Yoriichi had returned from the grueling battle, his heart racing not from the fight but from the fear of what awaited him at home. He found the house eerily quiet, the dim light casting long shadows on the walls. His breath caught when he saw you lying in bed, pale and weak, your illness having taken a severe turn for the worse.

His hands trembled as he reached out to you, guilt and sorrow crashing over him like a relentless wave. He had promised himself he would always be by your side, but duty had kept him away. Now, as he knelt beside you, he could barely hold back the tears.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I thought... I thought I had more time. I should have been here.”