Onmyou 8: Cafe and Meeting (1)

“We’re here.”

I wanted to teleport my way back home, but as expected, the moment I stepped out of the classroom, Ichirou was there waiting for me.

Which is why I’m here outside this traditional Japanese cafe.

“Seems like we’re the first to arrive” Ichirou said as we entered.

The cafe was empty, not a single person was there, apart from a single worker at the counter using his phone.

“Oh, Iori, Welcome!” The worker welcomed us with a bright smile on his face.

“We’re here for the meeting.”

“Of course. Please, take the back seat while you wait for the others.”

As I followed Ichirou to our seats, I felt the worker staring at me viciously.

“Who might you be, cutie?” The worker said while licking his lips.

“Myojin Mahiro. I was invited to the meeting as well.”

“Ara, you must be new then. Which branch are you from?”

“Branch?”

“He’s not from any branch” Ichirou replied before I could.

“Hmm… an irregular. Been a while since I last saw one.”

“Irregular?”

“It is a title given to an onmyouji who doesn’t belong to any branch. There are some people, like you, who awaken their spiritual powers at a later age while not having any relationships with an onmyouji in your bloodline. Those people either keep their powers hidden, or were noticed by the association and are recruited to be part of an onmyouji branch, or, if they are lucky, work under one of the 12 houses.”

“Then, since I’m not being officially recruited, I’m an irregular?”

“Yup. Just so you know, I hate irregulars.”

“...Let me guess, one of them killed your family members, right?” Must be one of those really cliche backstories, and now he’s angry towards all of those irregulars.

“Yeah.” Ichirou glared at me before taking a seat.

“Don’t mind him.” The waiter placed Ichirou’s coffee on the table before looking at me.

“I’m Honda Michiru. Just call me Michyan!”

“No.”

“Oh, come on! Well, since you’re such a cutie, I’ll let that slide.”

“About Ichirou.”

“Ah, Iori. He's just pissed that he lost a fight against an Irregular.”

“So he’s just petty.”

“Yup! Haha!”

A sore loser, huh. Wasn’t expecting that.

“Yo! Michyan!” A burly voice boomed into the room, and a whole lot of people came into the cafe. All of them were wearing the same uniform as me.

“Looks like everyone except the little lady has arrive.” Michiru said with a smile on his face.

“Welcome!’ Michiru greeted them while leading the group of people towards our table.

“Ho, so you’re the one that Inoue was talking about.” A man with a huge, muscular body and a shaved head walked towards me.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone this jacked, but no way in hell you’re telling me that’s a high school kid! Not only that, he’s at least 40cm taller than me!! (Mahiro:165cm)

Not even in my previous world have I seen a kid of his size!

“I’m Nikue Kenichi. Nice to meet cha.”

“Myojin Mahiro, nice to meet you as well.”

“Hmm… you need more muscles.”

“...Eh?”

“You’re nothing but skins n bones, where’s the muscles? Have you been eating your proteins?”

So this guy’s a muscle head, got it.

“Stop it.” A glasses guy came in to stop Kenichi.

He’s much smaller than Kenichi, but is a bit taller than I.

“I’m Araki Kurasu. Just ignore this muscle head and everything he says… Oi! Put me down!” Kenichi carried Kurasu and started laughing.

“Look at you, you’re skinnier than the last time we met!”

“Shut up, you muscle head!”

Damm, this really is a colourful cast of characters. I wonder how the others are.

“Hey, Hibiki… he’s kinda cute, you know.”

“You’re serious, Fubuki?”

……I’m seeing double. There are two Hibiki in front of me.

“I’m Inoue Fubuki! Hibiki’s twin sister!”

“And I already introduced myself in class.”

“Ah, if you want to differentiate us, Hibiki tied her hair to the left! I tied mine to the right! Also, Also…”

“She’s much more annoying than I, and yap a lot. And her taste in men is horrible.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that!?”

“That guy you bought home yesterday is a horrible drunkard!”

“So? Hibiki, you always bring home some rich person’s kid!”

“So? Money is all you need!”

…… I hate it here already. I would like to leave now.

“Ca, can I sit here?” A girl with long black hair that covered her eyes asked, as her body was shaking all over.

“Sure…”

“Th, thank you…” As she sat next to me, I felt the floor around me starting to tremble.

“So, sorry… with all this noise, I got a bit scared and my body is shaking all over and it’s causing the area around me to shake due to my vibration…”

How old are you to be scared just because these weird people are shouting all over!?

“Come on now, Yura!” A guy with white hair touched the trembling girl’s body, and immediately, she stopped trembling.

“Thanks… Tomore…”

“Now… give me a kiss.” The guy said with a creepy grim on his face.

The trembling girl suddenly smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“AH! So bliss!! Oi, you!” The guy suddenly shouted at me

“Yura’s mine! Don’t you dare make a move on her.”

“...Don’t worry. Not my type.”

“Hhuh!? Are you trying to say MY Yura isn’t good enough for you!?

I expected that sort of reaction.

I’m getting exhausted here, let me leave, please. All of these damm people are draining my energy.

“Seems like everyone’s here.”

Hyoka’s voice echoed within the cafe, and suddenly, everyone kept quiet and sat down.

As Hyoka walked towards us, she noticed me and smiled.

“Since everyone’s here, let’s start the meeting.”