Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 22's

There was only darkness around him. Shura ran quickly, although in fact, she also did not understand why she ran. All he knew, his legs just kept moving, running forward aimlessly.

"Shura's.."

A very soft voice like the clanking of bells was heard calling out his name. Shura immediately turned her head to the sound source. Her eyes widened. In the distance, he saw the human girl in the painting—Rin.

"Shura's.."

The girl was within the eastern pavilion garden of the western land palace. Exactly the same as the painting, the girl was hugging a flower with a spring smile on her pretty face. Unable to believe what he saw, a smile immediately puffed up on Shura's normally expressionless face. Extending his legs again, he immediately ran towards the human girl.

"Sheena..."

Spring smile, a smile that never changes one bit. A smile that can be soothing and want to see—sm that is very much loved.

"Shura's.."

Sparks of fire suddenly appeared around the girl. Shura's eyes widened again, the smile on his face immediately turned into fear. The fire spread rapidly, creeping up and burning the human girl's kimono. However, the smile of spring remained on that face, there was not the slightest pain it showed, nor did the gentle voice that called out his name.

"Shura's.."

Shura immediately put his feet together as fast as he could. He had to put out the fire. He has to save her. However, dozens of black hands suddenly appeared catching his feet, holding himself back from running. He tried to free himself, but failed. Those hands held him so firmly.

Panicking, Shura again raised her head to look at the girl in front of her. An overwhelming fear immediately attacked him. The fire had now crept up burning the entire body of the girl that meant so much to him.

"Shura's.."

The fire had spread to that beautiful face. However, the gentle smile and call of the bell remained unchanged.

"No! Stop that!"

"I love you, Shura..."

"No! I beg! Stop that!"

"No! Stopit! Stop that!"

"Wake up! Awake, Shura!" Call Shiro hard while hitting both of Shura's cheeks.

Both of Shura's golden eyes instantly opened. He immediately got up from the futon where he lay. His face was deathly pale, his breathing was breathless, sweat was flowing down his forehead and fear filled his face.

"Sister Shura, what's wrong? What's wrong with brother?" sakura asked suddenly while touching Shura's face.

The warmth of Sakura's hand instantly made Shura fully aware. He immediately turned his head to look around. The first thing he saw was the worried face of Sakura, Shiro, the three taijiya brothers as well as Tsubasa. He was in his room, on top of his futon with a battered body.

"Sister Shura is okay?" ask Sakura again. Tears flowed down her cheeks. His small hand that was on Shura's cheek forced the inuyoukai to look at him.

Shura just kept silent. Dreamlike. All he saw was a dream. A nightmare.

"Shura-sama, are you okay?" ask Tsubasa worriedly. He had never seen such inuyoukai like this all along. His condition is now very unnatural.

Shura still did not answer. He lowered his head down. What he saw was a dream. But his heart could not calm down. Why could he dream like that? The inuyoukai knows. The Western Land Palace had been attacked until it was severely damaged. He did not worry his father, for he knew that he who was so strong would be nothing. What he was worried about was actually only one, namely; the Rin painting that was in the eastern pavilion of the western land palace.

Rin's Painting. How much that painting meant to him, maybe no one knew. The painting was the only thing that could show her the spring smile she loved so much in the real world. Evidence and also the strongest memory of the existence of the human girl that meant so much to him. What would happen if the painting was damaged? Didn't he dare to imagine if the painting was really burning like Rin was in his dream?

"Get out." Shura ordered suddenly. His head slowly lifted upwards, staring at everything in front of him with an expressionless face. "Get out of my room. Leave me alone."

"Sir Shu—" call Sakura fast. The little Hanyou did not want to come out, but a pair of Tsuabasa hands suddenly pulled her body. "Come, everyone. Let's leave this room. Shura-sama needs to rest. Don't bother him anymore." Tsubasa said slowly.

Shiro, Mamoru, Aya and the real Maya also do not know what to do to decide to obey Tsubasa's words. However, Sakura remained stubborn. He rebelled himself as hard as he could to release the hands of the Southern Land Ruler Concubine.

"Comeout. I want to rest." Shura said suddenly while staring at Sakura. There was not the slightest emotion in those golden eyes right now, and it left Sakura stunned. A feeling of surprise filled his heart, he fell silent. A moment later, sadness filled the little hanyou's heart. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Doesn't Shura want it anymore? Wouldn't want that inuyoukai if he was on the side?

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Tsubasa immediately pulls Sakura out of the room they are in. Shiro and the three taijiya brothers immediately opened the room shoji door in silence and walked out. Sakura did not say anything more, however, her golden eyes that were still shedding tears continued to stare at that inuyoukai figure full of sadness until the door closed.

Sakura's tears were so vividly reflected in Shura's mind. He really hates himself. How sad he is now. How unwilling he was to just see his condition now. He who was so weak could only make Sakura afraid, sad and also cry.

Closing his eyes, Shura decided to return to lying down. However, suddenly the door of her room opened wide, and Sakura who was still just continuing to shed tears ran quickly in. The little Hanyou immediately opened both of his hands and hugged tightly the inuyoukai who was really very surprised.

"S-Sakura won't come out! Sakura wants to be here! Sakura wants to be next to Shura! Brother Shura don't throw Sakura away! Brother Shura don't hate Sakura!" she screamed loudly in sobs.

Shura looked at the confused Sakura. A moment later, he lifted his head staring at the door of his room that was open. He could see Shiro, the three taijiya brothers and Tsubasa standing looking at him and Sakura with a resigned facial expression.

Shiro sighed. Shura needs Sakura now, she knows it. Although he did not want to admit it, he could actually see clearly, there was already a bond created between Shura and Sakura. Sakura proves to be able to completely stop Shura's madness from suddenly attacking Akihiko. Therefore, his sister would definitely be able to encourage that inuyoukai as well. He did not like Shura who was being discouraged and sad. It does not fit, inuyoukai it should always be strong, full of pride with high self-esteem. Pouting, Shiro opened his mouth, "Let Sakura be here alone. I look like my father, while Sakura looks like my mother. Trust me, Sakura inherited all of our mother's stubbornness. There would be no way anyone could pull him out of this room right now. "

Finished saying so, not caring about Shura's reaction, Shiro immediately closed back the open door, leaving Sakura with the inuyoukai.

Still not understanding what happened, Shura could only remain silent. Sakura's hand suddenly moved touching Shura's cheek, making the inuyoukai's eyes again directed at her, "Sak Shura, Sakura please, don't hate S-Sakura.." His eyes with tears.

Shura could only sigh as she snorted the request. Both of his hands immediately raised wiped away the tears. "I don't hate you. Therefore, don't cry."

A small smile expands on Sakura's face, she quickly nods her head. But her tears did not stop. Her tears kept flowing. His little mouth was open again. "Sister Shura, what pain? Does the wound on Kak Shura's body hurt?"

"Not sick. Therefore, stop crying," Shura replied flatly. However, the tears on the little hanyou face still did not stop. Those tears kept flowing. "Why are you crying?" tanyanya.

Sakura just cried sobbing at the question. When Shura said she didn't hate herself. He felt an incredible relief. The fear that was in his heart immediately disappeared without a trace. However, as he stared at that inuyoukai face, he could not stop his tears. For through those pair of golden eyes, though the face before him was so calm and expressionless, he could see sorrow, despair, pain, fear, hatred for himself and; hidden tears.

"K-because Sakura is replacing Kak Shura to cry." Sakura replied as she touched Shura's face. Shura was always strong and would never show her tears, Sakura knew that, therefore, she was the one who would replace her to cry.

Shura's eyes widened not believing what Sakura said.

"S-Sakura does not know what happened to Big Brother, but Sakura knows, Brother Shura actually wants to cry, right? Its alright. Let Sakura replace him? Let Sakura cry and Brother Shura smile this time and so on..."

Shura immediately raised her hand tightly hugging Sakura's small body when she heard the answer she got. Buried the little hanyou face in his chest, no matter the wounds on his body. Sakura's reply made her not know what to do. There is sadness, but there is no denying that there is happiness in his heart.

Crying out.

How long has he forgotten that? Her tears. How long has she held back her tears? Since he had been trapped in the south, how many times had he held back his tears. Defeat after defeat he received from Akihiko. Wounds all over the body. His longing for the west. His desire to return home, the desire to ask his father, as well as the simple desire for a spring smile in the painting in the eastern pavilion he so loved. He wanted to cry and scream. However, he cannot. She was afraid that if she would allow herself to cry, she would become weak and the chance of becoming strong to give Akihiko away would be gone forever.

"What do you want, Brother Shura?" sakura asked suddenly while replying to Shura's embrace.

Nibbling his mouth, Shura buried her face in Sakura's hair. "I-I want to go back west... I just want to go home..."

....xoxOx....