Chapter 7: Temple Visit

A month passed by in a flash. Yui's surgery went smoothly and she was released just two days ago. Yet, she's her energetic little self like she was when we were working for the Afterlife Battlefront. She moved back in with Hinata and well, I don't know what to say about those two.

…

"Otonashi!" I groaned and grabbed my pillow before slapping in on the side of my face.

"Otonashi!" banging continued to rumble at my bedroom door and Yuri's voice rang through, "You better wake up now!"

I made a mistake on letting them spend the night at my place.

I just simply closed my eyes again as the banging continued. Before too long, though, I heard the door burst open.

I jolted up and looked at my leader. She was in some short shorts and a simple ocean blue t-shirt with her hair done the usual way. I could see she was very pissed with me.

I just slammed my face back into my pillow and said in a muffled voice, "It's Saturday! Give me a break!"

"I don't care if it's a Saturday! I've been banging on your door for the past twenty minutes and you didn't even answer!" she continued to yell at me.

I simply flipped over and plugged my ears as Yuri continued yelling at me with, "Don't you plug your ears on me! I'm still your leader."

She probably figured out that I was no longer paying attention so she just left the room. I sighed. I'm happy seeing her, Kanade, Hinata, and Yui again but sometimes, I just want a normal life, you know? They're going to give me anything but normal.

"Yuzuru, why are you still in bed?" I jumped at the familiar angelic voice.

I sat up, using my hands as supports before turning to my girlfriend. She had on black basketball shorts my red plaid sweater and a red tank top underneath. On her head, my red Manchester United cap on backwards. I blushed when I saw her. I found out I grew out of the plaid sweater last week and she insisted on keeping for it herself. I was surprised but subconsciously gave it to her.

"Yuzuru? Did you hear me?" her voice broke my thoughts.

I blinked my eyes before shaking my head, "Oh, yeah. Sorry I'm up."

Kanade only blinked before moving across the room and straight in front of me before placing a small hand on my forehead, "You are burning up? Are you alright?"

I quickly waved my hands, "I'm fine! Really! I'm just gonna change and do my business okay!"

Before I knew it, I was off my bed and gently pushing her out of my room.

Her face twisted with worry, "Are you sure you are not catching a fever or something?"

I suddenly felt guilty for causing her worry. To assure her I was right, I brushed my lips against her cheek, "I'm fine, Kanade. I'll change and be right out."

My girlfriend only nodded before leaving and closing the room behind her.

….

"I can't believe we're really going," I complained with one of my hands in my pockets and the other holding Kanade's smaller one.

"Of course we are!" Yuri yelled over her shoulder. "If there's a chance that another member of my Battlefront is anywhere, we will climb to the top of Pikes Peak to get to them. Wherever Pikes Peak is."

I sighed, "Pikes Peak is in the state of Colorado which is located in the United States of America."

"Oh!" our leader laughed, "I knew that!"

"No you did not!" Hinata complained from behind Kanade and me only earning him a glare from our leader.

Yui, who was sitting on his shoulders, pulled at his ears, "Come on! Hurry up, horsey!"

"I'm not your horsey! I'm your boyfriend!" Hinata argued back.

Kanade successfully located our next target. She lived on a huge temple on a huge hill. So Yuri came up with the crazy idea of spending the night so I let them stay in the guest room. Hinata and Yui met up with us at the bus station and we arrived at the bottom of the temple only three minutes ago and yet we're not even half way up the hill.

"I got an idea!" Yui suddenly announced clapping her hands but she lost her balance. This caused her to huge Hinata's whole face and him squirming under her.

"What's your idea?" I asked, annoyed.

"You and Kanade VS Hinata and I in a race!" she announced.

Kanade and I exchange a look.

"Rules are simple; Kanade would climb on your shoulder like I am with Hinata. Then you two have to run up the rest of the way. At the top, Kanade and I have to high five Yurippe to win! "

"No way! That means Hinata and I am the only ones working!" I complained again.

Yui faked a sobbing face, "But Yurippe's already at the top waiting for us."

"Huh?!" I turned my head in surprise and saw the faint outline of our leader at the top of the hill waving.

With a sigh, I gave in, "Alright!"

I crouched down and Kanade climbed on without a sound. I felt myself heating up again as she tapped my head twice to saw that she was secure. I wrapped my hands around her small ankles and stood up.

"Are you ready, Yuzuru?" she asked, I could feel her bending down a bit.

With a smile, I said with determination, "We're not losing, I'll tell you that."

"I wouldn't be too sure," Hinata appeared beside me, with Yui looking straight ahead eagerly.

"Don't get too cocky, Hinata," I said before turning to our leader.

She raised a hand up and a split second later, brought it down with a snap.

Pushing off on my right leg, I started taking the steps by two. Kanade grabbed my hair a little tighter at the sudden change in speed and giggled.

Before long, Hinata appeared at my side again.

"You lucky bastard!" he panted as we ran neck and neck, "I bet Angel's ten times lighter than Yui!"

He was lucky Yui didn't hear him because she was too busy being cocky with my girl, "We're definitely going to win, Kanade! That's a fact!"

"I would not be too sure. Yuzuru is definitely faster than Hinata," was all Kanade had to say for me to start taking the steps five at a time.

Again, Hinata appeared by my side.

I didn't stop my pace but I tried to go faster. Yuri's figure slowly became bigger as we neared the finish line. She had her arms

"Come on, Yuzuru! You can do it!" Kanade cheered as she bent down lower and got ready to high five her older cousin.

I tightened my grip around her ankle and closed my eyes. With a grunt, I took one last leap before hearing the sound of hands slapping together.

I landed, a few inches away from Yuri and started panting.

"Yuzuru, you alright?" asked my lover, as she gently petted my head in an act to sooth my breathing.

I nodded, "Y-yeah. Just out of breath from the running."

"I was not heavy?"

"Nope, light as a feather," I replied before bending down. She easily got off as I sat down with my legs crossed.

Not far away, Hinata was also fighting for breath but Yui was scolding him for losing to us.

"Now that was a good work out, wasn't it?" Yuri came up to us and cast a shadow.

"You girls didn't even have to run!" I yelled.

She waved me off, "I still had to run up here myself, you know."

"That doesn't count –" was all I could to say.

A voice, very familiar, stopped me from, "What are you doing here?"

We turned at the source. She wore a temple uniform but had the same face that we knew and came to respect back then. The same long navy hair and orange eyes looked at us with shock.

"Shiina! It's us!" Hinata said as he got up. He started walking up to her.

Instead of a greeting you would give to a friend you haven't seen for seventeen years, she pulled out a katana and pointed it straight at Hinata's face.

He stopped dead in his tracks and raised his hands in surrender.

"Do not come any closer!" she hissed, her eyes darkened with the intent to kill.

I stood up, too, "What's up with you? It's us! Hinata, Yui, Yurippe, Otonashi, and Kanade."

I moved towards her but I felt a hand slip into mines and held me back. I looked down at Kanade in confusion but she just simply shook her head with her emotionless face. I'm surprised she isn't surprised about this 'cause I'm kinda freaking out.

"I was warned you evil spirits would come and you have! Leave at once or I will force you," our friend continued to hiss at us.

My mouth dropped in surprise. She thinks were evil? How could she? She was one of us, too. So by calling us evil spirits, she just referred to herself as one as well.

I gritted my teeth in frustration, "We're not evil spirits! We're your friends, Shiina!"

"Leave!" she yelled again and this time directing the blade of the sword at me.

"No! Until we get you to remember who we are and that we're not your so called evil spirits!" I argued.

I heard a sigh and turned to our leader. She was already halfway towards the stairs.

"And where are you going?" I demanded, angry. Kanade gave my hand a gentle but firm squeeze to calm me down. I looked at her as she returned my gaze with trust in her eyes.

She knew and trusted Yuri's plan.

"It seems like nothing we say now would make you change your mind, Shiina. So for now, we will do as you wish and leave but do remember, we will return," Yurippe finished and started descending down the stairs.

Yui grabbed Hinata's bicep and dragged him after our leader. I diverted my eyes back at the temple girl who lowered her katana but her eyes stayed glued on Kanade and me.

Her eyes filled with confusion and shock towards us.

"Come, Yuzuru," Kanade tugged at my hand, "The others are waiting for us."

It took all my strength but I was able to rip my eyes off our old friend and let my girlfriend lead me down the stairs.

But before even taking the first step down, I heard a sharp hiss coming from Shiina which made my whole body shake with relief.

This is so stupid, were her words that made me feel determined that she doesn't think we're actually 'evil spirits'. She just probably doesn't remember us.

"Alright!" I said under my breath.

"Alright what?" asked Kanade without looking at me.

Without a warning, I picked her up and placed her back on my shoulders. She yelped with surprise and nearly missed grabbing my head as I quickly wrapped my finger around her ankles and ran down the steps, right past our friends.

"Otonashi!" called Kanade's older cousin, making me turn around but stayed jogging in place.

"Come on, Hinata! Are you planning to lose twice to my girl and me today?" I yelled with a smile.

He blinked in confusion but his girlfriend was already climbing up his back without his content, "We don't plan on it!"

"Then let's see it!" I turned and slowed my pace until he was by my side.

"We're winning this time, Otonashi!" he said as he pulled ahead.

I laughed as I tried to catch up.

"Let's win again, what do you say, Yuzuru?" Kanade whispered into my ear, her breath giving me strength.

"You read my mind, Kanade."