On a certain tall building in the heart of Kyoto City, Sakura Tsuchimikado is dealing with paperwork in her office. Stacks of paper are in her desk and she has been sighing for the last five minutes as she goes through them.
She never really liked paperwork. And it's not helping that is seems to pile up even more even though she has been working through them.
"Sakura-chan! I'm coming in with your lunch!" a chirpy voice says on the other side of the door which opens.
A young looking man with a smile on his face comes in. Behind him, five 'children' are following him, three of them bringing boxed lunches. If one is aware of the supernatural, they'd know that these 'children' are no mere 'children'; they're kitsune, foxes with ties to the supernatural. And the man they're following is no ordinary man either.
"Why are you the one bringing my lunch over, four-eyed cretin?"
The young man only laughs heartily and orders the foxes to put down the boxed lunches in the coffee table.
"Just eat first and foremost. We can't have the president of Onmyouji Union getting sick because she misses her meals. Or cranky at that."
"You know I don't have qualms when it comes to food Hirato. I'm asking why the problem child of the Osaki Clan is bringing my lunch. And from the looks of it, that came from the Tsuchimikado Clan's ancestral residence."
The young man is Hirato Osaki, the heir of the Osaki Clan and Sakura's childhood best friend. He is also the current master of the five foxes of their clan, their symbol of power.
"Ah, I came across your family's butler in the lobby. He knows you will not be meeting him personally so I offered to bring lunch to you."
Sakura stands up and heads to the lounge area of her office. She peels off the cloth that is wrapped in the lunches. Meanwhile, Hirato makes himself comfortable by laying down on the L-shaped sofa. The foxes are starting to set the lunch on the coffee table so Sakura can start eating.
She grunts as she finds a letter wedged under the lunchbox. She starts reading it and sighs at the usual antics of her family. She has been the clan head for the last five years but the elders are still not leaving her alone.
"Are they nagging again?" asks Hirato.
"You know it. They want the marriage to commence already."
"Eeehh. And your fiancé?"
"He's busy."
"You both are."
"Why are you really here Hirato?"
Hirato smiles and sits up straight. The five foxes only watch as the two stare at each other's eyes and the room becomes a little hard to breathe.
"You're here about the survivors of the Hope Orphanage aren't you?" Sakura says in a dangerous tone.
"Nothing really escapes you Sakura-chan. My family wants to clarify if one of them really does possess the Heart of the Primordial. It's not really something I can ask you through a text or a phone call."
"And? What does your family have to do with it?"
All of a sudden, powerful aura flares around Sakura and the foxes immediately get to their master's side in defensive form. Hirato on the other hand only widens his eyes. He knows Sakura is not someone who can easily get angry, but when someone really does push her buttons, she can be considered a calamity.
"It's not like that Sakura-chan. We are just curious. I mean, it 'is' the Heart of the Primordial you know; a mysterious object of unknown origin and power."
Sakura sighs and the pressure she released is suddenly gone. "Well, it's not like I can deny it any longer. But if the Osaki makes a move on its host, it'll be me you'll be dealing with."
'So scary.' Hirato thinks. 'So unusual for someone as level-headed as her.'
***
Okinawa!
The beach! The smell of the sea! The fresh air!
It's so- OUCH!
Damn that Gio. He's such a party pooper! Did he really have to hit me in the head? What if it affects my brain and few of my brain cells die?
Okay now I'm just rambling.
It has been two days since Sakura-nee asked me to accompany the paladin to Okinawa Prefecture together with Shizu and Nik. I'm quite excited of the new environment and I can't help but bring out the inner kid within me.
We're inside a car, on the way to the place we're supposed to stay for the duration of our stay in Okinawa. The road is beside the sea so I can't help but be stick to the window and feel the breeze as we pass the sea. Unfortunately, Gio is in the backseat with me but he's stuck in the middle since both Nik and I have motion sickness and the plane ride from Kyoto to Okinawa really did us in. Talk about coincidence that we both have the same predicament.
But I'm already feeling better at the sight of the blue sea.
About half an hour later, we reach a Japanese traditional mansion deep in the forest. I read the plaque at the side of the gate.
Hmm… Tachibana? Wait, Shizu is…
"Shizu, is this your place?" I ask the vessel of Raijin who only shows a small smile.
"Yes."
Why do I have the feeling that she's not exactly glad to return home?
"Shizu's family, the Tachibana's is a branch family of the Tsuchimikado Clan. They're in-charge of the Okinawa Prefecture. The family is also known as the Guardian of Okinawa. Every supernatural activity in the prefecture is under their jurisdiction and they are a very influential family in Japan." Nik explains.
Eeeehh… So Shizu's from such a prestigious family.
But wait…
"Shizu, why are you in Kyoto if your family is in Okinawa?" I ask.
"It has been the tradition of the clan that a girl from every branch families is chosen to study as their family's priestess under the main family in Kyoto." Shizu answers in a stiff manner.
She suddenly walks ahead of us, obvious that she's not exactly ready to talk about the topic.
"Nik?"
"Well… I'm not in the position to tell you all the information but err… there seems to have been a dispute in how Shizu was chosen as the Tachibana's priestess."
I can already take a guess why Shizu is not glad to be back. Hmm… I wonder if being the vessel of the god Raijin has something to do with it.
We reach the house and are led to a spacious living room. Everything is so… traditional. One disadvantage of it is that there are no chairs with legs. Instead, there is what I learned as zaisu, a Japanese chair with no legs but a normal chair back.
I… I'm not used to sitting in seiza. Actually, I have never sat in seiza. All the chairs in Plum Blossom Mansion have legs. Hiiro-san's room is traditional but I have never stayed there and therefore have no experience in sitting in seiza.
On the bright side, someone's even more uncomfortable than me because of his long and stiff legs.
At least mine are quite flexible.
"Are you okay, Mr. Paladin?" I ask but my voice is dripping with sarcasm.
The paladin only glares at me and tries his best to sit on the offered chair.
My thoughts are interrupted when the paper door slides open and an older male version of Shizu enters the room.
"Welcome Paladin di Angelo and his companions."
I can't put my finger on it but there's something about the older Tachibana that's got me on edge. And I don't like it.
It looks like I'm not the only one that noticed it since Gio is staring at the man with an undecipherable expression.