PART TEN

Reminisce a While Ken

"Do you think Tokiya-kun was alright?" Omi asked me the next morning at the Koneko no Sumu Ie.

"Yeah, that guy never returned to the apartment last night. He missed all the thrills," Yoji approached us, successfully escaping a blond-haired sophomore with super sticking magnet ability.

I shrugged. "All I know is that he's had enough thrills with that red-haired guy to last him ten missions. And when I tried to approach him a few minutes after he fell, Fuuko and some other guys with a gorilla wearing a nose ring were fussing all over him. I figured best not to stick my nose where I wasn't wanted."

Omi cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, but--"

"Tokiya's too injured to work. Don't keep your hopes up," Aya suddenly approached him, handing him a pot of roses.

I turned to look at Aya, just as he walked back to the window and stared outside. Again.

Omi took the pot to a corner of the shop.

"Well, whatever's up with that kid, he'd better show up. I'm still waiting up for him, 'coz man am I beat! I need a replacement for a while," Yoji sighed.

I nodded. "Not to mention these girls actually lessen when he's around since some of them run to him," I remarked, smirking.

He grinned. "Yep, yep," and he returned to his work. I looked out the door. I knew Tokiya was strong, but I had to admit that he had quite a battle yesterday. Hopefully, that kid'll recover soon.

Tokiya

I tugged on my shirt, trudging to the flower shop. I wasn't heading for that place to work. My body was too exhausted to handle another whole day of annoying hordes of girls. I was heading there because of what Fuuko had told me when I woke up this morning with her breakfast.

Her eyes were pleading; I couldn't refuse. And after all, I knew that what she had wanted was for the best. Both for team Hokage and the Weiß Kreuz.

She had given me her cutest smile, batted her eyelashes, and asked me to re-join the Hokage.

I had hesitated, and before I could have said no, she had pulled my collar and kissed me. I knew it was bribery or something like that, but I couldn't do anything about it. It worked. It sure damn worked.

No wonder Domon and Fujimaru were all over her from the beginning. She was too manipulating.

I rounded the corner, and I could almost see the shop. I never really wanted to leave Weiß. I never really thought of returning to Hokage. It was all just for Fuuko.

I paused in front of the shop and looked up at the sign. I sighed.

Here we go.

Aya

I cursed silently; dissatisfied at the amount of money I had received. Sometimes, you just had to kill more people.

Tokiya had unexpectedly entered the shop five minutes ago. Omi and the other two approached him at once, checking to see if he was alright or something. I didn't really care less about that. Much as a little part of me wanted to know, too, I couldn't bring myself to really care.

What was the point of asking him if he was okay? He was there. He was in pretty good shape. He came. He made it. Weren't those enough to answer that meaningless question?

I looked back outside. The weather had gotten pretty colder, and people outside were wrapped in their coats, rubbing their arms in their efforts to keep themselves warm. Yes, it was still early in the morning, but the sky was an undesirable shade of gray. It would pretty much rain soon.

~*~

"Listen, uh, there's something you guys need to know," Tokiya was telling the others in the background.

"What's that supposed to be?" Ken asked.

~*~

What the heck.

I just wanted to get my katana at the throats of more people tonight. More assassination meant more cash.   

Then I would be able to pay that crappy hospital bill.

Aya-chan would snap out of it all.

She'd be able to live a normal life again.

I clenched my fist at the thought of oneechan.

I should have gotten out of the debris much earlier.

I should not have fallen unconscious.

I should have stayed at her side before the explosion.

I should have knocked her out of the car's way.     

I should have been the one in a coma instead of her.

I should have.

Damn all the 'should haves'. They don't change anything.

Damn that Taketori. I'd kill that wretched excuse for a pathetic human being.

Only then would my soul be satisfied.

~*~

"Fuuko had talked to me about it."

"What did she say?"

"Yeah, spill it out already, Tokiya."

~*~

Would your soul be satisfied?

I blinked, letting my thoughts decide.

No, it wouldn't. And neither would your sister's.

Don't be silly. Yes, it would. It's all you've ever desired for since the accident.

It may be what you desire, but not what your oneechan would.

Are you kidding? She'd actually be happy you wiped out the blasted freak.

Revenge?

You bet.

No. Just like Tokiya had said the other night. It wouldn't be what your sister would like.

But wouldn't it be awesome to watch Taketori suffer more than you and your sister did?

No, it wouldn't. It wouldn't mean anything.

Yes, it would! It would mean that the freak had finally paid.

What meaning would there be in making him pay?

That way he would get a taste of his own medicine.

Then what?

Then you and Aya-chan would finally be happy.

Just why would Aya-chan be happy?

The idiot who caused pain to her family would be dead!

She wouldn't want anyone to be dead, as much as possible.

Maybe not any ordinary person, but she'd want Taketori to be!

She'd despise it if she learned that you paid her bill by assassination.

I rubbed my forehead, confused. Why had I ever talked to Tokiya that night? If I hadn't then my mind wouldn't be having second thoughts.

~*~

"She…she wants me to return to Hokage," Tokiya continued to the others.

"Nani?!?"

"No way."

~*~

Oneechan…

It wasn't her fault…it never was. Why did she have to suffer? Why did she have to get involved? She never did anything wrong. It had just been her birthday…and she was just innocently coming home from the carnival…

I shut my eyes close. It just wasn't fair…it made no sense…

Then again, neither would avenging her.

Damn.

Damn.

~*~

"It's for the best. Hokage needs five members; and Weiß Kreuz is better off with four," Tokiya reasoned.

"Yeah, well, we do manage pretty well with only four guys, but, five's better, right?"

"Admit it, Yoji. It's the Dark Water you want, that's all."

"No, no. We're not after the orb anymore. It wasn't what we were supposed to get anyway in the first place. We've found what we were looking for, and it definitely isn't the one you possess."

"So desu ka…well, then…I really have to leave."

"Why does Fuuko's words affect you too much, anyway, Mikagami?"

"Um…uh…nothing. I just had to grant a lady's request."

"Yeah, right."

"…"

"No witty comeback, Tokiya?"

"…"

"Tokiya…?"

"Nevermind. Look, I really have to go. See you."

"That's okay, man. Thanks for all your help anyways. Sorry we had to bother you about that psychic device in the first place."

"Yeah, well…"

" 'Kay, we'll see you around."

"Don't forget to bring Fuuko here once in a while!"

"Put a sock in it, Yoji-kun."

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Don't get all grouchy again, alright?"

~*~

The sound of the chimes brought me out of my reverie.

"Hey, Aya-kun, Tokiya just said he'd be comin' back to his old team," Omi looked at me.

I ignored him and walked over to Tokiya.

He paused at the doorway, cocking his brow at me.

I stopped in front of him. Neither of us said anything for a while. But I figured it was best to tell him what I had wanted to say before something happened again.

"Tokiya," I looked at him and thought over all the things he had made me realize about Aya-chan. Much as I wanted to deny it, he was right.

He was damn right.

"Thanks, kid."