The Dragon's Girl | Taiju Shiba | Tokyo Revengers

Chapter 2

Whenever I try to recall his face in my mind, he'd always look like the kid I used to see all the time at the playing park after school hours. Always causing troubles and fighting with the other kids. Making schemes and stealing young children's lunches. Whenever I used to pass by him or see him when I go meet his sister, he'd always have a bandage somewhere on his face. Because of course, he got into a fight and hurt himself that day. It never really occurred to me that he was a full grown man now. That he ended up looking like the man I saw earlier. I felt like his features were so familiar from somewhere, but because Yuzuha told me he was away, I didn't think it was him. And I probably made a fool out of myself there, looking idiotically dumbfounded...

I pulled the drain plug out and watched the water swirl and swirl until it finally faded into the deep drain hole in the sink. Having finished doing the dishes, I turned the kitchen's lights off.

"Nana, I'm heading to bed. You need anything?" I said as I took a peek into the living room. Where my grandmother was sitting on the sofa chair facing the television. Her lids were looking heavy and barely opened but I knew she won't go to bed yet, not until she watches her favorite program, which was about to start any minute now.

Without turning to me, I caught the sides of her wrinkled cheeks lifting into a soft smile. "Thank you, buttercup, you go ahead, sleep well." She said.

"Good night, Nana." I said and turned to head upstairs. Feeling my head growing heavier and heavier with each step I took. This day has been nothing but a drag and I wanted nothing but to finally end it.

In my room, after changing into my pajamas, I went to pull the windows open. Letting that late August air swoosh in and fill my room. And it was then that I noticed I had a text message on my phone. I swiped it open to check it and found out it was from Yuzuha.

Yuzuha: emi, i'm really sorry about tonight

That was it. That was the message. And as I kept staring at the screen, wondering what to say to her, I realized that there was nothing for her to be apologizing for! She did nothing! I was the one who made a fool out of myself there. And if she was apologizing on behalf of her brother then it was pointless! Because it was not his fault that he didn't recognize me!
The last time he saw me I was still in middle school. With my retainers and pigtail braids. So of course he didn't expect to see a full grown girl now just like I didn't expect him to be a grown adult.

My fingers started tapping to type on the tiny keyboard.

Me: what are you talking about? it's okay. nothing happened!

I pressed send and put the phone down as I crawled under my bedcovers. The room grew chillier in the past few minutes and it was finally the perfect temperature for me to sleep. Then, my phone buzzed. I picked it up knowing who it was.

Yuzuha: it's not. taiju acted like the asshole he is

I smiled at the screen.

Me: again, it's okay. come by my house tomorrow and we'll talk about it. okay?

Yuzuha: okay .. goodnight.. sorry again

Me: goodnight <3

I sighed and locked my phone. The blue light that was illuminating my face finally vanished and I was back in the full darkness of my bedroom. My comfort zone. But as I closed my eyes, trying to inch my body towards sleep, my mind resisted. It won't shut down. And instead of seeing nothingness, I started seeing those two fetching, golden orbs staring back at me. Making me feel so restless that I kicked my bedcovers away and jolted my body up in a sitting position.

Were his eyes always like that? I couldn't even remember because I never cared to look into them. If I did I'd have recognized him instantly back there. But he meant nothing to me when we were younger and was only known as the distanced big brother of Yuzuha and Hakkai. So I never really looked at him twice.