Hyakki Yagyou

Chapter Eighteen: Anticipation, Pattern

“Do not be afraid; our fate

Cannot be taken from us; it is a gift.” 

-        Dante Alighieri

January 15th, 9:10 am

Everything was ready for the trip. The train tickets to Chiba were bought; the bus for the village was at 11 am so they would be just in time to take it. Sanada was waiting for them at his house already. Well, it wasn’t really his house. He stayed at a lodging, owned by his elderly mother, a place she rented for any kind traveller. The last time Abe stayed at the village, Sanada’s mother, Kayoko, offered her a cheap stay there.

Now, that is was only ten minutes before the departure of the train, Emi stood with Ryu on the station, tapping her foot against the floor. What happened? Did they chicken out? Did something happen? The possibility of something having happened made her stomach turn. Abe called her just half an hour ago and said she was on her way. Keita texted her and said Aoyama and he were going to go alone to Chiba and meet them there so there was no need to wait for them.

What was with their friendship anyway? Now that the admin’s identity was unveiled, Emi pondered more over their friendship. Aoyama did not seem that much of a bad guy but something about him – upon analysing everything – made her feel as if the two of them, Keita and he, were not that compatible.

Unless there was a side of her brother she did not know. Did he really prefer the company of desensitized computer nerds? That was the impression she had of Aoyama. And she could not have been more wrong.

Desensitized he was, Ryu thought, as if his contemplations just caught on Emi’s and continued them. But to Ryu, he seemed like a guy who always had a back-up plan – the kind of calculated person with multiple aces down his sleeves. Aces that would suit just him.

“Fujita-san.” Abe said, waving at the girl.

Emi snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Yui waving at them. She got dressed warmly: boots, trousers, sweater, a coat, a muffler and a cap that matched with the muffler and the gloves. She smiled weakly and approached the three of them,

A woman announced the train was leaving in five minutes.

“Is it really okay for you to come with us?’’ Emi asked.

Ryu and Abe were already getting on the train. Yui nodded, adjusting the bag over her shoulder. “I suppose we’ll be back by the day after tomorrow. I told my mom I’m going to visit my friend’s sick grandmother in Chiba.” She replied. “I think she didn’t believe me and suspects me meeting some boy but she didn’t say anything. Dad believed me, though, I would say.”

Emi nodded, getting on the train as well, chewing on her lower lip. She could not stop thinking it was a bad idea to bring Yui with them. She was still very a young – almost seventeen years old if she remembered correctly. If Heavens forbid something should happen to her, Emi knew she would never be able to forgive herself.

Why would anything happen? What are you talking about? It’s just a short trip. You’ll be back in Tokyo in two days. Stop worrying so much. You’ll go bald.

The three of them sat in a separate booth and made themselves comfortable. Almost exactly five minutes later, the train closed its doors and took off. In just less than four hours, they will be in the village, Emi thought, twirling her fingers, her hands neatly placed on her lap.

What would they find out there?

Whatever it is, she hoped it would be useful. Although, somehow she saw no point of it, bothering some monk to convince those two in whatever is happening. Or was happening.