The corridors were empty; the school was going to be closed for a few days due to the incident.
Everybody was shaken by what happened and it was going to take sometimes for the students, as well as, the teachers to return back to normal life.
Tragically, walking down these corridors would never be the same again for Shuko.
As we came across of a particular class, out of the blue, a shrill ran down my spine, my hair standing on ends, causing me to stop dead.
What's this feeling? I wondered, my heart picking up speed.
I noticed the yellow police tape on the door at that moment and realized that this class was the crime scene!
'Shh! It's alright! I'm with you!' Ayame murmured to Shuko who broke into tears again and he ushered her away very quickly, heading for the principal's office which was at the end of the corridor.
Following my instincts, I entered the class; the door had been left ajar. The room had been properly cleaned, the student desks and chairs piled up on one side of the room.
Troubled by my bodily reaction, I activated my Godai Shakujō.
'Oh my god!' I gasped out in shock.
My eyes traveled around the room, taking in the dark fume-like substance emanating from the ground. In fact, it was coming out from all the surfaces of the room and everything it contained.
'This miasma! A demon has been here!' I realized with horror, my breathing turning into pants. 'Only when a demon runs riot and makes a carnage, does he leave such a trace which permeates the ground in this way! It's a demon who did this!'
'Dammit!' a familiar booming voice snarled at me from behind, suddenly, making me jump. I flung around instantly and met Ayame's furious eyes. 'You really don't miss one, do you?' he spat at my face, fisting me by the front of my kimono. I dis-activated my Godai Shakujō on the spot. 'You use others' misfortune to prove that demons exist! Everything is good to prove your story of possession, huh?!'
'My dad was possessed?!'
We both froze and stared at Shuko who had arrived without us realizing it. She had seemingly heard everything.
'Don't listen to her!' Ayame warned her, letting go of me and moving up to her. 'She's twisted!'
Glaring at me, he ushered her away, while Shuko continued to stare at me, her eyes filled with distress.
***
Later…
I had decided to get back to the Higaonna's without Ayame and Shuko; I doubted that they would want to see me after what happened. I had hit myself mentally the whole way back to the house and the whole time I waited for Shuko to return.
I absolutely needed to apologize to her for adding to her distress.
As I waited, suddenly I found myself transported mentally back to the past; more specifically, to that terrible night six years ago. The images of the massacre defiled in front of my eyes. The eviscerated corpses. The blood. The heat of the fire.
I pressed my eyes shut, trying to block out the traumatizing memories, my heart pounding in my ears. I gripped the edge of the sofa firmly to ground myself to reality; to the present.
If I don't get a grip on myself, I risk having an attack of cataplexy.
Kōmori-san looked up at my face from where it lied on its belly next to me and I pet its head reassuringly.
At that moment, I heard footfalls arrive behind me in the living room and I jerked to my feet instantly, turning around to see Shuko. Ayame wasn't with her. And her mother was still in her room.
'Shuko, I'm really sorry for earlier. It wasn't my intention to add another layer to your pain,' I apologized, with all my heart.
She shook her head slowly, approaching me.
'Tell me something,' she murmured, caressing my cheek with her hand. 'You seem to know demons well. I guess that you must have encountered one.'
She cupped my chin; her face far too close for my comfort.
I blinked fast.
'It's one hell of an imprint of demon that you've got there!'
My breath caught.
'This could have happened only through prolonged contact with a demon.'
Her eyes tightened at me and my heart accelerated in my chest.
'And that little black dot! Your soul bears the distinct imprint left on a place of carnage committed by a demon!'
Frantic, I slapped her hand off and backed away, demanding, 'Who are you? You're not Shuko!'
A dirty smirked appeared on her lips.
'Who I am? Don't you guess?'
I activated my Godai Shakujō instantly and I was able to see the creature there, which had penetrated the body of Shuko, possessing her. A demon! A male demon!
'You're a demon! You're the one responsible for the massacre at the school!'
My stomach twisted with nausea.
'Ding! Ding! Ding! Yes, it was me! My name is Kaiken. I took possession of the teacher and killed all the students in his class while he watched and cried, prisoner in his own body, completely powerless. After I was done, he would have definitely committed suicide, even if I hadn't done it in his place. It was such a delectation!'
'Shun! What are you doing?' exclaimed Ayame who arrived just at that moment.
His eyes darted from me, to Shuko, then onto the five shakujō pointed on her.
'What's wrong with you to point your weapon on her?! Disactivate your Godai Shakujō immediately!' he ordered, his voice shaking slightly with dread.
He couldn't see what I could see due to my ability.
Shuko- or rather, the demon Kaiken- put on a terrorized expression, gibbering, 'I don't know what's taken over her, Ayame! This girl is trying to kill me.'
'No, Ayame, listen to me-' I interjected, but he cut me off, 'No! YOU listen to me! Disactivate your weapon or else, I swear that I won't answer for the consequences!'
Taking out his kunai and enchanting them with the Divine Flame, he moved up to Shuko, taking a protective stance.
'Ayame, stay away from her! It's not really Shuko. She's possessed!' I warned, desperately. 'You must trust me on this! I can see the demon due to my ability. It's the same demon who possessed Naoto!'
'Don't listen to her Ayame!' the demon urged. 'She's gone completely crazy! What she's saying is pure nonsense!'
To the astonishment of both of us, Ayame turned his cautious eyes onto Shuko, retrogressing up to my side.
Letting out a furious roar, Kaiken shoved himself out of Shuko's body and propelled her in the air. She crashed onto Ayame and me, knocking us down on the floor, and by the time we caught our bearings again, the demon had vanished, having fled.
We stared at one another; Shuko, shaken, Ayame stupefied, and I, troubled by the demon's escape.
***
By the time of the funeral, everyone from the organization had arrived, apart from Hatsu Sho, the mysterious member I hadn't met yet. Master Kagami had explained that he was on a mission three days of travel away from Kusunoki and that he was to be here, the next morning.
Everyone was overwhelmed with grief by Naoto's demise.
Unfortunately, no one from Naoto or Shiragiku's family came to assist to the ceremony. But even if it was really sad, Shuko and her mother found all the comfort they needed from the members of the organization which was no less than a second family for them.
***
In the evening…
'It was a demon?'
Ayame and I nodded.
The anxious frown on the master's forehead deepened. He was standing half-bent over the small office desk, his palms resting on it.
'He said that his name is Kaiken,' I informed him, tensed.
'He managed to escape. It's not good!' he mumbled, covering his mouth with his hand thoughtfully, eyes troubled. He straightened up then, deciding, 'I'm going to stay here to watch over Shiragiku and Shuko.'
It was probably the best thing to do.
'About Shiragiku and Shuko...' murmured Ayame, concerned, 'What are you going to do? I mean...'
'I think that it'd be better for them if they move out to settle down elsewhere,' the older male replied. 'I've already talked about it with them and they've agreed. I'm going to help them move in to Toda.'
'Okay,' the blond said, relieved, addressing the master a poor smile.
We came out of the office then into the living room and Master Kagami left us to ourselves.
'Why did you believe me when I told you that Shuko's possessed?' I asked Ayame, bewildered.
I thought that he didn't believe in the existence of demons and thus, of possession.
He didn't answer immediately, staring at the ground thoughtfully. And then, at last, he said, slowly, 'I wanted to believe to that story of possession for, it could have explained the deed of my father.'
Stunned, my eyes went wide at him.
Was Rinshō Tsuge possessed just like Naoto?
After some hesitation, he asked me, in a humble tone, 'Do you think that you could come over to my place day after tomorrow to have a look? With your ability, you can perceive what ordinary eyes cannot, right?'
If his dad was possessed, if it was a demon who massacred his family, there'd be traces of it. Such imprints are permanent.
I couldn't see the demonic imprint on a person for the soul needed to be read for that, I could only see the imprint left over an object or place.
'Okay,' I agreed.
'Ayame, are you returning with me on my bike?' inquired Katsuya Hattori, who showed up in that instant, and Ayame nodded in reply to his question. The ginger-haired boy handed one of the two helmets in his possession to Ayame and giving me a small head sign to say goodbye, he left with the blond.
All the others were gone too, except Doctor Tsunan.
I came outside of the house to find him. He was sitting under the veranda- which gave off on the side yard- smoking a cigarette and gazing up at the sky.
I was surprised to see him with a cigarette in hand; I didn't know that he smokes.
His eyes widened a fraction when he saw me and he made a move to extinguish his cigarette but I told him not to bother. He hesitated for a minute and I gave him a reassuring smile, moving up to him to sit down by his side.
I hadn't talked much with him during the funeral, only having presented to him my condolences. I had tried to be as discrete as possible; not wanting to impose myself onto him and the others.
'Do you want to talk about Naoto?' I asked him, timidly, as he took a puff on his cigarette, gazing up at the sky again. What happened was tragic and the fact that Naoto was possessed- which everyone knew by now- was extremely disturbing.
'There's nothing to say. He loved education and left. And today, he's no longer here,' he replied, stoically. But I could read the pain in his eyes.
He looked at me then, his expression gentle.
'This whole story must have dragged traumatic memories of your past back to the surface. Do you want to talk about it?'
I brought my legs up to my chest, sitting in a ball, shaking my head in answer.
'There are certain things which can bring us comfort when we talk about them. But there are others which shatters our hearts completely when we do,' I murmured, 'And so, I prefer to remain quiet, just like you.'
His cigarette fell off his mouth, landing on the grass, causing me to look at him.
He seemed captivated.
I looked at his cigarette, smiling. 'My dad smoked too. This odor reminds me of good souvenirs.'
Fixing his expression, he picked up the burning cigarette and stubbed it. Getting to his feet then, he asked me, 'Do you want to me to drop you home?'
'Aren't you staying?'
'No.' He gazed at the house. 'The master is going to stay and Hatsu is supposed to arrive in the morning tomorrow. Shiragiku and Shuko needs some serenity.'
'Okay,' I accepted, standing up and thanking him for giving me a ride.
I went to fetch my things and Kōmori-san in the living room, the winged animal being fast asleep on my bag which it used as a pillow, while Doctor Tsunan was gone to inform the master about our departure.
I joined him under the front porch for us to leave together but just as we came out of the gate, abruptly, my body became incredibly heavy.
I yawned, my eyes closing on themselves to sleep. When I awakened, I was sitting next to the doctor in his car. We were still parked outside of the Higaonna's house which meant that I had been sleeping for only a few minutes.
I rubbed my eyes, turning to the doctor and murmuring, 'I'm sorry. I had a bout of sleep.'
'You don't have to apologize,' he said.
I noticed that I wasn't bruised, so I guessed that he caught me before I had hit the ground. I blushed hard when I realized that he carried me to his car. Averting my eyes shyly, I caught sight of my bag and Kōmori-san in the back seat, the animal still sleeping.
'What happened to your hand?' Doctor Tsunan asked, suddenly, and I looked down at my bandaged hand, becoming nervous.
'Oh, I cut myself,' I replied, evasively.
It was only an accident; there's no need to mention Ayame.
'Can I have a look?'
I glanced up at him and nodded. He undid the bandage to have a look at the injury. It wasn't a pretty sight to look at.
He frowned, unhappily. 'Who did these stitches? A half-hammered doctor?'
I flushed up in embarrassment and looked away as I admitted, 'No, it was... me.'
He cocked his eyebrows up at me, his expression filled with surprise.
'In my village, there was no doctor. We didn't have any money to afford one, anyway. And since, I was the mother and the father, I used to play the nurse with Subaru,' I explained, and giggled, 'Even if, I have to admit I'm very bad at it.'
'You need to put anti-septic on the wound,' he said, half-smilingly, and opened the gloves box to take out a small spray.
'This might tickle a bit,' he warned and holding my wounded hand again, he sprayed the solution on my palm. I held myself back from wincing. He put on a fresh bandage after this and I thanked him for the attention.
When we reached Toda the following evening, a bad surprise was awaiting me at my apartment.
Thank you for reading!