Summer Nostalgia

Chapter Twelve: Foreshadowed Certainties and Doubts

If you gave me a chance I would take it

It's a shot in the dark but I'll make it

Know with all of your heart, you can't shake me

When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be.

- Rather be; Pentatonix (originally by Clean Bandit)

Chapter Twelve: Foreshadowed Certainties and Doubts

The staring contest between the two creatures lasted for a long while, making Osomatsu wonder how the hell these two knew each other. The shock on the angel's sudden attack is still on his mind—his body shuddering at the memory of the pair of wrathful yellow eyes that stared right through him.

It honestly amazed the devil for he never thought that heavenly creatures can possess that intensity of anger in them. Seeing something as wicked as that stirred something in him—maybe it was because he is a devil and seeing that kind of showcase was...exhilarating.

"Why are you acting like a child whose favorite toy is taken away from him?" Ichimatsu mocked. "It's news to me that a guardian angel would be obsessed with the one he guided. Haha! Even to the point of hurting them."

Jyushimatsu scrunched his eyebrows further, eyes now rather annoyed than angry. "What are you getting at? Are you here to aid that devil?"

"Oh? You're definitely mistaken, angel. I don't give a fuck about that bastard. Kill him and I don't care." Jyushimatsu frowned at the reaper's vulgar words and the obvious lie. "I told you, right? I just came to visit my stalker.

"Well now, let's get down to business..." Ichimatsu walked towards Jyushimatsu's spot, eyeing Osomatsu who was attending to the knocked down goddess. His purple eyes glowed angrily as he raised his scythe around the angel's neck. "Why were you watching me all this time? Are you intentionally messing with me? Or are you ordered by your bosses?" Ichimatsu gritted his teeth.

Jyushimatsu's eyes widened slightly by the accusations. He sighed shortly, and then his usual open-mouthed smile came back as he happily stared back at the reaper. "Eh? What are you saying? I did a surveillance of you in my own volition!"

Ichimatsu's glare intensified as he clicked his tongue. "Ha? Are you fucking wit—"

"Because you did something good and that is really unusual for creatures like you!" Jyushimatsu jokingly patted Ichimatsu's hair with his white, long sleeves, which the reaper swatted away immediately.

"...Did something...good?"

"May I ask why you prolonged a soul collection some time ago?"

"Prolonged? A soul collec— oh, that." Shit. Ichimatsu's grip on his scythe tightened as he looked away from the angel, eyes widening from embarrassment. "Don't bring that shit up."

"Eh? Why?" Jyushimatsu tilted his head, a part of his jaw almost, but not quite, grazing at the sharp blade of the reaper's weapon.

"I...did not do that in purpose..." Ichimatsu hesitated answering.

"What's the use of lying, really?" Jyushimatsu still had his wide smile. "Don't you want to be commended on your good deed?"

"I am a creature of Hell, if you don't know." Ichimatsu's eyebrows were scrunched now. It seems that the annoyance contest now had its tables turned. "I don't do 'good', angel."