Hanabi

Chapter 31: A shield and a cat

- You’re a douche, Mami.

The blonde raised her eyebrows at the short brunette in the living room. She had just stepped inside that room and Haruna was already growling at her again. Not that she didn’t expect it, after all, she heard Haruna’s mental cursing from all across the house during her entire shower.

She sighed and put her still slightly wet hair back, over the towel that was on her shoulders.

- I think you’re lovely too, Haruna. Wanna eat something?

- Whatever. - the shorter girl growled, staring down at the massive book that was on her lap, and Mami rolled her eyes.

- Toasts then. - Mami took a few steps towards the kitchen, but stopped after a moment to look back at Haruna - You know you’re just growling at me because you can’t control the situation, you agree with me that Tomo shouldn’t be alone in that mountain.

Mami got herself a glare, but just grinned at Haruna in return. When she came back into the living room with tea and hot toasts, the shorter girl looked positively worried. As the blonde placed the plates in between them on the floor, Haruna just kept flipping over the pages with that same frown on her face, Akai lying by her side.

- I just hope we’re really capable of handling this. - Haruna voiced that concern for the first time, looking down at the big and black Oni picture on that book. She knew there wasn’t any use in trying to hide her thoughts and worries from Mami. - Everything seems so calm right now, but…

- I know.

- I have never seen one of them with my own eyes. - Haruna sighed and took her cup of tea from the plate - Rina once said they provoke very bad reactions.

- I’m sure they do. Can’t really tell you that because my reactions are obviously different and… Tomo doesn’t seem to get that much affected.

- Yeah, I remember that when we first talked to Rina about it… - Haruna started, speaking slowly after sipping her tea - Rina asked if Tomo didn’t feel like she was losing it… And Tomo didn’t understand the question…

- For whatever reason, I think they don’t have the same effect on her.

- I wonder why is that.

- Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she saw one for the first time when she was still very little… Maybe she can rationalize them better because her mind had to get around them very early, I don’t know. - Mami took one toast from the plate and eyed it for a second, then taking a small bite - But you’re worried about what your reaction is gonna be when you see one, aren’t you?

Haruna lowered her cup to the floor again and took a toast for herself, sighing in a very frustrated manner.

- I just can’t afford to screw things up this time. It’s common for me to do something very reckless at least once every case, normally I can take knowledge out of it, but this time I can’t do that.

- You’re afraid that you’re gonna lose it when you see the Oni and do something stupid.

- Basically. I agreed to help Rina with properly using a katana, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting her be the swordswoman like this. If I’m the one wielding Akai, I can’t make stupid mistakes.

- Then maybe it really is better if you let Rina use the katana, Haruna.

That statement was followed by a very grumpy stare from the brunette.

- No. I’m still thinking of a plan, I won’t make any decisions before the whole thing takes form in my mind.

Mami smiled, nodding.