Mountain of The Suns • Book 2

Chapter 1

We got onto the train fairly early and got a decent spot next to a window. It was much different than the last train I had taken when I had arrived in Hakuba. I didn't have the ability to plan to take a nice train or even the fastest back then, I just needed the one that was leaving at the right time. It had taken us days to crawl to our destination, but it was simply the only train I could find to take back then.

We got to our cabin and I was thankful to have one to ourselves. Not that I was necessarily worried about being seen this time, but I just didn't want to have much interaction with the public. I had grown used to my quiet temple where everyone had minded their own business though that wasn't true of the last week or so with glaring eyes everywhere.

I had an old lady talk my ear off at the platform and while she was sweet it just left me on edge for the rest of the trip. I clung closely to Jun until we got inside our personal cabin. I was quick to toss my bag into the overhead compartment and tuck myself against the window. Jun too tossed his bag in the compartment above us and sat on the same side of the cabin as me. I turned to him and he looked at me with a plain expression.

"You're awfully quiet." He stated as he looked down at me.

"It's been a while since I left." I said honestly though it was more than that.

"You were fine til we got into the busy part of the city." He stated.

"It's just a lot of people. I'm not used to that, I never have been." I said which had been very true even before I came to the Temple.

"Didn't you used to live in Chiba? The Night district?" He asked me curiously. "That's the biggest city around."

"Yes I did but bold of you to assume I left the house willingly. I went to a private school for girls and my graduating class would have had 23 people." I said looking back toward the window waiting for us to get moving. "I was a hermit."

"You really hate people hu?" He asked me with a smirk.

"I do." I stated firmly.

"Is that why you hated me at first?" He asked and I just rolled my eyes.

"At first?" I asked looking at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Rude." He spat as he elbowed me lightly.

"You hated me too don't even pretend otherwise. You hardly tolerated me for weeks on end." I said laughing as I thought back to those days where he seemed to pretty much treat me like a child he had to babysit. "You trained me like you wanted me to quit."

"Because I thought you were just my assignment. Just a student who I needed to train for the Masters." He said softly.

"Now you're my babysitter." I said with a chuckle.

"I'm not your babysitter. I'm your friend." He said shaking his head at my silly comment though I wasn't exactly wrong.

"And my teacher, and my bodyguard, and my-"

"You're insufferable sometimes but I enjoy your company, I'd do the same for you whether it's my job or not." He said and I looked to him with judging eyes.

"You flatter me." I said shaking my head. "I'm the annoying little sister you never asked for."

"Maybe you are annoying." He said shaking his head and standing up and going for his bag and I just chuckled.