Coded Law, Volume 3

Prices and Dices

A few days after the incident, Kibe was sitting at home watching TV. It was the weekend, early morning. His head was leaning on his palm. His mind was completely blank. His face was relaxed and his body even more. Mrs.Mihara came downstairs wearing black pants and a green turtleneck. She had hoop earrings on and black socks.

"Dear what have I told you about too much television? You've been slouching recently. Is something the matter?" Mrs.Mihara said as she began to make breakfast. Kibe's head turned to her for a moment before looking back and at the ground.

"I-..." Kibe hesitated to speak for a moment. He tapped on his chin before then standing up.

"A...an acquaintance...no...a friend. An old friend of mine as been. Well they haven't been all too trusting; and I have the feeling I'm going to have to let them go." Kibe said, Mrs.Mihara thought for a second before she looked at Kibe with a worried look.

"Oh Kiby, what do you want to do?" She asked

"...for the first time. I'm faced with a problem that has a easy solution...but I don't know if I want to solve this one. I didn't...I didn't anticipate this." Kibe said, his voice almost a tad uneasy. Mrs.Mihara walked over to him and rubbed his back.

"Dont you do that to yourself. You've always known what to do next,
You're just a but delayed on that at the moment.

I know you can figure this out. Your my little machine. You can power through these things." Mrs.Mihara said as she patted his back and walkedn back into the kitchen. Kibe looked to her. He put his hands in his pockets. In Kibe's mind, flashes of his childhood outside of the pale palace began to flash. He remembered...that day.

It was a summer afternoon. He saw his mother talking to a kindergarten teacher. The sound of children running around, a young child. Kibe was sitting in the sandpit. Making a small sand castle, all the other kids were running and playin. Some even watching Kibe from afar. Kibe got two small twigs and a small baby one. He stared at them, his eyes looking at the sight of what his family once was. Thats when he saw a shadow come over his sand castle from behind.

Kibe turned around and saw a young girl, she was wearing along blue dress and a big bow in her hair. She had braces.

"Hellloooooooo! Kibe!" Said a young Mi, Kibe looked at her and just stared.

"Hi Mi, what are you doing?" Kibe asked

"You ever play with other kids? You look like such a carrot out here alone." Mi asked

"The other kids call me scary." Kibe said, Mi walked over and sat in the sandpit next to Kibe. She looked at what he was doing, Mi leaned aginst Kibe's shoulder. As the sound of other children drowned away as the two of them continued to play. Mi then briefly scared Kibe who flinched a bit from the sudden action. Mi the burst out laughing. While Kibe gave her a weak smile.

"Its ok, we can be scary together." Mi said, thats when Kibe was brought back to the present. His mind now racing from what Hideaki had shown him before. The picture of Ouchi Mi and the realization...that his only friend. May in fact be another fabrication of the pale palace.

"Thank you." Kibe said. His eyes almost showing a bit of wetness.

"No Kibe, thank you." Mrs.Mihara said, Kibe turned to his mother.