Knock knock knock

“Come on in!”

Jitsubutsu walked through the front of Make’s house and greeted her.

“Hey! How are you?”

“Great! Yami’s upstairs, he hasn’t gotten up yet though.”

“No worries.”

“I’ll start making some breakfast. Go ahead and wake him up.”

Jitsubutsu proceeded up the stairs, making his way towards Yami’s room. As he neared his door, Jitsubutsu did not hear any snores, nor did he hear the rustling of Yami getting ready.

“Hey,” Jitsubutsu said as he knocked on the door. “Get up. We should take off soon.”

Jitsubutsu didn’t hear Yami stir at all.

“Hey!”

After pounding once more, this time with more force, Jitsubutsu opened the door to see Yami laying still on the bed. Walking up to Yami, Jitsubutsu quickly reassured he was still alive.

“Yami, c’mon.”

Yami did not budge.

“Damn it… This kid…”

Jitsubutsu turned as he heard the pattering of footsteps behind him. In the doorway stood Make, who dropped a bowl she was carrying when she saw Yami. An egg-based mixture spilled over the floor as Make fell to her knees.

“No… no… Kyū…”

Jitsubutsu got down next to Make and put his hands on her shoulders.

“It’s alright, he’s still alive. Make, go get some rest. I’ll help out Yami.”

Make’s eyes became dulled as she nodded. Jitsubutsu helped Make stand and led her to her room, where he lied her down.

“I’m heading out. I’ll be back soon.”

As Jitsubutsu walked towards the door, Make opened her mouth.

“Jitsu… Help Kyū….”

Jitsubutsu nodded and walked back to Yami’s room.

“There’s only thing that I think can save him.”

“This is your last chance, Yami.”

Yami still laid stiffly on the bed.

“Okay. Don’t blame me when you wake up. Now let’s see where you put that…”

Jitsubutsu dug around in Yami’s bag until he found a piece of paper with a strange marking made out of ink on it.

“There we are.”

Jitsubutsu grabbed Yami’s arms and flung him over his shoulder.

“Alright everyone, have a safe break.”

Rikai shoved her things into her backpack and walked out of the small classroom trailer. She paused for a moment as someone called out to her. Shitto ran up to her and they resumed walking together.

“So it’s already summer break, huh.”

Rikai nodded.

“Yeah, it’s been a long year, hasn’t it?”

Shitto balled his fist.

“Too long…”

Rikai patted Shitto’s back.

“Don’t be like that, you’ll make them sad, too.”

Shitto tightened his grip.

“I won’t forget nor forgive who did it to them, though…”

As Rikai and Shitto continued down the sidewalk towards their houses, Rikai thought to herself.

“It’s been six months since Yami left. It seems like he did something to Shitto, because Shitto appears to remember everything differently than how Yami told it. Regardless, the school is still being rebuilt, and everyone has appeared to have moved on. Mr. Posche was mourned by students and colleagues alike, and is also supposed to have a monument built in honor of his memory. His father, on the other hand, had been sentenced jail time for crimes which were not disclosed, but based on Shitto’s words, he had attacked his own officers. As for the attack on the school, nothing was found out about Shinkiya Acuta. Despite all of that, Yami Shinpai is still being hunted for by the police for multiple accounts of murder, and a handful of individuals have tried to steal his identity, some even going as far as pretending to be him while robbing stores. These aren’t commonly thought of when his name is thrown out into conversation, though.”

Rikai began to walk in a different direction from Shitto.

“I’ll call you sometime. Be safe, Shitto!”

“You too!”

As Rikai walked down the sidewalk, she began to hear car horns.

“What in the world is going on…?”

As she neared her house, she saw a man in odd clothes standing in the middle of the street. Wanting to not get involved, Rikai tried to not make eye contact with the strange man, but as she tried to pass, he seemingly appeared in front of her.

“Would you happen to be Rikai?”

Rikai nodded.

“Yes? How may I help you?”

“I need to use your house for a while.”

Rikai looked at him with offense.

“Who are you?!”

“My apologies, I should’ve introduced myself sooner. I am Jitsubutsu. I’ve already left my things in your house, I’ll be heading off now.”

Ass Jitsubutsu walked away, Rikai called out to him.

“Hey! What do you mean?!”

Jitsubutsu had already disappeared down the road.

Rikai hesitantly approached her house. As she turned the knob, it easily gave in. Slowly pushing the door open, Rikai was prepared to run away if there was a trap laid for her. In opening the door, she didn’t see anything laid about. Setting her backpack next to the door, Rikai walked slowly down the hallway. Looking to her left, there was only a few water bottles laying empty on the counter in the kitchen. Continuing down the hallway, she saw nothing to her right in the laundry room. As she approached the living room, she heard a faint breathing.

“Who’s here?!”

No response came from the living room. Slowly approaching the couch, Rikai prepared to fight off an intruder. As she looked over the couch, she didn’t see an intruder. Instead, she saw Yami.

“Hmmm…. Fine work indeed. Posche appeared to have been a fine teacher.”

Jitsubutsu had immersed himself into a collection of books in Posche’s house.

“Ah, so you’re here as well.”

Shippai emerged from behind a corner.

“Who are you?”

Jitsubutsu turned to face her.

“I could ask you the same question. I sense darkness with you.”

“I’m Posche’s daughter, Alice.”

“Oh? I wasn’t aware he had a daughter. A friend of mine had told me that his wife died. Before they beared a child.”

“Yes, my mother had died when I was very young. I don’t remember her at all, but my father always spoke the world of her.”

“I see. Well, I’ll be off then.”

As Jitsubutsu began to walk through the door, Shippai grabbed his sleeve.

“Your ‘friend’ is Yami, isn’t it? Won’t you take me to him?”

“Why?”

“It’s been so long, and I’m not sure if he’s heard the news about his sister… I’d like to tell him.”

“Sorry, but Yami is kind of busy at the moment. I’ll tell him later.”

Jitsubutsu walked away as Shippai shut herself back into the house.

“I’ve already done it…”

As Jitsubutsu walked back into Rikai’s household, he saw her sitting in the living room with Yami.

“I see you’ve found my luggage!”

Rikai nodded.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“It seems as though his living in a world other than the one he was raised in didn’t allow him to regain his strength. As such, he’s been running on the same life essence as when he entered. I’m a fool for not realizing this sooner…”

“So what happens now?”

“We need to let him rest.”

“Alright. How did you find this place?”

“During some of our training, he had told me about this place as well as you, then created a piece of paper that would lead me right here through one of those doors.”

“I see.”

Jitsubutsu sighed.

“Is that also how you got here?”

Shippai appeared from behind a corner.

“Shippai? What are you doing here?!”

“Shippai?”

“Is Yami here? I need to see him.”

Rikai stood up from her chair.

“Why?”

“It’s about his sister…”

“His sister? What’re you talking about?”

Jitsubutsu turned to face Shippai.

“I knew it. This is why he has Haisen within him…”

Rikai glanced between Jitsubutsu and Shippai.

“Haisen…?”

“Rikai, get ba-”

Shippai lunged at Jitsubutsu. In retaliation, he grabbed her arm and attempted to break it, but she proved to be faster than him, sweeping her leg at his, tripping him. Catching himself on his palm, he pushed himself back up, but was immediately sent flying into a wall. Trying to pick himself up from the rubble, Jitsubutsu tried to find where Shippai was, but before he realized it, she was right before him. As she raised her right hand in the air, she reached into a newly formed void and pulled a large knife out of it.

“I wonder what happens when I kill two Jinsei no Hogo!”

As she drove the knife toward Jitsubutsu’s face, Jitsubutsu prepared to receive the blow.

“We’ll see just how powerful I become with just one!”

A hand reached out and gripped Shippai’s right wrist tightly, stopping her hand from moving and causing her to drop the knife.

“You better keep on dreaming.”

Rikai looked up.

Yami stood stronger than ever.