The Shadow Manipulator

Chapter 16: Yukino Yuki

Who is she? Have I met her before?! How come she knows my name?! I continued asking myself while looking at her. Now that I think about it, she really does look familiar, and her looks are way above average, but, when did I meet her before?

Mitsumi just sat there, her eyes were saying that she was more surprised than I am. Not only her, but all the guys in class were giving me cold and dark stares since they liked our homeroom teacher the moment she entered our classroom.

If I were in their shoes, I would most likely be angry as well, but, I never expected this to happen! I was already hated by the whole school, and now... Well, nothing changed though, they still hate me! I told myself as I studied their death-stares that seem to permeate through my bones.

Suddenly our new homeroom teacher bit her lip as she stared at me. "It has been ten years, but, have you forgotten who I am, Hikki?" She gloomily said as she heaved a deep sigh.

"Oh, maybe this picture will help you remember." She said as she fished in her pockets and grabbed her phone. She then walked towards me and showed me a picture of a little girl (probably her) and a much smaller guy (that looks exactly like me when I was young!!!) holding hands with each other. There's also a little girl, probably the same age as me, clinging to my shirt. Both my parents and her parents (I guess) were standing behind us.

When I looked at it, it kind of looks like a family picture or something like that. I told myself.

Now that I've seen the wallpaper of her phone, I suddenly remembered who she was! But why make that picture your cellphone wallpaper?! I began to wonder. In any case, that picture reminded me of the childhood days I had long forgotten.

.....

Ten years ago,

It was on a cool and early morning. The sun has not yet risen on the horizon when I, Kurayami Hikari, went to my routine of visiting our neighbor where my friends live. I usually sneak out of the house, towards the yard, and daringly climb our gate but to no avail almost all the time. As usual, I tried climbing our gate once again but I ended up landing on the soft bermudagrass growing in our yard.

Thud!

As soon as I fell, I immediately stood up and looked around to see if I had woken my parents up. To my relief, I didn't find anyone nearby. Not minding my wounded knee and the scraping pain it emitted, I resorted to climbing our fence as quickly as I could.

"Son, where are you going this early?" A voice said from behind.

It was Dad!

I suddenly slipped and almost fell from the fence. But to my relief, I was able to hold myself up with one hand. I steadied myself and faced my dad.

"I'm going to onee-chan's place. She invited me for breakfast the other day and she told me that she'll be cooking. She said it's the first time she's allowed to cook in their kitchen and she wants me to taste it." I answered as I began to look for possible handholds and footholds.

"Oh, okay. But next time, just tell us where you're going, son. It's dangerous climbing the gate and the fence, okay?"

"Yes, dad! I'll come back as soon as I finished eating breakfast!" I immediately answered.

My dad smiled as he returned towards the house and closed the gate. Meanwhile, I finally reached the top of the fence. Then, I jumped to the other side, obtaining another wound on the knee in the process. However, I paid it no mind and just went to the house beside ours and rang the doorbell. Before I knew it, the door was quickly opened and I was hugged tightly by onee-chan.