Chapter Three
1922 Words
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Uneasiness ran through Aiko's body as the young woman who was now her therapist spoke to her parents in a cool voice. She had been asked by the woman when she started seeing those dreams and if she was on any previous medication, which her parents and herself declined.
After twenty minutes of talking, Aiko got suddenly uncomfortable like someone was watching her. She had scanned around the room and out the window but saw no one watching her. But it did not take away the feeling of being watched.
"Aiko?"
"Huh?" She responded and raised her head, making eye contact with the young woman in front of them and being her large desk.
"Are you okay?" Her mother asked. "You look like you're about to pass out."
Aiko nodded. "I'm good, mom."
"Just let us know if anything is bothering you," her father said from the couch he was sitting on, in the corner of the office.
Aiko tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear and nodded then rested her folded hands on her laps before staring back at the blonde haired therapist.
"Tell me, Aiko," the woman began. "Do you get bullied in school?"
The teen felt her heart drop down to her stomach at the question. She rubbed her hands and nibbled on her bottom lip as she gazed at the pile of books on the wooden desk. She gasped lightly when her mother placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Tell us," her mother coaxed.
If I say the truth, they may not believe me. And if they believe me, they'd do something to the school and that'll get me more unwanted attention. It's best I just tell them that nothing is happening at school, Aiko contemplated within her thoughts before raising her head and shaking it.
"No one bullies me," she replied. "Can I go outside, please?"
The room fell silent for a moment before her therapist sighed and nodded her head while her father rubbed his temples in exhaustion or disappointment, Aiko didn't know.
"Thank you," she said and stood up then walked towards the door, pulled it open and walked out into the hallway.
Aiko let out a sigh of relief as she walked away from the office door and kept her gaze on the floor of the hallway until she paused mid step at the feeling of being watched again. She furrowed her brows the moment she felt the hair on her neck rise then looked up to see a tall, dark and brown cloak covered figure opposite her.
"Uh," she said and slowly backed away, only for another person in the exact same brown cloak to stand behind her. "Uh, do you need anything?"
She eyed the both of them when none responded to her question and immediately gasped when she recognized the insignia on the left side of their cloaks.
"I don't know what you guys want but I think you're following the wrong person here," she said. "Please, I didn't do anything."
Sweat rolled down her back and face when she saw that they still didn't move nor spoke. Her eyes immediately caught the slow hand movement of the first figure and felt her heart beat increase when she saw a Shuriken between his index and middle fingers.
"You thought that you could escape us, Aiko, daughter of Hachiman-Shin. How you are alive still worries the Empress and we will not rest till we have your body," stated the second person with a sharp katana blade in his strong grip and poised to strike.
"P-please," Aiko stuttered and looked around in panic. "I am not the person you are looking for, I beg of you. You have the wrong person. H-How much do you need? What's the price for this bounty? I swear, I'll pay you double the amount. Just let me go, please," she pleaded, her hands clasped together and heart racing by the second.
The first cloaked figure chuckled and spoke in a language she suspected was Japanese but before Aiko could fully understand what was spoken by the stranger, he flung his Shuriken towards her and out of reflex, she crossed her arms over her face with a soft whimper.
Aiko, with eyes shut tight, furrowed her brows after ten seconds of waiting for the worst to ensue, waiting for the stinging pain of the weapon hitting her and her quick death. She cracked one eye open before opening the other then slowly placed her hands down when she saw nothing but the Shuriken floating right in front of her face.
With widened eyes, she stared at the charcoal colored metal that had the exact same insignia she saw on their cloaks. Aiko looked beyond the Shuriken and frowned when she saw no sign of the cloaked figure then looked behind her and did not find the other. She swallowed, then turned back to stare at the Shuriken. Tentatively, she raised her hand and grabbed the star shaped weapon, feeling the coldness and heaviness of the metal before raising it close to her face again, inspecting it in interest.
Hearing the footsteps and voices of her parents and the therapist, she shoved her hands into the pockets of sweatshirt and spun around with a smile on her face until they walked out of the office. She waved at them and approached them with the same smile on her face.
"Are you okay?" Her father asked and she nodded.
"I'm fine. I'll be late for school, I think it's best I leave now," Aiko said and was about to back away when her mother spoke up.
"Are you sure you're fit for school today?" The woman asked.
"I'm fine, mom. I have a test coming up and I need to study and not miss classes. I'll call an Uber, bye," Aiko said and walked away speedily until she was out of the building.
She breathed heavily and pulled out the Shuriken to inspect it.
"How did they know my name and why did they refer to me as the daughter of Hachiman-Shin? Who is Hachiman-Shin and why does it sound like I've heard that before?" She asked herself.
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Aiko fiddled the Shuriken while sitting in a spot in the cafeteria. Her mind kept going back to those people and how they appeared and disappeared out of nowhere.
"And how was it so possible for this to float right in front of me?" She whispered then looked up when Troy walked into the bustling room. She bowed her head, not wanting any company but failed to hide herself when Troy waved frantically in her direction. "Great."
After a few seconds, she looked up at her friend when he sat opposite her with a grin on his handsome face. She chuckled and crossed her arms on the round table.
"What's up?"
"I've been looking for you," he said. "And how come I didn't see you in school earlier today? You're always in school so early."
Aiko shrugged. "Well, I decided not to come in early."
She gave an awkward chuckle and grimaced when Troy didn't return it but gave her a deep gaze from behind his glasses. She licked her lips and glanced away from his scrutinizing gaze.
"Is there something you're not letting me know? I mean, for sometime now, you've been zoning out and talking to yourself. I understand the part where you constantly pass out because I've known you to always do that ever since we were little but for a whole year since you turned seventeen, you've changed. You no longer confide in me. Does it have to do with puberty?"
Aiko laughed softly at his conclusion but her laughter died down when her eyes dropped on a student across the room. He had dark hair, pale skin, she could not tell what color of eyes he had but she could see a scowl on his face as he stared at her. She furrowed her brows in confusion when he narrowed his eyes at her then looked away when someone tapped him.
"You're doing it again," Troy's deep masculine voice broke her out of her staring match. "You know what? I'm not going to push you. I'm your best friend and you're mine, you can talk to me whenever you're less—whatever," he stated in a tone that made it known to Aiko that he was pissed.
"Tr-" she tried to say but he waved her off and walked away. She exhaled and looked around her without a surprise at the way the students close to her eyed her judgmentally.
I wish I can even understand myself, Troy. I really need to figure out who this girl I keep seeing is. Why I keep seeing out of her eyes and feel what she feels. And why I keep seeing these strangers, she said and raised the metal up to her face again.
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As Aiko walked home after school hours, she opened up her phone's browser and tapped on the microphone icon then brought the device close to her mouth.
"Hachiman-Shin," she said in a clear tone then brought her hand down while it was loading.
"Doing that will not help you," said an unfamiliar male voice behind Aiko.
"Excuse me?" Aiko stated and turned around, only to see the same boy from lunch break. "You?"
He smirked. "I don't even think you know me."
"Well, I don't and I don't care," she retorted in annoyance and turned to continue her walk when he grabbed her upper arm, stopping her and gaining a shove from her.
"I deserved that," he said in a monotone.
Aiko hissed. "Touch me again and I'll call the cops."
He chuckled. "I'm not going to hurt you, Aiko."
"We don't know each other and how do you know my name? No one in school likes me enough to even know my name. Who are you?" She asked and eyed his tall figure, slightly muscled figure from shoe to face.
"I'm Theodore Roberts," he said with a smile.
Aiko scoffed. "And what am I supposed to do with you?" She rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not interested in going out with you or being a friend. I don't need it. I'm fine without that anyway. Now, if you'd excuse me."
She turned around and began to walk away while muttering incoherent words under her breath.
"Aiko, daughter of Hachiman-Shin and daughter of Mary Anne. Savior of Shiromizu and balance of the Dark and White spirits," Theodore stated in a grim tone that sent shivers down her spine.
Why do those names sound so familiar? Those words, where have I heard them before other than those men from earlier, she thought and slowly turned around and gazed at Theodore in confusion.
"Huh?"
Theodore sighed. "This is not going to be easy but I need you to please hear me out and take me seriously."
"But I don't even know what you just said and to be honest with you, I don't know what or who you people are! How come you make use of the same sentence used by those thug-ish looking men in cloak? Who exactly are you and why do you tag me as the daughter of Hachiman-Shin?" She demanded with clenched fists.
"Cloaked figure?" Theodore asked with a tilt of his head.
"Yes?"
"The Bishamon Brotherhood," he said, fear evident in his eyes before he blinked. "Aiko, I need you to please come with me. Look, you have to trust me on this."
"I'm sorry but I simply can't go on a walk with a stranger," she said and huffed then began to walk away. She clutched her bag tighter and kept on walking but fell backwards in shock when Theodore appeared in front of her with mist around his figure.
"You will come with me Aiko," he said and she swallowed.
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- Writer
