A world that is not going to last long, is where I'm in. A world that grants me whatever wish I have on my mind, will collapse sooner or later. In a dilemma between choosing to leave this world before it ends, or stay in this world till the end, I had chosen the latter.
Heading to the station, we saw a crowd. Perhaps they were supposed to be here. Not to mention that I could easily wish for them to not appear around us, not that I care, all I care is simply spending all of my time with Yuuma. We boarded the train, which brings us to Akari. Yuuma came out with me to look for clues to clear the trial, while I only wanted to be with him. Whether if we find a clue or not, it doesn't matter to me. I just want to act selfish now.
The station in Akari, is terrifying. almost half of the number of people here are dim coloured, they slowly walked around, some were merging into people who were not supposed to be a part of them, some were crawling around. It is definitely some scene which came out from a zombie movie. The zombies noticed us, and started to creep closer. I notified Yuuma, we started running away from them, but it was useless. In a crowd like this, we couldn't differentiate between human and zombies, the only person I could hope for is no other than Jun.
"Slash!" A familiar sound repeats over and over, it's Jun!
"Did you not heard what Ryutenji had said? This place is dangerous. You should go home." Jun said.
"Are you perhaps, Junichirou-san that Ryutenji-san mentioned?" Yuuma asked politely. It is true that Yuuma have not yet met Jun yet, but Junichirou, is actually his name huh?
"Yes I am. You can just call me by Jun. This place is getting out of hand. Ryutenji supposedly had warned you to not be here anymore." Jun said.
"Jun-san, perhaps, if you could tell me how to pass Rinka-chan's trial?" Yuuma asked. Jun frowned, somehow not feeling like telling anything at all. He then looked at me.
"Before you even think of passing the trial. You should have worked on yourself." Jun said, with a face of disgust. That's rude!
"You... Give me your power!" I said and took out a blade and attempted to stab him. Jun dodged like nothing, I fell to the ground. He gave me a cold stare.
"If you want, I could end your life here. You'll simply return to your world, remaining like how you are now. You... However, could be a potential threat to create demons if you went back like this. That is why, open your eyes and look around you. These many people are going to turn into 'zombies' if you delay any second from now." He said.
I tried to stand up, but he drew his katana and pointed at me. His katana, is in fact only the handle, without a blade. I looked at him and smugged.
"Jun, you even forget your weapon didn't you?" I chastised him. As I stepped forward, I felt a searing pain from my cheeks, it's so unbearable that I fell on the floor and started struggling. Yuuma saw it and attempted to come towards me. Jun moves his katana to block Yuuma from coming towards me. It's so unreal, why is Yuuma not so worried as he should be?! I...!
"Enough playtime." It's Ryutenji's voice, from behind. He said with a solemn tone.
"Ryutenji... You...!" I said, but stopped because I couldn't endure the searing pain. What is this Jun guy?!
"Jun, I apologize for her actions, please help me to see her back to Touna." Ryutenji asked sincerely.
"She thinks that she is a clown now, for thinking that she'll be able to take my power away by simply stabbing me." Jun ridiculed. My consciousness, for an unknown reason, started to fade out...
...
"Jun-san has a powerful presence within him. Although he looked normal, he seems like having spiritual power." I said to Ryutenji-san.
"Well, he is an exorcist, anyways." Ryutenji-san replied.
"Exorcist? Those people who uses rituals to destroy demons?" I asked in surprise.
"Yeah, somewhat like that. But he's different." Ryutenji-san said.
"He harnessed a spirit's power to fight. A past-deity spirit who was said to had committed a sin, which caused it to be sealed for a thousand years. Jun released the seal and made a contract with it. He is also a talented guy by able to freely use anything to become his weapon." Ryutenji-san said.
"I feel safe to be next to him, he could slash zombies all by himself. That brings a question to mind... What happens if a zombie merged with a person from the other world?" I asked.
"Let's hope for that to not happen." Ryutenji-san said briefly.
Carrying Rinka-chan on my back, she felt so light, perhaps she didn't eat well back then? I wondered myself, one of the questions that I will never know the answer no matter how I ask. The sun sets, signalling that time is ticking away, I've to find a way to send her back to her world before it was too late. Ryutenji-san looked worried as he walked next to me. Perhaps he is concerned at the fact he wouldn't be able to fulfill his own role to guide Rinka-chan back to her world.
Rinka-chan's phone rung. I rummaged her bag to look for the phone, it says, 'Haruko'. I answered the call.
"Yes, Rinka-chan is not able to speak now, is there anything you wanted to tell her?" I said.
"I'm sorry. Please take good care of Rika-san. I'm leaving, I'm sorry." Haruko said, before I could ask more, the call ended, showing me a glitched text on the phone. Perhaps, Haruko's existence has already been erased. So she is one of the people who were being tested by the Rain Goddess, Ame... With the remaining time of the day, Rinka-chan rested in her room, until the next day.
Rinka-chan woke up, still looking weak despite the cut isn't too deep to cause fatal damage, perhaps the damage Jun did to her is spiritually?
"Rinka-chan, good morning. A girl named Haruko called yesterday." I said. Before I finished my sentence, she stopped me.
"What did she said?!" She seemed excited for this.
"She apologized, and left." I said. Instead of feeling angry, she felt relieved. A reaction that I least expected.
"It's fine, since I'm the one troubled, it's unfair to ask her to stay here with me." Rinka-chan said. I understood what she wanted the most in this very moment. She wanted me. With the contradicting feelings all rushed into my head, grabbed her and embraced her tight. She flinched, but then leans toward my shoulder after a while. We remained like this for a long while.
I've never felt so fulfilled since I gained my consciousness in this world. This feeling of wanting even more, perhaps it's called greed. Did Rinka-chan felt this way too? We spent a whole day together, doing all the intimate things normal people do...
I went home in the evening, but then after a shower, I received a text from her.
"Yuuma, please come over, now." She wrote. I shook my head, things has gone too far for us huh...? Even it is supposed to be normal, but no one will do it all on a single day! Regardless, I went to her house, and had dinner with her family. She wore a cute looking pajamas, I mean, it's only past six, why would you wear a pajamas at this time?!
I received a message from my phone. It's odd, since the only messages I had received were from Rinka-chan and random messages, perhaps were used to make it look normal to people around me. This one, according to it's contents, it's Ryutenji-san.
"Meet me for a while. I have something to tell you." It said.
I excused myself from the house, Rinka-chan looks concerned, I reassured her that I'll be back. And she smiled. Walking out of the house, It's Ryutenji-san and Jun-san.
"That's what you get if you entrusted your role to someone unreliable." Jun said. He's not wrong, I gave into my desires. What are they trying to do?
"There is something I haven't tell you." Ryutenji-san said. Jun-san put his hand on Ryutenji-san's shoulder. Ryutenji-san nodded. Jun-san then reluctantly let go his hand.
"Tomorrow, is the day I said that Akari will be swarmed by zombies. I, actually holds the memories of Rika-chan's memories about Yuuma-kun. That's my role. If I were to survive after this, she will end up remembering Yuuma-kun on her way back. If I didn't..." Ryutenji-san said.
"She will forget me... Yuuma for good?" I said. Jun-san nodded.
"Well, you can sure enjoy yourself for the last time. Since the hints you wanted will be passed to you on the moment I fall tomorrow. Forgetting a painful memory is sure a blessing. I think that is how Ame-sama wants confer her blessings." Ryutenji-san said. Jun-san shook his head and started walking away. Ryutenji-san followed up as well, he turned around and waved at me before I head back to Rinka-chan's house.