DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of X/1999.
A/N: Hello welcome back! Sorry for the long wait. Thank you all for the wonderful comments and I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter.
The Onmyouji
The Sumeragi household was like a treasure trove hidden in the abundant waves of cherry trees rising towards the blue sky in the outskirts of Kyoto. Numerous rooms stretched across the winding corridors within, every corner caressed by the warm tinge of earth and sunlight streaking through the paper screen doors. At the end of it there was one particular room that had seen through the seasons of life for many generations. It was a ceremonial room and today it oversees one such season cast by the grey veil of solemnity, its incense-filled air bringing the scent of loss to greater heights.
The funeral was a quiet affair with few outsiders as visitors. They were mainly relatives who sat around in the ceremonial room, murmuring among themselves about the great loss the Sumeragi family has come to face. From the corner of their eyes, they were watching, the back of a lone man, frail and wretched-looking—the vestige of one who suffered the most.
The youngest member of the family, Subaru Sumeragi, stood before a coffin gazing at a portrait of the late Lady Sumeragi. Her grey wintry eyes gazed back, her snow-white hair loosely bundled in a classic style leaving some to fall over the collar of her kimono and her painted lips—where words would no longer flow from—were drawn into a serene smile. Even from a picture, she was an epitome of elegance tangled with ancient wisdom gathered through the years and more if not for her sudden passing.
Candles burned and wisps of smoke whirled between grandmother and grandchild, an untouchable link that at the same time separated them, only to unfold through the unspoken language of their eyes. Subaru detangled from that link by glancing towards the side of the portrait where a wooden plaque with her name written in black fluid strokes was mounted. His fists clenched and his shoulders hunched in to hide his quavering, there he stood like a dark clad statue, the only question raging through his mind was why?
Lady Sumeragi, Kamui thought, silently regarding the elderly woman in the portrait. That's how everyone addressed her—Lady Sumeragi. He had insisted on following Subaru back to Kyoto and since his arrival he has played the role of the silent onlooker. His violet eyes skimmed through the room, watching the faces of the few. A heavy silence hung in the air, reminding him of the same silence that had been his constant follower since they boarded the shinkansen from Tokyo, hollowing out the distant cry of the wind as it sliced through it. Subaru had closed his eyes the moment they sat down, his fingers interlacing with Kamui's—a sublime motion that could only mean an awareness of his existence. Feeling exhausted but unable to sleep, Kamui had only watched the continuous stream of auburn and green through the window as he entered a different world. Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto still held onto its traditional ways and Kamui took comfort in that. So much of the old Japan has lost its touch and travelling to Kyoto felt like taking a journey back in time where things were simpler, untainted by the western world. At that moment, Kamui hated what Tokyo represented—a city of greed and arrogance swamped under the meaningless folds of mindless technology, reflecting the mass of faceless beings trapped in a vortex of lies and empty promises. Yes, he truly hated it and if given the choice, he would like to free Japan—and the world—from the poison that has taken root upon Tokyo's soil. His fingers tightened at their knots at that thought, stirring Subaru awake.
"We're almost there," Subaru said, noticing the familiar forestry streaming past. A look of nostalgia grazed his face. "Thank you for coming along, Kamui."
"I just want to be there for you when you need me."
Subaru smiled and looked back out the window with the canvas of auburn, gold and green streaming past, his mysterious beauty intertwining with the beauty of Kyoto as they entered its heart.
"Are you a relative?" Kamui jolted slightly at the unexpected voice—though it sounded kind and unobtrusive—and noticed the man standing next to him for the first time. His eyes cascaded upwards the sheer black suit and tie—crisp and looking like it's worn for the first time—where underneath the plain white inner shirt, a broad neck stood out, supporting a chiselled clean-shaven jaw. Soft brown eyes peered back at him through gold-framed glasses, matched by short dark brown hair combed sideways in a modest fashion. Cordial and servile, he waited for Kamui's reply. The latter shook his head and said that he's just a friend of Subaru's.
A streak of light reflected off his glasses as he nodded, "Ah, I see. You from around here?" Shaking his head again, Kamui told him that he's from Tokyo. "Ah! I'm from Tokyo too." His smile widened as he stretched out a hand. His fingers were long and slender, like an artist's, Kamui thought before taking it. "I'm Aoki. Aoki Seiichirou. I'm a family friend of the Sumeragis."
"I'm Kamui Shirou."
"It's a shame," Aoki sighed, letting his hands fall to his sides, all pleasantries tucked away into the deep pockets of his mourning suit. "Lady Sumeragi was a great woman. I have the utmost respect for her."
Kamui could only nod. He was a walking empty vessel, never been filled with any knowledge about the Sumeragi matriarch until today. "Who was she?"
Aoki had a look that Kamui read as surprise. He explained that Subaru had never really told him anything about his family. The older man nodded, each time accompanied by ah, I see.
"Well, I don't blame you because you see," Aoki said as he tried to find the first mental thread of information to pull. Apparently, if one were to even begin filling up the missing historical pieces of the Sumeragis, it would take a lifetime. "It's not exactly common knowledge that the Sumeragis are a clan of onmyoujis and you have to be in the business yourself to know it."
"Onmyouji?" echoed Kamui, the word was a web of all sorts of mysteries. He's familiar with that term, thanks to his mother who has a thing for the occult. He remembered her telling him that she used to know a family who owned a shrine before she moved to Okinawa. And by the time she moved back to Tokyo with a five year old Kamui, they were gone and not a footprint had been left behind for her to trace them. Sometimes Kamui felt that their disappearance was the reason why she had spent so many nights before with her face stuck in those books, as if doing so made her believe that she still has some sort of connection with that family.
"Yes," Aoki bobbed his head, combing back loose strands of his hair with his hand as he did. "Lady Sumeragi was the twelfth head of her clan, making her the most powerful among the onmyouji circle. I sense that you have some sort of knowledge?"
Kamui nodded, "my mother has these books…"
"Ah, I see."
"You said you're in the business… you're an onmyouji too?"
Aoki smiled bashfully as he shook his head, "I'm just a simple copy editor. Though the reason why I'm in the know is because my family has a shrine that's dedicated to Fūjin, the wind god and my nephew works for a priestess back in Tokyo. She and Lady Sumeragi go way back but she's unable to make it here due to her um… delicate condition so I'm actually here on her behalf."
"Your nephew couldn't make it?"
Before Aoki could reply, Subaru was already stepping away from his grandmother's coffin and like a well of opportunity, Aoki dunked into it. He glided—almost wind-like—towards the younger man and gripped his shoulder with gentle force and spoke with a voice kindled with the flame of genuine pain, "my deepest condolences, Subaru-kun."
"Thank you, Seiichirou-san."
"And Lady Hinoto is sorry for not being able to attend."
"It's alright. How is she? It's been a while since I last visited her and I have no excuse having living in Tokyo myself. And how's Daisuke-san?"
"Ah, he's doing well. Still very determined about his ambition to serve the priestess. Very conscientious that one and it makes me very proud as an uncle."
Subaru smiled. "And your family is well I hope?"
Aoki nodded, "they too send their regards."
"I see that you've met Kamui?"
"Ah, yes a bright young man he is. I reckon that he and Daisuke would get along quite well. Though I feel I should beg your pardon for I've taken upon myself the liberty to share a little of your family history." Aoki bowed his head, looking sincerely embarrassed.
"Why, Seiichirou-san. It's no secret, nothing to feel bad about. In fact, I should be the one feeling bad for not telling him myself."
Subaru's eyes dropped down and Kamui was about to gather him—along with his guilt and remorse—into his arms, wanting to tell him that everything's alright when a voice floated into their space from the lips of a woman standing behind Subaru.
"Subaru?"
From his angle, Kamui could only make out her slim figure wrapped within a black silk kimono and the side of her hair which was styled in such a way that resembled Subaru's. Standing slightly a foot shorter than him, her kimono sleeves flared out like the wings of a moth as she opened her arms to him.
"Nee-san," Subaru's voice broke as he called out to his closest kin and immediately melted into her bosom. As he buried his face in her shoulder, Kamui finally saw her face and for the first time he completely understood the meaning of awestruck. Twins, he realized as he stared at the face of the other whose eyes were a shade closer to jade. He knew Subaru had an elder sister—though he had never specified what kind—called Hokuto and he talked about her a lot. We look the same, Kamui remembered Subaru saying. I feel like a part of me was ripped out when I left her in Kyoto. It was like seeing the light for the first time, realizing how daft he had been.
"Nee-san, meet Kamui," Subaru brought his sister to where Kamui stood. He could not help but gaped in wonder at the striking resemblance they shared. It's bad manners to stare, a voice in his head said and he bowed as he struggled to find the words to offer his condolences.
"Ah, Kamui," exclaimed the twin, wrecking his flow of thought. "I've heard a lot about you. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful friend to Subaru. It's such a rarity for him to have anyone close enough to call a friend. Sometimes I feel like I'm his only friend. But now that we've finally met, I can understand why his calls have been becoming less and less frequent! You're so good looking!" laughter erupted—boisterous and loud—shocking everyone from their solemn mood in her presence.
"Ne-Nee-san!" Subaru stuttered. For the first time that day, Kamui finally saw some life.
"Hokuto-chan!" Aoki reacted with equal perplexity and hissed through his teeth. "It's your grandmother's funeral!"
"Well, you know what she would say—my body may be gone but my spirit still lives!" Hokuto raised her fist to the roof in exhilaration. "Anyway, thanks for coming Seiichirou-san. How's Lady Hinoto?"
"She's doing well."
"Where's Daisuke?"
"He's got a big exam coming up."
"Screw that! He's already set for life working for Lady Hinoto anyway!"
Aoik chuckled nervously.
"Nee-san, you're too loud."
Hokuto puckered her face and was about to make another ingenuous remark when a large ape-like hand bowled over her small shoulder. Kamui thought he saw her jump out of her skin.
"Hokuto Sumeragi."
The room seemed to reverberate with the voice as an unrelenting tide of gravity pulled Hokuto down back to face the nature of the situation, reminding her that she wasn't acting according to protocol. She turned around and towering over her was an elderly man with thick white eyebrows and a beard. A black haori draped over his shoulders—wide and heavily set—and his legs were firmly apart on the ground within a pair of white-striped hakama. His hands released Hokuto's shoulder and clasped over a wooden staff which looked like it was made out of a hundred year old wood, his grey wintry eyes never leaving Hokuto's.
"Ōoji-san," she greeted and right before Kamui's eyes, she transformed into a lady. Her tabi-covered toes turned inwards and her hands were poised below her black obi.
"Have you lost it? It's a funeral."
"Moushiwake gozaimasen deshita," Hokuto replied with a deep bow, an act she knew would ease the old man's mortification. He only shook his head, his eyebrows deeply crossed, almost touching each other, almost shading his eyes. "Aho! This is not the day to be yourself!" But he wasn't able to keep his irritation up for Hokuto was looking up at him doe-eyed. Sighing, he let his features soften and shifted his focus on to the face of the other whom he's not seen in a long time.
"Subaru," he called and gestured with his hand, inviting the younger Sumeragi twin closer.
"Ōoji-san," Subaru greeted with an equally deep bow before succumbing into his grand-uncle's embrace.
"Oh, look at you." A deep chuckle rumbled like the grey skies before a heavy rainfall from the old man's throat. The lines at the corner of his eyes became deep creeks of pride as he gazed into the emerald orbs of his grand nephew. Then he let Subaru go who took a step back next to Hokuto and his gaze flitted from one twin to the other. "Look at the two of you. If only Kaguya could see…" his voice trailed off as a cloud of sadness loomed over his eyes.
"Ōoji-san…" Subaru wanted to say something, thinking what could be worse than to lose one owns kin? Then remembering the thought that was raging through his mind, he asked, "Obaa-chan… how did she…?"
His grand-uncle's gaze turned towards him, his question sparking something in it. He looked around and let his eyes to fall on Kamui, noticing him for the first time. "And who is this?"
"He's Kamui Shirou from Tokyo. He came with me and he'll be staying until we go back."
Kamui bowed after Subaru's introduction, "I'm very sorry for your great loss."
The Sumeragi elder nodded and thanked him for his presence and before turning away he told Subaru that he has to go settle some matters and that the rest of the family would deeply appreciate if he would join them once he has let Kamui settle comfortably in one of their fine guest rooms. After he padded away, Aoki too excused himself, explaining that he had not planned to stay and will be leaving for the next train out of Kyoto. "It was good to see you again Hokuto-chan," and looking at Subaru and Kamui he added, "perhaps we'll catch up in Tokyo?" Smiling and waving, he left the ceremonial room, the rest watching the black of his suit disappearing behind the door.
"Well," Hokuto clicked her tongue. "That was fun."
No one responded.
"Guess I'll head down to the meeting room first then. Kakyō's waiting for me."
Subaru nodded okay as she shuffled out of the room. Stopping mid-way through the exit, she turned around and smiled at Kamui, "it was nice meeting you, Kamui."
The remaining pair made a short walk to the guest rooms. "Sorry," Subaru told Kamui regretfully as he slid open a door to reveal a small room. He sighed, "family matters. I wish I didn't have to leave you."
"Don't worry about me. Go do what you have to do."
Subaru nodded. "There's a futon in the oshiire if you need to take a nap. I know you didn't have enough rest. I'll be back as soon as I can." Subaru waved before turning away to leave. Kamui noticed a certain tension curling from within him and wondered what the family matters were about.
Shrugging, he took the futon out, not surprised by its exceptional quality. He had noticed that everything about this household had a significant magnitude of nobility. He laid the futon out and rested on it with the intention of waiting for Subaru. But as the seconds ticked by, his eyelids grew heavier and before he knew it, he was sinking back into the dream where white feathers fell like tear drops on his face and angelic voices whispered his name.
Kamui...
Soft feathery plumes caressed his face as he stared into a pair of soft caramel eyes.
So sad... he thought about those eyes. He wanted to wipe that lone tear away and make it his own, that it may stain his face and not the fair face of the other. The angel's beautiful hair swirled and twirled in magnificent shades of gold and silver, slowly enveloping him and the transparent globe that he resided in. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his knees as he listened to the melodic voice in his head saying...
Kamui... you are...
"Kamui?"
His eyelids fluttered open revealing glazed purple irises, blurry images of feathers streaming downwards under beams of white light faded away and as he slowly regained his consciousness, the only thought that was constant on his mind was who am I?
"Who am I?" he asked drowsily and out loud without realizing it.
"What?" Subaru asked with a slight frown etched on his face.
Kamui cupped his forehead, squeezed his eyes tight as he willed the rest of his mind back. "Did I say something weird?"
"Yeah," Subaru replied. "You said 'who am I'."
Kamu's head throbbed as he sat up. "How long was I out?" He noticed that the light outside the paper screen window had ebbed away.
"About five hours? At least that's how long I was gone."
Five hours! Oh god! Then Kamui remembered Subaru's meeting. "How did it go?"
Subaru sighed deeply which sounded pretty much like resignation and Kamui didn't like the sound of it. Why is it that family meetings never turn out good? he wondered.
Subaru bit his bottom lip, not knowing where to start. "How much did Seiichirou-san tell you about my family?"
Kamui told him.
"I'm sorry I never told you. About the true nature of my job…"
When Kamui and Subaru first met, it was through a home party that Sorata threw. Subaru had introduced himself as a consultant for wealthy businessmen. Kamui figured that it must be such an important job to be dealing with wealthy businessmen that it would be rude to pry. Even during their short-lived love affair, Subaru had shown some reluctance in revealing the nature of his work. Now that he finally learned that Subaru came from a family of occult leaders, how much more is he going to learn that wasn't already surprising?
"The things I consult on are about… well, I guess if I were to give my job a corporate title, it'd be 'spiritual analyst'," Subaru chuckled. "Generally speaking, I am a feng-shui master, exorcist, and psychic all rolled into one. I get paid chasing and getting rid of ghosts for people. I'm also known as an yin-yang specialist... god Kamui, stop gaping at me and say something."
Kamui clamped his mouth shut. Subaru's a what? "I… wow. I don't know what to say."
"It's not something you can just tell others y'know? When we first met, I felt a deep connection with you that I was so afraid of losing you. I wanted to tell you so many times but when I thought about the people who used to shun and ridicule me in the past because of what I do, I weaseled out. I've been called a freak of nature, a weirdo, crazy… I couldn't have a normal social life because I didn't know how to pretend not being able to see… things. The only people I could relate to are Hokuto-chan and Obaa-chan and anyone else who's in the spiritual know like Seiichirou-san. Then I met Arashi-san whose family was one of my clients and that's how I got to know Sorata-san and then finally you. For the first time, someone who isn't part of the spiritual circle could be with me. When I started talking about ghosts and such, I thought you were only humoring me. But in the end, you were the only one who took me seriously."
Subaru's eyes were near to tears as Kamui listened to him pour out his heart. He took the onmyouji's hand and squeezed it, his eyes never leaving the other. "Do you really think that lowly of me, Subaru?"
Subaru shook his head, "no!"
"Will you believe me if I say that I don't care what you do as long as you're you?"
Subaru nodded.
Kamui smiled. "Good. Because when we get back to Tokyo, I want to know everything about you. I want to listen to everything you have to say and you're not allowed to Leave. Anything. Out. I don't care if you had sex with a male ghost you must tell me."
"Uh… that never happened."
"Not even a thought?"
"Hell no! There are rules about that y'know."
"I don't! And you're supposed to tell me when we get back to—"
"Oh yeah about that, I'm afraid I can't return to Tokyo with you."
"What? Why?"
"There's one more thing I haven't told you. Seiichirou-san told you that my grandmother was the twelfth head of the clan right? Now that she's gone, the clan needs a thirteenth head. I have to stay until they decided on one. There's a high chance Hokuto-chan might get it since she's the direct descendant."
"But so are you!" Kamui exclaimed.
Subaru shook his head, "Hokuto-chan's older and she's been around most of the time helping our grandmother with matters of the clan. Women are also highly esteemed when it comes to spiritual matters. Plus she's also married which means she'll be the one to carry on the family's line. In essence, she's most likely going to be the thirteenth head of our clan. I'm her brother and I want to be around when that happens. So, I'm sorry but I can't go back with you this time."
"Does your family know that you're…"
"That I'm gay? Only Hokuto-chan knows it. And I'm going to spill it to the rest if by some dumb stroke of luck I get the spot."
"What are the chances?"
Subaru shrugged, "I've always been known as the psychic twin and Hokuto-chan's the smart one. That's why she gets to stay in Kyoto mending the business while I bring in the monies. It's 2013. Times aren't like the past where people like us were appreciated. Now it's just a business like any other. Anyway, my point is: the clan isn't going to let me handle them. To them, I'm just a tool."
"To your own family?" Kamui had no idea Subaru could get this cynical. "Your grand-uncle seemed to care a lot about you and Hokuto-chan."
A feeble smile traced the corners of Subaru's pursed lips, "Ōoji-san is actually my Obaa-chan's half-brother. Her father died when she was ten so her mother got remarried to another onmyouji of lesser status. He too died after Ōoji-san was born."
"That's-that's-!"
Subaru nodded, "tragic, yes. She believed she was bad omen and that drove her into suicide leaving Obaa-chan and Ōoji-san parentless. So, at the age of twelve, my Obaa-chan was head of the clan and also the guardian of Ōoji-san. She went against the clan's wishes to send him away and kept him by her side. Sometimes, I think he's in love with my Obaa-chan and so took the vow of abstinence in order not to dishonor her. So yes, he cares a lot about us but because he's technically not a Sumeragi, he has no say in the clan's decision making."
Kamui was enthralled. Not by the tragic stories of Subaru's family history but the fact that he even knew it. Like a hole in the heart, Kamui felt for the first time the emptiness of not knowing who his forefathers were. Heck, he doesn't even know his own father. It was like being a fruit and not knowing which tree you fell from. Well, no matter, he thought. it's not like I'm gonna have children to share with anyway. Just at the end of that thought, a pair of dark eyes invaded his mind.
That reminds me...
"Hey, so um, I saw you with some guy last night at the club. Sei-"
"Seishirou-san?" a tinge of redness spread across Subaru's cheeks as he blurted out that name, eyes wide and as clear as crystalline water. "Oh god he's so..."
"Hot?" Kamui was grinning uncontrollably, a part of him couldn't wait to talk about his guy. Subaru nodded, the redness flaring even more even as he tried to hide it.
"I met someone too," Kamui added.
"Yeah, I saw him and he looks..."
"What?"
"I don't know... dangerous? I couldn't read his aura and that's usually not a good thing."
"Yours looks like he kills people for a living!" Kamui barked, much to his own surprise. Was he really that offended?
Subaru chuckled, "alright, alright. Let's do a double-date when I get back and we'll see. You got his number I hope?"
Kamui stared back as if he just got knocked with a bombshell. How could he forget! "I didn't!"
"What?"
"He promised me that he'll see me again and that's why it didn't cross my mind to get his number!"
"Oh great, because I didn't get Seishirou-san's number either."
They laughed at their blunder and while they laughed, a soft voice traveled from outside through the screen door. There was a faint silhouette of a woman kneeling outside and for a moment, Kamui thought it was Hokuto. Subaru slid the door opened, revealing a different person, one that Kamui had not yet met. She had a petite face framed by a short bob and Kamui's initial thought was that the black kimono she was wearing doesn't match her at all. In fact, it made her look older than she really is which he suspected was no older than twenty.
"Ah, Yuzuriha-chan," Subaru greeted, a slight cheer radiating in his voice. "Please, meet Kamui Shirou. He's from Tokyo."
With her soft voice, Yuzuriha uttered some words in the guise of compliments Kamui couldn't quite make out but he bowed anyway and exchanged his own share of good wishes.
"Is there anything we can do for you, Yuzuriha-chan?" Subaru asked, his voice Kamui noticed was overly gentle, as if cautious.
"Your family would like me to tell you that dinner is about to be served."
"Please tell them that there will be an addition to the dinner," Subaru instructed. Yuzuriha bowed once more, "I'll pass the message on," and left. Kamui listened to the faint thud of her tabi-covered feet slowly descending till he could hear no more.
"That's Yuzuriha Nekoi. She came to us when she was five and I was already making frequent travels between here and Tokyo. I never got the chance to speak to her because of that and I always have this sense that she's afraid of me. I tried to be nice and speak kindly to her but it's not helping."
"What does she do here?"
"Just a servant girl. Obaa-chan wanted more help with the house and she believed that the younger you train them, the better. I don't disagree with that, she's already in her mid-twenties and still stuck here. I'm not even sure if the thought of leaving ever crossed her mind. Anyway, I think we should go for that dinner now. Don't leave my side," Subaru said with a wink and together, they walked through the winding corridors of the Sumeragi household, guided by the candlelight that shuddered at their passing. Kamui followed quietly behind and whether he was imagining it or not, he thought he could hear a child's laughter—or was it two?—echoing through the paper thin walls and from the corner of his eye, a shadowy outline of a young child was bouncing along the tatami flooring, his hair fluttering like the soft feathers of a black bird as he fell into the embrace of another. Turning around together, they stared back at Kamui with eyes the color of emerald and jade.
He inhaled sharply, blinking. But the vision has disappeared and the corridor was as silent as the night.
"You alright?" Subaru stopped to ask. Kamui only shook his head, made a passing comment about his sleepiness and hurried after Subaru.
A/N: Thank you once again for taking the time to read! Just a couple of notes. Kaguya is a borrowed name from the Code Geass character. Couldn't think of a better name. The Ōoji-san is made-up though I kinda based him on Nataku's grandfather.