Chapter 5: Beautiful and dangerous.
Two months had passed since Hiro moved in with Kishibe. If asked who seemed to be in charge of everything happening in the house, Hiro would reply that he took care of everything himself.
Kishibe always worked hard, often coming home so late that he didn't even have dinner. Hiro thought he spent a good part of the night getting drunk, as he had often found him sprawled on the sofa with one or two bottles of alcohol.
Hiro decided it was better not to bother waiting for Kishibe all night, but he still felt somewhat lonely. Kishibe didn't bother to engage in any activities with him. Well, it's not like Hiro had ever asked him to play, but it always seemed like Kishibe wanted to do anything but play with a young child.
This led Hiro to develop a sense of boredom; there was literally nothing fun to do in this house. He had the television, but Japanese programming didn't appeal to him anymore, not even cartoons. Perhaps living with Kishibe had turned him into a bitter person who couldn't enjoy the beauty of things.
He refused to become as cold as Kishibe. But what else could he do? He remembered he hadn't talked to Kishibe about the demon hunter thing since that time. Still, it seemed like he wanted to avoid the subject. Hiro, for some reason, was also avoiding it, perhaps because demons still terrified him immensely.
Someday, he would have to overcome his fear of devils. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to help people attacked by those monsters. He couldn't save anyone if he didn't somehow suppress his fears. He wanted to become strong; he knew he had to, but not now. One day, he would start his training.
0O00
"Another school?" Hiro's question seemed to resonate throughout the kitchen as if it were a great revelation. It wasn't, at least not for Kishibe.
The man in front of him nodded, holding the paperwork for the school Hiro would be attending. Hopefully, he expected Hiro to learn a lot, but the boy always seemed to have the ability to pick up anything, so there wasn't much to worry about.
"You've been absent from school for two months. Your previous school understood the loss of your parents but only gave you two weeks to recover. However, you continued to miss more than you should, so they expelled you due to your excessive absences. Also, since they haven't received any messages from you or any other family member, they assumed you simply dropped out of school," Kishibe explained, and the boy in front of him looked embarrassed.
"Uh... sorry, I forgot to mention that a while ago. I just wanted... um," Hiro stopped, unable to finish his words.
Kishibe rolled his eyes. "You just wanted more free time, didn't you?"
Hiro nodded, looking at the floor, unable to meet the person in charge of him. In fact, he had considered going back to school, but somehow a strange feeling arose in him, as if the mere thought of returning to his school would make him feel lonely, as if he had disconnected from that place.
It was strange, to say the least.
"Sometimes it's a good idea to start anew," Kishibe spoke again, and Hiro lifted his head a bit to look at him, curious about what he was going to say next. "You leave all your past behind and step into a new world where nobody knows you, which helps a lot because you can start differently with other people and even become a different person. It works if you just want a fresh change and to escape from somewhere. Leaving behind a painful and unpleasant past helps us see new boundaries we can reach and seize with our hands. Your life becomes easier to bear, and you can even stop regretting everything when you've made great progress."
Hiro was amazed by Kishibe's speech. This man could be terrifying in certain aspects, boring, and a drunkard, but he was also someone who could speak like a sage. One of those people who knew how to describe feelings with words so simple yet perfect that his young mind could comprehend.
It was that or maybe he could read minds.
"How does that sound to you?" he asked.
Hiro remained silent, assimilating all of Kishibe's words. Leave the past behind, huh? There were so many things he suffered from—pain, anguish, helplessness, and above all, fear. He couldn't understand how some people managed to shake all of this off, but then he looked at the hunter in front of him, and if those words came from someone like Kishibe, who perhaps also had a very turbulent life, then he could try giving this new school and leaving everything in the past a chance.
He could try starting over despite being only 7 years old.
"...Sounds good to me."
0O0O
Kishibe leaned against the car with his arms crossed and eyes closed, completely calm and patient. Today was Hiro's first day at his new school, and Kishibe had offered to drive him home. He wondered how Hiro had fared in a new environment with unfamiliar people. He stood outside with the car parked in front of the school exit, observing several people and children entering and leaving the premises.
Unbeknownst to him, he received curious glances from some parents picking up their own children, along with fearful looks from some kids. It was unusual to see someone who appeared so dark, solitary, terrifying, with a stitched scar on his left cheek patiently waiting at a children's school.
This man could be an abnormal parent or a predator in action.
"Here he comes"
Kishibe opened one of his eyes to survey the surroundings. He not only saw other children leaving but also noticed Hiro coming out of the school with another child of his age. They exchanged words before the other child bid farewell with a wave. Then Hiro locked eyes with Kishibe. A bit nervous, he walked towards him, realizing that some children were looking at him with fear. He sighed, thinking that it would take a lot of effort to get used to this new life.
"How was school?" Kishibe asked when they were both in the car. The engine roared to life, and Hiro fastened his seatbelt. Hiro was surprised by the question; he didn't expect Kishibe to be interested in his first day. Kishibe usually only cared about work, drinking, and women.
"I guess it went well" Hiro replied somewhat uncertainly. "It was challenging to introduce myself to the class, but everyone welcomed me, I think." He whispered the last part, but Kishibe still heard it. "I even think I made a friend."
"So, is that boy you were talking to your new friend?" Kishibe asked without taking his eyes off the road.
"That's right," Hiro allowed himself to smile a bit. "His name is Kenji, and he's really nice" He fell silent for a few minutes, watching the streets pass by the car window. "In fact, he's my first friend."
Kishibe never took his eyes off the road. "I see" Both of them lapsed into a silence that was neither uncomfortable nor comfortable.
"It's a start"
0O0O
Hiro was washing the dishes filled with food, a stool beneath him aiding him in reaching the sink. The occasional splashes of water dampened his shirt, irritating him. It was around eight in the evening, and Kishibe was still at work.
After bringing him back home, Kishibe had informed Hiro that he had to return to work and might be late again. So, Hiro cooked for himself; he wasn't an excellent chef, but not the worst either. A few weeks ago, he had stumbled upon a recipe book and had been practicing since then. Now, he could prepare one or two Japanese dishes well enough to sleep peacefully.
He was about to finish washing the last dish when he heard the doorbell ring. He felt curious and uneasy since Kishibe probably wouldn't return until later. Besides, no one usually rang the doorbell of his own apartment; it must be a stranger who knew where Kishibe lived.
He turned off the water and stepped down from his small stool to reach the door. He shivered a bit as the doorbell rang again, and with fearful steps, he approached the door.
With a sigh and gathering all the courage he had, he turned the door lock to open it completely and reveal the stranger.
He thought he would encounter someone similar to Kishibe, maybe another hunter equally depressed and darkly cold. But he was surprised when he saw a woman with white hair tied in a ponytail, a patch over her right eye, and her only visible eye seemed to be gray. She was formally dressed in the black suit that all public safety hunters wore.
"..."
"..."
Hiro was bewildered at this moment. If he remembered correctly, she was Kishibe's partner, Quanxi. Kishibe had mentioned that she was on vacation, but that was months ago, so she must have returned a few days ago. Hiro stared at her with his mouth slightly open, and Quanxi's only visible eye was a bit wider than usual, showing that she was also surprised. She expected to find a drunken or drowsy Kishibe, not a child, and certainly not the child he had rescued months ago, the one Kishibe was supposed to personally take to an orphanage.
Hiro snapped out of his daze to force out a word, "Oh, um, h-hi, Miss Quanxi" he said with a nervous smile.
Quanxi continued to stare at the boy but also compelled herself to speak, "You're the kid from that time. Why are you in Kishibe's apartment?" she asked, very curious.
For some reason, Hiro felt like he was being interrogated, like in those American cop movies. "Well... I-I live with Kishibe" he stammered.
Quanxi narrowed her eyes for a moment before returning to her stoic demeanor. "I see"
Both fell into an uncomfortable silence. No one knew what to say or do, but Hiro soon realized she had been standing in the hallway for quite some time.
"Oh, uh, sorry, please come in" Hiro stepped away from the door to allow Quanxi entry. She said nothing as she entered the nice apartment.
Quanxi immediately went to the kitchen and took an unopened bottle of alcohol from the pantry. She uncorked it and poured the liquid into a glass before downing it in one gulp.
Hiro, still near the door, witnessed everything and groaned in frustration. Was it a rule that all hunters had to be alcoholics? He watched again as Quanxi took another sip and carried the bottle and glass to the table. He didn't care if Quanxi finished all the alcohol; Kishibe probably would, and that would make him even sadder than usual.
Hiro closed the door and dried his still wet hands on his shirt. Then, he turned his gaze back to Quanxi, who was staring at him intently with her single eye studying him. Hiro shivered; this didn't seem to be the caring woman who had comforted him when his parents died. It appeared Kishibe was right—women could change their appearance drastically, from being kind to colder than the Soviet Union.
Quanxi nodded towards the chair opposite her. Hiro, with hesitant steps, walked to the table and sat in the chair, facing the hunter. Quanxi didn't stop staring, even when she took another sip of alcohol, she kept watching him as if expecting something from him.
Finally, she decided to speak, "How long have you been living with Kishibe?"
"Um, I think for about two months," Hiro said.
Quanxi frowned, looking angry, which sent a shiver through Hiro. Nevertheless, she continued her questioning.
"Why are you still with him?"
The question puzzled Hiro; he couldn't really see the point of the question because the answer should be obvious, right?
"Um, well, I don't have anywhere else to go, so I stay here" he replied.
"Didn't Kishibe take you to an orphanage?" Quanxi's face still seemed to be a mix of frustration and anger, but Hiro could hear the disbelief in her voice.
"Well... yes, he did," Hiro lowered his head.
"So why are you still here?" Quanxi truly couldn't believe that Kishibe of all people had decided to keep a young child.
"I..." Hiro fell silent for a moment, but then took a deep breath to steady himself. "I asked him to let me stay with him to become a public safety demon hunter," his gaze was determined.
Quanxi's eye widened in surprise, but then gradually relaxed back into that impassive and cold mode she seemed to have initially.
"Oh."
"..."
For just a moment, Hiro could see Quanxi's expression darken. She looked at the large windows next to the table that showcased the entire city of Tokyo.
One thought crossed her mind:
"This kid is condemning himself"
She looked back at the boy, who seemed to shrink under her gaze. The determined look he had before was replaced by a child who was now afraid of her.
"Why do you want to—" Quanxi was interrupted when she heard the sound of the door opening. She and Hiro turned to see Kishibe entering with his work suit, his eyes tired.
However, his eyes seemed to come to life, but not in a good way, when he realized that Quanxi was also in his home. For a moment, he panicked, trying to come up with a good enough script in his mind to explain the whole situation.
Quanxi just looked at him with a cold expression, her face showing no emotion. But the way she stared so intensely only meant they had a lot to talk about, especially with the child in front of her, to Kishibe's dismay.
Hiro only observed the exchange of glances with a worried expression, wondering where all the tension he could feel in the air was coming from.
"Quanxi," Kishibe started, "I didn't know you were back," he said the last part with a grunt that Hiro didn't notice.
Quanxi didn't change her piercing gaze as she spoke, "I came back yesterday morning," it was all she said, and yet it sounded sharp.
"I see."
Once again, silence filled the room, and Hiro began to feel very uncomfortable with everything he was sensing.
"Hiro," Kishibe said, focusing his gaze on the boy, "It's getting late, and you should go to sleep. You wouldn't want to miss your second day of school," Kishibe could see from the corner of his eye that Quanxi shuddered, but Hiro didn't notice. Those kinds of changes could only be noticed with a trained eye.
"Um, I guess you're right," Hiro stood up from the chair but looked back at Quanxi before leaving, "G-goodnight, Miss Quanxi," he said, and she only waved him off disinterestedly.
Hiro went to his room, lay on the bed, and sighed. Those moments with Quanxi made the night feel longer than usual. All he wanted now was to sleep and get ready for his second day at school.
He glanced at the photo of his parents before covering himself with the blankets, closed his eyes, and turned off the table lamp.
"Goodnight, Mom and Dad," was the last thing he said before falling asleep that night.
0O0O
He realized that explaining this situation wasn't entirely easy, especially when you have someone staring at you so intently with frustration and a desire for answers to all their questions.
Hiro's existence in his apartment was, indeed, a secret. No one else in the agency besides him (and apparently now Quanxi), knew that he had taken the child in.
It wasn't something he necessarily had to hide, but he would prefer to keep it a secret from the rest of the people in his work circle because he would rather have everyone continue to see him as the cold, extremely strong, and alcoholic hunter than the one who had become a sort of father figure to fix past mistakes. Although not many could connect that last part with anything.
Plus, there was another hidden reason...
But he would rather not dwell on it, and the priority at the moment was the woman in front of him.
He knew they would eventually find out, well, actually, he knew Quanxi would find out first because she tended to pry into his affairs more than the others.
But he didn't expect to find Quanxi and Hiro sitting at the table in a kind of interrogation. He could deduce that Quanxi was bombarding him with questions because she had the bottle of alcohol at hand.
"So..." Quanxi was the one to break the silence between them, "Now you're a father."
Kishibe sighed; it was going to be a long night.