The Old Year

"Ow... ow, ow..."

Chiba bared his teeth, one hand clasped in Yukina's as he watched her bandage him with her head lowered, her pretty face seemingly shrouded in darkness. His brow twitched uncontrollably, and pained groans kept slipping from his mouth.

At the same time, a bitter smile slowly formed at the corner of his lips.

Yukina was angry right now. Very angry. Extremely angry. While bandaging him, she was practically pressing along the edges of his wounds. She was definitely doing it on purpose.

"So you know pain too!"

After wrapping Chiba's long, bleeding wound layer by layer, Yukina finally could not hold back any longer and spoke with anger and grievance in her voice.

"Sorry..."

At those words, Chiba seemed rather ashamed. He turned his head away and apologized.

"That's enough. The injury should heal within three minutes. For the next ten minutes, you are not allowed to try again."

Yukina drew a soft breath, seemingly ignoring Chiba's apology. She slightly raised her pretty face, glanced at Chiba, who was covered from head to toe in white bandages stained with dark marks, then left the small grove with a stern expression.

"Idiot..."

The instant she left the grove, she could not help muttering that reproachfully.

This was bad. Yukina was really... very angry!

Watching Yukina's stern-faced retreating figure, Chiba tugged at the corner of his mouth. Though Yukina did not have the temper of a Young Miss, she was still a girl. Chiba was most helpless when girls got upset, and at that moment, he felt a little flustered.

However, that trace of panic quickly faded after Yukina left. He slowly stood up and looked over the clearing he had opened up two years ago, as well as the trees around it, now bearing many fresh wounds. He