Notes:
As i said before, english is not my main language, so i apologize if there is any mistake, sometimes the translator can fail
Please don't be too hard on me, I'm doing my best to translate this fic, if you continue to be rude to me, I'll have to cancel the translation of this and all my yutamakis fics
I'm doing the best I can with this translation, so please, instead of judging me, offer to help me
Just enjoy the chapter ❤️
Chapter 04. Hamburgers
Katsumoto was surprised by what his eyes were seeing, especially his eyebrows were too high.
"Now I understand why you made this strange request that I also bring him two children's sweatshirts" he commented with surprise.
What kept him in that state of stupor were those two children who were half hidden behind Yuta, each clinging to each of his legs, and who were very similar physically to their boss.
"Hehehehe! I can explain why the three of us are soaking wet" commented Yuta with a nervous chuckle as his left hand scratched the back of his neck, "Still, I'll need all your help Katsumoto"
The twins looked at each other when they saw the surprised face of that assistant, to whom Yuta proceeded to explain everything that had happened up to that moment of their meeting, while the three of them dried themselves with some clean towels brought by Katsumoto and covered them selves with their new sweatshirts.
"A special category curse was in this mall?!"Katsumoto's voice rose with too much astonishment.
"That's right, although I already took care of eliminating it, I would like you to investigate a little more about this curse. Please Katsumoto, investigate if there have been more disappearances inside this mall, maybe this curse has many more victims than we can imagine. Maybe the security and cleaning staff know something shady about this place" his hand went to his chin while he was drawing some conclusions.
"I will pass the report to headquarters, I guess they were not aware of this case and maybe they will help us to expedite all this!" suggested Katsumoto.
"Good idea and by the way, I would also like you to call the people in charge of cleaning the areas, we need trained personnel to lift the remains of that curse, so we will avoid a scandal from the civilians who are able to see the curses, especially we must avoid drawing too much attention" said Yuta in a serious tone, while looking at the people who came and went in that area where they were at that moment in that mall.
"Right away, sir!" replied the assistant, making a note on his tablet.
"And Katsumoto, there's one more thing I want you to do for me" Yuta gave a quick glance towards Yuudai and Yurika, who were sitting on a bench just a few meters away from them.
Both children looked at them curiously. Their warm amber eyes did not take their eyes off those two men as between them they spoke in hushed tones.
Above all, both siblings were curious about Yuta, as they felt a strange connection to their savior.
"Don't you feel that man is somewhat familiar?" Yuudai asked curiously as he finished drying his hair with a towel the attendant got for them.
"A little bit, although I'd say you look like him physically!" Yurika answered as she pecked her brother's cheek "Although he's not a scaredy-cat like you!" she let out a slight mocking chuckle.
Yuudai rubbed his cheek "He looks like you too! Remember that we are twins!" he replied quietly, as he pouted in annoyance at his sister's comment.
Both children felt the stares of these two adults and again muttered something to each other, ending with a slight giggle.
It seemed that both children were already in a better mood. They were even wearing the sweatshirts that the assistant had bought for them.
"Excuse me for asking, sir, but who are those two children?" asked Katsumoto, pointing at them with his index finger.
"That's what I wanted to explain to you Katsumoto!, I need you to help me also to find the relative of these twins" Yuta put his hand to the back of his head, "You see, I saved these two children from the curse I told you about. And they say that they got separated from their grandfather in an oversight and that they don't remember much of what happened after they lost sight of him" he moved his shoulders a Little "Both only remember waking up in the alley about to be eaten by the curse"
Katsumoto's eyes widened in surprise when she heard all that. "Then you want me to notify the authorities of this mall in case the relative of these two children is looking for them?"
"That's right!, I want you to take care of that too, please!" Yuta commented with a slight smile and clasping his hands together in supplication.
Katsumoto just sighed because of all the workload he had at that moment.
"Okay, I'll help you with this too…" he was afraid to refuse because he was afraid of his boss.
"Thank you very much Katsumoto!" replied Yuta with a big smile.
"Sir, what are you going to do in the meantime?" asked the assistant, looking curiously at the children, who for some reason, he felt looked too much like his boss physically, but he did not dare to say it at that moment.
"I'll stay with them while you take care of finding their relative" Yuta crossed his arms, "I'll stay to take care of them since they are also capable of seeing curses and we don't want them to go with the wrong people either, right? and even more so since we have a sorcerers killer on the loose... we don't know if this killer also attacks children " commented Yuta looking at his assistant.
In addition to feeling a strange connection with those two little ones, Yuta felt he was burdened with the responsibility of having to take care of them while they found the relative of those two.
"You're right!, we don't want to make a mistake and have these kids go to the wrong person or have something bad happen to them again" Katsumoto was ready to intervene as the assistant he was.
Those twins quickly fell silent once they saw how that adult in a suit approached them.
"Yurika, Yuudai, this is my assistant Yoshida Katsumoto, he will help us find your grandfather" Yuta introduced the assistant with a smile.
"A pleasure to meet you" commented Katsumoto squatting in front of them, while they were still sitting on the bench, "My lord just told me that you are looking for your grandfather, is that true?
Both children looked at Yuta, who nodded his head to reassure them. "You don't need to worry!" he smiled, "Katsumoto is a good person, believe me, he does an excellent job as a detective and also as an assistant, so we can fully trust him."
The twins looked at each other, seemed to mentally talk something to each other and then fixed their gaze on that man in the suit.
"That's right, we were looking for our grandfather Ui" Yurika answered.
"Do you think you could describe to me what your grandfather looks like physically? This is to look for him among the people in this place" Katsumoto smiled a little to try to reassure them.
"Grandfather Ui is a young man and is a few inches smaller than Mr. Okkotsu" Yuudai said, pointing at Yuta.
"And he has short white hair with a small fringe" Yurika described, "And his eyes are small and gray"
"And his eyebrows are thick, especially they come together in a funny way when he furrows his forehead!" Yuudai laughed a little as he made some gestures while putting his fingers on his eyebrows imitating Ui Ui when he got annoyed.
"Yes, especially when he gets angry haha, although he is always in a bad mood!" Yurika said.
"Especially when he's not around Grandma Mei, that's when he gets really crank!" Yuudai said with a chuckle.
Katsumoto wrote down all those characteristics that those children had told them. She tried to create a quick image of what that adult might look like.
On the other hand, Yuta also smiled when he heard the laughter of those two. Listening to them made him feel cheerful.
"And lastly, I must ask you something very important for me Research and that is, what is your grandfather's surname?" asked Katsumoto looking at those two fixedly.
The twins were silent and looked at each other because of that question.
After a few seconds of mentally exchanging a few words, they turned to face the assistant, but still did not utter a word.
"Don't they remember at this moment?" asked the assistant, paying attention to the gestures made by these two.
Both children shook their heads.
"I understand…" Katsumoto sighed a little, "It is understandable that they do not remember at a time like this, perhaps they are still confused and even a little dazed after what happened with that curse, however, Do you think you could tell me what your last name is?" he asked kindly.
Again these little ones looked at each other but remained silent. They pursed their lips a little. They seemed to be a bit uncomfortable with that question and could even be seen to be very nervous.
Yuta noticed all that awkwardness, so he gave his assistant a little pat to stop asking questions and stand up.
"They don't have to tell us their surnames at this time, just knowing their names I guess it will be enough to help them find their grandfather, won't it?" he nodded to Katsumoto.
"That's right! I guess with this description you gave me of him and knowing the names of the two of you I know I can find him!" the assistant stood up and smiled.
"I know you'll do a great job!" commented Yuta with a smile to reassure the twins.
"If you will excuse me, I will go ahead and give this report to the security people in charge of this place so that they can help us look for your grandfather and I will go to do other errands, for the time being I will retire" He bowed to Yuta and to those children.
"Yuudai and Yurika, I promise I will find your grandfather!" he said straightening up and adjusting his tie.
"Thank you Katsumoto, whatever you find, don't hesitate to let me know at my number" replied Yuta, patting him on the shoulder again.
"With your permission "The assistant said goodbye once again.
And so he began his search.
The whole situation and, above all, the chilling resemblance of those children to Yuta, left Katsumoto with a strange sense of curiosity, and he began to investigate whether those children were related to his boss.
"And now, would you like to have lunch?" asked Yuta with a big smile as he squatted down in front of the two.
"We'd love to!" said Yuudai very excited.
"I want to eat already! I'm starving!" replied Yurika with a grimace and rubbing her stomach"Being chased by curses always makes us so hungry!"
"As I said, I'll treat you to lunch, so tell me What would you like to eat?" Yuta asked very animatedly.
"Hamburgers!" said the twins in chorus.
That quick response surprised Yuta.
"Okay, then it's burgers" he stood up, "I think I saw a restaurant like that around here"
Quickly those twins also stood up and the next thing would come as a great surprise to Yuta, as each twin would take him by each hand.
Yuudai took his left hand and Yurika his right hand.
It seemed that with that adult they felt too confident and they expressed that with their sweet and kind smiles as they looked at him.
Yuta slowly let the air out of his chest, those smiles for a moment reminded him of Maki, as those children seemed a reflection of her.
But this was no time for the past to invade him with the memory of that woman, he had to concentrate on his mission to take care of those two.
"All right, let's go eat!" Yuta commented excitedly.
He was so infected by that happiness, that he even helped them to jump slightly, making them both burst into loud but joyful laughter.
That felt like a father having a very happy time with his children.
As promised, Yuta took the two of them to eat hamburgers at a family restaurant inside the mall.
The three of them were seated at a table very close to the largest window in that restaurant.
Yuta had chosen that table as a strategy, just in case those children managed to see their relative passing by at some point.
Being in that restaurant seemed like paradise for those two little ones, who seemed to have very big stomachs, as they ate and enjoyed their burgers like there was no tomorrow.
"I see they really like Burgers" smiled Yuta watching those two start eating their second burger.
Both twins nodded their heads in agreement.
"We love them!" Yuudai replied with immense happiness.
"Mom used to say that when she was pregnant with us, she craved hamburgers a lot and that's why we say this is our favorite food" said Yurika with a big smile.
"I'm glad to hear that!" Yuta replied with a slight smile that reflected nostalgia.
In the past, he had also met a girl who also loved hamburgers.
And those two children in front of him, reminded him a lot of Maki, even their gestures and smiles while eating that simple dish were quite similar to hers and that made several memories come to his mind.
A nostalgic sigh came from his chest, that exhalation was so loud that it could be heard very clearly by those two children, who decided to ask out of curiosity, since they seemed to get along too well with that man.
"Are you all right?, Mr. Okkotsu?" asked Yurika, stopping eating her hamburger for a moment.
"Mr. Okkotsu, you look a little sad, is something wrong?" asked Yuudai, also leaving his hamburger in the middle.
"Eh?" Yuta shook his head slightly, clearing those memories because of the questions those children asked him.
"I'm sorry, hehe, I just remembered someone!" he scratched his cheek a little while he kept looking at those two, "Don't worry, I'm fine," he smiled.
"And who did he remember?" the girl asked curiously.
"Yurika!, asking that is rude! Mr. Okkotsu might get angry with us!" Yuudai reproached, giving his sister an angry look.
"I'm sorry, but I was just a little curious!" Yurika pouted apologetically.
Yuta laughed a little at the way those two twins were getting along.
"You don't have to apologize and answer their questions" he replied with a smile, as he put his elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his hand again, "I'm fine. You two just reminded me of a woman I knew in my youth" he began to explain without taking his eyes off them.
Both children smiled at each other, while paying attention to that adult.
"Can you tell us what she was like?" Yuudai asked curiously.
"And why do you say that we remind you of that woman?" asked Yurika also with curiosity.
Yuta looked at them with a big smile.
"She was simply beautiful, she was a great and strong woman. She was wonderful in every aspect."
"And you two reminded me too much of her, since she had beautiful amber eyes very similar to yours, and well, she was also a big fan of hamburgers, this was her favorite food" He answered with a sweet smile, since at that moment, Yuta had a slight but very pleasant memory of Maki.
Flashback
That memory that came to his mind was when he and Maki had their first date.
They had both gone to eat at a hamburger restaurant.
Yuta remembered how her eyes behind her glasses lit up once they were handed that hamburger. Especially since Maki had told Yuta that her family, the Zenin clan, was very strict with their diet, which was completely vegetarian and never let her eat junk food or sweets inside their house.
He remembered the big smile that formed on her lips once she took that first bite, he even remembered that her cheeks were red with happiness.
She was really happy when she tasted that dish. She was like a child discovering something wonderful.
Yuta let out a small chuckle at the sight of that scene, making Maki turn to look at him quickly.
"What are you laughing at?" she pouted, as she passed her napkin over her lips, "Are you making fun of the way I eat? Because if that's why, I won't apologize!" she wiped the captsu from her fingers with that napkin.
"I'm not laughing at that, Maki san!" Yuta raised his hands and moved them slightly to avoid being hit "I would never make fun of you for something like this!"
"So?" she raised an eyebrow.
Yuta brought his right hand to the back of his neck "I'm just happy to see you smiling like this while eating" he answered while a big smile formed on his lips. "I would even say that you look very pretty enjoying eating your favorite food and that makes me happy, even if you want another hamburger, I will gladly buy it for you because I like to see how you smile before taking the first bite, please don't take it wrong!" he moved his hands a little.
Maki's cheeks and ears turned bright red.
"You fool! If you keep saying such things, I swear I'll throw this hamburger in your face!" she put his hamburger in his mouth to shut him up, "Now eat it before I decide to steal your hamburger!
Yuta smiled at that comment and simply proceeded to take a bite of his hamburger, while Maki kept smiling and making cute gestures for that food that he ate with delight.
They both actually looked very happy in that memory.
End of flashback
"And what became of her?" Yuudai asked, pulling Yuta out of that warm memory, "What happened to that woman?" his eyes were still fixed on the adult.
The sorcerer sighed and kept a moment of silence. He decided to take a bite of his hamburger before answering that question.
He wipes his lips.
"I don't know..." He looked at those twins "I haven't heard from her for seven years and the truth is, I wish I knew where she is now… I would simply like to see her again to ask her so many things and tell her that I never stopped loving her... I would simply like to turn back time and never let her go" he answered sadly while a great sigh of pain came out of his chest.
Yurika and Yuudai felt that Yuta was telling the truth and also felt that he was truly sorry for his past.
Those twins looked at each other, they seemed to mentally agree on something as they nodded their heads.
Both children grasped each other's little fingers, nodded their heads once more and moved their little hands three times, thus intertwined.
They quickly let go of each other's little fingers and each child clasped their hands together as when a person make a prayer. They both closed their eyes and and their mouths said something in a very low voice. Only a "Please" was barely audible.
Those twins quickly gave three claps and made a very slight bow. Bowing very slightly forward.
It all looked like a ritual they do in the temples of that region.
It was as if both children were " requesting " some wish to "some God" or as if they were thanking some divine being.
They both opened their eyes and looked at their savior with a big smile.
Yuta looked very confused, but decided not to interrupt or ask questions until those children opened their eyes.
"What are they doing?" Yuta asked curiously.
"We are making a wish on your behalf!" commented Yurika with a tender smile.
"A wish on my behalf?" asked Yuta, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes!, Aunt Miki taught us this little ritual to ask the gods for a favor or a wish, either on our behalf or to ask them for a miracle on behalf of someone else!" Yuudai replied with a big smile.
"And since we want to thank you for saving us, we decided to make a wish in your name so that the gods will reward you!" Yurika finished the sentence.
"And what wish did you make for me?" Yuta asked curiously.
Both twins exchanged a smile, as their index fingers went over their lips.
"It's a secret!" Yurika replied, making a sign to put a zipper over her mouth.
"If we tell you, it won't come true!" Yuudai pouted.
"And only until the gods make it come true, we can reveal it to you!" said Yurika, putting her face between her little hands.
Yuta smiled tenderly before those two children and in an impulse like that of a father before his children, he stroked their heads, tousling their black hair.
"Thank you very much for that!" he thanked with all his heart that noble gesture of those two.
Those children only laughed in happiness once Yuta tousled their hair a little, making him smile too and wipe away some tears of joy that had come out of his eyes.
"Would you like another hamburger?" Yuta asked with a big smile, while the children almost jumped out of their chairs in affirmation.
Truly, that sorcerer and those children were having too much fun without knowing that this wish was very close to coming true.
Although it was also almost time to say goodbye.
Notes:
Here is a new chapter ❤️
I wanted to put this family moment between the three of them because it is almost time for them to say goodbye.
Although, there will be several surprises for both Yuta and the twins throughout the fic. Even Katsumoto will be in for some surprises.
About the little ritual of these children, I was a little inspired by how the Japanese "pray" or "ask" their gods in their Shinto temples.
And if you are wondering, if it was Tsumiki who taught them to her and she may later appear in this fic as well as several other characters.
In the meantime, let me know what you think of this fic?
What do you think was the wish or wishes Yurika and Yuudai made on Yuta's behalf? I want to read your theories.
