Chapter LXXXIII.

Staggering to a stop, my eyes went wide in stupefaction at the person holding himself there, in the middle of the street, several feet away from me.

'Kirigaya!' I gasped.

'How could you, Shun?' he roared out in rage. 'How could you kill all the people of the village?! How could you kill Subaru?!' 

Taking two involuntary steps backward, I stared at him frantically, my throat tightening. 

As he made a move towards me, in a reflex, I swung around and picked a sprint. But my run was very quickly halted as a hand gripped and yanked me brutally by my hair from behind, causing me to fall down heavily on my chin.

I was knocked out of breath when my chest hit the ground and I held my chin in pain. The next second, I was violently pulled around to onto my back, my hips were straddled, and I took Kirigaya's powerful punch in the face. 

I moaned.

Fisting me by the front of my kimono, he raised his fist to lay upon me another blow but, that was when Tsunan, Hatsu and Heihachi intervened. 

Stopping Kirigaya's fist, Tsunan shoved him off me, and Hatsu and Heihachi tried to immobilize the latter.

'Can you stand up?' Tsunan asked me, as he helped me to my feet. 

I was so dazed- my face hurting me- that I couldn't speak for a minute. Then, catching my bearings, I stared at Kirigaya Kuhōin who managed to free himself from Hatsu and Heihachi's grip.

For a few second, he leered at me, before he scooted away, getting out of sight.

Kirigaya...

***

A few minutes later…

'This might hurt a little bit!' Tsunan told me, as he brought the damp piece of cotton wool, over my bruised face.

I winced, my eyes drawing shut for a second.

'I'm sorry for ruining the day of your marriage anniversary,' I apologized to Master Kagami and Yama-san who were standing behind the doctor.

We were at Master Kagami's house. Tsunan was sitting on the edge of the low table in the living room, facing me and tending to my injury, where I was sitting on the sofa.

'Don't worry about that!' the couple told me, watching me anxiously.

'Who was that guy?' Hatsu demanded at me from where he was standing close-by in the room, Heihachi by his side. 

Everyone else had gone home.

Kirigaya Kuhōin…

Kirigaya and I were of the same age. He was slender and measured average height. 

I had always known him with short, dark-brown hair, with long bangs that hanged over his light brown eyes, and apparently, he hadn't changed his hairstyle with the years.

Ever since he was little, he has been wearing spectacles and Chinese-style clothes.

Quiet and calm, he was usually seen happily smiling. He always tried his best to to be calm and composed, having excellent control over his anger. But Kirigaya also had an aggressive side. If pushed too far, he could gain a fiercely angry personality. His angry side was so intense that it would make him frightening. 

'He's a childhood friend,' I replied, my voice a low murmur. 'His grand-father lived in the same village as me. His parents have settled down in China sometimes before he was born. He would visit his grand-father during school holidays; this is how I've came to know him. His grand-father died during one of Kirigaya's visits, just some times before the massacre. He had already gone back to China before that fatidic night. He definitely learnt about it in the news at that time...'

'It's starting to get pretty late. I think that it would be preferable that you get back home now,' Master Kagami said to the blond male and Heihachi, at that moment, to prevent them from asking me anymore questions. 'Tsunan is with her.' 

'Well, okay,' they agreed, reluctantly, their expressions worried. 

The master and Yama-san accompanied them to the door.

My emotions in turmoil, I looked at Tsunan and putting a hand down onto his forearm, I told him, 'I need to see Kirigaya again. I need to tell him the truth about what happened that night. I need to tell him that Subaru is still alive. He deserves to know.'

'Alright,' the doctor said, nodding. 'We'll find him tomorrow.'

***

Next day...

Tsunan managed to obtain Kirigaya's whereabouts in the morning, and I was relieved to learn that the latter was still in Toda, lodged in a hotel in Shiratori neighborhood.

Without losing a minute, Tsunan and I went to see him at his hotel.

But Kirigaya wasn't in.

'Let's try the public park. Maybe, he's gone to take a stroll,' the doctor suggested, and we headed there, the park being just around the corner.

After a few minutes of searching for the brown-haired male, we finally caught sight of him where he was sitting on one of the swings of the playing ground found within the park, and since it was a Monday, the children's playground was desert. 

As we approached him, he jerked to his feet and clenched his fists, ready to jump at my throat.

'Please, listen to what she has to say!' Tsunan told him, putting a hand up in front of the younger male's chest. 

Kirigaya stared at the doctor for a minute, then at me, his jaws locked together. Then, to our relief, he gave us a nod in agreement.

'I'll be at the organization,' Tsunan said to me. 'You'll call me when you're done?'

'Yes,' I replied, with a grateful smile, watching him tenderly.

After he had left, Kirigaya sat himself down onto one of the swings again, listening to me as I began to tell him the truth about what happened six years ago.

'Shun...' he breathed, after I was done, and I lifted my eyes off the ground to look at him in the face. 

He was staring at me frantically. 

'Kirigaya, you have to find Subaru!' I pleaded.

The last time I had seen Kirigaya, it had been during his grand-father's funeral, just before the massacre. 

After he had left for China, there hadn't been any way of contacting him. 

During the past six years, I had hoped that Subaru had somehow managed to find him and they were with each other. 

But it wasn't the case.

'Find her, Kirigaya! I'm sure that she must be waiting for you somewhere! I can't do it because it's way too dangerous.'

Out of the blue, I heard a thud behind me.

Turning around, I met Tadashi's eyes- the latter having appeared out of nowhere.

Even before I could blink, he slapped me across of the face with the back of his hand, the blow sending me flying several meters away where I crashed on the ground, hitting my head on the edge of the seesaw.

My vision blurred.

***

'Shun!' exclaimed Kirigaya Kuhōin, as he jerked to his feet in shock. 

He stared at the unconscious red-haired girl, then, at Tadashi Honjō; his muscles locking into place, his heart feeling, as if, it was trying to claw its way out of his chest in excitement. 

'In this way, it's going to be quieter,' said the demon, his tone sardonic; a small mocking smile on his face.

The brown-haired male's stomach twisted with dread.

***

At first, I was dazed.

My hand went up for my forehead and I winced as my fingers trailed over the big swell I had there.

Then, the image of Tadashi's face flashed up in front of my eyes, making my heart go wild.

Automatically, I took a look around of myself and my whole world shook when my eyes landed onto a deadly injured Kirigaya, who was bathing in a pool of blood at the same spot I had last seen him, with Tadashi nowhere to be seen.

For a whole minute, I remained frozen where I was- transfixed with shock- and then, my legs were moving on their own, taking me to Kirigaya's side.

The latter was barely conscious.

'Oh my god, Kirigaya! Oh my god!' I cried in horror. 'I have to call Tsunan!'

As I took out my cellphone to call the doctor, suddenly, the brown-haired male grabbed my hands, stopping me.

'Shun! I'm sorry!' he croaked out. 'I've already informed them that you're no longer in prison.'

I was confused.

Who is he talking about?

Is he- 

My eyes widened a fraction.

Is he talking about the Shutsuki clan?

'I'm really sorry, Shun!' he breathed, tears escaping the outside corner of his eyes.

'Shh! Don't talk. Keep your forces,' I hushed him down, reassuringly, while I speed dialed Tsunan. 

In that instant, Kirigaya's hand slipped to the ground and I saw him took a deep breath, then released it, before his chest stopped moving.

My heart skipped a beat.

'Kirigaya?' I called, hoarsely.

His eyes were completely glazed over, unblinking.

Shaking him by his shoulders, I called out his name again, but to my despair, there came no response.

***

Later, at the town's hospital…

I jerked to my feet when I caught sight of Tsunan, the latter coming into my direction and that of Master Kagami.

'His family has been informed. They should be here as soon as possible,' the doctor told us. Then, putting a hand onto my shoulder comfortingly, he said to me, 'I'm really sorry, Shun.'

I stared into his eyes, my heart so heavy that I couldn't speak.

The tears I had somehow managed to hold back for a short moment, began to flow freely again.

Covering my mouth with my hand to muffle my sobs, I turned around and ran to the window at the end of the hospital corridor to cry to myself until, a pair of arms came around me from behind me in an embrace.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw that it was Tsunan.

'Tsunan, he killed Kirigaya!' I uttered, frantically. 'Tadashi has killed Kirigaya. Why did he do that?'

It was, as if, Tadashi had appeared just to kill Kirigaya. The latter wouldn't have put me out otherwise.

Why did he do that?

Oh, Subaru...

***

The following day, in the evening…

'Are you sure that you don't mind, Shun?' Hatsu asked me, as he inserted the disk into the DVD player. 'I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised that you accepted that we do this pajama party.' 

Kirigaya's death having shaken me, Hatsu has decided that we do this pajama party in order to help me get my mind off things. 

After the blond, Heihachi, Tsunan and I had had diner at the Ametsuchi Bar and the three males had had a few drinks, it was movie- or rather, movies- time.

Hatsu and Heihachi were to stay over with Tsunan and I tonight and we were going to watch lots of horror movies one after another, while we gobbled up sweets and snacks. 

I nodded in reply to Hatsu's question, and the blond male took seat next to his boyfriend on the sofa, while Tsunan and I were sat on the floor.

For a minute, I gazed at the three of them.

All that I wanted was to spend this last evening with them.

The Shutsuki clan should be in Toda by tomorrow morning. 

They'll come to fetch me, to take me along with them for Kitani Village, in order to execute me, so as to restore the honor of the clan which has suffered due to the massacre.

The choice of having no future, I have made it six years ago, at the very minute when I decided to surrender myself to the authorities. And I can never regret this decision.

'Oi, Shun, don't fall asleep, okay?!' called Hatsu, as he was about to press the play button on the remote control, and I chuckled, 'As if I could stop myself!'

***

When I opened my eyes at the first rays of sunshine in the morning, I was surprised to find myself in my bed. 

I could smell Tsunan's odor all over me and this caused me to blush.

The doctor must have carried me to my room at some point after I had drifted off to sleep during the night.

Hopping out of bed, I came downstairs and felt an ache in my heart when the sleeping faces of Tsunan, Heihachi and Hatsu greeted my sight; the three males had laid their futons in the living room in front of the television set to sleep there. 

It was time for goodbyes.

Tears came to my eyes but I held them back and hurried up to perform my morning rituals before anyone would wake up. 

And then, after I had sat myself down for a minute at the dining table to write my farewell letter, I came to place it on the low table in the living room, with the cellphone Tsunan had gifted me on top of the folded sheet of paper, before I left the house quietly.

As I came out onto the street, I took one last glance at the Hitachiin's family compound which has been my home, and I bowed down at it in respect. 

***

Heihachi Myōjin cracked an eye open when he heard movements around him in the room, only for him to see Shun Shutsuki disappear into the kitchen, shortly followed by the sound of the door of the genkan, open, then close.

Where is she going? he wondered, intrigued. I know that I shouldn't be doing this but…

Transforming himself into a bat, he began to follow the red-haired girl secretly from afar and ended up at the train station.

Is she leaving on a mission?

But she's not carrying any luggages with her!

Remaining at a good distance away from the girl and still keeping his animal form, he watched her as she sat herself down onto one of the benches of the empty station, apparently waiting for someone or something; the red-haired girl's head slightly bowed, her hands clenched in her lap.

***

The train arrived at the expected time and a group of armed individuals emerged out of it.

They were at least thirty in number and they encircled me, keeping a certain distance from my person for safety measures.

'Shun Shutsuki, we are here under the order of your grand-father and head of our clan, Ryu Shutsuki, who has given us the responsibility to capture you and take you back with us to our village, where you'll be executed for the massacre you have committed six years ago,' declared one of the men. 'If you try to resist, we have for order to kill you on the spot.'

He gulped audibly, his expression growing tenser. 

I could read the same fear in the eyes of the others as well; fear that I would activate my Godai Shakujō. 

They all flinched when I stood up, and for the matter of a second, I thought that one of them was going to attack me in a panic.

'I have no intention of resisting,' I told them, truthfully, and slowly, I began to walk my way up to the man who had done the presentations to hand myself over.

At that very precise moment, I caught glimpse of an animal-transformed Heihachi, who was perched upside down on one of the light poles on the opposite platform.

I went still, my eyes widening in shock.

Heihachi!

I shook my head just slightly at him, as a sign for him not to try to intervene.

The next second, a black gunny bag was pulled down over my head, covering my face completely, and my arms were twisted behind me and roped.

Thank you for reading!