Dark Soul Hunter.
A fan fiction by Aoi Kitsukawa
Disclaimer: Joker Game belongs to Yanagi Kouji and its related committees; I only borrow the characters in the manga/ anime (or related sources).
Author's Note: I was intend to post this chapter along with the arrival of the former spies to HUNTER Division as I promise, but it's almost two months without updates so I'll send this first part first.
INKTOBER 2016 is here and I participated this event starting 1st Oct 2016! I'll put the link at the end of the story!
Summary: An organization called 'Hunter' that having its branches operated whole worldly; which associated with the Keishichou were responsible to deal with several unsolved cases that suddenly increased in Tokyo. It had a small section named 'D-Agency' to help gathering information, but facing difficulties after one big incident that happened 3 years ago ended up with the death of one of its top agents.
Sakuma Yuuji, an Inspector and veteran of Hunter Division received another unsolved case when the team received several new members. Little did they know, the meeting was neither a fate or the consequences of their past karma…
Hunter 04: The Glass Heart
"You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see,
but you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel…"
- Unknown
He looked at the young boy who was sleeping on the bed, which previously was his.
The injured man sat next to the young boy, who was sleeping on the bed, which once was his. He carefully not to touch the boy's body, as he remembered his friend Naoki, the one who found the boy before told him that he might be having a traumatic experiences in the past, which explained why he was too sacred to be touched by others.
Especially when he was in weak condition.
It's not that he did not understand what that boy had gone through. If he can, he would not care about him and just left the boy alone in his room. He got more duties and works that been waiting for at his offices; both of his eldest brothers were waiting for him to come back.
Although he was sure, they would kick him back home since his injuries still not heal…
And during this moment of period; ones he actually hated to go through the year since the pressure and stress were heavier than normal days.
'That' time that still haunted him and others despite how many years it happened.
But you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel.
Due to his empathy ability (1), he accidentally read the boy's feelings, emotions and memories; too much that he almost fainted due to the burden that he accidentally received. Luckily, Naoki was there so that he was able to stop the pressure from taking him fully. His friend looked at him with a stare that he understood so well; no need for him to try anymore or he might be fainted.
However, for Tatsuya, there was something more about the boy that he wanted to know after that small accident.
"That boy…" Tatsuya looked up and saw Naoki stood at the door, holding Hatano's bag. He took out a student ID book and flipped open. "He's the one that should come to the office two days later, right?"
"Under the name of Shimano Ryousuke…even I know this isn't his real name…" Naoki closed his eyes and sighed.
"It's his stepmother's surname," Said Tatsuya. "Seems like she's the main reason why Hatano's parents got divorced in the first place."
"Well yeah, she's a sexy bitch, lots of money and capable to have rough sex in the bed," Said Naoki bluntly, while Tatsuya just chuckled.
"Using sex as a weapon is not strange."
"Well, assassin such as 'honey pot' would uses her body as a bait, then takes the actions," Naoki put the item back into the bag, put it on the floor, and walked closer to Tatsuya. "If Izumi see this, surely she would run and kill the family, especially the father."
"Since she's also the same as Hatano-kun…" Tatsuya glanced at the said boy before continued. "Even though they might be same in certain ways?"
"Being a victim of child abuse is enough to send her in rage," Naoki sighed as he closed his eyes. "We both know that Hatano-kun is a victim of child abuse; by his own father, by his stepfamily and that Ranbara High School just decided to close its eyes because the Shimano Family gave large sum of money as a donation. We know that it was to cover up the things happened to Hatano-kun."
"I'm glad that you're the only one who comes here after I discharged myself from the hospital," Tatsuya said. Naoki raised his eyebrow, "If your wife is here with us, surely she goes on berserk."
Oh, that is what Tatsuya meant by that.
Both he and Naoki, along with his wife Izumi were classmates during high school, but he actually shared special bond with Izumi due to certain reasons that only people had the same or almost the same experiences as them would understood what kind of their relationship was. It was not something romantic or even intimate; it's just that what they had face together made them understand something that only certain people could understand, just like how he found the boy and the hidden secrets he kept from others.
That was why he knew something was wrong when they found the boy.
He knew that boy was trying to take himself away from something or someone; nobody would walk in the middle of the night with such injuries that almost all over his body, in the middle of the road at night and pretended not to hear the sound of honing that was aim to him. He was sure that boy was under deep pressure that he was unable to hear everything at that moment; something that he knew would always falls on the depress people.
He slowly reached out to him, and gently placed his hand on the bandaged arm. As he touched him, he saw something that made him shock and started to hold the boy's hand tightly than before.
Things flashed past Tatsuya faster than he could grasp or make a sense of them. A happy family – a fight between people – watched the father beaten the mother – separation of the parents– receiving something that broken his heart – abusing from the family – deepest despair –an evil grin from someone beside his father – friends that bullying him – curse words – something awaken within himself– painful – sadness that nobody knows – meeting with a person whom he knew for a long time – a letter –a man with white glove and cane –gathering –
He opened his eyes and looked at the young boy in front of him.
He was never though how much that boy had endured until now.
Watching how his parents separated at such tender age with the mother lost her custody on him and then endless tortured and beaten by his father and stepfamily throughout his childhood, that boy's sadness and pains never ceased since nobody was care enough to notice it. He grew up being a strong yet cheeky person, however because of his smile and personality, which he believed that boy, had it naturally within himself that people were too dense to realize what exactly happened to the boy.
Human's heart was a glass heart.
Once it was broken, it will never be return to its original shape.
And it was the same as everyone's heart.
Him as well.
People rarely paid attention towards others' feelings, never realize how many times they had smashed and crushed the hearts that they were too bad up to the point the hearts became nothing but dusts.
But he could never close his heart tot the things he did not want to know.
Tatsuya had wonder how many times Hatano's heart was smashing into pieces, with people being dense to what had happened. He knew that boy was longing for someone to realize his pain and he knew, right now, he was the one who knew his deepest secrets in the heart…
No matter how much he wanted to stay away from problems, he knew he would always know.
Always.
With a sigh, Tatsuya tucked the blanket up to Hatano's neck and left his room. It was then he realized Naoki was at his older brother's room door, leaning against it as he looked up at him with cellphone in his hand.
And he knew there was something that had caught his friend's attention.
Because Naoki's expression was so gloomy that Tatsuya felt it might be something, he hates to hear about.
-Spring midnight of 26th March, Night, S-7 Club, Roppongi Hill, Roppongi, Minato Ward, Tokyo-
"What do you mean you can't reach him?"
Miyoshi glanced at Kaminaga who was speaking on the phone, and the young man quickly went to his friend, wondering whom he was speaking to. Kaminaga looked at him and quickly dragged Miyoshi to the outside. Fortunately, their shifts just ended, so they can go out without care for the customers. The night was not busy either; despite the spring break just started (2).
Kaminaga put a loud speaker on his phone so Miyoshi could hear it too, "I tried to call Hatano many times, since yesterday! All that I get was an engage call, and he didn't reply to my messages either! That's why I ask you if you know where Hatano is, Kaminaga!"
"Jitsui…we actually don't know either," Kaminaga scratched his head a bit, while Miyoshi frowned upon hearing the conversation. "Why don't you try calling him at home?"
"Heh! As if I want to," Said Jitsui, irritation was obvious in his voice. "When he didn't come to our meeting place yesterday, I already knew something was wrong. So I went to his house and overheard his father's cursing him for being missing and not cleaning the dojo! So obviously, Hatano is missing!"
"Jitsui, calm down will you?" Said Miyoshi for the first time. "Did you ask the others as well?"
There was a long pause on the other side of the phone before Jitsui decided to answer, "…No…I couldn't get Fukumoto or Tazaki's numbers…I only got you, Kaminaga and Hatano, that's all."
"This is bad. Tomorrow we're going to visit the Hunter Division," Said Miyoshi.
"Can't we do something about this Miyoshi?" Asked Jitsui, worried. "You probably didn't notice that night, but Hatano always getting hit by his own father!"
"WHAT!?" Cried both Kaminaga and Miyoshi. "He's been abused?"
"I'm afraid that's what made Hatano missing since yesterday. This is not the first time he left his home after being hit, but usually he at least would reply to my message. But right now, all of my messages still got zero reply! I don't know where he goes!"
"Jitsui, calm down will you?" Asked Miyoshi, trying to calm down the panic teenager. Kaminaga already went inside to grab their bags and to inform the boss that they were leaving. "Both Kaminaga and I already finish our job, so let's meet at Amanogawa Café after this. Where are you?"
"I…I'm already at the entrance…So many people, I can't find Fukumo –woaah! Don't appear so sudden Tazaki!" Miyoshi had to suppress his laugh when he heard Jitsui shrieked.
"What's wrong Jitsui? You look so pale," Tazaki's voice was heard when Kaminaga appeared with his and Miyoshi's bags. Nodding his head, Miyoshi quickly explained to Tazaki about their current situation and asked him to stay with Jitsui. Tazaki immediately agreed and was pulling Jitsui inside the café when the call ended. Without wasting time, both of the youngsters quickly took the taxi and went straight to their destination.
But when they reached the said destination, they were met with Fukumoto, along with Tazaki and Jitsui at the same place they gathered before; Jitsui looked a bit calm although his face still pale. When Miyoshi looked at Fukumoto, the tall man told them the news.
"Hatano just called 10 minutes ago," He said. "Jitsui was worried, but him certain that it's Hatano, safe and sound."
"Really? Where is he?" Asked Kaminaga eagerly. Despite he is no longer the oldest among them (Kaminaga and Amari were the oldest spies during their past lives), he still worried about their youngest member.
"That's the problem," Said Tazaki. "He just told us that he's at some acquaintance's home, but he refused to tell us the address. He said that he will come to the Hunter Division for sure so don't worry about him."
"Then he cut off the line?"
"Just like that."
"Still, it makes me worry about Hatano after Jitsui told us that boy was abused by his own father. Is there nothing we can do to help him?"
"It's quite hard. His stepfamily seems to have some connection with authorities that they can shun off people who are against them. Of course we could do something since we still had and remember our abilities (as spies), but with our current condition, I don't think it can be done so easily," Said Jitsui as he sighed. "And I don't want to return home either…"
"Huh? Why?" Asked Kaminaga.
"I lived alone," Said Jitsui. "Usually Hatano would stay with me, but right now…I just feel tired…"
Fukumoto handed a glass of water while Tazaki rubbed Jitsui's back gently, as if he was trying to sooth him. Miyoshi held his chin as if he was in deep thought, then sighed as he looked at the others.
"I think we had no choice. Since Hatano said that he's alright and will be going tomorrow, we had to leave it just like that. Jitsui, stay at our place tonight. Seeing you like this, I don't think you can wake up early tomorrow," Said Miyoshi as he saw Jitsui was about to protest, but then widened his eye, realizing the truth of his words.
"It's better than walking home alone, Jitsui," Said Tazaki.
Jitsui did not saying anything, but after some time, he slowly nodded his head, as all of them slowly scattered into their own direction.
Tomorrow will be their very first important day, as a group of former D-Agents.
End of Chapter 4
Hints or Explanations:
(1) Empathy –the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings (such as sadness or happiness) that are being experienced by another sentient or semi-sentient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. Empathy is also ability with many different definitions. They cover a broad spectrum, ranging from caring for other people and having a desire to help them, to experiencing emotions that match another person's emotions, to knowing what the other person is thinking or feeling, to blurring the line between self and other.
The person named Tatsuya possessed this ability but with great amount of power that sometimes, even without touching any kind of objects or human beings he still can feel the effects of the emotions of memories that left behind. His ability was too strong that even the earrings that he wore to suppress the strength failed several times.
This chapter is shorter than before, and I'm sorry for breaking the promise. I almost done with this chapter but something happened and I couldn't finished it in time. Therefore I had to separate this chapter and send the first part. The parts where the spies came to the HUNTER Division will be featured in future chapters.
October is finally here and the event 'Inktober' is something I really want to participate! I joined last year but when it almost the end of October and still not knowing it very much. I already post two arts of mine and I can link you people there:
1) Day 01: Tazaki (JG) [ marrylissa. tumblr image/ 151194801497]
2) Day 02: Yamamoto Takeshi & OC (KHR) [ marrylissa. tumblr image/ 151239890957]
Unfortunately yesterday one of my rabbits died. He already old (don't know the age since he's a gift from my sister's friend). I was so sad, because he's in recovery from wound infected with maggots. I don't know the reasons why, maybe because he's sick (I suspect flu) and didn't drink the water from the bottle provided, or because of his long teeth he unable to eat. I stayed by his side until he died, and texted my sister about his demise. I had to bury him all alone, and this is not out first rabbit died. We had 7 rabbits (including the babies) died before, so only left with us are six rabbits. This is hard... T_T
Please read and review. Thank you for your kindness to read this story of mine. –Aoi Kitsukawa.