Subaru

Chapter XXXIV.

As I crossed the doorway of Master Kagami's office, I staggered to a stop, disconcerted, at the sight of the person holding himself there in front of the master's desk.

I didn't know that he was back. I didn't know that he was going to be my partner for the mission that I was about to be assigned.

Shirane Nakagiri.

We hadn't seen each other ever since the day I had been kidnapped. He had ensued one mission after another consecutively after that episode.

Recovering my self-possession, I greeted Master Kagami and listened carefully as the latter gave Shirane and I the details of our mission, while I avoided the harsh looks of the red-haired boy.

When the formalities were completed, without speaking a word to each other, Shirane and I stepped outside of the office, ready to leave on mission.

Tsunan came out into the corridor with us and I paused down to talk to him while Shirane went up ahead.

'Here!' said the doctor as he held out to me an Omamori. The amulet was wrapped in a small red bag, the cloth well decorated. 'I've asked for it to be made to offer protection against evil creatures, specifically demons.'

Moved, I gazed at him, smilingly.

'Thank you from the bottom of my heart,' I whispered, gratefully, accepting the gift. 'I will always keep it on me.'

***

A moment later...

'Do you intend to stay mute during the whole time of the mission?' demanded Shirane, abruptly; shattering the intense quietness between us as we reached the train station of Toda.

My head snapped up instantly.

He was walking a few steps ahead of me and was now staring backward at me past his shoulder.

'Do you want us to talk about the mission?' I asked.

Without any warning, he jerked to a stop and flung around to face me with an angry look.

I flinched, coming to a halt.

'Don't try to act smart with me!' he snapped. 'Who was that guy of the other day? He's a demon, isn't he? You seemed to know each other! Why did he take on you like that?'

Tadashi...

I began to feel sick in the pit of my stomach; my heart palpitating.

Shirane was there that day in that abandoned building. Of course, he witnessed everything!

But apparently, he hadn't told anyone about it.

'I- I don't want to talk about it,' I whispered, breathlessly.

Keeping my eyes down, I tried to walk past him but he didn't allow me to.

Seizing me by my wrist, he shoved me against the side wall impulsively, pinning my hand against it while he exclaimed furiously, 'I'm not going to let you off so easily! Are you going to answer me, yes?!'

I stared at him with wide eyes.

'Shirane, let go of me!' I told him in a shaky voice.

He seemed to come to at that moment, his eyes shifting from my face to onto his grip on my wrist and back again.

'Leave her alone!' shouted a masculine voice, out of the blue, and our heads snapped to the side at the dark-haired boy - whom I recognized instantly- coming into our direction in the empty station.

Shirane backed off immediately to stare at the other male and I guessed from the redheaded boy's mortified look that the girls had spread the word about "Kōmori-san".