That's not possible. That's definitely impossible. How is that possible ?
"Hanamura-san ?"
I looked over my shoulder to see Azalin standing there. To my surprise, she wasn't with Sara today. "Azalin", I said with a faint smile, "What brings you here ?" She walked over to me and looked out into the city covered in lights. "You look distracted", she said softly. "Something is bothering you, is there not ?" I grinned and looked out into the city. "So you noticed", I slowly replied. From the corner of my eye, I could see her nod. "It's been a few days since you've brought Kaori to the base", she started to say, "But it seems like something new has come up." "Did you notice it as well ?", I asked, looking in the direction of the park, "That the aura surrounding the fountain has changed ?" Again, she nodded. "I have", she said. "That gateway that was placed on the fountain is growing bigger. But at the same time, that growth seems to be getting delayed." I grinned. Because of the beads that I put in the water. "Say Hanamura-san", Azalin said as she tilted her head to the side, "Where did you get those beads ?" I brought my hand up and stared at the bracelet that I was wearing. "Someone important gave them to me a long time ago", I replied with a faint smile, "I was lucky enough to receive them." Azalin reached into her pocket and pulled one of the beads out. "They're awfully strong for something so small", she said as she looked at it, "I wonder what these are made of." "You know", I mumbled, staring at the round, faint pink colored beads, "Sometimes I wonder the same thing." Azalin closed her hand around the bead and looked at me. "You don't know ?", she said. I shook my head.
"I'm not capable enough to make something so strong." She smiled and looked back at the city. A gentle breeze blew by. "I assume a demon couldn't make these either", she said. I chuckled. "Who knows", I replied, "Perhaps a demon created these." "If that were the case, then we'd all be cursed." I laughed at her easy-going tone. "Perhaps."
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When we returned to the base, Sara was sitting at the table with an uneasy expression on her face. She looked up when we entered the room. "Oh, Sara", Azalin said, "What's wrong ?" Sara stood up and handed something to her. A paper. No.. a photograph ? "What is that ?", I asked as I eyed it suspiciously. "A while back, I placed some sensors around the fountain", she explained, as she looked up at me, "I set them to where if anything strange were to happen, it'd take a picture and record." I glanced at the able. "I don't see any tapes", I said. Sara looked at the ground and frowned. "I tried", she said slowly, "I tried to recover the footage, but whatever or whoever it was, completely destroyed it. This was the only thing that survived." "You mean that whoever it was broke all the sensors !?", Azalin asked, her voice slightly startled. Sara nodded. "Let me see that for a second", I said. Azalin handed it to me. "..." So I wasn't hallucinating after all.
"What's the matter Hanamura", Sara asked as she walked up to me. I handed her the picture and sighed. "Nothing really", I lied, "Something just feels off." "As in ?", Sara asked. "Now that I think about it", Azalin said, "Why would they destroy all of the sensors but decide to only leave one ? Wouldn't they have tried to erase it all ?" "I thought that too", Sara replied sternly, "But still.." "Say, which sensor did this come from ?" Sara looked up at the ceiling as she thought about it. "Out of the 20 sensors I placed around the fountain, the only one that survived was the one that was in front of it." "Strange", I mumbled. "Then it was definitely done on purpose", Azalin said. Sara nodded. "At least, that's what it looks like." I walked past Azalin and Sara. "Hmm ?", Sara said, "Where are you going ?" "I wonder if those two know anything about it ?", I replied back. "Ah, I see", I heard her mumble from behind me. "It'd be helpful to ask, wouldn't it ?" "Jah, Shiori, we'll leave that to you."
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Juuji sluggishly looked at me. Kaori was beside him, probably asleep. "Guardian-san", I heard him quietly say, "..Do you know what time it is right now...?" I glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. It was only 4 o'clock in the morning. "I didn't know you went to sleep so early ?" Juuji lazily got up and walked over to me. "Yes well", he yawned as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, "Kaori and I decided to act like children today, so that's why we're out." At the moment, Juuji reminded me of a cat. "Jah", I mumbled, placing my hand on his arms, "I'll come back later." "No", he replied, slightly tightening his grasp, "Stay. What was it that you needed..?" "A question", I said softly. Juuji sighed into my neck. I could feel the warmth of his breath. "Nani ?", he asked as he closed his eyes. Since we were standing by the door way, the light from the living room dimly entered their room. I raised the photo to where it was visible. "Do you know who this is ?" Juuji slowly opened his eyes and stared at the photo. He was like that for at least a minute before he sighed. And then for some reason, he covered my eyes with his hand. "Guardian-san", he whispered into my ear, "Are you trying to make me jealous ?" What was that supposed to mean ? "I don't know what that means Juuji." All I showed him was a picture. "Liar." "Educate me."
"There's a mark here.. on your neck."
That guy was the first thing that appeared in my mind. "Did you not notice it before ?", I asked, still seeing nothing but darkness. "Who did this ?" "Don't change the subject." "Tell me", he said. For some reason, the tone of his voice changed. Juuji almost sounded... agitated. He wasn't whispering anymore. He was actually talking as if it were a normal conversation. "A lover ?" I didn't respond. "Guardian-san, are you.. cheating on me..?" I could feel his other arm wrap around my waist as he pulled me closer. He removed his hand away from my eyes and stared at me with his amber colored eyes. Instead of looking hurt, he looked.. mad. Mad ? Hostile ? Which one was it ? "No one can touch you", he said coldly, "No one but I can have you." I watched him bring my hand up to his mouth. "You're mine", he continued to say. "Mine and mine alone." I tilted my head and watched as he gently placed a kiss on my ring finger, right hand. This guy...
With my other hand, reached over and pinched him on the cheek. Hopefully this would wake him up from his weird.. fettish or something. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow", he whined, trying to get free, "Wha ah you dohing ???" I wasn't surprised that he let go. Good.
"I'm not food.. you know ?", I said with a mischievous smile on my face.
"You remind me of someone that likes to bite."
I wonder how he's doing.