Deceitful World

Fumiko was at the kitchen table with empty beer bottles and sobbing in her arms whenever I came to the kitchen this morning. Mya was there comforting her, wiping away her tears as she was weeping. I hurry back to my room to avoid getting yelled at by Mya. Fumiko sure is dramatic when it comes to Mayumi. 

Mya waited at the door for me instead of leaving first this time around. We say our goodbyes to the sullen Fumiko as we make our way out. There was an unknown aura pouring from Mya as we walked to school. Surprisingly, she opens her mouth. "Why didn't you say anything?" Her voice was dripping with anger. 

I had a feeling she caught me looking at her calming down Fumiko. I stare at the hopeless gray clouds gathering together. "I would have just gotten in the way. You have more experience than me when it comes to solving people's problems."

"That doesn't matter! Our mother was crying for an hour!" 

"Even if I did, you would have told me to fuck off. Don't blame me when you know that you always keep me away from helping others." 

"…" Her expression displayed her embarrassment. "It's only because I helped them first. In this case, it's our mother."

What is her point? She's onto nothing. It's like she's trying to piss me off. In an attempt to shut her up, I say, "She knows that Mayumi is fine, so save your savior complex for another time." 

Everything falls silent after I utter those words. Mya yanks me by my collar. Her voice raises an octave, and her scarlet eyes stabbed a bloody wound into my soul. 

"Savior complex? It seems you don't know what you're talking about, so I'll give you a little clue, smart-ass! Did you not see her bleeding? You think that has anything to do with Mayumi!? People don't only care about the present, and you should know this of all people, Daitan. Don't blame me because of your incompetence!"

Shocked pedestrians gave us their undivided attention as the argument had reached its climax. Mya lets go of me as soon as she notices and pushes people aside to get to school. My body became cold and unfamiliar. All I could do was stare back at the small crowd as they murmured and walked away. Rain began crashing down. Each droplet that hit my face filled me with inescapable dread.

Maybe I am incompetent. 

———————————————

"Are the scales of justice not leaning in your favor today?" 

"Ugh! I'm fine, okay? I only had a small miscommunication with my sister."

"Aaah, that's why she kept eyeballing you. Her eyes screamed first-degree. Seriously man, what did you do?" I remain silent. He nods before switching topics. "After accumulating information from a multitude of sources, I came to the conclusion of where the Serpent Deceit may be wandering."

My attention to his serene voice heightened. I eagerly reply instantly, "Where to? Let's go there right now!"

Chikao's alluring deep-blue eyes lit up, and so did his smile. "Otsu in the Shiga Prefecture is the next location. It has had an increase in snake infestations and victims of deceits." 

"We can finally get out of Kyoto! I've always wanted to see how people lived outside of this prefecture!" However, there was a slight problem. "Chikao, can you even protect yourself?"

Chikao chuckles. "I'd have been keeping my distance away from this case if I couldn't." We fist bump as the bell signals the end of lunch. We agreed to meet up at Shinomiya Station after school.

———————————————

Izanagi forced me to wear the red kimono and black haori on our travel to Otsu. The only good thing he's done today was teleporting me here and sparing me the horrors of walking all the way here. Not even 5 minutes after being teleported here, I see a blue-haired guy in an Inverness coat waving at me. Of course, it was Chikao. 

"You sure do have some style in clothing."

"I could say the same for you. It suits you perfectly."

I hear Izanagi laugh with pride. He's lucky I can't kick his ass right now. "Chikao, how about we get to know each other while we wait for the subway to drop by?"

"Sounds pleasant. Tell me about yourself, Yukimura." I tell him about my father's death in a deceit incident and how Kiya kept me under protection until he bought me and Mya our own house when he turned 15. "You aren't as bland as suspected. Do you still live alone now?"

I carefully word my reply. "Not anymore, no. I have two new guardians that currently take care of me and my twin sister. It's the first time I've ever had a father and a mother at the same time."

Chikao's expression becomes melancholy. "Well, I've been an orphan for all my life. The treatment there wasn't complete garbage, but it was very poor. I was only able to get out because of that unsolvable case I solved. Do you recall it being all over the news?"

No way! 10 years ago, an 8-year-old solved an unsolvable serial killer case that went cold for 8 years! I hold back a big smile and lower my voice before speaking. "Wasn't it the caretaker of the orphanage that killed the parents of half of the children there?"

"Ironic, isn't it? The police took me in and trained me for real detective work and gave me more education in the field! Whenever I turned 16, they allowed me to take on cases despite my young age at the time. Cases these days are mostly revolved around deceits, so there hasn't been much work for me lately. This case, however, has me jittery!" 

"That's why you're so perceptive! Having you as my partner in crime was probably the best option I've made in my life!"

The subway arrives as it announces its stop. We hop on as the doors open and sit by each other. Chikao opens his mouth and ask, "So what kind of women are you into, Yu?"

I become flushed at the sudden question. "W-well, it depends. I've only crushed on a girl once, so I can't really describe my type. I mainly hang around the guys."

Chikao frowns at my response. "Here I thought that I would get something juicy out of you. I can't push the guilt on you, though. I've never been romantically interested in a woman ever in my life, even though they flock around me most of the time. I love reading romance manga, though. 

"Really? You never struck me as the type to enjoy romance."

"Surprises are a rich factor of life, am I right? My favorite kind of romance is yaoi!"

Excuse me!? "Uhh… genuine question. Do you see us like a yaoi couple?"

Chikao scoffs. "I mean, if you want that, of course. Didn't know you saw me like that." 

"No, no! You're twisting my words!" 

We had a continued back and forth for the entire 5-minute ride. We arrive at Otani Station. We both stretch as we exit the subway. "You ready for a walk to Kyomachi?"

"I suppose another long stroll wouldn't be a complete pain."

We walk through the small towns, greeting people as they wander, Chikao getting hit on by many of the women, and dumb banter between me and Chikao about absurd topics. 

"You'd definitely be an unagi."

"No, no. If I were a sea creature, I'd be an axolotl!"

"Hmm, that's too good for you…"

"Think of something better then."

Chikao's eyes sparkle as he says, "A blobfish!"

"If I'm a blobfish, then you'd be a clione!"

"Well, at least sea angels have some sort of charm to them. I have the redeemable qualities, and you don't."

We both start laughing our asses off until a girl that looks around my age puts a knife to my neck. "Don't go any further. Your objective is futile. Whether you like it or not, your fate has already been recorded and sealed." The girl stares me up and down before saying, "Though you could always refuse and try to change your fate. However, that's next to impossible." 

I grin as I break the blade of the knife in half. The girl was discombobulated. Even I was shocked. "I refuse to give up on my current goal."

The girl gives me a sly grin as she caresses my cheek. "Daitan Yukimura in the flesh. You're even cuter when you're not dead." Our eyes lock together. Her black eyes looked like they had small white stars around them, and she also looked tired, which made looking at her even more appealing. 

Izanagi finally raised his voice. [ THAT'S IZANAMI! MY LOOOOOOVE! ] 

A loud ring accompanied by the loud beating of my heart blared out loud, causing me and the girl to have a shocked reaction. Shit, my head. 

"Stop trying to merge! Izanami, go away! Now!" The noise comes to a halt. She takes a brief pause before speaking again. "I apologize for that. My name is Hinote Katagiri."

"It's certainly nice to meet you, Hinote." She starts messing with her wolf-cut hair as I say her name.

"Since you chose to live, I'll be accompanying the two of you from now on, but we must talk first."

"Ah. Women that could kill him. That's his type."