"I never mentioned that I am an esper, sorry."
His hand lowered down, eyes looking at you higlighted with multi-color of particles. It's sparkling with the hue disappearing at a mist. You mind can't think at the moment. The message that your brain receive is all about: Shigeo has powers? To kill spirits? You muttured a confusing sound, considering him to giggle.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"When I tell you, you'll be bothered of how I was born since you're a home school." He mentioned it and your mind is filled with questions. You sat properly, him removing his hand from your hip, his face with a light blush.
"I-I didn't mean to hold you—"
"N-No it's fine. I want to ask you questio-"
"Shige!"
A distant voice called your partner's name. You can tell it's Ritsu with Shigeo's nickname. The moment your heads turn, Teruki and Ritsu jogged towards your area.
"I sensed spirits along this way we gotta hurry!"
"Spoke too soon, a spirit rambled at my back."
As of said, a herd of spirits had the opportunity to take combat, suddenly appearing behind Ritsu and Hanazawa. Quickly, they both exorcised them by one hand, resulting into a strong wave of their power. Only by one sweep of their hands made the the spirits disappear in pain.
I'm not surprised.
Of course, Teruki and Ritsu are also espers. Your face is still in shock, dumb-founded of their abilities. The three looked at your face, still dumb-founded.
"You didn't tell her?"
"It sounds like boasting when I straight-up say it."
"It doesn't when you say it casually."
"Oh."
Ritsu thought that his brother explained to you his abilities. Figuring out he didn't. You don't mind of knowing it; questioning it is your format to it. Shaking of the ground brought everyone's mind sharp. More spirits ran to your group's direction.
"It's not over yet, " Teruki mumbled.
"Shige, a little help?" Ritsu asked as he receieved a nod from him. He grabbed your hand, walking beside Ritsu. The bond between your hands got a quick electric touch. Shigeo ignored the fact of holding your hand, tensing a blush, as for you enjoyed it. His soft hands radiates your lungs into a heavy feeling.
The three espers began to exorcise all the spirits in one blast, producing a wave that also killed the nearby spirits. Remaining of the spirits forming into midgets floating away.
"We better head back to the village. Reigen and Serizawa might be in the same situation as us." Teruki expected correctly. So, you and the boys ran back to the rural area. Shigeo is still holding your hand knowing you might trip and fall, bruising yourself afterwards.
You ran in the pace of his, aware of your steps. Lungs pumping like never before. You enjoyed this but it's tiring. The stamina you bear at this point is too low - really disappointing for you to stop and take loads of air to refill your dried-up lungs. Instead, you strengthen your grip on Shigeo's hand.
He glanced back at you with a pink shade blending on his cheeks, examining your woe on your face needing for a break. Suddenly, you felt that heavy feeling again but spreading goosebumps on your sweaty skin. The source came from your back, really chilly and frozen as it entered unexpectedly in.
Your vision flashed various of images: a white room, cages, laboratory and humans with white coats. Those pictures strained your eyes causing yourself to trip on the ground along with Shigeo.
"Kageyama-Kun!" Teruki yelled seeing the two of you fallen on the dirt. Ritsu was in the lead, looking back of what was made. The two leaders went you. Shigeo didn't careless, he went near you checking if any wounds are visible.
"Are you alright?" He questioned your health, remembering his promise with your mother. "I . . . I just-" you cut your sentence. An unknown voice whispered in your mind,
No . . . We need you . . .
The voice sounds so helpless, shaking in its vibrato. You have no clue if you should tell this to Shigeo and the rest but . . . they need help.
31
"No time waste, Shige! We've got to help Reigen and Serizawa-San!" Ritsu knows you're still in the moment of your fall but two is important than one. By the way, you don't help yourself. "I'll help you up," Shigeo used his esper ability to make you and him float, gripping on your hand for the last time.
"Good idea, Kageyama-Kun!" Teruki enjoyed Shigeo's actions, following him by levitating himself as well. Ritsu sighed giving a smile to his big brother. And so, he ride along the train. "We better hurry," Ritsu informed, taking the lead with the rest of the espers including yourself.
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"I guess that's all of them!" Dimple expressed in Reigen's body.
"Yeah. No more spirits to handle," Serizawa pants, exhausted of his powers drained and used. His face is very tiring. Reigen supported Serizawa's balance. "We'll get you home. Where are the kids?"
Gladly, the group appeared in a second. The village is mildly damaged by the destruction the spirits made. They float near their guardians, really exhausted. Landing on the ground, "Spirit attack ey?" Reigen guessed, still assisting Serizawa's restless body.
"We eliminated the spirits in the forest," Teruki informed.
"The fact of how many spirits are here made us worry of your business. A lot of ruckus happened I see," Ritsu finished. Reigen glanced at Shigeo and you, holding hands. "Woah, Mob! When did you two became a thing?!" Everyone looked at the two of you, astounded of your bond of touch.
"Uhm- M-Master w-we're not . . ."
"Bold of you to assume that we're together." Your words jumped out in a flash. You firmed your grip on Shigeo's soft hands, not that firm just a little. The cheeks of yours flushed in red, embracing this idea of yours to act cool.
"Y-Yeah, she's fine with me holding her hand."
"For safety." You nervously smile instead of cofidently.
"That image of your smile is really suspicious, (l/n). Tightening your grip on Mob's hand is another point for me. What's going on?"
Safety, goddammit!
"Her mother asked me to guide her back home. She's worried, that's all. Can we stop the discussion so we can let Serizawa-San rest?" Shigeo cut in to stop the topic of you holding hands. He's in a bad mood lately since you tripped. The promise he made towards your mother is quiet strong. "You heard him. We should better go," Teruki shrugged at Reigen, agreeing to Shigeo's response.
"Okay, okay. Sorry for the small tease though." Reigen smiled as to confirm his idea between the two of you. Dimple got out of Reigen's body just to float near Shigeo. And so, everyone headed back to the train station for the last ride this night. You didn't let go of Shigeo's hand, liking his soft touch.
You never knew the esper problem when you were a kid. There, the big phenomenon of one esper destroying the Spice City, pushing everyone out of his way to his target. By this thought and knowledge, you obtained a lot of questions spilling out of your mind, willing to ask Shigeo everything you need to know.
Not now - such people would here your conversation plus how suspicious you would be with your partner. Your camera's strap dangling on your wrist delivered a massive thought in your brain: three pictures left. This made you worry. There's a Saturday and Sunday which balanced your mind in peace and stress.
Shigeo needs to know this yet you thought of him assisting you back home. In fact, he told Ritsu during the train ride. Ritsu understood and decided to head home first. Not to mention he became normal again, talking to Reigen, Dimple, Teruki and Ritsu after everything. Serizawa fell asleep, regaining his strength to open his eyes on the way home.
Shigeo asked if you're alright which is obvious and something you would memorize later on. You answered that you are, then again you went back to the moment on where an anonymous voice spoke in your head.
No . . . We need you . . .
Do you need to help yourself? Doesn't sound like your mind is talking to you. Figures, the sense of your mind detect, resulting of negative sensors of your words not related to your mood during the run. The thought goes round and round in your head. Nothing's stopping it now. You remained silent, acting like you're sleeping until the train stops
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"Where's you house?"
"Just straight up ahead and then a turn to the right."
Shigeo told Ritsu to tell his parents about the promise he created for your mother. The little brother went in the Kageyama Residence, wishing the two partners safety. And so, here you are, meters away from their residence.
The cold night has arrived, the dark color of blue visible in the sky, decorated with stars far away, small and sparkling. You adjusted your jacket, shivered as how numbing the atmosphere is. It's currently silent between the two of you.
Thus, you broke it, "We only got seven pictures in my film. Wanna go out tomorrow?"
"Oh, sure." His tone is kinda down.
"So . . . are you alright?" You finally asked, smirking to release a taunt.
He chuckled, "Well, it's just . . . I only point to you on what to picture." Poor boy. You bringing a camera is a total back carry. Shigeo is doing a pretty good job. The knowledge he store in his innocent mind is a huge help for you.
"Aw, Shigeo. Your knowledge over our topic is just enough for me. Don't be gloomy when it comes to responsibility that two people share. As long you help, that's a kicker for me." You motivating statement made him smile, blushing in fact.
"Thank you, (y/n)-San."
That came out of no where.
It's not bad to be called by your first name since you call him by his first name. With your comfortable company of Shigeo, you finally accepted his call for you responding with a smile.
"Wh- I didn't m-mean to name you by your first name! I-It's a taunt 'c-cause you-"
"O-Oh um- it' s okay for me I-I . . . since I started it first, I'm cool with it." The heat in your face boiled up, covering it fully on it.
"O-Oh . . ." Shigeo remained silent. A smile creeped up on your face, liking his silent treatment, chin slightly down. But then . . . the thought train crashed on your head: he's an esper. You thought of something funny by holding his hand again but that'll be unexpectedly awkward for you.
"Esper, huh?"
Shigeo flinched, lifting his chin up and glared at you. "I was born with it. No one knows or why." His words are so important to you that you want to ask more.
"When did you knew?"
"In my toddler years."
"Uh- do you use it oftenly since you don't know about it?"
"Pretty sure like that but-" he paused. His eyes trailed to your orbids, one of the saddest frowns you witnessed. "But uh- I stopped since I had this identity crisis with myself. Not familiar with who I am. I was . . . a seperate of it when I need it." The surroundings suddenly formed into a sad mush, deep conversations became a new skill between the two of you.
"Have you overcome the thought?"
"Identity Crisis?"
"No other choice, buddy." A chuckle was aired out of your mouth.
"Yeah. I finally obtained my own life. I'm . . . free."
This topic wants you to cry, seeing someone to be so happy about a particular gift is one happy pill you take. Your smile was really bright, yet again your cheeks are glowing with red shade.
"I'm proud of you." That's it. All you can say is geniunely true. Everything about Shigeo is true. Even though you don't know much of him, the empathy in you bursts like a volcano, reaching out to him, your partner.
"Thank you. I-I didn't know you have such empathy."
"Don't mention it."
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A/n
Beautiful. I said 'update soon' and now I'm five days late. I know it looks short and weird but I got a little stress over pumping words and sentences in my brain imagining what would the story look like.
I somewhat messed up the story xD 'cause I' m rushing myself . . . again. Btw thanks for four hundred something reads! I really don't expect people reading my shit but oH WELL-