Belonging | 𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐱 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐨

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Third-person POV

A full moon shone bright in the autumn sky, its light casting a heavenly glow over the night. Towa was out by herself strolling down the street when her thoughts started to drift to the event that took place that afternoon. She wondered who Nura Riei was. Even his existence seemed to be shrouded in mystery.

Over the fall leaves, each footstep crackled. There was a distinct short crunch behind her, not the kind of continuous noise that you'd get from a rolling car, but the crunch that you'd get from a footstep on the ground.

Even though Towa had her eyes closed, she was still able to discern certain details about the person walking. She didn't need to use her eyes because her nose could smell pretty much anything around her. This time, however, there was a strange odour. The painfully pungent odour continued to erode her nostrils. Her racing heart was not helped by the abrupt recall of the serial killing incident.

Nevertheless, after taking a sniff of the air, she was able to determine who was following her and she gave it no attention at all.

The looming darkness pressed in on her as she fought the urge to turn around. Then there was a second crunch, this one less intense and slower, as if whatever was making the noise was attempting to be discreet and sneak up on her.

"Hey, stop sneaking up to me. I know you're there."

Towa stopped dead in her tracks and turner around. Towa's stomach began to churn when she saw a familiar face peering out from the shadows of the street.

Kenji.

Towa muttered to herself in annoyance, "I knew I smell something unpleasant."

"Haven't you had enough, Kenji?" Towa frowned.

"Heh, you think I'll leave you alone after you humiliated me in front of my members." Towa rolled her eyes.

"You brought that upon yourself." Towa shot back.

Even though she was aware that Kenji was the one who was following her, the fact that she could still smell something unpleasant continued to unnerve her. When she finally noticed the shadowy figure approaching from behind the boy, her eyes widened in shock.

Towa did not pay any attention to the rubbish that Kenji was babbling as she became increasingly horrified.  What was that black thing that seemed like it was about to devour Kenji whole?

'A mononoke?'

"Oi! Look out!" Towa pushed Kenji away, which resulted in Kenji's head colliding violently with the concrete wall. The force of the contact knocked the boy unconscious and caused him to fall to the ground.

'Shit! I was careless!' Towa had pushed Kenji aside too forcefully and now she regretted it.

"SSSKRIEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!"

"...?!"

Towa's eyes widened at the sight. She stared in shock as the shadowy figure that had suddenly materialized opened its mouth so wide that drool began to drip from it. Her sensitive nose recoiled in response to the putrid odour coming from the big mouth, and as a result, she scrunched up her face and pinched her nose shut. Oh, that explains the stench.