'I'm sorry, guys! I should have burnt the form instead of simply throwing it away!'
Cho Kururugi recalled having thrown it in a dustbin in town on her way home.
Someone must have got his hands onto it on that moment. But who?
This was the question trotting everyone's mind, as they sat by the river, brooding.
'If I'm not wrong, Shuda and you didn't approve of our plan, Ayame. I can't think of anybody else other than you two,' accused Shirane Nakagiri, jerking to his feet.
The blond teen jerked to his feet too, ready to snap at the redhead when, Shuda Yagari asserted firmly, 'It wasn't us!'
'It was me.'
Everyone's head snapped around to look at the person who had said that. Their eyes widened in shock at the ginger-haired boy standing there.
They staggered to their feet, slowly assimilating what Katsuya Hattori had just said.
No one dared to confront him about his action, so much they revered him. They simply walked away, their expression filled with disappointment.
The ginger-haired boy gritted his teeth together.
The fact, was that, he had been aware of their whole plan to get rid of Shun Shutsuki since the very beginning. He knew that it was going to fall back upon Ayame and the others.
This was why he had tried to dissuade Shun Shutsuki to go, but she still left.
This had put him in a fix. Either he warned the master about the suicide mission for the latter to rush to the red-haired girl's rescue, or he left her to her own fate and the others would get expelled.
He had chosen to warn the master.
'And shit! The others are so dumb!'
It wasn't the right way to get rid of Shun Shutsuki.
***
I gazed at the flow of traffic on the road beneath the bridge.
The sun was setting in the horizon.
I was only five minutes of walking from home now.
As I looked ahead of me at the houses on the other end of the desert walkway, suddenly, something- or rather someone- caught my attention.
There was a little girl clothed in a school uniform who was dangerously treading on the balustrade.
Her back was turned onto me. She had an arm stretched out to try to keep her balance while she held her bag in the other hand.
She was teetering.
What is she doing?!
My heart jumped to my throat.
Everything went very fast abruptly.
Her foot slipped and she began to lose her balance.
Adrenaline shot through my veins instantly and I dashed for the girl, managing to catch her hand, my other arm wounding around her waist.
In the same movement, I pulled her towards me and slumped down on the walkway with her, holding her tightly against my chest.
My heart was still beating crazily when I pulled slightly away to look at the face of the little girl who had gone limp in my arms.
I realized that I had met the kid before. She was the same little girl I had met by the river in Kuribayashi. Her name was Gakkuri. And if her foot had slipped, it was because she had fainted.
'Please, don't tell my parents about what just happened...' she pleaded, repeatedly, barely conscious.
***
Later…
I glanced over my shoulder when I heard Gakkuri stir awake.
It took her a few minutes to fully emerge.
'Hey, are you alright? How are you feeling?' I inquired, anxiously, standing up from where I had been sitting on the floor.
Her eyes zeroed on me and instantaneously, she let out a choked cry and drew as far away from me as the bed would allow, her eyes filled with terror.
'It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you!' I said, lifting my hands up in front of me, pacifically. I took a deliberate step backward. 'You fainted on me. I didn't know what to do. So, I brought you to my apartment.'
'Is it you who was on the bridge- the person who saved my life?'
I nodded and she seemed to relax a bit.
'Why were you walking on the balustrade? It's dangerous.'
Her hands tightened around the quilt and I could see that she was on the brinks of tears.
'I'm sorry,' I apologized, immediately. 'I didn't mean to upset you further.'
She shook her head, biting her lower lip to keep herself from crying. I uncovered the plate on the bedside table and offered her a sandwich.
She had fainted because she clearly didn't eat properly.
She stared at me in the eyes for one long minute, as if deliberating between dashing for the open apartment door in an attempt of escape or remaining where she was and accept the food.
And then, she hesitantly lifted her hand to take the sandwich.
I sat down on the floor again and placed Kōmori-san down in my lap, to pet the small animal while the little girl ate.
It was dark outside by now.
'Thank you,' she murmured, tearing me out of my reverie.
'Oh-Uh- You're welcome!' I stuttered.
Her shoulders grew tenser suddenly.
'If you're not in prison, does it mean that all the things that is said on you, are false?' she questioned, in a barely audible voice.
I was baffled. I didn't know exactly what to reply.
'It's complicated.'
'Hm.' After a short silence, she asked, 'Can I have another glass of water?'
'I'll bring you that.'
I stood up to head for the kitchen to fill the empty mug, Kōmori-san shifting to onto my back.
When I returned back to my bedroom, the little girl was gone, having scooted away.
A bit panicked, I rushed down onto the street hoping to find her but she was nowhere to be seen anymore, having fled.
I hoped that she's be alright.
***
I didn't want to wake up the next morning, so I stayed in bed all day long, pondering on the recent events ever since I had joined the organization.
Maybe, I should take a mission. It'll allow me some space from the other members of the organization, and they- from me.
It can only do us some good.
Plus, I have to refund the landlady all the things that had been damaged; I'd need some money for that. Not to forget that I can't allow myself to make abuse of Master Kagami's generosity indefinitely.
During my absence, my apartment had not been intruded this time. There was only one conclusion to make out of this. Shirane and the others had not expected me to come back alive.
As I let out a deep sigh, Kōmori-san looked up at me from where it laid face flat on its belly by my side on the bed.
I patted the small animal's head, reassuringly.
***
The following day, in the early morning…
'Do you think that it's too early?'
Master Kagami pondered over the question for a minute, his expression serious.
'No. 'Got to get started somewhere, ne?' he replied, then. 'And I think that it'll do you some good to be away for some time. Though, you're still a novice and so, I'll have to assign you a partner.'
A partner?
I became anxious.
'Ayame Tsuge will accompany you on this mission.'
Ayame?!
"For me, you're not any better than those monsters out there that I hunt!"
A shrill ran down my spine as the blond teenager's voice echoed in my mind. But I reminded myself that he hadn't totally approved the fake mission ploy.
I didn't know why the master's choice fell upon him in particular, but I still accepted.
He briefed me on the assigned mission and on that day, I signed my first true mission.
'Good luck on your mission!' Doctor Tsunan wished me as he opened the office door for me.
Looking up into his eyes, I thanked him, before I strode out of the door and left.
***
Tsunan Hitachiin closed the door after the red-haired girl and turned around, making his way up to Kagami Gushiken's desk.
'Why choose Ayame?' he asked the older man, out of curiosity.
The master took a few minutes to reply to this question, searching for the right words.
'I feel like, if there's someone who might begin to trust Shun, it is well Ayame.'
The doctor pondered over it a minute, understanding what the older male meant.
'Well, I'm only supposing. We'll see what happens.'
***
After I had packed my things, I headed for the train station. Ayame Tsuge had arrived before me and was waiting, his expression sour.
Just as it was to be expected, he wasn't happy that the master chose him to be my partner on this mission.
I approached the blond teen nervously and thought I would faint when he turned his angry eyes on me.
'What's this?' he demanded, and I flinched slightly.
His eyes were narrowed at Kōmori-san which was riding on my back, the animal peeking over my right shoulder.
'I don't know how long this mission will take,' I replied, timidly. 'I couldn't leave it at home.'
The blond pressed his eyes shut, fighting for composure.
'Let's go! The train is about to leave!' he muttered, then, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and turning sharply around to make for the train which was about to depart.
This was the only moment we talked to each other.
During the whole voyage, the blond didn't speak a word to me, casting at me dark looks.
We arrived at destination in the morning of the following day.
After we got off the train, a peasant going by the village we needed to reach, accepted to give us a ride in his cart. And finally, here we were at the doors of the village of Iwaki.
The village in question was found in a valley; the number of habitants being not more than fifty. All the houses were wooden, with several alleys separating them.
The people of Iwaki Village were living under an incessantly pouring sky since a month. It rained night and day non-stop and this was affecting the lives of the habitants and their crops.
The mission consisted of remedying the situation.
I allowed Kōmori-san into my bag and opened my umbrella to find shelter from the sheeting rain.
Ayame was already wearing an overcoat.
I let my eyes wander around the village, taking in the desolated view.
There were puddles everywhere, the ground muddy, the wet wood smelling strongly. But apart from that, there hadn't been much damage in the village yet.
The valley had a gloomy appearance with the surrounding mountains caught in the fog.
We wandered around the village to have a look around the place and at some point, we came across of a group of children who were playing outside in the rain. They were playing something that resembled hopscotch. But the adults called for them to get back indoors and take shelter from the bad weather. They let out unhappy groans but obeyed. Except one.
It was a boy of around eleven who was wearing a Japanese umbrella- the central pole of which was missing- and he was clothed in a white kimono. He was carrying a red paper lantern in his hand and was hopping around in the rain.
'Can you see that?' asked Ayame.
'See what?'
He didn't answer, making towards the little boy. I tagged along with him.
'Hey you! Does it amuse you to trouble people by causing rainfall?' spat Ayame and I looked athwart of the little boy and him, nervously.
'What kind of discrimination is that?' demanded the younger boy, caustically, without looking at us and continuing to hop around. 'Is it because I'm an Amefurikozō that I've necessary got to be the cause of all problems that arise?'
His sarcasm bit us to the bone.
'Don't try to act smart with us, you little brat! You want us to believe that you're a kind little monster-'
'What is it?' he cut Ayame off. 'First you accuse me, and now you insult me! Humans are true savages. Are you the only ones who have the right to live on this planet? I'm not doing anything wrong. Plus, why on earth would I like troubling anyone? Only idiots believe all that people claim.'
He stopped to glare at us.
We were out of words.
An Amefurikozō, eh? I remembered that Master Kagami had discussed about this spirit with me. It was known that the paper lantern it possessed could control the rain.
'If it's not you, then who's responsible of what's happening in this village?' I asked, gently.
'It's Ameonna that you're looking for. You'll find her in the forest on the mountain.'
He thumbed over his shoulder at the line of trees at the end of the alley, where the village ended.
We were at the foot of the mountain Iwaki, the village having taken its name after the latter.
He resumed playing then, going back to ignoring us.
Thank you for reading!
Glossary
Kōmori-san - Kōmori means bat in Japanese