FILE 6 - The Hunter's Past, Pt. 3

Previously on FILE 5, Aiya and Lobo were listening to Kuro's side of the story on January 25th, however, Furui Ryushi, brother of Lobo Ryushi entered the store and took his shift. He became interested so he decided to share his story as well.

January 25th 2023

8:01 PM, Jamiroquai Street.

On a chilly and windy night, Furui was delivering the last patch of pizza. Then suddenly...

"Bonjour!" A voice spoke to him, catching him off guard. He dismounted his bike and searched the area for the voice. "Who's there?"

"It's me, silly!" The figure of a girl approached him as he turned to her chuckling. She was carrying a violin case on her back.

"Oh, it's just you, Fumiko." He scratched his head a bit as he composed himself, preparing to ask her a question "What are you doing this late?

Fumiko Lena, the heir to the famous and wealthy musician family of Lena. She was transferred here when her family heard about Otohime's family daughter being sent here. Despite not liking here at first, she grew bonds within the small city of Jamiroquai.

"I should be asking the same thing to you!" Fumiko continued her chuckle as she noticed the pizza box on Furui's bicycle. "Ah, getting food for your brother, Furui?"

"Ah no, it's just my last delivery for today." With a small laugh, Furui posed his question to her. "What about you?"

"Ah, I got detention." Her words shook Furui a bit.

"Wait... you got detention until this late?!" Furui would express his concern. "Who made you-"

Fumiko interrupted Furui before she could say anything further, saying in a melancholy tone, "It was Mr. Aku..."

Furui had a notion, and the words confirmed it. Despite never being fired, Mr. Aku was infamous for being the most vicious instructor at the school, physically beating his students.

"Why on earth is he still a teacher?!" Furui's voice was laced with anger. "I swear to god I will make him pay..."

"Furui, no need," Fumiko said as she put her hands on Furui's shoulder, comforting him with her soft words. "I don't want you to get into trouble."

"You seem exhausted... Do you want to come with me? Furui invites Fumiko to his house with him. "You can rest in my house tonight."

"Thanks…" Fumiko hesitated, grateful for his hospitality but indecisive about his offer. "Actually, on second thought, just drop me off at my house. I'll be fine."

"Sure. Get on." Furui got on his bike and handed her the pizza box from the backseat. "Here, you can hold this. Where's your house again?"

"Oh, it's just three blocks from here, past the school." Fumiko climbed on, carefully balancing the pizza box in her hand. "But are you sure you can handle driving with me on the back?"

Furui laughed softly. "I'll be fine. I am used to carrying Lobo to school every day, and he's pretty heavy."

As Fumiko tried to settle onto the backseat, she wobbled slightly, having to hold Furui's shoulder and leaned into him for support. "I appreciate it. I've had a tough day."

Throughout the night, Furi would ride the bicycle through the small city as Fumiko hugged him.

"So then, why were you in detention again...?" Furui tried to hook up a conversation with Fumiko as he rode his bicycle.

"Oh... Nothing, I just placed a whoopee cushion on his chair." Fumiko scratched her head with one hand while the other was holding the pizza box. "Mr. Aku sure is really strict."

"Yeah, Mr. Aku is pretty intense… Just yesterday, he smacked Lobo so hard it was like he was wrestling with a 'Demon' or something." Furui's voice carried a hint of frustration, but he softened as Fumiko hugged him from behind. "Guess that's why they call him 'Demon Teacher,' huh?"

Fumiko giggled. "You're not wrong about that."

"Hey, remember that time you saved me from that mess?" Fumiko asked, with a nostalgic tone. She was referring to the incident when she was falsely accused of stealing money. "You were the only one who had my back, and you proved my innocence. I was so grateful."

Fumiko smiled, her eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah, I remember! That was quite a day."

"I still remember what I told you back then" Furui chuckled a bit. "It was something like… 'Let me be the conductor!' or something like that. I knew you were into music and had dreams of being a musician, but you were scared. So, I figured I'd take on the role of your personal music conductor, to guide you and your future and keep up the rhythm!."

Fumiko shared her chuckle with Furui. "And here I thought you were just being cheesy as hell."

"Cheesy, maybe," Furui grinned. "But I meant it. I wanted to be there for you, guiding you to make the most beautiful music ever grace mankind! Well, just not on the level of Beethoven."

"Hey! Are you doubting my skills?!" Fumiko playfully nudged him with her free hand, a teasing smile on her face. "I'll have you know that my skills in playing piano and violin are the best."

"Doubt? Never!" Furui said with confidence. "Just keeping you on your toes. Can't let you get too confident, or you might start composing symphonies that'll knock Beethoven right out of his grave!"

As they continued their ride, their laughter mingled with the evening air, a perfect moment of joy and connection under the starlit sky.

Throughout the darkness and chill of the night, Furui felt warmth at the hug of Fumiko. Suddenly, his attention is then drawn to the light near Jamiroquai High School.

"Fumiko... Is our school having a celebration or something?" Furui looked behind and asked Fumiko about the strange light coming from the school.

"No…?" Fumiko squinted, the expression on her face shifted to a confused tone. "If there was, I would have told you."

"Because... lights are coming from the school..?" Furui would point his finger toward the light in the school, catching the attention of Fumiko.

"That's... weird..." As Fumiko spoke her words, Furui stopped the bike. "What's wrong, Furui?"

"There's... something..." Furui would point toward a humanoid clad in armor with red skin. Its face was hidden by the shadow of the night. Mirror shards were embedded deep into its skin.

"Is that.. an injured person?!" Fumiko worriedly spoke up, but Furui immediately cut her off by holding her breath.

"It can't be.." Furui turned to face the humanoid, memories and thoughts of his past resurfacing in his mind. The humanoid he saw seemed to be somewhat similar to the one he had seen years before. However, it was not the moment to reflect on the past. In order to save Fumiko and himself, he had to move quickly.

The violin case Fumiko was carrying on her back and the pizza box she was holding in her hand both dropped to the ground as he was removing her off the bike. The pizza box thumped somewhat, but the case thumped loudly enough to draw the humanoid's attention. Its red eyes glowed, glazing onto both of them.

Present, 12:37 AM, Blackpink Ice Cream Store

"And then, with its threatening eyes fixed on us," Furui said in a terrified voice. "It lunged toward us, swinging its blade—"

Furui's phone rang before he finished his sentence.

Furui pulled out his phone and apologized, looking at it. "Oh, I hear Fumiko calling."

"Well, that was one clever way to break up the story." While Furui was on the phone, Aiya sighed.

"Hi, my love." Saying to his phone, Furui "Yes, I am aware of it. Sweetie, I love you."

"God, I hate the 'sweetie' talk." While still looking through her phone, Tetsu said something irritating.

"Nothing wrong with it?" Before a smile appeared on his face, Furui answered, "Or are you jealous?"

Aiya chuckled a bit, catching the attention of Tetsu again. "What are you laughing at?"

"Oh nothing, like I said before," Aiya replied. "It's just that Furui stood correctly, hehe."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Tetsu angrily retorted. Her face flushed with anger "I AM NOT JEALOUS!"

"Calm down!" Furui broke down the tension.

Both Kuro and Lobo sighed, knowing there was now an endless bitter rivalry between Aiya and Tetsu. Well, more specifically on Tetsu.

Furui's voice softened and grew calm as he tried to recall their place in the story. "Now then, where were we?"

"Ah, that's right... As it charged at us with its blade..."

January 25th 2023

8:06 PM, Jamiroquai Street.

The humanoid swung at Furui and Fumiko. Furui, in his panic, somehow picked up the bike and blocked its swing. But as a result, his trusty bike was split in half.

The humanoid swung again, with Furui and Fumiko now defenseless. They close their eyes in fear as the blade is swung down upon them.

Furui would open his eyes... His arm... it was coated in something as if it was armor for him that blocked the swing.

"What the?!" Despite being confused at what had happened, he'd see the blade being stuck inside the 'armor'. Using this opportunity, he'd pull up his hand, disarming the blade from it as the blade flew through the air. He'd then punch whatever was attacking them...

... Unfortunately, his attack went through the humanoid.

Panic would set in his eyes. As he looks directly at the humanoid... His will is shaken, and his fear is clear on his face.

The humanoid would try to punch, and suddenly, the humanoid is hit with something from afar.

"I hope I wasn't late." said a voice as he stepped out of the shadow within Jamiroquai Street.

"MUSHI!" Both Furui and Fumiko cried out, noticing their classmate from afar.

Name: Furui Ryushi

Birthdate: 20th January 2006

Likes: Rocks, sand, and dinosaurs.

Dislikes: Classical Music, felines, and canines.

A mysterious savior has come, who is he?! And what exactly was the thing that had attacked both Fumiko and Furui?

TO BE CONTINUED IN

FILE 7 - The Hunter's Past, Part 4