A Hatred That Will Never Bloom Into Friendship

Lloyd was recovering quite well. A few days later, he had regained consciousness and his full body cast was taken off, besides his left arm, which had to be kept wrapped up in a sling. He was beginning to look like himself again. His tan hair was washed of the dried blood and stoop in its usual spikiness, and his face was flushed back with color.

Rakuyo and I were sitting on either side of our teammate, who was sitting up with his back leaned against two pillows.

“So, you really think she’s going to resign as our sensei? If that’s what you even call it,” Lloyd says somberly, breaking the aggravated silence.

When Rakuyo and I arrived earlier that morning, we had told Lloyd why Naria sensei withheld her knowing about the Brothers of Treachery. It was a story of past grievances and foreboding basically. When she realized in Brothers were targeting us, it brought back insufferable past memories of that first encounter that she froze in on herself and didn’t want to open up about it. Incompetent and ineffectual is what she called herself.

In the end, before we left the ramen bar she said she thought she was ready to become a sensei and lead her own team, but she wasn’t. She was still young in years and still had many things to learn and meditate on, and that when he got back to the village she was going to relinquish her position as our sensei. Rakuyo and I both didn’t say anything then. What could have we said?

I shrug. “I don’t know. But she seemed so sure and certain of that decision.”

“Do we want her to?” Lloyd asks no one in particular, his eyes convened on the ceiling.

I shrug again. I didn’t know, so I didn’t answer. Rakuyo didn’t respond either. At that moment, the redheaded nurse walks in carrying a tray of three syringes.

She smiles kindly and sets up the metal tray behind Rakuyo. “Alright, Lloyd, it’s time for me to give you your medication.” She turns to Rakuyo and I. “I’m going to ask for you two to leave now. You can come back later on this evening.”

I nod. “Okay. See you later, Lloyd”

“Yeah, see you guys,” he mutters back with a frown. I roll my eyes nonchalantly, and he glares at me.

“Come on, Rakuyo.” I laugh amusingly and go to stand over by the door. When I turn back around to face them, Lloyd outstretched his hand to Rakuyo, and Rakuyo shook it with a small smile.

Yep, this mission really changed a lot in each of us. Hopefully all for the better…