CHAPTER XLV
~The Feast of Bonds~
Okitsune, standing nearby with his meticulously groomed fur and chef’s air, huffed in protest, his voice clipped but with a dignified firmness:
“WHAT? I clearly cleaned the kitchen before I left—pristine as always. One does not simply leave a chef’s domain in disarray. That mess was not my doing, I assure you.”
Kagami, cool and cocky, leaned on the railing with a sly grin, his sharp eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “I suspect Hisame.”
Shingure’s poetic voice floated softly, as if weaving words from a rain-soaked dream,
“You mean the spider twin, woven in shadow’s delicate threads? The silent watcher beneath the storm’s veil…”
Yuzuki’s mind suddenly flickered back to the Nakime’s words—Hisame. The name stirred a deep recollection, framing the mystery in new light.
Ayaka, bright and sharp, glanced toward Kagami with a knowing look, silently asking, Are we really on the same page here?
Meanwhile, the Korobokkurus gathered the broken thread and the Kendama’s shattered ball, carefully handing them over to Rin. He knelt, holding the broken weapon with a disappointed sigh, then neatly slipped it back into his pocket. “Oh well, fam, dinner time.”
Shingure’s poetic lament cut softly through the air,
“How can I allow the feast to fall beneath such reckless hands? The night’s symphony robbed, and still you dare desire to partake…”
Unbothered, the Korobokkurus had already carried the stolen food from the first floor down the stairs, neatly setting it on a table. Kagami and Ayaka followed behind, their presence calm and steady.
Rin smirked, stepping toward the arranged feast, his playful confidence unwavering.
Yuzuki hesitated, her unease prickling despite the warm glow of the table. Gazing out the library window, she noticed the fierce rain had slightly calmed, droplets now less furious against the glass. I’ll go home once it ends, she thought quietly, unwilling to break the fragile calm just yet.
She took a seat among the Korobokkurus, nestled between the tiny creatures, while Himari remained rooted in shock, her eyes still wide from the night’s whirlwind mysteries—caught between the supernatural and the familiar.
The scene unfolds in the warmly lit library, now buzzing with a newfound camaraderie as three Kaga-Kaga, striking red lizards, slither out from behind Kagami. Their eyes gleam with enthusiasm as they eagerly join the gathering, tongues flicking in delight.
One Kaga-Kaga smirks quirking a reptilian grin, “Damn, this food’s straight fire!” The others nod vigorously, the scent and warmth of the meal infusing the air with comfort and delight.
Around the table, the atmosphere softens. Everyone digs in, savoring the feast. Ayaka smiles softly, occasionally casting glances at Rin and Kagami, while even the Korobokkurus chirp happily, joining the joyful feast. Okitsune and the lizards share approving looks, acknowledging the comforting normalcy amid the supernatural chaos.
Yet Shingure’s poetic brooding remains, a faint tempest within the calm banquet. He narrows his eyes at Rin and intones with lyrical sharpness, “Rin, thy reckless mirth doth ravage the sacred bread, a tempest unkind upon our quiet repast.”
Rin grins widely, teasing with sly humor, “Yo, Shiggy, chill! It’s dinner, not a dang poetry reading. You mad ’cause I’m the king of chaos and snacks?” His playful quip fills the room with lighthearted energy.
Himari, sitting gently beside Shingure, tilts her head with curious grace and asks quietly, “Are you all... friends?”
Kagami chuckles darkly, eyes flashing with that cocky, possessive light. “Rin’s my rival—always pushing my limits.”
Shingure offers a soft smile, eyes reflecting the rain-swept melancholy. “And Kagami, he is my dearest confidant, my steadfast companion amidst the storm.”
Rin throws up his hands with a goofy, confident grin. “And I? I’m the king, the whole dang circus—keepin’ it real, one prank at a time.”
The group shares a brief laughter, the air easing as the bonds—rivals, friends, and kings alike—blend into the night’s chaotic harmony. Plates clink and voices mingle as they feast, the storm momentarily held at bay by the unexpected warmth of fellowship.
Ayaka’s voice, bright and buzzing with curiosity, broke the moment:
“Wait, wait, wait—what’s up with this whole tether war thing? I don’t even know the criterion!”
Rin, grinning slyly, eyes sparkling with that mischievous energy, replied,
“Yo, the tether war? Let’s just say it’s like the ultimate supernatural flex battle. Shady vibes and high stakes, fam.”
Kagami raised a brow, cocky smirk in place. “What do you mean exactly?”
Shingure answered in his calm, poetic tone, his words flowing like a gentle rain:
“To claim the highest rank among the supernaturals, one must hold at least thirty-six tethers—the golden mark of power and influence.”
Rin just grinned but held his silence, letting the weight of that number hang. Kagami nodded thoughtfully, encouraging Shingure to continue.
Ayaka chimed back, her girly tone edged with sharpness,
“Thirty-six tethers? How the heck do you even get that many? That sounds impossible!”
Yuzuki finally opened her mouth to speak, curiosity flaring, but before she could ask, Himari’s gentle voice interrupted, tinged with confusion:
“What are you all talking about?”
Yuzuki sighed softly, as if realizing she might not need to ask after all, and all eyes turned toward her.
Kagami’s smirk deepened. “Damn, Shingure, didn’t expect you to keep your tether count on the down low.”
Rin avoided looking at Yuzuki, cause he kept Yuzuki under the dark too like Shingure.
Turning to Himari, Shingure explained with poetic grace:
“The tether war is a clash where the highest-ranking supernaturals seek to merge the human realm with the supernatural by undoing the exorcists’ sacred rituals. Yet, some of the lower ranks demanded fairness, setting a criterion: only those with the highest tether count qualify as true high-rankers. Right now, Hisame and her twin possess nearly twenty-six tethers, ruling at the top of the hierarchy.”
At last, Yuzuki grasped the crucial meaning behind the criterion—her eyes widening with understanding.
Yuzuki noticed the rain finally tapering off outside the library window. She rose quietly from the table, the warmth of the feast lingering but her expression a bit distant. Softly, she thanked everyone, her voice calm and sincere, “Thank you all for tonight.” With a gentle bow, she turned and began to leave the cozy, chaotic gathering.
Rin, sitting back in his seat, caught the subtle shift in her mood—the silent way she edged toward the exit, the quiet retreat. With a playful grin spreading across his face, he called out in his unmistakable Gen Z tone, “Yo, Yuzuki, hold up! Don’t ghost on us now—this party’s just getting lit. You can’t bounce yet!”
Yuzuki paused but shook her head, returning his mischievous energy with quiet resolve. “Thank you, but my family’s going to freak out if I’m not back soon. Goodbye!”
Rin let out a mock sigh, slumping back with goofy charm, “Aight, aight, chill fam, I get it. But fr, don’t make this the last call—catch you on the flip side, yeah?”
He flashed her a sly wink as she walked away, the playful vibe still lingering in the air even as the night around them settled into calm.
Just as Yuzuki left, Ayaka suddenly sprang up from the table, grabbing a book with sharp motion and smacking Rin’s head with it while exclaiming, “Amane-kun! What the heck is wrong with you??? How could you just let Yuzuki-chan walk away like that?”
Kagami leans in with a cocky smirk, questioning with a teasing edge, “My Doll’s right. Rinsuke, have you finally lost it?”
Shingure, his voice flowing like exquisite poetry tinged with melancholy, steps in softly:
“Such a treasure, a spirit so rare—how could one so blessed let her slip away? She deserves more than shadows and silence, a light to match her own.”
Okitsune, meticulous and perturbed as always, chimes in sharply and with dry snark:
“Men ought to cherish their women with utmost respect and care—this careless laissez-faire? Not the way of honor and tradition. A lady’s heart is no trifling matter to be dismissed lightly, even in the face of chaos.”
The Korobokkurus at Rin’s feet begin murmuring their gentle, repetitive “I see you… I see you…” in their own language, clearly signaling that Rin’s choice was questionable and not quite right in their eyes.
Rin, visibly annoyed, rolls his eyes but then grins mischievously, snapping back with his characteristic Gen Z sly humor:
“Yo, chill, fam! Sometimes you gotta let your queen make her own moves—big mood, vibe check! Y’all stressing too hard. I’m just keepin’ it 100, letting the plot thicken. Trust, the party ain’t over till the last snack’s gone, and Yuzuki’s got her own groove. I got this on lock, no cap!”
His playful, goofy grin fills the room as the tension breaks slightly, showing the boyish, cool side beneath the facade, while the Korobokkurus squeak on, a chorus quietly reminding him he still has some growing to do in the “respect department.”
Yuzuki sighed as she retrieved her bag from the Left Wing and carefully descended the staircases of the three floors, finally reaching the ground floor. As she approached the building’s exit, a soft purring sound caught her attention. She paused, wondering if it could be a cat—perhaps Mofumi? Waiting patiently, she watched as a mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, bathed in moonlight filtering through the school building’s open doorway.
It was indeed Mofumi, purring softly as he stepped into view. “M-Mofumi,” Yuzuki breathed, hesitation giving way to a small measure of reassurance at his presence.
Mofumi smiled gently and bowed slightly. “Ah~ Yuzuki. A good day to you, young lady,” he said warmly. “I offer you my deepest gratitude for helping resolve the matter of the Nakime. Their Shrine has been honorably restored to them, by the will of the God.”
The word “God” echoed hollowly in Yuzuki’s mind.
“Hmm... no wonder,” she murmured, her tone dull, trailing off.
“Is something troubling you?” Mofumi asked, concern flickering in his voice.
“No,” she said nonchalantly. “I’ve come to understand the true side you stand on.”
“Hoho. And what might that be?”
“You have no allegiance,” Yuzuki declared. “Because you are a ‘tsukai-jū’ (使い獣) — literally a divine familiar or messenger beast. Or perhaps more fittingly, a ‘shugo-jū’ (守護獣) — a Guardian Beast acting as a ‘kami no shisha’ (神の使者) — a messenger of the divine.”
Mofumi chuckled softly, the sound eerie as he paced in slow circles about Yuzuki’s legs. “So, you know?”
“That’s what most Japanese beliefs say about felines. Or at least, that’s what my grandmother used to say,” Yuzuki said, her voice devoid of warmth or expression, flat and melancholy.
“Hahaha,” Mofumi laughed, admiring her shrewdness. “You’re not wrong — not in the slightest. No wonder the God chose you. His choices are always extraordinary,” he muttered.
No doubt. She’s quick to catch on, Mofumi thought, circling her once more.
Yuzuki cast him a sidelong glance after hearing ‘God’ again.
“When...” she breathed finally, “you said you’d give me ‘a precious memory — a long-forgotten one, something to keep me grounded,’ you knew exactly what spark you’d light inside me. You knew those words would catch me off guard, triggering something I couldn’t ignore and would inevitably lead me to follow you. You tricked me.”
“Tricked you? How so? Wasn’t learning about your supernatural’s past a comforting? A gift to glimpse someone who rarely opens up? Don’t you think—” Mofumi started, but Yuzuki cut him off swiftly.
“You CLEARLY said, ‘One ordinary human could never understand.’ I’m not stupid, Mofumi. I know you altered that memory. I know you did. Or maybe… the God forced you to. You knew what I was really onto.”
“Huh? Oh, right. You were deciding whether to remain Rin’s tether or not. I was helping by showing you his past,” Mofumi admitted, sweat beading at his brow.
“His past? You know well whose past I truly wanted to see,” Yuzuki retorted.
Mofumi fell silent, eyes cast down in shame for being caught.
Tears welled in Yuzuki’s eyes as she sank to her knees.
“Y-Yuzuki?” Mofumi called gently, stepping closer.
“Y-Yuzuki!” he repeated in panic. “Why are you crying?”
“My family… my family…” she sobbed. “All I ever wanted was a family. A real family,” she said, lifting her tear-streaked face to meet Mofumi’s eyes. “A family where all three sisters play together, where mother cooks dinner for everyone, and a father who comes home from work just to relax with his family. All I ever wanted were those small hours in a day where I could feel loved, feel welcomed, feel like home.”
Mofumi remained wordless, his eyes heavy with unspoken pain as he looked at her crying, then downcast in silence.
“Mofumi,” she choked out, “Do you think I’m dumb? Did you think I wouldn’t see through why Rin chose me as his tether? Do you think I’m a fool? Rin and I don’t even match. We have nothing in common! A supernatural and a human are tethered based on specific requirements — when fate truly ties and binds them. But we... we’re no match. Unlike all those I’ve seen with my friends, where personalities complement one another, mine has nothing to align with his. I know why I was chosen. Rin didn’t choose me. The divine did. I know Rin was forced to select me. But I don’t know why. What I do know is this: when Rin begged me to stay, it was because there are things supernaturals cannot face alone — they need humans. That’s why today, you gathered the three of us — me, Himari, and Ayaka — because facing this Hisame you speak of, who seems to be the spider twin, is no easy task. It requires as many tethers as possible.”
Yuzuki panted, exhaustion and emotion mingling.
“Ayaka and Himari — they too were the choice of both God and their supernatural. That mutual agreement is obvious. Unlike mine and Rin’s,” she wept.
“But you know what? I’ve decided. I accept the responsibility of being Rin’s tether,” she declared, rising to her full height. “And I will fulfill it with utmost pride and dignity.”
“Though I warn you — I will not allow his or my feelings to entangle with this. If being tethered means helping each other through crises, then that’s all my relationship with Rin will ever be.”
“Is it because of... your... grandmother’s last wish?” Mofumi asked softly.
Yuzuki smiled, pain threading through the gesture.
To be Continued...
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