Chapter 4
[Wednesday| August 29, 2012| 11:50 PM]
[Eyes of Zetsumu Tenha]
It has been more than an hour since I left my house and fought against Those Who Dwell in Darkness along the way but for some reason, I have yet to see the one who I know as Amagawa Rinko. "I knew I came out late tonight but I can't imagine her as the type that would get angry for just that. Better roam around more. I might see her." I jumped over the fire exit of one building and used it to get to the roof. [Quite a peaceful night we have tonight. Too bad those things are roaming around and we are the only ones who can see them...]
Standing on of the buildings in the shopping district, I got lost in my thoughts as the cold night's wind blows by the dark clouds move about in the sky revealing the moon which lights up the night. "Alright, time to get a move on. I don't have all night either. I run into her or we'd never meet tonight. Hmm?" As I was about to jump down, something flashed in the distance which caught my eye, followed by a loud sound. I quickly understood what it was.
[Damn. Someone's firing on people from roofs now?!] I quickly descended down the building while keeping the rooftop where I saw the flash earlier in view. [Crap this is bad... really bad. If there was actually someone hit I'm going to have to bring them to the hospital. But if I do that I'd be attracting attention to myself] I heard three more shots different from the one before whilst running towards the building where the gunman was supposed to be. My mind went all out with whatever I can do. Reaching the base of the four-story building, I ran up the wall using my momentum and absurd strength reaching the rooftop in no time. It was there where I saw her again.
Against the light of the moon, the blade of her scythe shined as she raised her weapon preparing to strike at the gunman now on the floor. As she brought her scythe down, I quickly moved between them using my sword to block her weapon. "Hime, don't you think this is a bit too much?" "Kishi... get out of the way. He tried to shoot me, four times actually if you did not hear the gunshots earlier." I looked at the gunman behind me and nodded. Nodding back, he stood up putting his handgun back at his holster and slung a rifle on his back before he made his escape.
"Wait, where are you going?" The girl with the scythe pursued him. However, I blocked her path. "What is the meaning of this, Kishi? Don't tell me you're working with him." She raises her scythe at me, "I am not, however it is against my policy for people to die without knowing their intentions first." I take a defensive stance in case she does anything aggressive "Oh? What kind of policy is that? He was clearly trying to shoot me." She kept glancing behind her which has been bothering me for a while now. "Now then, I want you to calm down for a while, Hime. Tell me what happened after you've calmed down." She took a deep breath and explained to me what had happened.
"So that's what happened. Well it seems like he was targeting the one behind you. In fact, you should have thanked him for that." "Yes I know but-" she still acting hard headed even if she knows she was in the wrong, "I know. I would have reacted the same way if I were to be put in the same situation. But look, he was acting on his own defense. We can just forget him and he can probably forget that he met us tonight." I sat down on the rooftop floor putting my down sword beside me as I stared into the night sky.
[Still if he was aiming for that thing, it means that he can also see them.] "Hey Hime, those things that we fight... you know Those Who Dwell in Darkness. Are they by any chance visible to others?" I asked the girl standing beside me as she put her hand at her chin to think. "There are only a certain few who can see them based from what I know. If he can see them, then he must be involved in this somehow." She said while her scythe disappeared like how the souls we collect. [Things are getting more messed up now. I get one answer and I get a dozen or more questions.] As my mind went through a lot of things, only silence can be heard on this rooftop... until she called out to me.
[Eyes of the Unseen Observer]
A man ran along the dark alleys, his face concealed by a rib knit mask which only shows his eyes. "Damn, that was close! I never thought I'd get so close to them like that." He stopped to catch his breath as he took his rifle from his back and placed it inside a case he has hidden earlier that night. "I have to report this immediately. The guy with the sword, who was called a knight, called the other a princess. This does not make any sense... Damn. Being a pair of eyes is such a pain... Still, I owe them my life. So this is the least I could do." He continued to walk along the darkness towards the residential district never removing his mask.
Two figures stood on a rooftop in the shopping district, their weapons raised and shined in brilliance with the moonlight. "Just because this is a friendly practice doesn't mean I'll go easy on you, Hime." He said as he gripped his sword and readied his stance. "You need not to hold back on me just because I am a girl. And besides, I was the one who asked you to do this."
She twirled her scythe and assumed her stance. Their black garments faded into the night yet their white masks made them all too visible in the dark. "Are we not going to start yet, Kishi?" The girl asked as the cold early autumn wind blows by the rooftop. "I'm a gentleman so I say ladies first." He answered as he shifted his weight with his sword. "Then here I come! You better be ready or else I may kill you. Hya!" She charged at him swinging her scythe in a wide arc only to be blocked by his broadsword.
"You seem to have gotten slower, Hime. What's the matter? You getting tired?" He said, pushing back the scythe with his sword then swung it down. "Maybe it is you who is getting tired." She said as she brought her scythe's blade to the opposite direction of her first strike.
"I respectfully deny that, Hime." He bowed down as her scythe missed his neck. "You see, I did not have much to deal with tonight as there are quite few." He looked out to the streets and gave out a long sigh. You on the other hand, seem to have quite a lot of action as of late. Not pushing yourself are you?" "Me? Pushing myself... of course not. You see Kishi-kun, I can fight as well as you do." She pointed her scythe at the man in the mask and sent it spinning towards him.
"This kind of resembles our first meeting. Does it not, Hime-san?" He said while approaching the girl he calls a princess. "Surely you jest. You were much more flustered back then than now. And besides, your mask flew away back then... like this."
She threw her own mask in the air as the boy whom she named a knight followed it with his head. "You're way too open!" She delivered a kick to his lower jaw, sending him flying backwards. "Ah... so that's how you play eh? Well then, I think it's about time to let loose." He stood up as he rubbed his jaw. With his mask intact on his face, he rushed towards the girl. "No matter how fast you run, that sword will slow you down. But I won't run now. Come Kishi-kun! Let us determine who is more suited for fighting!"
She took her scythe and assumed her stance once more and soon no words are uttered by the two. They do not need words for the only communication they need is in their hands. The stillness and silence, broken as the two masked figures clashed their blades as their dance lead further into the night...
[Eyes of Zetsumu Tenha]
"That dream... I just had it yesterday... I think I really should see a doctor." I got up from my bed drenched in sweat similar to yesterday. [The dream has been occurring more than just a few weeks apart, but it hadn't gotten as far as two consecutive days...] "Oh well. Nothing has been normal since the past three months. So, why worry about this?" I shook off the thoughts as I changed my clothes and opened the curtain in my room.
"No matter what I do, I barely get enough sleep thanks to that dream..." I looked at my clock which read 5:30 "Ugh, same time as yesterday... oh well. Time to get breakfast ready." I made my way downstairs towards the kitchen and started preparing breakfast.
"Let's see, I made Chinese yesterday and there are still a few leftovers. Oh well. I'll just make something traditional." I took out some vegetables and meat from my fridge. And after about an hour or so, I managed to finish cooking my breakfast and made some extra for lunch. "I usually wake up at around this time to start cooking but recently..." I sighed as I wrap cloth around my lunch box then sat down to eat my breakfast.
[Now then what to do for today...] As I thought about my plans for the day, my phone started vibrating on the table with the screen was showing that I have a message from the student council president, Jihyou Ensui. Flipping open my phone the message read: 'Come to the student council office when you reach school.' "What in the world would you need me for this early?!" I closed my phone, calmed myself down, finished my food, and made my way towards school arriving at around 7:30.
"You really seem shorthanded with manpower to be looking for me this early." I entered the student council office where the president, Jihyou Ensui, is once again occupied with a pile of papers on his desk. "Yes we are and unfortunately for us, our summer vacation is shorter than other schools. So, we did not have much time to rest. Still, I need you to do something for me again and don't worry. We got you someone who can help." He handed me an envelope which I opened to see what's inside.
[Letters addressed to clubs and their respective presidents eh... seems like another game of hide and seek after school.] "So this person... where is he?" I asked him. "Currently being briefed by the vice president. I got a hold of him early today so that the two of you would meet on the roof at lunch and discuss how you two are going to do this job." Like yesterday, the student council president did not shift his gaze off the piles of paper on his desk as he continued to speak. "Now that you mention it, President Ensui. I have come here at your office time and time again but not once I have met or seen the vice president."
"Ah that is because he's usually out doing requests. He's that half foreign student his name is quite known for being a jack of all trades... Let's see. Liu... Lao..." He stopped his pen and thought about his vice's name, so much for being known...
"That depends on what dialect you're using..." My heart almost stopped upon hearing a sudden voice behind me I looked back, seeing quite a strange student. "Ah good timing Kensai! Please introduce yourself to one of our usual accomplice in fulfilling requests." President Ensui gestured to me and the student who entered the room.
"Pleasure to meet you; I am Ryuu Kensai (劉賢才) of class 2-A and vice president of the student council. My name may sound strange because my father hails from China and for some reason he gave me a name native to his country rather than adopting one here. I thank you for your help with the student council." He introduced himself and bowed formally.
"I am Zetsumu Tenha of class 2-C. Likewise, pleasure to meet you Ryuu-san and it's nothing big that I help you guys around. I had nothing much to do so it's all fine." I returned the polite greeting with a bow. "Please call me by my name as some people mistaken me for being called a dragon." For a moment I wondered what he meant by dragon until I decided to get it off my mind "Then you can call me by my name as well, vice president Kensai." He nodded and took his seat opposite of Fujimura Aya and reached out to the pile of papers on Ensui's desk. But before he can actually take one the president stopped him.
"I'll handle the paper works around here. No need for you to help since we all know you're tired with all the requests piled last week. Go on and attend classes for today. I heard your class is having a quiz today." He stood up saying "roger" then walked out the office.
"Do you have to be so harsh on dragon-senpai?" Fujimura Aya who was working silently all this time spoke up. "It's not like I have a choice, Fujimura. He won't be attending classes if he continues to help the student council at this rate. But still, he rarely attended his classes before summer vacation, yet he did quite well in his exams." "Makes you wonder, why someone of his caliber would even go around doing manual labor for other clubs. Anyway I'll excuse myself for now as class will be starting soon. Mind giving me a hint on who I'll be working with later, president Ensui?" He handed me a small piece of paper with a phone number written on it. I took out my phone and entered the number as I left the student council office and headed towards my classroom for the first period.
"...and that ends today's lecture. Be sure to do your homework, and for those who are still having a hard time understanding, you may check on the library for further reading. Oh! And you can also ask me if you're too lazy to read~" Fujimura Mirai (藤村未来) our English teacher said as she left room.
"You have plans for lunch today, Tenha?" Fukuki Genhou asked me as he got up from his chair. "Yeah I got another job from the student council. Sorry for leaving you like this." "No! It's okay. You don't have to worry about me. I mean, I can go with our other classmates whom I haven't talked to yet." I bowed my head in apology before leaving the classroom. Opening the door towards the rooftop, a cool breeze blew by as I made my way to one of the benches to eat my lunch. Sitting down one of the benches, I flipped my phone open and sent a message to my would-be partner in this job by the student council.
'I'm at the rooftop eating my lunch. Come by when you've finished yours and we can talk about this job given by the student council.' And once I was done typing my message, I closed my phone and placed it in the pocket of my uniform and began to eat. After a while though, my phone started to vibrate signaling that I have received a text message. The message read: 'I will join you up there so we do not waste too much time.'
[Seems like I got a no-nonsense type of guy to work with... Oh well. Thanks to his personality we can finish quicker than expected.] As I leisurely enjoyed my lunch comprised of vegetable fried rice and a couple of pork cutlets, the cool wind blew by making this spot the best place for a peaceful break amidst the hustle and bustle of school life.
"Is that you Zetsumu-kun? Are you alone?" A familiar voice called to me as I was staring at the sky. "Ah, Amagawa-san, yes, I am. I was actually waiting for someone. Got another job for the student council you see." I said as I took out my phone from my pocket, with the LCD screen only showing the time. [It seems my companion will be a bit late.] I thought to myself. "Interesting... it seems I am also waiting for another person due to a request by the student council."
"Well why don't you give him a call? I mean, it may be something important, seeing you come up here during lunch time, which you usually do not do." She did not react to what I said. As I checked my phone again and look at the number given to me by Ensui.
[No matter how I see it, it's just a number. No e-mail, no type of identification, no nothing.] I sighed knowing there was no way to know who this person was without meeting him or at least asking their name. And after a few more minutes passed by, it seemed that Amagawa-san was getting impatient. Standing a few meters behind me, I heard her tapping her foot and constant beeps on her phone now sounds like she's about to call someone.
[I should pretty much call my partner as well. Lunch break won't last long if I were to keep waiting] As I took out my phone from my pocket, it vibrated and on the screen was the number of my would-be partner assigned by the student council. At that moment things became clear to me. It just wouldn't settle down into my reality.
[Should I answer or should I ignore this...] "Tsk..." [Crap now she's clicking her tongue, she must be pretty pissed by now... I pray to the gods that Amagawa Rinko-sama will let me live through this.] After saying a short prayer, I pressed the answer button on my phone and put it beside my ear.
"H-Hello..?" I spoke but only silence can be heard. "Um... hello?" I spoke again but this time I heard my voice on the other side. [Murderous intent and a chilling presence behind me... President Jihyou Ensui I am sorry, I may not be able to do this task.] I apologized to the student council president as the call ended with only the eerie beeping heard in my cellphone's receiver followed by a sharp pain on my head.
"How am I supposed to know it was supposed to be you?! They never told me who I would be working with! They only gave your number!" "It was supposed to be your job to ask! Forget it! Let's get this done." After giving me a hard hit on my head and a few minutes of arguments, she took the envelope beside me and inspected its contents.
"We don't have much time if we do it right now, I'll wait for you by my classroom after school." She put back the contents of the envelope and handed it back to me. [Well not having time was partly my fault I'll be sure to make up for it.] "Then I'll see you later. By the way Amagawa-san, would you happen to be free after school? I mean after we finish this request by the student council." [There is nothing wrong with this. It is simply a mere form of apology.]
"May I ask as to why would you be asking me this now, Zetsumu-kun?" "Ah, well you see I'd like to treat you to something to make up for this so if you're free... well you know." She sighed as she stood up, walking towards the door that lead to the stairs inside the building. She stopped before leaving the roof. "We'll see if we still have time, Zetsumu-kun." She said and left the rooftop. "Well then it seems I have to go as well, lunch break won't last forever, in fact nothing will." Saying something like a really bad joke, I too leave the rooftop for our afternoon class.
"Now then off to find Amagawa-san..." After our classes have ended for the day I set out to look for the 'Princess of the Ice Fortress' in her classroom, and like what we agreed on earlier, she's in there waiting alone in the silent classroom.
"Excuse me, Amagawa-san, I have come here like what we agreed on earlier." I called out to her from the door. [Did she hear me? No wait she really should hear me as we're the only ones here but...] As I was about to call her again she stood up, took her bag and walked over to me. "That book you were reading..." I pointed to the small paperback she's holding. "Ah this, a member from the literature club told me to try reading it when I went over earlier. I think she was your class representative."
"I see, I'd hate to disrupt your reading but shall we get going for now?" She nodded and we went around the school fulfilling the student council's orders. As for the orders, there were menial tasks which involved delivering letters as well as retrieving some from the club presidents and of course some manual labor which I was obliged to carry out.
"...and that's everything. Thanks for your help you two." The shōgi (将棋) club president waved us goodbye as we finished help cleaning their clubroom. "Now then, we still seem to have some time before the sun completely sets. Would you mind coming with me, Amagawa-san?" I asked her as we left the school gate.
"Very well, Zetsumu-kun, since we finished earlier than expected I shall go with you for now. Please do lead the way." She gestured as we walked together towards the shopping district to where I work part time, casually stopping by shops where Amagawa-san finds something cute.
"Zetsumu-kun, it may be my imagination or maybe it isn't. Either way I have noticed that you are yawning a lot since we met at lunch earlier." She said as we're nearing our destination in which she did not know of yet. "Have I? Well you see, I have been having strange dreams for the past months, but recently they have been occurring more frequent and that is what is keeping me from sleeping." I explained to her the dreams I had been experiencing but I really did not think she would be able to help as she told me to sleep in early for tonight.
"A café?" she looked at the opaque glass window where the outlines of people and fancy chairs can be seen inside. "Yeah I work here part time and I'll also treat you to something nice." I said as we entered the café.
"Oh Tenha-kun! You're early today. And you even brought a friend." "I owe her an apology and since girls usually like sweets, I thought I'd treat her here." My boss Nanami-san (not her real name) and I talked as I change into my work uniform. "Mind taking over the counter for a while? There aren't too many people at this day of the week." I nodded as she hangs her apron on one of the racks on the wall.
"Have you decided on your order, okyakusan?" I placed a cup of service tea on Amagawa-san's table as her eyes fervently scanned the menu. "I'll take whatever you'd offer me Zetsumu-kun." [She had to pick the hardest order of all...] "Then I'll be right back to you." I returned to the kitchen and searched for something I can get.
[Eyes of Amagawa Rinko]
[He sure is taking his time...] I thought to myself as I felt my stomach slightly growl. "Excuse me~ mind if I take a seat here?" a young woman probably in her 20's asked me. Looking around, I saw that there are quite a lot of other seats but if she insisted on sharing my table then I had no reason to decline.
"Go ahead. It's free." She sat down in front of me. "Hmmm..." I heard her murmuring something I cannot quite understand, glancing at her I saw that she's examining me from head to toe.
"Um... may I help you with something?" I asked her as I closed the book I was reading with a thud. "Nothing really, but you know? Now that I have a closer look, you really are quite the beauty." [Complimenting me right after a visual inspection? What the hell does she want?]
"Ah, I am sorry I have not introduced myself. I am Nanami owner and manager of this café. Also, I am Tenha-kun's boss." [Tenha-kun? ... does she mean that Zetsumu Tenha?] "Now let me ask something. Are you by chance going out with Tenha-kun?"
[Do we look like we're going out?] "No we aren't. Zetsumu-kun just did something quite stupid earlier and decided for himself that he'd treat me as an apology." I took the cup of service tea Zetsumu-kun gave earlier and took a sip.
"Oh, then are you his classmate? Someone from the same club? His senpai perhaps?" She rained down questions on me and all I can do was sigh. "No, those are all wrong. We are on the same year and my relation to him is nothing more than an acquaintance."
I reopened the book I was reading as she gave an unenthusiastic 'I see'. [Dammit Zetsumu pick up the pace... I'm hungry. And your boss won't keep quiet.]
She kept talking about Zetsumu-kun and about her life being a former biker gang member until Zetsumu-kun returned with a small slice of cake with a cute rabbit design then literally picked her up her seat and returned her to the counter.
"I am sorry for my boss' actions earlier, and I hope that you like the cake." Zetsumu Tenha apologized as we walked through the shopping district upon the end of his shift. "The cake was good. I'd give it a 9/10 because in the end I had to eat that cute rabbit. And your boss has quite the... 'personality'."
"Yeah well she used to be quite the delinquent back at her days when she and Fujimura-sensei were classmates... Ah! That reminds me Amagawa-san. Since you're almost out every night don't you have a hard time hiding this from your parents?" He asked me while we took a short stop at the park we wrecked a few nights before.
"My parents are out of the country right now, so I do not have to worry about them finding about my secret anytime soon. What about yours, Zetsumu-kun?" He walked into the park as I asked him looking up at the night sky.
"My parents died six months ago, so there is no reason for me to stay too cautious when at home... Now that I think about it, it may be a good time to tell you how I got this power. It started three months ago..." He told me about his past experience for the last three months. Waking up in the middle of an alleyway at night and suddenly protecting yourself from those monsters isn't quite the best of experiences.
"...but you know what Amagawa-san? I think it was fate that led me on that alleyway that night. I mean now I am having new experiences almost every night. I have gotten stronger and with this, I think I can protect everyone from those things. Also I got to talk to one of the 'princesses' of our school which is also kind of nice." And all the while he is talking he has this excited child-like expression.
"I'll take my leave here Zetsumu-kun. Let us rest for tonight as I also have to look into your sleep problem." I said to him as we parted at the station where I took a ride back at my home. "Then take care back home Amagawa-san. If you're in a pinch just give me a call, you know my phone number right?"
I nodded as he waved goodbye and finally I got on the train. [Zetsumu Tenha, you are quite a peculiar collector...] I opened my phone and registered his name on my contact list. "Now then... I wonder what tomorrow will bring..."