A/N: This story will end in a few chapters. Thanks to all the reviews who gave this story a chance and I hope you check out the rest of my fics in my profile. Leave me commentary to tell me you enjoyed them.

EDIT: Grammar mistakes

-Lucicelo

Chapter 11

Hiroki wiped down his new desk with a lemon scented cleaner and then placed his supplies back onto their place. He grew used to having to deeply clean his home every Sunday. Otherwise, the dust set onto the furniture and it was more trouble to clean it. Besides, he liked keeping the house up to date on everything. The state of the home was his top priority. He brought in a plumber and an electrician to check the interior of the home. So far, nothing seemed out of place and no replacements were required.

He set aside a good percentage of his check in savings before he bought more furniture and any essential items. His parents taught him to save as much money as possible in case of emergencies. Despite his lavish upbringing, they brought down the realities in life. Nothing stayed guaranteed and he needed to think up ahead. Due to his dismissal, his savings proved helpful in setting him up for life in the countryside.

The thought of his coworkers finding out about his new living area brought a snort out of him. They all saw him as a city boy. Where he had no idea how to survive in the countryside and he'd suffer from his new surroundings. A big miscalculation on their part. He spent his summers and free time with his grandparents in their home. His knowledge in handling this home came as second nature to him.

Tossing the rag into the bucket, he stretched his arms above his head. He went downstairs and checked up on Nowaki whose attention stayed on tv. In the morning, Nowaki went on another patrol which lasted an hour. When he returned, Nowaki greeted him again and plopped in front of the tv. Eagerly awaiting another recommendation on a new show to watch.

Nowaki let out a bellow of giggles, he turned to stare up at Hiroki. "It's too bad this is the last season of this comedy. Are there any more like this one?"

Hiroki scoffed. "You are entertained through anything." He rolled his shoulders and rubbed his muscles with his hands. "I'm sure there are reruns which have premiered on that channel. I can always research the listings online. Good thing I finished my writing quota for the day so I don't mind researching on my free time."

"You don't have to spend so much time searching for results." Nowaki fiddled with the bangles on his wrists. "Anything you recommend to me will be fine. I enjoyed the shows I watched so far."

"Alright. Don't blame me if I end up picking something that's not good. I'm usually bad at recommendations. These last few shows were pure luck." He went inside of the kitchen. "Ugh...I'm always cleaning around here." Hiroki hauled the bucket in his arms and placed it underneath the sink. "No wonder I loved living in an apartment. I didn't have to worry about dust collecting on larger surfaces. I never had a need to bring in company to my place."

"You don't have to keep it so spotless. It looks amazing and no dust gathers on the furniture. Besides, your grandfather won't rise from the spirit realm due to negligence. He passed on through the light without any trouble. I watched him leave with your grandmother. She waited for him. He died without any regrets."

"You're just trying to get me reprimanded." Placing his hands on his hips, Hiroki huffed. "You have never gotten hit by a rolled up newspaper. He's ruthless when he's pissed."

Nowaki smiled. "Here I thought you were not so spiritual."

"Well, I can see you just fine. I had some inkling feeling ghosts roamed about, I just never saw them." Hiroki coughed into his hand. "Any sign of that dark apparition you told me about?"

Nowaki answered. "Not at all. All my patrols have given me nothing. Everything is normal. In my opinion, it seems this spirit passed onto another town or it receded from where it came from. Why? Are you worried it would come back?"

Hiroki crossed his arms over his chest. "Well...I wondered what happened to the one that attacked me."

"It's gone." Nowaki assured him. "I dealt with it and it's all gone."

"Good. I don't need to think about that thing while I'm trying to write." Hiroki switched through the channels and saw a happy movie. "This one is more kid friendly. You don't mind right?"

Hiroki tripped on a root on his way through the woods. His books flew all over the place as he fell onto his hands. Tears prickled his eyes from the pain as he rolled on his back. He checked his hands and saw some small cuts. When he moved his leg, his knee ached. He imagined his grandparents reprimanding him for not checking where he stepped. The unkempt forest hid plenty of objects for him to trip over. His books had dirt in between the pages!

Sitting up, Hiroki wiped the tears from his eyes. He tried not to let his emotions get the better of him. Going back with red eyes would tip off his grandmother and she would fuss over him. He saw a familiar red yukata and he stared up into a pair of bright blue eyes.

"It's going to be alright." A soothing voice told Hiroki as he held his knee to his chest. "Everything will be okay. No damage. You'll live."

Hiroki sniffled, he stared down at the scrapped bleeding skin. "Yeah right...Wa-chan my grandma will be mad at my ripped jeans. She will tell mama tomorrow when they have their morning call. My knee is hurting too..."

Wa-chan chuckled and ran his fingers through Hiroki's hair. "You just want me to console you. Silly boy. You just need to ask me. I don't mind kissing your cuts and protecting you. That's why I'm here, to shadow your safety."

Hiroki hid his face into his folded legs. "You make this dumb face whenever I ask you for help."

"Dumb?"

Hiroki peeked up and saw the grin Wa-chan sported. "That face. You smile way too much."

Wa-chan crouched in front of Hiroki and told him. "Should I frown while I'm with you?" Hiroki shook his head. "But you said I smile way too much. I want what's best for you. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

Hiroki muttered. "I like it when you smile."

"Good! I love it when you smile as well Hiro-chan!" Wa-chan hovered his hand over Hiroki's knee. "I can heal it just enough so your grandma doesn't notice. Put your hands out."

"She'll still see the ripped jeans." Hiroki watched Wa-chan use his powers to heal his wound. He held up his hands and Wa-chan moved onto his hands. "Well...unless I stuff it in the attic space. I'll bathe and then put on my pajamas before she says anything."

Wa-chan tried not to laugh. "This sudden urge to bathe will get her attention."

Hiroki turned his attention on his books as he huffed. "Those books are ruined now."

Wa-chan waved his hand and the book collected into one pile. "Not exactly. The ground is dry and I'm sure you can dust them off." They landed into Hiroki's awaiting hands. "Just try to bring your backpack next time."

Hiroki cradled the books to his chest. "I will! Do you want me to read the story now?"

"Sure."

Nowaki observed Hiroki moving around in his sleep. A new aspect which Hiroki never did while he dreamed. Whenever he caught him, Hiroki flopped over on his futon and drooled. Growing curious, he floated closer to him. His murmurings grew louder and Nowaki hearing him mutter the name Wa-chan. He leaned in closer and heard the name again. His eyes prickled with tears, Hiroki started to remember the moniker he used when they met.

Rubbing his eyes, he reached out his hand and trailed his fingers along Hiroki's exposed arm. He exuded no warmth from his fingertips. Hiroki's skin goose-pimpled. He sighed. Whenever he spent hours with Hiroki, he forgot about he lived no longer. Losing his focus caused him to phase through Hiroki's body, causing a panic in the novelist. Hiroki confessed he felt like his inner body shivered from the action.

The moment he saw Hiroki kneeling in front of his grandfather's grave, he almost passed through the cemetery. He thought it was a random occupant of the town. Until, he checked the person even further and recognized the child he interacted with throughout the summer. Countless summers of fun where he shadowed him as he traveled along the creek side, a book nestled underneath his arm pit. He almost ran toward him and materialized to hold him tight. When Hiroki's gaze stopped at him, he noticed his distrustful eyes.

This hurt him deep in his soul. The little boy who once ran toward him, sporting a huge grin, trusted him no longer. Once he gained his trust, Hiroki warmed up to him. Faster than he expected but this delighted him. He hoped that some unconscious feeling told Hiroki to place his trust onto him.

Either way, he went out of his way to check up on him. When he saw grandpa Kanno's home, he smiled in nostalgia. The old man saw him around the same age as Hiroki. He saw him grow up and court grandma Kanno. After he grew older, he started chastising him, forgetting the age gap between the both of them. He meant well and loved his family. Although, in later years, the man's eyesight prevented him from seeing him. Not that it stopped him from stapling newer talismans outside of his home.

Grandma Kanno humored Hiroki's imaginary friend. She claimed she had her own when she lived in the nearby town. He knew about that imaginary friend, a fellow guardian, she spoke of the vivacious girl with fondness. In her town, more kids saw this guardian and listened to her advice in staying in groups whenever they left their homes. This carried on into their adulthood.

In this town, the older generation started dying out and the children carried an innocence to the world. These people saw him and didn't question his existence. Hiroki's ability to see him didn't disappear. He didn't know the exact reason. Hiroki told him that he saw no apparitions in the city he used to live in. Maybe a chill developed but nothing formed before his eyes. He assumed that Hiroki's constant stress blocked his eyes.

At the sight of Hiroki's tears, Nowaki moved away from him. His kept his hands to his sides. No use trying to comfort him. Hiroki held his pride in a high standard. The knowledge of someone seeing his tears would embarrass him.

He got up and went toward the window. His attention went toward the bell which signaled his arrival or blew around from a gust of wind. Those chimes gave no accurate report, not when anything activated them. Although, he heard them during every single one of his arrival. Those little bells packed a serious punch when they clanked against each other.

Channeling his power, he spread it throughout the town, beyond the perimeter. Nothing surfaced through his traps or his power. He relaxed in his spot and placed his attention back onto the bells.

Hiroki awoke to tears trickling down the corners of his eyes. The haze of sleep left him as he stared up at the ceiling of his living room. He wiped his tears with his pillow and held his blankets close to his face. Inhaling the freshness of his blankets relaxed him from his dreams. He reached down and touched his knee, feeling nothing out of place. No injury, no aching.

The nostalgia hit him full force. For some reason, he forgot about this Wa-chan character. When he stopped going to this town, the memories swept away into the recesses of his mind. Stresses of high school and university ran through, taking his attention away from anything else. His life outside of that town reduced into nothing more than fun summers where he played in the woods.

The one characteristic which stuck out about Wa-chan were the bright blue eyes. He remembered his family telling him to stay weary of strangers. More so in the city where the population was higher than in smaller provinces. Wa-chan did nothing to provoke his instinct to run away from him. His calming aura and gentle smile earned his trust. He laid no hands on him.

He turned his head and saw Nowaki poking the bells at his window. His playful smile clear for display. It seemed he strayed away from the attention of the television or returned from another patrol. He guessed Nowaki turned off the tv to stop him from waking up from his sleep.

As he stared at him, he noticed the abundant similarities between Wa-chan and Nowaki. He wracked his brain for a clearer image of Wa-chan. Through waking up, the memories of his dream passed into nothingness. He recollected the peace and happiness at staying at Wa-chan's side. The same feelings he developed when spending time with Nowaki.

Cursing in his mind, he tossed his sheets off of him and sat up. This caught Nowaki's attention as he waved at his direction. Hiroki brushed down his bangs to cover his eyes. He tried stopping another set of tears. His usual method of bottling up everything didn't work. It made it worse.

Nowaki asked him without thinking. "Are you alright Hiroki-san?"

Hiroki shrugged his shoulders before he got up on his feet. He averted his eyes and sniffled. "I'm going to make some dinner. Leave me alone for a while." He shuffled away into the adjacent room, closing the sliding door behind him, leaving Nowaki staring at his retreating back.

Nowaki bit the inside of his cheek. "Okay." He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I shouldn't have said that...he hates someone catching him when he cries."

Shinobu entered his father's office and shut the door behind him. He dropped his backpack on the floor as he walked around a chair. "Can you please make this short father? I have to attend another study group this evening back at T university. These guys get annoyed at people who arrive late. No one likes wasting their time due to someone barging through the doors."

Shinobu's father let out a deep breath and spoke. "Tell me you didn't do it."

"Do what?" Shinobu went to one one of the plush seats and sat down. "If this is about my class transfer, I didn't need that class for my degree. I talked it over with my counselor and he agreed with my choice. He suggested a different alternative class for next semester. I'll have my whole schedule in your desk before the semester starts."

"Tell me you didn't frame Hiroki Kamijou." Dean Takatsuki kept his voice leveled and under control. His disbelief at the thought of his son acting out such a crime took over his thoughts. "I don't want to believe the accusation their lawyer told me but-"

"No! How dare you think I had anything to do with that?! I didn't even know Kamijou was fired until Miyagi told me." Shinobu snapped as he stood up from his seat. "My aspirations are in law! I can't pursue a degree in law through committing crimes! What evidence do they have against me? I'm sure it's nothing which really connects me."

"Your fingerprints were on the envelope." He explained and added in. "And another student from your same university."

Shinobu sat back down. Frustration filled his body and he wanted nothing more than to hit something. He made sure to go through his day without angering too many people. His last name gave people the clue on the identity of his father. Plenty of students asked him about his relation to Dean Takatsuki from Mitsuhashi. He waved them away, they had ulterior motives and he wanted nothing to do with them.

None of the people in his study group stood out to him. All of them remained focused on their assignments and asked nothing outside of their class. They held the same goal in graduating with high grades and get into their respective careers. No one played when it came to their education. Such pettiness left the door when they stepped foot in their university.

Not that it stopped people from sabotaging others.

During his visit to Miyagi's office, the professor explained what happened to Hiroki Kamijou. The photoshopped images landed Hiroki an immediate dismissal from a job where his department respected him. No one spoke ill of the other and traded tips on teaching their classes. Hiroki's sort of rival, Tsumori, liked their competition in keeping a top notch class.

The secret nature of Hiroki's dismissal raised eyebrows. It brought out a protective shield for the literature department. He caught other professors keeping their distance whenever they greeted him. Everyone guarded themselves from revealing anything which might jeopardize their own jobs. Miyagi and Tsumori kept the real version to themselves. Better than revealing anything and making the tension worse.

One thing he knew for certain, he didn't know how to use photoshop. His interest in the arts limited down to projects in school. Nothing to do with his own personal needs.

Shinobu inquired. "Wait...Which student?"

"I think it was a Jiro Takeshi? I'm not sure. I stayed on focus on trying to clear your name. I don't care about the other student."

Shinobu scratched the back of his head. "I don't think I know someone with that name. What type of envelope did this person use for the blackmail? It might help me remember something...anything."

"A manila envelope." He answered. "Try hard to remember. Is there anyone who might want to harm Kamijou? I held him up to a high standard so this whole scenario came as a shock to me. We have to resolve this before the investigators want to involve the authorities into this."

"Wait..." Shinobu sat up straight. "I remember there was this stressed out looking guy who needed envelopes. Something about sending physical photos to a family member in another province. He was in a hurry and asked around my group. I had some left over from when I used to send you guys small souvenirs in the mail so I gave one to him." Shinobu gripped the ends of his sleeves. "That fucking bastard! He is trying to frame me. Such a shit job in putting his own fingerprints on the thing."

Dean Takatsuki felt a weight dropping from his shoulders. "Thank goodness. I feared the worst when that woman told me the findings. I defended your honor against her. I knew you wouldn't jeopardize your future career over photos. I have to know this for sure, do you have anything against Hiroki Kamijou?"

"No! I'm one of the few who thinks he taught his students well. I've met some of his ex students, they thank him for his toughness and prepared them for harder papers. In my opinion, the ones who write bad reviews couldn't handle the course and received a bad grade." Shinobu explained while bouncing his leg. "Is this going straight to police?"

"I'm not sure, she said there were investigators researching this case. I'm guessing they are private investigators who want to solve this case without this breaking to the public."

Shinobu scowled. "I'll provide my school and meeting schedule with my study group. I'm not having that fool ruin my life because of whatever vendetta he has against Kamijou."

TBC