Subaru in America
Chapter 1
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Corny title, eh? Sorry. Yeah, this fic more or less sucks and it was supposed to be humorous, but I failed miserably. Anyway, enjoy!
Subaru Sumeragi sat nervously on the train. On his lap, the American book Of Mice and Men lay unread. It was a homework assignment, of course, Subaru was not a very casual reader, especially for American books. His elbow rested on the windowsill, his chin placed in his hand. Through the window, Subaru could see trees zooming by in a bewildering blur of green and chestnut; and the sky: a smudge of crisp, light blue.
Tokyo is so different from here, Subaru thought.
He was on his way to Kyoto and his home; though it did not feel like the typical perception of home. Home was supposed to be where your family and friends were, a place to feel comfortable, and place where you were always welcome. To him, Tokyo was this definition. His sister, Hokuto, and their veterinary doctor friend, Seishiro Sakurazuka, both dwelled there. Though the majority of his family called Kyoto home, he could never do that. Tokyo was the only place for him.
With the thought of Seishiro made Subaru blush. Though the man was nine years his elder, he had an obsessive crush on Subaru. Subaru could not decide if he felt the same way. Seishiro was a charming, attractive, and intelligent man. Not to mention his extreme devotion to Subaru. Hokuto always teased Subaru on how he would marry Seishiro one day. Though Subaru denied any feelings towards Seishiro, he could not help himself sometimes. Subaru remembered that night in Tokyo Tower…
The train halted suddenly. Subaru snapped back into reality and realized he had arrived in Kyoto. He quickly stuffed his book in his bag and waited patiently to exit the train. The aisle was narrow, but Subaru managed to squeeze through to throng of people and out the door to find another, even more clustered crowd. With a sigh, he made his way to the street and called for a cab.
He arrived to the House of Sumeragi shortly. His nerves were starting to get at him: his stomach ached, his head was slightly dazed, and his mouth was completely dry. What did his grandmother want from him this time? She usually called on the phone when he had to do a simple job. It was only for the big jobs did she ever order him to come to the House.
After entering, he slipped his shoes off and walked to the drawing room where his grandmother always sat. Indeed, she was there, sitting calmly, painting a landscape. As Subaru moved closer, he noticed the landscape looked odd. The trees were severely green and pine shaped. This was not a very traditional Japanese painting.
"Good afternoon, Grandmother," Subaru said humbly with a bow.
She turned to face Subaru. Her expression was in permanent seriousness, the wrinkles on her face distinct and clearly defined. She was very weatherworn and old to Subaru and did not seem like the typical grandmother. She was too stern, too unfeeling to be a grandmother. Her relationship with Subaru seemed more professional than personal. She never appeared to be concerned with Subaru's feelings or well being, not to mention how she rarely asked about Hokuto.
"You are late, Subaru," she snapped viciously, turning once again to her painting.
"Forgive me, Grandmother," Subaru replied cautiously. "I missed the first train and…"
"I am quite aware that you missed the train," she interrupted sharply, "but I have more important things to discuss than train schedules."
Subaru sat on a mat near his feet. He looked down at his gloved hands and nodded.
His grandmother did a small brush stroke before saying, "I have a job for you."
Subaru looked up to stare at the painting. "Yes, Grandmother?"
"Have you ever heard of the United States of America?" she questioned.
Subaru almost laughed. He could have said, "Who hasn't?", but decided against it, considering his grandmother's current mood. Instead, he answered, "Yes, Grandmother."
She added a few strokes of dark green to the painting. "Have you ever been there?"
Subaru shook his head no.
Unexpectedly, she turned and gave a tight, forced smile. "How would you and Hokuto like to go there?"
Taken aback, Subaru simply replied, "What for?"
She gave a mocking laugh. "What for? For a job, of course. Do you think I would send you on a vacation there? Subaru, really!" She continued with her laughter for a little while.
Subaru simply blushed.
With a final cackle, she ceased her guffawing and replied, "It's a special assignment." When all she got was a confused look, she continued. "The Americans are very different from the Japanese. They abandoned the practice of exorcism and forbade it." She glanced at Subaru's puzzled look for a while, then went on. "You know very well that many exorcists turn into demon summoners later on." She stared back at her painting. "For some, the temptation the demons give them is too great. The Christian society passed a silent law that disallowed any exorcisms. Now any exorcists are either amateurs or people who come from a long line of exorcists, though that line is wearing thin."
"Aren't there other religions in the US?" Subaru questioned.
"Yes," his grandmother replied, "but their lines are wearing thin as well. The Jews prohibited violence of any kind, including exorcisms, a long time ago. 'Never again' is the phrase they say. The Muslims never had to worry about demons. If someone showed any signs of possession, they would kill that person as well as the spirit. There are very few of any other religion there, and even fewer exorcists."
"How could I possibly exorcise all the demons in that country?" Subaru asked in a sort of panic. He was only one person, after all.
Again, his grandmother laughed at him. "Subaru, I am not expecting you to exorcise all the demons there. One area in particular seems to have many powerful demons dwelling there. That is where I want you to go." She moved aside from her picture to expose a school surrounded by forest. Pointing to it, she said, "This is Middletown. It is on the eastern side of the US called New England. You will live there, attend school there, and work there. But you must not let anyone know what your occupation is lest you be shunned from society. There will be a small, two-bedroom house for you near the school, so you can walk. You may bring Hokuto if you wish."
Stunned, Subaru stuttered, "Grandmother, wh-what about Tokyo?"
"What about it?"
He swallowed hard. "There are demons in Tokyo too."
His grandmother snorted. "Don't worry about Tokyo. There are plenty of exorcists in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. Plus, this arrangement will not be permanent. Maybe a few years or until things settle down there."
Subaru felt sick to his stomach. "Why must we help them? Isn't this their problem?"
Her eyes narrowed and drilled into him like a knife. "You don't understand, do you? The more demons there are in this world, the stronger the individuals are. It's the same with people. Would you be more confident standing alone or in a group of thousands? We cannot let the demons grow confident."
Subaru nodded reluctantly.
"Good," the old woman chimed affably. "Your flight is in two days. Here are the tickets. You will go to Tokyo's International Airport and arrive in New York's LaGuardia Airport. You may go home now."
Subaru nodded again and stood. He took the tickets and turned to leave, but his grandmother stopped him.
"One more thing, Subaru: Remember never to take your gloves off."
It was about seven thirty when he arrived home. The smell of cooking vegetables permeated from under the door of his apartment. He stood in front of his apartment door for a few minutes pondering. What was he going to tell Hokuto? Pack your bags, sister, we're heading for the States. He was sure Hokuto would be excited to go, but would miss all her friends, and especially Tokyo. Then there was Seishiro. Subaru only had two plane tickets, meaning Seishiro would not be able to come with them. He might not even see him for two years! The mere thought of it made Subaru miss Seishiro already.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Seishiro had the doorknob in his hand and a beaming smile on his face. Subaru tried to smile back, but only managed a small grin.
"Don't be a stranger," Seishiro said matter-of-factly. "There's plenty of food for everyone."
"Hello, Seishiro," Subaru greeted him the best he could and walked in.
Hokuto stood in the kitchen wearing her favorite lace apron over a sky blue, short-sleeve, cotton dress. Beautiful white pearls graced her ears and neck like clouds ornament the sky. She appeared impatient with Subaru's tardiness, but he knew she was glad to see him.
"What took you so long?" she snapped, running over to him, wooden spoon in hand ready to hit him. "Did you miss the train?"
Subaru nodded shyly.
"Subaru!" Hokuto cried. "Your fiancé and I were worried sick!"
Subaru cringed at the word "fiancé". "Hokuto, I'm sorry."
His sister sighed. Suddenly, she jumped at him and gave him a gigantic embrace. "Subaru, I could never stay mad at you!"
He tried to smile, but failed again. He looked at Seishiro standing behind Hokuto, a concerned expression on his face. Seishiro seemed to have a sort of sixth sense about Subaru's feelings; he always knew when he was downhearted and depressed, infuriated and angry, or joyful and gay. Sometimes Seishiro knew him better than Subaru knew himself.
"Dinner's almost ready," Hokuto informed them, letting Subaru go. "Why don't you two sit down?"
Subaru sat down in one of the three chairs, his back to the kitchen. Seishiro pulled a chair close to Subaru, almost uncomfortably close. He smiled at Subaru warmly and clutched his hand. Subaru attempted to move away, but Seishiro held him tight, like a trap around struggling prey. He leaned in close to Subaru's face. In fact, he was so close, Subaru could feel him breathing on his face.
"What's wrong, Subaru?" Seishiro uttered softly, as if not wanting Hokuto to hear.
Subaru backed up a bit. "I have something to tell you two," he whispered, unintentionally imitating Seishiro's tone.
"Then tell," Seishiro coaxed, leaning in even closer.
Hokuto glanced at them from her cooking. "Whoa! Get a room, you two!" She laughed loudly.
Subaru stood up quickly. "Ho-Hokuto!" he squeaked nervously. "I, um, I have something to tell the both of you."
Hokuto walked over to the table. "Tell away."
Subaru cleared his throat. "Grandmother has given me a new job."
Seishiro stood completely still and Hokuto nodded.
"But it's not here," Subaru continued. "It's in Middletown, USA."
Hokuto's jaw dropped. Seishiro's face was completely neutral.
"USA?" Hokuto cried. "Are you joking?"
Subaru shook his head. "I know it's going to be hard for you to leave all your friends behind, Hokuto, but…"
Hokuto laughed. "Are you kidding? Screw them! I'm going to the USA! All those years of taking English will be put to good use."
Seishiro remained silent.
Screw them? Is that what Hokuto thinks about her friends, including Seishiro? Subaru thought.
Hokuto drilled Subaru with questions. "When are we going? Where in the US is Middletown? How long are we going to be there? Where are we going to live?"
Subaru answered all of them.
"Cool!" Hokuto cried running to her room. "Two days! I gotta start packing right now! No time to loose!"
Subaru stared at Seishiro and Seishiro at him.
"Sei-Seishiro," he stuttered, "I'll miss you."
Hokuto popped back into the room. "What do you mean by that, Subaru? Isn't Seishiro coming with us?
Subaru shook his head no.
Her expression turned quickly from glee to sorrow. "Seishiro's not coming? B-but…" She fell into Seishiro's arms and began to weep.
All Seishiro did was laugh. Subaru frowned. He obviously thought this whole thing was one big joke.
Hokuto lifted her head and cried, "I don't see what's so funny!"
"Why can't I go?" Seishiro asked with a smile.
"Because," Subaru started to explain, "it's too much money to fly there."
Again, Seishiro laughed. "If you don't want me to go…"
Subaru shook his head. "It's not that." He thought for a moment. "Actually, I can't think of a reason other than the cost."
Hokuto beamed. "Seishiro, you're rich, right? Why don't you come with us? I'm sure there's plenty of room in the house."
Subaru cut in. "There are only two bedrooms though."
Hokuto gave an evil grin. "That's plenty of room. I'll have one room and you two can share the other."
Subaru blushed bright red and turned to Seishiro, who winked at him.
Chapter 1
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Corny title, eh? Sorry. Yeah, this fic more or less sucks and it was supposed to be humorous, but I failed miserably. Anyway, enjoy!
Subaru Sumeragi sat nervously on the train. On his lap, the American book Of Mice and Men lay unread. It was a homework assignment, of course, Subaru was not a very casual reader, especially for American books. His elbow rested on the windowsill, his chin placed in his hand. Through the window, Subaru could see trees zooming by in a bewildering blur of green and chestnut; and the sky: a smudge of crisp, light blue.
Tokyo is so different from here, Subaru thought.
He was on his way to Kyoto and his home; though it did not feel like the typical perception of home. Home was supposed to be where your family and friends were, a place to feel comfortable, and place where you were always welcome. To him, Tokyo was this definition. His sister, Hokuto, and their veterinary doctor friend, Seishiro Sakurazuka, both dwelled there. Though the majority of his family called Kyoto home, he could never do that. Tokyo was the only place for him.
With the thought of Seishiro made Subaru blush. Though the man was nine years his elder, he had an obsessive crush on Subaru. Subaru could not decide if he felt the same way. Seishiro was a charming, attractive, and intelligent man. Not to mention his extreme devotion to Subaru. Hokuto always teased Subaru on how he would marry Seishiro one day. Though Subaru denied any feelings towards Seishiro, he could not help himself sometimes. Subaru remembered that night in Tokyo Tower…
The train halted suddenly. Subaru snapped back into reality and realized he had arrived in Kyoto. He quickly stuffed his book in his bag and waited patiently to exit the train. The aisle was narrow, but Subaru managed to squeeze through to throng of people and out the door to find another, even more clustered crowd. With a sigh, he made his way to the street and called for a cab.
He arrived to the House of Sumeragi shortly. His nerves were starting to get at him: his stomach ached, his head was slightly dazed, and his mouth was completely dry. What did his grandmother want from him this time? She usually called on the phone when he had to do a simple job. It was only for the big jobs did she ever order him to come to the House.
After entering, he slipped his shoes off and walked to the drawing room where his grandmother always sat. Indeed, she was there, sitting calmly, painting a landscape. As Subaru moved closer, he noticed the landscape looked odd. The trees were severely green and pine shaped. This was not a very traditional Japanese painting.
"Good afternoon, Grandmother," Subaru said humbly with a bow.
She turned to face Subaru. Her expression was in permanent seriousness, the wrinkles on her face distinct and clearly defined. She was very weatherworn and old to Subaru and did not seem like the typical grandmother. She was too stern, too unfeeling to be a grandmother. Her relationship with Subaru seemed more professional than personal. She never appeared to be concerned with Subaru's feelings or well being, not to mention how she rarely asked about Hokuto.
"You are late, Subaru," she snapped viciously, turning once again to her painting.
"Forgive me, Grandmother," Subaru replied cautiously. "I missed the first train and…"
"I am quite aware that you missed the train," she interrupted sharply, "but I have more important things to discuss than train schedules."
Subaru sat on a mat near his feet. He looked down at his gloved hands and nodded.
His grandmother did a small brush stroke before saying, "I have a job for you."
Subaru looked up to stare at the painting. "Yes, Grandmother?"
"Have you ever heard of the United States of America?" she questioned.
Subaru almost laughed. He could have said, "Who hasn't?", but decided against it, considering his grandmother's current mood. Instead, he answered, "Yes, Grandmother."
She added a few strokes of dark green to the painting. "Have you ever been there?"
Subaru shook his head no.
Unexpectedly, she turned and gave a tight, forced smile. "How would you and Hokuto like to go there?"
Taken aback, Subaru simply replied, "What for?"
She gave a mocking laugh. "What for? For a job, of course. Do you think I would send you on a vacation there? Subaru, really!" She continued with her laughter for a little while.
Subaru simply blushed.
With a final cackle, she ceased her guffawing and replied, "It's a special assignment." When all she got was a confused look, she continued. "The Americans are very different from the Japanese. They abandoned the practice of exorcism and forbade it." She glanced at Subaru's puzzled look for a while, then went on. "You know very well that many exorcists turn into demon summoners later on." She stared back at her painting. "For some, the temptation the demons give them is too great. The Christian society passed a silent law that disallowed any exorcisms. Now any exorcists are either amateurs or people who come from a long line of exorcists, though that line is wearing thin."
"Aren't there other religions in the US?" Subaru questioned.
"Yes," his grandmother replied, "but their lines are wearing thin as well. The Jews prohibited violence of any kind, including exorcisms, a long time ago. 'Never again' is the phrase they say. The Muslims never had to worry about demons. If someone showed any signs of possession, they would kill that person as well as the spirit. There are very few of any other religion there, and even fewer exorcists."
"How could I possibly exorcise all the demons in that country?" Subaru asked in a sort of panic. He was only one person, after all.
Again, his grandmother laughed at him. "Subaru, I am not expecting you to exorcise all the demons there. One area in particular seems to have many powerful demons dwelling there. That is where I want you to go." She moved aside from her picture to expose a school surrounded by forest. Pointing to it, she said, "This is Middletown. It is on the eastern side of the US called New England. You will live there, attend school there, and work there. But you must not let anyone know what your occupation is lest you be shunned from society. There will be a small, two-bedroom house for you near the school, so you can walk. You may bring Hokuto if you wish."
Stunned, Subaru stuttered, "Grandmother, wh-what about Tokyo?"
"What about it?"
He swallowed hard. "There are demons in Tokyo too."
His grandmother snorted. "Don't worry about Tokyo. There are plenty of exorcists in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. Plus, this arrangement will not be permanent. Maybe a few years or until things settle down there."
Subaru felt sick to his stomach. "Why must we help them? Isn't this their problem?"
Her eyes narrowed and drilled into him like a knife. "You don't understand, do you? The more demons there are in this world, the stronger the individuals are. It's the same with people. Would you be more confident standing alone or in a group of thousands? We cannot let the demons grow confident."
Subaru nodded reluctantly.
"Good," the old woman chimed affably. "Your flight is in two days. Here are the tickets. You will go to Tokyo's International Airport and arrive in New York's LaGuardia Airport. You may go home now."
Subaru nodded again and stood. He took the tickets and turned to leave, but his grandmother stopped him.
"One more thing, Subaru: Remember never to take your gloves off."
It was about seven thirty when he arrived home. The smell of cooking vegetables permeated from under the door of his apartment. He stood in front of his apartment door for a few minutes pondering. What was he going to tell Hokuto? Pack your bags, sister, we're heading for the States. He was sure Hokuto would be excited to go, but would miss all her friends, and especially Tokyo. Then there was Seishiro. Subaru only had two plane tickets, meaning Seishiro would not be able to come with them. He might not even see him for two years! The mere thought of it made Subaru miss Seishiro already.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Seishiro had the doorknob in his hand and a beaming smile on his face. Subaru tried to smile back, but only managed a small grin.
"Don't be a stranger," Seishiro said matter-of-factly. "There's plenty of food for everyone."
"Hello, Seishiro," Subaru greeted him the best he could and walked in.
Hokuto stood in the kitchen wearing her favorite lace apron over a sky blue, short-sleeve, cotton dress. Beautiful white pearls graced her ears and neck like clouds ornament the sky. She appeared impatient with Subaru's tardiness, but he knew she was glad to see him.
"What took you so long?" she snapped, running over to him, wooden spoon in hand ready to hit him. "Did you miss the train?"
Subaru nodded shyly.
"Subaru!" Hokuto cried. "Your fiancé and I were worried sick!"
Subaru cringed at the word "fiancé". "Hokuto, I'm sorry."
His sister sighed. Suddenly, she jumped at him and gave him a gigantic embrace. "Subaru, I could never stay mad at you!"
He tried to smile, but failed again. He looked at Seishiro standing behind Hokuto, a concerned expression on his face. Seishiro seemed to have a sort of sixth sense about Subaru's feelings; he always knew when he was downhearted and depressed, infuriated and angry, or joyful and gay. Sometimes Seishiro knew him better than Subaru knew himself.
"Dinner's almost ready," Hokuto informed them, letting Subaru go. "Why don't you two sit down?"
Subaru sat down in one of the three chairs, his back to the kitchen. Seishiro pulled a chair close to Subaru, almost uncomfortably close. He smiled at Subaru warmly and clutched his hand. Subaru attempted to move away, but Seishiro held him tight, like a trap around struggling prey. He leaned in close to Subaru's face. In fact, he was so close, Subaru could feel him breathing on his face.
"What's wrong, Subaru?" Seishiro uttered softly, as if not wanting Hokuto to hear.
Subaru backed up a bit. "I have something to tell you two," he whispered, unintentionally imitating Seishiro's tone.
"Then tell," Seishiro coaxed, leaning in even closer.
Hokuto glanced at them from her cooking. "Whoa! Get a room, you two!" She laughed loudly.
Subaru stood up quickly. "Ho-Hokuto!" he squeaked nervously. "I, um, I have something to tell the both of you."
Hokuto walked over to the table. "Tell away."
Subaru cleared his throat. "Grandmother has given me a new job."
Seishiro stood completely still and Hokuto nodded.
"But it's not here," Subaru continued. "It's in Middletown, USA."
Hokuto's jaw dropped. Seishiro's face was completely neutral.
"USA?" Hokuto cried. "Are you joking?"
Subaru shook his head. "I know it's going to be hard for you to leave all your friends behind, Hokuto, but…"
Hokuto laughed. "Are you kidding? Screw them! I'm going to the USA! All those years of taking English will be put to good use."
Seishiro remained silent.
Screw them? Is that what Hokuto thinks about her friends, including Seishiro? Subaru thought.
Hokuto drilled Subaru with questions. "When are we going? Where in the US is Middletown? How long are we going to be there? Where are we going to live?"
Subaru answered all of them.
"Cool!" Hokuto cried running to her room. "Two days! I gotta start packing right now! No time to loose!"
Subaru stared at Seishiro and Seishiro at him.
"Sei-Seishiro," he stuttered, "I'll miss you."
Hokuto popped back into the room. "What do you mean by that, Subaru? Isn't Seishiro coming with us?
Subaru shook his head no.
Her expression turned quickly from glee to sorrow. "Seishiro's not coming? B-but…" She fell into Seishiro's arms and began to weep.
All Seishiro did was laugh. Subaru frowned. He obviously thought this whole thing was one big joke.
Hokuto lifted her head and cried, "I don't see what's so funny!"
"Why can't I go?" Seishiro asked with a smile.
"Because," Subaru started to explain, "it's too much money to fly there."
Again, Seishiro laughed. "If you don't want me to go…"
Subaru shook his head. "It's not that." He thought for a moment. "Actually, I can't think of a reason other than the cost."
Hokuto beamed. "Seishiro, you're rich, right? Why don't you come with us? I'm sure there's plenty of room in the house."
Subaru cut in. "There are only two bedrooms though."
Hokuto gave an evil grin. "That's plenty of room. I'll have one room and you two can share the other."
Subaru blushed bright red and turned to Seishiro, who winked at him.