Chapter 5 –

Hiyori placed Yukine's cup of green tea on the bedside counter. His condition seemed to have worsened over the past couple of hours as his temperature was rising.

"Yukine, how do you feel?" she asked whilst looking over him

"Not…. not much better" he said in a hoarse voice. She was almost certain that she could help in some way. Hiyori was studying medicine after all, and there must have been a way to at least make the situation a bit less worse.

"Well, where do you think it hurts the most?"

"I.. I don't know.." . It was obviously far too difficult for him to have a conversation in this state. Concerned, she turned on the fan and told him to fall asleep. She then walked outside of the room to find Yato in the hallway.

"Yato, please there must be something you can do. You're supposed to be the one who knows about this stuff. What's causing this?"

"I don't know" he said miserably

"How- how don't you know?"

"This has never happened before. Not in my entire life and, let me tell you that's saying something." , he lowered his voice, "Nothing in this world seems to be making sense any more, so it's no surprise that something is targeting Yukine."

Hiyori made herself determined. "I know nothing seems to be making sense, Yato but there's logic in everything, even at times like this so there's got to be a reason that Yukine, as a shinki, has reacted badly to all of this.

'As a shinki..'

The front door suddenly opened loudly.

"Hiyori! Somebody!" shouted a familiar voice.

"Holy – what is Kofuku doing here?!" Yato shouted.

"Yato! Please. It's Daikoku.. he's really sick!"

They looked at each other, both knowing what each other was thinking.

Yato looked through the crack of the door to see Kofuku lying over the bed looking at Daikoku. She looked worried sick..

He knew what was happening. There was only one explanation to all of this..

He confronted Hiyori downstairs, who was trying to make some more food with what was remaining.

"Hiyori I think… I think I might know what's happening."

She turned her head in the direction of Yato, curious.

"Tell me. I want to know."

They both sat down on the table and ate the remainder of rice that was left before he began speaking to her.

"I figured it out… earlier. I was thinking about what could have caused all of this destruction around the world, and whether or not it was some freaky coincidence a long time ago but what happened today made me realise that it must be something related to someone from the far shore." He paused for a moment and looked up at Hiyori from his plate.

"There's only one person I know who can create such a mess as long as he has the right equipment, and that person is my father.."

Hiyori looked shocked, and frankly disappointed.

"You mean.. Fujisaki did all of this? But.. why?"

Yato sighed and looked back down. "You really don't know what kind of a man he is, do you? Anyway, I'm sorry Hiyori but I have to go and see him. If there's anyone who can persuade him otherwise, it has to be me."

"No"

He looked up again as she said it sternly.

"I said no. You're not going out there." Hiyori raised her voice.

"But, Hiyori I'm the only one who can do this.. What's stopping me?"

"I'm stopping you. I don't care if you're a god who's obviously not ordinary and generic with me and I don't care if you know him. But I'm never going to let you enter the heart of that storm"

Yato was amazed at her words. Out of all of the things she'd ever said, this was the most absurd thing he'd heard.

"There's got to be some way to stop this, and if it's for the rest of the world then I'm not going to hesistate.."

"I don't care Yato! If he really is as dangerous as he says he is then there's no way you can stop him. I'd rather you'd be safe and stayed here with me!" she shouted.

"You're being ridiculous Hiyori, nothing's going to benefit from me staying here. Absolutely nothing. Give me this one chance to save you and everybody else.."

"I'M NOT LETTING YOU LEAVE THIS HOUSE!" she said at the top of her lungs.

'She'd actually gone insane. She complains all the time about her parents being overprotective and look at her now. Since when did she have to control me like someone close to her?'

That was when Yato had an idea.

"Okay.. I'll stay here." he said.

"Wait, really?," . Hiyori became confused as she begun to calm down.

"Yes, you're right I can't persuade him on my own.."

"Okay then Yato, uhm, you go upstairs.. It's getting late anyway." she said as she cleared up the plates.