Chereads / Zion Rippers / Chapter 22 - The past always lingers

Chapter 22 - The past always lingers

The next morning…

Takeru sighs

"…Ugh I don't wanna wake up…" Takeru

Takeru forcefully gets up from bed and heads into the bathroom. After 30 minutes, he joins up with Reginald in the kitchen. It was obvious that he was still stingy to speak up due to their interactions from yesterday. Soon, an irritating silence begins to suffuse throughout the area, until one of them speaks up.

"…" – Takeru

"…" - Reginald

"… Morning" – Takeru

"M-Morning…" – Reginald, with reluctance

"…Hey, look…I'm sorry about what happened yesterday…" – Takeru

"…" – Reginald

"I shouldn't have acted like that… it… it was all in the past after all…" – Takeru

"Nah… t'was my fault. I shouldn't have brought up painful times, I know how much they sting…" – Reginald

*Reginald sighs*

"Life wasn't the best for me either…" – Reginald

"Back when I was a wee little hamster, my grandmother thought it would be a good idea to send me to school. Well… that it was, at first anyways…" – Reginald

"I was doing fine, had a circle of nice friends, even a crush. A pretty redhead human girl who always had that natural blush on her. Everytime she smiled it was like an angel descended from heaven to greet us. I'm quite sure I wasn't the only one eyeing her at that time…" – Reginald

"You fell in love? With a human?" – Takeru

"I know it sounds pretty bad but… she was so beautiful man a-and she was just a crush y'know" – Reginald, scratching his head in embarrassment

"…Hmmm" – Takeru

"Ah uh anyways, I was doing reasonably well… until my grades dropped… HARD" – Reginald

"It was all so sudden too…, it was like everything fell apart in an instant, didn't know what was wrong, thought I had the tests in the bag and all. Feeling backed in a corner, I gave up, just couldn't find a way to improve my grades no matter what I did. I failed my exams again and again…" – Reginald

"My friends, that girl, they all eventually left me behind. It was then that I realized how unfair this world was. I felt the difference between me and you, humans" – Reginald

"I don't know when I gave in to the temptation… but when I did, it never did really leave me. From petty theft to heisting jewel stores t'was insane, the rush, that's all that kept me going" – Reginald

"I'm sure it would've been my demise if I was captured back then… then I met you" – Reginald

Takeru looks at Reginald with eyes full of pity, but also those of sadness. Reginald barely held back his tears before getting up from his seat, then he shook his head in an effort to calm himself down.

"Ahh what am I doing boring you with my cliché high school stories, I'm sure you have more important things to do… like urm homework! You do that right?" – Reginald

"Uhhh… kinda… not?" – Takeru

"What do you mean kinda not? C'mon! Get that ass off of there and get back to work. I don't want you ending up like soggy old me here" – Reginald

"Ugh… you sound like those old men" – Takeru

"Oh and… I'll tell them next week, in case things go awry" - Takeru

"Good" - Reginald

Takeru, still drowsy, gets up from his seat and heads off into his room to finish any work he had left. A thought comes to Reginald, realising he will not be able to depend on his past fortunes for long.

(Reginald to himself) "Even though we did cash in a lot, after splitting and we could only sell the goods like half price pretty much bummed me out"

(Reginald to himself) "With all the expenses we'll probably have to make it won't last that long after all"

"…Maybe it's time I find a job…" - Reginald

Somewhere nearby…

(Seiichi to himself) "My friend is behind the mass killing of several people and I am, sitting and doing nothing… What the fuck is wrong with me…?"

Seiichi shook his head, trying desperately to focus his mind on the right thing to do. Hi heart rate speeding up, he comes up with a decision.

"No… I can't let him get away with this!" - Seiichi

Miyuki was in the same state, but for different reasons…

"How could he risk his life like that! It's so stupid!" – Miyuki

"Ahhh why do I have to worry about this guy" – Miyuki, with a weary face

"I have to take my mind off of him!" – Miyuki

Miyuki quickly opens up her screen and calls a friend of hers, probably to go out.

Yon was walking around the park looking around to the vivid environment. The wind rustled the trees and the glowing sky made her go back.

"Heyy you came" - The Chef

"...I can't just refuse free food" - Yon

"Ha! I should've known you would say that" - The Chef

"Hmmm wait do you know my name?" - The Chef

"Uhmm I don't think so" - Yon

"It's Hiro, Senji Hiro" - Hiro

"Nice name…" - Yon

"Oh c'mon don't be shy, I am paying after all" - Hiro

"Hmpf that's customary" - Yon

"Let's just go eat, I want to ask you some things" - Hiro

"..." - Yon

The duo makes their way to a nearby snack and begin to eat. They converse for some time and Hiro, seeing an opportunity, asks Yon the question.

"So… how did you end up like that?" - Hiro

"..." - Yon

"...I lost my job… ugh I was such a stupid asshole. I let loose on a customer and the manager was forced to let me go…" - Yon

"I couldn't pay rent for my apartment and I could go to no one… eventually I found myself on the streets and stealing food…" - Yon

"...I'm really sorry for that time, the hunger was too hard on me" - Yon

"Hm… happens all the time… people lose their job and they end up homeless…" - Hiro

"..." - Yon

Yon stares off into the distance, a nice breeze passes over her. Hiro stares and lets out a small smirk.

"...If you want I'll let you stay at my place… it's nothing special but it can hold two people" - Hiro

Yon looks back, shocked and in disbelief.

"...That's too nice to hear…" - Yon

"Well c'mon then" - Hiro

"Huh!?" - Yon

Hiro pulls Yon close to him and takes her into his car heading straight for his house

"...The nicest thing anyone's done for me" - Yon

Yon keeps striding through the park with a smile on her face.

(Haru to herself) "Ugh she complained so much… Takeru this Takeru that"

(Haru to herself) "I mean I'm happy she has someone but this is a bit much"

Haru was on her way home, after spending some time with Miyuki, while turning on a corner she crossed paths with a giant figure.

"Huh? You're that Myrmidon… why are you following us" – Haru

"I've… been meaning to talk to you Ms. Senshoku…" – Myrmidon

"My name is Peleus and I'm here on the orders of your family" – Peleus

"Tch... what do they want from me" – Haru

"They mentioned nothing of the sorts, I was given orders, here I am" – Peleus

"Then why were you following Miyuki too?" – Haru

"I thought it would be best to watch over both of you since you seemed like close friends" – Peleus

(Haru to herself) "What were they thinking coming back to me after all these years"

"Ugh… I don't care just go back and tell them I don't need protection" – Haru

"I cannot do that Ms.; you don't know how adamant your family was about your safety" – Haru

"AH, these fucking pricks" – Haru

Haru walks past the giant creature with an angry look on her face.

"MS. SENSHOKU!" – Peleus