Ye old Willow

Part 11 Coffee

Fray sat alone with Kazuki underneath the willow tree, a scowl deeply ingrained into his face, “Kazu, Why did you say that to my sis?”

Kazuki sighed letting himself lean comfortably back into the tree, a small knot jutting into his back. “Safety reasons.”

Fray tried to remain calm, clearly ready to reenact the same scene as when they met. “What do you mean?”

Kazuki stared up into the tree, speaking in a somewhat detached voice. “I had to tell my 'Mother' who I liked.”

A sense of realization fell over fray. He had long since known about Kazuki's past. He was told after he had known him for a week. For someone with such serious troubles, Kazuki still trusts far to easily. “Why were you ignoring her then. Isn't the damage already done?”

Kazuki shook his head, “I only told them her personality. They still don't know her name or any specifics. So you don't have to worry about that.”

Fray reiterated once again, “Then why?”

Kazuki turned to face Fray, “Have you ever heard the phrase hiding a needle in a haystack? They know that she goes to your school, because why else would I transfer into that one? But besides that they know nothing. I want to keep it that way. If I treat her the same as a treat all the other girls, in a detached manner. I don't have to risk showing more focus towards her. Then at the very least, she will be safe from their prying eyes.”

“Are you stupid? That will end up causing her pain.”

“I left a note saying I see her. So she would know I'm not actually ignoring her.”

Fray did a face palm, “Kazu? Did you sign your name?”

He tilted his head in confusion, “Of course not. If the message was intercepted or found out they would know it was Ayla.”

Ayla's brother looked at Kazuki with worry, “Won' that just lead to a misunderstanding you idiot?”

-()-()-()-

After rereading the vanilla letter, Ayla made up her mind.

She dialed Zachariah's number.

The sound of a yawning man answered. “Yes?” He asked.

“I'd like to know about who is stalking me”

The man lightly snickered to himself, “So something finally happened eh? Alright meet me at the corner cafe next to the park. We can talk there. Be forewarned this might be a long conversation. It has a lot to do with that boyfriend of yours.”

She hung up the phone and started the short walk to the cafe. She was already at the park but for some reason no matter how hard she tried her feet would not carry her to the willow tree. As a result she had just spent the last half hour walking around in circles.

When she arrived, she spotted the man quickly. For one he was the only one smiling when sitting alone. For two, he was still wearing that pointless business suit when he wasn't even at work. Though she guessed to him this might still be considered a job.

She sat across from him. Her face remaining placid and unemotional.

He gave her one of his lopsided smiles and ordered two coffees.

When they arrived he gripped his gently with both hands and took a sip. However She just stared at her cup.

After breathing in the rich aroma, Zachariah sat his coffee down. “So about that stalker of yours.”

Ayla looked up at him expectantly.

“I was wrong their isn't one.”

She was glad she didn't take a drink of her coffee when he said that, at least now her surprise wouldn't result in a spit take. “But- someone broke into my house.”

Zachariah looked out the window, “That was for your father. closing up loose ends on his death. Anything else?”

“I got a creepy letter.”

Zachariah looked her straight in the eyes, “Oh that, that's from your boyfriend.”

“...?”

He continued rambling on, “Do to some circumstances that Idiot did something confusing. I could have sworn he was better than that. Shows how well I payed attention.”

Ayla drank some of her coffee. The taste of which was too strong and she had a hard time keeping it down. “You sound like you know Kazuki.”

“Oh I do,” Zachariah answered nonchalantly.

“How?” She asked.

He shrugged his shoulders in a submissive gesture. “Business.”

She glared at him, “I though you said you would tell me about Kazuki? After having me come all the way out here to tell me something as pointless as there is no stalker. Do you expect me to leave empty handed?”

He grinned, “True, True...”

He took a quick glance around the cafe making sure no one was in immediate earshot. “Remember when I said I wasn't a stalker.”

She nodded.

“Well,” He conceded, “I lied. I am a stalker, just not yours. My last job was to investigate a certain organization. It just so happened that organization had a illegitimate son. Which would be fine. But the organization only accepts females, and any male born into it must be killed. In a sense it isn't as much a organization, but a cult.

Well that son, though I doubt he knows this yet. Is Kazuki.