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When I returned to the dorm, Lin immediately rushed over to me, only half dressed.
"Oh my, Sen, we thought you'd been taken." She shook her head at me although she was obviously relieved. "Where were you?"
"I went to meet him. Master Saiko." I then went to explain everything, only leaving out the weird stuff about my real Mom or whatever. My tone was hushed but apparently not quiet enough as one of the other girls heard.
"Come on. We've been working for years and the minute you come in, you get to be Saiko's lapdog?! That's so not fair!" She exclaimed in her irritatingly high voice.
"I didn't ask for things to work out this way." I mumbled, feeling offended. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"Yeah, leave her alone Mae." Lin scoffed.
"It's not fair! Well, fair enough you've got him to be easier on us but if you have so much leeway then why don't you get Saiko to leave!" The girl named Mae cried. But she made a mistake. She used his name alone twice and Lin noticed that, her eyes widening.
"I could just kill you." A familiar voice said and I turned to see Saiko, leaning against the doorframe with a toothpick in his mouth.
"M-Master Saiko. I... I didn't mean-" Mae quickly stuttered.
Saiko chuckled slowly, taking his toothpick from his mouth. "Yes you did. And if it weren't for Chihiro, I'd have taken action. So consider this your first and last warning." Saiko said, his tone deadly calm.
The other girls were all staring and I exchanged a look with Lin, biting my lip.
"Chihiro? Lin? A word?" Saiko said after a moment of silence.
"Yes Sir." Lin and I both said at the same time, leaving the room with him and Lin closed the door behind us as we stood out in the corridor with Saiko.
"I've got train tickets for the both of you. Chihiro, my dear, I figured you'd want a friend to go and see Zeniba and to stay safe on the train and whatnot." He said.
"Riiiight. Yeah." I answered slowly. It was a bit weird but I was thankful nevertheless and so I gave him a little smile which he returned.
Lin, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by the train tickets. She knew she could leave and never come back even though the spirit world now needed us the most.
We took the train tickets - two each - tucking them into the pockets of our slacks and bowing to which he dismissively waved his hand.
"So.. Can we go now, Sir?" Lin asked after a short moment.
"To Zeniba's? Whenever you like." He then turned to me again. "I have business out of town but I should expect your demands to have been met by the time we both return."
"Thank you." I said with a little nod and he smiled again.
"Anything for you. Now, I'll see you both soon, I expect. Chihiro, you can come by the library later if you wish." He walked past us, his hand brushing past mine and both Lin and I watched him walk down the corridor before he stopped, turning on his heel to look at us. "And Lin? I do apologise for the beatings. You do understand."
