Elemental School

Chapter 34 - Return.

We stop by at a nearby grocery store to purchase some products and food before heading home after school. 

"You know," I look over at Haruko. She has a basket link with one of her arm, filled with food and drinks. "I forgot to ask. What was your sister like?"

"Where did that come from?" She stares at me, looking confused.

"I was thinking about my siblings, but noticed about your family. I know there's your dad, but what about your sister?" I pick up a watermelon from a box in front of the aisles of fruits and vegetables. I place one down in the basket, which startle Haruko and made her squeak, tilting. I grab the basket from her. "Oops."

"Um, she was kind." She pause and looks at me, noticing I was still keeping quiet. 

Welp. I didn't know I was suppose to reply back.

"She was always taking care of me when our parents weren't home. She's like that type of sibling where they would protect their younger ones."

"That type huh?"

"Your making it sound like your gonna cheat on me for her," she pouts.

"What the- where did that-" I pause to see her laughing.

"Screw you," I sigh, but slightly grins.

We put our groceries inside white plastic bags after the payment for them. We need at least three bags. 

 I caught something in the corner of my eyes, seeing someone wearing a dark red hoodie, with a hood over their head, their face. They start to walk away, facing away from us the second I look at them.

"Weird."

"What's weird?" She finished putting the groceries in the bags and were carrying them one with her shoulders. I pick up the last two bags. "Nah. Nothing. Let's go."

We head out the store through the sensor doors.

"So school is almost over, isn't it?" She ask, out of the blue. 

"Yeah. Four more days. What will happen next after? You got any place you want to go?"

"You think we could afford a vacation?"

"I dunno. Depends if it's just us or with everyone else."

She shrugs. "It's more louder with everyone else. Almost heart warming."

Her sentence catches me off guard for a moment. "Aww, is the cold heart Haruko starting to feel squishy?"

"What does that suppose to mean?" She gave a gentle shove.

"Nothing." I chuckle.

But I didn't laugh.

Things are going back to normal after the marriage incident, as the school treat us as warriors, heroes, celebrities. But it feels like it's going back to normal even more.

Living with your whole family, going to school, studying, going out. That's normal for people to do. A daily basis.

But since Haruko's dad returned, everything was going more normal for Haruko. Reliving the moment of being with her parents, er.

Parent.

I notice the hooded figure coming closer to us when we were walking home. I was feeling paranoid, thinking it was a coincidence or a different person. No, their body posture and build look similar. When we entered the apartment, they stop trailing. Like they left.

To wait.

His arrow ricochets off of my sword when I swung toward it. More arrows was coming back to me, forcing me to drag my arm and sword up. I deflect the arrows again. Gen doesn't like giving me mercy, does he?

I watch him cast four arrows with one blow, flying towards me. The arrows are spread out, like they were going for my vital spots. I twist my foot and slip off, jumping backwards. I slam my sword downward, hitting one arrow. I feel the other three arrows whizzing pass me.

He continue to fire more arrows. I continue to hit them.

I sit down on the bench, gazing at the sky. The colors was more brighter than usual.

I see other students walking pass me, following their own path. Some greeted me, while others did their own business. I notice Zailura and Haruko walking with each other. Minute later, they notice my presence and walk up to me.

"What are you doing here?" Zailura ask.

"I'm tired because of Gen, so I took a seat," I replied.

"Doesn't class end in an hour?" Haruko ask, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"Yeah, but I told my teacher I went to the washroom."

"Your seriously skipping class."

"I'm going back in 5 minutes, I just came here," I sigh. "Can't slack when there's so much to do."

Zailura laugh at us. We stare at her, surprised and confused.

"What's so funny?" Haruko chuckle.

"Our friendship started a year ago, and look at us now," she was still laughing, but was slowly turning to a giggle.

"Didn't we save you from a raid or something?"

"That was when I was scared and shy."

"Welp-"

Echoes of rapid footsteps caught our attention. We see Kyzou running towards us, looking almost surprised.

"Kyzou, what's wrong?" Zailura ask.

"There's a-" He pause sometimes, panting and breathing heavily. "Visitor that knows Katsu.."

"A visitor for me?" I ask.

"They claim they are a relative to you."