“Let’s go!” I said. 

— — — — —

And as we were leaving the forest my phone started ringing, I got it out of my pocket and looked at the screen.

Mom

I answered her call and she started yelling at me, “Ryuu, where are you? It’s almost 10PM and tomorrow you have school.”

“I am on my way right now, mom!” I said, and rapidly closed the call, then I looked at the girls and saw that they were talking, it seemed they didn’t notice my call.

I slowly approached them, “Hey, I know I just said that I’m coming, but right now my mom called and told me to come home.”

Aya, who was talking to Miho, turned her head to me and said, “It’s alright, Ryuu, we’ll meet again soon. Go home now and take care.”

“Really? There is no problem? Thanks Aya, see you soon! Have a nice party, you two!” I said as I was leaving them for home.

I felt bad for making my mom worry for me and for leaving the girls alone at the same time, but that's life, you can’t have everything and you can’t satisfy everyone.

After around 30 minutes I arrived home, where my mom was waiting for me. She was upset. Immediately after I entered the door, she asked me, “Where have you been that late?”

I didn’t want to tell her I was with Aya, so I told her, “I stayed with Yoshio after classes.”

“Never do that again without telling me! Anyway, the food is on the table, you should go to eat.”

“Thank you mom! And sorry, it will not happen again.” 

I left the schoolbag in my room, washed my hands and then got in the kitchen to have dinner.

As I entered the kitchen, I saw that the TV was on the local news channel. It said, ‘The investigation is still ongoing. The mutilated body that was found in an alley.’

As I saw that, I remembered, it was the same person that tried to rob me and Aya killed him. I grabbed my right hand and took a look at my tattoo. I got a shiver down my spine and felt an emptiness in my stomach. I was staring blankly at the TV and felt lost in my thoughts.

“Are you alright, Ryuu?” My mom asked me.

I didn’t even know she was in the kitchen with me, so I quickly covered my tattoo and answered, “Yeah, it’s nothing.”

“I am going to sleep. Could you please wash the dishes today? I am just so tired.” She said as she started to yawn.

“Sure, no problem! Good night, mom!”

After I ate the food, I washed the dishes, turned off the TV and took a shower.

I got into my bed and tried to fall asleep. It was so hard, I kept thinking about what happened today.

How deep could this story go? Aya killed her creator…She seemed mentally destroyed in the forest. I couldn't get out of my head the image of her suffering alone in the forest surrounded by fire.

I felt so bad for Aya. I hoped I could do something, not just stand there and watch her cry.

And the news from the TV… ‘The investigation is still ongoing’, am I in trouble? I hope the police don't find out about us. I could be the prime suspect there.

Ring Ring Ring

The alarm from my phone woke me up. It seemed like I could fall asleep at least.

I got out of bed, quickly brushed my teeth and without even eating breakfast, I left for school. I didn’t want to be late.

When I arrived at school, I got a notification. When I checked my phone, it was a message from Yoshio, ‘I have a headache, I will stay at home today.’

Ahh, today it’s gonna be a long day…alone at school without Yoshio.

But, to my surprise the classes passed by quickly. So, without even realizing it, I already finished school for the day.

As I was heading to School’s gates, I saw a familiar figure standing there. It was Aya, but she was dressed differently today. She was dressed all in white today, white heels, some over the knee socks, a short white skirt, and a white top.

As I was approaching her, I saw that all the boys leaving school in front of me were turning their heads back to look at her. I could understand why, she was gorgeous.

As I approached her, Aya started smiling. I saw that everyone that passed by was looking at us.

I could hear some voices, “Is she his girlfriend?", “She is amazing!”, “No way.”

Even though she came to my school in the past, it was the first time we provoked such reactions.

I ignored them and asked Aya, “How was your day with Miho yesterday?”

“It was nice. I am happy I could talk to her that freely after such a long time.” She said happily.

“I’m glad to hear that! Anyway, Aya I’m sorry I couldn’t come with y…”

She interrupted me, “It’s no problem Ryuu, I understand that, anyway, today we have to train. Don’t think I forgot!”

“Okay! But, where are we going to train?”

“We are going to train in the forest.”

“The forest? Why there?”

“Because there are no video cameras to record and nobody can see us. We can’t risk being seen using supernatural powers. Ah and we have a lot of space to train as well.”

I was curious how she would train me so I decided I would go with her.

As we were walking to the forest, I saw a store. I wanted to buy her a present for her birthday, so I told her, “I am really thirsty, wait for me here. I am going to get a drink, do you want something?”

“I am good, thanks!”

I was not thirsty at all but I needed a reason to enter the store without her to buy her something. I quickly checked my wallet and saw I didn’t have that much money, so I bought her a box of candy and a little teddy bear.

When I left the store, Aya was looking the other way, so I said, “Mhm…Aya, this is for you! A present for your birthday.”

She turned her head, looked confused at me, then at my present for her, then back at me, after that, her expression immediately changed.

She giggled happily, and without even taking my present, she hugged me.

“Thank you! Thanks a lot! I really appreciate that, thank you!” Her voice started trembling, “Thank you!”

After a few more moments she let go of me. She told me, “It’s the first time in a long time someone’s given me a present for my birthday!”

After that, she added, “Can you please hold the candies for me in your backpack?”

“Of course!” I carefully put the box of candy in my bag and gave her the teddy bear.

As we continued walking, she kept playing with the little teddy bear. She petted him, threw him in the air and caught him, hugged him, and kissed him. She did that again and again without stopping for a second.

She even gave him a name. ‘Honey’. She seemed to love Honey. I was happy to see that she liked my present. She looked just like a little girl enjoying her birthday gift a lot.

“Ryuu, look how cute Honey is, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he really is!”

As we got into the forest, Aya kissed her teddy bear and said, “Ryuu, can you put Honey into your backpack as well please? I don’t want him to get dirty.”

“Sure I can. Give him to me.” I answered her as I was putting my bag on the ground.

“You can leave your backpack there.” She said, “We’re going to remain here for now.”

“Ah, okay!”

“Do you know how to fight?”

“Not really, I mean, fighting Semyaza was the first time I'd ever been in a fight.”

As I said that, she threw a punch at me all of a sudden and I fell on the ground.

Apparently she didn’t even touch me…she just pretended to. “What was that for?” I asked her.

“To show you the differences.”

“The difference?”

“Yes, get up.”

I got up and then Aya put her hand on my chest. I felt a little electric shock and then a burst of energy and power.

“Let’s try it again!” She said.

And she threw another punch at me, but this time I could see it, I could clearly see it coming and without effort I could dodge it.

“You see Ryuu? That’s how you managed to beat Semyaza. With demonic power in you everything is easier, you are stronger, have more energy and you are a lot faster. Now imagine, if without any fighting experience you became that powerful when I give you power, how powerful would you become if you would really know how to fight?”

“Aya, do you know how to fight?”

“Well, obviously.”

“Teach me!”