Chapter 2
Sometimes Fuuma isn't sure what Subaru is trying to teach him. But he has the basics of exorcism by now, even if he wouldn't dare to actually take on an angry ghost by himself. The sakurazukamori things come more sporadically, mostly when Subaru is in a bad mood. Most of it is ridiculously complicated and not nearly as easy as Seishirou made it look. Fuuma starts to think it would be better to just get a gun.
The two of them exists on the edges of society, either called in when nothing else helps or quietly coming to remove a threat and then disappear again. Fuuma prefers it that way. He doesn't watch TV or read newspapers anymore. Everything comes back to the great disaster and he doesn't want to know, doesn't want to hear the stories of the survivors. But the near end of the world left a lot of work for both the Sumeragi and the sakurazukamori. It seems like they will never run out of work. Subaru's relatives work too, cousins whose names constantly escapes Fuuma and who are terrified of the head of the clan. Fuuma can't blame them. Subaru never looks happy to see them. But those relatives never worried Fuuma. The grandmother, former head of the clan, is the scary one.
He greets her as politely as he can possible can. But he knows better than trying to have a less formal conversation with her. He tried once. It had seemed like a good idea. The two of them were the people who worried about Subaru. They should combine their efforts to make him better. But the old witch had looked at him like he was something nasty Subaru had found in the sewer.
"I know exactly what who you are," she had said. "I would tell you to stay away from my grandson if I thought it would help. But you are not welcome in my home."
"Subaru is ten years older than me," Fuuma had protested. "If anything, he is the bad influence on me."
And that was of course the worst thing he possible could have said. The witch was in a wheelchair and she still kicked his ass. Not physically of course but with summoned doves who tried to pick his eyes out. A year ago he could have taken her easily. Thinking about that didn't exactly mend his pride. If he stayed behind in the car it would be like admitting she had won. But Fuuma tries to not think about the way he uses Subaru as a shield between them.
Today's conversation between Subaru and his grandmother begins friendly with the two of them talking about Sumeragi business. Subaru has been frighteningly effective in his exorcisms and police consultations. Then comes the dreaded subject of Subaru's second job. Fuuma redraws slightly, fiddling with his wristwatch behind Subaru. He never liked conflict.
"I don't have a personal life," Subaru hisses. "I can hold three jobs if I cared."
"But," his grandmother begins and Subaru interrupts again.
"I never asked anything of you, except to be left alone. You know there must be both Sumeragi and Sakurazuka to protect Japan. Darkness, light, balance and all that. You were the only who taught me that."
"It was never supposed to be the same person."
"I can't change it now," Subaru says and his voice drips of poison. Fuuma wishes he could see his face. "And you really don't need to hear this Fuuma."
Fuuma isn't sure if he wants to hear the rest or not so he does as Subaru wants and waits in the car.
All the emotional de-attachment had washed away during the conversation. Subaru strides out of the house with murder in his eyes. Fuuma quickly gets out of the car. He has seen this kind of mood before, in himself, and he doesn't want to be on the other side of it. Especially not in a closed space like the car. There is a bus station not far away…
Around Subaru the grass begins to wither very slowly. When he gets closer Fuuma recoils from the heat emerging from the older man. The surface cracks when Subaru lays his hand on the car. Finally Fuuma understands why Subaru is always so muted, so quiet and controlled. What he actually feels is too much to deal with.
"What happened?" Fuuma asks a normal question in a normal voice.
"How dares she," Subaru says, quietly and furiously. "She wants to make one of my talentless cousins into the new head of the family. That will not happen. Why does she even suggest such a thing?"
Subaru sounds so genuinely hurt that Fuuma bits down all the things he could have said. It seems like only Subaru doesn't see a problem with having a Sumeragi who murders people on his part time job.
"I guess she is worried about you," Fuuma weakly suggests. There is no sane thing to say really.
Subaru gives him a poisonous glance.
"She is worried about her precious reputation. People don't know I am the sakurazukamori. She shouldn't worry."
"I don't think it's the reputation. I think she doesn't like that you kill people." Damn sensibility, the old witch has a point.
"People who deserves to die, who needs to die."
"Like that little girl?"
"I'm not having this conversation again," Subaru says, like they were having a lovers spats and not a serious disagreement over murdering children. "Better to deal with a problem in time than to wait until the disaster already happened."
"It doesn't make it alright."
"Says you, who destroyed half of the city. The reason everyone in Tokyo lost at least a family member or friend. I am the one exorcising the ghosts of your games. If anyone know you were responsible you would have been hunted down by an angry mob long ago. Think about that while you walk home."
Subaru pushes him aside and gets into the car. Fuuma just stares. It's like Subaru has transformed in front of his eyes, into yet another person who hates him for what he never asked for and couldn't control. Before Fuuma can collect his thoughts again Subaru has driven off.
