CHAPTER 3

We all went home that evening after the meeting. I sat on my bed in my apartment and stared at the photo I keep on my bed side table. The photo taken nine years ago: the younger me with the red and black outfit always used to wear, Hokuto-chan, her elbow on my shoulder smiling with her mouth open, and hovering above us is Seishiro-san in his work clothes and hands on my and Hokuto-chan's shoulders. Painful. Every time I see his face, so close to my and Hokuto-chan's. But, not anymore. Hokuto-chan made sure of that with the spell she had cast to protect me.

It's been two weeks already since he died. Maybe his soul is in hell right now…I'll have to meet again if he really is in hell.

Then it hit me. The reaper Kamui and I met…maybe, just maybe, she can let me see her. Perhaps she can show me Hokuto-chan one more time.

"I have to say sorry" I mumbled as my cheeks burned and my nose stung. But I don't think I have anymore tears to cry now. Tomorrow might give me back the strength to cry if the reaper will let me see my dear sister again.

Morning seemed to have come faster with my urge to be reunited with my sister. I met up with Kamui and the others at six o'clock that evening. When Aoki-san arrived we headed straight to the Scramble crossing in Shibuya. Kamui and I sat together on the train, he was worried that I didn't get enough sleep but I said to him I was worried that he didn't sleep well. The rest of the journey was a blur. All I could think about was how I was going to ask the reaper about my request. When we arrived, Kamui and I lead the others to the crossing. We headed down the center crossing through the heavy crowd.

"This is the place" Kamui said. We stood and waited, trying to not get in any pedestrians' way. That's when Nekoi-san saw that the crowd was beginning to become quieter and quieter….

"What the-?" Arisugawa-san looked down and saw that the white lines of the crossing were changing and twisting underneath us as the crowds of people vanished, leaving us in a grey empty space. The crossing had morphed into a crossroad that stretched beyond the grayness. We all looked round and saw nothing but grey and white. Inuki began to growl and Kisyuu-san stared at the path on her right.

"Someone's coming!" she warned. I immediately reached into my inner pocked and pinched the talismans. Kamui shifted to my side, Arisugawa-san stood closer to Kisyuu-san who was ready to summon her sword. Wind blew at our feet, Aoki-san's doing of course, and Nekoi-san stood closer to the still growling Inuki. At first we heard and saw nothing until we heard giggling…

"Heh, you really are well prepared! Perhaps there is hope yet" a voice like glass came from the road we were all facing. A figure appeared out of the grayness. It was her, the Shinigami. Everyone except Kamui and I gasped when they saw her face and features.

"Gosh, she looks almost exactly like you Kamui" Kasumi-san said. Kamui scowled.

"Hmm? Is it bad to look like me? I'll have you know I'm the most beautiful Shinigami in Tokyo" the reaper laughed when she saw that her words made Kamui speechless.

"Hah! She's good!" Arisugawa-san mused "So ojou-chan, what business do you have with us?"

The reaper came closer and stopped when Inuki barked. She simply smiled her angelic smile and bent down..

"May I?" she said to Nekoi-san.

"Um…Sure!" Nekoi-san answered awkwardly. She looked at Inuki and held her hand out.

"I won't hurt you or your friends, calm down ok? The spirits will hear you" she said sweetly. Inuki sniffed and walked back next to his master. We were surprised Inuki listened.

"Where are my manners? It's nice to meet you all Dragons of Heaven. My name is Kamue, yoroshiku" she bowed formally.

"Whoa! Even your names are similar Kamui" Arisugawa-san said.

"Whatever! What do you want?" Kamui asked impatiently. Kamue walked towards Kamui, I shifted closer to him. I couldn't read her expression. She saw my look and smiled again.

"Sumeragi Subaru-san" she called my name "If you let me finish this chat then you can see your sister sooner. She misses you, you know?" my heart missed a beat. I lowered my head and hesitantly moved aside. She walked until she and Kamui were one and a half meters apart. They look way too similar.

"Shirou Kamui. As the guardian of the Shibuya Barrier, I need your help. If this hidden barrier brakes, the end of the world will be sooner than we would like…"