Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a typical spring evening on the outskirts of Tokyo. The golden light of the setting sun spilled over the tiled rooftops and narrow streets, casting long shadows on the pavement. Crows cawed overhead, perched on telephone wires, and somewhere in the distance, a train rumbled by.

The street was quiet, save for a brown-haired man walking at a leisurely pace. He wore blue jeans, a crisp white shirt, and a black leather jacket. A brown leather messenger bag hung across his chest, and his right hand was tucked in his jacket pocket, fiddling with the buttons on his Walkman. Music drifted through his headphones. It was some pop song that had been playing nonstop on the radio lately.

He stopped in front of a modest two-story house, indistinguishable from the others on the street. White siding, a small garden in the back, and a built-in mailbox on the gate. There was nothing remarkable about it.

"Oh, right, I haven't checked the mail in weeks. I should probably do that," he muttered to himself. He was not used to having to check the mailbox. The letters he usually received were handed to him by his manager; the only letters he got delivered to his home were bills and official letters. Even so, usually, his roommate would be the one checking the mailbox. But now, since she was away, this responsibility laid on his shoulders. 

After a couple of minutes, he finally fished out his keys from the bottom of his bag, and with the smallest key, he opened the mailbox. There were a couple of letters. 

“Great,” he said, flipping through them. “Electricity, water… what’s this one? NHK again?”

He groaned. “Good thing she left some money. No way I’m covering this myself.”

As he flipped through the stack, something thicker caught his eye at the bottom - a large brown envelope wedged beneath the others.

"What is this?" he asked, confused, as he turned the envelope to see who it was from, but there was no return address.

Even stranger was the fact that it was addressed to him, yet he had no idea what it could be. 

He didn’t read books. Everyone who knew him knew that. So who would send him something like this?

Did someone leak his address? Was it from a fan, trying to get noticed? He’d done a few commercials - he wasn't exactly a big name, but it had happened before.

Shrugging, he tucked the letters under his arm and walked up to the door. After unlocking it, he stepped inside.

“Tadaima,” he called out automatically, slipping off his shoes.

No answer. Just the quiet hum of the fridge in the kitchen.

Of course, no one was home. She was still gone. Five years ago, she’d left to handle some vague “family business,” and ever since, she’d only returned occasionally - never saying much, never staying long. He’d gotten used to the quiet, but that didn’t make it any less dull.

“Still missing, huh…” he muttered, walking into the living room. The kotatsu was folded up for the season, the cushions arranged neatly. He collapsed onto the sofa with a sigh and stared up at the ceiling.

He was bored.

Living alone sucked.

Since Katsumi left, he’d been working more to keep up with bills, and he hated every minute of it. No one to cook with. No sarcastic remarks when he forgot to buy groceries. No one to call him out when he ate konbini meals five days in a row.

“Maybe I should eat something,” he mumbled, remembering he’d only had an energy bar since morning. He started to sit up, then stopped. His gaze had landed on the blinking red light on the landline.

He frowned. That thing never rang. Everyone used cell phones now.

Curious, he pressed the play button.

"Ah, hello. My name is Harumi Iwata, and I am one of Katsumi-san's coworkers. I would like to speak with Hiroto-kun. It's very urgent. A few days ago, I got a strange book in my mailbox, and I know that Hiroto-kun should have gotten one too. So please call me back after reading it. Again, it's urgent," said a distressed woman on the other side. 

"What the fuck?"

Now he was really confused. How did she know his name? Or their landline number? Katsumi wasn’t exactly chatty about her private life - especially not with coworkers. And how did this have anything to do with a book?

He glanced at the envelope again and tore it open. Inside was a thick, hardcover book. It was far bulkier than anything he'd willingly read. But what caught his eye was the sticky note attached to the front cover.

I know you don’t read, but please make an exception this time. You might find it interesting. ;)
- Katsu  

He blinked and then just shook his head. “What the hell are you mixed up in now?”

Why send a book instead of just calling?

He reached for his phone and dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail.

Groaning, he flopped back on the sofa and stared at the book. He flipped it over. The author’s name was printed in elegant calligraphy: Nishiyama Mitsuki.

It didn't ring a bell.

Still… even to someone who didn’t care for books, the cover stood out. A dark, mist-covered mountain loomed against the pale sky, and nestled within the fog was the faint outline of a glowing wolf.

He ran a thumb over the title. 

The Wolf of the West.

“…Not like I’ve got anything better to do,” he mumbled.

And with that, he opened the book.

Chapter Text

Welcome, dear reader!

You are probably sitting here, wondering what kind of book you have come across. And I can tell you right away this book will be nothing like anything you have ever read, for you are about to embark on a journey into a story that you cannot possibly understand without some experience in the real world. 

So first off, let's start by stating that this book is obviously a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental, of course.

So, if you happen to find yourself in a character, or find a name similar to yours, make sure to remember that it doesn't mean anything anyway. Whether you have found this book in a bookstore, online, or in a library, or found it randomly in your mailbox one day, it doesn't matter. 

Just consider this a random, nonfictional work of fiction, which is exactly what this book is supposed to be!

That being said, I do want you to know that there are many things about this story that you won't understand and some things that you may not want to understand. Some might even bother you. Therefore before reading the story, I feel the need to warn you:

This story contains graphic depictions of violence, sexual themes, strong language, mental health problems, LGBT+ themes, alcoholism, and many other things that one might consider triggering to some people. 

Viewer discretion is advised. 

These things should not bother you in any way. In fact, please enjoy this book regardless. It may become your favorite book. Or not. The decision to stay or go is up to you. I hope you choose to stay and enjoy these stories.

Yours faithfully,

Nishiyama Mitsuki

Chapter Text

I hate writing.

Don’t get me wrong; books are fine, important, even, but I’ve never been the artsy type. Or the bookish type.

No. If you asked me to choose between staring at the sakura trees from my balcony, contemplating their fleeting beauty, or going for a picnic under those same trees where I could enjoy doing some activities, I’d pick the picnic every time without a second thought.

So, you can imagine the agony I went through while writing this book.

You might ask, “If you hate writing, why did you even bother with it?”

Well, the sad truth of this world is that there are some simple-minded idiots who, once they set their sights on something they want, won't stop until they make it happen. 

That was the case with my best friend, let’s call him Masaru, who has been bugging me with writing this story for what feels like over a century.

So, yeah, I hope that you are happy now, you annoying fuck. 

This book is dedicated first and foremost to an extraordinary person I never had a chance to say goodbye to. You know who you are. I hope this brings you some peace, and maybe even some comfort.

Oh, yes, I also promised to say a special thank you to my loving husband, who has endured even more than I had while writing this story. He not only put up with my constant mood swings and insecurities, but he also provided some helpful background information, not to say that he also supported and motivated me to stay true to myself and do what makes me happy. 

So, the most special thank you goes to my fantastic husband for not killing me. 

To my editor, who convinced me this story was worth sharing - thank you for your patience and your encouragement.

And to my children, I hope you’ve put this book down by now. If you haven’t… I’m sorry.

You’ve been warned.

Chapter Text

My name is Katsumi. It's the name my parents gave me a long time ago.

On the other hand, my surname is always a name I choose for myself.

Throughout my life, I have used a variety of names. I had my reasons for that, but I am not going to go into details as to why. By the end of the story, I think you will be able to guess.

Of all the names I have used, I liked the name Yamashita the most, because this is the name I used when my life changed most drastically.

For those of you who don't know, Yamashita is one of the most common surnames in Japan. It consists of two kanjis, one for Yama, which means 'mountain', and another one which means 'down' or 'descend'. Then again, I really did come down a mountain so for me it has a different meaning. Not that anyone could have known that, but I liked having an inside joke with myself. It made me feel clever. Even though I still do it, now I have more people in on the joke.

At the time the story takes place, I had the typical black hair and deep brown eyes of the Japanese people. I was just a normal woman living in Tokyo.

My daily routine was pretty common too. Or at least for me. My roommate thought that I was crazy for waking up around 4 AM to go for a morning run. It's not my fault; it was a habit I couldn't break even after all the time I've spent in Tokyo. It wasn't even that thrilling, but it was the best you could get in a crowded place like the city. Then I came home, took a shower, and had breakfast while watching TV.

If it was a good day, my roommate/best friend would crawl out of his man cave before noon, usually with a massive hangover.

Even dying, Hiroto was annoyingly handsome. Medium-length brown hair, deep brown eyes, and enough charm to make everyone swoon the second he smiled. He had a way of drawing people in without even trying.

Some would say that we were complete opposites. While I tried to blend in, he was set on making people recognize him. While I tried to remain hidden, he was seeking out ways to shine.

Now that I think about it, we were so different that even after all this time, I have no idea how we managed to become friends. Maybe it was the fact that we were both trying to live in the moment and enjoy every minute of life. Or maybe it was the fact that we were both two lonely idiots partying in the city. Who knows…

Anyway, back to the story! I was about to tell you the story of how my life changed once and for all, so get a cup of tea and get yourself comfortable, because it's a long story.

It was just after my morning routine, as I was enjoying my breakfast while watching Tv that my beloved roommate crawled down the stairs, leaving his night-time guest sleeping upstairs. He crawled to the sofa, mumbled something that I assumed to be a good morning, and spread out on the floor.

"Morning to you, too. I see you had a good time yesterday," I said, smirking, greatly enjoying his discomfort.

While his alcohol tolerance was nowhere near mine, he still had a pretty high alcohol tolerance for a Japanese guy. I shuddered to think how much he must have had to look like this.

"Not so good now…" he mumbled grouchily.

"Well, when you decide to get your ass off the floor, there are painkillers and a bottle of carrot juice on the kitchen table," I said nonchalantly.

Many people believe that coffee or more alcohol is the solution for hangovers. No. Your body needs to get rid of the toxins. I could write pages about how carrots affect your body and how they help your hangover, but that's not my main focus here. If you are old enough to read this story, you are old enough to do your own research.

But back to the story...

Hiroto mumbled something else, but I didn’t bother to listen. I turned back to my TV show. It was your casual Good Morning Japan! talk show where they invite all sorts of celebrities, artists, musicians, scientists, and whoever else they can get their hands on, for interviews, games, or whatever they come up with. Today's guest was a historian, who was working on his new book. Some might consider it boring, but it caught my attention.

People are usually surprised when I tell them that I like history. Not only history, but the way historians, often working with little more than scraps, can piece together accurate pictures of how people lived in the past. Sure, there are gaps, but it’s still awe-inspiring.

"Rumor has it that Shiroma-san is collaborating with Inoue Ichiro-san on this project, is that right?" asked the host, a smiling black-haired woman.

"Yes, this is our first time working together, but I have heard great things about him," said the historian, an older man with short grey hair.

"Is that so? How would you describe working with him? Some people believe that he is quite young to be working on such a big project," said the other host, a handsome man in his thirties.

"He may be young, but he is very knowledgeable regarding our history," said Shiroma-san wisely, "Not only that, but he showed me a portrait he recovered during one of his travels,"

The screen switched to show a painting, and my heartbeat quickened.

I told myself that it was just an ordinary picture. There are thousands of paintings just like this one, displayed in museums all over the country.

Yet, for some reason this one was different.

It showed a large village at the foot of a mountain, with the figure of a giant white dog appearing between the clouds.

"You see," Shiroma-san continued, "the people in the Western part of the country believed that a great dog demon protected their land. They thought he lived in the clouds, keeping a watchful eye over them, saying that 'It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak.'"

I could feel my chest tighten.

"Inoue-san has gathered quite a collection of artifacts pointing to this belief, which is fascinating," Shiroma-san added, his eyes lighting up with passion.

"How amazing!" the woman host exclaimed. "So we take it your new book is going to focus on medieval myths?"

"Yes," the historian nodded, "It’s going to be called Seeing the Unseen: Japanese Demons and Their Lives."

"You realize some people are going to dismiss it as fiction, right?" the man host laughed.

"Fiction or not, myths are part of the culture and history," smiled the historian.

"Are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost," said Hiro, emerging from the kitchen, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yes! Yes! I'm fine!" I said quickly, trying to brush it off.

He just raised a brow in disbelief but knew better than to ask.

It was one of the things I really liked about him. He knew when to leave things alone. Of course, that didn't mean that he wasn't going to bring it up later, but he left me in peace for a while.

"I see you got hold of your second wind," I said, looking at him.

Hiroto was standing up properly, not crawling on the floor anymore. He looked less pale, and his mood seemed improved, or at least he wasn’t dragging himself around like a zombie.

"Yeah, thanks, by the way. You always know what to do," smiled Hiro, as he hopped on the sofa next to me.

"I work in a bar; I know a thing or two," I replied with a wink.

"Are you sure you’re alright?" Hiro asked after a moment, eyeing me with a raised brow. "You’re playing with your pendant again. You only do that when something’s bothering you."

He was right, of course. I hadn’t even realized I was fiddling with it until he pointed it out. I glanced down at the silver pendant hanging around my neck, the deep purple stone nestled inside a crescent moon, with a crest engraved on the back. It's my greatest treasure. I never took it off, no matter what.

"It’s nothing…" I muttered, letting go of the pendant, but the feeling of unease still gnawed at me.

"You work today?" changed the subject Hiro, as he took a sip of his carrot juice.

"Yeah, Ren’s doing some business at the bar tonight, so I’ve got to make sure everything runs smoothly," I answered, pushing the bad feeling aside for now.

"You know, I could get you a job at the agency,"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "And make me your assistant, cleaning up your messes? No thanks."

I have heard many times the desperate calls of his agent to know that when it came to working, Hiro was very forgetful, and if it wasn't for his good looks, he would have been fired a long time ago.

Hiro worked in the entertainment industry, but before you start imagining him as some big-time celebrity or idol, let me set the record straight. He was living with me in a small house on the outskirts of Tokyo, so don’t expect too much. He did a little modeling here and there and some minor roles in doramas, but the guy was not exactly rolling in cash. As it turned out, I was the one with money. After all, I had enough time to save up enough money to live comfortably.

"Yeah, sure, because working as a bartender in a bar owned by a Yakuza member is so much better…" rolled his eyes Hiro.

"It's definitely more interesting," I stuck my tongue out at him, and he just sighed.

"Very mature," he muttered.

We have had this argument countless times and truth to be told; it was getting tiring. Maybe it was time for me to move on, get out of the country, and get a new perspective on life.

"Working together would be too much - we see enough of each other at home," I said, trying to ease the tension.

"Is this your way of telling me to move out?" Hiro teased.

"If I wanted you gone, you’d know it," I smirked, leaning back against the couch. "But if you’re looking for someone to give you attention 24/7, you should just get a wife."

He laughed dryly, standing up. "I would, but sadly you’re not looking for marriage," he said, heading toward the stairs. "Thanks again," he added before I heard the door to his room close behind him.

With a sigh, I laid on the sofa. Looking at the ceiling I kept wondering what to do.

According to the ID I was using, I was 25. Now, 25 is not that old, yet the outdated idea according to which it's best to have children young, still lives on. No matter where I lived, or what job I had, sooner or later, people started pushing for answers about my "future." That’s one of the reasons why I love my current job. You do your work well, and no one bothers you with those questions. When they do, it's a sign that they are not satisfied with you and want you gone.

Speaking of my job - it’s funny how much Hiroto hated the idea of me working at the bar when, if it weren’t for that place, he wouldn’t even be here. We wouldn’t have met. It was three years ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Of course, my perception of time is a little… warped, but that’s beside the point.

Anyway, I was already working at Blast! when one night this fresh outta high school-looking kid came in with a shady-looking man. They’d probably had a few drinks already, judging by the slurring and the way Hiro was clinging to the man like a lifeline. They ordered a private room with six hostesses, and the man kept going on about how everything could be his if only he’d sign the contract. It was a routine I’d seen a hundred times before.

Just another guy getting into a contract he will soon regret. Although there was something about him and the pitiful state that he was in, that made me step in. When he tried to find the toilet, he stumbled upon the bar and I couldn't stop myself.

"If you have any common sense, you won't sign whatever that guy is trying to get you into," I said.

He stopped, looked at me for a moment, and I honestly expected him to tell me to mind my own business. Instead, he sat down on a stool, his eyes welled up with tears, and then he started to cry, which creeped me out. I never knew how to react to crying people in front of me, so I didn't have a choice but to listen as he told me about a fight with his grandfather, and how he left home and came to Tokyo with nothing but big dreams. Except, rents were sky-high, the city was colder than he thought, and now he was sitting there with no money, no job, and nowhere to stay.

I looked at those big brown eyes, and despite myself, I felt a pang of sympathy. I knew what it was like to be truly alone with nowhere to go and no one to rely on. I sighed, took a piece of paper, and wrote down a phone number and a name.

"In the morning, when you sober up, call them to schedule a meeting – tell them that Katsumi-chan gave you this number and that with this we are even…"

A week passed and just when I decided to put the whole thing behind me, he came by to thank me. He was all smiles, practically glowing. He sat down on a stool, ordered some beer, and told me in great detail how he was now employed at a modeling agency. Not gonna lie, he was really cute talking loudly with a big smile and sparkling eyes.  We had a celebratory drink, and I figured that’d be the end of it.

But he came back again and again, and before I knew it, we started seeing each other. He was funny, flirty, and liked to party, so I figured, why not give him a chance and enjoy it while it lasts?

We dated for a while, he moved in with me and everything was fine until he started to talk about marriage and children and all this serious stuff. It was clear that he was ready to settle down…

Which I wasn't. Hell, I didn’t even know if I ever would be.

I knew what it meant, though. He was just a regular guy, and while I felt like I had all the time in the world, his clock was ticking. Time moves differently when you're not bound by the same constraints.

So, I ended it.

Yes, I know. I should’ve known better. I was older, wiser, and probably shouldn’t have started anything with him in the first place. But I did, and there’s no use in regretting it now.

The thing is, Hiro’s modeling job didn’t exactly pay him what he hoped, so, surprise surprise - we were still roommates. But we weren't just lovers, we were best friends so it wasn't as awkward as I feared it would be.

And that's how we lived. He and I, and our one-night stands. I loved how mature we were about it. We were both adults with needs, of course, we weren't going to pretend that we weren't seeing other people. No jealousy, no possessiveness, no drama. We might not have been responsible and collected adults, but damn, I was really proud of us for forming this unspoken agreement.

I was still lying on the sofa, thinking about my life, when Hiro and his lady friend walked down the stairs.

"I had so much fun yesterday,"  she purred, her voice dripping with a kind of coy sweetness I couldn't help but roll my eyes at.

"Yeah, me too," said Hiro sweetly.

"Can't you reschedule your photoshoot?" she asked, pouting. And let me tell you, that pout was designed for maximum effect.

"Naaah, I tried. But I will call you later, okay?"

'Now you are just being cute,' I thought, rolling my eyes, knowing full well that he wasn't going to call her again. The guy was too busy, already chasing the next one to even remember her name.

After a cringy goodbye, the girl finally left, and Hiro walked into the living room. Without so much as a word, he grabbed my legs, lifted them up, and laid them across his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had the day off."

"I do," Hiro said with a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Oh, was Akiko giving you trouble?"

"Ooh! So, her name was Akiko!" Hiro’s eyes lit up like he’d just solved a mystery.

"No idea, but she sounded like one," I replied with a shrug.

"Why? How does an Akiko sound like?" asked my roommate, entertained.

"Annoying," I said with a smirk. "She tries too hard to act all cute, but honestly? She's just annoying."

"Yeah, she could be one," nodded Hiro before he asked, "What are your plans for the day, anyway?"

"I have a shift at five."

"Hmm, we still have a lot of time 'till then. What should we do?" he asked with a sly smile as his hand crawled up my leg.

"Are you ever satisfied?" I asked, amused.

He just chuckled, his fingers sliding a little higher on my leg. "Oh, please, Akiko’s still got a lot to learn."

That’s when a little idea popped into my head, and I couldn’t resist the chance to mess with him.

"You want me to teach her?" I asked with a grin.

His eyes went wide in shock, then without missing a beat he replied, "Yes! Damn, that would be so hot…"

I laughed, standing up and heading toward the kitchen. Hiro, as expected, followed me like a puppy.

"Can we try it?" he asked, almost too eagerly, his voice full of excitement.

"Maybe," I said casually, popping open the fridge and bending down to grab something off the lower shelf.

"Oh boy, we should do it!" he said excitedly as he sat down on a chair and kept talking about how fun it would be.

I just smiled, as I started to prepare lunch.

He was just so cute.

"Just think about it!" Hiro continued, "It’d be the highlight of her life! But hey, I’d enjoy it too… but, you know, we’re doing it mostly for her," he added, trying to sound selfless.

"For her, huh?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Now that I think about it, it sounds like a lot of work and no fun," I sighed dramatically, turning back to the vegetables.

"Oh, come on," Hiro groaned, getting up and sneaking his arms around my waist from behind. "It’ll be fun… and if you do this for me, we can have some fun with that new guy you mentioned earlier," he whispered in my ear.

"The new bouncer?"

"If that’s what you want," Hiro replied, his lips brushing against my neck in a slow kiss.

I smirked, placing the knife down and turning around to face him. "Okay, but you’d better arrange it quickly. I want to get this over with so I can enjoy both you and the new bouncer," I said, my eyes glinting with mischief.

His smile grew wide, like he’d just won the lottery.

"You’re the best!" he said, eyes shining with excitement.

"I know," I replied, winking at him. "And don’t forget it."

He looked at the clock on the wall. "You know... we still have some time..." His grin was nothing short of devilish.

I raised an eyebrow. "A quickie, now? Fine, but only if you do the clean-up," I said seriously.

"Deal," he said without thinking, and the next moment my arms were around his neck, my legs wrapped around his waist, and we were too busy making out to care about anything else.

Now, I know what you are thinking. He was just with another woman. She left barely half an hour ago, and I'm letting him touch me like that?

I must be very depraved. Or very in love. Or…

Here is a quick take for you guys: I just like sex. I like to have fun. I like to enjoy myself. Nothing more, nothing less.

Moreover, I liked having sex with Hiro. I liked that, unlike most men who were terrified to make a sound, Hiro was anything but shy. He was vocal, very vocal. His groans and moans? Music to my ears. I mean, who needs a quiet, boring time in bed when you could have the full sensory experience? Especially with someone like Hiro, who knew how to keep it interesting.

The quickies? They were like a competition. Who could make the other come first? It was thrilling. There was something about the urgency, the challenge, the dirty talk that added to the heat of it all. The taunting, the little grins, the playful jabs - it was all part of the game, and we both played it well.

But there was something more than just the thrill of the chase. It was the taunting, the teasing, the way he would make me laugh while getting me worked up, and how he could flip it around with just a well-timed whisper or touch. It was a combination of playfulness and raw desire that made everything feel… fun.

It was fun and he was cute. That's it. 

No deep emotions, no tangled feelings. Just good, messy, loud fun. And I was all about it.

"I'm leaving!" I shouted as I put on my sneakers and took one last look in the mirror.

Considering I’d have to change clothes at work, I kept it casual with blue jeans, a simple white T-shirt, and my trusty black leather jacket. My hair was tied up in a ponytail, and I had everything I needed in my backpack.

"Take care!" shouted back my newly appointed housemaid from the kitchen.

With that, I put on my headphones, turned on my Walkman, and walked to the station. It takes a while to get to central Tokyo, but the view was always worth it.

It was a nice day, so I decided to walk to my destination, letting the music in my ears guide my pace. Then suddenly a strange scent hit me.

Now, Tokyo has a lot of smells - food, exhaust, the usual city mess - but this? This was different. Not exactly unpleasant, but something about it made my senses tingle. It reminded me of something… but I couldn’t quite place it.

I looked up, eyes scanning the crowded streets, my nose working overtime. It didn’t take long to spot the source.

It was a young boy with long white hair, wearing a red kimono and a baseball hat. I looked at him with disgust. 

Okay, I get it. Tokyo fashion can be a little out there, but this? No. Just no. And most importantly: why the hell wasn’t his youki concealed? He was practically screaming, "I’m different!" to anyone who cared to look. In a city this packed, that wasn’t just bold, it was reckless.

He was drawing attention to himself like a giant Christmas tree in the middle of a street in fucking August. What was he thinking?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to go on about youkai and all that folklore your grandparents probably warned you about. But just for the sake of the story, let’s pretend they’re real, okay? They could kill you in a heartbeat if they wanted to. Don’t worry, though - this is just a story. A piece of fiction. Nothing to be afraid of.

I was so shocked to see this guy walking around looking like that in broad daylight in the middle of Tokyo, that I didn't realize that the traffic light turned blue. I just continued to watch the boy with a confused expression. He was crossing the street and it seemed like he was listening to the girl next to him.

Wait, is that-?

I sighed. Of course, it was.

'Leave it to the Higurashis to find trouble…'  I thought, rubbing my forehead in annoyance.

There, right beside the boy, was the eldest Higurashi child, Kagome.

You might be thinking: Katsu, there are millions of people living in Tokyo. Do you know everyone?

Hell no.

But when there is only one demon-friendly shrine, you will quickly learn to get along with them.

Quick note: You should visit the Higurashi shrine, it's definitely worth a visit.

As they crossed the street, I watched as they came closer and closer to me. There was a strange thought in my head. I couldn't explain it, I just had to talk to him.

So, I took a step slightly to the left, just enough so that Kagome would run into me when she was passing.

"Ah, sumimasen," she said, apologizing as she looked up at me.

"Careful, girl," I said with a smile.

Her eyes went wide, but soon her face brightened, just like every time we saw each other. It was evident that she liked me. I guess she thought that I was cool, or whatever. I never cared about such things.

"Katsumi-san!"

"Hey, kid. Heading home from school?" I asked, making casual small talk.

She just nodded. My eyes strayed over the boy. He was tall, slender yet muscular, and his face was still boyishly cute. His long white hair flowed behind him, and his golden eyes glinted with something... familiar.

Kagome must've noticed the way I was looking at him because she quickly spoke up.

"Um, Katsumi-san, that's my friend, Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is Katsumi-san, a family friend,"

The boy just nodded.

That name struck a chord in me. There was something about him that I couldn't put a finger on.

“You eerily remind me of someone…” I murmured absent-mindedly, more to myself than to them.

"Um, you must have the wrong person," Kagome said quickly.

I shook my head, trying to shake off the feeling gnawing at me.

“Yeah, probably. I’m just overworked. Anyway, I’ve gotta run. It was good seeing you, Kagome. Give my regards to your family,” I said with a smile.

She said goodbye, and we went our separate ways.

Only when I could no longer feel him, did I realize that my hand was fumbling with my pendant again.

Half an hour later, when I finally arrived at work, my mind was still tangled with thoughts of that boy. There was something about him that nagged at me, but I couldn’t quite figure it out. Maybe I had seen him at the Higurashi shrine once, or maybe he was some sort of cosplayer I’d spotted in a magazine? Either way, the encounter kept replaying in my head, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew him from somewhere.

"Earth to Katsumi!" shouted my manager, Kai, "Are you alright? We can't have you spacing out tonight," he said seriously.

Kai was a man in his mid-thirties, with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. He was quite handsome, but too serious for my taste.

"Yes, sure, what do you need?"

“There’s been a slight change in plans,” he said. “Ren wants you to pose as one of the girls tonight.”

I stared at him for a second. "What? I'm not a hostess! I'm just a bartender. They’ll know!"

Kai’s brow furrowed in frustration. "You know what? I’ve been having nightmares about this evening! Here, take the phone and call Ren yourself," he said, practically shoving it into my hands before storming out of the staff room.

It seemed that he was in no mood to argue, so I just rolled my eyes and I dialed Ren's number.

"What?" Ren’s voice answered on the other side, sharp and annoyed.

"Hey, Ren. It's Katsu from the bar. Listen, Kai is telling me that there is supposed to be some kind of change?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ren cut me off before I could finish. "A little birdie told me Diego’s planning something tonight. So, I need you in that damn room with us. If things go south, it’s better to have you on the team."

I frowned, irritation bubbling in my chest. "But I'm not a hostess, you know that. Diego’s men have been here before, what if they recognize me?"

"Don't worry about it," Ren said dismissively. "To them, you all look the same. Just doll yourself up and make sure the room is ready for us. You’ve got the look, Katsu. You can handle it."

"But-"

"No buts! The only 'but' I want is your ass already in a dress when I arrive!"

I just rolled my eyes. There was evidently no room for disagreement.

I muttered under my breath. "Fine, but don’t blame me if you end up with a room full of corpses."

Ren’s laugh echoed in my ear. "Oh, I’m counting on you. If things get ugly, you have full permission to kill them all without a second thought."

Now that actually brought a smile to my face. It sounded like a plan I could get behind.

After hanging up, I walked to the closet where the costumes were kept.

Ren really invested a lot into this place. The short kimono dresses were high quality and, no matter how much I hated wearing them, they were gorgeous.

There were a lot of different colors, but I only cared about one. It took me fifteen minutes, but I finally found a black one. It was black with white and pink cherry blossoms. Nice. I was standing in front of the mirror, when one of the hostesses, Haruhi, came in.

She was a slender girl, just turned 21, with brown hair that fell to her shoulders and deep brown eyes. She was pleasant, intelligent, and incredibly sweet, though I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for her - she had been born into a poor family, and she was always hustling to make ends meet. This job was her ticket to university.

"Katsumi-san! Oh my! I almost didn't recognize you!" Haruhi gasped, her eyes wide as she took in my outfit. "But... why are you wearing that?"

I sighed. "The big boss wants me to fill in tonight."

Her face brightened, her energy shifting in an instant. "Oh, is that so? Then we have to doll you up! Come, come, sit down. I’ll do your makeup and hair!"

I started to protest, but Haruhi was already pushing me toward the makeup station with a grin that told me there was no way I was escaping this. With a reluctant sigh, I sat down and let her do as she pleased.

Half an hour later, Haruhi clapped her hands together in satisfaction. "Aaaaand we’re done!"

I blinked a few times and opened my eyes, surprised by how she had transformed me. She handed me a mirror with a proud smile.

"Take a look! Oh, Katsumi-san you look so beautiful."

And I did. She had curled my hair into soft waves that cascaded over my shoulders and down my back. My eyes were now framed with a smoky blend of black, grey, and white eyeshadow, while my lips were painted a deep, sultry red.

"You could be a model!" she gushed.

I smiled, nodding in approval. "Good job."

"Can we take a picture?"

"Sure," I said, reaching for my phone.

After a quick selfie, I sent a more provocative picture to Hiro, teasing him with the message: "You better watch out, or I might steal your spotlight ;)"

The poor guy immediately started calling me, but just then, Ren and his crew arrived, and I knew I had no time for this. With a grin, I shut off my phone and locked it in my locker.

Moments later, Ren appeared in the doorway, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.

"I see you can actually clean up very well," he said, smirking.

He was a well-built man, in his late thirties, with short black hair and light brown eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "Remind me again; why are you working behind the bar?"

The next moment I had a knife pointed at his throat.

"Because I don't take kindly to creeps constantly trying to chat me up," I spat annoyed, but he just laughed.

"Ah, that's why I love you," he said, grinning, "keep that knife on you, but here, take these. I don't care where you hide them, but I want them on you."

I stared at the guns in my hand, disgust creeping up my spine. "Guns? That’s not exactly my style..."

"I don’t care," Ren growled, his mood darkening. "If one of them tries something, I want you to blow their fucking brains out. I’ve had enough of Diego's bullshit."

I knew better than to argue when Ren was like this. "Okay."

I placed the guns inside my dress, right under my obi, so it would hold them in place. I also pulled the dress a bit lower and made sure that there was just enough of my cleavage showing, so they wouldn't even think of checking me for weapons.

Ren moved off to inspect the room Kai had set up, making sure everything was in order. I took a deep breath, walking out to stand beside the bar where Itsuki was filling in for me.

"It’s so weird to stand here," I said, staring at the spot where I usually worked.

"I bet it is," he said smiling.

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but just then, the door opened, and in walked Hansuke Haito, the CEO of a publishing company. He was getting close to seventy, but he came by nearly every day for a jug of beer, which he sipped slowly while chatting about whatever crossed his mind. He was pleasant enough, but everyone knew he had a reputation for inappropriate behavior.

"Ah, my eyes have been blessed!" he cried as he saw me, "Why, I had no idea that Katsumi-san was also a hostess!"

"Ah, I am a special case," I smiled, "only for VIP guests" I added with a wink.

"I see. Well, I will make sure to talk to Kaito-kun and arrange something."

I smiled back, playing the game. "Please do."

If I didn’t know better, I would have rolled my eyes. The man could be an interesting conversation partner, but damn, he was a creep. And while I liked having sex, I wasn't about to jump on that old man's dick. Not for anything.

Thankfully, just then Diego and his men arrived.

Now, officially Diego Ferraro was an Italian businessman interested in opening several new businesses in Tokyo. Just one look at him was enough to know that he was the embodiment of typical arrogant men, who believe that money solves everything. He was tall, but slender, with tanned skin, curly black hair, and a faint scar across his left eye.

'You have come far from home, asshole,' I thought, as I put on a smile and walked up to him, making sure to sway my hips.

"Good evening. Kisaragi-san is expecting you. Please follow me," I said in English, thickening my Japanese accent just enough to make them underestimate me.

It would be better if they thought that I couldn't speak English well.

The men just looked me up and down, taking extra care to check out my boobs and legs.

"Right. Lead the way," Diego muttered.

"This place has a good vibe," he said in Italian to one of his men, "Too bad all the girls look like fucking schoolkids."

Good thing I’d picked up bits of European languages during my travels. I couldn't speak, but I understood enough.

"This one isn’t bad though," one of them replied. I could feel his gaze crawl up the back of my legs.

"Not bad at all... Once we kill that bastard, we should have some fun with her, what do you say?" Diego said, his voice oozing confidence. He was probably grinning.

We’ll see about that, you pig.

I led them downstairs into a private room with two leather sofas, a coffee table, and a small bar in the back. Foreigners preferred Western-style comfort. The rooms were also soundproof. Just in case.

Ren was already seated on one of the couches, legs crossed, looking effortlessly in control. Kai, dressed like a bartender, stood silently behind the bar.

"Diego Ferraro and his men," I said in English as I motioned to the men, before walking up to the bar for their sake.

"Ah, Ren!" shouted Diego as he threw open his arms.

"Diego," Ren nodded without standing. "Sit. We have much to discuss. But first - a drink."

I poured the sake, placed the tray on the table, served each of them, and stepped back with a slight bow.

"Now this is what I like! To our friendship!" Diego said, raising his cup.

"Yes," Ren replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in a sneer. "To friendship."

They drank.

Diego leaned back and nodded toward me. "Say, friend, you’ve got quite the beauty here. How much for a night with her?"

"This isn’t a brothel. Try the big red building down the street," Ren replied coolly.

"Aw, come on! There’s always a price. Say a number and we’ve got a deal."

"These girls are hostesses. Not whores," Ren said, voice sharp as a blade.

"Oh, please. Everyone knows what kind of girls work in places like this."

Ren sighed, already bored of the conversation. "If you’re that desperate, ask her yourself."

Diego looked at me with a predatory grin, but before he could have asked me I gave him a sweet smile and said, "There’s not enough money in the world."

The smile vanished from his face. One of his men reached for his gun, expecting to frighten me.

This was the part where most people would panic.

I just stared at him, unimpressed.

This wasn’t the first time I had a gun pointed at my face.

"You might want to change your answer quickly," Diego said. "Rodrigo here is very impatient."

"You should call off your dog," warned him Ren.

"Oh, relax. We’re just having a little fun."

"We are not here for that. You can play after we are finished here. Let's discuss business," cut it short Ren, "I know what you are doing, and it stops now."

Diego blinked. "What do you mean? We already discussed my new ventures—"

"I’m not talking about your fake restaurants. I’m talking about what you’re selling on the streets." Ren reached into his jacket and tossed a small bag on the table. "You call them 'Pleasure Pills,' don’t you?"

Diego’s face drained of color.

"I… I have nothing to do with that."

"Nothing? Funny, how they started popping up just after you showed up. What is even funnier is that it's the same formula as the crap in Yokohama. Killed fifty people."

"They were just junkies! Nobodies! Who gives a shit?"

"I do," Ren said, standing. "Get that garbage out of my country."

Diego looked around the room, nervous now. "I can’t do that. My benefactors wouldn’t be pleased."

Ren narrowed his eyes. "Benefactors?"

"Yeah, too bad I can't tell you anything. But hey - how about a trade? The pills stay, and you give me this one for the night. I’ll forget this whole meeting ever happened."

There was a moment of silence before Ren laughed, "You are something else. Fine, I see now that there is no other way."

He turned to me and Kai and gave a slight nod.

We knew what to do.

Diego's men had no time to react.

In seconds they were just bloody corpses getting our floor dirty.

"OH MY GOD! STOP IT!" Diego screamed, recoiling in horror.

Ren adjusted his cuffs and looked down at him. "You have two days. Clean up the mess you made. Or next time, you end up like them. Face-down in a pool of your own blood and shit."

He turned and walked out without a backward glance, leaving Diego trembling in silence, surrounded by corpses. 

I just laughed. It was all too funny. The terrified expression on Diego's face, the look of surprise on the corpses.

"Clean this up," ordered me Kai, and my laughter stopped instantly.

After that, Kai offered Diego a drink, and I was sent home. It was practically my day off anyway.

It was half past three in the morning and the streets were finally deserted. Walking home, I couldn’t stop thinking about Diego and his goons.

If it were up to me, I would’ve killed him too - let his blood be the message to every foreign snake thinking they could poison our streets with their trash. But Ren is the boss. It's his call. Let’s just hope it won’t come back to bite us in the ass.

"How disappointing. After all this time you are still doing the same work... just for a different master," said a cynical voice.

I stopped cold and spun around, eyes scanning the empty street.

No one.

Just me.

I checked behind a vending machine. Glanced across the road. Listened.

Nothing.

The street was dead.

I felt a chill creep up my spine and rubbed my arms. "Great," I muttered. "First half-demons walking around like it's normal, and now I'm hearing voices too..."

I kept walking, a little faster this time. Trying to shake the feeling that someone - or something - was watching me.

Chapter Text

Arriving home, I was surprised by the light that welcomed me. Taking off my shoes, I couldn't help but sigh.

'He fell asleep in front of the Tv again…' I thought, annoyed.

One of the things we had in common is that neither of us could handle being alone. While Hiro worked during the day, I usually went for a run and did things around the house to occupy myself, but since I usually worked in the evening, Hiro stayed alone to do whatever he did when I wasn't here. Most of the time he would send me messages and try to stay up and wait for me to get home. He never succeeded and always fell asleep on the sofa, which means that I had to wake him up or the next day he would be all cranky.

Walking in the living room, I saw the open beer cans on the table and heard my roommate snoring on the sofa.

"Hiro, wakey wakey," I whispered, as I gently shook his shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Go lay down in your bed. You will get a stiff neck if you keep sleeping here,"

"Uhum,"

I just sighed. It would have been so much easier just to grab him and take him to his bed, but for personal reasons that was out of the question.

I tried again with a little more force. It was enough to wake him up, at least to the level where he could form sentences.

"Is it morning already?" asked my sleepy roommate.

"Not yet. I finished earlier,"

"Uhum," he said, closing his eyes.

"Come upstairs. You will be in pain in the morning if you stay here,"

"Nooo, I doon't wanna move," groaned Hiro.

"Suit yourself," I said with a sigh.

"If I go up will you be there?" he asked, quietly.

"Sure," I said, smiling, and headed to the bathroom.

I'm not a clean freak, but for some reason, whenever I return from work, I must take a shower. Now, some would say that maybe I hope that the water will clean me. Tch, it's bullshit. I was already too far gone.

Wrapped in a towel, I left the bathroom, only to see that my friend had already crawled into my bed. I put on a black tank top and some PJ pants and went to lay down next to him. As soon as I laid down, I felt Hiro's arms around my waist, pulling me closer. He tried to talk, but he was too tired to say anything comprehensible. I couldn't help but giggle, he was just too cute. I turned around, kissed his forehead and decided that it was time for me to try and catch some sleep.

"Oh, no, not this shit again," I groaned as I looked around.

I was sitting inside an old-fashioned Japanese pub. In front of me was a table with a cup and a bottle of sake.

"The only good thing about this place is that the bottle never empties!" I said to myself as I poured myself some sake into the small glass.

"To sleepless sleep!" I said sarcastically to myself, as I drank from the glass, "Great as always. I wonder what's on the agenda today, what is keeping me from dreaming something nice today,"

A minute later I received my answer as the door slid open and a massive figure sat down in front of me.

"Oh, so it's you, again." I said, dryly, "I would invite you to drink with me, but as you can see there is only one cup, sooo…"

"There is no need to concern yourself with that. I asked the owner as I entered," said the man in front of me, smiling widely.

"Great, my own dream is against me…" I murmured, as I poured some sake for my guest and myself.

"So, why are you haunting me again? I thought we were past this,"

"Hmm? If I am not mistaken, this is your dream, you should know why I am here," said the man, and I just sighed.

"You know, at least once, you could turn up and just say what you want, without all these theatrics. Or is that too much to ask for?"

The man just smiled, as he shook his head, "You haven't changed at all,"

"Thank you. Good to know that two hundred years passed without a change. At least I don't have to worry about looking old,"

My companion just laughed as he shook his head, "You always had a talent for making me laugh. However, today I am not here for entertainment."

I just frowned. The serious tone of his voice never meant anything good to me.

"What are your plans with that human of yours?" he asked, but since I remained silent, refusing to answer his question, he continued with his questioning, "Are you going to mate him? Settle down? Have some children on your own?"

I just shot him a confused look.

"What are you talking about? Why would I do that?"

"I was under the impression that you love him,"

"I do… that's why I am not getting into anything messy with him."

"Hmm?"

I just sighed, "Look, I will just spend some time with him, what like 5 years? And then I will just leave… Although, I will probably have to find a new job because he knows where I work…"

"Have you not grown tired of this, yet? Constantly moving around, severing ties with people?" frowned the man.

"Oh, so this is what this is about…" I said, catching up on where the conversation was going.

It was the man's turn to sigh, "How long has it been? 200 years? Do you not get tired of going against your own nature?"

"Well, what do you want me to do? It's not like I can just come out and tell him the reason why I age slower! That would be a fun conversation! Not that he would believe me… and even if he did that would be too much!" I said, annoyed.

"After all this time you still have not learned how to trust people…" said the man, sadly.

"I trust him,"

"Then why haven't you told him?"

"Just because I trust him that does not mean that he won't leave… He is just a human, he wouldn't understand..."

The man was silent for a moment, but I knew that we were far from done.

"If you are in this much pain, why don't you just return home?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the suggestion.

"Keh, as if! You know that I can't do that… They would kill me! And I prefer to have my head on my neck, thank you very much,"

The man just sighed as he shook his head.

"You might have gotten older, but you are none the wiser…" he said, and I just rolled my eyes, "So, what will you do, Katsumi? Will you spend your entire life running?"

"Why? What else can I do? It's not like I can stop now…"

"Eventually you will have to stop and face your fears,"

"I know that…" I said quietly, before reaching for the bottle, "But today I will just enjoy this sake!"

The man frowned.

"If you are not going to mate that man, you should come home. There is still much to do,"

"Not for me! I am done there,"

"You still owe me a great deal," he said, seriously.

"Too bad you are dead," I said, reaching for the bottle.

As I poured and drank from my glass, the man just shook his head, before he stood up.

"Leaving already?" I asked, confused.

Usually, it would take much longer to get him annoyed enough to leave.

"I heard what I wanted to hear. Rest now, Katsumi, you will need your strength,"

I just looked at him confused, but he ignored me and left.

"Tch, always so mysterious…" I commented, annoyed, as I reached for the bottle.

It was surprisingly light.

"What the hell?" I questioned, looking inside the bottle.

It was empty.

I woke up in a cold sweat to Hiro shaking me.

"Wha- what is it?" I asked, reaching for the drawer of my nightstand where unknown to my roommate, I kept a dagger in case of emergency.

"You were probably having a nightmare. You kept talking in your sleep and you were crying," said Hiro, worriedly.

I imagine that I gave him the most confused face I ever pulled. Did he wake me up for this?

"Are you stupid? I don't cry, you idiot," I said, lying back down.

Hiro just took hold of one of my hands and guided it to my face.

"Which one of us is the idiot now?"

I just sighed.

"Can we not talk about it, now? I am tired," I said, laying down and turning away from him.

Yet, I could feel his gaze on my back.

He sighed, and before I knew it, he grabbed and turned me around so that I was laying on my back. He towered over me looking into my eyes intensely.

Not gonna lie the intensity of his gaze scared me.

"You know, you can tell me anything," he said quietly, and I just nodded.

"I'm serious. I will listen to everything you have to say. Whatever it is, you don't have to bear it alone."

He was just so cute.

I smiled sadly and put my hand on his cheek.

"It's nothing. Just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about," I said, praying that he would leave it alone.

He kept looking into my eyes, desperately searching for something, but in the end, he just lowered his head and blew a gentle kiss on my shoulder.

"You are the worst," he whispered.

"I know," I whispered back, "Can we go back to sleep, now?"

Hiro took a deep breath and turned us, so that I was laying on his chest, his arms holding me secure.

My last thought as I drifted back to sleep was that I didn't need to return anywhere. I was already at home here, with Hiro in my bed.

The next day I was on the edge for some reason. There was this bad feeling in my bones, that something terrible was about to happen.

"An earthquake?" asked Hiro, when I told him.

"No, this is not an earthquake,"

What I didn't tell him was that it couldn't be an earthquake, because there was no tension in the ground.

"Hmm… maybe you are just out of it because of your nightmare?" suggested Hiro, again.

That made me think.

"Now that you mention it… There wasn't more sake…" I mumbled.

'I wonder what that means…'

I couldn't think more about it, because Hiro started laughing like never before.

"You - don't tell me - You even dream about drinking?!" he laughed, and I could feel my face heat up.

"Don't laugh, you idiot!" I shouted, throwing a pillow at him, "This is a concerning thing,"

"Oh, girl," said Hiro, wiping away his tears, "you need to do something with your drinking problem. I suspect it's getting out of control if even your nightmares are about alcohol,"

I just rolled my eyes at his remark.

"Try going for a run, maybe you just need to clear your head a bit,"

"Nah, I don't feel like running…"

Hearing that Hiro's eyes went wide, and before I knew it, his hand was on my forehead.

"Hmm… a bit warm, but no fever,"

"Cut it out," I said, showing him away.

"There has to be a serious problem if you say no to running,"

In the end, we spent the day lazing around, watching Tv.

The sun was already setting, when I remembered that I had an errand to run.

"Oh, shit. I need to run out for a minute, I will be right back," I told Hiro, as I jumped up and went to throw on some clothes.

"Where are you going?" asked Hiro, surprised.

"I just remembered that I need to run an errand. I will be back shortly," I said, already halfway out of the house.

Shit, I almost forgot to go and pick up my potion for the month.

You see, there are many ways for creatures like me to mask our youki. Charms, some charmed objects, potions. I chose to go with the latter. Not many would go with this option as it was quite strong, one had to drink it every full moon, and depending on the strength of the potion it could also function as contraception. While it was a vile drink, for me it was killing two birds with one stone.

I quickly made my way to the Higurashi shrine and knocked on the door.

"Oh, what a surprise! Katsumi-chan, come in, come in," opened the door mama Higurashi.

"Sorry, I'm just here to pick up my monthly dose," I said, quickly.

"Oh, let me just call grandpa," she said, as she disappeared into the house.

"Tch, I thought that you have forgotten. You can't rely on me reminding you constantly, I am getting old, you know," mumbled grandpa Higurashi, as he closed the door behind him.

"Oh come on, I can still remember you running around the grounds in nothing but a diaper, you are not that old, Youta-kun," I said, smirking.

He blushed and coughed, trying to get rid of the embarrassment, "Tch, teasing an old man like me. I swear you youngsters will put me in an early grave," he said as we entered one of the storage rooms.

I just laughed.

"Here you go," he said, giving me a small bottle.

I was about to pay him, but he just frowned, refusing to take the money.

"Don't be a fool. You are like family, you don't need to pay,"

I just frowned. We have played this game more times than I could count, so I knew that there was no point in arguing with him.

"Say, is it possible to feel weird because of missing a dose or something?" I asked instead.

"What do you mean?" furrowed his brows Youta.

"I don't know, I have been kinda out of it today. I just have a really bad feeling,"

"An earthquake, maybe?"

"No, there is no tension in the ground. It's something else, but I can't put a finger on it…"

There was a moment of silence, both of us thinking.

"Is everything okay with you? The kids are doing alright?" I asked and my friend froze up for a second before he replied.

"Why wouldn't they be? Souta is top of his class and he started doing Kendo. Kagome… Well, she is at that age, you know, but she is doing what she can,"

"Hmm… Then maybe I am just overworked…" I concluded, but my friend kept looking at me weirdly.

"If you are done here, you should go home. I am getting cold," he said and it was my turn to look at him confused.

"Are you throwing me out?" I asked.

It was a first.

"I am old and I am cold. The good thing about getting old is that I can be rude without feeling bad about it." said my friend, as he left the storage house.

"Your father would beat your ass if he heard you talking like that," I said, following my friend to his house.

"Well, it's not like he can do much from beyond the grave," shrugged Youta and I just shook my head.

"Unbelievable, such disrespect… Well, hurry in before you catch a cold, you old man," I said, as I waved goodbye, before turning around and walking home.

Unknown to me Youta breathed out a sigh of relief as he closed the door.

"That was close. I don't know what would have happened if she found out about Kagome…" he mumbled.