Chapter 2: Past Relationships and Future Potential
"Woah, Nanase this place is huge! What does your brother do?" Ayano was surprised. She didn't really know too well of Nanase's home life.
"Kenta!" Nanase ran up to her brother as the group of them approached the house, up on a bit of a sloping escarpment over the beach.
Kenta was tall, fit and tanned. He looked a lot like Nanase. He wore a casual lab coat, and his hair was pulled back into a small ponytail on the back of this head. He looked like he was made for the beach, mixed with a kind of professional intellectual stature.
"Nanase! It's been so long!" The gave each other a quick hug. "You guys must be Ayano and Yukari…however I didn't know I was also a host for one of her male friends." His voice wasn't apprehensive but rather welcoming.
"His name is Kazuma, he said he wanted to see you. He's Ayano's boyfriend." Nanase said.
"Nanase don't say stuff like that!" Ayano tried not to get mad at her friend in front of her brother but she new all too well that was probably why she had so openly said it.
"Wait, wait, Kazuma? That name sounds familiar." He walked closer. Kazuma's face had a subtle smile on it. "You're not that kid I used to keep an eye on…the one that got thrown out of his family? Never even said bye to me after all I did huh?"
"I thought it was the same Kenta." Kazuma nodded.
"Wait, wait you guys know each other?" Ayano asked.
"Kazuma here used to get bullied back when he went to high school, I think before he got kicked out of his family and disappeared off the face of the planet. Don't hear about that too often, but when I did, shit. I was in the senior class when I first stopped some kids from picking on him. I was on the varsity soccer team and swim team back then, top player if I may say so, and this kid had bite but no bark."
"I didn't know that?" Ayano said wide eyed.
"I never thanked you for that." Kazuma said.
"Well at least tell me you can fight your own battles now?"
"More than ever."
"Why were you kicked out of your family? I heard rumors but everyone said some messed up stuff."
"Because Ayano here beat me in a battle for a sort of honor that I didn't possess. Kind of shamed after being defeated by a girl, you know?" He said with a smirk.
"HEY!" Ayano crossed her arms. "You know I've gotten stronger."
"Wait, you guys are from the same family?"
"Well considering I am still once removed, distantly but yea. Ayano's got a flame about her I never had."
"Still don't." She stuck her tongue out.
"But I am a contractor now so." He smirked to Ayano.
"You'll have to fill me in Kazuma. I get the feeling there's a lot more to your story."
"And I owe you. Anything you need let me know." Kazuma nodded. "But it doesn't look like your in need of much."
"Nanase didn't tell you guys then? I'm a professional diver and Marine Biologist. We just checked out an old shipwreck from the war that we haven't had the equipment to get to until late. My friend, well she's coming over later to check out some of the stuff we found. I look into the ways in which unnatural man-made objects can hinder or aid deep-water ecosystems." His hand was put modestly behind his head.
"Kenta was also into sports like me. He's not saying, but I will. He made it just before the Olympics as a swimmer, but then backed out to go back to school." Nanase added.
"Shouldn't brag for me." Kenta shook his head. "Plus you were always more like Mom, you'll probably be the professional athlete."
"So what did you find on your dive?" Yukari asked.
"I'll say more about it later." Kenta nodded and smiled. "So your rooms? Actually Kazuma what did you come here for anyway?"
"No reason. I just thought I'd say hello. I was actually planning on either watching or attending that summer volleyball competition but I get the feeling its not today."
"Wait volleyball competition? You mean like a tournament?" Ayano asked.
"Yea, what did you think I meant? I don't think there's anything else going on this weekend, unless you know otherwise Ayano?" Kazuma asked.
"No…Uhm…nope." She said. She thought it was the Bikini contest. She kind of felt guilty for assuming.
"That's not until tomorrow afternoon. If you want why don't you stay for the weekend too?" Kenta asked. "At least then we can catch up."
"Sure. I don't have much here with me, but I'll take a trip to the shops tomorrow and grab some stuff." Kazuma shrugged.
Ayano sighed.
"So I have three spare rooms…" Kenta said. "You can have this one Kazuma. And whatever you need just let me know."
"Thanks." Kazuma entered the room.
"I'll just room with Nanase." Yukari said.
"That's fair, one of them does have a couch." Kenta nodded.
"Are these rooms or condos?" Ayano asked amazed.
"Your funny. I normally don't splurge but it's the perfect spot, and I want to stay local for a while." Kenta smiled. "After Trista leaves I'll make us all a barbeque and a bonfire."
"Is Trista your friend?" Nanase smiled.
"Yea, she's a Marine Archeologist."
"Is she your girlfriend?" Nanase smiled wider.
"Uh, oh no. She's just my partner for most of these kinds of …things." Kenta coughed.
"Oh Right, well Yukari and I will be off to our room. Ayano come meet us out here when you're done unpacking."
"Sure." Ayano nodded and went into her room. It was bigger than her room at home. Suddenly she kind of understood why Kazuma liked those condos so much. She was kind of happy to take off her bathing suit and get changed into real clothes.
She left her room and knocked on Nanase and Yukari's door.
"Ayano? Come in look at this view!"
She walked over to see Nanase and Yukari on their balcony.
"Woah, we have one of these too?" Ayano asked.
"So do you." She motioned over to Ayano's on her room. "Just got to pull back the curtains for this awesome view."
"Hey, look is that the woman your brother said was helping him?" Yukari noticed a car pulled up and a woman came out. She had tanned skin like Nanase's brother and long dark hair, and big emerald colored eyes.
"Woah, she's pretty." Ayano even couldn't help but stair.
"And I can tell, my bro's totally got it in for her." Nanse smirked.
"You can tell?" Ayano asked.
"Ayano, you really are oblivious to these kind of love things aren't you!" Yukari smiled.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Ayano raised her eyebrow.
"Oh come on, you know Kazuma likes you. I mean come on you guys have had chemistry since the first time we saw you two together." Yukari insisted.
"I recall him letting me get haunted by that damn pixie….I made a fool out of myself and he watched."
"But you got stronger too." Nanse looked out onto the beach.
"Yea but-"
"I mean like you're so lucky." Yukari droned on.
"He's just flirting most of the time…" Ayano shook her head.
"Yea well you get mad at him." Nanase. "You both have your reasons to back out, but we pretty much know all you guys have gone through, minus some of the details."
"She's right." Yukari smiled out to the sunset.
"I don't get it…" Ayano stood behind them looking at her feet.
"My brother won't accept that he likes Trista right? It's a defense. But after a while it'll simmer down. He likes her. And tonight I'm gonna scout out and see if she likes him too." Nanase smiled. "If he's happy, I can be happy. Our mother passed when we were young he needs someone else female in his life."
"Wow, that's really mature of you Nanase." Ayano said.
Nanase smiled and went back into the room.
"She's right Ayano, maybe it is just a defense you guys use on eachother." Yukari leaned her head on Ayano's shoulder. Ayano looked out over the railing to the sunset with her thoughts for a brief moment.
"Come on, you gotta help us figure out if Trista likes Nanase's brother tonight anyway!" Yukari pulled on her hand with a reassuring smile towards the bedroom.
Kazuma could hear the girls muffled voices from the rooms over. He wondered if he missed out on a real social life back then. He came to the conclusion he didn't. But at the least he was happy to know he could find Kenta again to repay him. He remembered specifically the first time Kenta had saved his ass.
He'd never really had a social life, as far as he could remember. Kids at school never got him. He was so focused with his parent's obsession for him to take over as the Kannagi head and Enraiha holder, that his social skills didn't develop until his rebellious stage set in. First year of high school and Kenta had stopped some of the kids from his grade and the year above from going at him. Kenta was an athletic popular teenager; one who had surprisingly decided to take apart the kids beating him up, and kicked two of them off of their sports teams.
A year later Kenta was a senior. Another year later Kazuma was out of school focusing on his non-existent firepower's. Their trade off had been that Kenta made sure nobody got on his back, so long as he promised to get stronger. He had needed to grow up and stand up for himself back then. He existed at school for as long as he could.
He'd seen Kenta before he left, but only from a distance; Won an athletic award for an International university scholarship and he was probably going professional. Kazuma left. He didn't need to worry about some socially awkward reject. He made a promise to be able to stand on his own that day on, so that people like Kenta didn't need to look after him.
Now, ironically nearly 5 years later he was the one who was looking after everyone else. He could look after himself, so he thought, so he became the person that promised to make sure nobody else around him would get hurt like he once did, or Tsui-Ling did. Kenta didn't need to protect him, but now Kazuma sure did owe him.
And Kenta was providing him with a room now, in a white modern "beach house" that nearly but his own apartment to shame. He'd have to go tomorrow to get more clothes. Maybe then he could find something for Kenta.
"You guys ready for some barbeque?" Kenta called up the stairs.
"Sounds great!" Nanase came down with the girls Kazuma following briefly behind.
They all sat down in the slightly wooded area, just on the hill Kenta's house sat on, next to a fire-pit with some delicious barbeque Kenta had made.
"Wow, this is amazing." Yukari exclaimed.
"It's not that great." Kenta said.
"Oh give yourself some slack." Trista smiled to Kenta. "Your cooking is better than your eye for genuine artifacts though."
"What artifacts?" Nanase took one of the shish kabobs.
"We found some stuff at one of the old shipwrecks from the war. We didn't have the right equipment until recently to go down and check it out thoroughly without disrupting the ecosystem." Kenta leaned back in his chair.
"But most of the stuff we found was fake, junk or not worth anything. Except for a pearl necklace." Trista said. "Problem with that is, it has no signification on it of the past owner or who it would belong to. And before we go on, Kenta do you mind introducing me?"
"Oh, right, Trista I'm so sorry." Kenta looked put right off. "This is my sister Nanase, her friend Yukari, her friend Ayano, and Ayano's boyfriend Kazuma, an old acquaintance."
"We're not really boyfriend and um-" Ayano said, before she suddenly bit her lip.
"It's alright. I get it." Trista said with a warm smile to Ayano. Ayano got the feeling Trista some how understood.
"So what are you going to do with it then?" Nanase asked.
"Not sure. We could either give it to the city and put it in the museum, but it's also just a pearl necklace – so without context it's one in a million." Kenta shrugged.
"Can we see it?" Nanase asked.
"You want to see a pearl necklace?" Kenta asked.
"Uhm yes!" Nanase smiled.
"Why not!" Trista said smiling. "I'll go grab It."
"If you say so." Kenta nodded with a smile.
Nanase nudged Kenta. "Trista is nice."
"What?" Kenta asked.
Yukari couldn't help but laugh.
Ayano shivered.
"You cold?" Kazuma asked.
"No…no not really."
"I don't have a jacket to give anyway." Kazuma admitted with a shrug.
"It might be something else though."
"That's what I was thinking." Kazuma said and made a small nod towards Trista's arrival with the pearls.
"Here it is!" She said. She held out a small simple velvet trey with a pearl necklace. The pearls were a bit worn and the golden clasp had no insignia on it.
Trista noticed Kazuma's strange look. "You don't know whose they are?" His voice became flat.
"No, no…I-uhm is something wrong?" Trista asked, placing them on the outdoor table between the circle of chairs, next to the fire-pit.
"Just a hunch. You said it was from an old ship wreck…" Kazuma stood up. "I think it has a bit more relevance than just that."
"What is it?" Kenta pushed himself onto the edge of his seat as if to get up.
"Spiritual Presence." Kazuma said. "Ever hear of Fujutsu?" He asked.
"Well I-" Kenta's gaze met Kazuma's stark red-brown eyes. Kenta's face grew serious. "This was your family's secret wasn't it."
"It's not haunted with a demon; Likely some kind of un-rested spirit from that shipwreck. I'd love to just work my own contracting air magic but-."
"What do you mean?" Trista looked worried.
"His contractor wind powers are better for the fighting. A quick flame to purify them and detach the spirit though, that's more my department with my en-jutsu Enraiha." Ayano smiled.
"Woah, is this serious?" Kenta looked either surprised or impressed.
"I told you when I left Kenta that I was going to get stronger. Now I am, stronger than the girl who got me exiled in the first place."
"Hey! You know that I've gotten stronger. Just because you are a contractor..."
"Well if it is. It's all yours then." Trista handed it over.
"No, I was wrong, it's not haunted. But it does belong to someone on that ship." Kazuma said holding it his eyes closed, his wind powers rising up a bit.
"What do you mean not haunted? How can it not be haunted but hold a spiritual presence?" Ayano asked. "Can you're Contractor Powers do that?"
"There are such things as lingering spirits. Maybe this spirit, which is attached to it, is just looking for closure of death from that shipwreck. Or maybe it is a romantic thing, you know guy gives girl a set of pearls, ship goes down, never says their goodbyes. Makes sense why this necklace hasn't caused any ruckus around here. It's attached, its just not potently angry yet."
"Well that's good." Trista said. "Maybe if we go to the library's archives tomorrow we can look for people who survived who's loved ones didn't? You willing to make the trip?" She looked to Kenta.
"As long as you are." He nodded. "You seem pretty concerned with giving it back?"
"Well if it is as Kazuma says, then maybe it really does have sentimental meaning." Trista said. "I'd hate to have it not returned."
"You should be glad it's not haunted. But giving it to someone it doesn't actually belong to might give off that effect. Just be sure you have the right person." Kazuma cautioned.
Kenta nodded. "Well I guess it's a date then. Does anyone else want to come?"
"Nah, we're going to go shopping tomorrow down on the boulevard here." Nanase said.
"We are?" Ayano asked.
"We are." Yukari winked to Nanase, who had somehow caught a drift Ayano missed.
"I also have to buy enough clothing to get me through this weekend. I'm a little down on supplies due to my surprise stay here." Kazuma shrugged.
"Then Kenta and I will go. And we'll make sure to be back for the volleyball tournament tomorrow evening if we're lucky, because I know you wouldn't want to miss that Kenta." Trista teased.
"I'm a sucker for sporting events. I'm no good at volleyball myself, but it's fun to watch." Kenta shrugged.
"Well I'm going to head off then." Trista said. "If we have a full day tomorrow I need a bit of rest."
"Let me walk you out." Kenta got up and followed her out.
"I'm going to call it quits myself." Kazuma got up and left.
"So shopping trip since when?" Ayano asked.
"Since I have an idea. We need something to wear for Sunday anyway!" Nanase smiled.
"Sunday?" Ayano asked.
"Ayano it's your birthday. And they always have a celebration on the beach the night after the volleyball tournament. Big bon-fire and the winners are crowned Beach King and Queen too. Gonna have to look your best for Kazuma!" Yukari chimed.
"Oh give it a break you two…" Ayano rolled her eyes.
"Well we're going to go to bed and figure our plan out for tomorrow. Want to join?"Nanase asked.
"Nah, I'll just follow your lead tomorrow." Ayano said. "I'm really looking forward to a peaceful night. I get the feeling the next few days are going to be crammed with stuff to do." She turned and left for her room. Maybe this weekend would end up being peaceful after all?