Chapter 65; Come back

...10/09/2009 Thursday; Afternoon...

The walk continued peacefully for a few minutes.

Dry leaves rustled under the group's footsteps, and the shrine soon came into view.

It was quiet, empty due to the afternoon hour. The wind blew gently, carrying the subtle scent of extinguished incense.

"Okay, there's no one here," Hiro said, crouching down. "Come here, Koromaru."

Aigis watched as the dog ran over to him while Hiro opened the case.

But suddenly, something was wrong.

A faint pulse ran through Aigis's systems, like an error signal.

Her vision blurred for a moment.

Then, the flash came.

A silhouette amidst the shadows, a boy with a yellow scarf standing out in the midst of the chaos.

The person's gaze was filled with hesitation, almost like a silent plea.

Aigis saw herself in that instant, her machine gun aimed at that someone.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this..." The voice was sad, laden with resignation. "I'm sorry."

The sound of the gunshot echoed in her mind, but before she could process it, another voice, familiar, brought her back.

"Aigis?" Hiro called, his voice mixing confusion and concern.

Aigis's eyes snapped open.

She blinked, and the scene around her returned to normal.

Hiro was beside her, his hand firmly on her shoulder, holding a knife with the S.E.E.S. emblem engraved in the middle.

"Hiro-san..." She shook her head, adjusting her systems. "I apologize. I'm fine."

"It's okay." He smiled, but his gaze remained watchful. "You just seemed a bit distant."

Aigis looked around, as if trying to divert attention. "Where's Koro-chan?"

Hiro chuckled softly, pointing toward a bush ahead. "He ran into the grass as soon as I put the gear on him. I haven't even given him the knife yet."

Aigis turned her attention back to the blade in Hiro's hand. "So this is what you ordered?"

"Yeah," he replied, skillfully spinning the knife between his fingers before showing it more clearly. "This knife was made especially for Koromaru. If you look at the handle, you'll see it's designed for him to bite without hurting his teeth."

With a sharp whistle, Hiro called Koromaru.

A bark responded from within the bushes, followed by rustling leaves.

Koromaru leaped out, dashing through the undergrowth, his combat gear gleaming under the sunlight.

He stopped in front of Hiro, barking excitedly, his snout lifted in expectation.

Hiro crouched again, extending the knife to the dog. "Here, buddy. Try it out and see if it's comfortable. If it bothers you, just come back and return it to me, okay?"

Koromaru barked in agreement before biting the knife handle.

His movements were almost instant—he spun around and began attacking the air, simulating strikes as he moved his head.

The sound of the wind being sliced by the blade mixed with his enthusiastic barks.

Hiro watched the dog for a moment, chuckling. "Looks like he likes it."

Aigis observed Koromaru as he swung his head and struck the air with the newly delivered knife.

His small body moved with agility, as if he were already accustomed to wielding the blade.

But as she watched him, something surfaced in her mind.

"Hiro-san," Aigis said, turning to him. "Do you have parents?"

The question caught Hiro completely off guard.

He frowned, confused. "Huh? Of course, I have parents. How the hell would I have been born without them?"

"I meant that they are not present," Aigis clarified, tilting her head slightly. "You never talk about them."

Hiro scratched his neck, averting his gaze. "Oh... that's what you meant..."

He sighed, looking back at Koromaru, who was still playing. "Well... I don't really have much to say about them, to be honest."

"Why?" Aigis asked, fixing him with a curious look.

"My dad only took care of me until I was ten," Hiro began, his voice lowering.

"But... he wasn't the best father in the world. Never gave me an allowance, never got me anything, even though he had money." He let out a bitter chuckle. "And he even called me a monster."

Aigis nodded, as if she already knew. "Yukari-san mentioned that. Forgive me if I shouldn't have known."

Hiro was surprised but soon relaxed.

He placed a hand on Aigis's head, ruffling her hair lightly. "It's fine. I don't mind."

Aigis tilted her head, processing his words. "And your mother?"

Hiro looked at the ground before answering. "My mother died during childbirth. So, I never really knew her."

"I see." Aigis paused, her curiosity evident. "Do you have any photos or something that belonged to her?"

Hiro reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Yeah, I have an old picture of her. Here."

He unlocked the device and turned the screen toward Aigis.

The image showed a woman with black hair, a wide smile, and a gentle face radiating warmth.

Hiro stared at the picture, his eyes softening, but a slight tightness in his expression revealed the emotions beneath.

"Sometimes..." Hiro murmured, more to himself than to Aigis. "I wish I had met her. Or at least... had a real conversation with her."

Aigis furrowed her brows and whispered something almost inaudible. "That woman... I've seen her before..."

Hiro lifted his gaze. "Did you say something?"

Aigis stared at him. "Hiro-san, what's your mother's name?"

"Sophia Mikoshi," he answered, hesitant. "Why?"

Aigis brought a hand to her chin, her gaze distant for a moment.

A fragmented memory flickered in her mind: a conversation with Takeharu Kirijo.

"Sophia was an incredible woman," Takeharu said, his voice filled with melancholy. "But she knew she couldn't use the..."

Aigis's eyes widened suddenly, the memory fading. "I... I think I met her personally."

Hiro was stunned. "What? Are you serious?"

"Yes." Aigis nodded, though there was hesitation in her voice. "I can't remember much... but I think I saw her several times. However... I can't recall the details."

Hiro fell silent, processing what he had just heard.

It was the first time something concrete had surfaced about his mother.

He took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts.

"I see... but please, promise me something, Aigis."

"Of course," she answered without hesitation.

"As soon as you remember anything else about my mother... tell me. I want to know more about her." Hiro's desperation was evident on his face.

Aigis smiled, something gentle and sincere. "I promise, Hiro-san."

To Hiro's surprise, Aigis raised her hand and ruffled his hair, just as he had done to her moments before.

He chuckled awkwardly.

But the moment was interrupted by the sound of something falling with a metallic clang.

Both turned toward the noise. Koromaru was standing in front of the shrine's offering box, looking at them with his head tilted.

The knife, apparently, had flown out of his mouth and landed inside the box.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Hiro groaned, running a hand down his face. "No way the damn knife fell in there."

Aigis observed as Koromaru let out a small, guilty-sounding bark.

"Koro-chan is saying: 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put the knife in there,'" Aigis translated calmly.

Hiro sighed, crouching down to pat the dog's head. "It's okay, buddy. I'll figure out how to get it out without breaking the box, alright?"

He knelt beside the offering box, analyzing the gaps. "But how the hell am I supposed to get this out? Aigis, give me a hand here!"

Aigis quickly approached, kneeling beside him. "Understood."

The two began trying to fit their hands through the gaps in the box, doing their best to avoid damaging it.

After all, tampering with an offering box without a monk's permission was a crime—and they both knew they already had enough problems to deal with.