Hi~ everyone. Holy cow, this is a long chapter. I was pouring my imagination out of this. Also, there is a trigger warning for those who have suicide thought, or have experience with it, I would advise/recommend you to skip where you see the bold font of trigger warning start to end, just to be safe. I will leave the side note at the end. With that being said, enjoy the story~! ｡◕‿◕｡
Chapter 2
Mitsuki walked down the street, holding her navy blue school bag as she looked up at the clear blue sky with a soft smile. She thought of her new life in high school, some new. She hoped nothing was the same as always when she entered elementary school and junior high school, her old classmates always avoided her because of her ability to see things that no one else cannot and her yokai trait. Her old teachers and some students always ask her to deal with yokais and spirits that bothers them, after that they avoided her. Only person who awed her ability and her yokai trait was her childhood friend. Speaking of the devil, Mitsuki caught her childhood friend's scent, "Morning Mitsuki!" the female voice called her name causing her white wolf ears to perk up and stopped. She turned around to her right, she saw the girl, she is five feet and three inches tall with shoulder length wavy darker brown hair with her bang sweep on her left by her hairpin. Her eyes are almond shaped brown eyes and round face. Her body figure is lean and slender. Her high school uniform was unisex uniform, white long sleeves standing collar buttoning down from top to bottom, wearing navy blue ties, and her button up black school blazer. Her bottom uniform was black straight leg pants and a dark colored belt around her waist. Her footwear were black penny loafers with white ankle length socks. Mitsuki was facing her as she gave her a gentle smile, "Good morning Sakuya-chan." She politely greeted Sakuya, waiting for her to catch up before they both walked to high school together.
Sakuya Tsukimori is Mitsuki's childhood friend, they both met in the second year of elementary school when Sakuya moved to Kyoto in the middle of first semester. She learned about Mitsuki's abilities and her yokai trait from her classmate, she grew interested and hung out with her a lot. At first, Mitsuki was skeptical and hesitant to befriend her, until her classmate picked on her and Sakuya jumped in to beat up her classmates to defend hanyō. That was the result of bruising Sakuya and beating up students, getting into trouble with the teacher and sent to the principal. They later became best friends after Mitsuki thanked her for defending her, and Sakuya explained why she wanted to hang out with her. She loves to meet yokai, sees her sixth sense interesting, and all of the supernaturals, so she will always have her on her back and would punch everyone for making fun of her.
Mitsuki looked at Sakuya's uniform from top to bottom, her wolf ears went flat, "Is your aunt trying to force you to wear sailor fuku, and you kept saying no?" She asked her to guess why she wore unisex uniform. Sakuya gagged with her tongue sticking out, while holding her school bag over her shoulder, "Like hell I would wear that dumb skirt. I swear my aunt is a pessimist sometimes." She complains about her aunt's pessimism by trying to make her wear a skirt. Mitsuki sighed and smiled sympathetically to her best friend. "Anyway, my uncle got scared last night. He wanted me and Takeru to be home before dark after the witness reported the sight of white wolf tearing a yokai apart and Kiryū-san disappearing. Not to mention both priests and monks' body counts," Said Sakuya as her both arms were resting on the back of her head, while two girls were heading to high school.
Sakuya rarely spoke in an honorific manner, like Mitsuki, she never met Yosuke, but heard of him from her uncle. She mostly speaks in informal speech. She never cared what everyone thought of her.
Perking her wolf ears and looking at her friend in surprising looks, "That's funny, Ō-kannushi-dono told me the same thing, except he said he will make a curfew rule tomorrow after the police interview. He might give me ōfuda for my protection." She examined the curfew she might get the next day. Sakuya groaned of curfew rule, but she couldn't argue because of murderer, body counts, White Wolf attacking Amanojaku, and Yosuke's disappearance with the white beast. "Ugh, here goes our first year of high school. Probably not worse than our previous years. Have you thought of joining the Kyūdo club?" she said to her best friend. Mitsuki shrugged her shoulders, and looked down on the ground "I…I don't know, but I am focusing on my duty as miko. And a possible chance of my sixth sense will make me sense either spirits or yokais' presence." She replied about her planned after school club, but she's afraid it will interfere with her duty. Mostly, her sixth senses will detect the presence. Sakuya scoffed with a wide grin, "Come on, you worried too much. You can ask your future senpai to give you a try out and allow you to do your job schedule. He or she will probably understand your sixth sense, if you tell them." She is rest assured that the Kyūdo club will allow her. Mitsuki looked up to her friend's facw and smiled softly. She reached for the zipper to open her school bag and dug in her bag to pick up her smartphone. She reached in and picked it up, then tapped on the screen to text Taiga, "I can give that a try, and give Ō-kannushi-dono an update about me joining Kyūdo club."
Arriving at Horikawa High School entrance wasn't so bad for both Sakuya and Mitsuki. Mitsuki set her phone on silent, and put it back in her school bag. Girls keep their heads straight up, although they can feel the other students staring at them, mostly from Mitsuki for her unique featureless eyes, wolf ears, and hair. Most of them were whispering, and others were curious. Sakuya grew annoyed, "God, it's always the same." She complained about them. Mitsuki smiled wearly as her silver blue eyes shyly away from students, "I don't think we will see some familiar faces back in junior high." She said optimistically. After she finished, she suddenly stopped and looked alert, her spiritual awareness picking up supernatural aura. Sakuya glanced at Mitsuki, and noticed her best friend's alerting expression as a sign of her spiritual awareness. Mitsuki was about to turn around to locate the source, but Sakuya grabbed her wrist, "Come on," she whispered and dragged her to find a solitude area, "Ah!" Mitsuki let out a squeak to turn her attention away from the school entrance.
The students were wondering about two retreating girls, but one of male students seemed like he recognized them. Unknownst to them, the tall male with messy white hair neck length hair with his bang slightly brush over his eyes was dressed in male school uniform eavesdrops on them after Mitsuki and Sakuya headed to solitude area. "Ah! I know them, that's Kokoromi Mitsuki and Tsukimori Sakuya!" He examined, his three buddies looked at him curiously. He looked at his new friends, "Those two are really odd, I met them last year from junior high school. Kokoromi-san can see the ghosts, and worked at the local shrine as miko." He told them, and one of buddies glanced at where they had gone, "So what the hell is up with the animal shaped ears, hair color, and eye color?" another male asked. "She's actually hanyō, but there were numerous rumors that her biological parents either died, killed, or abandoned her at the shrine. She was raised by the owner of the shrine temple. Nobody knew, including herself and Tsukimori-san, what happened to them, but all we know is her other half is a wolf yokai." He explained to him. The second male student never leaves his brown eyes at two young girls, "Damn, I never seen a hanyō girl in person, but is she that pretty from last year?" He asked him, it seems like he wanted her to be in the same classroom as her. "She is, but I wouldn't get close to her if I were you because I heard she always pushed people and ran away because of spirits nearly attacking our classmate." He warned him not to get close to her, but his buddy was deafened by his words. The third male student looked at his friend, "What about Tsukimori-san?" He asked about Sakuya. He shivered in fear, "Let's just say, Tsukimori-san is a badass girl and a top female athlete. I saw her beating other students shit up for bullying Kokoromi-san. Those two girls are childhood friends, and Tsukimori-san is actually the niece of the police chief in Kyoto. She is currently living with them." He explains about Sakuya's background, this scares them to think of Sakuya able to beat her classmate up. Young boy let out a humming, while holding his navy blue school bag like a backpack and heading to the bulletin board for the homeroom class. He ignored all of the stares from all of the female students, "Hmm, they do go to this high school." He thought to himself as he let out a slight smirk.
"Sakuya-chan, please let me go." Mitsuki cried as Sakuya continued to drag her to the right side of the school building. Sakuya checks around to make sure it's just the two of them, and then she lets go of Mitsuki's wrist after it's just them. Mitsuki looked back from a presence she sensed, then she innocently looked at her best friend, "... Sakuya-chan?" "Is yokai coming to school?" Sakuya asked her about the yokai. Mitsuki furrowed her eyebrow, then placed her finger underneath her chin. The aura she sensed is completely new, and she couldn't identify it. She looked at her in confusion, "I can sense its presence in this school ground. It is new, I might believe it's a rare yokai or possible daiyokai, but I cannot jump to conclusions. I need to find the source and confront one." She replied. Sakuya raised her eyebrow, daiyokai were indeed powerful, but they were hardly spotted. She heard a story about the legendary Wolf Emperor Kiba from her aunt and uncle, and his death along with the human shrine maiden. Only Emperor Kiba's son was alive, but no one ever saw him, not even his name like he disappeared. Her brown eyes glanced up to think of it, "Or maybe another hanyō?" She guessed. Mitsuki blinked, and fiddled her fingers, "I don't know, but like I said I can't jump to conclusions. Come on, we need to look at the bulletin board for the homeroom we will be in." She replied and reminded her to find their name in the homeroom as she turned around and walked back to the front of the high school. Sakuya watched her go, then she smiled with her right hand on her hip, "Okay, and please let us be in the same classroom." She said and prayed to be in the same class as Mitsuki. Mitsuki heard her, she let out a little giggle with her palm covering her lips.
Two girls were in front of the bulletin board to scan the names in each list posted on the board of names and which classroom. Other students were trying to find their names as they either cheered or groaned, but Mitsuki found her name and the homeroom she was going to be in. "I am in 1-B. Sakuya-chan, what homeroom did you get?" She asked her and looked at her. Sakuya scanned her eyes around to find her name, she immediately hugged her enthusiastically and screamed, Mitsuki startled a little as the students looked at them strangely, "Yay! We are in same homeroom!" She lightly screeched, Mitsuki gave her friend a smile for her enthusiasm. Her white wolf ears twitched to pick up some students, "Hey, did you hear about the new guy?" "Oh yeah, I heard he's an exchange student." "My friend said she saw him, he looked super charming and handsome as a first year student. He looked like a model with gorgeous white hair." She heard the gossips as she glanced at a few students, but she wasn't too keen about them. She was skeptical of it. "An exchange student?" She thought as she blinked. She looked at Sakuya, she let go of her hanyō best friend. That was the first time they heard of it. They looked for katakana names, but they couldn't find one. They only found one on Class 1-A. Mitsuki stared at the name, "Kiryū Fenrir?" She said the name, the surname surprised her, the same surname as Yosuke. Sakuya gasped, "Same family name as that old man?" She asked. Mitsuki sighed sadly, Sakuya never was formal to the Temple Master Monk. She will never lecture her best friend, so she will let that go. The short girl shrugged her small shoulder, "I don't know, but I am curious about Kiryū-san. Besides, Kiryū-dono is still missing." She replied and was curious about the mysterious exchange student. Sakuya crossed her arms and tilted her head to think of it. "Maybe he's adopted from another continent and that old man gained his permanent citizenship in Japan for that Kiryū." She guessed. Mitsuki can't be sure, it is either Taiga never met Fenrir, or Yosuke never mentioned Fenrir to both monks and priests. Sakuya sighed and walked away from the crowd as Mitsuki followed her, "Looks, I am curious as you. Maybe we will meet that exchange student at the hallway or at orientation. However, you and I still need to find that aura you picked up earlier, and meet the yokai." She said and reminded her about the presence. Mitsuki softly agreed, she and Sakuya were looking at the booth for joining the club. Mitsuki opened her school bag and noticed her smartphone lit up from her pocket school bag, so she reached it and pulled it out. She got the text message notification from Taiga, so she opened it to read his reply:
"I will allow you to join the Kyudo Club, but you still have to help me at the shrine and possible curfews."
Mitsuki smiled and texted back before she turned on do not disturb. Sakuya signed for the Judo club, and while she signed up for the Kyudo club and explained to club members about her schedule. Two of the club members will inform their captain, and see if she and the captain will arrange it.
"Thank you so much Ō-kannushi-dono, I will let them know~ ( ◠‿◠ )"
"So the white wolf you saw last night was about taller than you and Kiryū-dono?" Ryō asked Taiga at the interrogation room as his colleague wrote the note down. Taiga nodded, "Yes." He softly confirmed, "I believe around 7 centimeters taller than me. I might assume the beast is a male because of his muscular build." He added the description and assumed it to be male beast. Ryō and the fellow police, both dressed in business suits, looked at each other, like their minds were discussing. He looked at Taiga as he interlaced his own fingers in front of his face with his elbow on the table, "You don't believe that white wolf may be the son of the late legendary Emperor Kiba?" He asked him. "I am not too sure, but that beast's aura is too powerful. His aura is new, nothing like daiyokai or yokai I ever since. No one has ever seen his son since his father's death." He replied to recall earlier. The colleague wrote it down, then the cell phone from Ryō's pocket rang that startled them. He reached into the pocket, and gave them an apology look, "Sorry, I will take it from there." He apologized and he got up to exit the interrogation room before answering the phone. The police colleague looked at Taiga as he set the pen down, "Why do you take a breather, until Chief Kūga comes back?" He suggested as he agreed, and he pulled out his cellphone from his hakama. He got the text notification as he unlocked the phone screen and read Mitsuki's text message.
Suddenly the door was slammed open, two men looked up to see Ryō like he had seen a ghost. "Yamakawa-dono! Kiryū-dono… he's here and alive." He said, causing Taiga to stand up in shock, "Is he…" "He's at the front, but been told he looks like he had a rough fight." Ryō replied and set aside to let Taiga go. The head priest got up from a chair, and exited the interrogation room. Ryō looked at his colleague, "Get the tea ready," he ordered as the police got up, "Yes chief." He replied without questioning and left the room.
Ryō and Taiga were heading to the entrance, and found Yosuke sitting on the chair with some gauze wrapped around his right arm with cloth around his arm, and a heavy amount of gauze around his left shoulder. Taiga approached his old friend, "Yosuke-dono…" he in relief called out his name. Yosuke lifted his head and turned his face towards him, giving him a smile, "Ah Taiga-sama, you are here for interrogation I see." He said as he guessed. Taiga lowered his head and tried not to cry, "It was a miracle that you are alive, I thought that beast took you away and probably mawed you." He muttered. Yosuke chuckled lightly, "It is, but that white wolf numbered me. If it wasn't for my foster son interfering and chasing it away, I would have ended up in Nirvana." He said in a bit of a lighthearted tone. Taiga and Ryō looked at Yosuke in confusion, "Foster son?" Ryō asked before he and Taiga looked at each other. The temple monk noticed their confusion, "Oh right, you two didn't know. I was about to tell you two last night, but… you know that whole mess. He is an exchange student from Romania, who I adopted him. He is about the same age as two lovely young ladies, and attending Horikawa High School. He was at first nameless, but I gave him my family name and he came up with his first name." He explains and reveals he has someone to raise with, while he smiled. Taiga blinked and he crossed his arms, "What is his name, if I may ask?" He asked him the name of an exchange student, and Ryō looked at the Temple Monk. Yosuke stood up and looked at both men, "His name is Fenrir, Kiryū Fenrir."
During the assembly for orientation, the principal made the welcoming speech and school staff were on the stage. Mitsuki and Sakuya were sitting next to each other and remained seated like the rest of the students to listen to the principal in his late 50s in a professional business suit. Although Mitsuki shyly looked at her uwabaki like she's interested in a clean polished floor because she can feel the stares from other students, mostly because of her wolf ears and red tip of her hair. Sakuya glanced at her, and lightly elbowed her right bicep, that startled wolf hanyō and looked at her. She lowered her voice, "You okay?" She asks her in a whisper. Mitsuki looked at her, and then rubbed her right bicep, "I'm okay, but I can feel their stares. I am starting to think they will look at me weird." she quietly replied uncomfortably. Sakuya sighed and about to say, but the principal cut off her thought, "I will leave the final speech to one of the 1st year students with a high score cram exam, Oshiro Erika." He announces that leaves both Sakuya and Mitsuki's blood running cold to hear that familiar name. They can hear the footsteps, both girls turn their heads to look at popular students named Erika.
The average height of the young beauty mistaken her a model, fully dressed in Horikawa High School Uniform, but her navy blue plaid skirt was short to mid thigh length to reveal her toned legs. Her hair was slightly curled waist length brown hair. Her lips are puckered with a smile and flawless pale skin, and her eyes are brown. Despite her beauty and popularity, Erika has a worse kind of personality, not because she's rich, but obnoxiously bratty. She often bullied both Mitsuki and Sakuya, and looked down on them to see them as inferior beings. Sakuya hated her, but she couldn't do anything because Erika's father was her uncle's director of police force, even threatening her that she would make her father fire her uncle. Mitsuki was tormented by her because of her unusual appearance of yokai roots, her spiritual abilities, and her jealousy of her breasts that's bigger than her's. It wasn't her fault that her puberty hits made her curvaceous. She never hated Erika nor felt negative towards her. She was terrified of her, and tried to avoid her as much as possible. Despite that, she was being nice to her in an honorific speech to try to stay on her good side, while enduring all of the humiliation she received.
While the students admired her, mostly from male students and some female students awed her beauty. Mitsuki looked at Sakuya in horror in her silver blue eyes while Erika strutted down to the stage, Sakuya cursed herself and held her anger right to her core, "That bitch." She seeth through her teeth in rage, ignoring some students around her who backed away from her. She clenched her fists and glared at her worst enemy. Mitsuki, nearly frantic from attention her best friend will draw on, lifts her hands up to ease her, "Sakuya-chan, you are embarrassing yourself. Please calm down." She whispers to her, and looks at Erika walking to the podium of the stage. Sakuya noticed the stares, then took a deep breath and loosen her fists. She still glared at Erika, "I can't believe that obnoxious Erika will in this school for three fucking years." She grumbled. Mitsuki couldn't help, but agree with her, it's going to be torture. Erika began to make a speech with a sultry smile, "Thank you so much, so good morning to my fellow classmate…" she greeted as her voice was smooth and cool. Sakuya sticks out her tongue in disgust and regains her composure to tolerate her. Mitsuki felt stressed out, she was looking for a new life with Sakuya without any problems, but with Erika around will make her and Sakuya life a living nightmare. Now everyone in this school will soon know about her, use her, then ignore her. Sakuya might get picked on and probably get into a fight, and get in a lot of trouble.
"I am so looking forward to having a better life in high school, but our high school years will be the same as always." She thought in distress, then sighed sadly. "I am going to suffer for three years." She muttered as quietly as possible. "...Heh!" Her white wolf ears perked up and the sound of a deep male voice chuckle from far behind caused her to look alert. She dared not to turn around to avoid drawing too much attention. Sakuya looked at her best friend as her rage softened to confusion, "What's wrong?" She whispered. Mitsuki looked at her as her wolf ears twitched, "I could have sworn I heard someone chuckling from behind, after I talked to myself." She replied quietly, the Sakuya widened her brown eyes, and looked back. She couldn't find any male with expression of chuckling, she frowned, then looked at wolf hanyō, "How can anyone hear you that far?" She whispers back, only Mitsuki shrugging her shoulders. Sakuya tapped her chin, "Unless that belongs to the presence you sensed earlier." She added about the earlier at the entrance. Mitsuki lit up her eyelids, and started playing with her pure black with red tip hair side lock, "It could be."
From far back, the male with messy pure white neck length hair with his bang slightly covering his eye smirked, he ignored Erika's speech for the whole time. He eavesdropped on two certain ladies' conversations. His golden iris with black animal-like slit pupil laid on a girl with white wolf ears' back of her head. He can hear her loud and clear from his sensitive hearing, "Well then, if she doesn't want to be three years of suffering from hell. She will get her wish granted." He thought darkly as Erika finished her speech and bow. The principal stood in front of the podium, "Thank you Oshiro-san for the generous speech." He thanked her with a kind smile. "Generous in my ass." "Sakuya-chan." The white hair male student overheard Sakuya grumble, then Mitsuki scolded her, yet flustered in embarrassment. He hold his laughter by covering his mouth and his shoulder nearly stiffen, "Fuck, she is going to be fun to tease." He thought of her flustered look. "... thank you for joining the orientation. Enjoy your wonderful year." The principal made the final speech before every student clapped, he quickly regained his composure to join in. The students stood up and exited the gymnasium to the homeroom. The young man got up and left the gymnasium, "I can't wait to meet you in person, Mitsuki." He said to himself in a Romanian accent, ignoring some admiring stares from female students, and curious parents.
*TRIGGER WARNING START*
After Yosuke is interviewed at the interrogation room, he promises Ryō that he will introduce Fenrir soon. Ryō escorted both Yosuke and Taiga outside, he walked to the smoking spot with an ashtray nearby. He grabbed the pack of cigarettes, placed the cigarette between his teeth, and grabbed the lighter to light the cigarette. He inhaled the toxic substance and exhaled the smoke out. Yosuke raised his eyebrow from that cancer stick, "I thought you would quit smoking this year." He said about his quitting. Ryō glanced at the temple monk and grunted, "This is my last pack, then I will quit smoking. I promised Izumi that I will stop for our sons and my niece's sake. It has been like eight years since my younger sister was killed by that bastard husband of her's and stabbed himself through his heart in front of her, bleeding to death. Her abusive father badly traumatizes Sakuya." He said that he kept his promise to his wife, then sadly looked down before he inhaled the smoke to think of his late younger sister, and his niece badly traumatized. Taiga and Yosuke looked at each other, they don't know much of Sakuya's parents aside the murder to suicide, but Ryō mentioned his sister a lot, but scorned at her abusive husband.
Ryō loved his younger sister so dearly and was protective of her, he never approved of her husband's abusive behavior out of jealousy after Sakuya's sixth birthday. When the abuse was taken too far and it will affect young Sakuya's influences, he was about to offer her to help her and her daughter to escape, but after receiving the call crying from seven years old Sakuya. He knew something was wrong, so he gathered the police and rushed to his sister's house, but found her body covered in blood with multiple stabs, and her husband's body with his both hands holding a knife into a chest. Seven years old Sakuya shakenly sat in the corner with horrified shock in tears, unable to speak or she was out of reality forever trapped in a nightmarish world. Ryō felt like a failure for both cop and brother, but after autopsy conclude as murder suicide. It was her husband committed a murder by stabbing her multiple times, then commit suicide by stabbing himself through his heart while Sakuya was watching them bleeding to death. Ryō let out an enraged and screaming curse words at his brother-in-law's corpse for taking his sister's life, and his wicked soul should be punished by Enma Daiō for his wicked deeds and burn in Hell, while restrained by his colleagues and send him and his traumatizes niece to police station, results of his temporary suspensions.
Before the funeral and arranging his sister and brother-in-law's memorial, he fell into a depression and started smoking the cigarette, and he and his wife set up the therapy appointment for Sakuya to recover her trauma, and himself for his anger and depression, while they worked on paperwork to officially adopt her. After the funeral, he fully recovered from his depression and decided to move on for his sister's sake, and his suspension ended. He and Izumi officially adopted Sakuya, and he swore to his sister to his family gravestone that he will protect his niece and won't let anything bad happen to her. However, after she recovered from the trauma, the therapist warned him and Izumi that she may have experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and advised them to bring her back to therapy session, if she started to show signs of PTSD.
*TRIGGER WARNING END*
Ryō held the cigarette between his fingers, he sternly looked at Yosuke, "I am curious why Fenrir didn't take you to hospital." He said, finding it odd that Fenrir didn't take Yosuke to hospital. Taiga thought the same, but Yosuke didn't look into the police chief's eyes before he looked at him to give him a rest assured smile, "Ah that… my injury isn't serious, it's just minor scratches and sore muscles. He has first aid skills since he lives alone." He replied. Ryō stared at Yosuke long and hard. There is more to that claim, but he can't point his accusing finger until he gets more answers. He puts the cigarette in the ashtray as he finishes it, and he exits the smoking area. He looked at both Taiga and Yosuke, "I am sorry that you two will miss the opening ceremony for both Mitsuki and Fenrir, my wife will send me the recording to hear the speech. I will forward it to you when I leave the office." He apologizes for missing out on the open ceremony, but Izumi will send the video recording. Taiga was appreciated, although Yosuke lit up his eyes, "Speaking of the opening ceremony, I already told Fenrir about her and Sakuya. He is eager to meet them in person." He said to them that Fenrir will meet two girls. Taiga looked at his old friend, "If they are all in the same homeroom, then maybe." He said he wondered about Fenrir and what kind of person he was. Ryō looked thoughtfully and as he was about to enter the entrance of the police force, he stopped and looked at them, "Be careful you two, that white wolf might be posed as a threat. I would give kids the curfew, after I speak at the press conference. I better alert Akito and Izumi about this. You two better prepare for curfew and funerals for your fallen men." He gave them a heads up and head inside of the building, preparing for the conference.
Taiga and Yosuke understood, then looked at each other. Taiga looked at his old friend in concern, "Are you sure you don't need to head to hospital? I can take you there," He asked as he offered. Yosuke shook his head and smiled kindly, "I appreciate your concern, but I am alright. I just don't need to restrain myself too much and get some bed rest, Fenrir will yell at me if I don't." He replied as he appreciates his hospitality. Taiga smiled back, he bowed at him with his hands together, "It's good to see you safe and alive." "It will take a few brutes to take me down. You and I will discuss last night another time, please call me if you are planning to visit me at my temple. Ah, if both Mitsuki and Fenrir did meet at Horikawa High School, you and I should bring them over and let them hang out, and study together. We can't let them hear grown up talking, besides we should get to know them in person." He replied, suggested the idea about the white wolf sight, yet offered to bring Mitsuki and Fenrir over for a visit. Taiga was hesitant about that idea, but Fenrir lives with Yosuke and chances were for the foreginer exchange student to meet Mitsuki and Sakuya. He sighed and nodded, "I agree, but I will ask Mitsuki after she returns home from her club she's joining." He replied. "Excellent, and that's funny Fenrir did want to join the club. He is joining the kendo club, what club is she joining?" He asked and was curious about the club Mitsuki joined. Taiga blinked, he never saw Yosuke eagered about Mitsuki's life, but he didn't hesitate to answer, "Kyudo Club, but she will let the club members know about her job." He replied about the club. Yosuke hummed, "I see, you did tell me about her talent for archery. Good for her, other students and judges will be surprised." He praised her. Taiga chuckled lightly, "She's taking it from her mother." He muttered without thinking before he slapped his mouth as he realized what he said. Yosuke raised his eyebrow, "I am sorry, you said something?" He asked him. "My apology, I said something coming out of my mind. Just please forget what you hear?" He apologized and asked the temple monk to forget what he said. Yosuke smiled back and turned around, "I will pretend I didn't hear it. Have a good day Taiga-dono." He replied and said a farewell. Taiga smiled back, "You too." He replied back before they departed on the opposite street.
While Taiga was heading home to work on his shrine, unknowingly Yosuke's smile turned to a glimpse of devious, "Her mother huh?" He thought, and revealed he did hear Taiga muttering, "I never saw her face, but her description as wolf hanyō. Fenrir should take a photo of her when he finds her."
The bell rang at Horikawa High School as the clock struck exactly 12 o'clock for the students and staff, it's lunch time. Mitsuki put her textbook, and notebook in her school bag to clear the desk. She grabbed her wrapped bento, and picked up her wallet and smartphone to put it in her blazer pocket. Her assigned desk was in the middle of the classroom, next to her on her left was Sakuya, it was their assigned seat from their teacher. Their homeroom teacher was nice, he didn't bother about Mitsuki's abnormal appearance, while their English, math, social studies, and science teachers were okay with her. Sakuya grabbed her smartphone and her wallet to put it in her blazer pocket. She looked at Mitsuki to give her a smile, "Wanna check the vending machines to see if there are our favorite drinks?" She asked her as she pointed at the door. Mitsuki smiled back, "Sure." She replied and she stood up from the chair, then she pushed it against her assigned desk. She held her bento box, Sakuya picked up her bento box, after she pushed the chair against her assigned desk. They exited the 1-B classroom, "Can't wait to see your lunch you are making," said Sakuya as she was enthusiastic about Mitsuki's cooking. Mitsuki nearly let out a giggle of her best friend's enthusiasm, however once they exited the classroom, she looked to her left because she sensed a supernatural aura. Sakuya looked at Mitsuki, then the location where Classroom 1-A is, "I wonder what yokai is doing in Room 1-A?" She asked about yokai. Mitsuki furrowed her eyebrow, that classroom was also where the exchange student was. Not many yokais were in school grounds, except for a few that were in the bathroom. She was aware of two yūreis that live in female bathrooms, she crossed off onryō because nothing happened in school. She started to assume it might be yūrei that haunts in 1-A. Before she could speak, but the female smooth voice spoke to them from behind, "Well well, I will never guess you two will be in this school." The familiar voice that made Sakuya cringed, while Mitsuki felt a chill from her spine. They both turned to see Erika Oshiro, she gave them a sneer arrogantly. Sakuya grits her teeth and growls, "That's funny, we didn't know you were enrolled here until we heard your name from orientation." she growled at her. Mitsuki glanced her featureless silver blue eyes at her best friend nervously, then curled waist length girl. Erika ignored Sakuya's comment by giving her a smug and crossed her arms against her chest, "What do you two think of my welcoming speech?" She asked them. Before Sakuya has a chance to snark her enemy, Mitsuki quickly responds with a forced smile, "It is very welcoming, and generous." She replied, trying to be nice to her. Sakuya was dumbstruck, but knowing Mitsuki was trying to be nice to her. Erika will take that compliment.
"Oshiro-san!" The male voice called her name in a strict tone. Erika groaned in annoyance, while puzzled Sakuya leaned herself towards left to look who's calling her. Mitsuki let go of her forced smile, leaned to her right. The darker brunette has short shaggy hair with dark brown eyes in male school uniform, however he has a white cloth around his left sleeve in kanji that translates as President. Based on his neat tie, he is third year of high school. Sakuya and Mitsuki looked at each other, wondered why the class president was there. Erika turned around in an irritating look to the School President, "Oh look, it's the school president." She said in a mocking tone. The School President ignored her, then eyed her from top to bottom, he frowned at her, "You are breaking the dress code, your skirt length is prohibited to be that short." He warned her strictly and he looked at both Mitsuki and Sakuya. He nodded in improvement, "Take a look at this fine 1st year student." He said as he approached Mitsuki and stood next to her. When both of his hands were placed on her shoulders, she looked at him in confusion. He was looking at Erika, who rolled her eyes, "She is a good prime example for every female student, she dressed professionally and appropriately. I don't understand why her blouse and blazer looks loose," he ranted. Mitsuki bashly looked at uwabaki like she was interested in the floor, she tried to hide her curvaceous figure. Erika only glared at her, mainly her breast, "That because of her bra size E70." She muttered under breath, only Mitsuki heard her clearly as she blushed, "It's puberty hits." She thought and wished she should stop being jealous, she started to wiggled herself off of his hands and stood close to her best friend.
Sakuya glared at Erika, knowing where she was staring at. "However, there are one or two prohibitions for Kokoromi Mitsuki." Said School President, three ladies looked at him. He rudely pointed at Mitsuki's face, "Your hair is multicolored, it's obvious they are dyed from pure black with red tips. I know you are yokai, so your hair must be originally white like your ears," He strictly accused her of dyeing her hair. Mitsuki was dumbstruck by the accusation, Sakuya face palmed, "Crap, not again." She muttered in annoyance, then she looked at him as she dropped her hand away from her face, "Sir, that's her natural hair color, her tip of her hair was like that when she was a kid. She may look like a yokai, but she's actually a wolf hanyō." She corrected him with an annoyance written all over her face. Every time people thought Mitsuki's hair was mistaken for hair dye because of her white wolf ears. Mitsuki reaches her right hand to her right sidelock to play with the red tip nervously. The School President crossed his arms and frowned at Sakuya, "That doesn't prove anything." "How about trying to cut the red tip of her hair to prove it?" Erika suggested with a sneer, she secretly wanted to give Mitsuki a real bad hair day. Mitsuki turned towards Erika in horror, and she covered her hair for dear life as her white wolf ears went flat down, "Cutting my hair!" She cried out loud,never in her life that someone unprofessional would try to cut her hime cut style. Sakuya snarled at her enemy, and pulled her best friend back to block her, "Hell no! I know you are planning to ruin her hair!" She shouts at her. The School President tapped his finger against his bicep, "I will write the prohibition letters to you two, as for you Tsukimori-san I won't tolerate your behavior." He said to the three 1st years as a warning. Mitsuki looked at the school president in dread and held her bento box, "But-" "I can't help, but overheard you guys from the classroom I'm in." Said the deep male voice with thick romanian accent caught their attention.
The School President turned around and girls turned their attention to the tall male with messy white hair, neck length hair with his bang slightly covering his eye. His eyes were golden iris with animal-like black slit pupil fits with devilishly handsome face. He was fully dressed in male school uniform: white long sleeves standing collar buttoning from top to bottom, but leaving two tops unbuttoned, wearing loose navy blue ties, and his unbuttoned black school blazer. He was exiting out of room 1-A with an uninterested expression, Mitsuki noticed his aura and this put the pieces together, he was the presence she sensed this morning at the high school entrance. Sakuya widened her brown eyes as she was stunned by his chiseled face, "Whoa." She said in awed. The School President frowned, "You may be a Romanian Exchange Student, but you better properly button up your shirt and fix your tie." He said very strictly, both Sakuya and Mitsuki exchanged their glances. They wonder if that was Kiryū Fenrir, but he looks like a model with the bad boy vibes. Erika's cheeks were red, and rudely pushed the school president out of the way, she gave the exchange student a seductive smile as she stood way closer to his personal space before he could reply to the School President, "You must be the exchange student, you look handsome as the rumors say." She said in a sultry tone. Mitsuki and Sakuya were helping the School President up by pulling his arms up, he thanked them. The male exchange student bore his animal-like eyes at her, he slightly backed away from her, "Yes, I am the exchange student from Romania. I believe I haven't replied to the School President, it would be rude of me to respond. If someone didn't rudely ask before him." He confirmed, yet suavely responded to her rudeness. Erika was stunned as he walked past her, and stood in front of the School President.
Sakuya can't help, but amused by his response to her enemy, however she and Mitsuki were surprised by his fluent speaking in Japanese. "Where were we, oh yes…" he said to himself with her fingers underneath his chin to think, but he snapped his fingers. He stared at the School President's eyes, "I was at the rush this morning, my apology about my button shirt and ties. My foster father was hurt last night after the white wolf attack, he was supposed to teach me how to tie my ties." He said and gave him a sincere smile as his pupil started to dilate. The School President seems in daze, however three 1st year female students were waiting, but learned his foster father was attacked. The School President nodded, "I see, I will let that side. I'm sorry about your foster father, Kiryū-san. He must be lucky to be alive." He replied to a young boy named Kiryū . Mitsuki widens her featureless silver blue eyes to hear his family name, "Kiryū-san… then that means, he's Kiryū Fenrir-san." She thought that he's Kiryū Fenrir. Sakuya thought the same, but Erika walked past the group as those four looked at her, "I don't want to waste my lunch break here, but Kiryū-san… would you like to join my friends for lunch?" She said arrogantly, but offered Fenrir to join her group. He raised his eyebrow from her offer. She chuckled at his hesitation, "I will let you take some time before lunch break is over. My friends and I will welcome you in our open arms." She said before she sharply turned around, and strutted away. She gave two of her enemies sneers like she finally got what she wanted. Sakuya clinched her fist in anger. Mitsuki softly frowns at her, but says nothing as she sighed.
Fenrir remains silent as he was not interested in meeting her and her friends, however the School President looks at Mitsuki as he finds himself wasting time lecturing Erika for breaking the dress code. Mitsuki looked at him as she felt shrunk with strictest eyes, "Well I am still waiting for you to admit that you dyed your hair." He said very impatient. Sakuya groaned, "I told you that's her natural hair color, it's her few yokai roots she has inherited." She tried to prove him wrong by arguing. "If you don't believe me, ask her legal guardian." She added for another proof, knowing Taiga raised Mitsuki. Fenrir was just observing the School President and two young girls, his golden animal-like slit eyes looking at Mitsuki nervousness for a while. He softened his eyes and decided to help two girls out, "I may have proof for this young lady's hair color." He said to Sakuya and the School President as they both looked at them in shock. Mitsuki was staring at him, although she noticed his aura was mixed. She slowly widens her featureless silver blue eyes, "You are half human, but I can't figure out your other half… I have never seen it before." She said, leaving the School President in shock. Fenrir smirked at her as Sakuya didn't react, but was stunned. "Yeah, I am half human, but I can't tell you my other half because I was told not to. Back to proof, you see President, my nose is sensitive, if her hair is actually dyed the small amount of bleach will give it off. However, I don't smell it. That is one proof that her raven colored hair with red tips are completely natural. Also I can smell her scent of human and yokai mixed together when I took a long look at her and smelled her scent that close." He said as he spread his large arms, proving the point. Mitsuki and Sakuya were awestruck, "Not to mention her delicious scent of mixed berries combined with a mix of roses and cherry blossom." He thought to himself about Mitsuki's natural scent. The School President stared at Fenrir for a long time, then frowned, then he looked at Mitsuki, "I can't believe this high school will have two half breeds, but since Kiryū-san did prove your hair color by his sense of smell. I will let you go Kokoromi-san. I apologize for wasting all of your lunch break, you three enjoy your day." He said and apologized to them as Mitsuki and Fenrir felt a bit offended by the "half-breed" term, then he left to the student faculty.
Mitsuki and Sakuya watched the school president leave, only Sakuya broke a silence as she looked at Fenrir, "Umm, thank you for proving Mitsuki's natural hair color, I guess." She thanked him uneasily. Fenrir gave her a lopsided smirk, "No problem, I know how that feels for human hybrids' unnatural appearance, but you seem to understand." He said to his suave tone. Sakuya smiled as Mitsuki shyly smiled. "I'm Kiryū Fenrir, so you two must be Tsukimori Sakuya and Kokoromi Mitsuki. I heard about you two when I overheard your old classmates." He introduces himself, and "assumes" their name. Mitsuki politely bowed, while Sakuya chuckled nervously with her hand rubbed back of her head, "It is nice to meet you Kiryū-san, and yes my name is Kokoromi Mitsuki and this is my best friend Tsukimori Sakuya." She politely greeted him and introduced herself and Sakuya. Fenrir softens his smile at Mitsuki, "I can see why you two are opposite." He commented about their personality as he noticed earlier. Sakuya grinned, "We get that a lot, so about your foster father, does his name happen to be Kiryū Yosuke?" She asked him about his relation to Yosuke. Fenrir nodded, "Yes, he was on a traveling vacation to visit Romania, and that's where he found me there at the hellish orphanage. He took pity on me for being mistreated by other orphans and those pain in the ass caretakers, so he officially adopted me and gained permanent citizenship in Japan." He confirmed he was Yosuke's foster son. "How about we will talk somewhere outside eating lunch together and maybe we should get to know each other?" He offered, so they will get to know each other. Mitsuki blinked innocently, she felt sorry for him for being raised by an uncaring caretaker and being bullied by other orphans in Romania. She was also glad Yosuke decided to adopt him, "Umm sure, but Oshiro-san did ask you first. Should you just meet her and her friends first, before you decide to hang out with us?" She replied, but remembered Erika's offer earlier. Sakuya huffed at her best friend, "Oh please, that bitch is seducing him and trying to join her and her goons." She waved it off. Fenrir rolled his eyes, he did spied on them and Erika earlier, and overheard them at orientation ceremony. He won't let them become miserable. Mitsuki looked at her best friend in concern, "But, it will be rude, would it?" She asked worriedly. Fenrir approached them and shrugged his shoulders, "I am not going to hang out with her and her friends, they might know I won't hang out with them. Besides, Yosuke told me about you two, so I am interested in getting to know you in person." Said Fenrir that he involuntarily turned down Erika's offer. "More like getting closer to Mitsuki." He thought darkly to himself as he smelled Mitsuki's scent of mixed berries with cherry blossom and rose. Mitsuki, on the other hand, couldn't help but staring at his golden animal-like slit eyes made her heart flustered and mind gone wild. She caught his scent by her sense of smell, her wild mind was drowning from his natural scent into bliss. "His scent… he smells so good. Deep forest, cinnamon, and vanilla. Goodness, I want to smell him all day." She thought dreamily before Sakuya snapped her finger right in front of her face. That snaps her dreamy state, "Ah!" She was startled and looked at her best friend. Sakuya pouted with her hands on her hips, "Finally got you out of daydreaming? We have to get the drink from the vending machine and find our lunch spot with Kiryū." She said to her, Mitsuki felt embarrassed. Fenrir spoke out as he pointed at the hallway, "Actually, I can buy the drinks, why don't you two find the spot?" He offered, while the girls looked for the spot for them to eat lunch together. Mitsuki and Sakuya looked at Fenrir, even though it's generous offer, but Mitsuki felt bad for him to pay the money for their drinks, "You… you don't have to buy us the drink. We appreciate your generosity, but I don't want you to become an errand boy. I-I… I mean we can pay you back." She flustered and tried to politely turn down his offer to buy the drink from the vending machine. Sakuya waved her hand as she smiled, "We don't want any trouble for you." She said she didn't want him to pay his own money for them. Fenrir deeply chuckled and grinned wolfishly, girls started to notice his canines were large and sharper, like fangs. "You two are nice, but I insisted. You can pay me back later, no need to rush." He insisted. Mitsuki tried to stop him, but he seemed too pessimistic. "So what kind of drink do you two want?" He asked them, Mitsuki and Sakuya gave up, there was no point changing his mind. "He is a stubborn one, I will take that." Sakuya thought of how stubborn Fenrir was. She gave him a thoughtful smile, "How thoughtful of you? Qoo, any kind of flavor is fine." She replied with the type of soft drink she wanted. Fenrir nodded and looked at Mitsuki, she began to think with her finger tapped on her cheek. She looked at him as she gave him a warm smile, "Strawberry Calpico please, if not then Oi Ōcha please." She added. "Got it, I will find you two after I get the drink." Said Fenrir and he left them to search the vending machine.
Mitsuki and Sakuya watch him leave, then they look at each other to give each other a smile, while heading to the foyer, "That Kiryū is quite a charmer." Said Sakuya as they open their assigned getabako and grab their penny loafer and set them down. Mitsuki removes her uwabaki and slips her feet in her penny loafer. She agreed, but she still hasn't figured out his other half. It was a mystery. "He is, but I haven't figured out his other half. I believe it's from Romania that we never heard of." She replied and noted about his mysterious other half believing it's from Romania. Sakuya closed her getabaki as she stepped on the stone floor, "He said he won't tell us about his other half, maybe he's not ready. Although, his supernatural heritage gives away things like his fangs, color of his eyes, shape of his pupil, and hair color." Sakuya noted his unique appearance gives away a lot. Mitsuki is reluctantly unsure whether or not she should tell Sakuya about his scent, but she was too embarrassed. Sakuya noticed her quietness as she tilted her head, "What is going through your head?" "Huh!" Mitsuki startled and her cheek was blushed. "Come on Mitsuki, I bet all girls have one hell of a crush on Kiryū and maybe he will have a little fan club. Don't tell me you have a crush on him already." She teased her as she grinned. Mitsuki's face went red like a tomato, "We-We just met! I don't know him personally well, besides… his foster father knew Ō-kannushi-dono and your uncle." She flusterly denied her claim as her white wolf ears went flat. Sakuya chuckled roughly, "I'm just messing with you. But seriously, what is going through your mind?" She replied, then turned serious when she asked. Mitsuki looked at her best friend, then for a while she took a deep breath. She is going to get teased again or Sakuya might regret asking, "Umm, this might sound creepy, but when he was close to us… I can smell his scent, he smells like deep forest, cinnamon, and vanilla. I like his scent, I know it's wrong for me to say that. Please don't tell him I said that, I need you to keep it just between us." She said what's in her mind, then quickly begged her not to tell him. Sakuya widened her brown eyes, and she placed her hand over her forehead, "Damn, I regret asking that, but relax…" she muttered, but she smiled softly, "... I won't tell him. Your secret is safe with me." She is rest assured that it will be a secret between them. Mitsuki smiled warmly, "Thank you so much Sakuya-chan." She politely thanked her as two best friends exited the foyer, then they both turned to the left and searched for their new usual spot for lunch. Sakuya smiled back, "Your welcome."
In front of the vending machine as Fenrir pressed the button, he could hear the pet bottle drop from the bottom. His right hand reached in to open the lid and grabbed Qoo orange juice to pull it out and set it on his left arm. He was holding the pet bottles of strawberry calpico and aquarius with qoo orange juice, he felt his smartphone vibrating in the back pocket of his pants. He stood up straight, his right hand reached over the pocket and pulled it out, he looked at the screen for notification and saw Yosuke's text message. He frowned and unlocked it. He reads the message Yosuke sent:
"Remember our agreement. I need you to take a picture of Mitsuki. I heard from Taiga-dono that she's like her mother, I need to confirm if she is."
Fenrir narrowed his animal-like eyes, "Tch! That stupid monk needs to do it himself like a creepy ass stalker. She is a fucking minor for fuck sake, but he has the resource I need to track down and beat Lord Kiba's son's ass for his late father's place." He thought in rage as he snarled himself by his rumbled throat and bared his fangs that began to extend. However, when he thought of both Mitsuki and Sakuya, especially Mitsuki, his raged mind slowly melted and his fangs shrinked back. He thought of her embarrassed and dreaded voice from the orientation he eavesdropped on, he was amused and already kept his words that he will make her wish come true. He thought of it earlier, he officially met her with Sakuya in person, she was a kind hearted and polite wolf hanyō. He did hear her heart pounding against her ribcage, so he assumed she was staring at his face or maybe his scent she smelled. He overheard her old classmate from junior high mention she can see ghosts. That also proves it that she can easily tell he's half human by reading his aura, but to his relief she hasn't figured out his other half. Her sense of smell and spiritual awareness might be a problem and he has to be very cautious.
Fenrir was aware of Erika's jealousy and hostility towards Mitsuki and Sakuya's enraged reaction to her hostile attitude. He already didn't like her before she met him in person. She revealed Mitsuki's bra size, but he didn't react to it. He didn't care about beauty standards from outside, he cared about inner beauty. He took a deep breath and texted back:
"I need to get closer to her and Sakuya first. Unlike you, I don't do creepy shit."
He pressed send then he swiped the screen to turn on Do Not Disturb as he let out a malice smirk, so he wouldn't bother to read Yosuke try to lecture him for being a smartass. He put his smartphone back in his pocket, he dropped his smirk and walked back to the main school building as his freed hand brush his messy hair bang away from his face. His thought went back to Mitsuki's mixed berries with cherry blossom and rose scent, he did notice her yokai's scent. He let out a sinister grin, she does smelled like him, "She doesn't have a single fucking clue about herself. Good, it will be better to keep her in the dark. I already set my own plans for her before Yosuke does." He thought to himself. He had his own agenda to get closer to Mitsuki to use her before Yosuke.
Fenrir Kiryū and Sakuya Tsukimori are introduced, and oh dear, both Sakuya and Mitsuki are going to suffer for three years from their real pain in the neck and an obnoxious bully, Erika Oshiro. Two young girls meet Fenrir, but it looks like he starts his own plan, and figures out who she is by her scent.
We learn a little bit of Sakuya's background from Ryō's perspective, and she is currently living with her uncle Ryō's family after she has experienced the tragedy of her parents' deaths. Poor girl having PTSD. I did warn you it will be dark.
Just to be noted, I am using Japanese Bra Size, so if you are curious about the size, look it up.
Yosuke is alive, and Fenrir lived in his residence, but why were they interested in Mitsuki? Although Fenrir has own agenda that Yosuke wasn't aware of, why does he want to beat the late Emperor Kiba's son up? He has shown his little bit of true color underneath his "suave" character.
We will find out in the next chapter, please review and give an honest guess what you think will happen next. Take a guess on Fenrir's other half (It might be a little oblivious of his nationality), and who is the White Wolf? Bonus: Did you guys catch the urban legend references?
-Tamashī
Side note: If you or your love ones have that experience of suicide or thought to commit it, please talk to them or someone close to you, and tell them you love them and they are not a failure or burden. Suicide won't solve everything, it will effect others lives of their loss. Remember, you have someone who really loves you and didn't want you to go through with this. I don't know about other nations hotline, but I will leave this National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website: