Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 66: THE OLD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN

"What?" Scepticism crawled into Satoru's heart. "What are you talking about?"

Satoru took a step back. It seemed Touma's memories had returned. Why would he say that? Satoru didn't know whether he was confused or angry.

Touma still stared at Zaizen, he had gone still. "Go away," he said to Zaizen.

Instead of listening to Touma, Zaizen took a step toward him. Then another. He now stood closer to Touma then Satoru did.

"Stay," Touma's voice became brittle, "away from me."

Zaizen reached out toward him, and as he did his skin started to stretch. In fact, his whole body changed. His skin became lighter and smoother. His shoulders broadened, his muscles thickened, making the once loose clothes sit tighter. His lips became fuller. His hair became healthier and grew shorter. The grey pigments began to lighten and change into a bloody red.

The new face was that of subtle handsomeness. The hand that had reached out touched Touma's face. Touma seemed paralysed. His voice was smoother now, cleaner, younger. "Don't be afraid." Touma squeezed his eyes shut. Tears glid down his cheeks.

Satoru's breath caught in his throat. In front of him—despite all probability and logic—stood Katsu Akano.

"No," Touma said. He sunk to his knees, clutching his head. "I'm not... I'm not an Akano anymore. Please."

Katsu stared at him without saying anything.

"I don't understand," Satoru said. Katsu turned his head to him. "What you said to me..." The advice he had given to him. That apology... it had been so much like his grandfather. It didn't make any sense.

Katsu smiled ruefully. "That," he said, "was my way of apologising for killing the real Zaizen Kuroda."

"GET ME THOSE FUCKING WIELDERS!" Nakamura's voice boomed through the suburban street, catching the attention of the three that stood there.

Touma turned his head to the end of the street, where two people turned the corner and ran down the street.

Touma's breath caught in his throat. "Ryo," he gasped. His voice was soft. Only Katsu heard him.

Touma had seen him just days earlier, but it felt like a lifetime. The fear and doubt in his heart had taken its toll on him. He had thought that he would never see him again, but there he was, with the name of his new love.

"Obake*," Katsu murmured.

*A Japanese shapeshifter.

Something like a shadow seemed to crawl out of Katsu's spine. It had the likeness of a woman. She had pale grey-green skin. Long black hair trailed down her back. The ends of her hair floated upward like shadowy tendrils. Her mouth was wide. The hooks ended at her jaw, all the way across her cheeks. It looked somewhat like the slit-mouthed woman from urban legends. The only difference being that she had two rows of small, triangle-shaped teeth going all the way up the widened hooks of her mouth. Her eyes were narrow. She had no irises in her eyes, only the small dots of her black pupils. There was something terrifying about that creature. 

Touma's head whipped back to Katsu. "No please! Don't hurt him."

Katsu did not react to his pleading.

His eyes stayed on Hayate and Kaguya who were running toward them.

"Touma?" Hayate shouted. He had not yet seen Katsu behind him.

"Stay back!" Touma shouted.

At the warning, Hayate stopped. Kaguya stopped a few steps from him. His expression filled with concern.

His eyes moved from Touma to the man and the creature behind him. His eyes widened. "What the hell?"

"What is that?" Kaguya asked.

Hayate's eyes stayed on the creature.

A group of people rounded the corner. The ERIS agents ran down the road.

"Fuck!" Hayate exclaimed. He started to run again, grabbing Kaguya as he passed her.

Nakamura was at the forefront of the group sent by ERIS. As she came closer, she slowed, then stopped. Her eyes were on Katsu. "President?"

Katsu did not react. He was still staring Hayate down. As he came closer, Touma got up.

Hayate didn't stop running until he wrapped Touma in an embrace, disregarding the thing on Katsu's shoulder.

The hug was long, and tight. "I thought you were dead." His voice was soft, and breathless.

Touma's shoulders shook as he hugged Hayate. He buried his face in his shoulder.

Touma only just realised that the man he loved in his past life and the man he loved in this life was the same person. How much had it hurt him? How much sorrow had Hayate endured while he was with Touma? While Touma was oblivious to every moment they had already spent together.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Hayate pulled away. His arms stayed around Touma. Hayate stroked his head, and he cupped his face. "For what?"

"For not remembering."

The realisation crossed his countenance for a moment. He said nothing more.

Hayate raised his head. He glared at Katsu. Katsu stared him down.

The creature behind him bared her sharp teeth.

Katsu closed his eyes. Sighing, he said, "We will continue this at another time." Obake vanished in a puff of blackish-green smoke. Katsu said, louder, "Leave the Wielders be!"

The group of ERIS agents, though confused, obeyed the order. Katsu started down the street. As he walked away, he glanced at Touma. "You will return to this family of your own will, trust in that."

Touma didn't know what Katsu meant by that. Fear crept into the back of his mind. How many times did he have to die before he could escape the accursed Akano clan?