Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Jewel of the Chaotic Souls ❯ Interlude: Souta's Story ( Chapter 17 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter Sixteen: Interlude–Souta’s Story

Hmm...

I stared down at the piece of work. Something about it still seemed a bit...off. A drop of orange paint slowly descended from my brush, landing right in the middle of the picture, successfully wiping out the face of Shippou-kun that I’d worked so hard to paint for the past half hour.

I groaned and pouted.

Kudosai peered over at me, saw the gigantic splotch, and grinned. “Whoa, now that’s what I call art.”

I didn’t say anything. Not that, of course, he was looking for any response in particular. Instead, I looked back down at the gigantic painting I’ve been slaving over for my sister.

It’s almost the Ki-Runi Festival, and I wanna make her something that’ll make her happy. I’m not stupid. Ever since she came back from the past, she’s been kinda down. But kaa-san said not to bother nee-chan about it, so I’ve been keeping quiet. And just observing, I guess.

Sighing, I picked up the brush and dabbed it into the murky water, trying to get the brush clean again. I dipped it into the black and began drawing the face of, technically, my nephew. But, he’s an adult and everything, so I usually just call him Shippo-kun. I gotta say, it’s pretty weird having a nephew that’s several hundred years older than you are.

I’d secretly printed the picture of my sister’s desktop picture. I wanted to paint it for her and hang it onto her wall, so that she could look at her friends each morning she wakes up. I think, lately, she’s been feeling a bit lonely. It’d just work better if I could paint as easily as my sister makes it seem.

I scowled down at the line of black paint. It had, somehow, managed to cover half of InuYasha-nii face. I don’t understand how nee-chan can make this whole painting business look so simple. Her paint never disobeys her, at least not the way it disobeys me.

I glared at it once more, mentally screaming for it to work right already, and dabbed at the water again. The already dark liquid turned even darker, murkier.

After another few tries, I decided to leave it alone. I’d managed to cover up the orange and black. If I make another layer of paint, that part of the painting–if you could, indeed, call my attempt a painting–would bulge out. Then how’d I going to fit it into a frame for nee-chan?

I even bought the most awesome frame already. It’s going to be golden red, just like the light that always surrounds my nee-chan. And on either side of the frame are two phoenixes bursting out of the flames. It’s so pretty, just right for my sis.

“Kagome-nee is going to laugh her head off when she sees you’re painting,” Kudosai said, leaning over his chair to peer at my painting. “What is that thing, anyway?” He asked, pointing at the staff that Miroku-san was supposed to be holding.

Except, you know, I had accidentally drew it too far. His arms can’t reach that far. So, instead, it’s now a staff-turned-tree. I realized that I’m very good at improvising.

“Weeping willow, of course.” I answered, glaring. I wanted a sakura blossom, with the pink and all, since nee-chan likes pink. Except, somehow, green had ended on the paper. Heh, again, I improvised. “Can’t you tell?”

Kudosai stared down at my painting. He blinked twice. Looked up at me, stared, and looked down again. “Sure,” he said at last. “Weeping willow.”

I sighed. Maybe I should have just gotten nee-chan something from the store.

Oh well. Either way, it’s too late now. Store bought or homemade, it takes time. The Festival is in a few days so, unfortunately, I’ll have to stick to this painting. Oh well, at least the frame will be pretty. It’s just, darn, I thought it would end up all perfect and stuff. The picture, I mean, not the frame.

I think Kudosai noticed. Either way, he slung his arms around me and smirked. “Come on, dude. You slaved away on this picture for weeks. Kagome-nee would love it. Besides, that horse looks great.”

I blinked. He was pointing at Kirara. A cat demon.

Horrible or no, I took the canvas and stuffed it under the bed when I heard the knocking on the door. Quickly, I took out the piece of half finished picture of a soccer ball that I had worked on for just this purpose. A moment later, mom stuck her head in.

“Souta, Kudo-kun, I made some snacks for you two. Come on down.”

“Yea!” Kudosai yelled, throwing his fist into the air. “Higurashi-sama’s famous cooking!” My mom laughed, as he jumped up and ran down the stairs.

She turned towards me, and lifted her brows when she saw that I was still sitting on the floor. “Aren’t you coming to eat?”

“Momma, should I just buy something for nee-chan? For Ki-Runi?”

“Nehhh...?” My mom’s eyes widened, as she stepped into the room. “Why would you do that? What about that picture you were working so hard on? And that beautiful frame you bought?”

I pouted, as I reached in and pulled out my painting. “It looks icky.”

Kaa-san raised a brow as she looked down at my mess of mixed paint. “Well, I guess it does, doesn’t it?”

I blinked, and looked up at her. What? Moms are not supposed to say that, disgusting or not. What happened to the encouragement? She was staring down at the painting, a thoughtful expression painted on her face. She bit her lips a little, as she traced her fingers above the still drying paint.

“I mean to say, Souta, this line here,” she pointed at InuYasha-nii’s brows. “is much too fat–exactly like his was. You must have spent a million times trying to fix it up. And this mix right here?” she pointed to the background, where I’d tried to get the clouds mix naturally with the sky. “Look at it, all mixed and sloppy–just like real clouds. Makes me wonder how long it took for you to paint that, considering you’ve never had painting lessons.”

Kaa-san looked over and smiled at me. She placed the painting carefully onto my bed, making sure that no paint dripped onto the blue covering, before holding her hands out to me. I climbed onto her lap. “Honey, everyone in this world is different. It’s just like a team of soccer players. Take just you and Kudo-kun, for example. You specialize in scoring, while Kudo-kun specializes in goal-keeping. You can’t beat Kudo-kun in goal keeping. But, then, he can’t beat you at scoring.”

That’s true. Kudosai could get by with the whole field play deal. However, he has this whole thing that prevents him from getting really close to other players. But then, he’s a serious demon when he’s in the goal.

“Everyone has their own faults, their own weaknesses, and their very own strengths.” Kaa-san continued, wrapping her arms around me. “Kagome knows that. She knows that not everyone can paint perfect, just as she knows that all it matters is that they try.” She smiled at me, and pointed to my busted weeping willow.

“See your tree?” she asked. “This little piece, right here, is telling me that you tried very hard. That you wanted the best, only the best, for your nee-chan.”

This is, of course, the exact message I wanted to give her. That, as well as tell her that we–me, Kaa-san, and Jii-san–are still here for her, past or no. But then, Kaa-san’s not the art expert of the family. Would nee-chan see that?

“Kagome would see this. She’ll see all this and more.” Kaa-san answered. I stared. “She’s your sister, Souta.”

I breathed and looked over at my painting again. Well, it is too late for gift shopping. It’s true, nee-chan is amazing when it comes to art... and its emotion and…and symbolism and stuff. I think it’s because she’s an awesome artist herself.

“Thanks, Momma,” I smiled at her and kissed her cheeks. “And that’s your own special place in the team.” When kaa-san raised her brows at me, I smiled again. “Not everyone can say the right words at the right time. You can.”

“Oh. Baby.” Tears filled my mother’s pretty brown eyes. I reached up and kissed them away just like she always kissed my tears away. She crushed me into a hug before I could sit back down, burying her head in my shoulder. “I love you so much, sweetie.”

My heart filled. “I know, Momma. And I love you too.”

“You better.” Kaa-san laughed and pressed her lips onto my forehead as she rose. “Come then, before Kudo-kun gets more lonely downstairs by himself.”

“With your food with him?” I shook my head. “Kudosai don’t know the meaning of loneliness when he’s with your miso and sobu.”

I smiled, as kaa-san laughed again.

-----

Dinner that night was as noisy as always. Nee-chan had helped with the cooking, per usual, and is now glowing because Jii-san and I both love it. And it is really good. Much better than she’d cooked a few months ago. Well, I guess to her, it’s been centuries. But to me, just a few months.

I took another bite of my salmon and snuck a look over at my sister, who was currently laughing with Momma over the shopping incident she had today. She looks the same as always. My sister. Still the same hair, the same face, the same hand gestures. But I noticed that, there are changes in her. Like her eyes. And her smile. I noticed that nee-chan haven’t really smiled in a while.

She thinks that I didn’t notice. But then, I’m the baby in the family. Everyone still thinks of me that way.

Momma turned to my grandfather and gave him a few pieces of the oden that nee-chan loves so much. He thanked mom and launched into the story of the time where this lady in Kyoto gave him a piece of tainted oden filled with demonic ki. Turns out, there was a demon residing in her restaurant, and he’d saved her by performing a specific and high-leveled exorcism.

I smiled, and ate another piece of teriyaki mom gave me.

“...and she thanked me, tears of gratitude in her eyes there were, and told me that I could come back anytime, anytime at all, and she’d treat me to the best meal her restaurant could offer. Which reminds me, I really should head back over one of these days...”

Nee-chan laughed. “Eat, Jii-san,” she ordered, pointing to his practically untouched bowl with her chopsticks. “And we’ll head over to Kyoto one of these days, ok?”

“Well, now,” Jii-san dug into his food and his eyes twinkled over at me. “That’s a mighty tempting offer.”

“And you, sweetie,” Kaa-san asked, turning her attention to me. “Did anything interesting happen at school today?”

“Yea!” I put my bowl, salmon and all, down and sat up straighter. “You know my school’s sixth floor, right? The forbidden one?”

“Forbidden one?” Nee-chan raised an eyebrow in a way that I desperately admired. I want to be able to raise only one eyebrow. “What’s that?”

Hee. She doesn’t know. “Well, in my school,” I began, stuffing rice back into my mouth. “We have six floors, right? All the classrooms and stuff are on the first five, right? So the sixth floor, nobody ever goes there. Teachers tell us not to go. They never tell us why–”

“Swallow, Souta, before you choke,” Momma interrupted. I swallowed.

“–So, like, today. Kudosai and Koji and I were eating at lunch and we heard these upperclassmen say that this one kid went up into the sixth floor.” I picked up my salmon, twiddled with it, and put it back down.

“Dinner, Souta.”

“’kay, Momma.” I took a bite. “They said that the kid, the one who went to the sixth floor? He ran screaming back down. He said that there was this ghost on the sixth floor. There were all these doors, you know, empty corridors and stuff? And that there was this one door that was–”

“Souta.”

Whew. Kaa-san really knows how to interrupt. “’kay. Anyway, there was this one door that was glowing. Glowing. And this white–and I quote here–girl with long black hair came floating out of the door wearing a white yukata and tears.

“I wanted to meet her, so I went up to the sixth floor with Kudosai and Koji. But we didn’t see anyone.” I stopped eating and frowned over at Momma and Nee-chan. “But, I felt really sad though. I didn’t see her, but I felt really sad. Why would I feel sad when the other boy was scared?”

Nee-chan smiled. “Because you’re just that kind,” she said and rewarded me by giving me a piece of oden. “And because of that, you had a closer connection to the girl, while that boy was hindered by his fears.”

“Souta, listen to me, my boy,” Jii-san leaned forward, completely forgetting about his dinner again. “I have this charm up in my room. It’s specially designed to keep ghosts at bay, you know. If you want it...” And here, he launched into the story of just how he had acquired the rare piece of charm.

Momma was laughing and Nee-chan was urging Jii-san to eat. I went back to my dinner. And thought about what Nee-chan had said.

---

It was Nee-chan’s night to wash dishes. Momma and I helped her clear the dishes back into the kitchen. As she rolled her sleeves up and placed the apron on, I went outside to grab the high stool mom keeps handy. Carrying it and putting it beside the counter, I sat and watched Nee-chan run the hot water from the faucet. She squirted some soap into the sponge, and began washing the dirty dishes that were in the sink.

Mom has this whole thing against dishwashers. We’d use it only when guests are over and the dishes are too overwhelming. Besides, she claims that washing dishes is not only a tradition, it’s relaxing. “Kudosai came over today,” I said, as I watched her swirling the bubbly soap over the bowls. Nee-chan has this whole system when it comes to washing dishes. Soap into bowl, rinse, place on counter temporarily. Finish all dishes, run water, clean sink. Rinse bowl once more, dry. “He said to tell you he challenges you to SoulCalibur II next time.”

Nee-chan laughed and turned amused eyes over to me. “You put that move on him.”

I smirked and snickered. “He didn’t stand a chance.”

Humming, Nee-chan went back to the dishwashing, listening to me as I rambled to her about today’s episode of Naruto. Which, I’d have to say, was a pretty cool episode. She handed me the dishes and with a towel in hand, I began drying them. “...and then, Sasuke was like...”

Nee-chan laughed and I breathed a little. That was a real laugh. I smiled, as I stacked the dishes back into their proper compartment. I’ve wanted my sister to laugh for so long. I was starting to worry that she’d always be a fake-laugher. “You should’ve seen it! It was sooo cool! The entire field got fried.”

Nee-chan shook her head, smirking a little. “No matter what though, Itachi is still the best.”

“Pffft.” Actually, I thought Itachi was pretty cool too. Even though he’s evil and all. Nee-chan has this whole thing for evil anime characters. Gives me a lot to tease her about. “No way, nuh uh. Not a chance! Did you see how cool Naruto was today?!”

“Actually,” Nee-chan handed me the last dishes and began washing the sink. I carefully dried the heavy bowl. “I didn’t, remember?”

I rolled my eyes and dumped the last bowl into the compartment. “Come on, nee. It’s figurative speech.”

My sister replaced the plastic gloves back underneath the sink and put the sponge back into its proper place, before turning to me with an amused grin. “Figurative speech, ne? Tell me, brother dear, do you know what that really is?”

Course I do. “It’s when you say something that’s not really what it means.”

Nee-chan laughed and ruffled my hair. Seeing as she did laugh, I let her ruffle them. “Not exactly, but real close.”

I hopped off the stool to follow her upstairs. Mom and Jii-san were already watching that new Korean soap opera that everyone in Asia is currently going gaga over. Especially the girls. Even the girls in school won’t be quiet about it. Which, really, I don’t get because the soap’s just about this girl who knows how to cook and became a doctor. Really.

“Are you gonna do you homework now?” I asked, sitting on her bed. Bouyo climbed onto my lap and meowed. After a bit of shuffling around, he settled down and closed his eyes.

“Mm. There’s this project at school. I want to paint something and I thought I’d start sketching tonight.” Sis turned on her pink flowery lamp and sat down on her neat-as-a-pin desk. At least, that’s what Momma always called it whenever she told me to clean my room.

“Really?” I wanted to jump up and see, but Bouyo was already sleeping on my lap. So, instead, I petted him and said, “What are you gonna draw?”

“Hm, I haven’t decided yet.” Nee-chan swiveled on her chair. “What do you think I should draw, Souta?”

I paused. “How about...the girl I told you about during dinner?”

Nee-chan raised a brow. “The white ghost girl? Why her?”

How can I explain to her that I feel really bad for a girl I haven’t met before? “Because she’s sad and I think if someone drew a pretty picture of her, she wouldn’t be anymore.”

Nee-chan laughed. “Alright,” she said. “Describe her to me and I’ll try to draw her.”

Describe her. “Erm...I actually haven’t...”

My sister smiled at me. “Use that writer’s imagination of yours, Souta. How do you picture this tragic girl who cries and haunts the sixth floor of your school?”

I blinked. Still stroking my sleeping pet quietly, who was beginning to purr, I allowed my mind to wander on how I think the girl should look like. “She’s slim,” I began quietly. “Not too tall, maybe about an inch shorter than you, Nee-chan. Long, long dark hair that would be black if she’d been colored, and flies behind her in strands of thin silk by a wind that’s unseen and unfelt. High cheekbones, I’d say, and a full, pouty mouth that would be strawberry red if she’d been alive. But, because she’s a ghost, a soul, it’s a pale, pale white, almost blue in hue. Eyes, startling blue eyes that are bluer even than yours, Nee-chan, and they would glimmer in the sunlight that’s before her. Beautiful, translucent tears stream down her white, smooth cheeks in droplets, as though she’s too cried out, too tired, to allow the rivulets to flow any faster.

“She has small hands, hands that look as though they would break if you touch them, clasped before her in a fashion that makes you want to help her. A gown of pure white, yukata in appearance, but as fluttery as lace, as smooth as silk, as soft as lambskin. It drapes over her figure in a fitting–but modest–style. Accentuation rather than revealing.

“She cries, Nee-chan, and the walls behind her melts away until you feel as though you should go to her. Help her from this world that she no longer belongs in. You want to bring even more sunlight to her, so that she’d be able to smile. So that you could ease some of the pain that is obviously in her heart.”

I stopped stroking Bouyo and looked up at my sister. She was off her seat and sat down beside me. “That’s a very beautiful girl, Souta.”

I sighed and leaned against her. My sister. “I feel really sad, Nee-chan. Really sad.”

Nee-chan placed a gentle kiss onto my forehead and eased Bouyo off me and onto her pink comforter. The cat snuggled a little, curling even tighter against himself. Moving closer to me, she gave me a gentle hug, different from the hard embrace my mom gave me just this afternoon. “Want to watch me draw her?”

“Yea.”

---

The morning came too quickly and with it, school. I nearly groaned when I heard my alarm rang. I’d been floating between the land of sleep and awake when my clock’s incessant beeping jolted me awake. Now, staring at the light that’s barely streaking across the sky, I wish I was twenty-two and already done with school.

Momma poked her head into my room and grinned when she saw me trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. “Wake up, baby,” she cooed, kissing me on both my cheeks. “Breakfast is waiting. Go wash your face.”

“Hai, Momma,” I grumbled, slowly getting up. A yawn snuck up on me, as I slowly made my way towards the bathroom. Dabbing toothpaste into my brush, I stared at my sleepy self in the mirror and wished I could go back to sleep.

Unkempt black hair fell over my eyes, irritating them to the point of tearing. I blinked, suddenly, when my slightly blurred reflection in the mirror disappeared from my view. My eyes widened, staring at the blank mirror, and quickly rubbed my eyes. Tears cleared from them, I looked back up and stared at my incredulous face.

What was that?

Heart pounding a little faster than normal, I spat out the paste and rinsed my mouth. Washing my face, and staring into the mirror once more, making sure I could see my reflection, I got out of the bathroom. Probably the hair. It got into my eyes and made it tear up, so I couldn’t see clearly and thought my reflection disappeared.

Hurrying down the stairs, I found Jii-san and Nee-chan already sitting on the table. Momma placed a glass of OJ before me. “Honey, what’s wrong?” she asked, looking into my eyes and placing a hand on my forehead. “You’re not sick, are you?”

I yawned for effect. “I’m alright, Momma. Tired.” She smiled again, but I still saw the slight worry in her eyes. I drank the juice she gave me and made sure my smile was bright. “Momma, I want the noodles too! Two whole bowls!”

Momma laughed. “Alright, you. And I packed you that chocolate cake for lunch too.” While I cheered, she placed my breakfast before me. “Make sure you eat it after your lunch. I packed a little extra, so you can share with Kudo-kun and Koji-kun, if you want.”

I kissed her cheeks, as she sat down. “Arigato, kaa-san.”

She smiled. “Eat your breakfast, honey. And don’t make your sister late for school.”

---

“...But did you see that?” Koji was asking me, as we walked into the building together. I’d just waved good-bye to my sister.

I shook my head. “No, what didn’t I see?”

“Kudosai,” he said, pointing at my best friend. He was currently staring behind us. Where my sister had left. Koji rolled his eyes at our mutual friend. “He’s so smashed.”

I frowned. Then, “For my Nee-chan?!”

“Dude,” Koji snickered, as we head into school. Kudosai was currently trying to catch up to us. “you mean you seriously didn’t notice?”

“No way, Ko.” I turned to look at Kudosai and sank when I saw the brilliant blush on his cheeks.

Koji slung an arm around me and studied Kudosai along with me. “Oh yea, bro. Way yea. Your best friend is smashed and fallen for your older sister.”

“Hey guys,” Kudosai said, jogging up to us. “Why didn’t you wait?”

I stared at him. That idiotic gleam in his eyes told me enough. Kudosai had gone and fallen for my sister. Darn it. My sister. Who am I suppose to root for now? Kudosai, who is so completely wrong for Nee-chan, and make him happy? Or Nee-chan, who would never see Kudosai as anything more than her kid brother’s best friend, and keep her happy?

Why did the idiot have to go and fall for my sister?!

“Baka.”

I rarely ever get mad. Having to live with Nee-chan, I pretty much have to learn to live with irritation. But, darn it, this time I’m mad. Darn Kudosai for putting me in this situation. I walked over to my desk and dumped my stuff onto the table. Immediately, my teammates and classmates came over to talk to me about the last soccer game. I smiled for them, chatted with them per usual, but didn’t really think much on what I was saying.

Judging from the glare that I felt behind me, Kudosai had just entered the room. “Eh, Sai!” One of my friends called out. “Awesome block last game!”

Naturally, he came over. He always had a need to come over.

Everyone stared from him, to me, and back to him. I didn’t say anything, he didn’t say anything back. Even though both of us tried to carry conversations with our mutual friends, each conversation would end, before it started. I guess that’s the principle of tension.

“OK,” one of my friends finally said, glaring at both of us. “What got to you two?”

Hmph. Now he’s bugging other people too. “Ask him.”

Kudosai glared. “The hell? He got pissed at me for no apparent reason this morning, outta nowhere, and turned into some snooty little donkey! Calling me a baka when he himself is obviously as emotional as a girl and twice as stupid.”

Stupid. And emotional too. Damn, he even called me a snooty donkey. I sprang out of my seat. “Call me names!” I could barely talk, so tight was my mouth. I could feel the sting start in the back of my eyelids and wished that I would stop being such a crybaby. “See if I care.”

I ran out of the room. I can’t be in the same room as all of them. That idiot. I can’t even breathe the same air as he does. Moron. How dare he get all huffy? Who told him to fall for my Nee-chan, of all people?!

The school rooftop was empty, as always. I walked towards the fences, and plopped down onto the ground. Closing my eyes, wishing to Hell that this day would end already, I raised my head towards the sky. I felt the breeze flow through me and, for a moment, felt at peace. As long as I’m in my rooftop–my secret place–everything’s OK.

The blast of sadness smacked me first. Jolted out of my peace, I opened my eyes to see. That girl–that ghost girl–must be here. How weird, I’d always heard that she doesn’t wander past the sixth floor. Taking a deep breath, I stood. “Hello?”

Still though, I can’t see her. But this time, I heard her cries. She was crying. Somewhere around me, she was crying. “Er, my name is Higurashi Souta. Can I know yours?”

She didn’t reply. Not that, I really expected her to. But a bit of the sadness–or was this loneliness?–lifted. “I wish I knew why you’re so sad,” I continued, sitting back down onto the ground. The breeze is back, and is now playing with my already messy black hair. Heh. “I’m sad too.”

I dropped my head onto my raised knee. “My best friend is in love with my sister, you know.” The crying stopped. “I don’t want him to be. I want him to like me. As more than just a friend.” There was no sound now, except for the sound of the wind. If it weren’t for the little itch I still feel, I’d have said she’d left. “But I’m a guy, he’s a guy, and everybody say that you can’t have a relationship if you're both guys.”

I closed my eyes. “I’m just so tired. So, so tired.”

---

I didn’t have to open my eyes to know that I’m dreaming. The lack of, I don’t really know how to explain it. Feeling? I guess. The lack of this feeling that’s always around me told me right off that I’m not back in reality. But, when I did open them, I found myself staring into the kind of dark that you could only imagine about, never experience.

In a city where there’s always some form of light through every twenty-four hours, an urbanite like me has never seen what it’s really like to be all alone. In the dark. With no one around.

It scared me to hell.

I started running, wanting to escape from the darkness that’s chasing me now. Opening my eyes wider, I began to cry. No one is here. Why is no one here? Where did everyone go? Kudosai? Momma? Jii-san?

Nee-chan?

It scared me that no one would stay by me. Is that what this all comes down to? Abandonment? Loneliness?

Don’t leave me. Please. Whatever punishment, don’t leave me.

“Here, Souta.”

I felt the voice before I heard it. Breathed it in before I registered it. Someone is in here, and I’m not alone.

“What is it you want?”

Not to be alone. Not to be alone anymore.

---

I woke up with a gasp. Sweat poured down my face, as I stared at the building, that grayish, yellowish building. Breathing is a torture, and trying to see is hard. I blinked once, twice, and wiped the sweat out of my irritating eyes. There were figures overhead, blurred, and hovering over me.

I closed my eyes. Opened.

“Momma?”

Is that my voice? Why does it sound like a frog’s? Where am I? Weren’t I at a rooftop just a moment ago?

“Oh, baby,” Kaa-san was saying, as she sat down onto my bed. My bed? “Are you sick?” She touched my forehead and hissed. “Sweetie, you’re running a temperature!”

I touched my head. “I am?”

Momma shook her head. “Don’t worry about a thing,” Momma was saying as she eased me back onto my bed. But, I don’t understand Momma. Weren’t I at school a moment ago?

“School, Momma...”

“I’ll call school and tell them you’re sick.” She kissed my forehead and tucked the sheets back around me. “Sleep, honey. I’ll bring you a bit of medicine later.”

I’m home. The day didn’t start yet. I stared up at the ceiling of my room. Did that mean, the day that I thought I had was just a dream? It’s so confusing. Everything was so real. How could it have been a dream?

Did I imagine that Kudosai was in love with my sister? That I heard the girl cry? And that dream. Was I dreaming within a dream? Am I dreaming now? For some reason, my heart was thudding. It’s pounding so, very, very hard. Why?

“Souta.” Nee-chan walked into the room in her new school uniform. Her gray eyes were worried as she sat down beside me on my bed. Using the cloth Momma had left and wiping my face a little, she patted my hair.

“Don’t worry, Nee-chan,” I smiled at her. “Momma said I have a fever.”

She touched my head, and I felt the sudden tingle. I shook my head. “S’ok, nee-chan.” I smiled. “You just took out that demon guy, didn’t you? Besides, you know that your magic never affects me.”

Which is true, actually. None of my sister’s spells ever worked on me. Whenever Jii-san and Momma has a cold or a fever, Nee-chan could dispel them like that. A snap of her finger, a pointed index finger, something. But they never work on me.

Nee-chan lowered her hand again. “Alright.” She leaned over and kissed my head. “I’ll see you this afternoon. Kudosai said to feel better.”

I nodded at her. “Tell him sorry for missing practice,” I said as she headed out. Nee-chan nodded, and closed the door. I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing. Through the whole conversation, I almost died from hyperventilation.

Why is breathing so hard? What’s happening to me? I sucked in a breath, and reopened my eyes. Only to stare into the red irises of my Aunt Rin.

I blinked. “A-Aunt Rin!”

Aunt Rin grinned down at me, her long raven hair stuck behind her in waves. She had them all tied up in a single ponytail by a string of white with black beads towards the ends. Remembering the string for future references for my stories, I smiled at her black cladded form.

Aunt Rin always dressed in black. Usually, she’d have just on small article of clothing that is of color. The contrast between the all black and the sudden splash of white brings your attention to that article. Like a scarf. Or an earring. Or a belt. Something.

Today, everything was black except for that white hair tie.

“Souta-kun,” she sat down onto my bed, and felt my head. “A fever, hm? We’ll get rid of that, won’t we?”

“Aunt Rin, Momma didn’t say you were visiting.” Her hand was so cold, so welcomingly cold against my fevered flesh. Just before I closed my eyes again, I saw her flash another smile.

“You know me, I flit around everywhere.”

That’s true. Didn’t I hear from Nee-chan that Aunt Rin was missing? If Aunt Rin’s missing, why is she here, with me?

“Are you being punished by Uncle Sess again?” I asked. So dreary. So tired. “’Cause he’ll only get madder if you’re not supposed to come here.”

Aunt Rin laughed. Did she use to laugh like that? So much like a crow’s laugh? I shivered despite my fever. “A regular mind reader, aren’t you, Souta-kun?” She tapped a finger to my nose and breathed on me. Even her breath is cold. Even though she’s a shadow demoness, I never really quite thought of Aunt Rin as cold before. “Don’t you worry about me.”

Her breath entered through my nose. I smiled, when I realized that she must have performed magic on me to make my fever go away. I could breathe again, and I didn’t feel so hot anymore. Opening my eyes, thanks ready on my lips, I blinked when I saw that I was alone again. But I heard the clanking downstairs of my Jii-san sticking paper scrolls around, and my mom bustling around the kitchen. No doubt, I’ll be forced to drink a whole river of chicken soup today.

You know me, I flit around everywhere.

That is my Aunt Rin alright. Shadow demoness, one of the strong people in the other realms–and I know about all the other realms because Nee-chan had told me when she came home. She’s my Uncle Sess’s daughter and is my Nee-chan’s best friend. But if she really flits around everywhere, by herself, I wonder if she ever gets lonely?

And was that an itch? What happened to the usual tingle?

Flit here, flit there, flit around everywhere, I thought, still kinda silly from my just broken fever. What a weird day. The day just started for me, but I feel as though an entire day has already passed. How strange. What happened? I yawned. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s a few weird dreams? How do I know I’m not dreaming now? I don’t. So I closed my eyes and drifted.

It didn’t take long for sleep to find me.

End Chapter

Vocabulary

Ki-Runi Festival: Not a real Japanese Festival.

Nee-chan: Younger siblings are not allowed to call older siblings by name. Nee-chan means older sister. If ‘nee’ is added as an honorific, it’s a somewhat formal address of someone older than you are.

Sakura blossom: Cherry blossom.

Kaa-san: Mother, semi-formal

-nii: Honorific used by a younger person to address a male who is older than they are in semi-formal tones. ‘nii’ is usually referred to as younger than thirty years of age or as ‘older brother.’

Jii-san: Grandfather, semi-formal

Miso, sobu, and oden: A type of Japanese food.

Ki: energy

Yukata: a light kimono used for sleepwear

Naruto: A Japanese anime. I do not own any of the characters from Naruto.

Ne: equivalent to the English “hm?” “huh?” or “right”

Hai: Yes or OK

Arigato: Thank you, informal

Baka: Idiot, stupid, or moron, depending on tone used

Author’s Corner

So sorry guys, for not updating before this! But, as promised, here’s the summer addition of Jewels of the Chaotic Soul!! Hope you liked Souta’s view of things. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! The story itself continues on in third person. It’s just the interludes, usually, that’ll be in first.

And now, for the big question. Throughout the entire chapter, where do you think Souta’s dream began? And when did it end? Justify your answers!! It’ll be interesting to see your thoughts on the matter. x]

Review Responses

End

Thanks so much you guys, for sticking with this story all the way until now! It’s so amazingly cool to have all of your supports and encouragements!!!! x)

Thanks a bunch everyone!

Lots of greets,
Yukisora

Edited by: Wake-Robin
Last Checked: