Chapter 20 : One step too late

( Hi everyone, I am back! Thank you very much for waiting! ) 

The bandage lay snugly across Sakura's scraped knee, a soft reminder of Shin's rare warmth. He sat beside her on the edge of the balcony, where the breeze whispered past them, stirring the strands of her hair. The sky had begun its slow descent into evening, painting the clouds in strokes of lavender and orange.

Neither of them spoke for a moment. It was enough just to exist there, side by side, in a quiet world that so often demanded noise.

Then, from the shadowed corridor behind them, came the light tap of footsteps.

A maid approached and bowed low, her tone formal but gentle. "Lord Shin, Lord Haruki requests your presence. He awaits you in the strategy hall."

Shin nodded, rising smoothly. "I'm coming."

He turned to Sakura, hesitating only briefly before lifting a hand and softly rubbing it over her head. "Stay here. Don’t jump of from here or start a war. I won’t be long."

Sakura's lips parted, her heart thudding with hesitation. "Shin... wait."

He paused mid-step, glancing back at her. "What is it?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. The words sat heavily in her chest, but wouldn’t rise. "It’s... nothing."

For a moment, Shin stared at her in silence.

Then he smiled—soft, fleeting, and rare. "Alright."

With that, he turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Sakura sat alone on the balcony now, arms wrapped around her knees. The breeze felt cooler somehow. Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where the sun was melting slowly behind distant rooftops.

Her mind tugged at her from all sides.

Now’s not the right time to ask Shin... He just came back. And Father called for him. But...

A different promise clawed at her thoughts—a promise she had made to a boy who had waited for her with eyes full of trust.

Haru.

She stood slowly, her breath shaky but certain. She reached beneath the bench, pulling out a hidden black cloak and throwing it over her shoulders. Drawing the hood low over her face, Sakura moved through the halls like a shadow, unseen by the castle guards. Her feet moved with urgency, every step echoing her pounding heart.

She knew every secret passage. She had used them as a child. Now, she slipped through them like smoke, past the patrolling guards at the capital boundaries.

And then she was outside.

The world beyond the walls welcomed her with quiet forests and winding dirt paths. She pressed onward, her heart focused only on one destination:

The abandoned mansion where Haru and the others lived.

Inside the creaking halls of that same mansion, the atmosphere was heavy with dread.

Kai stood at a window, fists clenched. Hana sat on the floor beside Ryo, gently rubbing his back as he sobbed quietly.

"Why isn't he back yet..." Ryo whimpered, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"He’s okay," Hana whispered, though her voice trembled. "He has to be."

Kai didn’t move. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the front path, waiting. Hoping.

Then—a sound.

The creak of the front gate.

All three turned toward the front hall.

Footsteps echoed through the quiet mansion.

They ran, hearts leaping in their throats.

The great doors opened.

It wasn’t Haru.

It was Sakura.

Draped in black, she stepped inside, freezing as she met the wide, wet eyes of Hana and Ryo... and Kai's icy, furious glare.

"Sakura?" Hana whispered, her voice confused and choked with emotion.

"What’s going on? Where’s Haru? Where’s Emi? Ren?" Sakura asked, approaching cautiously.

But Kai stormed forward.

He grabbed the front of her robe, yanking her close. "Where is he?! Where’s Haru?!"

Sakura gasped, startled by the sudden aggression. "I... I don’t know! What’s happening?!"

Kai's eyes blazed. "Don’t lie to me! He left because of you!"

"What... what are you talking about?" she whispered, the fear in her voice trembling beneath the weight of confusion.

Hana rushed forward. "Kai, stop—!"

But he shoved Sakura, sending her stumbling to the floor.

"HE LEFT TO FIND YOU!" Kai shouted. "Haru ran off to look for you because you made him believe you’d come! And now he’s GONE!"

The words struck Sakura like a blow to the chest.

She blinked.

Once. Twice.

Then she whispered, almost breathless, "He... he left...? Haru... came looking for me?"

Tears welled in her eyes. She gripped the floor.

"He doesn’t even know where I live...! He’s just a child...! Why... why would he..."

Kai stood above her, seething. "Why did you come into our lives?! Why did you make promises you couldn't keep?!"

"I didn’t mean to... I didn’t know..." she whispered. "I—I just wanted to keep my promise... I was late, that’s all. I was trying to come..."

But her words were lost. Her heart pounded. Her breath came in gasps.

Where is he? Where could he have gone? What if... what if something happened to him?

Ryo began crying again. Hana pulled him into her arms.

Kai, chest heaving, turned away. "Just go."

"What...?"

"Go!" he shouted, voice cracking. "You don’t belong here."

Sakura slowly got to her feet, her limbs trembling. She looked at Hana, at Ryo, but their eyes were filled with sorrow.

"Sakura, wait," Hana said.

But she turned and walked out, the door closing behind her with a whisper.

The sun was nearly gone now, swallowed by the horizon.

Sakura ran.

Through the forest. Through the scattered lights of the distant village. Her feet scraped against the ground, her cloak snagging on branches.

Please be okay... please be okay...

She searched every path, every clearing.

She called his name.

No answer.

Her voice cracked from shouting.

Back in the mansion, the front door creaked open again.

This time, it was Emi and Ren.

Hana and Ryo looked up with hope.

But when they saw the defeated look on Emi's face, their hope shattered.

"You didn’t find him...?" Hana asked.

Emi shook her head slowly. "No sign. Not even footprints."

Silence.

Then Ryo mumbled, "Sakura was here."

Emi’s head snapped up. "She was?! Did she say anything? Does she know where Haru is?"

Hana shook her head. "No... she didn’t know. She just... came. Kai yelled at her."

Ren looked up. "Where is she now?"

No one answered.

Kai stared out the window.

Hana finally whispered, "She left. After Kai told her to."

Emi's eyes darkened. "You what?!"

Kai turned. "She’s the reason Haru’s gone! If she had never come—"

"Enough!" Emi snapped. "None of this matters now! She’s just a child like the rest of us! And Haru is still missing!"

Kai lowered his gaze, his fists trembling.

Emi breathed out, eyes narrowing. "We’re going to find them. Both of them. This time, you’re coming with me. Ren, stay here with Hana and Ryo."

Ren nodded.

Kai met Emi’s eyes, still angry, but this time his voice was quieter. "Let’s go."

Together, they stepped out into the night—to find the girl who carried their pain, and the boy who had wandered too far for a promise made in love.