Eternal Melody

After everything she has experienced, it wouldn\'t surprise him if she ends up traumatized. He half expected to find Sumire in a state of shock or screaming when she woke up. But, there has been no sign of that in the past hour or so. 

"I-I want to see San." Sumire suddenly stammered.

"Right, he does need to have a look at you."

"But before that, has he been alright?" Sumire asked. "I\'ll assume that he was the one who operated on me. The previous times he did, he was already distressed. Seeing me like that, he-"

"He was a mess Sumire." Hino responded.

They all were. Everyone has been frantic.

"I see, I should see him before the others. I have to make sure he doesn\'t lose control."

So that\'s why she wants to see Sano first. When she said just now that she wanted to see Sano, he had mixed feelings. "If your talking about that odd ability of his, I have managed to calm him down using my shadows."

Sumire\'s eyes brightened. "Right, those fancy shadows of yours. We never discussed it, but you need to tell me everything."

Hino sighed. "There isn\'t much to say. I\'m simply a dual ability user like Yuhi and you."

"But, you keep it hidden. I\'ve seen your file in Hyou4, your not listed as a dual ability user."

Hino looked at her in disbelief. No matter how well connected she is with the members of Hyou4. He doubts Houjo Reishi allowed her to access their files. 

"Before we talk about the reason why I hid it, maybe we can discuss when you broke in and looked into their records."

Sumire winked. "When do you think it was?"

This girl- it\'s no wonder Yuhi watches her so strictly. Leave her alone even for a second, and she does something careless. Before Hino could lecture her however, the doors opened revealing Mashima. He scanned the room and his gaze immediately fell on Sumire. 

Mashima takes long strides across the room and eventually reaches Sumire.

"Toh- I missed-" Sumire\'s sentence fell short when Mashima suddenly leaned down and kissed her.

If he thought seeing those accidental kisses with Sano were bad. This is on a different level.

"Nnnnh." Sumire moaned softly. 

"You\'re okay?" Toh said parting their lips.

Sumire nodded. "Uh." She covered her mouth. "I don\'t think you should have done that. Hino looks like he is going to kill you."

Toh turned to him. "Shit. Sorry. I was just overwhelmed."

Hino was staring at Mashima with caution. He thought Sano was worse, but that? That kind of kiss is something that should happen behind closed doors, between a couple.

"Hino, forgive him. Toh was just worried."

Hino sighed deeply. "Alright. But you need to protect those lips of yours."

Sumire laughed. "I know."

Does she really? She is far too careless with this. Well, he understands why. Sumire can engage in those acts without much thought, she doesn\'t have to love the other person to kiss them. 

Sumire placed her hand on her throat. "I\'ve been sleeping for at least a week right?

Hino nodded.

"I thought I\'d be thirsty."

Hino immediately knew what she meant. "Yuhi\'s blood is what saved you. The operation was a success. But, chances of you waking up would have been very low if Yuhi didn\'t give you his blood everyday."

At that explanation he watched Sumire\'s cheeks colour. "He fed me while I was sleeping?"

"Yeah, he said it could help and every time he fed you his blood. Sano said your test results were getting better."

"Is--is that all he did?" Sumire asked shyly.

Hino felt his own heart beat increase seeing her in that state. It\'s rare seeing her like this. It seems like he will continue having a hard time holding himself back.

"Well, take one look at yourself and guess." Toh placed his thumb on the mark. "If you ask me, these can be darker. Maybe I should make it darker."

Sumire frantically shakes her head. "Prick. Don\'t you dare."

This only led to Mashima laughing.

Hino sighed deeply. "I\'m going to make a few phone calls, and let people know you\'re awake now. I\'ll try to limit the visitors as much as I can."

"Ah, in that case. I want to see Miya and Atushi, can you make sure that happens?"

Hino nodded. "Of course."

He already planned to call Hamano first anyway. He is officially Sumire\'s guardian. He has the right to know that she is awake now. With Mashima here, she shouldnt be too reckless. Hino exited the room and continued walking until he found a quiet spot. The steps that lead up to the rooftop,

Hamano immediately picked up.

"Is she awake?"

"Can you sense it?"

"Yeah, rather Yoru was the first to notice. The mark of loyalty we have towards her started burning, and the red light returned for the first time in a week."

"That\'s a handy connection to have."

Atushi chuckled. "Tell me about it. So, she asked you to call me?"

"I would have regardless but yes, she also wants you to visit later. So, make some time for that."

"I was actually on my way, is there anybody else she wants to see?"

"Grab Shizune if you can. She ought to be in the TV station recording for a variety program."

The recording should be finished now, and there should be time before her next job.

"Got it, and is she alright?" Atushi asked.

Hino frowned at those words. "I don\'t actually know if she is. She is oddly calm, and that frightens me. What she experienced is enough to drive someone crazy. But instead I walked in on her smelling the sheets and acting very suspicious."

Atushi laughed at those words. "She was probably trying to find more traces of Yuhi being there."

He explains what happened afterwards and sighed again. "So you can see why I feel conflicted here. She is acting way too calm for someone who experienced something traumatic."

"It\'s Sumire, Narasaki. I don\'t think you understand how many traumatic situations she has been in already. The year I met her again, she had already met Mashima. But, it seemed before then her morals were gradually slipping away. When I last saw her in middle school, she looked like she was completely broken. So when I saw her again, actually happy. I was relieved. She found someone who could make her smile."

*Unedited*