I had gone into the garden to find solace, but my voice was gone right now; I couldn't sing. Tears were still threatening to fall, but I tried to hold them back. This was my own fault.
"Kiana," Hyaku startled me. I wiped at the tears in my eyes quickly. I didn't want him to see me this way, at my weakest.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my back facing him. "You're supposed to be resting." Maybe if I pretended to be strong, I would learn to just be that way around him.
"Yeah, I been told that; it doesn't work," he said. I sniffed, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Something wrong?" I shook my head, still not looking at him. "Look if it's about what I did, I am sorry. I understand you don't feel the same way," I heard his retreating footsteps, but when I finally turned around, he was already gone.
I dropped to my knees. This wasn't how I wanted this to go. I did like him; I didn't want him to think it was that. Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed like a little baby. I was torn on what to do. I wanted to be with him, but I was afraid. Afraid of what would happen.
Koori found me then. Concern crossed his features as he dropped to my side. "Kiana? What's wrong?" he asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. He lifted my chin to make me look at him.
"I'm scared," I whispered, still lost in my own thoughts; I was barely aware that he was even there.
"Scared of what?" Koori asked, he forced me to look into his eyes. "Kiana, who are you scared of?"
I finally registered that he was waiting for me to answer. "I like Hyaku," I confessed out right.
His face shifted into a gentle smile. "And that scares you?" he asked.
"It makes me terrified," I told him. "I don't want to be cast aside when he gets bored of me."
He chuckled lightly. "It takes a lot to make Hyaku fall for a person, so if he likes you, you can be sure he isn't just going to discard you. He's a better person than that, and I would have thought you would have known that."
My heart knew that, but my head was being too cautious. "I just don't want to risk getting hurt, not again. I know this is being super selfish, but I grow too attached to people. If this doesn't pan out, my heart won't be able to take it."
"If you never take any chances, how do expect to do anything with life?" Koori asked. "Love is worth the risk because when you find the right person, it'll be so special."
I nodded, "I know you're right. I need to just go talk to him and get this figured out."
Koori helped me to my feet, and I patted me on the back, giving me an encouraging smile.
As I made my way to Hyaku's room, I was gaining more and more confidence. It was clear Hyaku like me, and I returned those feelings. We could work this out and see how far we could get. Love was worth the risk. Koori was right. I made a mental note to thank him later.
Opening the door to Hyaku's room, I found him by the window, looking out at the gardens. When he saw me at the door, he frowned in confusion. "Kiana?" he got up and walked towards me.
When he was right in front of the bed, I ran into his arms, knocking him back onto the bed so that I was positioned over him and kissed him passionately. He groaned in pain. "I'm sorry!" I apologized as I pulled back, moving so that I wasn't putting any weight on his wound.
He shook his head, "It's fine, but-"
I placed a single finger over his lips. "I didn't pull away because I didn't have mutual feelings. I pulled away because I was scared that you would throw me away once you were finished with me."
He shook his head. "I would never do that."
I nodded. "I know that, but I was scared. But, Koori helped me to see that love was worth the risk."
