"Yumi, are you there?"
While Takeshi was fully absorbed in a lingering, passionate kiss, a rather unwelcome guest suddenly made his appearance.
"Captain…?!" the girl replied, leaning forward, a little confused. After all, she was right how could the captain be standing in front of her and over there at the same time?
Was this one of the captain's sordid pastimes? But the next instant, she began to see the truth the truth she felt she had always known deep down but had preferred to deny.
"You waited for me, I'm sorry, sweetheart," the voice spoke again as it emerged from the foliage. "I had to stay in the camp to..."
He stopped short, running a hand over his face, rubbing it hard as if he believed his eyes were playing tricks on him. But despite his insistence, all he gained was pain from the friction of his palm against his skin.
"Who the hell is that? What the… what the fuck is this?!" Losing control, he almost screamed but restrained himself at the last second, as if remembering something.
"Captain… I...I… I thought it was you!" she said, desperately trying to defend herself, her voice filled with guilt. After all, she too had been deceived in this story.
"…You thought it was me?!" he exclaimed. This time, he truly looked on the verge of exploding. What kind of pathetic excuse was that? Did she really have no sense of distinction when it came to him, her captain?
"I...I swear!" she hurried to confirm. "When I came… when I came here at the agreed time, I saw the silhouette and I..."
As she tried to explain, the captain felt something under his foot. He bent down to get a better look… it was clothing women's clothing, to be precise the very same he had bought and given her some time ago.
"A petticoat!… Shut your mouth, you slut!" he shouted, unable to hold back any longer. He wasn't about to let this girl openly mock him like this. How was he supposed to look back at camp afterward? "…You're so damn horny you can't even tell whether it's me or not that's what you want me to believe?"
"It's… it's the truth," she tried, but as she was about to continue, she was brutally cut off.
"You really take me for a fucking idiot. All that's left is for you to shove a fig in my mouth… You might as well ask me to drop my pants so you can fuck me while you're at it!" he exploded, clutching the silk in his hand, crumpling it in his fist.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, brother…" This time it was Takeshi who spoke; it came out almost instinctively. "The asshole is sacred, my brother," he added, finishing buttoning his clothes.
"Brother? Who the fuck are you calling brother? You just lifted my girl's skirt and you dare call me brother, you son of a bitch?!" he spat, a vein throbbing on his temple. "…And who the hell are you anyway? I swear I'll ruin your life if you're one of the guys from the battalion."
Well… that was understandable. Taking someone else's meal was a bit disrespectful but what was he supposed to do if that meal had run straight into his mouth on its own? Should he have just let himself choke?
"Well… with your girl, was it an accident?" Takeshi replied with the air of someone who didn't really have a choice.
"An acci-what? An accident…" Every word exchanged brought him closer to snapping. That had to be their plan after fucking in the forest like animals, they must have planned to kill him with an aneurysm… it couldn't be anything else. "…You're also making fun of me now… That's it, I'll just kill you both."
He completely lost it. He quickly pulled out two kunai, taking a combat stance.
"Captain… please, it's… it's not my fault…" the naked girl begged, on her knees, her voice breaking. But it was useless the man in front of her had already lost the last remnants of reason.
With a swift motion, he lunged forward, dangerously closing the distance, aiming for Takeshi's heart. Takeshi leaned aside, letting the blade pass.
He grabbed the hand holding the kunai, seized the back of his neck with the other, and drove a knee into his solar plexus. "Calm down, man… you're letting your emotions control you."
The air was violently forced from his lungs, saliva spilling from his mouth as the pain radiated through his body. The kunai hit the ground at the same time he did, curling up and clutching his stomach.
"I'll… I'll kill you, asshole," his voice twisted with rage. He didn't care about anything anymore. When the girl came closer to check on him, she was met with a backhand straight to the face, sending her flying.
"Look at you, hitting your own girl…" Takeshi sighed.
But that only made him angrier. He grabbed another kunai from the ground. This time, his gaze darkened it seemed he was about to resort to drastic measures, even if it meant waking the entire forest. That really didn't sit well with Takeshi, who also grew serious.
"[Katon: …]"
He had barely opened his mouth when Takeshi closed the distance. The only thing he managed to see was a silhouette disappearing and then reappearing in front of him. Suddenly, a searing pain erupted in his chest. Looking down, a spray of blood burst from his mouth and splattered onto his hand.
Takeshi's blade was lodged exactly in his heart. He could literally feel his end approaching. He raised his eyes toward his executioner, then turned his head, searching for the girl, curled up in a corner, watching the scene without reacting.
"Yumi… I'm…" As he murmured, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his gaze growing dull. "…sorry…"
With a swift motion, Takeshi pulled out his katana, flicked it to shake off the blood, and immediately slid it back into its scabbard. "I told you it would only lead you to ruin to let your emotions take over…"
Then Takeshi stepped forward, bent down to pick up the girl's clothes, and walked toward her.
"D-don't come closer…" she said weakly, her voice broken and trembling. It even seemed like she was crying. She had neither the strength nor the will to fight.
Takeshi slowly reached her. She simply let the weapon fall from her hand, visibly giving up on life.
"I'm sorry things turned out like this," Takeshi murmured gently, his low voice somehow soothing the girl, who lifted her eyes and burst into sobs.
"Shhh…" Takeshi softly pulled her into his arms. She didn't resist, resting her head against the chest of the man who had caused her all these problems. But it didn't matter anymore.
Takeshi comforted her, wiping away her tears while continuing to warm her in his embrace. After a few minutes, she finally calmed down.
"I don't have a coat, and it's really cold now… you need to go back," he said, still holding her. She seemed unwilling to move away. "…I can't take you with me, unfortunately… my situation is complicated."
"Go back and say that I tried to attack you and that the captain tried to defend you but lost his life…" Takeshi murmured softly.
She didn't answer right away, but eventually nodded slowly. Seeing that, Takeshi smiled at her, then kissed her on the forehead. It was… sincere. She felt her heart slowly warm, then tighten, realizing she would once again have to lose this new man she had just met under rather questionable circumstances.
"Go on, get dressed…" Takeshi finally said, releasing her.