There was little sound in the hall of the hospital building a thick atmosphere. It had already been teh Saki and the nurse, yet their versation only made it worse. The suffog atmosphere left a silent wall around Saki that buried the deep pani her mind. ‘Why am I hesitating? What’s this that I’m feeling?’ It felt like something invisible ed around her body.

  The nurse flipped through the loop of keys to find the one for Takako’s room. “You ready, Miss?” Saki’s bnk look went mostly unnoticed by the nurse. The door quietly swung open into the white padded room. “I’m sorry to intrude, Dr. Shiotani! Miss Yamazaki has a visitor.”

  Across the room he opposite er was a man crouched down distracted by the patient in front of him. He wore a white button up shirt and formal business pants. There was a sense of professionalism ing from him, but also an air of informality that preferred to be more hands-on. It was a flig image.

  “Doctor?” the nurse repeated once more before starting to turn back towards Saki. “Really caught in his work…” She returo the hall where Saki waited. “Miss? Miss Furukawa?” The nurse reached out to Saki, taking her hands softly to get her attention.

  It had been the physical tact that snapped Saki out of the crippling tranbsp; “…eh? I’m sorry! I must have spaced out for a moment.”

  “It’s okay, Miss. This be an uling pce for people.” The woman moved aside, inviting Saki into the room. “The Doctor is still examining her, but you wait inside.”

  “You sure it’s okay?” The nurse nodded politely to her. ‘What was with that before? It was almost tangible…’ Saki eventually took the step aered the bright cell. She had to adjust her eyes a little to the difference from the hall. The entire room was quiet. It gave her an awkward feeling like an intruder in someone’s house. “I’m sorry for interrupting you, sir!” Saki had quickly bowed to the back of the man trying to make her presenown. However, there was no further respoher than the empty out of pce feeling. “…I-I’ll just wait here…”

  The doctor tinued without any movement it seemed. She patiently waited and wondered if she should be doing this with Yuki missing. Wheime finally came for the doctor to move Saki reacted quickly by standing up. The man turowards Saki.

  Shiotani was a young man still from his appearance, but had a mature, experienced look in his eyes. The striped tie that he wore ulled loose around his neck with the top button of his shirt undone. He looked worn or fatigued, but Saki couldn’t tell which.

  “I’m sorry if I bothered you, sir!” However, she soon realized that the doctor wasn't even looking at her. He had probably not even known that she was standing before. Shiotani walked to the door before it seemed to fully register.

  Once he turned his eyes he came to a stop. He shifted himself back to face Saki, reading her. “I’m sorry that I didn’t notice you.”

  “Oh no, that’s okay! You were doing something very important!”

  “Still it was rude of me.” Shiotani began to run this hand through his hair while approag Saki. “You’ll have tive me. I have a tendency to zo while I’m w.” A friendly smile grew on his lips as he looked a little embarrassed for admitting his weakness.

  Saki became a little flustered by the man’s openness. “I’m so sorry, sir!” For a brief moment Saki’s eyes darted over to Takako before returning to Shiotani.

  He had picked up on Saki’s . It was hard to tell that she was a healthy high school student only two weeks ago. “A friend of yours?”

  “Eh? Oh I guess you could say that…we’re probably more trackmates to her than friends…”

  “She must be important to you…”

  “Yes…” Saki’s mind began to wander. ‘Is she important to me? Why did I e back?’ She focused on Takako hoping for an answer. ‘…I guess she is…’ The presence of the doctor snapped her bad reset her thoughts. It was then that she jumped startled by a realization and bowed quickly. “I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Saki Furukawa!”

  Shiotani waved off Saki’s formality, presenting a shy smile. “It’s fine Miss Furukawa! I don’t mind!” He felt pelled to retur though and bowed back to put her at ease. ‘…Furukawa…so she’s the Furukawa’s daughter…eldest if I remember…expins a lot…’ The air was still a little awkward between them, but he tried to turn his smile into a friendly one again. “I’m Doasanori Shiotani, pleasure to meet you.”

  Chapter 64 – The Returniures

  Across the town at the Tsuji Shrihings haven't ged as much physically. The surrounding area looked like it went bato the feudal era with nature in trol rather than mahe enviro. It was like the rest of the town.

  Activity in the shrine increased since yesterday. Normally, light on busihe entire shrine grounds were crowded with worried people. Many that had hardly ever been very devoted followers suddenly wanted advid safety. The unknowns had frightehem and sought fort. It meant that Seiji’s grandfather was never allowed to rest.

  Shoji was too young and inexperieo help in the same capacity as that of their grandfather, but he had found his own way to help. Whole families were on the grounds meaning there were numerous children running around. Shoji kept them mostly eained pying with them using some of the things in their shed, which held all of the ceremonial tools. It was enough to keep them busy and quieter through the shrine. However, the ohat should have been helping their grandfather was missing, Seiji.

  “Hrmph…” Seiji strolled dowhick ass grass pathway a few blocks away from the shrine. He left in the m having had enough of the damn crowds. Doing the ‘Shinto thing’ was never for him, but could help a little. By m his patience ran out and he o be alone.

  The solitude of the neighborhood was depressing as hell to see. All of the damn rown pnt life got in his way. “There really is o this… Shit, it’s almost too hard to believe…” He dug his hands into his blue jeans pockets and tried to shuffle on, but the damn nagging feeling in his head grew stronger.

  Seiji took a turn up the street, what used to be one, sending him further away from the shrine. The short walk up it ended with him abruptly ing to a stop. His eyebrows narrowed in frustration. “No! No! …NO!” He pulled at his legs to move forward, but he could only manage a few steps before he stopped again. “Damn! Shit! I hate this!” Seiji turned around looking towards the damn shrine.

  “Dammit!” Seiji marched up the steps of the Tsuji Shrine. He already heard the low murmurs of the crowds. The thought of having to listen to their stupid asses was already making him regret turning around. “I ’t believe I’m doing this…” His hand sunk deeper into his blue jean’s pocket causing him to slouch a little. The further he went up the stairs the slower his walking became.

  he top, Seiji came to a stop staring up at the torii. Seiji turned his head away looking towards the stoeps. Near his foot there was a small ass rock, most likely dislodged from traffibsp; A puff of frustrated air came out of Seiji mouth before he kicked the rock away into the surrounding forest. “…time to get an ear full from the damn old man…”

  The remainieps quickly finished and Seiji stood atop the hill. He already lowered his eyelids in annoyance from seeing all of the damn people. “There’s even more of them than before… Man, this is a pain in the ass…” Seiji began to turn around back towards the stairs, residering his decision. Unfortunately for him he did not have enough time.

  “Boy! Where have you been for the st six hours?!” His grandfather’s voice could pass through stone and still be hard clear. Once his voice had mao entangle Seiji where he stood, their grandfather marched out from the smaller shrine off the side of the approach.

  Seiji made a slow and awkward turn towards the old bastard. He tried to vert his troubles into a mask of pleasantness, but it only partially worked for him. “What’s wrong, old man?” A disguised sigh came from his lips calg his move. “I just got back from esc a family to their home. They were feeling uneasy about going back alo there so I walked them back.”

  The lie yed and their grandfather measured it out. He searched Seiji’s for hints of the truth. “It took you six hours to walk them back?” The shitty test had begun.

  “They lived really far away.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

  “I did, but you know how busy we’ve been today.”

  There was a hint of electricity in the air from their fri. “Why aren’t you in the robes if you were on official business?”

  ‘Damn old man, persistent to the end…’ Seiji rotated his arm a little like he was stretg. “Those things are stuffy and annoying to move around in. If I’m supposed to be proteg them I want to be able to move.”

  “Watouth, boy! You must follow the traditiardless of your disfort! Go a ba them now!”

  Sparks were almost visible to the passing people, turning them away out of fear. Seiji crossed his arms and leaned over to his loud ass grandfather. “I do my work without them just the same, old man!”

  “…why you…” The defiance from Seiji started to make their grandfather burn with anger. He may have been short, but his presenally made Seiji back off. Unfortunately, Seiji stood his ground lohan usual.

  “You’re back, brother!” Shoji shouted across half of the shrine grounds. The noise disruption broke all of the low murmuring from the people visiting. It also drew their attention towards the fight.

  Gaining a lot of unwanted i, they broke apart and cleared themselves up before Shoji arrived. Seiji k down to receive his kid brother, overjoyed to see Seiji. ‘The old man’s got him wearing the robes too now… No, actually I bet Shoji begged to wear them…’ The size was a little big on Shoji from Seiji’s eye. “How’s it going, Shoji?”

  “It’s been tons of fun! I’m finally getting to show off all of the training from Grandfather, Seiji!” Shoji's face beamed with excitement simply talking about it. He bounced around in front of Seiji holding out the couple of tools of their trade. The most predominant was the baton with paper streamers.

  Seiji gave him a warm smile not wanting to upset his brother. “I see!” He tried to start making more of an effort to not fight with their grandfather in front of him.

  Most of the items in his hand disappeared into his baggy sleeves, but some paper talismans remained. “Hey Seiji, check this out!” Shoji held up a sialismao his forehead with his eyes closed. In a swift fluid motion the paper straightened out and his arm threw the talisman across the open grounds. It came to a stop on a pilr of the main house where it stuck firmly. Shoji looked back up at Seiji glowing. “See! It’s just like in those manga Yuki showed me oime! It took me all m to get it to work!”

  “That’s impressive, Shoji!” Seiji gave Shoji a pat on the head. He caught a gnce of their grandfather looking like he had just been split in two. In the old man’s eyes Shoji was wasting their supplies by pying around and littering their home. The thought made Seiji ugh a little on the inside.

  “I’m going to go get ged. I think you have some new visitrandfather.” Seiji distracted him to save Shoji from a lecture. Their grandfather had turo greet the new visitors; Seiji walked off with Shoji. He sent Shoji back to py with the children while he ehe house.

  Iheir home was the oy ass p the shrine grounds. In his room were his clothes resting on a hanger waiting for him. Seiji may not have been a real Shinto Priest, but seeing him in the robes gave fort to the patrons. Providing sel wasn’t his talent. He sure as hell made ara effort to keep himself hidden from ahat might reize him (he had an image to keep).

  He reached out toug the linen and silk yers feeling some hesitation. It was only to stop the damn fighting. ‘It’s times like this when I wish you would have taken us with you mother when you left… Shoji likes this sort of life, but I’m more like you… You could never accept it…’ Seiji grumbled to himself trying to shake out the shitty past.

  A few mier Seiji stepped out of his room in full robes including the peaked hat. ‘So uncool…really…old man…bastard…’ The phrase ‘wearing your emotions on your sleeve’ couldn’t have described him better. By the time that he reached the doors of their house he had a fairly pcid look on his face (very muot Seiji).

  Seiji made a slow round through the grounds cheg on ahat looked worried or ed. His fake expression and general roughness gave them an awkward feeling, but he was able to help most.

  he back of the grounds Shoji pyed with the children. He ran ahead of them still carrying around the talismans. Every few support ns or poles that they ran by Shoji would show off to them by throwing them. It was small eai, but they were kept happy. ‘He really gets into it…’

  “Excuse me, young priest,” said an elderly voice from behind Seiji.

  Seiji tilted his head back to catch the man that was addressing him. He was taken back a little f him to fully turn his body to face him. ‘What’s with the clothes?’ The man wore a very formal attire, but no longer in style. In fact, they had not been in style for several turies.

  The old man wore a fused yet gentle expression on his fabsp; “I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you help me.”

  “…um…ye-ah…. What do you need?”

  “See I’m going to be meeting His Imperial Majesty the Emperor tomorrow, but it’s my first time to the court.”

  The response made Seiji pause for a moment. ‘The Emperor? Really? I guess it’s possible, but it seems a little strange…’ It seemed odd to pick their shrine when they weren’t even in the same city. “What will you be meeting about?”

  “I’m representing my vilge to ask for aid. We have a lot of bandits that keep pilging us and we need some samurai to protect us!” The elderly man started to bee a little hysterical as he seemed to be thinking of his vilge. There was desperation in his voice, but also the hint that he was hoping for a meeting rather than having an appoi.

  Seiji was able to pick up the iions, but he used very are words. He was able to still uand him, however something was making Seiji feel uneasy about the old man. “I’m sure it’ll be—“ A foul odor blew in on the wind interrupting Seiji. He turned away for a moment feeling something strange in the air. His eyes caught a glimpse of the ema that cttered together loudly like a signal. “What? This smell…is like death…”

  The air settled down and the st disappeared leaving Seiji fused. However, he quickly turned back to the old man pnning to apologize for interrupting him. “I’m sorry—“ When he looked in front of him the man was no longer anywhere he could see. “What’s going on here?”

  Suddenly a woman’s voice screamed a horrible ghastly sound. It wasn’t the end though as more screams ran throughout the grounds. Seiji searched around from where he stood. Out of the wall of the small shrio Seiji appeared a pale and translut woman with blood coating her clothes. The sight made Seiji’s eyes grow wide in shobsp; “A ghost?!”