Four

"Uwah!" Chiyo exclaimed, running around the little space in the kitchen, sniffing. "It smells like food!"

I laughed softly seeing her, balancing the pan in one hand and a ladle in the other. A few days had passed since I came to live with them and we had literally had to shop for the entire kitchen. Apparently, the little one was still not used to having someone cook in the kitchen. "Chiyo, could you give me a little room, please?"

She stopped running and stuck close to me as I moved about the kitchen. "What are you making?"

"I'm making miso soup and fish with rice." I replied. "Do you like tempura?"

"I do!" She gushed.

"Okay then. We'll have tempura for lunch." I said. She cheered, turned around and ran over to Terasaki-san who was sitting at the table and reading some really old book. "Kou-chan! Tempura!"

"Tempura?" He asked. He was concentrating on what he was reading and had not paid attention to our conversation.

"Yes! Akane-chan said that she'd make tempura for lunch! Kou-chan likes tempura, right?"

"You do?" I asked.

"I do." He nodded.

"Good. Then that's finalised." I turned back to the food. Soon enough, the table was set and we had all sat down. We said grace and began eating. While shopping, I had wondered where Terasaki-san got all the money from. I figured that looking after me was his full-time job. Then, I thought about what I could do. "Terasaki-san, I don't have a seat in my college anymore, do I?"

"No."

That was obvious. "Then... what do I do now?"

"What do you mean?" He frowned.

"I can't just sit here all day doing nothing but cook. I would like to do something outside." The fact that I was even able to voice this request of mine is proof of how comfortable I had gotten with him, I guess.

"Like?"

"Maybe a part-time job?" I said. "I mean, I do live here now so I would like to contribute too."

"You don't need to worry about the money, Akane." He said immediately.

"It's not just about the money, Terasaki-san. It's about my self-worth and productivity too."

He stared at me. "You want to work?"

"Is that... not okay?" I asked slowly. I couldn't possibly sit still all day and... even if finance was not a cause for concern, I really did want to contribute. I live with them now.

"It's okay but... you don't really need to do it. Besides, you're only going to put yourself in harm's way."

"Oh." I chastised myself for not considering how he'd have to take extra measures to keep me safe.

Terasaki-san sighed. "Alright. My only condition is that I will go with you."

"Eh?" Really?

"I can't afford to let you out of my sight now that you've turned twenty."

"What does my turning twenty have to do with this?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"You've matured. The threat you pose to them is greater now." He said.

"I see." I nodded. That did make sense although I wasn't entirely sure if I understood it perfectly well. "If you don't mind, then..."

"It's your decision." He said. "I'll respect your wishes."

Oh. "Thank you."

"Do you have a place in mind?"

"There's this café that Shibata-kun and I used to frequent. It's near college but it's not very popular among the students. That's why we used to like it."

"The place you always ordered desert at?"

"Oh. Yes. I forgot that you'd know too."

"Okay." He agreed. "I'll take you there."

"Thank you and... sorry for the trouble." I bowed.

"It's not a problem." He shook his head.

"You're going to start working, Akane-chan?" Chiyo asked.

"Mhm." I nodded. "At a café."

"Kou-chan, I'm also going to work with Akane-chan!" Chiyo announced.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of work?"

"I'll do whatever Akane-chan is doing."

"Can you cook?" He asked.

"Uh, no." She recoiled. "But I can learn! I can learn. Akane-chan will teach me, right?" She looked at me pleadingly.

"I ca- Uh..."

"Chiyo, I have a job for you." Terasaki-san said.

"Hm?" She was on full alert now.

"You're going to be our security guard. When Akane-chan and I are out, I need someone I trust to look after the house."

"Is it okay to leave her alone?" I asked. The girl wasn't even five years old yet!

"Don't worry. I'll set up a barrier. Plus, our neighbours are watchful and Chiyo may be small but she's very careful. She is my brother's daughter after all." He placed a hand on her head. The sight warmed my heart. He had been by himself for sixteen years. Chiyo's coming four years ago might just have saved him. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but wonder how he managed to look after an infant while guarding me.

"Yes! Leave it to me!" She said happily.

"Good girl." He smiled at her, then looked at me. "She's also protected, Akane."

"Protected?"

He nodded. "Chiyo, show Akane your necklace."

"Yeah." She set her chopsticks down and pulled a pendant out of her dress and showed it to me. It was a beautiful blue stone. A sapphire? "Papa gave it to me."

"Papa?" I looked at Terasaki-san who explained it to me. "My brother was always a step ahead. He was preparing for a contingency. He left this behind for Chiyo. It's infused with his spirit. In case something happened to him, he could still continue to protect Chiyo this way."

I took a good look at her beautiful pendant. To think that her dead father was still protecting her through just that much was fascinating and shocking at the same time. "Such a thing is possible?"

"It is." He said.

I wondered if I could protect my parents and Shibata-kun with something of that sort.

For some reason, at that moment, I remembered how Shibata-kun had mused about celebrating my birthday like it was our last. It was ironic how we did not get even that last time.

"Akane?" Terasaki-san frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded and smiled. What could Shibata-kun have planned for my birthday? To wonder was the most that I could do anyway. "I was just... thinking." Terasaki-san did not look convinced but he did not press on. I let out an indiscernible sigh. I had better stop myself before I caused unnecessary worry and trouble for Terasaki-san.

"Akane-chan, can I at least visit your café once in a while?" Chiyo asked, bringing me back to my breakfast.

"You can be my special customer, Chiyo." I smiled at her welcomingly. "They also serve the best blueberry cheesecakes ever!"

"Yay! I'll definitely come!" She cheered and then went back to happily chomping on her food.

"This is Matsumoto Haru." The manager of the café motioned towards the tall black-haired part-timer who bowed to us. "He'll be your guide through your starting days."

"Nice to meet you." Matsumoto-san bowed.

"Nice to meet you." I bowed too. "I'm Kirishima Akane. We'll be in your care from now on."

"Terasaki Kousuke." Terasaki-san bowed too but said nothing more. I had to smile extra just to cover for him.

"I'm looking forward to working with you." Matsumoto-san said.

"We too." I returned enthusiastically and looked at Terasaki-san who nodded in response to my urging him to.

"Alright then. I'll leave this to you, Matsu-kun." The manager patted his shoulder and went off to do his own work.

Matsumoto-san smiled at us as soon as the manager left and quickly switched to informal speech. "Loosen up. It's alright. You've made a good first impression. That's all that matters. I am your senior at work but I'm still just a co-worker." He held a hand out to me. "Let's get along."

"Ah." I shook his hand.

Terasaki-san had been too stiff ever since we walked in. I really wanted him to relax. At the same time, I felt bad for dragging him along.

"Well, then. I'll show you around." Matusmoto-san said and took us around, showing us what we needed to see and introducing us to our work and co-workers. Once he'd shown us the ropes, we were allowed to work. It was a two-hour shift in the evening. Just as I had hoped, there wasn't much of a crowd either. It was peaceful. Despite how aloof Terasaki-san was at first, which I presumed was because he'd never really had to work like this before, he was surprisingly good at handling people.

Personally, I had a lot of fun. I liked anything that involved confectionery and coffee honestly. Besides, it helped take my mind off of all the problems that I was trying to face. It was the break that I really wanted.

When Terasaki-san and I had finished work, we wished everyone and left. That day, I was in high spirits.

"The cafe's good, right?" I looked at Terasaki-san who was walking quietly beside me.

"It's a good place." He nodded.

"Shibata-kun and I used to come here all the time. We were both always so hungry! I used to order the blueberry cheesecake every time and now, I get to help make them!" I smiled in satisfaction, masking the pang of loneliness that accompanied the mention of Shibata-kun's name.

"Do you know how to make it?" He asked.

"Blueberry cheesecake? Sort of. I could get the recipe from Matsumoto-san." I said.

"Do you think Chiyo would like it?"

"I believe so." I nodded. Aw. He was thinking about Chiyo. "I could make it at home now that it's been well-equipped."

"Let me know what you'll need then." He said.

I smiled. "Terasaki-san, thank you for everything."

"You've already said that."

"No. I mean, for the part-time job too. Even though it's a hassle for you and... I'm just being selfish, you gave in." I paused. "And, also, for letting me make the cheesecake."

"Considering what you've lost, it's okay to be a little selfish." He sighed. "I was watching you. You looked happy while you were working."

"I was." I admitted. "It helped distract me. It helped me feel... less dead."

"I don't like the situation that you're in either."

"I know. Let me contribute however I can though. Since I'm here now anyway, I want to be able to help and look after Chiyo too. I don't want to merely be protected." I wanted him to know that. "I'm trying my best too."

He looked down, then took his hand out of his pocket and placed it on my head. "You have always tried your best."

There were moments like such that gave me the feeling that Terasaki-san probably knew more about me than I myself did. It made me wonder just how much my life really meant to the man.

Just as I was about to start speaking again, he frowned and suddenly looked around. He didn't stop walking, so I kept up. The action confused me, however. "Terasaki-san?"

"Keep walking." He said, looking straight ahead and holding a hand out to me. "And keep close."

Hesitating, I took his hand. His demeanour was making me anxious. I knew better than to question him just then though. It was all still like magic to me but he knew what he was doing. I obeyed without protest.

Soon enough, we had weaved our way through throngs of people and ducked into a small bookstore in one of the side lanes. He let go of my hand once we were inside. "Sorry."

"No, it's... Were we being followed?"

"I don't think that we were followed. They were nearby though. It was just a precaution." He answered.

"You could just... sense that?" Magic! It really was magic!

"I could. Their malice is difficult to ignore."

Malice... "Who were they?"

"I can't tell you for sure but they were one of those entities that did not like your presence." He replied. "Or mine, in fact."

"How... dangerous are they?" We were playing hide-and-seek with monsters I had no knowledge about.

"Depends on their composition. The one I sensed was not that strong. I would have been able to stop it."

"It?" I felt a chill run down my spine.

"It isn't human." He confirmed my fears. I had heard and more or less understood whatever he'd told me earlier but it was as though I had not really grasped how grave a situation it was until just then.

"W-Was the part-time job a bad idea?" He just said that we were dealing with entities that weren't human. "Maybe we should... quit." I was scared.

"Look at me." Terasaki-san said and waited till I raised my eyes to his. "I will protect you."

Those words reverberated in my ears. The scene was so out of a movie that it felt surreal. I couldn't respond to it and so, Terasaki-san continued.

"If you want to work, work. I will watch over you. As long as I am around, you have nothing to worry about."

"Terasaki-san, I..." How do I respond to that?

He looked towards the exit of the store. "Let's go home."

"I-It's safe?"

"Trust me." He looked back at me and held out a hand. Just like that, in the strange security of his hand that tightly held mine, I let him lead me home.