Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapters
(A/N: Sorry for the very late update. School caught up to me and the last two weeks were filled with midterms and papers. Anyway, here's the latest chapter and thank you so much for being patient with me. Also, thank you for those who reviewed, put me on alert, or chose my story as a favorite. :D )
Chapter 10: Ayano's Disaster
"A-A-Ano, Watasumi-san?"
Yumiko looked up from her notebook to find a nervous looking girl fidgeting in front of her.
"Is there something wrong Kaho-san?" she asked, concerned. The girl flushed and shook her head.
"Ayano-san told me to tell you that she's waiting outside. She told you to hurry up."
Yumiko sighed and closed her notebook. "Thank you, Kaho-san. I'll go out right now."
She stood up and began packing her bag while the other girl fled the room. Yumiko hummed under her breath as she packed up and slipped into her light jacket. The fall had turned chilly as winter crept up, and today was one of the days. Yumiko stopped to switch her shoes, waving goodbye to a few people who called to her. She wandered out of the school building to find Ayano staking around, with Kazuma leaning against the customary Kannagi black car, bundled up the same way she was. His lips twitched and his eyes softened as he noticed her.
"Well, it's about time," Ayano huffed once she caught sight of Yumiko. "Otou-san wants to speak to me about something important and Kazuma, unfortunately, has to drive me home."
Yumiko sent her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I missed so many days of school that I had to stay back to catch up."
Ayano didn't answer and turned around to open the passenger door. She slipped in without another word, leaving Kazuma and Yumiko to greet each other. Her sheepish smiled turn genuine as she wandered up to him. She laid a single hand above his heart and went on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek in greeting.
"Let's go, hmm?" she said happily. "Preferably before Ayano breaks out into another temper."
His hand reached up and threaded his fingers through hers that were above his heart. Kazuma's eyes softened further, squeezing her hand once before letting go. She slipped away from him and moved to the backseat while he walked around the car to the driver's side.
Ayano stayed quiet the entire ride back to her house, uncharacteristically quiet. Kazuma's eyes flickered back and forth between the road and the rearview mirror, watching Yumiko through the mirror. Yumiko studiously kept her gaze out of the window, but the corners of her lips twitched upwards, feeling his eyes on her every once in a while.
They soon arrived back at the Kannagi estate. Ayano got out first as soon as the car stopped. The different workers and maids milling about bowed to Ayano as she passed, heading towards the great meeting hall. Kazuma helped Yumiko out of the car, and the two of them watched Ayano leave, amused.
"I have to tell you something," Kazuma said quietly. Yumiko looked at him curiously. "The Soushu has requested me for another mission – at Seiryou Academy."
Yumiko raised an eyebrow. "Really now? How obedient of you."
"It is not about obedience. Surely you heard about the rumors."
"I hear a lot of rumors, it is school. So be more specific."
"Tragedies at the school. The Soushu believes it to be the workings of a Hitodama."
"A Hitodama?" Yumiko repeated, her eyebrows furrowed. "I haven't sensed anything."
"Apparently," Kazuma said dryly, "he believes that the thing does not have any malicious intents."
"Then what about these tragedies?'
"I didn't say that I believed him."
"So where does your part come in?"
Kazuma sighed. "He has appointed me as Ayano's propriety bodyguard."
Yumiko's jaw dropped, her eyes wide in surprise. "Bodyguard?"
Kazuma gave her a pained look, as if he too, could not imagine what was a happening. A tiny giggle escaped from Yumiko before she could stop it. She clamped both hands over her mouth, but her body racked with silent laughter. Kazuma looked at her, his lips jutted out in a tiny pout as she continued to laugh at him. When he saw that she was not going to stop anytime soon, he turned on his heels and began walking the same direction that Ayano had, toward the meeting hall, leaving Yumiko next to the car, laughing out loud.
"Hold up Kazuma!" Yumiko called after him. She lightly jogged to catch up with the put off man. "I didn't mean it, truly. But surely you know what the Soushu is trying to do with you and Ayano."
Kazuma stopped and turned around to face her. "Now what are you talking about?"
Yumiko began playing with the ends of her hair. "He's trying to set you up with Ayano."
"….What?"
She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, teasingly glaring at Kazuma. "Okay, this is what I've figured out. My Contractor secret has been revealed so now everyone knows that we're both Contractors."
"What does being Contractors have to do with anything?"
"Put yourself in his shoes. Two Contractors – none of which will answer to him because one has renounced him and the other has no link to him whatsoever. So what will he do to make sure that the Kannagi family will survive?"
"Convert one to his side…" Kazuma murmured.
"And what better way to do this than dangle a potential relationship with the future Soushu, who also happens to be his daughter, in front of the strongest of the two Contractors?" Yumiko said pointedly.
Kazuma shook his head. "He's not that scheming."
"We'll see about that," Yumiko said. "You want to bet? I say that he's going to find some way to make me unable to accompany you two tonight."
His eyes narrowed. "Fine. I win and you own me a favor."
"I win then you owe me a favor," she countered back.
"Deal."
"Deal."
Kazuma slid open the door to the meeting hall, causing Ayano's head to snap toward them.
"What are you doing here?" Ayano said, annoyed. "I'm in the middle of a very important conversation with the Soushu."
"Don't get so uptight," Kazuma smirked. "If something happens, it's not like I won't protect you, so loosen up."
Ayano recoiled as if he hit her. "D-D-Don't tell me…my bodyguard is…" She swung her helpless gaze at her father, who merely sipped at his hot tea calmly.
Kazuma walked over, his hands in his pockets while Yumiko bounded right in, happily sitting down in front of the Soushu.
"It's so nice to meet you Kaanagi-sama," Yumiko said happily. The older man blinked, visibly shaken by the water user.
"I refuse!" Ayano suddenly cried out.
The Soushu set his tea aside. "Then you leave me with no choice. I suppose I would have to defer it to the Metropolitan Police's Special Reference Inspection Section then."
Ayano stopped and her left eye began to twitch.
Yumiko turned her head to look at Kazuma. "Kirika?" she mouthed to him. Kazuma nodded.
"I'm kidding," Ayano burst out nervously, "I'll do it! After all, it's my school. I can't rely on others."
"Good," Kazuma said, "then let's get going. Yumiko?" He held out a hand to help Yumiko up when the Soushu cleared his throat loudly.
"Yumiko-san, Genma has requested that you stay for dinner tonight," the Soushu said. "Kazuma and Ayano can handle this job quite easily."
Yumiko shot Kazuma an 'I-told-you-so' look. "Of course, Kannagi-sama. That would be no problem at all. I would love to stay."
Kazuma's eyes narrowed and he turned away to stroll out the room, without waiting for Ayano. Ayano hurried left after Kazuma, leaving Yumiko and the Soushu alone. The latter two sat in silence, and the only interruption was the maid, who placed a hot cup of tea in front of Yumiko, and set another down beside Yumiko. She sat demurely, her hands in her lap, with her feet folded underneath her. She picked up the small cup of tea, blowing at the top of the glassy, hot tea to cool it down a bit before taking a sip.
The meeting hall's door slid open once more to reveal a stern looking Genma, his face stoic and unreadable. He sat down next to Yumiko, who bowed to him politely. The silence was deafening, as no one wanted to break the silence. Yumiko stayed pleasantly calm, knowing their plan to stall her as long as possible. She rolled her eyes and set down the cup of tea with a dull 'thud' causing both men in the room to look at her.
"Why don't we just cut to the chase here, shall we?" Yumiko said with a touch of annoyance. Her gaze sharpened and the aura around her changed into a darker and more mature feel. "You have a problem with me and I want to know why. Don't think that I don't know that the only reason I am here right now is because you think that Ayano and Kazuma have a chance to getting together. I might be young, but I a not stupid or naïve. So tell me what is really going on and don't run around in circles."
The two men glanced at each other and Juugo set down his almost empty tea. "There is nothing for you to worry about. I just want Ayano to get to know her cousin a little –"
"Are you really trying to feed me that lie?" Yumiko interrupted him. She scoffed and shook her head. "So you want me to believe that this has nothing to do with the fact that two Contractors are rogue and neither of them have any obligation or link to the Kannagi Clan? Or are you worried that these two Contractors have enough power between the two of them to completely wipe out the Kannagi Clan? So which one is it?"
Neither men answered her so Yumiko knew she hit the nail on the head.
"We know who you are," Genma finally broke the silence that had settled on the three of them after Yumiko said her observation out loud.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?"
"Your surname," Genma continued, "is very unusual and very unique." Yumiko stilled. "It is so unusual that no one has ever heard it in the last thousand years, or at least, that is what we pulled from our archives."
"You have many secrets, Yumiko-san," Juugo rumbled. "When will you tell the truth?"
"Kazuma already knows," Yumiko said calmly. "So there is nothing for you to hold over my head."
"That boy seems to do everything ahead of us," Genma murmured. "He was even able to find a descendant from the ancient Water Dragon Deity Clan – the Watatsumi."
"The last, actually," she corrected him.
"Then you must see how dangerous it is between the two of you," Juugo said persuasively. "If things go wrong –"
"They won't," Yumiko said confidently. "It cannot."
"How can you be so sure?"
"If you searched through your archives then you must have come across the Binding Bond between two Contractors, if there should ever be a need."
The blank looks that the older men sent her made Yumiko sigh.
"Contractors are volatile, unpredictable, and moody. Our moods control our power, much like flame users. Anger fuels the power for Enjutsush, but our power is the opposite. Calmness and concentration fuels ours. Past Contractors have become violent and deadly because of the power they wield, with no one to stop them, so the ultimate way to deal with them, is to kill them. One of the reasons why they become deadly is because there is no other Contractor to offset them. A Binding Bond does just that. I am linked with Kazuma and he to me. Should one of us become dangerous, it is the duty to the other to stop them."
Silence settled against them once more, as Juugo and Genma drank in the new information.
"So your relationship to Kazuma is the obligation because of a bond?" Genma asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yumiko gaze became ice cold. "I never said that. We were involved before we made the bond."
"Excuse me," a female voice called from outside. "Dinner is ready to be served, Soushu-sama."
Meanwhile…
Ayano let out a low scream as the shining, sparkly, ball thing they were chasing after smacked her right in the face, causing her to fall backwards haphazardly.
"The way she falls," Kazuma said exasperatedly, "just has no sex appeal to it at all."
"That's because she's Ayano-chan," Yukari said sheepishly.
"Ah, that's pretty convincing," Kazuma agreed.
"How come?" Ayano bemoaned.
Dinner was a tense affair as it was the three of them alone. No one said a word as they ate, the silence choking. Yumiko ate heartedly, making small noises of pleasure, as she tasted the wonderfully cooked foods. The maids had just taken their plates away when Yumiko got funny feeling from her bond with Kazuma. A feeling of dark amusement filtered into her, causing her to sigh outwardly as she realized that Ayano must have been tortured somehow for him to feel amusement. She stood up, drawing everyone's eyes to her.
"Thank you for the delicious dinner, but I'm afraid I have to go now," Yumiko announced. She bowed slightly at the waist to the men before turning around to head out.
"There is a car out front for you to use," Genma called out to her. She turned around slightly to give him a big smile in thanks.
"Does this mean that you approve Genma?" Juugo asked once the girl left.
"She's good for him," Genma said simply, "and he for her."
It was almost pitch black by the time she arrived to the school. Shrouded in darkness, the school looked more intimidating than ever.
"No wonder some horror movies take place in schools," Yumiko murmured as she crept inside.
The halls were dark, with tiny, minuscule noises sounding up and down the halls. Yumiko shivered as a slight cool breeze was suddenly stuck up. She followed her link to Kazuma down a dark hallway. A single small light seemed to creep underneath a door at the end of the hallway.
"There he is," she said to herself. Just as she took a step forward, something brushed up against her legs, causing her to squeal and run full pelt down the hallway to the door.
The four in the classroom looked up in alarm as they heard pounding footsteps head towards them. The three girls on the floor stood up, with Ayano in front of Nanase and Yukari, with a fireball ready in her hands. Kazuma merely opened his eyes to look at the door, but did not straighten up from his relax stance against the blackboard. The door slide open and a rushing mass ran into the room. Ayano flung the fireball at the mass, but Kazuma raised a hand just in time to blow it out, while his other arm shot out to grab the thing close to him.
Yumiko trembled violently against Kazuma's chest as she took deep gulping breaths of his scent, sandalwood mixed with cool mint. She clutched at his shirt as he tried to calm her down by rubbing her back soothingly with one hand while the hand twined his fingers into her hair, holding her close to him.
"Yumiko?" Ayano called to her once she realized what the dark mass was. "What are you doing here?"
"I really hate the dark," Yumiko whimpered against Kazuma's calm heartbeat, "and I really hate ghosts."
"You really did not have to come," Kazuma murmured, bending down so that only she could hear him. "This situation would be solved easily."
She shook her head, rubbing her forehead against his shirt and her grip on his tightened. "I'm good, honestly. Just give me a moment."
Yumiko was still trembling, so Kazuma held her closer, letting her rest against him as she tried to get over her fear. He glared at the other three girls, causing them to look away hurriedly. Ayano conjured another ball of fire and Nanase and Yukari held out their jackets to dry.
"How was dinner?" Kazuma said quietly, for her ears alone, trying to distract her.
Yumiko snorted. "Probably as good as nothing. I was right by the way."
"So you were," Kazuma admitted, the corners of his lips turning upwards. "I owe you a favor."
"I told them about the Binding Bond," Yumiko murmured just as quietly. "They found out about my clan."
His grip on her grew tense. "And what do they know about you exactly?"
"Just that I'm the last descendant of the Water Dragon Deity Clan."
"So basically, everything,"
"Just about everything. I haven't told them about…well you know."
"Of course," Kazuma agreed. "They shouldn't have to know until the time is right."
"Can we possibly move on?" Ayano interrupted. Yumiko's trembling had somewhat subsided, so she moved away from Kazuma, but he kept an arm firmly around her.
"The backyard," he said. "The wind has shifted. All of the winds in the premises have gathered in the backyard. Together with its terrestrial energy."
"Why didn't you notice this before?" Ayano asked, annoyed.
The five of them set off, with Yumiko clutching Kazuma's arm tightly as they moved through the halls, with the destination of the backyard in mind.
"Their presence is natural," Kazuma explained as they moved. "They are natural beings that are allowed to exist in this world. Unlike existences such as a Youma or an Onryou, that seeks to disrupt the principles of the world."
"So that's why I didn't notice it," Ayano mused.
Ayano arrived first and opened the door that lead to the backyard. After taking a few steps, she suddenly found her vision dark as a bucket suddenly fell down from above. Yumiko squealed and buried her face into Kazuma's arm, afraid of the unidentifiable mass as it fell down. A ghostly giggle came from above, causing Yumiko to tremble once more.
"You fools!" the bright blob said mockingly. "This is what you get for disobeying my warnings!" The thing laughed creepily, and the bucket on Ayano's head suddenly exploded.
Ayano summoned Enraiha, launching quick series of attacks on the dodging light.
"Don't!" the blob said, "I'm serious."
The light effectively dodged her attacks, and Ayano lit up the sky with bright attacks.
"Isn't this getting out of hand?" Yukari asked, concerned.
Nanase shook her head. "I wouldn't be surprised if the police arrive."
Kazuma rolled his eyes. "That's enough."
Ayano turned around with tears in her eyes. "But…"
"Don't cry just because it was teasing you," he said tiredly.
"You don't know this feeling of humiliation, on having a bucket dropped on your head!"
Ayano collapsed in the ground and began sobbing in earnest.
Kazuma scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "I don't want to know." He turned to address the still-there blob of light. "You're pushing the princess' sanity to it limits. It's time for you to stop your tricks and show yourself."
The creepy laugh rang out again and Yumiko shivered as it sent chills down her spine. "Catch me if you can!" the thing dared him.
Kazuma's strong gust of wind slammed it down to the ground, twice. He encased the thing with his wind, making it impossible for the thing to move, then slowly sucked it in to stop in front of them. Yumiko peaked around his arm to glance at the thing.
The bright light faded, and revealed a dazed looking tiny-fairy like thing.
"A fairy?" Nanase, Yukari, and Ayano said incredulously.
"A Pixie," Kazuma corrected them, "a species of the fairy family. Although they're part of the wind tribe, they're just mischievous pests."
The dazed look disappeared from the Pixie's face and she gave them a sweet smile, followed by a wink. "Call me Tiana."
"Yeah right," Ayano scoffed, getting into the face of the Pixie. "Why did you do this?"
"Because I don't want humans to get too close to it," Tiana explained slowly.
"For your information, this facility is meant to be used by humans."
"I don't know such things," Tiana said, turning her nose up in the air.
Ayano eyes flashed murderously and she raised her sword against the obnoxious Pixie. "You…"
"Ayano, stop," Yumiko called out softly. The mentioned girl hesitated. "I think it's telling the truth."
"But - !"
"Don't act like a child when you're on the job," Kazuma warned her. "You're being more temperamental than usual today." Ayano dropped her sword wordlessly.
Yumiko moved out from behind Kazuma and bent down, gazing curiously at the little Pixie. "You know Ayano, Tiana reminds me a little of you."
Yukari nodded in agreement. "It seems like Ayano-chan and the fairy's mental age is about the same."
"Oh," Kazuma said. "I see."
"Don't compare me to this!" Ayano and Tiana said together, each pointing to the other. They glared at each other. "Don't take my lines!"
Yumiko hid a smile behind her hand. "They really are alike."
Ayano and the Pixie huffed at the same time.
"Don't get so angry," Kazuma said patronizingly. "I'll treat you to a meal next time."
Yumiko nudged him in the side, causing him to look down questioningly. "That might give Ayano the wrong idea," she mumbled. His eyes lit up in a mischievous glint.
"Perfect."
They turned their attention back to Ayano, who was surrounded by Nanase and Yukari, gushing about the nonexistent date.
Ayano walked up to Kazuma and jabbed a finger at him "Y-You better not take me to a fast food shop! You're going to take me someplace you can't afford from the money you earned out of this job! Do you hear me?"
Yumiko giggled while Kazuma looked away, regretting his action already. "As you wish, Your Highness."
"What are you doing here?" Yumiko asked the floating Pixie. Tiana grinned.
"I'm here to grant the final wish of a grandfather whose days are numbered," the Pixie explained.
"Isn't that so sweet," Yumiko cooed. "I read about Pixies. I believe you like chocolate, yes?" Tiana's eyes widened and began nodding fiercely. She began searching through her pockets for the Hershey Kiss she always brought around.
"Don't feed that thing," Ayano protested. Yumiko ignored her and Kazuma simply watched with an eyebrow raised as she handed the Pixie a single Kiss.
Tiana fluttered excitedly as she flew away carrying her load to the dead cherry blossom tree. The Pixie called out to the tree, and more circles of light arose. Together, they created a large circle around the tree. The cherry blossom tree lit up with an unusual light, and tiny cherry blossom began to bloom on the empty branches. Ayano, Yukari, and Nanase watched with amazement, while Yumiko and Kazuma watched with narrowed eyes.
The blossoms bloomed to the fullest and a sudden wind began to blow harshly on the flowers, causing them to break away from the branches, scattering in the wind. Once all the flowers had disbursed, the Pixie lights followed soon after.
"See you!" Tiana called to them as the Pixies flew away.
"We saw something incredible," Yukari sighed.
"The final blossoming of an aging cherry tree, huh?" Nanase agreed.
"Although we too a beating, if it was to protect the sight, I guess we have to forgive them," Ayano nodded.
"They did it for a reason" Yumiko said, popping their pleasant bubble. "Pixies do not do things like this without an alternative motive."
"Why are you such a pessimist?" Ayano turned around, hands on her hips.
Kazuma shook his head. "No she's right. The most effective means of protecting something is to make sure the person you're protecting doesn't notice it. However, we noticed it because those Pixies started to act up. In other words, what the Pixies did was anything short of protecting it."
"Does this mean that the fairy was clumsy?" Yukari asked.
"No, although they are spiteful, they're not dumb."
"Then why?" Nanase questioned.
Kazuma smirked. "Pixies are capricious, hedonistic, and mischievous creatures. In other words, they just wanted to tease people and have fun."
"Which they did with what they did tonight," Yumiko agreed.
Ayano's face flushed. "Those…." She marched off, muttering angry words under her breath, while Yukari and Nanase struggled to catch up.
"Are you worried about this development?" Yumiko asked him.
"No," he answered easily. "This may have been a fluke, nothing to worry about."
She slapped his arm. "Don't jinx anything. You're words always bring trouble to us."
"So do yours," Kazuma shot back.
(A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't seem that interesting, but I promise, this will get us somewhere. Anyway, thank you so much for reading and staying with me.)
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