Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 28: REUNION

"Seiya?"

The woman had raised her head. She stared at him without moving.

Satoru bent down. He picked up and returned the groceries that had fallen from the basket. He did not meet her eyes.

"Seiya?" she repeated. He met her eyes stubbornly. It was her.

"It is you, isn't it, Seiya?"

Satoru swallowed his spit. He slowly shook his head. "I am not him," he murmured, "anymore." He could not hold her gaze for long. He lowered his eyes in shame.

Kaguya cocked her head to the side. She reached out. There was a lion tattooed on the top of her hand, but despite the beast depicted on her skin, her fingers were as soft as he remembered them. "It's good to see you."

"It's Satoru now," he said, "Satoru Akiyama."

A soft, sad smile crossed her face. "Kaguya," she whispered.

Satoru stayed knelt down. He knew he would not be able to stay steady if he tried to get up. He clasped and unclasped his fists.

She did not say a word. She was not angry.

"Aki?" Satoru glanced over his shoulder. Touma was standing behind them, staring at the situation. A look of bewilderment crossed his face.

Satoru sprang up. "What are you doing here?"

Touma shook a brown wallet in his hand. "You forgot your wallet." Touma took a step forward, handing the wallet back to him. Touma's eyes shifted downward.

Satoru glanced over his shoulder at Kaguya. She stared at Touma in dazed bemusement.

"Hey, are you okay?" Touma asked.

She shook her head. "No. No. I'm fine. See you Sei... er... Satoru." She hurried away.

Touma looked between her and Satoru. "Do you know her?"

"Sort of, I guess so," Satoru answered.

Touma chuckled, "What does that mean?"

Satoru shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He started toward the checkout. Touma stared at him, puzzled. With the same look on his face, Touma followed him out the convenience store. 

It was Wednesday when Hayate got a call from an unknown number. He answered absentmindedly. "Hello?"

"Mr Igarashi? It is Hachiro Sagawa."

"What do you want?"

He heard a sigh. "Mr Tatsumi is too bull headed to admit it, but I'm not. We need your help. Can you come to Koto city?"

Hayate glanced at his watch. 12:23. "Why should I?"

"We have found someone who is willing to go undercover inside ERIS. We need him trained. Mr Tatsumi can teach him how to use a lance, but otherwise we are shorthanded. We need you."

Hayate felt conflicted. The last time he had been to Koto city inside the Spearhead headquarters, he had felt unwelcome. He didn't want to go back there, but the Wielder in him wanted ERIS to fall.

'Let us train the boy.'

Since when did Ryuu speak to him so casually? The last time he had spoken to Hayate he had been scornful. In fact, Hayate couldn't recall one instance in this lifetime where Ryuu had not hurt or disadvantaged him in some way. Perhaps it had something to do with his returning memories... Was there something special about the kid Hachiro wanted him to train?