There is a Spy

Hanako's hands blurred in practiced precision and draw kuji-kiri of binding. A rustling sound of paper fell silent around the corner of the hallway. Masaki retrieved it without missing a beat and offered it to her in silence. She picked it up. a flower origami flapped its petals as if it was alive. Hanako opened the fold to examine. the ink from within bled. It hissed and smoked, ash scattered with lingering incense around the two.

Both quickly surveyed the surroundings. A lone janitor was sweeping around the second torii gate and few students and parents walking towards the gym for the opening ceremony.

"Ojo…"

"Call me Hanako. We are cousins, remember?" Her sarashi bit into her ribs. She started stretching her arms and twisting her torso to ease the grip.

"O… Hana…ko… We should go to the ceremony to blend in." Masaki scratched his neck with visible blush on his cheeks. His usual display of discomfort.

"You should get used to it. The principal already signed off on the cousin story in the office." Masaki gripped the strap of his bag. Hanako strut past him and turned around, closing the gap to a point where her nose was almost touching his chin.

"Call me Hanako at home as well."

"Yes… Hanako." He reluctantly answered, stepping back. That eased the sarashi better than stretching.

"We need a plan to expose the watcher," she thought out aloud.

"…Hanako, we should lay low, as your father's orders."

"They know about us already, shikigami is a proof they are spying on us."

Masaki shook his head, pointing at the top of the wall stylized banister with ofuda.

"Of course, shikigami controller has to be in the hallway to access what it saw." Hanako darts to turn corner. She saw his nod and heading to side the opposite direction.

Both returned to the same spot after the sweep. Masaki shook his head. The controller was not around, they are still hidden.

"Help me stretch." She requested and started to stretch to collect her thoughts.

I can't act brazenly, else I risk undermining my father's plans. Masaki steadied her shoulders. The damned sarashi was still biting into her ribs.

"We can map ofuda locations in the school and note any breached or modified seals." Masaki advised while stretching her arms as she twisted her torso on the opposite direction.

"Let's take a gander at the gym, to see if anyone acting up or sense anything." Hanako was already heading towards the gym before she finished her words.

"We shouldn't do anything out of the ordinary to raise suspicion. You like loud entrance and exit." He chuckled.

"…I do not!" Hanako flushed.

They took a quick detour to the gym to check the ceremony, and past a janitor how bowed when they passed by. She thought she heard a knuckle crack but dismissed it. The principal was still giving a speech in the gym full of students clad in white uniform. It must be embarrassing for male students to wear shrine maiden like outfit. Her gaze turned to Masaki. It suited him actually, or she was too used to him wearing judo outfit. He noticed her gaze and fixed his collar. No signs of shikigami. The principal was talking about community. She hoped the seals here might have been tampered since many students passed over for the ceremony. She turned around towards the main building.

They returned to the main building and entered the classroom before anyone else to inspect the ofuda and possible lurking shikigami. Clean - no tampered ofuda and no shikigami. It's too clean, then why was there a shikigami in the hallway?

Maybe I am over thinking here… She sat in the middle of the classroom, resting her chin on her arm, staring off into the distance.

"Shikigami might have been a message from our watcher."

"Or a damned greeting to piss me off."

"It did its job then."

"Don't patronize them." She let out a drawn out sigh, preparing to be the Yuki-hime everyone expects to see in the class when they enter.

“Hana-chan! We’re in the same class!” Hanako wondered whether Sayuri in the same class is also her father's calculation. She replied with a smile, but her cheek muscles tightened.

Student? No, too skilled. Faculty? Remnant? Father vetted them. Student's a good cover? Masaki's one. She tapped her foot once, twice then stopped after catching herself, breaking her mask. She needs to be calm and collected. Damn it. This is like shogi and I hate shogi - too many pieces, too many moves. She wanted to stretch.

Student, test for their binding and shikigami skill. How? Just ask them directly? That's too dumb. Ask for a sparring match? No. Doesn't fit the mask. She exhaled sharply.

She pretended to look over at Sayuri and Masaki's conversation, inhaled deep them twisted her torso towards them until she heard an audible crack from her spine let her breathe again.

"Ko-chan long time no see. You got taller again. Spill the secret sauce." She scooted over to Masaki and prodded him.

Sayuri opens the round with a series of jabs, closing the gap. She decided to distract herself.

"Stop it, I'm not a child." Masaki's lips twitched then tightened.

Masaki desperately tries to block the jabs.

"Is it ramen or judo? Please tell me it's ramen." She pouted and placed her finger on her mole on her face.

She corners him with the usual ramen routine then her signature pout pose.

"Ramen, as always." Masaki sighed.

Fatal blow, would Masaki stand or fall?

Her eyes beamed, "Would you treat me sometime?"

Masaki answered under his breath. "Sure…"

Natsume Sayuri's flawless victory yet again.

Hanako let out a surprise laugh. She forgot about the spy for a second. Sayuri really knows how to push his buttons.

The relief was short lived. The student beside her was staring. Slightly below average height. slim, nothing like Masaki - ordinary enough to be invisible. But his eyes were fixed on her. When their eyes met, he didn't look away, like it's a dare.

"Is there something you need?" She kept her voice soft and forced a practiced smile. Sayuri and Masaki noticed and glanced over.

He did not answer for a solid second or two. Then whipped his head away.

Did he blush or just avoided the question? Is that a spy thing or awkward kid? Questions buzzed in her head.

Mr. Yamaguchi's reminder about omamori drifted past. She forgot to get a replacement for her Yukikaze. It would be too stupid to use it in school especially if someone is spying on her. Whether it was a tactical or love, she cannot blow the cover her father created for her.

"Oh - Ko-chan do you have your omamori yet? Hana-chan save me. I don't know what to get. Can you pick something for me at the school shrine? Do they even sell them?" Her face was too lose and her sparkly eyes are too much for her. How does she do it?

"The school shrine doesn't sell any, but we can visit other shrines for one." Hanako answered with faint smile. She will inspect the binding herself to pick the best one for her.

She needed to find the spy now, and if able, expose and dispose. She can't let another loose end like at the onsen. Else someone would get hurt and she would never forgive herself.