CHAPTER I.III. WHITE ARC

"Second library?" Kohei questioned with his mouth full of food. He leaned against the gated bar of the school rooftop. He looked up at the dark color sky, trying to recall any memory that might mention the library.

"Forget it. I doubt someone like you even knows what a book is." I crumpled up the rest of my riceball, shoving it inside my white blazer. 

We were the only students up on the roof — most likely because it was closed during the wintertime. That didn't stop us from picking the lock, though. Okay — Kohei picked the lock, but I was the one who suggested we eat lunch up here. No teacher would care that we were up here, as long as we got to class on time after the lunch bell.

"What's that supposed to mean?! I totally read books, I own a ton of manga in my dorm room!" Kohei pretended to wipe away a fake tear like he was by my claim. I just rolled my eyes in response, not falling for it. 

"Do you know any student by the name Ukacho Okasawa-San? She might be a Third Year student, but I'm not sure . . ."

Kohei held onto the gated bar trying to think. He was the biggest flirt of the school, if anyone could match a face to a name — it would be him. Especially if that name is a girl's name. He messed with his messy bleached blonde hair and to my surprise, shook his head.

"I can't think of any Second or Third Years with that name, Matsuri. Maybe she's a First Year — in any case, I want to check out this second library now."

She definitely wasn't a First Year — Hisakata had clearly called her 'Senpai.' It's strange how not even Kohei knew about this Okasawa person. Even stranger how not even Tomoko knew the exact location of this second library. I was hoping to get a chance to ask Okasawa some questions about the Spiritual World, since she was banished from there.

"What's so important about this second library?" Kohei questioned becoming curious. "It's not like we have any time to go there today. We have soccer practice." He added, looking at me with his serious-looking silver eyes. "You aren't planning to skip?"

I stayed quiet — that's exactly what I planned to do. I needed answers quickly, Hisakata wouldn't expect me to skip practice. Kakureta didn't know much about the Spiritual World in general. I knew they wanted Kakureta gone, but why were they trying to kill me in the process? Was there no other way?

"I just have some important questions that need answering . . ."

~~~

"There will be an Apparition attack either around or at Hisamitsu Private High School." I held out my opened dark metal fan over the floating map in front of me. I panted heavily trying to focus all the power I could muster to figure out the type of Apparition and the sort of attack.

I am Mirei — Mirei Hisakata to some. I am a Carnation Rank Spirit Warrior who has the mark of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. Not only does this mark grant me the ability to know when an Apparition attack is happening, but it also grants me my deity weapon — Tsukiyomi.

"I want you to live in an apartment, instead of that second library. Not only because of that banished Spirit Person, but because of Apparition attacks. You can't make prayer circles big enough to mask the school, so when you sleep in there, your body is wide open for an Apparition to possess you."

Aogokoro Kyomu crossed her legs as she scolded me from across the table. She is the eldest daughter of Kyomu-meishu — a leader in charge of certain aspects in the Spiritual World and a part of the Spirit Society. There are five leaders in total, the way they function is similar to the government in the Human World. The Kyomu Clan is the largest Spirit World Clan I know. Kyomu-meishu, himself, had around ten children. Nine of them were all girls, while the youngest was the only male. 

"K-Kyomu-San . . . ! I can't own an apartment! I would have to kill other Apparitions so that I can get money to pay rent, plus food expenses, and then furniture—"

"Mirei Hisakata, the reason why you can even stay in the Human World is because of me. You're complaining about things I don't care about. You have yet to do any permanent damage to Matsuri Raama — do not complain to me. You haven't forgotten about the deal we've made to the Spirit Society — you want to help your dying Clan members, right?"

Aogokoro glared at me with her dark purple eyes. I couldn't help but feel intimidated by her — she's extremely beautiful. She had short dark hair that was even darker than mine. She had nice neatly straight-cut bangs with one long strand across her face. Her face never had a smile or even a small grin — it was always blank. Sometimes she had a small frown.

I looked down at the table, squeezing my hands on my knees. It was easy for her to say all that to me because she had everything. She lived in luxurious houses, whether we were in the Spirit World or Human World. She had such a large Clan, that she would never be alone. My Clan is depending on me to save them from dying off — this was a job only I could do. I felt incredibly stupid now for making a 'truce' with Matsuri Raama, even if it was only for a day.

"I-I haven't forgotten, Kyomu-San. It's just . . . I wouldn't know where to look for one. I have classes, on top of my mission, now I have to kill other Apparitions for money . . ."

"You're a pathetic excuse for a Spirit Warrior." Aogokoro's cold voice echoed the large empty living room. I could feel her dark purple eyes stare into my soul with disgust. I shuddered with fear not able to look at her.

"Onee-San isn't that enough verbal abuse for today?"

Kotoji Kyomu, the youngest and only son of the Kyomu-meishu. He is the one destined to take his father's place as not only the Clan leader but become one of the leaders of the Spiritual World. He should technically be a Third Year at Hisamitsu — so my Senpai.

"Hisakata-Kun, we'll get one of our servants to buy an apartment complex that fits your . . . well try to fit your nonexistent budget. Lunch break is going to be over soon, we should hurry before anyone notices we aren't here."

"Kotoji, no one asked you to accompany her. And I wasn't verbally abusing her either! I was telling her as it is." Aogokoro scoffed as she leaned back into the leather couch. She then snapped her fingers, summoning one of her servants to arrive. A male with a long brown ponytail arrived in around two minutes with two white cards in his gloved hands. "I'm done looking at your Spiritual Identification — you guys can only use it to communicate with people from the Spiritual World, take one trip there, check how many Souls you caught and —"

"And use it to visit the Spiritual World to refill our own souls. We're Warriors, Onee-San, no need to reiterate what we've been constantly taught." 

I couldn't help but feel nervous for Kotoji. Even though they were siblings, Aogokoro is the eldest one out of all ten of them. The young woman definitely was angered and annoyed but she held herself back from saying anything. I pushed up my glasses nervously and nodded.

"Y-yes, Kyomu-San . . ." I then turned to Kotoji who seemed bored of the whole situation. He looked pretty similar to his sister. Neatly cut, straight black hair with an even fringe of his own. He even had one long piece of hair in front of his own face. His eyes were also purple, but livelier than Aogokoro's. "Hisakata-Kun . . . ?" I questioned the unusual nickname.

"Would you rather me call you Mirei? I think adding 'Kun' to a girl's surname makes them unique, don't you think? Ehh, or maybe I should call you Mirei-Kun??"

"C-call me whatever you want! I-I don't care . . ."

"Eh, that's pretty boring though." Kotoji sighed, disappointed. "It's your name, you should care."

"Kotoji that's quite enough!" Aogokoro interrupted with a dark expression on her face. "I need you to take care of that Banished Spirit Person that Hisakata was interacting with. Ukacho Okasawa is her name — hurry and get rid of her."

"O-Okasawa-Senpai?"