The Shadow Manipulator

Chapter 35: Back To Normal

The crimson sun has already risen when I opened my curtains. The warm atmosphere has already reached my room, making me sweat a little. I began to realize that it was already summer since the sun was exceptionally early in this time of day. My alarm still hasn't rung, making me wonder what time it already is in the morning. I could also tell that the day is getting a little bit humid. I mean, I was already sweating even though I just woke up. I climbed out of bed and turned off my alarm clock so that I wouldn't wake up my mom. I concluded that it would probably be best if I let her sleep a little longer since she's always worried about dad.

I sleepily walked out of my room and headed to the restroom. After rinsing my face, I changed from my sleeping clothes to my sports clothes so that I could do my early jog. I already started doing it daily but I was careful not to bump into Kirihara these days. He almost always ask me to have a match with him everytime. The first and the last time I fought him, we almost broke the Love Bridge. That's why I'm not intending to do it again.

Although I could say that fighting him was fun.

I've decided to work on improving my stamina, as well as my endurance and strength these days. I've continued my daily exercises, not to mention my regular running which I increase week by week. I've started running five kilometers last week since I didn't have to go to school that time. Now that it's the second week of my training, I decided to do six kilometers for a change.

Master Ryu also gave Kirihara and I daily assignments and training every midnight. It's actually quite a miracle that I haven't collapsed from lack of sleep. It seems like I had gotten used to my scheduled training since I only have a few sore muscles left. It was such an intense training and I think it was partly a punishment since Kirihara and I almost destroyed the Love Bridge. 

During our training, I also asked Kirihara about his meeting with Master Ryu. He told me everything, including the times when he goes to private missions assigned by the Organization. I couldn't quite believe that Kirihara was kidnapped and forced to join the Black Wolf Organization in exchange of his parents and sister's safety. It was such an interesting story he was telling me that I began to look forward to training and talk to him. Kirihara was two years older than me, by the way. So considering his age, he's my senpai. A few of the stories that he told me were: the time when he was kidnapped in front of the school, the time when he helped Master Ryu escape, the time when he killed an enemy to get the suppressor stone from him, and the time when he rescued me and my mom. I could tell that he didn't make up any of his stories because I could sense it using my sense enhancement. He almost always loses himself every time he tells me a story, making his stories more interesting since he adds his own sound effects and gestures. Master Ryu also adds into the story everytime Kirihara tries to whitewash what had happened. 

"Hikari! Fancy meeting you here!" Someone exclaimed from behind me.

Kirihara ran towards me while munching on a few potato chips. He was wearing a baggy and hooded jacket which made him look suspicious at first. But I was able to recognize his voice using my enhanced hearing. "Good morning, Kirihara. What brings you here?" I started.

"Just taking a walk and enjoying the town, I guess." Kirihara replied as he offered me a bag of chips. "I think it would take a very long time before I get used to this normal life I'm having. I guess I became used to an action-filled life."

"Why are you eating a bag of potato chips this early in the morning?" I asked him. "And now that I think about it, you're always wandering around everytime I see you, I mean, why aren't you going to school?"

"I kinda like my life right now. You know, I've been out from school for such a long time and it's really hard for me to return. To top it all off, what  would I tell my parents and sister? They would definitely be interested on my long absence. And that's why I'm eating potato chips right now. This is my breakfast." Kirihara reasoned.