A Rare Wish

Meeting the Client

“We are leaving already?” Kaede asked sleepily, cutely rubbing her eyes.

“Yes,” Michiko smiled to her, obviously amused.

Etsuo rolled his eyes and Ryuzo scooped her up to set her on his back. I saw a ghost of a smile gracing Etsuo’s normally irritated face. I smiled at that, looking down. I wondered if I had any younger siblings, or even older siblings? I knew nothing and it was frustrating. And it wasn’t fair.

“Kagami?” Chizu said in her soft voice, catching my attention. I looked up at her walking next to me and tilted my eyes in question, bangs brushing over my eyes and tickling my cheeks. “Are you alright? You seem a bit lost in thought.”

“I’m fine, just thinking,” I smiled. “How about you?”

She blinked with slightly wide eyes, surprised. “Of course I am fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you aren’t walking next to Etsuo?” I asked quietly where only Chizu could hear me.

A light, almost invisible, blush covered her cheeks. “Wh-what?”

“So, I was right.”

“About what?” she asked.

“You should either tell him or right out kiss him or you two aren’t going to go anywhere.”

“What would you know?” she asked softly, not sounding snappy, but curious.

“Gut feelings are something I haven’t forgotten and you guys give me a good one.”

“Really?” she asked thoughtfully.

“So?”

“So what?” she asked, glancing at me with her chocolate eyes.

“Why did you ask if I was okay?”

“Because, the look on your face was one of aggravation,” she calmly explained

I laughed humorlessly, crossing my arms. “Not remembering is aggravating.”

She opened her mouth to say something when a weapon suddenly sailed through the air, almost hitting her until I yanked her out of the way. It was instinct to protect her, and I needed to know why. I glanced through the trees and saw a glint of the sun on something before a man came at me with a sword. I didn’t even blink before I gripped the blade with my left hand and spun under it, slamming my right foot into the side of his head and forcing him to release the object.

I threw it into the air and caught the hilt with my right hand, suddenly appearing behind him and stabbing the sword through his hand and the ground, not even flinching when he screamed. I blinked, staring down at what I had done in shock. The pain in my hand registered and I hissed.

“K-Kagami?” Michiko whispered in shock.

“I-I just,” I stuttered, taking a step away from the man.

Ryuzo walked up to him with hard eyes. “Why are you attacking us?”

“To kill the bitch,” he growled, trying to pull the blade up.

Ryuzo’s foot in the hilt kept it from moving. “Why?”

“Because, she should already be dead. She left us alone! She let him kill my son!”

“I don’t,” I muttered, shaking. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You were right there, and you just let him die!”