Red Data Girl - Series 1 & 2

My First Familiar - 20

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
By Noriko Ogiwara
A Translation

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
Chapter 3: Yukimasa
Part 4 (1 of 2)

"...Mr. Sagara?"

It took a moment for Izumiko to believe what she was seeing. She had been so scared that it felt like her heart would stop, but now it felt as if she had been rescued from a bad dream by the break of dawn. The moment was still tense. But, looking back on it later, there had been no reason for it to be.

"Why are you here, Mr. Sagara?"

Although Izumiko didn't notice it, Miyuki still hadn't relaxed.

"Don't come any closer,"

Miyuki's tone was unforgiving as he spoke to Sagara and it was enough to make the man stop.

"If you're really Yukimasa, prove it to me,"

"You're being unreasonable, Miyuki," Izumiko said.

"I'm sorry, but Izumiko knows exactly who I am, don't you?" Yukimasa said flatly.

Miyuki looked at Izumiko as his father spoke. Izumiko returned his look. They were still holding hands. They could feel each other's confusion through their palms. They didn't need to speak.

"You were scared out of your mind. The evil we felt before has to be Yukimasa, so why are you accepting him now?!"

"But it's really Mr. Sagara. I don't know how I can tell, but I must have been mistaken about why I was so scared up until now..."

"Stop joking. Does that make any sense to you?!"

Miyuki yanked his hand away from her. Izumiko supposed it was only to be expected. Even she didn't know how things had come to this.

"Izumiko wasn't exactly scared for no reason. There are other grounds for her feelings," Sagara said softly as he finished climbing the stairs.

"Actually, the fact that Izumiko was so scared proves that it's really me,"

Izumiko gazed at Sagara. Even now, he still looked like an actor who had just walked off of a movie set.

"Mr. Sagara, are you saying that I only thought I was running away but in reality, I was actually doing the opposite?"

"That's how the ascetic monks catch you, I suppose."

Sagara's words were soft.

Izumiko continued, "When we were running away from the bad thing, I could really feel it. There were a lot of dark shadows and they had found us. I was really frightened. Until we saw you, I really thought whatever it was, was about to show its face,"

Sagara nodded at her words.

"You probably felt more than just me. When you leave the protection of Tamakura Shrine, many different things begin to target you. This is even truer when you come to a place like Tokyo. But this time, I was the strongest force in the area and I was able to reach you the fastest and that's the end of it. I'm sure it was a difficult experience, but there are still things that you're not aware of. I think that's why Yukariko called you here to Tokyo."

"Why are they targeting me?

"Because you're the important charge under the ascetic monks' protection that we've been hiding."

Izumiko was still thinking of what to ask, but a question flowed from her lips automatically.

"If everything you just said is true, are you one of the people after me?"