featherbrain ☆ l.jn ☆ ayakashi series | ✔

prologue [four]

Less than a week later, and you were stepping onto Bell Street with purpose in your gait. Today you were getting answers. Jeno was only so useful, you had a million more things to figure out, and you knew exactly who was going to help you. Whether they like it or not.

Lenticular Café was quickly becoming familiar to you, your eyes immediately landing on where you knew Renjun would be. They just opened, and you did that on purpose. Their only customers that you'd seen so far were you and Wraiths, so you figured it'd be safe for you to come with your questions then.

Just like you figured, it was empty—save for Renjun. Surprisingly, he didn't greet you with some kind of bitter comment, probably picking up on the 'no bullshit' look on your face.

"You've got time to talk."

It was supposed to be a question, but with absolutely no inflection in your tone, it was more clearly a statement.

Renjun wordlessly led the way to a booth in the far back corner from the entrance, taking the seat across from you. He looked to you expectantly, and you opened up your phone. Your notes app immediately popped up, and he finally made a sound.

It was a sharp laugh, followed by, "You made a list of questions to ask me?"

You simply focused your intense gaze back on him in response. He went quiet again.

"You're a Satori seer."

Renjun nodded.

"So you can read people's minds?"

"Yeah. But not whenever I want, I have to be in physical contact with them."

"How did the Wraiths know what you were? Jeno said he couldn't tell what kind of Ayakashi you were."

"It was probably this," Renjun blinked, and when his eyes opened back up, one was a startling jade color. "Unfortunately, my true form pops out a little bit when I'm pissed off."

Then he blinked again, and both were his typical deep brown once more.

Despite your momentary surprise, you had a new question, "Is Sicheng a Satori then, too? His eyes were a different color that day."

"Were both of his eyes one color?"

"Yeah, they were blue."

"He's not a Satori. He's some kind of Ayakashi, but not a Satori," Renjun informed you, squashing your line of questioning. "It's the heterochromia that gives it away."

You easily switched trains of thought, "Did you know the men were Wraiths when they came into the restaurant?"

"Yes."

"Why did you let them stay, then?"

"We can't go around picking fights whenever we sense Wraiths, and they've acknowledged that as well, so it's become rather commonplace for us to tolerate each other's presences when around regular humans."

You scrolled down your phone to your next question, the one that had been bothering you the most, "Do you know why Johnny got Jaemin out but not me?"

"I do," he rolled his eyes, his impudence returning to his demeanor. "But it's better you hear it from him."

"Why?"

"Because I don't agree with him."

Feeling that the conversation was over, you stood, giving him a short nod, "Thank you, Renjun."

He didn't return the sentiment, simply holding your gaze for a moment before starting back towards the host's stand.

Renjun's words gave you the sense that it was okay to do what you were about to do. You went to the back, gingerly parting the purple curtain. When he didn't immediately go off on you, you slipped through it.