Chapter 17:

Yakumo put down the manuscript she had been reading. Whenever she finished a chapter, she was always left wondering what would happen next. Granted, she was a co-author with Harima but she left the overall story to him. She only added some parts that would develop her own character. Such as when she suggested that her character needed proof that she was indeed Princess Ten Ten's sister. A flashback sequence shown in the chapter was actually based on her childhood experience of when she was sick. Also, she added the part when she became sick and Harima needed to take care of her. This made Ya'mo appear vulnerable, as opposed to the previous chapter where she seemed quite invincible on paper. In Yakumo's head, Ya'mo was still getting used to companionship after her life of exile so she was still keeping some things, like her health, from Hario. They needed to depend on one another and with these little incidents, their trust in one another would grow.

Of course, there would be an occasional tease of romance. It was a misunderstanding as always but Yakumo could not help but imagine that they were actually writing their own stories down except in a fantasy setting. Now she understood why Harima used real-life scenarios as a basis for his stories. It felt genuine and he didn't have to dig very deep for inspiration. He had lived in those moments himself and he fully understood what the character was going through. With it, Yakumo felt the character's sincerity, a connection that made her empathize with them.

It was a crucial factor for readability, Yakumo had noted during the time she had been reading manga. A reader won't turn the page if they don't feel connected in some way. Now that her character was in the story, would readers empathize with her as well? In the back of her mind, she hoped so. She inwardly wished that the two main characters would be paired together but it presented an obvious dilemma. And to think about it, wasn't real life like that? Harima's stories were mostly about unrequited love and it wouldn't be too farfetched to call it the theme of the story. Her character would present the other side, the one who was ignored but was always there, waiting, hoping.

She really could sympathize with Ya'mo after coming to that conclusion. It was rather sad to think about but she guessed that would be the emotional hold on the reader. Perhaps that would be the page-turner of their manga and the connection she yearned for.

Putting the manuscript back in its envelope, Yakumo set it down on a desk. All these reflections after reading were quite common now. She was Harima's assistant after all and he needed her feedback.

Yakumo stretched her arms. No doubt, she had taken longer than intended. It was probably late at night now and Harima still hadn't come back yet. She didn't want to intrude in matters that didn't concern her but she couldn't help but worry. He was with Eri, and Yakumo felt a slight pang of jealousy at the thought that the blonde could just take him away whenever she wanted; to go to places where Yakumo could never afford. She couldn't give Harima that chance of a luxurious life, not that she wanted any of it.

Never had she dreamt of that kind of regal life, nor did she ever want to live it. It was enough for her if she could see Harima smile and laugh, and to work alongside him no matter how simple or dull it may sound. Just to see him be inspired was worth more than any amount of money.

x-x-x

Harima had come back home really late again. However, during the day, Yakumo noticed that he wasn't in a bad mood and he didn't complain much either. If anything, he seemed happy. He explained himself when they were having dinner that evening, starting off by talking about the time when he and Eri went to a family restaurant in Tokyo last winter. They had gotten stranded due to a storm and had to wait for help to get home. This time, however, things went so well that even he was surprised. It was then that Yakumo remembered it was the same time when Tenma stayed at Eri's – outside her house. She didn't like to recall how things had gone after that.

Seeing him this cheerful was a bit too strange though and even Sarah noticed it. So it had come to the point where he was starting to become comfortable with Eri… It wasn't that Yakumo was expecting him to have a miserable time with Eri. On the outside, the two always quarreled and argued with each other but Yakumo knew they were good people inside. They simply had a hard time showing their true feelings to people and thus hid behind a mask of being tough. Still, they weren't afraid to put their hearts into whatever they did. Tenma was the same way and Yakumo had always seen that as quite admirable in her sister.

It was Sunday now and Yakumo had been mulling over how she would spend the day. Last week she and Harima went to the zoo but Harima had said they would visit fortnightly. She would have to wait for another week to spend time with him again. Should she ask him first or should she wait for him to ask her like last time? It also didn't help that she didn't have a clue on what to do if she did end up asking him out.

This ate her up the whole morning as they did their respective chores.

It was early afternoon and Harima was cleaning his motorcycle. Yakumo couldn't possibly disturb him when he was so focused on his work. She wound up simply watching TV that was mostly full of re-runs. She sighed to herself at how the day was ending.

In the middle of watching a certain soap opera, Yakumo heard someone calling out to her.

"Imouto-san?"

"Y-yes?" Yakumo answered rather quickly, a bit more excited than intended.

"I'm taking Shiba out for a walk." Harima said. "Remember last week when you fed him? It'd be good for you if you come with us today."

Yakumo was at a loss for words. This was not the type of activity she was expecting. Well, she couldn't complain now that the opportunity was here.

"Ah, yes. That's fine." Yakumo managed to reply. "I'm not doing anything in particular."

"Ok, Imouto-san. This will just be a stroll so you don't need to bring anything. We're just outside if you're ready, okay?"

"Sure. I'll be there." The truth was that Yakumo was more than ready.

A few moments later, Yakumo, with a new set of clothes, went outside and saw Harima and Shiba waiting. Harima was adjusting the leash on Shiba's neck to check if it was too tight. The dog waited with his tail wagging, evidently excited. Yakumo had never walked with a dog before due to her fear of them, but Harima would be with her so hopefully, it wouldn't be too bad.

When Harima saw Yakumo approaching, he stood up and explained what route they were going to take. They would circle around by going first to the banks of Yagami river and then to the Yagami Shrine. Both places were within walking distance near the residence so it wouldn't take that long. It was also a route Yakumo knew well since she often passed by both locations.

Yakumo started to wonder if this would compare to last week. She had enjoyed their time together and she felt that she was getting closer to him by getting to know him more. Perhaps Harima's definition of going steady was exactly right. It was those little moments together that allowed her to understand him more on a deeper level, and no one could ever take them away from her.

After closing the gate, the three started their walk.

x-x-x

The walk was relatively pleasant as there were few people on the streets. Harima was holding Shiba's leash with his right hand while Yakumo walked beside him. They'd stop from time to time whenever Shiba found something interesting and started sniffing around. Yakumo guessed that this was what walking the dog would be most of the time. She would watch Shiba sniff something, pee on it, and then move on. Harima explained to her that dogs can be territorial and they needed to be familiar with their environment, hence their walk.

They arrived at the banks of Yagami river after a few minutes. The gurgling of the water and the cool breeze were calming as they continued their walk. Yakumo had been here multiple times but the pleasant feeling the ambiance produced was what she liked the most. There were a lot of memories concerning this place - embarrassing ones included.

As they walked, Harima started talking, "Imouto-san, did you see the news last year about some strange animals popping up in Yagami river?"

"Uh, yeah." Yakumo meekly answered. There would always be news like that every once in a while. An urban legend about water imps, perhaps.

"It was weird right? I find it hard to believe that some kids saw a seal of all things here. A full-grown seal spotted in a river. The news named it Yaga the seal. It suddenly vanished though after some kids saw it eating a girl. That was like… really odd. Seals don't do that."

Yakumo stopped walking. She remembered that incident very well because it was her who had accidentally instigated it. Her heart started to pound heavily as she remembered it.

Harima noticed this and turned around. "Hey Imouto-san, you okay?"

Yakumo was contemplating telling Harima about the whole story. No one but herself knew her secret as the seal in the news. The whole thing had been an accident. Her boss sometimes made her dress up in costumes for the café and somehow, people had managed to mistake her for an actual seal when she was on her break. Even changing into the costume had made them think she was being eaten…

"Wait, Imouto-san." Harima said. "I know what you're thinking."

At this, Yakumo reeled in surprise. Did… did he already know?

"You stopped because you want to search for that missing seal, am I right?" Harima said. Yakumo blinked a couple of times as she processed Harima's words.

"I'm also worried so let's go find him." Harima continued. "Maybe he's just around the corner. I'll let Shiba sniff around and maybe he can find something unusual here. It'll be like a hunt but we're rescuing him instead."

Yakumo finally caught up to what Harima was talking about. "No, Harima. It's no use." Yakumo said. "It's been almost a year now." Indeed, it'd be no use since they would only be looking for a seal that didn't exist.

"We might as well try, Imouto-san." Harima insisted. "That seal would be safer if we put him in its natural habitat. A river's no place for a seal." He turned to Shiba and said, "Alright, Shiba. Go search for something strange in this river. I'm counting on you, okay?" Shiba barked as if agreeing to his command.

As Harima began to walk, he felt a tugging on his shirt. He turned to his side and saw Yakumo holding him by the sleeve.

"What's wrong, Imouto-san?" he asked.

Yakumo was really thinking if she should spill the beans already. Would Harima believe her in the first place? She took a deep breath and said, "Harima, we won't be able to find him whatever we do. It is because…"

"We'll just try. Besides, Shiba likes this kind of activity and –"

"I'm Yaga the seal." Yakumo cut in, determined to not drag it on any longer.

A heavy silence hung between them, even Shiba became silent. Yakumo instantly regretted how tactless she had been.

"I know it's hard to believe but," continued Yakumo. "I was working at the café and I fell asleep here and then –"

"Now that makes sense." Harima said, knocking his fist on his palm. Yakumo looked up at him, confused.

"You fell asleep here while in a seal costume. From far away, the kids might have seen you as a real seal instead of just in a costume. They got happy and excited so you decided to keep doing it. When they saw the seal eating some girl, it was just you wearing said costume." Harima explained. "Huh. Never would have thought of that."

Yakumo blinked multiple times again. Harima had just explained the incident point by point.

"So that's why you said we won't find him." Harima continued. "I do sometimes see you in an animal costume in the café. I think one time I saw you in a bunny costume. It must be hard on you with people staring at you while you're wearing a mascot outfit. Must be uncomfortable."

"Yes, you're right." Yakumo finally said. "The incident was just a huge misunderstanding."

"I just remembered, I was also mistaken for a water imp by your sister here."

Yakumo's eyebrows knitted. "What?"

Harima scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Well, it was when I saved Iori from drowning here. I caught him and brought him to your sister – and she thought I was a water imp. I guess it was because of my hairstyle at the time. Can't blame her though."

Yakumo knew Harima had rescued Iori once but he had never told her this part before.

"We are like the same, right?" Harima said. "Mistaken identities in this river."

"…Yeah." Yakumo said with a small smile and nodded.

"Feeling alright now?" Harima asked. "It's good to share stories with other people you really trust. It felt somewhat lightening. Just don't tell anyone I'm the water imp and I won't tell you're Yaga the seal. Deal?"

Yakumo giggled a little. "Sure. It's a deal."

"Now that's over with, let's continue our walk." Harima said.

Yakumo nodded and they started walking once more.

"Uh, Imouto-san?"

"Yes?"

"You can take your hand off my sleeve now."

Yakumo quickly removed her hand. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't notice."

"It's alright. Well, next is the Yagami Shrine. It has a long flight of stairs which I hope Shiba and I can trek all the way up."

Yagami Shrine, Yakumo thought. She had many memories of that place and she wondered if Harima did too. She had learned some new things from him during their walk so far. Honestly, she thought Harima had taken her secret very graciously. He did share his secret about his manga with her and so she felt she should be more open with him in return.

x-x-x

After their long trek up the stairs of the Yagami shrine, the two humans took a break and sat on the wooden floor of the shrine. It was evident that Shiba had taken the most beating out of the walk as he immediately slumped on the ground and took a nap.

Harima stared at the tired dog and said, "You know, Imouto-san, this is where Shiba and I first met."

Yakumo simply listened and replied, "This is where Iori and I first met too. I saw he had a scar on his forehead so I thought that I should take care of him."

Harima chuckled. "You really are a good person, Imouto-san. Well, when Shiba and I first met I was the one badly injured."

"You were… injured?" Yakumo said in concern.

"Yeah." Harima breathed out. "After your sister left, I don't know what the hell I was doing. I started getting into fights again and somehow I ended up here." He sighed and continued. "As my luck would have it, I saw someone walking Shiba in this place. To my surprise, it was Rich Girl of all people."

Harima laughed weakly but Yakumo didn't find it comforting. "She tried to mend my wounds but I stubbornly refused. I thought she was only doing it out of pity for my pathetic self. I started calling her names and then instead of helping me she slapped me several times. I was hurt but she slapped me to add to it."

"She slapped you?" Yakumo said quite in disbelief. She knew Eri had been rough on Harima on multiple occasions before. But hearing this from him, her hand involuntarily formed into a fist. Hurting her loved ones was one thing she didn't tolerate.

"That girl really has an arm on her." Harima said, rubbing his cheek. "Still, she said something that opened my eyes. I was a fool to think I was the only one going through all this. Apparently, I've been a little selfish and reckless for my own good. Well, for all her hurtful slaps, at least it made me think again." Harima finished with a grin.

Yakumo didn't rely on physical violence to prove a point but that one time she slapped Eri may perhaps have had the same effect like the one with Harima. It made them think twice about what they were doing. And it applied to her too. Yakumo had been slapped one Christmas night before, when she was a child because she was shouting at her older sister.

"It worked out okay for both sides though." Harima said. "I'm trying to help Rich Girl with her engagement in return for her helping me. At least that's got to be something."

Now Yakumo knew why Harima was involved in Eri's engagement. It was simply out of gratitude and nothing else.

"That's what I will remember first about this place." Harima said, looking up. The time when he became a fortune-teller didn't count. He was way past over it by now.

"Well, Iori and I first met here but we didn't get along at first." Yakumo said, sharing her story. "Even if I offered him food, he didn't come close. I thought that maybe he was scared of humans, because of his scar."

"Tsk. People who hurt animals for fun are worth less than trash." Harima muttered.

"He might have had a rough experience. And one night, I saw him up on a weak branch of a tree. I caught him when the branch broke and that was when he started to get close to me."

"So we both saved that cat at least once, huh? That cat should have 7 lives left now." Harima said with a laugh.

Yakumo found herself smiling at his joke. "Iori always likes to go here. It's cool during the afternoon and I even slept in here once."

Harima's cowlick twitched. "What? You once slept in here?" he asked incredulously.

"Uh, yeah." Yakumo answered. "It was during summer last year and it was cool here."

"Imouto-san," Harima said slightly serious. "I know you can handle yourself but there might be some weirdos wandering around here. It's also not good for you to sleep anywhere - beside the river, no less."

"I know but –"

"I'm just thinking of your safety here, okay? Whenever you get home after work, you always look tired and weary. Is your work in the café giving you a hard time?"

"It's not like that." Yakumo replied. "The owner is a very considerate person and will not let me dress in something inappropriate. It's just that sometimes the outfit can be quite cumbersome to move in. The pay is okay but I can't seem to get used to people staring at me for long periods."

"Is that so?" Harima said. "How about this: just give me a text when you finish your shift and I'll come to pick you up and drive you home."

Yakumo's eyes widened. "No, Harima, you don't need to do that. I can –"

"Just like what I said, Imouto-san, I'm here for your safety." Harima cut in. "Some weird customer could follow you back and do something bad. You can't ignore these things when it comes to your well-being. Besides, I don't have anything else to do around the time your shift ends. Just give me a text and I'll pick you up."

Yakumo lowered her head. "If it's not a bother to you…"

"Of course it's not a bother to me. You've spent your own free time helping me many times now, so at least give me a chance to help you in return."

Yakumo couldn't dissuade Harima anymore. "Okay. I will. And thank you." She said with a small smile and a nod.

"I'll get you in the back alley. And this time, I'll make sure there aren't any four-eyed karate masters or blond foreigners around first." Harima said, bringing up the time when his manga was nearly discovered. Yakumo gave another small smile at the memory.

After their conversation, they saw Shiba was already awake, sitting in front of them. The sun was slowly setting, coloring the scenery in a bright red and golden orange hue. It looked magical given that Yagami Shrine was on top of a hill overlooking the city.

"Well, let's go back now." Harima said as he stood up. "At least Shiba got a little exercise. It's been almost a month now since I started keeping him. I should return him to Rich Girl after that."

"You're going to return him?" Yakumo asked.

"That's our deal. A month and she won't bother me unless it's to do with the engagement thing."

"Oh." Yakumo said downcast.

Harima noticed this and said, "I think I can talk to her about keeping him for longer. Even I can see Shiba is starting to like you."

Yakumo wasn't yet rid of her fear but she knew she was making progress. "That's good to hear." she replied.

Before they started walking, Yakumo said to Harima, "Umm, Harima? Can we do this from time to time? I mean, taking the dog out for a walk once in a while?"

Harima thought about this for a few seconds. "I've always been taking Shiba out ever since I brought him in. But, yeah. You are always welcome, Imouto-san. I'll tell you if we're going out for a walk."

Yakumo beamed with a smile. Not only could she look forward to visiting the zoo, but the occasional simple walk would also do just fine. "Okay. Thank you."

"You know. You should smile more often, Imouto-san." Harima said. "It suits you best."

Yakumo blushed prettily. "Sure. I'll try."

After their walk down the stairs (which was way easier than going up), Harima handed Yakumo the leash, much to her surprise, and said, "Is it okay if you lead Shiba home? If we're gonna walk with him more then you should learn how to walk holding his leash."

Yakumo didn't expect this but at least she should try. She nodded, took hold of the leash and stared at Harima. "Now what?" she asked.

Harima smiled in amusement. "Now we walk. Shiba will know that we're on the move." The two started walking but the way Yakumo walked she looked like a robot.

"Imouto-san, just relax." Harima said to her. "Remember when you fed him? Stay calm and be confident."

Yakumo nodded and her movements became less clunky. However, something caught Shiba's interest in front and he pulled Yakumo along with him when he lunged forward. At this, she quickly used her other hand to hold onto something – and that something was Harima's arm.

"Shiba!" Harima exclaimed and the dog scurried back to his master. He looked at Yakumo clinging to his arm and said, "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Yakumo replied, still holding the leash and Harima's arm. When she noticed the latter, she released her grip in embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's fine." Harima answered. "I guess Shiba can pull you due to his size. You can hold onto me if he's making you lose balance. You'll get used to it eventually and then you won't need my help anymore."

"Okay." Yakumo timidly held onto Harima's arm and they continued their walk. From time to time, Shiba would pull Yakumo and Harima would call back the dog.

The walk was more than Yakumo expected. It looked simple on the outside but she had gotten a lot out from it. She learned new things from Harima again and she realized that even overcoming her fears together could make them closer. Their walk cost them nothing in monetary value but it felt like the experience alone was priceless. The memories created with someone dear to her were truly worth treasuring, and Yakumo would try hard to ensure more would follow.

The two went home together, side by side – except when Shiba would get excited and pull Yakumo away again.

Unbeknownst to them however, from one of the house's rooftop, they were being watched.

"Hmm. It looks like they don't need my help after all."

"We've been trailing him all this time and I thought you were watching those two because you were jealous?"

"Me? Jealous? Pfft. Why would I be?"

"But you bumped him that one time. You didn't do it intentionally?"

"…Maybe."

"…"

"Okay, I don't like him. There. Satisfied?"

"But he's helped you a few times now."

"And you don't have to always apologize for me. I can own up to my own actions."

"Well, suit yourself. It's getting late now. I better get home before they start looking for me."

"Uhh, yeah. Your family is kinda strict, right? Still way better than that midget girl, though."

"Don't be like that. And next time, try and tell me why you're jealous."

"I'm not!"

Author's Corner: OH! it's so good to be back from a long break! I'm really sorry that this story has been in the back burner for months. Very busy and I was writing a One-Punch Man story so this was sidelined. Still, this story should be my main priority! Procrastination and a busy schedule really drag this story back most of the time. It also didn't help that the pacing of this story is quite slow to begin with. But alas! We're making progress my dear readers and I hope you'll continue to read this.

Well, reviews are always appreciated and see you in the next chapter!