The river water flowed with a rushing sound, and moonlight scattered across the surface, casting a shimmering glow.
As Yōsen approached the river, an inexplicable sense of panic welled up within him, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He raised his hand and stared at his shaking palm, feeling an unexplainable unease.
Why was he like this?
Was he afraid?
What was he afraid of?
He stepped into the water.
The river was neither deep nor shallow, reaching just above Yōsen's thighs, yet his panic intensified.
A sense of suffocation washed over him, his heart pounding violently, as if an invisible pair of hands were desperately squeezing his throat.
Yōsen realized something.
He was afraid of water.
Why was he afraid of water?
Did something happen in his unknown past memories?
Yōsen pondered, closing his eyes and scooping up the icy river water with both hands to splash on his face.
The coolness calmed him considerably.
He steadied himself and looked back, realizing Shinobu was no longer there.
Had she left already?
He had wanted to talk to her more.
Yōsen then meticulously cleaned the dirt from his body.
...Shinobu emerged from the forest.
She had gone back briefly to explain the precautions to the arriving Kakushi, then returned.
The first thing she saw was Yōsen, who had just changed his clothes.
Shinobu leaned in for a closer look.
He really did suit them, but...
"Yōsen-san, you've tied your belt incorrectly."
Shinobu untied the belt around Yōsen's waist, and his clothes, which had been tight against his skin, now hung loosely.
Yōsen's fair chest and sculpted muscles were fully revealed, and the crisscrossing scars on his body created a wild beauty.
"I... I thought... you had already left."
Shinobu didn't reply; she was captivated by the sight before her.
The young man's golden hair was still damp, occasionally dripping water droplets from the ends that slid down his exquisite collarbone.
Due to the stimulation of the cold water, a slight flush colored the young man's face.
His clear blue eyes stared intently at Shinobu.
He had wanted to learn how to tie the belt, but Shinobu remained still, so Yōsen asked,
"What... what's wrong?"
Shinobu snapped out of her daze, quickly tying a beautiful knot in a panic, then let go of his hand and said, trying to cover it up, "I was just thinking about how to tie it."
"Hmm..." Yōsen was a little disappointed.
Shinobu had tied it too quickly, and he hadn't learned.
For a moment, both fell silent.
Insects and birds chirped in the forest, the evening breeze rustled the branches, and the river water made a rushing sound.
Yōsen sat on a large boulder, and Shinobu sat down beside him.
Yōsen thought for a moment, then looked at Shinobu and said, "I... I remembered some... things."
Shinobu's beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she smiled gently, congratulating Yōsen, "That's wonderful, Yōsen-san!"
...Yōsen was silent for a moment before speaking.
"It's not good."
"Eh?" Shinobu didn't understand why Yōsen said that.
Why wasn't he happy about remembering things?
Were they bad memories?
"I'm afra... afraid of water."
Midway through cleaning, a fragmented memory suddenly appeared in Yōsen's mind.
His younger self was held down in a water tank.
It was dark, suffocating.
His innate survival instinct made him struggle fiercely.
Water continuously rushed into his lungs, but he couldn't break free from the grip of that large hand.
Each time he was on the verge of suffocating, he would be pulled out of the water, only to be pushed back in before he could take a few breaths.
Finally, he was thrown to the ground like a dead dog, while the owner of the hand leisurely took out a handkerchief to wipe away the water stains.
Then, he slowly squatted beside him, and a low, triumphant voice entered his ears,
"This is what happens when you don't listen.
You just need to be an obedient dog.
Why make so much trouble?
Do you still dare to defy orders?!"
Yōsen responded by suddenly biting his wrist, making him grimace in pain.
After struggling free, he grabbed a nearby whip and lashed it violently through the air, striking his body.
..."These are... these are the only things... I remembered."
"These are... not good... memories."
"Yōsen-san..." After hearing Yōsen's account, Shinobu felt a pang of heartache.
Were the scars on his body also injuries from his forgotten past?
"Can... can you touch... my head?" Yōsen was like a small deer seeking comfort, lowering his head and leaning closer to Shinobu.
Shinobu accepted, her soft small hand touching his still damp golden hair, gently smoothing down his ruffled hair.
"Yōsen-san, perhaps sometimes forgetting is a form of liberation, you know?"
"If you can forget bad things, just let them go.
If all your past memories are bad, it's probably better not to remember them."
Not remember, abandon past memories?
Yōsen closed his eyes, feeling Shinobu's touch.
It was so warm, so reassuring.
Yōsen was very familiar with this feeling; it seemed that in the past, someone else had also gently stroked his head like this.
Perhaps this person was the one who often appeared in his mind.
That person, in his subconscious, was someone important he shouldn't forget.
Even if the past was painful, if this person existed, it didn't amount to much.
"No, I want... to remember."
"I have a... a person I cannot... forget."
"A very good... very good person."
"Is that so?" Shinobu withdrew her hand, bent her knees, hugged her ankles, and rested her head on her knees, looking at the distant river.
"I thought so too.
Perhaps there was someone in your past who was especially kind to you, otherwise, Yōsen-san wouldn't be so kind."
"It's wonderful that Yōsen-san could meet such a good person!"
"Mm."
The young man's tone was not as cold as usual, with a hint of joy in his voice.
His usually stern face also softened with a gentle smile.
When the young man smiled, his eyes curved, and his sapphire-like eyes seemed to hold starlight.
The wind ruffled the golden strands of hair on his forehead, making him look like a beautiful youth from a painting.
So, this is what Yōsen-san looks like when he smiles!
He should smile more often!
Shinobu felt her heart beating faster.
If only he smiled like that because of her.