The One Who Remembers, Part I

A hand caught my wrist.

    It got in the way between the ground and me, just in time to save me from an unrequited kiss with the concrete.

"Hey. Look out, young girl."

    It wasn't a touch meant to harm, but to help. That's what surprised me the most.

    As I straightened up, I glanced at the man. He had cyan eyes, was prolly in his fifties. Messy strands of raven-black hair kept in order under a cap.

    He released the pressure over my arm the moment I retrieved my balance. He had a thin smile, but he didn't even try to drag me into a dark backstreet. He didn't really seem worried, which was normal. But he didn't seem angry or even annoyed either.

    Before I could mutter anything, he walked away. Since it would have been seen as awkward, I resigned myself. Running after him or raising my voice to thank him would just annoy him more than it would pump up his ego. It was what people called ''common sense''. Or some shit like that.

    Whatever.

    According to common sense, I resumed my walk. It just happened that we followed the same direction. It just happened that we took the same alley, that we went down the same stairs leading to the riverbank.

    Of course it felt weird.

    And of course at some point the man paused, turning back to glance at me.

    With an embarrassed wince, I paused. I didn't want to be misunderstood. I didn't want him to think I was a stalker. Or some puppy. Or some weirdo or...

    Clenching my teeth, I resumed my steps, averting my gaze.

    At a quicker pace than before, I bypassed him without a word. Escaping my own intrusive thoughts.

    I could have walked away sooner, sure thing, but I knew only one place I could hide from Yokohama's ruckus. It was also the closest and, most importantly, the one I was used to.

    It was okay; if he was still staring, he'd see.

    The way I slowed down when I reached the place under the bridge, the moment I headed towards the wall, seating against it.

    He'd soon reach the bridge, see I wasn't following him, bypass the bridge. End of the non-story.

    I did my best at trying not to sit in an awkward way, not to have a dead-fish stare. It wasn't comfortable, but then again, it was common sense.

    His footsteps grew closer, echoing as he reached the place under the bridge. His pace was steady, unbothered.

    It made it even more obvious the moment he paused.

    I closed my eyes, I pressed my fingers more tightly around my wrist. And I waited. I waited for the footsteps to resume.

    Silence scoffed at me.

    Thus, I opened my eyes to glance at him. The man was standing next to the riverbank, holding a fishing rod.

    He said nothing. Nor did I.

    The next hours were worthless to tell about. Hence I won't. I won’t let people have an occasion to yawn at what is precious to me. They can keep their dirty mouths, I will keep my treasures.

    When time came for me to get back home, I made a few steps before a hesitation glued my feet to the ground.

    I fought to keep sealed that stupid mouth of mine.

"Thank you."

    But it disobeyed me.

    Of course, I had to be weird. Uncommon sense was written in my blood.

"No need to thank me."

    Was the answer.

    I glanced at him, searching for discomfort. He glanced at the water, searching for suicidal fish.

    Yet, there was a kind smile on his face.

⋆༺♱༻⋆

“I wonder if Mr. Izawa still remembers the day we met.”

    Sat on the steps leading to the stage, I keep my forehead leant against the metallic rod at its bottom. Hands gripping it.

    I’ve been trying to divert my thoughts from Tatsuya since morning, but all I achieve is to make them circle around someone else. Very smart, girl. Very smart…

“Megumi?”

    At the sound of his voice, I raise my eyes at Longwei. My forehead still leant against the railing. A few steps away, he observes me with a faint smile failing to hide the concern in his lemon eyes.

“Would you accept to accompany me to Chûkagai? I have some purchases to make there.”

    An attempt to distract me from the last day’s events? Or maybe to distract himself? Anyway, that sure wouldn’t hurt. I guess.

“Okay.”

    Standing up, I follow him in silence as we leave the circus.

⋆༺♱༻⋆

    It’s already the middle of the afternoon when we reach Choyomon’s gate, at the east of the Chinese neighbourhood.

    Over the red pillars, the bases of the superposed roofs are richly decorated, golden dragons painted over the jade background. Among other countless gildings.

    As we pass under the arch, I can’t help but stare up at the hypnotising details, glance at the fans pinned to the pillars.

    At this hour, there’s still a lot of people going in both directions, stopping at one of the numerous stands selling grilled skewers, chukamans…

    A scent of fried chicken, crackling sounds reach us as we bypass a stand of karaage. The customers’ voices a mix of Chinese and Japanese.

“Have you been here before?” Longwei asks, adjusting to my pace.

    From time to time, some curious passersby glance at us. What intrigues them is no mystery.

“Yeah. Actually, I skipped classes almost every year to see the lion dance during the Chinese New Year.”

“Is that so?” He chuckles. “You have to be really fond of it to skip classes for that reason.”

“Not that much. It wasn’t a rare thing for me. To avoid going to school, I mean.”

    Over our heads hang numerous red lanterns, slightly waved by the wind. Following one another in an undulating line, they shape the body of a mystical creature floating over the street. A dragon’s head at its end.

“If there’s something weighing on you, that you wish to speak about,” Longwei says in a softened tone, “don’t hesitate. I’ll gladly listen to you.”

    Oh god.

    I’m not used to people being genuinely kind. What reaction am I supposed to have?

    A sigh.

“I’m sorry,”Longwei adds, “I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.”

“Ahh! Wait, no! That wasn’t…” I trail off, waving my hands clumsily. “…ughhh… I just…”

    Fingers agonising against the air, choked by oxygen’s molecules.

    A chuckle.

“Easy there. I guess you’ve been alone for a long time, just know that it isn’t the case any more.”

    Not alone?

    Such alien-sounding words that it helps me to calm down. It was like saying to a fish that it can now breathe air. Wonderful. But… How does it work? Being able to breathe doesn’t mean it’ll be able to do anything else than pathetically wriggle against the ground, lacking legs to walk.

“I… There’s one thing I-” I pause with a wince. “What did you want to buy?”

    Fuck.

“Some accessories for the circus. Ahh, and I should buy some eggs as well.” Longwei continues in the most natural way possible, despite my terminal communication skill issue.

“Eggs?” I raise an eyebrow.

    For the rest of the afternoon, I let Longwei lead me through the neighbourhood. He seems to know Chûkagai by heart, and sometimes, I hear him exchange words in fluent Chinese with the sellers.

    We end up spending quite some time in a shop with countless intriguing products. The shelves are so crowded I don’t dare to get too close to them. I can’t help seeing them as traps for clumsy customers who’ll have to pay for the broken ones.

    Cautiously, I join Longwei. He’s attentively observing different plates one by one. Not your casual tableware, that said. They’re large, colourful plates crafted with a lot of detail.

“It would be a good idea to use new ones for my performance. The ones I have are getting old, covered with scratches.”

“Huuum.” I contemplate the plates as he ends up choosing some. “Ohh. That’s why you needed eggs.”

    He nods in reply.

“Are you disappointed they aren’t meant for cakes?”

“Not especially.” I avert my gaze with a frown.

    The chuckle he lets out makes me question if becoming a true furyō wouldn’t be a good idea, after all. But I resist the urge.

    By the time we end our purchases, stopping at some food stalls, it’s getting late.

    As the streets become less and less crowded, I’m growing more confident by his side.

“About… Tatsuya. Is he…?” I mutter.

    No one dared to speak about what happened to him yesterday. We just got freed from patrols for the night. Which didn’t help.

    Seeing the troop members like that, the circus losing its usual energy, I didn’t dare to ask them either. As if afraid saying the words would make come true something I wanted to be a lie.

    A glance at Longwei, and I notice his tense expression.

“Tatsuya… He used all his remaining memories. It’s something that happens in the end. You forget you shouldn’t use the little mana you have left…”

    A knot forms in my stomach against my consent.

“But, it just means he can’t use magic any more, right? You don’t die from amnesia.”

“Don’t you?” Longwei glances at me, forcing a smile. “When everything is erased, when nothing remains of your past, you become a blank canvas. No colours, no emotions. Isn’t it death?” He pauses. “Tatsuya won’t be able to return to us.”

“But then, even if he can’t be the same as before, he can still make new memories! We should be by his side, we should try to help! Isn’t that what each of you claim every time? That if one of the troop members has a problem, everyone does?! Where is Tatsuya now? Where did the director-”

“Megumi!!” Longwei interrupts my outburst, raising his voice for the first time since we met.

    I widen my eyes. ‘Remain silent for a while.

“What are you hiding from me?”

“Grrruuuhhhhrr…”

    Nearby growls.

    A hand surges between us, its sharp claws ripping the air as we both step back in time. Eyes widening, it’s when we realise that the few remaining people are nothing more than Jikininkis. Men and women, dressed up in traditional Chinese outfits.