless and unsure of how to react. Seeing that they needed more proof to believe my words, I walked to the window next to Tomoki's bed. I reached for the curtains.

"I'm going to show you what this era looks like. Please don't shout or make any sudden noises – I don't want to attract people's attention to this room," I said before I drew them open.

When the skyscrapers and bustling streets with people and vehicles and lights came into view, everyone in the room tensed, their eyes going wide. They were shocked, rendered speechless, and couldn't look away from the sight they had never seen before.

"W-what the?" Tomoki stuttered and I laughed softly in amuse.

"Impressed?" I teased. "Welcome to my world."

I closed the curtains after a few moments and reached for the bowls of porridge again. I held them out to Kichiro sama and Kijima san with a word of coax, "You should eat to restore some of your energy."

They took the food from me but hesitated for a moment. After the first bite though, the rest of it was gone in a flash. We were enveloped in awkward silence for a few minutes before Kichiro sama spoke.

"Take me to your home," he said sternly. Well, it sounded more like an order.

"To my home?" I repeated, mildly surprised.

"Yes, don't make me repeat myself. I refuse to stay in this small room, with an enemy no less," he sneered, looking at Tomoki sharply who glared in response.

"Kichiro sama, you have to stay here in the hospital to heal." He rewarded me with a warning glare that made me flinch. I closed my eyes, sighing, "Alright, I'll talk to the doctor and see what I can do."

Kichiro sama seemed rather intent on leaving the hospital though and shoved the blanket off himself while sitting up with a grunt in pain. He turned to bring his legs to the floor so he could stand. He was still weak from the wound and staggered, losing balance the minute he stood, and fell forward.

"Kichiro sama!" I hollered, catching him before he fell.

He was heavy though and I sunk to the grounds thanks to it. Kichiro sama was breathing heavily and sweating, obviously still in a lot of pain and exhausted. I was about to ask him if he was alright but I was shoved away roughly. Kichiro sama stood with a stumble and I too stood while caressing my arm that had taken the brunt of his raw power. I had forgotten just how strong he was but said nothing under his and Kijima san's glare.

"Don't touch me with your filthy hands, wench," Kichiro sama hissed.

"Hey! That's no way to talk to her! She saved our lives!" Tomoki defended, glaring at Kichiro sama.

I smiled at him, thankful, "Thank you for supporting me, Tomoki. But you don't have to get so worked up. I'm alright."

I was hurt by how Kichiro sama was behaving with me – pushing me away and calling me a wench. But I sympathized with him, understood that his reactions were justified. He had lived his whole life being used and betrayed and had only begun to open up to me before I disappeared all of a sudden, with no way to contact me. I knew that he had become attached to me and was often restless when I wasn't with him...so his harsh reaction now was expected.

"Kijima, let's leave," he commanded. Kijima san nodded and supported him as he limped towards the door.

"Wait, you can't just leave like this. There are procedures that have to be followed before you're discharged from the hospital," I said, stepping to them before they opened the door.

I was only answered with a glare from Kichiro sama that meant that he wasn't going to listen to me. I sighed and massaged my temples, feeling stressed by their stubbornness. I could do nothing but give in.

"Fine, we'll leave the hospital and I'll take you to my house. But you should change into the clothes I got for you – I'll be waiting outside."

I stepped out of the room and shut the door before leaning back against it. I shut my eyes, exhaling deeply. I was stressed enough dealing with all the anger from Kichiro sama and Kijima san and now I had figure out what I was going to tell my parents.

I opened my eyes as I pushed away from the door. I stepped to the window of the corridor to gaze over the garden and parking lot in front of the hospital. My thoughts were chaotic until they were broken by the Kichiro sama, Kijima san and Tomoki exiting the room. Kichiro sama was being supported by Kijima san but Tomoki was struggling to walk by himself.

Instead of wearing the clothes I had got them, they had put on their own clothes, minus the armor. I felt a queasy at the sight of the blood on their clothes and the thought of the pain they were in but I suppressed any obvious reaction before walking up to Tomoki when he stumbled and collapsed to his knees near the door. I crouched in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder, mildly grimacing at the expression of agony etched onto his face.

Tomoki pov:

"Are you alright?" asked Ruka, having crouched in front of me. She had a hand on my shoulder, her touch gentle, and I tensed. I wasn't sure about what I had to feel towards her now – I was happy that she was helping me but still incredibly furious that she had married Lord Kurai, betraying all of us.

She was still as beautiful as I remembered her to be and I wanted to make her mine. I wanted to hold her in my arms and claim her as mine as I would have done if our wedding had proceeded as planned. I would have taken her right now if I wasn't injured and weak...just feeling her gentle touch on my shoulder sent a jolt through my body. My heart raced, for she was at such a close proximity yet so far away from me.

I was uneasy as well, since she had told us that we were in her time, a world 400 years in the future of when we actually lived. I was skeptical at first but Ruka's snug clothes that made her look so alluring and the sight of her village had thrown me off my feet – I didn't know how to react to the situation.

"Let me help you," she said and brought her arm around my waist to pull me up to stand. Her gesture made me lose focus for a moment but I took deep breaths to regain composure.

"Wench! You not only disobey me, but you're helping that b****** as well?!" Lord Kurai spat furiously.

I glared at him, getting more and more pissed off at how rude he was being to Ruka when she had saved our lives. However, Ruka only gave him a forced smile and spoke, "I can't just leave him here. You all have nowhere to go so I have to look out for you until you find a way to get back to the Edo Period. For now, we should think of how to convince the doctors that you want to leave."

We walked ahead while Lord Kurai and his minister followed us a step behind. We were too distracted to think of rules and status as the moment by the hospital we walked through. My eyes were wide and my jaw ready to drop at how big and pristine this place was – even more than the emperor's palace! It only served as more proof that we were in the future.

But how had we come here? How would we go back to our time? I wanted Ruka to return with us...but how could we do that at all?

"Excuse me, miss, where do you think you're going with these two?" a doctor wearing a white cloak said, having come to block our way. His eyes were narrow and skeptic and Ruka seemed a little uneasy under his gaze.

"Um, they're actually not comfortable staying in the hospital. They were making quite a fuss," she explained to him. "I was wondering if you could discharge them so I can take them to my house."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. They have just undergone surgery and I can't let them leave. Let's go back to the ward, hmm?"

"You fool! I refuse to stay here! If you don't get out of the way, I'll rip your heart out!" Lord Kurai bellowed. The doctor seemed a little shaken by the viciousness but frowned.

"That's no way to talk to someone, you-"

"I'm really sorry," apologized Ruka, "he's not very comfortable talking to people he doesn't know. He gets agitated and I'm worried that his condition will only worsen if he's here. Please, let me take them to my house and schedule visits to you when necessary."

Ruka bowed and I cursed under my breath at Lord Kurai for making Ruka bow to someone because of his crappy behavior. The doctor huffed with a shake of his head, "Very well, do what you want. But if something happens to them because of their recklessness, this hospital is not to blame. Get the paperwork done at the reception."

He walked away after that and Ruka sighed. She shook her head and lead us to a large table behind which two women sat. She spoke to one of the women about getting us discharged from the hospital, wrote some things on some papers and then led us out of the hospital.

The doors were transparent, much to our surprise, and opened without us having to do anything. We then walked through a huge area covered in hard, black rock of some sort before we came across a thick white compound wall. Beyond the compound wall, we saw more of the black pathway. My eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets at the strange objects that went past us on the pathway with people sitting inside them – they were like carriages but had no horses pulling them!

"Taxi!" Ruka hollered, waving her hand as one of the objects approached us. It stopped in front of us and I tilted my head to get a better view of what was inside.

I stumbled as Ruka bent and opened the side of the object before helping me sit inside it. She let me go and closed the strange door. I narrowed my eyes – was she trying to get rid of me?

I was about to protest but she helped Lord Kurai and his minister into the object on the other side. I was glad that it was the minister who sat next to me and that b****** sat on his other side.

She took a seat in front of us and smiled at the stranger who sat next to her, "Can you take us to Mizu Block, House 4, please?"

"Alright, Ma'am," answered the man and all three of us tensed when the object began to move.

"Please drive a little slowly. Two people at the back are injured," Ruka added, eliciting a word of acknowledgement from the stranger.

Ruka was silent and looked out of the object we were in, at everything that we passed by. The three of us were tense but said nothing during the travel. We came to a stop in front of a three story building after a few minutes. Ruka got out of the object first, having handed some paper money to the stranger with a cheerful smile that I loved, before she helped me out. The minister helped Lord Kurai out and we slowly walked towards the building.

Ruka looked up at the building, then glanced over us, "Um, can you climb stairs? I can call for help if you can't."

"Don't group me with that weak fool you're helping," Lord Kurai said with a scoff and I jeered at him in return.

Ruka sighed deeply with a shake of her head, "C'mon, you three have to stop fighting all the time. If you keep this up, you'll surely get into trouble. Anyway, let's go now."

While Ruka helped me climb the stairs, the minister helped Lord Kurai. It wasn't long before we had reached the second floor and came to a stop in front of a door. She pressed some sort of buttons on the handle. It was followed by a musical beep. Ruka then turned the handle to give us a view of her house.

"I'm home!" she called while taking off her shoes.

A middle-aged woman walked out from one of the interior rooms, smiling, "Welcome back, dear! Oh, who are these people with you?"

"Um, these are the people I saved after they had been in an accident. Didn't Kojiro tell you about them, Mother?"

"He did tell me. But how come you've brought them here?" the woman, Ruka's mother asked.

"It's a long story. For now, let's just have some introductions," Ruka said whilst leading us to the fancy looking seating. "This is Kichiro sama, Kijima san and Tomoki."

I frowned slightly looking between Ruka and her mother. She had told me that she was an orphan from a destroyed village – well, I suppose that was the only cover-up she could give if she wanted to hide the fact that she was 400 years from the future. Well, if this was really the future anyway.

"Ruka, sweetheart, you're back," came another voice and a middle-aged man walked out from where Ruka's mother had walked out. He wore a girlish apron that looked rather odd on him.

Lord Kurai, his minister and I narrowed our eyes at the man though, not liking how he had addressed Ruka.

"Hey, Papa, washing the dishes again, are we?" Ruka responded with a soft laugh though.

The man laughed in returned, "Yes, I'm being a good husband and helping your mother in the kitchen. That aside, who are these people? They look rather...strange."

He eyes our clothes, his gaze lingering longer on the blood stains we had. He appeared mildly nervous as well and Lord Kurai's deathly glare wasn't helping.

"Ah, sorry," Ruka said suddenly, eyeing all three of us, "you guys can sit down. I'll get you something hot to drink."

She helped me sit but I sucked in a sharp breath at the ache it sent through my side. I cursed under my breath but forced out composure when I noticed Ruka watching me with wide, flustered eyes.

"I'm sorry! Did that hurt too much?"

I felt warmed by her concern. I lifted a hand to cup her cheek and caress it with my thumb. I smiled reassuringly, "I'm fine Ruka. Thank you."

Much to my displeasure, she pulled away from me almost immediately. She looked uncomfortable and I clenched my jaw but remained silent. She then turned to her parents and the boy we had seen in the hospital earlier – he had come out from another inner room in this house.

Ruka sighed, looking between the three of them, "I guess I have some explaining to do, don't I?"

Ruka pov:

Through dinner and almost till midnight, I had narrated everything that had happened to me in the two years I had disappeared, leaving out the violent details of the killings I had witnessed and the punishment I had got from Kichiro sama when I had tried to escape. I was tentative the whole time, watching the expressions of Mother, Papa, and Kojiro that slowly changed from suspicion and disbelief to surprise and worry.

"Hold on a minute," said Kojiro, after most of my narration was done, "are you telling us that you actually traveled to the past? You went 400 years into the past just because of a bolt of lightning?"

"As crazy as it sounds, that's right," I said with a slow nod.

"That isn't possible, you know, Onee chan. I mean, even with all the advancement in technology, we haven't been able to create a time machine. There's no way a simple lightning bolt could have sent you to the past! It's just so...unbelievable."

"Honey, are you feeling alright? Should we take you to a doctor?" Mother asked, cupping my cheek and looking into my eyes with worry.

"I expected this reaction and this is why I hadn't told you the truth before. I didn't have proof then but now I do and everything I'm saying is true," I said, making Mother let go of me. "For the two years I was missing here, I was in the past. I lived in a village with Tomoki before and then with Kichiro sama in his palace. Kijima san is his right hand man and minister and...I fell in love with Kichiro sama and got married to him."

Kojiro choked on the water he was drinking. He coughed while hitting his chest to ease the choking. He looked at me with wide eyes, "What?!"

"Oh my goodness!" Mother exclaimed before I could answer him. "My daughter has finally grown up! She has a boyfriend!"

I smiled sheepishly, only feeling more awkward by the reactions I was getting when Kojiro hollered, "Not boyfriend, she said husband!"

Mother ignored him though and only continued to shake in excitement. I closed my eyes with a sigh, seeing that we had gone way off topic. I cleared my throat and spoke to break the chaotic chatter.

"Anyway, they'll have to stay here until we find a way to send them back. So, if it's-"

"Of course, they can stay here!" squealed Mother. "They can stay as long as they want."

I didn't get a chance to continue the conversation because Mother got up to finish work in the kitchen. I helped a little before getting the sleeping gear ready for all of us. I decided to give the futons to Kichiro sama and Kijima san since they needed it more that the rest of us did. Kojiro, Kijima san and I could manage on mattresses for a few days.

"Kichiro sama and Tomoki can use the futons to sleep on. Kojiro and I will use mattresses. Kijima san, I hope you don't mind using a mattress too," I said with a smile.

He narrowed his eyes though, "I won't be sleeping. I have to watch over and guard Kichiro sama while he rests."

"Right," I said with a slow shake of my head. "I understand your concern and your wish to keep Kichiro sama safe but you don't have to really worry about safety here. this time period is very safe."

"That may be," he responded, "but I cannot take any chances when that b****** is near."

Kijima san was glaring at Tomoki and I sighed. I didn't bother saying anything to Kijima san and got the futons ready. When they were laid out in the living room for Kichiro sama and Tomoki, I met their gazes with a smile.

"You can use this one, Kichiro sama," I said, pointing to my futon that was actually a little thicker and softer compared to Kojiro's because it was newer. I know I was being a little selfish but I wanted Kichiro sama to sleep comfortably. I then pointed to Kojiro's futon, "You can sleep on this one, Tomoki."

After they had laid down, I kept a mattress beside Kijima san in case he changed his mind and decided to sleep. I took a few minutes to finish my before-sleep face routine so everyone was asleep by the time I decided to turn in. I got myself some water to drink before I headed to my room. I paused in the living room, however, my gaze lingering on Kichiro sama.

I recalled just how much I had missed, how much I had longed to see him, to hold his hand, to touch his hair, and to stare into his gorgeous scarlet eyes. But he hated me now. He thought that I had betrayed him, left him when I had promised that I would stay with him. I could understand that he was upset and I wasn't expecting him to not be upset...but I didn't know what I could do to make him trust me again.

Clenching my jaw, I eyed Kijima san for a moment. He was sitting against the wall next to Kichiro sama, his legs folded, his arms crossed, and his katana upright in his arms. He appeared to be asleep and didn't even twitch when I waved my hand in front of his face to check if he was asleep or merely resting his eyes.

I was sure that he was asleep so I took the chance to look over Kichiro sama. I touched the silky strands of his hair as I looked over his slightly tense features. I felt momentarily overwhelmed as I watched him and couldn't stop from leaning down and letting my lips meet his in a feather-light touch. I closed my eyes, feeling warmth spread from my chest to the rest of my body in sheer happiness to be this close to him.

I pulled away reluctantly after a moment but lingered very close to his face so our noses were almost touching. I noticed his eyes dart around quickly behind his closed lids – he was in pain and anxious because he was not in his empire or palace anymore. I sympathized with him and ran the back of my fingers on his cheek.

"I love you, Kichiro sama," I whispered and kissed his lips lightly again.

I stood with a soft sigh, my gaze lingering on him, my heart wrenching with the desire to be seen by him and loved by him again. My eyes prickled. I inhaled deeply to regain composure and headed to my room. I got under the blanket and curled up into a ball whilst closing my eyes. It was a while before I fell asleep and I was glad that I had no dreams until I woke up to the sound of my alarm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hostility Kichiro sama has towards Ruka hurts T-T

Vote!

CoMmEnT!!!

:D