Where am I? What happened? Oh wait now I remember. I got hit by a truck. Why is it so dark? Are other worlds this dark at night or I'm in a really dark place?
Wait, why do I feel something really cold on my face? Am I buried under snow? Hold on, it's pretty warm in some parts, and that smell... is that, motor oil?
I can't move up, but I can feel air from behind me. That means I'm face-first into whatever the hell this thing is.
I pushed myself out of whatever I was stuck in. I took a few deep breaths as I backed slowly. There I saw that I was stuck in a wrecked truck. But it wasn't just any truck, it was the truck that hit me a few seconds ago. I caved it in pretty hard.
I turned around to see the driver lying down face-first on the road. I immediately rushed to their aid. I was a bit hesitant on helping out the guy. He looked dead but you may never know unless you check.
I flipped the guy over, revealing his heavily bruised face. There were a few pebbles pricked into his face and wounds leaking out blood. It would be a miracle if this guy was still alive under these conditions.
I placed two fingers on the side of his neck, just under his chin, to check for any pulse. Unfortunately, he was gone.
I looked back at the truck and saw that the windshield was broken. The guy must've been launched through the windshield upon collision. A result that could've been prevented by wearing a seatbelt.
I stood up and looked at Kiara who just stood there in shock after witnessing what had happened. Our eyes locked on each other, conveying different emotions.
I ran away from the scene like how a criminal would flee from a crime scene. Not once did I look back, I just kept running and running until Iw as far from that scene.
I stopped and leaned on a street light to take a few huffs and puffs of air.
"You fucked up, Kyou. Now what's Kiara gonna do the next time you show up?" I told myself.
####
Sunlight enveloped my eyelids. I hurriedly got up from the couch and fixed my hair, using the blank TV screen as a mirror.
"What're you doing?" Ame asked me as she took a sip from her mug.
"I'm late for work! I don't know why my alarm didn't sound," I answered.
"It's Saturday today," Ame replied.
"It's a what now?" I asked.
"Saturday..." Ame repeated. Ame backed up her claim by showing me the lockscreen of her phone which showed the day, date, and current time which was 8:15 AM.
I went back to the couch and slumped back as if I lost all energy to move.
"What was with the panic for being late?" Ame questioned.
"Usually, I'm never late to work," I answered.
"I'm sure there's more than keeping the image of being early to work everyday," Ame questioned further. "The fact that you didn't know it was a weekend could mean something."
"Look I just got spooked that's all," I tried to end the conversation.
"Alright, alright," Ame backed off.
Awkward silence settled in the the living room right after that short exchange. I don't know what to do at this point.
####
My phone rang in the middle of the night which startled me out of bed, or the couch. I was able to grab my phone on my fifth attempt and answered the call.
"God dammit, Sis! Choose a better time to call me," I yelled.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But we were able to hack into one of the satellites and get a map of the entire Takano," My sister informed. "We've also traced your phone so we can see where you're headed."
"Am I supposed to rejoice?"
"What do you mean?"
"If they intercept this signal you're all screwed. Plus isn't this the second time you're calling me via the special signal?"
"Don't worry, Professor's got it covered."
"I barely trust Prof to get out of a situation like that."
"Look Takano's crime index is kinda high by nightfall. See if you can find any leads to help you there."
"Can I do this tomorrow?"
"..."
"Hello?"
I got no response again. I took a look at my phone to see that she hung up. I laid back and groaned. You know what, I'll just try to get this over with.
####
I sat down on a rusty bench in the quiet streets of Takano. According to my sister, Takano's crime index increases by the dead of night. But so far nothing has happened yet, or I'm probably not looking hard enough.
I strolled around the cold silent streets. Some buildings like bars and clubs were full of life. Most were just dark and dead.
I was eventually getting bored until I heard a cry for help coming from an alleyway. I ran towards the source of the sound as fast as I could.
I arrived at the alleyway where the cry was coming from. I saw a woman getting mugged by two guys.
"Oi, you two!" I yelled out.
The muggers took their eyes of their victim and turned to me. One of them grinned and started laughing.
"Looks like we got some fresh meat here," one of them said.
"Let the woman go!" I demanded.
"What if we don't want to? Whatcha gonna do about it, eh?" One of the muggers mocked.
"You'll be in big trouble if you don't!" I threatened.
"Oooh I'm scared!" The mugger mocked.
I clenched my fist and slowly approached the muggers. One of them started approaching me as well with a wide grin on their face as they spun their knife around.
As they were about to stab me, I leaned to my side and punched the guy in the gut. This caused him to clench his stomach on his knees and cough. I smacked the guy down to the ground with the same hand.
"Stay down..." I muttered.
"Why you!?" The other mugger shouted as I knocked down his buddy.
He ran at me and attempted to throw a right hook, but I parried his arm and kicked him down to the ground.
I looked at the woman who was being robbed. She was still visibly shaking with her arms up. I signalled her to flee the scene which she nodded her head and ran out of the alleyway.
I was about to leave the alleyway as well when one of the muggers called onto me. I looked back only to see that they had a gun drawn on me.
"You ain't goin nowhere, buddy. You're dead now!" The mugger shouted.
I casually approached the mugger as if I hadn't acknowledged the gun he was holding.
"Oi! One step closer and I'll shoot!" The mugger warned. But I didn't listen to him and kept going.
The mugger shot at me but it didn't stop me from approaching him.
"What!?" The mugger shot at me another, and then another, and then another. But the bullets were bouncing off me like they were made of rubber.
"Get away from me you freak!" The mugger shouted. He was already getting desperate to ward me off.
I grabbed the mugger by the throat and thrusted my free hand right into his chest. I took my hand out of him and saw that my entire hand was covered in blood.
The other mugger was still knocked out cold. I took this opportunity to flee from the scene before he wakes up and finds his dead partner.
####
It's Monday already. I'm here at the KFP sitting at the counter, doing absolutely nothing. Kiara hasn't said a single word to me, nor does she even try to look me in the eye.
There is this awkward tension between the both of us. It might have something to do with what happened three nights ago.
I don't know what to do here on out.
"Kyou..." Kiara calls onto me, finally breaking the awkward tension.
I looked at Kiara just like how a dog would look at its master when being called upon.
"I know you don't want to talk about what happened from before. But I keep thinking about it every single night," Kiara tells me.
"I'm sorry, Tenchou, for scaring you like that. And also for lying to you," I apologized.
"What are you?" Kiara asked.
"It's kind of complicated," I answered.
"How long were you like this?"
"I don't know. I'm just like this..."
An awkward silence settled in. Maybe Kiara ran out of questions, or she's thinking of more question to ask me.
"Why did you come to Takano?" Kiara asked. "I'm sure you didn't come here just to work here."
I didn't respond immediately. I thought of Kiara's question carefully.
"I wanted to escape my past life," I finally responded. "I wanted to live a normal life, get a job and work normally. It didn't matter if I worked with magical creatures, as long as I lived a normal life, I was good."
"But?" Kiara uttered.
"But I got a call from my sister last night. She told me that Takano's crime rate going is through the roof at night. And now, my past life has caught up to me here," I continued.
"What was your past life?" Kiara questioned.
"Let's just say I did some vigilante work," I answered.
"Like beating up criminals, just like a comic book superhero?" Kiara asked.
"Yeah... sort of like that..." I clarified.
"So did you come here to do your vigilante work?"
"No... I came here to escape that life. I want to work here like a normal person, and live like a normal person."
"Oh..."
"Unfortunately, Takano's making me go back to that life due to the rise in crimes here."
"I see..."
"I'm sorry..."
"You don't have to be sorry, Kyou. It's okay. I'll accept you for who you are."
"Thanks, Tenchou. By the way, I want to say this to you."
"Hmm, what is it?"
"Don't try to contact me. There are a lot of people who are after me, if they recognize me, that is."
"Wait why?"
"Look, just don't try to contact me. If these people know that I'm connected with you, they could do things to you to hurt me. And I don't want my... friends... to get hurt or involved in what I'm doing."
"O-okay... I understand, Kyou."
"Thanks..."
"By the way, I'll make sure to come to work early, if possible of course. If I am absent on a work day, that'd mean I'm on a mission, and that will be the only reason why I am absent."
"O-okay..."
Another silence settled in. Neither of us batted an eye to each other after that.
####
The KFP closed and neither me nor Kiara said anything to each other. We just waved each off and parted ways.
I returned home to Ame's apartment. She was nowhere to be found in the living room or kitchen. She's probably in her room, streaming, or doing something else.
I laid down on the couch and heaved a sigh. I trust Kiara won't tell anyone about this. Remembering how the news of my burning apartment spread like wildfire. I just hope she keeps it to herself. I don't want anyone to be involved in what I'm getting myself into.
I just closed my eyes and took a nap. Soon, that nap would take me to the very next day. As the sun shone on my face, I couldn't help but slowly open my eyes. I rubbed them a bit as I got up from the couch.
"Oh, good morning!" Ame greeted me as she drank from her coffee mug.
"W...what time... is it?" I groaned as I stretched my limbs and cracked my back.
"8:00 in the morning," Ame answered.
"Wait what now?" I snapped out of my sleepiness.
"Don't you start at 9 though? You got plenty of time to prepare yourself," Ame reminded me.
"God... I'm just not in the right mind today, I guess," I replied.
I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a banana from the fruit basket. I peeled the skin of and took a bite out of it.
"By the way, Ame. Have you been getting any new cases?" I asked. "I heard that Takano's crime rate is slowly going through the roof."
"K-kinda... I've been getting a lot actually," Ame answers. "Why are you suddenly curious about my work?"
"Well, you know. Since I still don't have a key to your apartment, I'd be worried you'd lock me out," I replied.
"Oh, alri-" Ame was about to reply if she wasn't interrupted by my phone's ringtone.
"Looks like Tenchou's looking for me. I'll be going then," I said as I got off my seat and grabbed my phone on the living room table before taking off. I wasn't expecting Kiara to call. I was expecting someone else.
A/N: The story will get a bit more mature here on out. That's why the mature rating.