Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 63: BIRD IN A CAGE

Hayate was the one who opened the door. Satoru stepped into the genkan. He was panting. Masaki was behind him.

Hayate frowned, confused. "What is going on?"

Satoru turned to him. He felt so stupid. He should not have left Touma there. If he was not such a coward... if he had just allowed Touma to see him for what he was...

"Satoru?" Hayate asked.

"I don't know where Touma is."

Distress broke out on Hayate's face. "What? What do you mean?"

"It happened last night," Masaki started, "ERIS sent their dogs after me."

Satoru kept repositioning his glasses. "I made him call Touma. That idiot came outside. ERIS got him."

"You left him?"

"He told us to go," Masaki tried.

Hayate was not listening to him anymore. He grabbed Satoru by his collar and pushed him against a wall. "You left him!"

"I'm sorry," Satoru said, his voice shook. "I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have..."

"You abandoned him!"

Satoru's head shook. He could not bring himself to meet Hayate's eyes.

"I'm sorry," is all he could get out. He repeated it over and over again.

Hayate's voice was low, "Sorry isn't going to cut it."

"Hayate!" Makoto was standing behind them. He had only just entered the foyer to see what was causing the ruckus. Hayate glared at him over his shoulder. Makoto grabbed him. "Let go."

"Stay out of this."

Makoto looked between him and Satoru. His jaw tensed.

Makoto dragged Hayate away from the foyer, throwing him into a room with a door. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I—" Hayate started. But he caught himself before he said anything more. It was hard to explain. Once more, Makoto couldn't know about any of this. "Nothing," he muttered.

"That didn't look like nothing." Makoto knelt down in front of Hayate. "What's going on with you? And don't lie to me."

Hayate raised his head. "I haven't lied about anything."

"Yes, you have. You've been lying since I started living here." Hayate shook his head. "You disappear for entire days without explaining where you go. The other day you brought a girl with a bullet in her stomach in here. Hayate, tell me, or I'll call Uncle Haruhiko."

Hayate's breath caught in his throat. "Don't."

"Tell me the truth, and I won't."

Hayate's jaw tensed. He stood up, staring at Makoto while he thought. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

The door opened behind them. Satoru glanced inside, watching silently. He, too, did not know how to help Hayate out of this conundrum.

And so, Hayate told Makoto everything. About Wielders. About ERIS. About Breaks. About whom he was, and his past life. As he spoke, disbelief washed over Makoto's expression.

And when he finished, Makoto said, "You don't actually think I believe that bullshit, do you?"

"I said wouldn't believe me!" Hayate said.

Satoru crossed the threshold. "Makoto," he started. He spread out his palm. Makoto turned his head to Satoru, frowning. And then they widened. The katana came out of nowhere. The blade was hidden in a sheath as black as the wrapping around the hilt. Makoto lost his footing. He gripped onto a piece of furniture. "He is telling the truth."