Chapter Four

"134….135….136..." I panted out. Beads of sweat fell down to the ground. I stared at the ground in concentration. I was currently exerting my body with push-ups. I was wearing blue short trousers while my shirt was lying around somewhere. "148...149…150." I stopped and stood up.

"Oni-san!" I saw Makino running and waving her hand towards me. I looked at her when she reached me.

It's been two months since we arrived this island. Makino and I growed closer ever since then. We unofficially signed us as siblings. This brat created a space in my heart and settled a soft feeling for her. And her cute feature didn't help either. We also hanged around whenever I got discharged from my shifts.

I passed the test of Chiken and Gyoru and helped them around. Chiken was kind to me while Gyoru was suspicious of me but later softened. They both accepted me as their son. Gyoru was like a father to me. I learned all cool new tricks of navigation and fishing from him. I also helped at the bar. To keep an eye on mum and protecting Makino and Makiko from perverts or bandits. Oji-san also visited from time to time. I also learned that he was a government official. Don't know what that stands for. Meh. But it sounded cool.

"What do you want, Omoto-chan?" I raised my eyebrow.

She looked up at me and crunched her face. Hah. Be jealous, Shorty. "You stink, Oni-san." My eye twitched.

"If you came to me just for that then go away." I huffed. Stupid brat.

"I just wanted you to come with me to visit Miss. Dadan and the mountain bandits. I know she will love my chocolate cookies." She holded her basket to show me.

"It's been a while since we visited them. Sure why not?" I shrugged. I grabbed my shirt off of the ground.

We also went to the mountains behind Foosha village. Though Makino whined about the dangers in the mountains. I had already explored Foosha village and sitting around didn't help me. So I ignored her warnings and packed gears. She also followed saying that she was bored. Personally I think she was worried about me. We explored the mountains and eventually got lost. It was getting darker by the seconds but luckily we found Dadan. Makino politely asked her for shelter. At first she harshly dismissed us but Makino's teary face made her feel guilty about leaving two kids in a dangerous jungle. From there an odd relation started. Though I and Dadan didn't get along well with each other.

"Oni-san you stink!"

"I HEARD YOU AT THE FIRST TIME, OKAY!" I yelled at her. She giggled and ran off.

After showering, we left Foosha village. We were walking on the path towards the mountain. The jungle started to get dense around us. The sound of birds and cricket's surrounded us. A whimper came over some bushes.

"Hey do you hear that?" I got closer the bush.

"Oni-san I don't that's a good idea." She whined. I payed no heed to her warning.

I pushed the bushes to see a baby tiger. It looked at me with pitiful eyes. I grabbed it by its scruff. "Hey, Makino! Look it's so cute."

"It's a tiger." She shrieked. "It's not supposed to be cute."

"Well I'm keeping it." I decided. I held it in my arm. "I'm going to name you Tiger." It blinked at me.

"At least be productive!" she sighed. "Never mind let's keep going."

We reached at the shack. There wasn't nobody outside. I took a deep breath. I saw Makino making a move to stop me.

"HEY OLG-HAG! WE'RE HOME!" I bawled.

The Door slammed open. An overweight and tall woman with orange curly hair stepped out of the shack. Her masculine face contorted in anger.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE CALLING ME HAG! YA RED NOSED FREAK!"

"RED NOSE FREAK!? I'LL SHOW YOU FREAK!' I pulled back my sleeves.

Her minions struggled to pull her back while Makino hit my head.

"Ow! What was that for?" she only gave me pointed look. "Behave!"

I pouted. If she wasn't my Omoto-

"Ow!" I glared at her.

"You were thinking ways to hurt." Fair enough.

She greeted them cheerfully and showed her basket. Dadan cheered up. Greedy woman. They invited us in. Soon enough we got absorbed in talking. The Dadan family were mountain bandits. They looted treasure and money from the nobles in goa kingdom. Also they had a policy that everyone had to hunt down food for themselves. But seeing them they acted like big family. I saw concerned looks whenever one of them got injured. That look granted that none of them would hurt Makino or me.

"Hey Buggy! What's that?" Dogra pointed at Tiger.

I smugly showed them. "This is my pet, Tiger."

"Wait isn't that?" Dadan asked Makino. She only sighed.

"You are one weird kid, Buggy." I ignored her and rubbed Tiger's belly.

Dogra crossed his arm and smirked at me. "You know buggy we caught three bears."

"What! No way!" he only pointed out at the window. I looked up to see three tied up bears. "Cool! Show me the trap, Dogra."

Visiting Dadan helped me learn tricks for hunting and skinning wild animals. They taught me how to survive in forests. Dogra and Magra also decided to help me in stealing and pickpocketing. Makino always gave us a disapproving looks whenever we went to Goa kingdom. I can proudly say I'm a Professional thief.

"Let's go, Buggy! Moms going to kill us if we're late!" she hurriedly packed the basket. I nodded.

I turned to Dadan and put tiger in her hands. "Take care of him. And don't you dare eat it, woman." She spluttered.

Makino grabbed my hand and started to drag us towards home. "Thanks for the food Dadan-san! We'll come soon to visit you!"

They waved at us in reply. After some miles later, we came to see Makiko waving us over at the bar.

"Last one is a rotten egg!" Makino shouted and started to run towards the bar.

"H-hey you cheater!" I followed her lead.

We both hunched over, panting. I grinned at her. "I won." She frowned. "Only cuz you're taller." "Well don't start a race when you know you can't win" I retorted.

"Ahem." A cough turned our head towards Makiko. "Where were you guys?"

"Umm we were just playing around." Makino sweated. Oh god Makino you're a terrible liar.

"Really?" Makiko narrowed her eyes.

"Oh come on, Makiko. I'm sure they weren't doing something wrong. Right buggy?" Mum winked at me. I reddened. Makino looked at us, confused.

Even though I repeatedly told mum that I don't have any crush on Makino, she already decided that Makino was going to be her daughter-in-law. Makiko only rolled her eyes when she was informed. Even she thought the idea was absurd.

"Anyway, Makino go take orders and Buggy go pick those glasses off the tables." She told us.

We obediently followed her orders. Angry Makiko is the last thing we wanted on our list. The entire evening was spent taking orders and cleaning tables. I was in the basement when I heard my mum and Makiko.

"Maya, are you okay? Your face is pale and clearly you're out of breath"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

A sigh.

"Just put those crates away and that's it. You're going straight to bed."

"B-but" Silence. "Fine."

I clenched my fist. I'm so useless. I can't even ease my mother's pain. My eyes dampened. No. I will be strong for her. I braced myself.

CRASH

"MAYA!"

I ran out of the basement. I saw mom on Makiko's lap. She was struggling to breathe. Coughs wrecked her body. I stared in shock and fear gripped my heart. Makiko looked at me and started to shout. Her voice didn't reach me. I only saw mom. Somebody shoke my body then I stirred out of my daze.

"BUGGY! GO BRING THE DOCTOR." Makino was slamming her fists on me.

I reacted immediately.