After Yuna had received all the donations, she was still involved in further talks, but she held back with statements and focused on listening. She wondered if Yui's operation had gone well. Today the PEG probe had been removed. Takashi had assured her that this was a routine procedure and nothing could happen. Nevertheless, she worried about her last, remaining family member.
The first guests had already said good-bye, and slowly the bulk of people seemed to shrink. She was absolutely fine with that.
"Goodbye," Shinji Shiba said to another guest who left his institute. The Oni looked over his shoulder. At last peace had come. Most people had gone. Actually, one could say that almost all humans were gone. All the representatives had held their speeches, offered their donations, and no longer needed to take care of Yoshiro Takagi.
He looked over at the coffin, where the body of his friend rested and waited for his visit to the crematorium. If Shinji had not examined the body with his own hands and eyes, he would've never believed that it was really Yoshiro Takagi.
The undertaker strolled through the room. He spotted the Masuda girl with her friend, who had a few bites from the buffet. He didn't like the girl because of her behavior, but he had to admit that she had mastered her job very well. Of course, she was trained and guided by him, but she had transposed his instructions flawlessly.
Next to the buffet talked Haruka and Kyo. The scaled Oni had to admit that his boss had actually surpassed herself when she took control of the city. She had never told him how the whole thing was done, but he had the opportunity to puzzle the story together by means of memory fragments. She was no Shi Kuro, but she did her job well.
He had to giggle softly.
"Wow. I think I've never heard you giggle before. Really weird."
Shinji glanced over his shoulder. "Do you ever work, or do you just spend the whole evening hanging around?"
Kenji shrugged. "The show is over, isn't it? The number of people here has become very manageable."
The undertaker crossed his arms and studied the audience. "Probably true. The right people will soon arrive for the night watch."
"You didn't convoke a meeting, did you?" the fire-devil asked.
"No."
The doorman drew his brow frizzy. "Why do you think that they will come?"
"It's about Yoshiro. Even among Oni, he is a hero and revered. Only few will dare to not say goodbye. Especially under the circumstances."
Kenji smirked. "The mystery around his body."
"Exactly."
"You still don't know why he left a body, right?"
Slowly Shinji shook his head. "No. Nobody understands what happened." He looked over at Yuna Masuda. "Maybe ... she saved him. His soul. I don't know."
"Let her stab a knife into your heart and find out," the fire devil joked.
"I'll let you go first."
"Hm." The eyes of the furry rested on the redhead, who was standing next to the girl. "At the moment I don't feel like dying."
"Hmph. You will not really fall in love with a human, will you?"
Kenji shrugged. "You can't really decide that, right?"
"Then I will point your attention to your competitor." The undertaker nodded in the direction of the police chief.
"I'll eat him for breakfast."
Shinji smirked. "I think Haruka wouldn't like that. Besides, he's a human. He can give her all the things that human women desire."
The fire devil answered, "Man, sometimes I really hate when you poke around in my head. Do me a favor and leave me alone."
The red scaled looked at his friend. "Don't let her hurt you. Don't say I didn't warn you." He raised his head and looked around. "They are coming."
Shortly afterwards, the front door opened and some people entered the lobby. Judging by their clothes, they were persons of every sex, age, and social class. But they had one thing in common: they all were Oni.
Yuna stared at the unexpected visitors. Some of the Oni she recognized from the gathering in the abandoned Inn, and among them she spotted Me and Kitsune. The shapeshifter had turned into his old-man form and strolled along with the Oni.
"Who are these weirdos?" Ayumi asked curiously.
Without looking at her, Yuna explained, "These are the Oni."
"All of them?"
The blue-haired girl nodded. "Yes. I guess they come to say good-bye to Yoshiro."
"He must have been quite popular."
"Seems so."
One after another, the Oni went over to the coffin and spoke a prayer or put something in before they moved on. Some came to Haruka, who had dismissed her police chief, so she could look after her people. Those who saw Shinji and Kenji nodded at them to greet them.
"Excuse me for a minute?" Without waiting for an answer, Yuna walked away.
"Um ... sure." Ayumi followed her roommate with her gaze.
The Masuda girl came to Me and Kitsune. "Me-san. Kitsune-san. Nice to see you."
"Hey, little one," the Hengeyōkai greeted.
"Yuna-chan. Are you okay?" Me's eyes searched her body as they took in the rest of the room.
"According to the circumstances. It was a long day." Nevertheless, the high-school girl smiled. She noticed some Oni staring at her and whispering to each other. Unsure she looked around.
"Don't worry. They are probably more afraid of you than you of them." Me chuckled.
"Why?" Yuna saw that Kitsune went to Yoshiro's coffin.
"You're the girl who killed Tirr. You saved us all."
The blue-haired swallowed empty. "Everyone knows it?"
"You've become a legend. Of course, some doubt the story, but you enjoy deep respect among the Oni." The restaurant owner smiled encouragingly. "And I know you personally."
"A funny feeling." Yuna looked around again. "I've often asked myself how it is to be famous." She looked at Me again. "I don't like it."
"Well ... you have to live with that now."
"Yeah ..."
An Oni joined. "Excuse me." They both looked at her. Her face was like an animal's, but she didn't seem to have any other peculiarities. She was slightly smaller than Yuna, and looked at the girl with her glowing eyes. "You are Yuna Masuda. Right?"
The girl nodded. "Yes."
"I'm Sayuri Futa. I wanted to express my condolences and thank you." The Oni bowed deeply.
"Oh, thank you. But what are you thanking me for?"
"You killed Tirr. You have avenged my husband and freed us from this monster."
Yuna tried to look at Me. He nodded. "Thank you, Sayuri-san," he said.
"Thank you, Futa-san." The blue-haired bowed slightly. The Oni nodded again briefly before she went on. Yuna breathed a sigh of relief, but the next Oni cleared his throat. She looked into two big, glowing frog eyes, which stood out of the skull.
"I'm Ryota Honda. I wanted to express my condolences and gratitude, Masuda-sama." He bowed to the girl.
The blue-haired blushed slightly. "Thank you."
The frog-oni nodded and left her afterwards. More and more Oni gathered around Yuna to express their condolences and thank their rescuer.
Haruka watched the action from the side. She wasn't sure how her people would react to the Masuda girl, but obviously they were very grateful to her for killing Tirr. It seemed as if Yuna had arrived in the Oni community and would be accepted as a member.
Perhaps Haruka could take advantage of this and win the girl as her new sheriff. So far, the blue-haired vehemently rejected the post, but her power was too valuable not to be used. And there was still Plan B.
"May I offer you a drink?"
Ayumi turned around and saw an older man with grayed-out beard holding a glass. "Of course." She took the drink with a nod.
"A nice funeral, isn't it?" he asked, sipping on his drink.
The redhead looked around the hall. "As a matter of fact. Very elaborately staged."
The man laughed with his deep voice. "Oh yeah. Takagi-san would turn around in the grave if he had already been buried."
"I am Ayumi Shikibu," the hostess introduced herself. "And you are Kazuki Chigusa."
He raised an eyebrow. "You're really good at your job, Shikibu-san."
"Thank you." The redhead drank a sip from her glass.
"How do you know me?"
Ayumi smiled at him smugly. "We have already met at two parties, Chigusa-san. You are one of the most influential financial consultants in this city. You often travel to the United States. And you are known as a womanizer."
"It seems as if my reputation had preceded me," he apologized, bowing his head. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Still, I feel a certain contempt for people like you."
The man sighed. "What am I to say, Shikibu-san?"
"You could tell me to shut up." Her green eyes flashed.
"No." Kazuki rushed down the rest of his drink. "Everyone can have an opinion and represent it. Perhaps you are wrong about me." He winked at her.
"I don't think so. You're not divorced for no reason."
The financial adviser cleared his throat. "Now you are getting personal."
"That was not my intention." The young woman still gave him a cold look. "We warn our girls from men like you. Men who lure them into bed with presents and false promises, and then keep them as lovers." He stared at her, expressionless. "And then just drop the girls."
Kazuki smiled broadly. "You see? You're wrong about me. Such games are also disgusting to me. But of course I enjoy the company of a well-groomed, young lady. Even if it is for payment." Silently, Ayumi studied his facial expressions. "Would you hand me your card, if I was looking for company?"
The redhead tilted her head. "I have a card, but I will not hand it to you. I would reject you as a client."
Kazuki raised his hands. "I understand. Sorry I bothered you, Shikibu-san."
"I thought it was kind of amusing." She smiled at him. "Please don't hold this conversation against my friend."
"Of course not. That would be unprofessional." He offered her a hand to take her glass.
Ayumi emptied the glass quickly. "Thanks for the drink." She handed it to Kazuki. "Maybe we'll meet again."
"I will be more careful to not earn your displeasure then, Shikibu-san." Grinning, the financial adviser withdrew.
Ayumi breathed deeply. She had probably gone too far when she attacked him verbally. She looked at the man's back as he moved away. Annoyed at herself, she bit her lower lip.
The redhead glanced at Yuna, who was surrounded by the Oni and spoke to them. She could see that the blue-haired was talking excitedly and smiled even now and then. Apparently, she came clear.
"Puh ... quite nice," Kyo whispered to her, who was looking for her proximity.
The young woman gave him a side view. "Don't you have anything better to do than follow me around?"
"No. Somehow, I enjoy this the most today. Want to smoke a cigarette?"
The redhead looked again at her roommate. "Yes, why not?" Together they pushed through the visitors, when suddenly Kenji blocked their way. He was a few centimeters smaller than Kyo, but by his menacing posture he seemed superior.
"Can we talk ?" the fire devil asked Ayumi.
"I'm in company, Kenji-kun."
The Oni gave the police chief a hostile look. "Then I'll talk to you later, darling," he growled and went away.
Kyo nudged her with his elbow. "Trouble with the boyfriend?"
"No. He's just a friend."
He peered after Kenji, who had already disappeared. "Is he aware of that?"
Demonstratively, Ayumi clung to Kyo. "Don't worry about him. Let's go outside."
"Gladly."