Hanabi

Chapter 4: Responsibility

INFO:

Harakiri – formally known as ‘seppuku’, is the ritual suicide by disembowelment that was performed by the samurai so they wouldn’t be captured and tortured by enemies when battles were lost. Later it started to get used as a capital punishment, or when people commit acts that brought immense shame on them and their families and the only way of restoring the honor, in their vision, was to take their own life. It was exclusive to samurai at first. It consists of a ritual where one sits on his knees and sinks a short sword or a knife into his own abdomen and cuts himself from left to right, slicing himself open. After that, an assistant would decapitate him (when performed as punishment and not in a battlefield). The women’s version is different and was known as ‘jigai’, and they would do that only if their own husband had commit harakiri or to prevent being captured and/or raped by enemies. The woman would kill herself by cutting her own throat with one stroke of a knife.

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- This is useless.

Rina observed as Haruna tossed another book aside, throwing it along with the growing pile on the floor. They were at the public library, their last attempt to find some kind of written information. The section they were in was the dustier one, the least visited one in the whole building. It seemed like such old books and documents didn't really spark any interest with the younger audience. Rina knew that only monks and university teachers looked at those books.

Haruna was sitting on the floor, now taking a look at another very old-looking book. They were only there because of Haruna, honestly. Rina already tried finding information in that library a year before, when she first met Mami, and got nothing.

Every time she looked at Mami, she was reminded of a violent murder that she was forced to watch. The murder of the first mind-reader that she ever knew. He tried to escape and was chased on the streets, stabbed to death in public by his own family.

That happened 400 years ago, when Rina was just a young fox.

- Why aren't you reading?

She was brought back to reality by Haruna's harsh words, and observed her annoyed expression for a moment.

- I'm sorry, I was just thinking about all of this. - Rina said with a smile and took another book from the shelf, leaning on it to read - I came to this library once to find something, and got out of here empty handed.

- I think it doesn't hurt to try again.

- You just don't trust my word and my way of doing things.

- You're damn right I don't. - Haruna shot out grumpily before facing the book on her hands once again - If you were competent enough, you wouldn't need our help with this.

- You really know how to destroy any possible chance of being friends with someone, don't you?

- That's my special talent. - the shorter girl didn't even bother facing Rina again to give that reply - And I don't wanna be your friend, kitsune. I'm here with you just because that Mami brat needs help.

- By the way you act and speak, it's surprising that you care.

Then Haruna turned her head slowly to face her.

- I don't back off from my job. - she said with a glare - I don't need to hear your impressions of me, that I really don't care about.

- You're such a bitter person, Haruna-san.

- Shut up and read.

Rina looked at her in disbelief as she faced her book again, her legs crossed on the floor. She couldn't understand how someone as great and sweet as Grandma Ono could have such a rough and plain rude granddaughter.