Once Upon An Assassination Attempt || Kamisato Ayato

Chapter 16 | Eloping

UNEDITED

"Who are we going to meet again?" Ayato asked, pushing a branch away from his face as we walked up the mountain.

"I'm going to meet my teacher." I sighed, looking around the uninhabited island. "Aren't commissioners supposed to be busy?"

"I am, but I just did a month's work, and this seems quite intriguing." He shrugged, following me as I walked up the mountain.

"Isn't that great," I muttered sarcastically, although the thought of his company pleased me a bit.

Don't lie, Sora. You mean you love it.

Shut up.

We continued up the path, with me once again looking at Ayato's sleeves in wonder.  I figured there would be at least a few holes in it, and there were, but he continued to move with such elegance that it made me doubt myself. I had to check again.

"Why would you wear that up the mountain?"

"The Kamisato estate is also on one. Do you want to rest for a while?"

"Rest is for the weak."

"Oh?" Ayato raised a brow. "What a pity, Thoma gave me lunchboxes."

"Humans are a weak race, Commissioner. You should understand that we are. And as a professional in my line of work, I can assure you that there are not one but several vital points that can lead to immideate death if you hit them hard enough. People only survive like a week without food, and-"

"Just sit down." He pointed near the rock he was sitting on.

"Yes, sir."

Thoma's lunchboxes.

I smiled to myself as the commissioner took them out and set them on the rock, handing me a chopstick.

"Two sticks.."

"You don't know how to use chopsticks?"

"No.." I stabbed it into an omlet roll. "I know."

"That's not how you use them."

"I could also pluck eyeballs with this," I muttered, and Ayato put his chopsticks down.

"So even Kurimiya-san has things she can't do."

"I'll have you know I'm very efficient with my hands. I can take people out with a quill." I glared at him for emphasis, but he just laughed.

"Yes, yes. You're scary and people fear you."

"Of course." I stuffed a riceball into my mouth. It was as good as I remembered.

After we were done eating, I stood up, observing the sky. The blue colour stood out against the white clouds, with the birds softly chirping their usual failed mating calls.

"Come on, we're almost there."

"It seems so," he said, pointing at a house up ahead.

Its wooden boards were covered in green running all over it, and flowers grew all around, along with different herbs and vegetables. A huge sakura tree stood next to it, the falling petals immediately making me calm. It was just as I remembered.

The door swung open with a  blur of black which entered my field of vision, and I was enveloped in a hug which came with a force that made me fall to the ground.

A mess of white hair and pointy ears greeted me, the eyes soon filled with tears.

"My eldest spawn."

"Sensei, please stop calling me that."

"Is this your rebellious phase? I knew it was coming one day." He remarked, standing up and dusting leaves off his white shirt which was a contrast to his dark skin.

"Sensei.."

"Come on, we look like father and daughter to anyone around. Right, young man?" He asked Ayato, and the commissioner smiled awkwardly.

"Uh..right."

"See, Sora. What'd I tell you? You don't listen to me now that I'm old and wrinkly." He wiped non-existant tears from his golden eyes.

"You don't even have wrinkles," I rolled my eyes.

"I do in my heart."

"Uh..may I ask who this gentleman is?" Ayato interrupted him, and for once I was glad.

"This is my daughter."

"My teacher. The one I joined fatui to train under."

"How could you be so mean, Sora. Have you forgotten that you're my eldest spawn?"

"Sensei, you're an elf and I'm not. I'm a- ugh anyway, I'm not."

He lifted a finger at me accusingly. "Sora, you didn't have your rebellious phase then so you're having it now? How could you say that to your father?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Don't you 'yeayea' me."

"Anyway, Commissioner, this is my-" Sensei glared at me. "Father-like-teacher."

"Commissioner? Was there a young commissioner?" He looked at Ayato dubiously.q

"Yes, the Yashiro commissioner."

"Oh yeah. The one you have to assassinate. Wow he's younger than I thought." He laughed, patting the commissioner on the back. A few seconds later, his eyes widened in realisation. "Oh my archons did I just blow your cover?"

I face-plamed.

"Do we need to like, unalive him now? Why, he's too handsome. Did you bring him here to hide?"

"Sensei, please stop."

"Why, did you plan to yeet him off a cliff?" I shook my head.

"No. I'm not assassinating him. I don't have any intention to do that."

"You double crossed fatui for this? I'm so proud of you. You guys eloping? Did you come here to ask my permission? Aw, Sora you're a diligent spawn."

"Sensei, I'm working with him now and we're gonna be gone for a month because we have to track down a potentially dangerous someone that hurt my friend."

"You have a friend?"

"Yes."

"You've found a friend, huh? That's great, Sora." He smiled, and pat my head.

"Sensei, I'm not a kid anymore."

He gasped. "Don't you dare do something with a guy if you're not gonna marry him."

"I'm not seeing anybody."

"Oh?" The commissioner smirked.

"You're not either, so stop that smirk."

"Oya?" Sensei laughed. "I see how it is. Come on in for dinner now. You too, young man."

We had hotpot out on the porch, underneath the sakura tree. With the moonlight lighting up the place, and laughter filling up the silence, I found myself thinking that maybe this is all I want in life.

"So, when are you two eloping?"

I choked on my tea.

*****************

My cousin is sleeping with her eyes half open. Is this normal or should I do an exorcism?

I do have salt.