A/N: Hello my lovelies! I'm terribly sorry for not updating D: My computer recently got dismantled and put together again (with upgrades yay!) and that's why I haven't been able to upload. T A T I'm so sorry omg
First of all, Happy New Year! I hope each and every one of you beautiful readers have a fabulous year, and I just know y'all are gonna rock 2014 like no other. :D Secondly, I'll be uploading a Christmas/New Year Special soon (I know it's late I'm sorry but the computer got dismantled 24th and only got put together on the 31st so. T^T) as a way of saying sorry to you sweeties so please wait for that! And now, without further ado, here's Chapter 7!
The blond looked surprised and put both hands on his cheeks but only chuckled weakly, offering no response. He merely coughed and looked down again. Hiroomi frowned. The blond looked way too tense and all of a sudden the air seemed almost oppressive, the mood too dark and definitely too heavy.
Twisting his mouth, Hiroomi started to say something before getting cut off by a low, obviously forced cry from the blond. The blond gestured at the thermos.
"T-The porridge is going to get cold. I should, um, I should eat it now." He picked up the spoon and quickly uncapped the container, getting a hearty spoonful of the food and the smell enveloped the two boys.
Hiroomi frowned. "Akkey, it's in a thermos. It'll stay warm. Be careful it's still ho-"
But the blond had already shoved the spoon in his mouth and he let out a little whimper and flapped his hands around wildly, the spoon clattering quietly on the floor a little ways away.
Akihito swallowed and stuck his tongue out, trying desperately to cool it. "Waher! Waher!" Hiroomi let out an involuntary snort of laughter and rummaged through his bag that had been haphazardly thrown on the floor. Pulling out a bottle of water, he opened the cap and handed it to Akihito.
"I told you it was hot." He watched as Akihito gulped mouthfuls of water and he felt at ease again. The mood had dissipated.
Akihito let out a relieved sigh. "Yeah. I should've known." He darted his eyes down, looking thoughtful. Lifting the raven-haired male's bottle, he said, "Sorry, I'll get you another bottle later." He smiled sheepishly. The bottle was drained of almost all its contents.
Hiroomi cocked an eyebrow, a little bemused. "It's fine. You don't need to, it's just water anyway." The blond didn't answer for a few minutes, before he sighed.
"…Mm."
Hiroomi opened his mouth wanting to say something but at that exact moment, the bell rang and he jumped in surprise. Cursing quietly, he got up, dusting himself. Akihito stood up too, thermos still in hand.
"I haven't finished my porridge yet…" He pouted, looking a little disappointed. The sides of Hiroomi's mouth lifted slightly.
Picking up the blond's and his own bag, the emerald-eyed male mused, "Just eat it on the way to Ayaka-san's place. We can return the thermos tomorrow."
The blond nodded and they started walking down the stairs, Akihito eating quietly, occasionally blowing on the porridge. Hiroomi was left alone with his thoughts and he wondered why the blond had so forcefully changed the subject. He wasn't going to push it; he never did. But he did wonder. And why did he say what he did in the first place?
Hiroomi darted a look sideways at the blond who had nearly finished eating and looked back down to the floor. It didn't matter right now. Right now, he had bigger things to worry about. Like the strange sensations that morning and why Izumi nee-san was so strange and why on earth Ayaka-san wanted to see Akihito.
So they trudged on. Akihito had finished and took his bag back from Hiroomi, putting the thermos into it. As they neared the front gate, Hiroomi heard two familiar voices, bickering away.
"-pai, please! Let me leave them in the room-"
"No. They're taking up space an-"
"B-But…!"
On the other side of the gate stood Mitsuki and Kuriyama, the former looking extremely exasperated and the latter, worried.
"Ah! Kanbara-senpai!" The pink-haired girl noticed the two of them and Akihito gave a wave and a smile.
"What are you two beauties fighting about hmm?" He said, walking over.
"Mitsuki-senpai won't let me keep the bonsai…"
Their voices faded out and all Hiroomi could see was Akihito being so blatantly normal with people. People who weren't him, whereas barely five minutes ago, he had been so weird and distant, and he felt as though something ugly and twisted and wrong had crawled into him and taken hold of his heart. It felt as though his chest was tightening and every dark and miserable thought had crawled to the surface, clawing desperately to get out. His throat felt thick and he swallowed, trying to get rid of the feeling, but it stayed, leaving a foul taste in his mouth. He looked away, unable to bear it and felt like leaving.
Turning on his heel, he walked away briskly. He wasn't feeling himself and he knew he'd do something he'd regret if he stayed. Hiroomi had almost walked to the end of the road when suddenly, someone shouted his name. Turning around, he saw Akihito running over, with Mitsuki walking behind, bored, and Kuriyama-san jogging over as well.
"Hiroomi!" The blond reached him and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why'd you leave? We need to go to Ayaka-san's place remember?"
For a split second, Hiroomi couldn't say anything. Because Akihito had said we.
We.
One simple word could make him feel at ease. So insignificant; yet it bears so much, so many things unspoken. The word echoed in his mind and his chest unclenched and relaxed and he felt decidedly better. Sniffing in mock hurt, he said, "Well, I certainly couldn't stand you flirting so openly with my beloved sister."
Both Mitsuki and Akihito's jaws dropped open and simultaneously they echoed, "He was not-"
"I was not-"
Hiroomi smirked and Mirai giggled, pushing her glasses up her nose. Turning to Hiroomi, she cocked her head. "Why do you need to go to Ayaka-san's place though?"
Hiroomi shrugged. "She wanted to see Akihito apparently."
Nodding, she turned to Akihito, smiling and clapped her hands together. "Then let's all go together! I have work anyway and I'm sure Mitsuki-senpai would be happy to join us." Once again Mitsuki looked surprised and opened her mouth.
"No I most certainly will not-"
"Great!" The pink-haired girl looked happy. "It's decided. Let's get going then!" Grabbing the Mitsuki's arm, she pulled the latter forward, the raven-haired girl almost tripping.
"O-Oi!"
The group arrived at the Photo Studio, Hiroomi feeling happy at the normalcy of it all, Akihito looking considerably distraught at his sister's teasing, Mitsuki being very miffed and Mirai completely oblivious to all else. Regaining his composure but still smiling lightly, Hiroomi opened the door, the familiar jingle greeting his ears.
"Hello?"
Ai appeared from the backroom with Ayaka on her heels. "Hello!" Ai smiled. "Come in, come in." Ayaka also greeted them warmly, before ushering them into the Japanese-style backroom. Settling herself on the floor on one side of the table, she pulled out a postcard from her long, kimono sleeves. The group settled themselves on the other side.
"Kanbara-kun, your mother sent another postcard." Her melodic voice held mirth. The colour drained from the blond's face. Swallowing thickly, he looked visibly shaken but nodded, taking the card. Letting a breath out, he closed his eyes. The rest of them leaned forward in anticipation.
Flipping the card over, the overly sweet, boisterous and altogether too-annoying voice of Akihito's mother filled the room. Once again, she was in a ridiculous squirrel-like get-up and Hiroomi didn't even have it in him to laugh anymore; he merely scrunched his eyebrows in semi-confusion.
"Yup! At long last, the Calm is coming! But there is like, something else I must bring up first…."
The message had finally finished and Akihito looked like his soul had finally returned. The room had a light atmosphere, but Hiroomi was considerably disturbed. What was this Calm? And why did Akihito have to be careful?
He had a sneaking suspicion Izumi-neesan knew about this as well and that everything all lined up. Ayaka-san and Ai moved the group to the café out front and Ai started explaining what the Calm was. As she did, Hiroomi felt a sinking feeling spread throughout his body and he went cold; colder than he usually was.
"But in that case, why do I need to be careful?" The blond looked confused and Ayaka-san walked over, with a plate of tea-filled mugs.
"Have you forgotten? Kanbara-kun, you are half-youmu. If your youmu powers weaken, couldn't it affect you in some way?"
Mitsuki looked thoughtful, her initial boredom completely disappeared and she piped up. "For instance?"
Ayaka-san looked troubled. "Half-youmu are too rare for me to know for certain. However, your immortality is one trait that you could potentially lose."
Hiroomi struggled to keep himself calm and took a deep breath. "I see. So if a Spirit World Warrior found Akkey in such a vulnerable state, there is a chance they might strike." A mix of emotions assaulted the emerald-eyed male and he couldn't put his finger on exactly which ones made up the concoction, but he could very distinctly feel anxiety, anger, sadness and fear, but even amid those one stood out quite clearly; frustration. What does this all mean?
"Exactly." Ayaka-san said. "Isn't that exactly why you escorted him here?" Hiroomi stiffened. No. That's why Izumi-neesan wanted me to escort him here. Dread filled his body. Why? Why doesn't she want Akkey to be attacked? He must be important to her…but for what?
After that, no one said anything until Mitsuki got up solemnly and bid farewell to Ayaka-san. One by one they followed suit. Hiroomi got up as well, but lingered behind. Ayaka-san took a draw from her pipe that she took out from her sleeve.
"What seems to be the problem Hiroomi-kun?" Her melodic voice was a stark contrast to her piercing green eyes and he felt like every inch of his being was under scrutiny.
Hiroomi stayed quiet, an internal war raging within him that was, undoubtedly, seen by the youmu but she didn't press, instead letting him reach his own conclusion. Finally he let out a soft exhale.
"This morning, I felt like the world was just…" He struggled for the words. "Off. The whole city was so dead and everything seemed so caging. Like...like there wasn't anything left. Just a broken sense of routine." He let out an involuntary shudder at the recollection of the sensation. "Does that have anything to do with the Calm?"
The youmu looked thoughtful, taking another draw. She exhaled and the smoke lingered lightly in the air, drifting upwards and dissipating like water on hot metal. Finally she mused, "…For a simple answer, yes. See, the youmu give the city, to some degree, a sense of life." She said slowly. "Ever since the beginning of time, when humans gained consciousness and in turn, those twisted and miserable thoughts that make up youmu, we have existed in a strange balance with humans. We draw strength from them and they draw strength from us. We affect each other and there's a balance to be maintained. Since all their vitality has dropped, perhaps that's why it feels dead, as you put it."
She shook her head. "But that is only a mere theory. I've not been around long enough, obviously, to cement that idea but I have seen various things that may suggest as much." Her green eyes twinkled. "We youmu have our own ways of remembering."
Hiroomi considered the information and swallowed thickly. "Thank you." Bowing, he shut the door behind him, trailing a bit behind the other three. He never even considered the fact that youmu might have had some sense of society, let alone memories.
As he walked along, a thought hit him. That means Izumi-neesan knew about this. She knew about the Calm. She wanted me to escort Akihito because she knew that he'd be considerably weaker. But why? What does she need him for?
The city felt like how it felt that morning; suffocating and cage-like and Hiroomi felt claustrophobic. The air felt heavy and the languid rays from the setting sun seemed to do nothing to chase away the gathering darkness. There wasn't a single sound, no birds, no cicadas, no insects; nothing.
The world was deathly silent.
A/N: So things are finally getting moving. Wonder what this holds in store for us? Only time will tell! Till then, please wait patiently for the next chapter and be sure to review, favourite and follow!