It was an exhausting day, yet Rei was adamant we finish more exorcisms. He rarely performed more than five proper gate openings, but he was now on his seventh. Even on his sixth, he looked drained, and I was getting concerned. Had the escaped spirit earlier fueled his relentless push?
With a sigh, I stared across the street at the inviting cafe. Two cats languidly stretched in front of the convenience store, soaking up the last sun rays. Their cuteness was almost too much to bear; I just wanted to pick one up and—
"I'm done."
Rei's approach from behind, gloves being adjusted, cut off my thoughts. He'd finally finished sending off the spirit; now we could head to the apartment.
Things had been going smoothly the past couple of days; Rei's exorcisms were faultless, a welcome change after the earlier events. We hadn't discussed the escaped spirit, but I could tell it weighed on him. With Han Riu still with his brother, Rei lacked his usual source of information. It was clear the dragon had been withholding things from him, and Rei wanted answers.
"Wait a minute." Rei gently grasped my arm, placing his other hand over the beaded bracelet. A white glow enveloped it before fading.
I examined the bracelet, confusion etched on my face. "What did you do?"
"Just adding more energy to it. Nothing much." He shrugged.
I stared down at the accessory and inspected it. There didn't seem to be any changes, and I couldn't feel any difference, so I let it slide. That was the second time he's done it since putting it on me. I've tried time and time again to get it off, but it seemed that the divine energy within it negated my attempts, so I've given up. It didn't bring me any harm, at least.
"Ready to go?" The exorcist's voice was calm, a casual gesture inviting me to follow.
I nodded, falling into step behind him. This routine of trailing Rei and assisting him was starting to feel almost normal. At least we had Fuku Riu's intel to work with now. Whether to confide in Lucien about this or his recent mysterious behavior remained a question—it could lead to trouble I wasn't ready to deal with.
When Rei halted in front of me, I looked up to see what had caught his attention. My gaze followed him to the building before us. At first, I didn't register what it was, then the symbol of a steaming bucket came into focus—a bathhouse.
He reached for the door, but I stayed rooted to the spot. "Why are we here?"
Rei paused, a smile playing on his lips. "To relax, obviously." He didn't wait for my response, strolling inside and greeting the elderly woman at the front desk with a wave.
The doorbell above the entrance brought her head up, and she smiled, though it seemed tinged with wariness. "Oh, Reiki! It's nice to see you again."
"Evening, Granny," he replied, his tone warm. "How are you?"
I lingered by the door, observing Rei's easy exchange with the woman, my arms crossed as I tried to make myself as unobtrusive as possible. I was happy to let them catch up without my interference.
"I'm as old as ever, but I'm managing," she replied, her head tilting in curiosity. "And who might your friend be?"
I'd been noticed. To make matters worse, Rei shifted to the side, revealing me fully, and slung a casual arm around my shoulders.
"This is Eve. He's staying with me for now." He announced it with an enthusiasm that made me cringe.
The woman's gaze flicked to our wrists, lingering on the matching bracelets, and her smile grew knowingly. "Oh, how lovely!" She seemed to have jumped to a conclusion, and I wanted no part of it.
"You're the only ones here, so go right on in," she said, gesturing towards the blue curtain that divided us from the baths.
Rei waved, his hand coming to rest on my back as he nudged me forward. "Thanks, Granny!" His tone was cheerful, but unease was growing inside me.
Once we were back in the changing room, I shrugged him off, frowning. What was that about, and why were we here?
"I thought we were going back to your place." He raised an eyebrow, questioning me.
Rei, already removing his shoes, glanced over at me. "We will, after this. It's the best way to unwind, and I haven't checked in on the elderly couple who run this place for a while. They practically raised me, so I owe them a visit when I can."
I sighed, letting my arms fall. He probably really wanted to be here. Honestly, I could see he needed to unwind and recharge. His growing exhaustion was becoming more apparent, evident in the growing dark circles under his eyes. As Rei began to undress, I grabbed a towel and followed suit.
It had been a while since I'd been to a bathhouse. The last time was my first, years ago; I had actually enjoyed myself, naive and new to the human world as I was. The underworld had them too, but Lucien never allowed me to experience those things back then.
"Hey Rei…" I started to say, but my voice faded when I saw him removing his shirt, revealing scarred flesh beneath.
There were two large matching scars on his shoulder blades. I found myself staring, taking in the smaller scars that dotted his back. When Rei began to answer me, I swiftly turned away, feeling like I'd overstepped.
"Oh, uh... Nevermind! I mean, um, I'll go first!" Panic set in, and I hastily entered the baths.
If Rei knew I'd seen his scars, I felt he'd feel compelled to confide in me. While I was curious, the scars seemed to be from a traumatic event, and I didn't want to force him to relive the memory. I'd also be mortified at having been caught staring.
Wrapped in my towel, I made my way to the showers, washing off before sinking into the steamy bath. This brought back memories of why humans frequented these places—they were relaxing and stress-reducing. I wondered if the underworld's version had the same effect.
As I settled in, I heard a gentle splash beside me, making me think Rei had finally joined me. But when I turned to look, there was only the stillness of the water, its surface undisturbed except for the small ripples caused by my own movements. Had I just imagined the sound, my mind playing tricks on me in the peaceful atmosphere? I glanced around, half-expecting to see Rei emerging from the steam, but I was alone. Shrugging it off, I closed my eyes and let myself fully relax, letting the warm water work its magic.
Just as relaxation was starting to take hold, I sensed a faint ripple disturbing the surface, but when I opened my eyes, I was still alone.
"…Rei?" I called out, a hint of skepticism in my voice. Was he trying to play a prank on me? The elderly woman had assured us we had the onsen to ourselves, so who—or what—could be causing the movement?
The small ripple came again, and this time, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I peered down into the depths to see a long, inky shadow hovering just beneath the water's surface in front of me. My eyebrow shot up. "Rei?" I asked again, my voice a touch sharper now.
Rather than a reply, a hand closed around my ankle, and I was pulled beneath the surface. As I was pulled down, my head connected with the bath's edge, and my vision blurred. The sudden heat made my head spin, and I lost consciousness. Was living among humans making me as fragile as they were?
Thankfully, I wasn't out for long. Even as I drifted in unconsciousness, I could hear muffled voices around me and feel my body being pulled from the water. The sensation of weightlessness changed as I was laid flat on a firm surface.
As I lay there, I could feel myself slowly cooling down. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was a blur of blonde above me. I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision and get a better look at the person hovering over me.
"If he's hurt, I'll make sure you suffer in the worst hell imaginable." Rei's voice was venomous. "Understand?"
"I... I'm sorry..." The second voice was laced with regret, reaching my ears as I began to cough up water.
As my coughing fit subsided, I looked around, confusion clouding my mind. My eyes landed on the person—or rather, the creature—Rei had been threatening. "Ah!" I yelled, flinching back in surprise.
On the other side of me was a spirit, similar to the first I'd met with Rei. Its body was globulous, like it was made of tainted water—murky with mud and impurities.
Rei placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder as he checked my head for injuries. "It's alright, it's not going to hurt you." The words came too late, considering my recent ordeal.
The spirit's sudden appearance had startled me. I wondered where it had come from and why it had attacked me in the first place. "Oi, who pulls someone into the water like that?" I demanded. "Were you trying to drown me?"
I raised my hand, as if ready to strike the spirit, but Rei's grip on my shoulder tightened. The spirit cowered, its expression terrified at my pretended anger.
"Please, great demon, don't hurt me!" It begged, its voice trembling. "I apologize for injuring you. I was desperate and needed help; I didn't think you'd be pulled in so easily." It extended appendages and bowed deeply, its globulous body quivering with fear.
Rei and I exchanged a look, but I shrugged, lowering my hand. I wasn't the exorcist, so it was his call whether to grant the spirit's plea or not. I could see the day's events weighing on him, and I had a hunch he wouldn't turn the spirit down.
With a nod, the blonde turned to the pitiful ball of mud. "We'll help you," he said, as I'd expected. The spirit's reaction was immediate. It raised its head, beaming with joy.
"Oh, thank you, kind exorcist!" it exclaimed, its voice filled with gratitude. "I am deeply in your debt!" The change in its expression was striking, far from the terror it had shown me moments before.
We got to our feet and headed back to the changing room to dress. I scowled at the spirit that followed us, not wanting it to see us dress.
"You, wait here," I barked, slamming the door shut before it could enter. How annoying, I thought, rubbing my temples.
Behind me, a small snicker sounded, but I didn't turn around—I knew exactly who it was. We quickly dressed and rejoined the spirit in front of the bathhouse. While Rei bid farewell to the old woman, I stayed with the quivering blob. It seemed to be shaking with fear, but of me? I wondered. What could I do? It was already dead, after all.
I couldn't resist teasing the spirit. I grinned, taking a step forward with raised hands. "Boo!" I shouted, making it jump. That seemed to make it even more wary of me.
Rei appeared behind me, gently smacking my head. "Stop it," he chided, and I subsided, muttering under my breath.
He stepped forward, crouching beside the muddy spirit. "Alright, what do you need our help with?" he asked, his tone kind and patient. The spirit slowly inched forward, its 'hand' delving into its own body. It produced a photo that it held out with a quivering appendage.
"I'm looking for my dear Yui..." it trailed off, its voice laced with yearning.
Rei examined the photo, and I peeked over his shoulder for a glimpse. The girl was pretty, with brown shoulder-length hair, smiling beside a well-dressed man. I'd never seen her before.
"You know I can't..." Rei started, but the spirit cut him off.
"I know, I know... I just want to see how she is and how she's living. I don't wish for anything more. After I see my dear Yui, you can send me away, but I just... need this before I leave this world. Please!" It bowed low once more, its voice filled with a desperate plea.
Rei let out a deep sigh before pulling himself up to his feet. "Alright, let's get started. Lead the way."
I guess we're decided, then. The journey never ends, does it?