a spider trapped on a cherry tree

Chapter 4 - A Resolution Made - Part 1 (Aoi)

Insert song: King Gnu - Hakujitsu

- The day after -

"Do you need some water?" Peter asked, offering a bottle.

"Yes, please. Thanks," I accepted.

"How do you feel?" he pulled me to lie on his chest.

"I don't know what to feel," I pulled his arm to hug me.

"Are you mad at me for destroying your wedding?"

"No. Well, a tiny bit. I'm kinda angrier towards Mikaboshi and my papa and the gods," I said to him honestly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have decided what's best for you," he apologized.

Peter told me about his and Mikaboshi's plan when I woke up in the morning. I already snapped at him for being reckless, bringing along Michelle, Betty, and Ned, literally placing a curse on himself and even losing his anti-curse robe. My anger towards him had reduced over a couple of hours gazing towards the temple's garden. But it rose towards Mikaboshi. He broke his promise. I thought he'd understand my reason for wanting to stay in yomi. I felt betrayed.

"Are you gonna be mad at them forever?" Peter continued asking.

"Maybe, maybe not. Dunno yet."

"I don't want to order you around or tell you how to feel, but please don't hate Mikaboshi. He may have tricked you and epically yet ridiculously bamboozled you, but he did it because he doesn't want you to end up like him," Peter defended him, "After all those years imprisoned in there, don't you think he wanted to be free?"

"I know, I know he did all of those for me, but it still hurts. And now I will never meet him anymore. Who knows what they've done to him."

"You can ask your dad and relatives."

"I'm too scared to hear what they'd say."

"You want me to ask on your behalf? At least I can give you a heads up," Peter suggested.

"Okay."

"I'll be back in a minute," he released himself from me and looked for my dad.

The whole ordeal was chaos. And it was all because of me. I felt a pang of huge guilt for everyone. None of Peter's friends came back unscathed. Betty was petrified by looking at an onryo's eyes. Ned was almost strangled to death by mikoshi-nyudo. If zashiki-warashi wasn't there, he probably would've died. Michelle was bitten by one of the okuri-inu guards. It was lucky god Susanoo found her in time. If it also weren't for their protective cloak, they could've been cursed. Still, the injury and experience were so awful their memories were needed to be wiped since they're not as used to fighting weird things as Peter is. My dad decided to bring them home and let them rest there, to not confuse them. I wished I could thank them for helping Peter out. Without them, Peter would be a goner. The worst thing was, I wanted to stay in yomi and enjoyed my time there while they were trying their best to save me. My dazing off was cut when Peter hugged me from behind.

"Is it bad?" I went straight to the point.

"In a sense, no. But you won't like it either," he revealed, "You wanna hear it?"

"Fine."

"Mikaboshi's punishment is to be your shadow wherever you go."

"I don't understand, Peter. Be my shadow? Like this shadow?"

"Yeah. Your shadow. He will serve the gods in protecting you, as long as you're on earth. Kinda becoming your dad's tracking device."

"Wait, woah. So I'll be stalked for the rest of my life, everywhere?"