Arriving at the manga store, we were greeted by the staff. I commenced my search around and found the manga I was looking for.
"That's all?" Yomu said.
"Yep, pretty much," I replied.
We walk to the register to purchase the manga, but then I heard three people chatting.
"Really? Did you see Nehime?"
"Not sure, but she walked with this handsome boy~"
"Are you sure she can attract someone? I mean, her personality reminds me, my haughty grandma."
I overheard them and then veins became apparent, "That... I will be sure to pay you back..." But not right now, they never really haven't seen my otaku side, so I should hide.
"— Woh, why are you dragging me?"
I pulled Yomu by the shirt and got him to stand in front of me.
"Shh, they are comin' closer," I said quietly.
The girls came closer as the three of them went in the store.
"Why are we going in? Wait, are you an otaku?"
"I heard there was a new manga and I got interested, that's all~"
They walked around the store chatting, then I noticed Yomu looking at me, "Who is she~?"
Yomu asked about the girl who was interested in manga. She has a bob hair as bangs slightly going down to her left, she had a small chest. She wore a white t-shirt as the collar showed her left shoulder with a black bra strap and short jeans with a black shoe to finish.
"Her name is Hana, Shuiu Hana. She is the smart beauty in the group and the Student Council President, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was the second top beauty in school."
"School? I thought you were too lazy to go there," He said, to what I think is a mocking tone.
"Hey! At least I have responsibilities, unlike the guy who assaulted me because his door was left open."
Yomu responded, "At least she was a beauty~"
"Hmph."
Yomu asked again, "How about those two?"
I answered him, "The one on Hana's left is Risa, Risa Raymond. A foreigner Blondy with the pony-tail. This one has a large chest that seems to defy my logic, but let's ignore that."
She wore a grey sweater and a black skirt with her white luxury bag on her left hand. This is the third top beauty in school as she walks in with her heels.
I continued, "The one on Hana's right doesn't belong to the beauty category as she is the top cute girl in school. Her name is Ai, Shosei Ai, she acts emotionless, but she's nice."
She had silver twin-tail as she wore a pink long-sleeve turtle neck shirt large enough to cover her short pants, she had an almost non-existent chest while she walked with branded shoes.
"She is quite cute, to be honest," Yomu spoke sagely.
"Yeah sure, pervert."
"They're your friends?"
"Yep."
"That is barely believable, but I trust you."
"Hey!"
Both of them went and continued their date, but one of the girls noticed.
"Oh~," She smiled.
"What is it, Hana?" Ai spoke as she stopped walking.
"Nothing~," She smiled.
"You act too suspicious," Risa added.
. . .
The two continued in Akiba, to different stores and places to go to, the cinema and clothing stores. The last place they went to was a restaurant where maids serve them.
"You know, it wasn't bad," Yomu said.
"Yep, I could do this more often," I replied while drinking a smoothie.
"Why not hang out with your friends?" Yomu spoke while eating his omelette.
"I don't feel like it," I continued to drink.
Yomu looks at me, "Okay, I won't ask why."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I don't know you long enough."
Oh yeah, we just met twice before, I guess that's true. I sat down more comfortably with my drink on my hand. Yomu did the same looking out the window.
"The world sure is peaceful..."
I glanced at Yomu and responded lightly to what he uttered, "Okay, 'Dramatist'... But hey, you could be a great actor you know, with those looks you can,"
I continued, "But how come I haven't seen you on the web and tv shows? You could have already become a world-star by now."
"I'm truly flattered, and to why people don't know me... It's a little secret of mine~," He spoke.
"Okay, Drama queen, we should get going, it's already dark," I touched the window to point outside.
"Yeah sure."
. . .
We walk the street in short cuts towards the subway going back to our apartments. but perhaps you know where this is going? As the 'best' cliché in romance, at least you should know.
. . .
"Hey pretty girl, why won't you come with us?"
A man with a group of five walked towards us, they wore some rumpled clothing as they must have thought they look menacing. We continued our walk as we went past them.
"Ugh, this is so common in story tropes," Nehime spoke with an insulting temper.
"Really?" I asked.
"Wait, you don't know?" Nehime questioned me.
"I'm just joking, it is just comical seeing it in real life," I said.
"Hey, aren't you listening?!" Then one of them spoke to break our discussion. One of the men walked toward us, with his right hand he grabs Nehime's shoulder, "Come with us, we won't hurt the boy~," He spoke as if he already won.
"You make me cringe, you know?" Nehime said.
I turned and clutched the hand that touch Nehime's shoulder, "You should leave him to me~"
Nehime looks at me, but not out of worry, she then started laughing, "Haha-! So, you are some hidden Martial Arts Master?" Nehime spoke as if she has seen this thousand of times.
"Yep~!"
Crack—!
With a swift straight kick, the man's jaw broke as he flew back to his group. The kick was fast, creating after-images.
"... Eh?.." Nehime only expressed two letters as her mind blanks. She had a wondering thought, '... His jeans are that flexible?'
"That was way too quick, it's as if someone is rushing the story," Nehime spoke as her Author side became more apparent.
"Sorry Miss Director, tell me how to continue~," I said it amusingly to make it more enjoyable.
"Hmph, I let you off with the 'amateur' move you just did, just beat them up." She spoke wisely.
"H-Hey—! You think you won—" Before the leader(?) of the group continues speaking, a round-house kick has already descended on his head.
"Hey, Yomu! You could have let him speak more to make it more dramatic!" Nehime berated my 'inexperienced' move.
"Sorry about that~," I replied.
One went forward with a punch but I intercepted with a palm and change its trajectory down to my right. Next, I countered with a backhand punch beside the nape.
The strikes were blurry as it ended under a second. I continued with a jump side-kick to the man on the left which sent the man meters away.
"Ora!" The last man went for a charge.
"Don't shout in a street fight since I would know~," I instantly ended the fight with a vertical side-kick propelling him in the air.
All of this happened in just seconds.
"Wow! That is probably the best anime-like fight I have yet seen! Are you a Jeet Kune Do Practitioner? Or Taekwondo?" Nehime ran towards my side fangirling.
"Is anime the only thing you can think of? And how come you're not scared?"
"Yep, also I have good backing! So are you a Martial Artist?" She switches the topic and asked a question.
"You could say I am one~"
"Eh? what a boring answer," Nehime went back to her usual self.
"I thought it was cool~"
"It was, I was just thinking of a different answer."
The two continued conversating, ignoring what just happened and never thought how weirdly it just ended.
. . .
We walked up the stairs of the subway as we walk back towards our apartment. I noticed the changes, 'it seems it's here?'
I look at Nehime, I smiled gently...
. . .
They both continued to walk. Noticing the awkwardness, Nehime spoke.
"H-Hey, Yomu-san I had fun you know, I was wondering if you—" Nehime turns around, but to see no one.
"Hey... Is this a prank?" I looked around trying to find Yomu, "Where the hell is he?" I walked around, but no one was found. The atmosphere somehow changed, giving off an ominous smell.
Crunch.
Then, I heard gnawing noises.
I turn towards the root of the noises, suddenly, I see a giant person? It had fur covering its body with legs bent strangely similar to wolfs. It had ears of a wolf and eyes of a wolf. Isn't that a Werewolf?
Then, what I noticed around its mouth was a bloodstain.
"W-What's happening... Y-Yomu — where are you?!"
I suddenly felt insecure, I lost something.
I noticed the Werewolf was consuming something, I saw an arm — was it a person?
I started running! I felt fear as the Wolf follows me. I ran desperately in the streets, I turned left and there I was, met with a dead end.
"A-Am I going to die?"
I look at the giant creature that followed me. Adrenaline surged as fright took over.
Gradually, it came closer. But before anything happens, the upper body of the Wolf fell off.
"... What?.." The surprising display had me next staring at the falling corpse and the following I see... is a girl?
"H-Hana?"
"Hello again, Nehime-chan~," Hana spoke, her voice somehow lifted the pressure, just not my fear.
"W-What's happening?.." I demand an answer.
"Meet me tomorrow in the Student Council room, you'll have your answer~"
Instead of answering me, she left me where to find her, then she begins leaving.
"Wait!"
But I was too late, she disappeared before I know it. Next moment, the place changed.
"W-Where am I?" I panicked and looked at the place.
"Hey, Nehime what's wrong?"
I turned my head, then I see the face I was familiar.
"What's wrong?" Yomu said.
I didn't answer him as I quickly went to his side and hugged him.
"... I don't know what happened, but just so you know, I'm always here..."
The moment I heard his words, I felt a lot better.
"Hey, Yomu, can you sleep at my place for the night?" I ask.
"Yeah, sure..."
. . .
... The Moons light shone at the room where the light of the Sun has been. As it goes in, we see a boy sitting on a chair with a girl resting on bed smoothly through the night.
"Weren't you a little rough on her?" Yomu muttered.
"It was not my idea, also I am not good at comforting people."
"I think she has a trauma," Yomu replied.
"You think? You knew that would happen and you knew I was 'cleaning', who are you specifically?"
"A person that is in love?"
"You're funny, I guess a supernatural citizen as yourself is a bit complicated, but I will see you later."
"Yeah, I will see you later, Hana-Kaichou~"
"So, you knew?" Hana questioned.
"Of course! It is easy to see through some paltry disguise, I guess I could say your clever yourself, human!" Yomu cackled.
"I don't know what is your goal, remember that Gofma is watching."
Yomu then glanced at her.
His white eyes were empty and his face, soulless. What he exuded from his ambience, elicited Hana to begin perceiving apprehension, she then backs away slightly. Furthermore, the following moment nearly resulted in Hana to trip, as Yomu began to laugh.
Not the laugh of human, it was the laugh of the Beast.
"Haha... I wonder who is~?"
. . .