Chapter 1: Being Chased

In the city

Two people are running away from the men wearing blue clothes, carrying swords. Then the two people make a sharp left turn at the crossroad to get away from the men as they follow them. Suddenly, a bright light appears in front of the blue men before it died down, the two people disappeared.

~A week later~
At a flower shop

A blue-haired woman passes a bouquet of flowers to a customer.

The woman wears a blue dress with white bell sleeves and an arm band on her right arm.

"Thank you, Mizuki-chan." The customer says.

"No. It was no problem." The woman, Mizuki says.

"Hey, are you getting along with Takeshi-kun?" The customer asks.

"Yes. Although he's been busy lately."

"I'm sure he will come to visit you."

"You're right."

"Now then, I'll be on my way."

"Say hello to your daughter for me at the hospital." Mizuki says.

After the customer left the store, Mizuki goes outside to broom in front of the entrance and find that it is chilly out.

"It's already winter…" Mizuki points out and looks down. "It's been over a week since we got here."

Close to the store, a certain silvered-haired teenaged boy approaching to it and sees Mizuki standing there.

"Mizuki-san!" The boy calls out catching her attention and she looks up.

"Shiro-kun." Mizuki calls to the silver-haired boy, Isana Yashiro. "What are you doing here?"

"Kukuri asked me to get supplies for the school festival." Yashiro replies.

"He~h. That's sounds fun."

Yashiro then stares at the arm band on her arm and Mizuki notices this.

"Are you still curious about this?" Mizuki questions referring to her arm band.

"But I want to know~"

"No can do."

Just then, a kitten pops up on Yashiro's shoulder.

"Nya~"

"Ah, Neko-chan." Mizuki calls and scratches its chin. "You're with Shiro-kun again."

"Since you're not telling me, I better get the supplies." Yashiro says and takes a few steps as Mizuki calls out.

"Wait." She says and Yashiro turns around as Mizuki puts a white rose in one of the jacket pockets. "You forgot about this."

"Thank you, Mizuki-san."

With that, Shiro walks away as Mizuki watches him before she sweeps the ground. Soon later, she hears a crash sound near the store and rushes down the street with a broom in her hand. Mizuki then stop to see Yashiro is sitting on the ground and a teenaged boy carrying a bat smirking at him.

"Shiro-kun!" Mizuki shouts out causing Yashiro and the teenager which he blushes look at her.

"Mizuki-san!" Yashiro calls out.

"This way! Hurry!" She shouts and being told, Yashiro quickly stands up before running away with Mizuki from the young man.

"Hey! Wait!" The young man shouts and chases after them by skateboarding.

"Excuse me!" Yashiro panicking shouts to the people as he and Mizuki run.

"Get back here!" The young man shouts at the two.

Yashiro then sees a pickup truck in front of them and looks back. "Mizuki-san!"

Mizuki nods her head and they get on the back of the truck just as it about to drive away, but soon stop on the red light and the young boy attacks them specifically, at Shiro as both of them duck down. Just then, two more thugs riding on the motorcycle go to them as one of them uses the bat to hit Yashiro. However, both him and Mizuki jumps off the truck and when they are about to run away, they are pin by both sides of the sidewalk.

"Shiro-kun, this way." Mizuki whispers to him as she grabs his wrist into the alley way with three men chasing after the two. Once they get out, they see a man smoking a cigarette and leaning on the wall.

"Sorry! Out of the way!" Yashiro shouts at the man.

Instead of doing that, the man takes the cigarette away from his mouth and flicks it upward, making the sparks to form fireballs and shoot at them.

Suddenly, a black-haired man lands in front of them and deflects the fireballs. The man then looks back to see the teenager coming closer to them and puts his hand back, sending an energy-like hand at the boy before striking him in the stomach by his elbow. As both Yashiro and Mizuki stare at the boy, the black-haired man takes both of them into his arm before they are fly or pull away from them.

Once they get near a roof of a building, the man lands and drops the two along with the kitten.

"Are you all right, Shiro-kun?" Mizuki asks.

"Yes." He replies and stands up as he notices where they are. "Oh, you brought us near the station. Thanks a lot. You really saved us. Well, see ya." Yashiro says as he about to walk away with Mizuki. However, the man stops them by putting his scabbarded sword in front of them and swings it at the two causing Shiro to fall backwards.

"Shiro-kun?" Mizuki calls and helps him up.

"I am a vassal of the former Seventh King, Miwa Ichigen." The man says as he walks towards them and draws his sword out. "Yatogami Kuroh."

"'Vassal of the Seventh King, Miwa Ichigen'? Oh, is that your name?" Yashiro asks. "Nice to meet you. My name's Isana. Isana Yashiro."

All of the sudden, Kuroh swings his sword at him, subsequently, cutting a button off from Yashiro's uniform.

"In compliance with my late master's dying wish…" Kuro trails off as he sets the blade. "I will slay the evil king!"

Yashiro stares at the long-haired young man in confusion.

"King? What?"

Just then, the monitors of the buildings begin to have static screens before they have a Shiro look alike shooting someone who held the video camera. Kuro looks at the screen as he points his sword at Shiro.

"It was you, wasn't it?" He questions and Shiro looks at the building monitor to see his look alike on the screen and looks back at Kuro as Neko-chan nuzzles against Yashiro's cheek. "Isana Yashiro! By the order of the former Seventh King, Miwa Ichigen… I am here to…"

"Hold on!" Shiro pleads.

"…take your life!" Before Kuro could strike Yashiro, Mizuki stands in front of him with her arms spreads out.

"Wait a moment!" She says. "There is no way that Shiro-kun would do that!"

"Did you not see that footage just now?" Kuro questions.

"Surely, that person on the footage looked like Shiro-kun… But Shiro-kun is not that kind of person who injured someone!"

"What are you based for Isana Yashiro?"

"Shiro-kun has a gentle aura around him." Mizuki says as she closes her eyes and opens again. "In my eyes, he has gentle, silver soul who won't do anything violent."

"…Even if your words are true, I judge a man by what he does." Kuro proclaims.

"But I didn't do it! You have the wrong guy!" Yashiro says.

"It's obviously that it was you! Stop trying to deny it!" Kuro retorts to the boy.

"Okay, let's assume for a moment that I really did kill someone. Why are you trying to kill me? If you want to accuse me of murder, then wouldn't it be better to turn me in to the police, and let a prosecutor and judge determine by guiltiness? Isn't that the point of having laws in this country?"

"I don't serve this country. I serve only Miwa Ichigen-sama." Kuro declares and Yashiro hangs his head.

"I give up. You're beyond convincing. Hurry up and get it over with."

"Shiro-kun!" Mizuki calls out as she turns to him.

"Good, you've finally accept your fate–"

"But before you do, would you grant be one final request?" Shiro asks cutting Kuro off.

"Speak."

"I'd like to write a farewell letter… to my little sister."

"Your little sister?"

"Yes, we're very close. I know I can't prove o you that I'm innocent, but I don't want my little sister to think that I was executed for murder." Yashiro explains as he gets his notepad out from his bag. "She was born with a debilitating illness and has spent her whole like in the hospital. She's never had any friends, so I'm the only person she can talk to." Kuro takes a back from his story as Mizuki has a sweatdrop behind her head wondering if Shiro has any siblings. "Once you kill me, she'll be all alone."

"What's is your sister's name?" Kuro asks.

"Huh? Uh, its…" Yashiro eyes wanders and sees an advertisement paper. "Marilyn…"

"What?"

"Uh, yeah. Mari! Her name is Mari!"

"Shiro-kun… You just made that up just now, didn't you?" Mizuki questions in her thought.

"Isana Mari? A splendid name." Kuro comments as Shiro begins to write down on his notepad.

"He actually believed that?!"

"Thank you. I'm finished." Yashiro says and gives the letter to Kuro. "I have one more favor to ask. Can you deliver it to her for me?" Kuro looks reluctant at the request and Shiro passes the letter to him. "Please! There's no one I can ask. Once I'm gone, she'll have no family to turn to. She'll be all alone."

Kuro looks at Shiro first and then looks into the letter which makes him infuriate at the message.

"What is this?!" He questions as Shiro is already near the doorway with an opened Japanese umbrella above him and Mizuki beside him as he winks at Kuro and a few flash bombs in his hands before he drops them, setting them off.

Once the light dims, Kuro notices that Yashiro is gone as frustration builds up, he kicks the door and leaves. However, an anime theme dog suit on the roof begins to move around and takes off the head revealing Yashiro.

"That was a close one." Shiro says and Neko-chan pops up. "He'll kill me on the spot next time, though."

"Well, considering your luck right now, he'll probably find you quickly." Yashiro turns as Mizuki comes out from her hiding spot.

"Isn't that far fetch, Mizuki-san?" Yashiro asks.

"Isn't it true? Now that everyone below saw that video, and people are chasing after you, you're going to have a tough time to hide all of them."

"…Do you still believe me after seeing that video?" Shiro asks.

"Of course, I do. Every word I said to Kuro-san earlier is true."

"Mizuki-san…"

"And Shiro-kun. If you're in some kind of trouble, I will lend a hand to help you. You're like a little brother that I never had."

Yashiro looks at her for a moment and smiles at her. "Hai!"

When Yashiro and Mizuki reach to the ground floor, they separate their paths as Mizuki goes back to the flower store and Shiro goes back to the school island.

Once Mizuki comes back to the store, she sees a familiar person standing in front of the store.

"Takeshi." Mizuki calls as the man, Takeshi turns and sees Mizuki.

"Mizuki. Where did you go?" He asks.

"Just ran into trouble with Shiro-kun." Mizuki answers with a smile but frowns. "Takeshi, it seems that we need to make a move soon."

"Yeah I noticed it too. So, are there any changes from Shiro?"

"Nothing yet. I hope that he notices his power soon."

"I see."

"Takeshi, were you able to contact with them?" Mizuki asks.

"No, nothing. It'll take a long time to contact with the others."

"But…"

"It'll be fine, Mizuki. We'll meet up the others soon."

"You're right." Mizuki says as she puts her hand on the arm band which holds her identity.

~Next morning~
At Yashiro's dorm room

As Yashiro, Kuroh, and a young woman wearing just Yashiro's blazer jacket eating breakfast, Kuroh looks at Yashiro.

"By the way, Isana Yashiro." Kuroh calls.

"What is it?" Yashiro replies.

"What is your connection between you and the woman yesterday?"

"You mean Mizuki-san? I met her at a flower shop where she was working and helped me out with things. Mizuki-san gave me white flowers every time I come there."

"Hmm…" Kuroh hums as he cups his chin.

"What's wrong?" Yashiro asks.

"It was faint, but I could feel some kind of power emitting from her. She could be a Strain."

"There's no way."

"Shiro, when can we see Mizu? I want to see Mizu again!" The girl says.

"Be patient, Neko." Yashiro tells her.

"Still, what was that power?" Kuroh thought as he remembers Mizuki. "It was like rush of water coming towards me."