Ethan Lockwood, a young man with a shock of unruly brown hair and eyes the color of warm amber, rounded the corner and froze.
Yumi clutched the worn leather strap of her bag, tightening her throat. Despite the crisp autumn air, beads of sweat pricked at her forehead. The park filled with several children's laughter and joy, now reeked of a chilling silence broken only by the creak of a rusted swing set.
But for Yumi, a shrine princess of the Hayakawa clan, renowned for their mastery of poisons and medicines, it wasn't just the violence, the fact that she had failed to arrive in time to prevent their deaths. The supernatural creatures are getting smarter and harder to detect.
She wished all of them are playing a cruel prank and they will wake up somehow. But there is no hope since their heads were separted from their bodies. So she searched using her spirutual powers trying to find someone who survived.
With a whispered prayer, she sent the energy outward, scouring the park, searching for any flicker of life, any soul intact.
Her keen senses led her to a lone figure slumped on a park bench. Haruto. He looked smaller somehow, his once bright hair dull, his vibrant energy replaced by a chilling stillness.
Yumi couldn't deny a flicker of her usual dislike for him, his usual chaos that disrupted the club's peaceful aura. Now, though, that dislike was replaced by a wave of genuine concern.
Even thought she hates repulsive behaviour she couldn't find herself wishing him to die. Even thought it might not be much time...They were clubmates who had fun around
He shouldn't be here, not in this tainted place. But then again, where else would he go? Yumi sighed, a gust of wind rustling the leaves around them.
Yumi watched, her brow furrowed. While a part of her still harbored the usual annoyance with Haruto, it was overshadowed by a growing sense of responsibility
Gently, she shook his shoulder. "Haruto," she said a little more firmly, "wake up. You need to come with me."
...
Yumi's breath hitched as a deep voice boomed behind her, "Yumi," it boomed, "what happened...in unsettling place?"
She spun around, her heart pounding against her ribs. Her father, Masao Hayakawa, stood before her, his weathered face etched with an uncharacteristic concern.
His normally calm blue eyes were narrowed in scrutiny as they surveyed the horrific tableau of the park. Behind him stood Hana, Yumi's bodyguard.
Yumi, ever the composed leader, addressed her father directly, her voice firm and unwavering. "Father," she stated, not bowing, but offering a subtle nod of respect. "A tragedy has unfolded here. I was unable to prevent it."
Masao's sharp gaze, normally reserved and focused, became intense as he took in the scene. He exchanged a silent glance with Hana.
"I don't understand, I mean you can sense and always prevented them....but " he trailed off his voice.
Yumi, her composure unwavering, explained detailed of the nightmarish events that were happening in the city and the sudden rise of supernatural creature attacks.
Her voice, though steady, resonated with the raw emotions churning within her. As she spoke, a flicker of urgency crossed Masao's face, followed by a flicker of surprise.
His gaze drifted to Haruto, slumped unconsciously on the bench. He knelt beside the boy, his calloused hand brushing against Haruto's forehead. A subtle ripple of energy emanated from Masao's touch, causing a barely perceptible tremor to run through his body. His eyes widened in surprise.
Yumi's breath hitched as a deep voice boomed behind her, shattering the eerie silence of the park. "Yumi, what brings you to this… unsettling place?"
She spun around, her pulse quickening as she met the stoic gaze of her father, Masao Hayakawa. His weathered features, normally etched with a calm resolve, were etched with concern as he surveyed the scene. Behind him stood a woman clad in black, her face concealed in the shadow of a wide-brimmed hat – Yumi's watchful bodyguard, Hana.
Yumi swallowed the lump in her throat, her voice barely a whisper. "Father, something… terrible happened here. I… I couldn't stop it."
Masao's sharp eyes narrowed, taking in the chilling tableau of the park. He exchanged a silent glance with Hana, who remained unflappable despite the macabre scene before them.
"Tell me everything," Masao said, his voice firm yet gentle.
Yumi, her voice trembling, recounted the horrifying events that had unfolded in the park – the news reports paled in comparison to the raw emotions welling up inside her. As she spoke, a flicker of urgency crossed Masao's face.
His gaze drifted to Haruto, slumped unconsciously on the bench. He knelt beside him, his calloused hand brushing against Haruto's forehead. A barely perceptible tremor ran through Masao's body, his eyes widening in surprise.
His expression was unreadable, a mask of stoicism that even his daughter found difficult to decipher. "We cannot leave him here," he declared, his voice leaving no room for argument. He scooped Haruto into his arms with surprising ease, the boy's body light as a feather.'
"Hana," she instructed, her voice laced with a subtle command that brooked no resistance
"prepare the spell. We are taking him back to the Hayakawa compound." She then turned to him, her gaze unwavering.
"what about our investigation?" Hana asked.
"We can come back later, but first we need to treat him. I have already burned the image of the scene in my mind" Yumi commanded while ordering her.
Yumi's photographic memory is a double-edged swored. She remembers every beautiful scenarios and important details at the same time she can't just un-learn them
"Does this boy have proper nutrition for his age...Yumi isn't he from his class " Masao asked his daughter.
"He has anemia father. So he wasn't that atlethic and frequently absent to classes. I suspect he might be attacked, that might be the reason for his hospitalization"
Even though he was her father, she was the clan head and he was married with her mother into her family. Sometimes it's awkward when your daughter has higher position.
Suddenly, a voice sliced through the tense atmosphere. A young man, Ethan Lockwood, who had been hesitantly approaching the scene, stopped in his tracks, his voice laced with outrage. " You can't take him! He belongs to the Church!"
Yumi narrowed her eyes, her authority radiating from her. While she acknowledged Ethan's concerns, her voice remained calm and unwavering. "Mr. Lockwood,"
she addressed him, her tone carrying her position as the Hayakawa leader, "while your concern is appreciated, this matter falls beyond the jurisdiction of the Church. There are forces at play here that you are not equipped to handle."
"The church demands to give him " Ethan demanded further
In response, Yumi's patience wore thin, and with a swift movement, she raised her foot with precision, aiming directly at Ethan's groin. Her intent was clear – to incapacitate him and assert her dominance.
Just as her foot was inches away from its target, Ethan instinctively recoiled, narrowly avoiding the full force of Yumi's kick. A rush of air filled the space where his body had been a moment ago, as Yumi's foot halted mid-air.
The close call left Ethan breathless and stunned, his hands instinctively protecting his vulnerable area. He recoiled in shock, "Barbaric...How can a woman be so indecent and so improper. You made a grave mistake " Ethan said.
"Yumi " His father tried to scold her
"Sorry it was much more efficent rather than trying to reason with them " Yumi replied while signaled hana to teleport them
"I feel sorry for your future husband, having to deal with you " Hana pointed at her
"Oh! please can you hurry " Yumi said as she tapped the floor in irritation.
Hana raised her hand, her eyes glowing with a soft, ethereal light. The air shimmered around them as she muttered a short, melodic incantation. Cherry blossom petals formed around them rapidly and they disappeared without trace
Cherry blossom petals flown through the area and along with it Yumi, Hana and Masao were dropped near the shrine. They all landed carefully
Masao, Yumi's father, stood before her, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment. "Yumi," he began, "while your decisive action ensured Haruto's safety, leaving without informing anyone put us all at unnecessary risk."
Yumi, humbled yet resolute, met his gaze. "You are on the way father. You should stop interfering in my job. You remember you can't use magic right ."
Masao's expression shifted, a flicker of frustration crossing his features at his daughter's assertion of independence. He knew all too well the limitations imposed upon him, the inability to wield magic like the rest of their family. Since he normally married into their family he doesn't innate strength for magic
But despite his frustration, Masao also recognized the strength of Yumi's convictions, dedication she showed to her duties as a protector of their clan. And though he may not always agree with her methods, he couldn't deny the effectiveness of her actions in ensuring the safety of their people.
With a resigned sigh, Masao relented, knowing that his daughter's commitment to their cause was unwavering. "Very well, Yumi," he conceded, his tone softening slightly.
"Just remember to keep us informed in the future. We are stronger together, after all."
"Hmph. " she responded