Subaru

Chapter XL.

A sudden intense feeling of weakness overpowered me as I was climbing the staircase of the organization and I began to fall backward when, unexpectedly, a pair of hands caught my shoulders from behind and steadied me.

Instantaneously, I looked over my shoulder at the person who had prevented me from tumbling my way down the stairs and breaking my limbs.

'Ayame...' I murmured, in surprise. I hadn't seen him arrive. Apparently, he was just returning from mission. 'Thank you,' I told him with a small bow of the head, as he released my shoulders.

The attack of cataplexy had lasted only a few seconds.

'It's okay. Is the master there?'

'Yes. I was actually going up to see him to hand him over my report of mission,' I replied and we went to Master Kagami's office together. After having accomplished the job I had came for, I left the blond boy with the master.

As I came down into the hall, a surprise was awaiting me.

I paused down at the foot of the staircase, my eyes widening at the three persons standing there in the hall.

'Yosunori, Sōsuke, Nene!' I gasped out, in astonishment.

'Your master told me that you'll come to make him your report and that we could meet you,' said Yosunori Shimazaki, smilingly, and we all took a seat at a table.

They seemed to be doing good. It made me glad.

'He's someone really generous. He kindly proposed to help us settle down in Toda. And I also met one of your friends, Sho-san; he immediately put me into contact with someone for a job!'

I smiled, happily. 'I'm sure that you're going to love it here.'

The back door opened at that moment and I took a look backward to see Agasa Tsudzuri enter the hall.

Her expression became sullen when her eyes fell onto me. She glanced at the three persons who sat with me then and turning her face away, she crossed the room, snorting, 'Tsk! I don't know why I'm not at all surprised to see Shun Shutsuki, the psychotic killer, with members of an Inugami-mochi family!'

The three Shimazaki siblings stared at me in shock, and I averted my eyes, feeling uncomfortable.

'So, you are...' Yosunori whispered. 'Don't worry! I don't believe that you can kill innocent people. You trusted us blindly and I think that we owe you the same.'

I looked up in surprise and found his younger siblings and him smiling at me reassuringly.

'In fact, it is to thank you that we came to see you. I'm relieved to know that you didn't have any problems because of us,' he added.

We talked for a small while and after having said goodbye to them, I headed back home, with the sun setting down the horizon.

I was sure that we'd meet again, now that they were going to stay in Toda.

Just as I entered Shiratori neighborhood, suddenly, my eyes landed onto a familiar face on the other side of the road from where I was walking.

I recognized Shuko Higaonna on the spot.

The latter was in school uniform, having joined the local high school; her head lowered as she walked, her expression troubled.

She didn't seem to be paying attention to her surroundings and as I watched, to my horror, I realized that she was about to cross the road absent-mindedly, while a truck was speeding towards her.

Instantaneously, I ran up to her and seizing her by her wrist, I pulled her out of the way of the upcoming vehicle in the nick of time.

I stared breathlessly after the truck moving away with its horn blaring, before my eyes shifted onto Shuko Higaonna who seemed to come to at that moment.