Sureiyazu

Episode 43: The Exchange of Secrets

Ryou was bored. 

Really, he wasn't bothered by it. Asking to be properly entertained in this rundown little town he had stopped in would be asking far too much - and that was an understatement. 

Of course, he had gotten himself a nice room at the inn, but that was also typical. He was a demonslayer, and quite a popular one at that. Though, he thought to himself, it really didn't help that he was so handsome. 

He laughed at himself immediately after thinking it. What exactly did every woman who had ever heard of him find attractive? Probably his demonslaying record. Or his popularity for it. Or -

No, no one knew that. That was the reason Ryou was travelling so far across Sekai in the first place. A mysterious battle against another group of demonslayers said to have taken place outside of the Sureiyazu castle - and besides that, rumors of a man with both a Spirit Eye and and Death Eye travelling through at the time? It was too coincidental.

Yuuto had always had rumors follow him. It was what made him so traceable. And everyone was happy to tell Ryou anything. 

No one suspected that was why he was travelling, though. At least, he hoped. He had gotten quite adept at dropping little side comments, so that people would tell him things, things they didn't think mattered, things that they would later forget that they had told him at all. 

So there was no way anyone would have connected him with Yuuto. That was a bridge he had burned too many years ago.

~~~

Mizuki's eyes opened a crack. 

Immediately, the light around her made her head pound. She wished she were unconscious again. It was much more comfortable.

A face appeared above her.

"Mizuki?" Taichi's voice asked from far away. "Are you awake?" It was clearer the second time. 

She groaned in answer.

Taichi smiled slightly. "I thought so."

Mizuki forced her eyes open. "What happened to me . . . ?"

"You were nearly killed by Hayato," Taichi explained, opening a bottle of a yellowish liquid. "No, no, don't try to sit up. Even with all the healing magics I've performed on you, you're still badly injured."

Mizuki sighed and closed her eyes. "Why did you of all people have to be the one here when I woke up?"

Taichi shrugged. "I am the only one who has training in healing magic."

"Stupid magic."

"I see you're alright, then."

Mizuki said nothing.

"You do hate magic, don't you?"

"Yeah. So?"

"You're secretive about it," Taichi replied, trying - and failing - to make it seem like he didn't care about her secrets.

"Like I'd tell you why," Mizuki laughed harshly. Her eyes drifted to the man laying in the bed beside her, and she realized then that when he woke, she would have to tell them. There would be no choice. They had all seen them battle - probably all even heard her call him "brother". And if that wasn't reason enough to be suspicious, she didn't know what was. 

"Does Aya speak of me when I'm not there?"

"Huh?" Mizuki said, wrenched from her thoughts.

"Aya."