The morning came incredibly fast for Hayato. He passed the entire night thinking about his life, thinking about Daichi's intentions, and who Hina really was.
'The way he reacted to me and her conversing with each other... It looks like he was trying to confirm whether Hina was trying to deceive me or not. Besides, he said she killed many people, both directly and indirectly. Just... how much of her sweet personality can I believe?' That was one of the various thoughts he had.
Hayato had a hard time trusting boys of his own age. Usually, the boys would be the ones to mess with him. He never interacted with any other girl in a pleasant way aside from Tess, but they never bullied him in school. Maybe, due to having Tess as a safe haven and never receiving any kind of violence from the opposite sex, Hayato's mind put boys and girls of his age on different levels.
In the end, though, regardless of their genre, both were equally human beings. As human beings, they had the capacity to harm others and make their lives a true hell.
Hayato realized that, regardless of Hina seeming like a good person, he was letting his guard down. For now, he couldn't trust Hina.
Daichi was also a stranger to him, but Mr. Satoshi, the person who cared for him and became his friend, was the one who recommended Daichi's guidance.
'It's not like I need to hear what he says at all times, but I should add more value to Daichi's words rather than Hina's. At least until I can truly get to know her.'
While thinking about all these things, time flew by so fast that, when he realized, Daichi had already gotten up.
The trio packed their things and started to move again in the same direction they were going in the previous day.
At first, Hayato wondered how long it would take to get to Daichi's place. However, as seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, he regretted having that thought. It was better just to focus on putting one leg after another and not complain.
He glanced at Hina many times along the way as if trying to unravel something. Sometimes, their eyes met. However, although she didn't glare or punched him like she usually did, she didn't gesture nor showed the intention of talking about anything. She completely closed herself again.
Soon, Hayato sighted a lake, far away in the distance. As they approached the lake, he discerned more forms, like some cattle inside enclosures, a fairly big house made of wood, a waterwheel, some plants...
'So, that's his house, huh? He seems to live all by himself here, isolated from the other cities. This place is fairly distant from pretty much everywhere... Well, not that I know any other cities in this province except Kigayo, but I can't see any other in the distance, nor did I see any of them along the way.'
Actually, Hayato expected something four or five times worse than that. He was surprised that the old man built and cultivated so many things all by himself.
"Surprised, boy?" the old man smiled at Hayato who barely blinked as he ran his eyes across every detail of that place.
"Yeah... I wouldn't be able to do all of this alone, you know? Actually, I don't know anybody who would."
Daichi denied with his head.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I was not the only one who built the house, took care of the cattle and plants, or planned that waterwheel. I had a lot of help from my son in the last two things. Now, although my son did help in improving the house or doing maintenance when he reached enough age for that, the ones who really built this house were me and my friend, Satoshi."
Hayato nodded, but what the man said sank in only after a few seconds. When he realized it, his eyes widened and he stared at Daichi's face.
"Y-You mean..."
"Yeah, yeah. You will be living there, a place that Satoshi helped to build and lived in for some time. That's where I will start your training, too."
Hayato nodded, closing his fist tightly around the strap of the backpack he carried.
'I am going to become strong. Finally.'
He frowned hard as Trevor's face appeared in his mind. Just by remembering his voice, Hayato shivered from anger and frustration. Nonetheless, he did his best to calm himself down. If he wanted to become strong, he needed patience.
"Ok, go inside the house and place your things wherever. You guys can already choose a room to stay in if you want. Take any. Come back quickly. You, too, beauty", he pointed at Hina, who glared at him. "Although I am not going to teach you many things, you better always stay around. I don't want to spend months trying to find you again."
She didn't answer, not even twitching a single finger.
'Wow, before I discovered that she is mute, her silence was just... normal. Someone who doesn't want to talk with another person. But, actually, her silence is much more assertive. She suppresses her body reactions just to ignore Daichi. She must hate him almost on the same level I hate Trevor.'
Daichi didn't seem to mind her stubborn silence, though. In the end, as long as she heard what he said, she would obey him. At least for now.
Hayato and Hina both walked towards the house. Meanwhile, Daichi gave his backpack for them to carry inside, since he wanted to take a look at the cattle.
Both entered the house and got amazed. It was not a simple house whatsoever. There was so much wooden furniture and decorations that their minds couldn't register everything at the same time.
Since most of the woodcraft there seemed to be handmade, Hayato wondered just how long did it take for all that furniture to be made.
"Daichi and Mr. Satoshi were one hell of a duo. Though I suppose some of this was made by his son, too."
Hayato barely noticed Hina's presence as he was too busy looking at everything. The latter didn't seem too invested in looking around, though. She simply adjusted her backpack on her shoulder and walked off the entrance hall.
'Huh? W-Where is she?' Hayato looked to the sides after a while, finally realizing that now he was all alone.
He went to the room to his right.
'Kitchen... The other door over there should be where they keep the food and stuff. I should go back.'
Then, to the left.
'A living room... Should I just go in front? But that was something like a living room, too, but more spacious. Did Hina go to the bedrooms? I suppose they are on the second floor, then.'
Hayato hurried to the second floor. As soon as he got there, he heard a thud coming from the door on his right. He headed to that door, which was slightly open.
"Ah, so you are there!" He sighed in relief.
'But, wait... Why am I so relieved? Am I worried that she might do something wrong or worried about her well-being? Not even I know what's going on in my mind now. So confusing...'
Hina turned and looked at him from over her shoulder. It looked like she was about to take off her clothes. Her mouth was slightly open in surprise at Hayato's arrival.
Her cheeks blushed slightly and she took her hands off her clothes.
She walked towards Hayato and gave him little pushes until he was out of the room.
"Hmph", she snorted while making an angry face and pouted.
She pointed at the door, then shook her head negatively.
"Ok, ok... I won't open it. I didn't know you were going to change. I didn't even know where you were a minute ago."
She knocked on the door, then pointed at him.
"Sure, sure. I will knock next ti-" she closed the door on his face before he finished talking.
"...time. Next time", he repeated himself but didn't even know whether she was still hearing or not.
'Damn it, Hayato! You only have to be careful about a couple of things when living with women, you know it. Yet, you go and break the most important rule right on the first day! Congratulations, airhead.'
"So, the youngsters are, indeed, faster these days, huh? I had to be a few years older than you before starting to flirt like this."
Hayato jumped from where he was, turning to Daichi.
"I-I didn't even hear you! What the hell? ...A-And I wasn't even flirting with her! That was a misunderstanding!"
"Yeah, yeah. Five bedrooms up here but you totally entered that one by coincidence right when she was about to change. You maybe are more cunning than I thought.
"Come on, man... Don't make things even harder for me. I really cannot explain it in an understandable way", Hayato sighed, feeling defeated.
"Well, bad liars do exist, after all. Anyway, you must learn that a man in the right doesn't walk with fear or remorse. So, even if you are in the wrong, make people believe you are in the right by not showing these feelings. That's the, what? The third lesson I teach you or something. I already lost count.
"Anyway, you can leave your hormones waiting for now. We have other things to do!"