Hyakki Yagyou

Chapter Eight: Error, Knife

Each meeting occurs at the precise moment for which it was meant. Usually, when it will have the greatest impact on our lives.

-        Nadia Scrieva

December 11th, 12:15

Asuka wanted to run out of the room. Aoyama’s smirk made her feel as if he would jump at her any time and strangle her with his bare hands. Of course she did not have the money she owned him at that moment. She barely had money to pay for a beverage and later some breakfast. Going to the bank to withdraw some more cash was a plan for the day, definitely.

But when she laid her eyes upon the smirking figure, all she wanted to do was run back to her apartment and lock herself in, whether or not there was something inside it.

Emi noticed that Asuka was at terrible unease but having no background knowledge of the situation, she proceeded worth to at least say hello to her brother. He was spooning his drink as she was approaching and it made her feel unwelcome.

“Good morning.” She said, shooting a glance at Aoyama. “I’m Emi. His sister.” Perhaps her introducing herself was a bit rash, since she did not even wait for Keita to say something, but she felt it was right to let the other male know who she was.

Aoyama nodded. He knew perfectly well who Emi was, though. Asuka slowly followed and greeted Ishihara. It was an awkward situation. The three of them, she thought, were members of the website. Of course they knew each other but this fact did not make the meeting any less awkward.

On the other hand, luckily, right before the girls had approached the table Aoyama had tucked the photographs into his bag. There was no need to cause any kind of scene.

“Good morning.” Keita said, looking up. What was Emi doing with Asuka, he wondered? The fact that Asuka had ran out bewildered out of her apartment… And now she was with his sister. A strange dismal feeling rushed through his body. “What brings you here?”

“I have a job interview.” Emi explained and glanced at Asuka that did her best to keep her eyes glued to the floor. She could feel Aoyama’s glare piercing a whole somewhere on her body. “I met Ueno outside so we decided to grab a cup of coffee first.”

“Why don’t you join us?” Suddenly, Aoyama spoke and Asuka felt her stomach twist. She was about to say no but Emi was convinced. Why should they saw no, anyway? Her brother was there and if this meant a bit more catching up with him – why not? For some reason, she felt that she should not be so distant from him anymore.

This feeling came from nowhere. She never felt any desire to create stronger bonds with Keita but ever since Yumi-chan’s funeral, she could not stop thinking about her older brother. The school girl’s funeral reminded her once more just how fragile the human existence was.

What if something happened to her tomorrow? Or what if something happened to Keita? One would have to go on living with the fact that they never made it right with the other.

Regret was one of the worst feelings a person could harbour deep inside and Emi reasoned that all must be done to prevent any such sentiment from finding its place, making its nest, inside of her.

She failed to notice that Keita was not so happy about Aoyama’s proposal. Either way, he moved to sit on the other chair to allow one of the girls to sit. Emi was about to sit down beside him but Asuka was quicker.

Confused as to why she rushed to sit there and not next to Aoyama, Emi frowned, softly, and then sat next to the other male. There was no way, Asuka thought, she was going to sit next to that… Man. She could not even make herself look at him.