Hero Complex

Chapter 007: pained hearts, hidden tears

❝ I'LL KEEP YOU SAFE. BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. ❞

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The bright moonlight contrasting against the dark night sky could be seen through the washi papered sliding doors, of which one was open and looking out onto the zen stone gardens and koi fish pond outside.

A man dressed in a black kimono took a sip of the small cup as a young girl entered the room, sitting with her knees touching the tatami flooring as she placed the tips of her fingers on the ground directly in front of her knees, thumbs touching in a perfect 30° bow.

"You called for me, Kumichō?" ¹ She asked the man respectfully, her head still to the ground.

"How long has it been since she left?" He asked cooly, placing his kiseru pipe to his mouth and looking out onto the koi pond in the gardens.

"Four years, two months and twenty-five days." The girl answered immediately as the smoke drifted and wafted into the air, though not bothering her in the slightest as she was used to the smell.

"I've really allowed this to go on far too long as a father." He didn't speak for another minute, thinking with the pipe in his mouth as the moonlight disappeared for a moment behind a passing cloud.

"Yomi." He ordered finally to which the girl responded with an immediately obedient 'yes, sir.'

"I believe it's time my little Himikō was brought back home."

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The couple walked in complete silence down the street and through the neighbourhoods, crossing at the thick white-lined crosswalk of the intersection, all the while Himikō peered up at Daisuke through her lashes every now and then to gauge his expression, though he wasn't wearing one.

He had looked frazzled and more exhausted than usual when he had asked to walk her home, though he had both quickly slipped back on his unreadable expression and face mask when they had left Yomi behind.

She blinked up at him once again worriedly before she looked surprised as his cheeks seemed to be tinted slightly red as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asked with a hint of embarrassment in his voice that made Himikō blush at how rarely cute this moment was for him.

"Your dark circles seem darker than usual." She pointed out, similarly embarrassed though a soft smile pulled at her pink lips.

Daisuke wondered to himself why he spent two whole nights stressing over the matter as he heard the quiet giggle come from her, brushing a strand of her incredibly long raven hair behind her ear delicately as she walked beside him, hands bumping into each other, though not quite touching.

He sighed heavily and took hold of her hand, his thumb running over her knuckle as they walked. In the end, he couldn't bring up the matter with her anyway. Even if he did force it out of her it would only accomplish opening her old wounds.

Hence, the only thing he could do at the moment was to stay by her side. As he had always done.

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The crunching sound of boots stepping onto a beer can walked into the arcade, the street lights slowing turning on as dusk settled in. The noisy beeping and lighting up of the games made for a background as the man spotted a boy wearing the same school uniform as the person he was looking for.

"Hey." He called out to the teenage boy, who turned to look at the man. "Know a girl named Himikō?"

"Huh?─" The student raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out who the guy was for asking.

"Long black hair. Seventeen. Pretty looking. Hangs around a kid with a face-mask." The man's eyes started to glow slightly, making the boy startled back, eyes wide.

"You...you're not one of those abnormals─!?" His sentence was cut off when a kick landed right next to his face, boot on the wall as the boy shook, wondering where the hell his friends went off to.

"Think about it." The man's eyes glowed brighter, making the boy's turned dim and blank and he recited off what he knew in a monotone manner.

"They both go to my school and are well-known but I don't really know them personally. Himikō's popular since she's cute and sorta ditzy but doesn't get close to anyone but that weird Fūjioka guy and that abnormal Izumi Midorikawa."

"Hm? Well, I've met that Fūjioka...though...Midorikawa, you say?" The man thought about it for a moment before placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Thanks for the info, kid." His eyes returned to their natural state, the unnatural glow dimming back to normal as he walked off and the boy stood motionless and blank for a second before blinking in confusion as to why he was even at the arcade.

━━━━

Daisuke and Himikō turned into a quiet, empty park and found a bench to sit on while Daisuke went back to a vending machine and got them two drinks; bottled green tea for himself and Himikō's favourite cherry coke.

The bright blue bell flowers waved in the gentle night breeze beside the park bench where Himikō sat and Daisuke returned to, sitting beside her. There were five petals, making the flower look a bit light a star.

"A Kikyō flower, huh?" Daisuke noted, pulling down his face mask and opening his green tea.

"They symbolise unchanging love. They also happen to be medicinal." Himikō noted pleasantly about her surname, sipping her coke.

"I see..."

Himikō set her can down on the bench's armrest and pulled her long sleeves over her hands and leant against Daisuke, pressing her face into his shoulder. "Thank you," She mumbled happily.

"Huh?" Daisuke wondered at her oddly placed gratitude as he watched the flowers sway in the warm late spring wind as he sipped his tea and let Himikō lean against him.

"You decided not to mention it."

Daisuke flinched slightly, a bit embarrassed that she had noticed that and worried that he was losing his ability to have an unreadable expression, something he had worked hard on.

Feminine hands clung to his school uniform and she hid her face in his side. "I'm sorry, Daisuke. It... seems like...I got you involved."

Daisuke's eyes widened at that, turning to look down at the girl curled up against him. He felt a small, sad smile into his uniform sleeve, though he still couldn't see her covered face.

"I'm a rather pathetic girlfriend, aren't I? There's so much I still don't want you to know. I had hoped...that I could keep it hidden forever and just stay a cute, normal girl for you." She ended her sentence with a little laugh and nuzzled his arm with her nose.

The boy said nothing in response except for a wry expression on his face. He should've realised...Himikō had placed up a new barrier. A roundabout defence. A border prohibiting trespassers.

Whenever she talked to him like this, Daisuke felt himself become unable to answer, effectively silenced and shut down from further discussion by her without even mentioning the subject at all. Though...he had still made up mind years ago and hadn't changed from it.

"I'll keep you safe...by any means necessary." He promised her, kissing the top of her head.