Redemption [Shinazugawa Sanemi]

I.17

I didn't go through all that for nothing.

Sanemi walked through the dark streets. He was patrolling his area, doing his job as a Pillar. He thought that being a Pillar wasn't too bad at all. His mind wandered to when he became a Pillar.

His first duty as a Pillar was to persuade Yuna into the corps.

He let out a small snort.

Now that he thought about it, he and his comrades must've looked like a bunch of weirdos stalking a young girl around.

He raised his head when he arrived at a familiar path. He could see Yuna's house from the distance.

That morning, she said her cousin was going to stay in the neighboring village for a job trial. That house should be empty now since she might be coming along with him.

But he still walked toward there.

He stared at the sky. He wondered why it wasn't snowing.

"Oh, tomorrow is the last day of the year..."

Time passed by too fast, he didn't realize another year would end soon. He made a promise with his friends to celebrate new year together tomorrow.

Though he wondered whether the siblings would come or not.

Sanemi's ear perked up when he heard a shout.

"I know you're in there!"

He narrowed his eyes at Yuna's house. He saw two men by the door. He walked up toward them.

"You're gonna pay for what you've done to me!"

"If you don't answer then I'll break this damned door!"

Sanemi noticed how one of the men was bandaged around his face. He remembered the story about the loan sharks that came to Yuna's house a few days ago.

"The house's empty." Sanemi said.

The two turned their heads toward him.

"Huh? Who are you?" One of them asked.

"Are you two loan sharks?" Sanemi asked.

"Go away before you get hurt, kid! We don't have any business with you!" He spat.

Sanemi stared at one of the man's bandaged face. He could still see some faint bloodstains seeping through the bandages, while Yuna's face was already completely healed.

"Why did you do it?" Sanemi asked.

"Do what? Collecting debts?" He scoffed.

"Just so you know, this little family here, even if they work their asses out every day, won't be able to pay us for their debts!" He barked.

"That gambler man was a total dick. He lost everything and dumped his debt to his wife. Even this house is our property." He barked a laugh.

"Oi, come out! You won't be living here anymore!" The man yelled at the door.

"I wasn't asking for that." Sanemi said.

"Why did you hit them?"

The men turned their heads toward him in annoyance.

"What? Are you an acquaintance of this family? I've never met anyone who knows about them." The man asked.

"Isn't it simple? They got what they deserve, that's all." The bandaged man said.

"What did they do to deserve it?"

"Can't you look at this?!" The bandaged man pointed to his own face. "Do you think I would stay still and do nothing when a loser smashed a glass bottle to my face?!"