In Those Deep, Starry Eyes, I See Cherry Petals Depressed but breathing

Chapter 28: In Those Deep, Starry Eyes

There were many noises in life that Suisei had grown used to, even if she wasn't a fan of the noises themselves. The last screams of the summer cicadas before they died out in fall, for example. It was something that would irritate her and even give her headaches if the cicadas happened to make their homes in the trees of Shikemura Shrine. The cries of a child were another example. She became used to it over time to the point where it no longer disturbed her as badly as it had when their child had first bellowed out of need.

One sound that Suisei supposed she'd never get used to was the ambient sound of the hospital.

The beeping of the vitals monitors, the ambient rush of bodies walking outside, the low murmur of patients and families permeating the whole building… it was all too much for her to be able to stay calm.

Yet despite that, she wasn't all that panicked as she stared at the thin, frail form of Sakura Miko in the bed before her. The maiden's hair had gone from a deep pink to a pale tint many years before, and now the thin locks barely reached below her neck when they used to fall down her whole back.

This situation had been coming for years, ever since she'd gotten so ill that she was bedridden for nearly a month. That was years ago by this point. It was a miracle that the woman had been able to persevere and continue working at the shrine, even if the work she did was almost all behind the scenes.

Miko's chest slowly rose and sank. Her wrinkled right hand clutched onto Suisei's. Their fingers had been intertwined for a little over an hour now, since she'd woken up.

The children, all four of them along with three spouses, had all gathered in the room, squeezed in to be in the presence of the elderly woman. Though, Suisei pondered, calling them children wouldn't be exactly accurate, given how the youngest of the group was in their thirties. She at least had the solace of knowing that the grandkids had stopped in while Miko was asleep to say their goodbyes.

Miko's hand squeezed slightly, drawing Suisei's attention back to her. Those jade eyes opened, staring deep into her own. A weak smile, or was (that a smirk?) flashed on the woman's face.

"Stop looking so relieved to see me go, Sui-chan."

Suisei managed a chuckle, grabbing onto the sarcasm in the quiet voice like a lifeline. "Can't help it. I'll finally be able to prove you wrong about those legal papers."

Miko laughed, a crackly, frail thing, but it was the first full laugh Suisei had heard from the woman since she went into the hospital yesterday. Tearful snickers from their children sounded along. Suisei felt her heart soar.

The laughter died down to a calm silence. After a few seconds of living in that silence, Miko spoke again. "Do you believe in reincarnation, Sui-chan?"

"Like in those trashy isekai? Not really, no." Her lips curled up when her response dragged another laugh from the bedridden woman.

"No, not like that, silly. I mean, like… if you think we get a second chance. Another try after we finish this one."

Suisei sat on the question. She hoped so. She hoped so just so that she could see Miko happy, full of life, eager to dance and play games and go out to eat. "...if that does happen, I wanna meet you again. I know that if I get another chance I'll be given just as bad a hand as I had been dealing with from this life."

The hand holding Suisei's squeezed. "I'd save you again. I'd find you and I'd show you how to love yourself again."

Silence hung like a steel sheet over the room. After some time, Miko opened her mouth again. "There's nothing stopping it, but I'm still scared, Sui-chan."