MYSTERY II: The message

The murky grey sky whistled the gone summer and the coming autumn. The family wept outside the cremation house, their once loved son was nothing but a pile of ashes now. Yukio stood outside the cremation, hands in the pocket of his coat and a dust of rose on his nose. The cinder of ambers left in the form of smoke through the chimney of the cremation house. The wailing cries echoed and Yukio did not blink to the subtle grey smoke of ashes in the air. He didn't grieve, he consumed. The familiarity, the same cremation house, the same murky sky, the same wailing of grieving humans and the same him who didn't blink, just some inches taller.

“Its back.” He mumbled to himself, the corner of his eyes catching the familiar autumn shade approaching. The wooden beads rotating on his fingers as he chanted some obscene religious gibberish. “Maybe this time…” Yukio's words falling on deaf ears, he locked his eyes with Kaname, who did not look away. “I'll be able to catch it…”

Kaname stopped beside Yukio, facing the same cremation house, clasping his hands together with the mantra beads in between. He closed his eyes as he prayed. Fascinating. “Do shamans pray for the peace of the criminals too? I thought they didn't do anything without a price.” Perhaps it sounded like he was edging him on. But he was not, these were his raw opinions.

Kaname shook his head, his hands falling by his sides. An odd grey hue in his hazelnut eyes, a sharp yet lost charisma in them. “I prayed alright. I prayed that he'll never find heaven.” The silence was pungent, it scrunched Yukio's nose with an odd itch. An itch to pull him closer by his collar, to look in those sharp eyes and affirm if they were the eyes of a messiah or a killer-

“Any idea why they killed Hiroshi?” Kaname nudged gently without looking Yukio's ways. Yukio simply chose to not open his mouth, watching the grey smoke become one with the murky sky. “So you know.” Kaname concluded. Yukio did not confirm nor deny, causing Kaname to cackle in annoyance as he ran a hand through his autumn hair, something Yukio assumed to be a habit of his.

The air seemed to have paused when Kaname finally looked Yukio's way. Yukio had no curious mystery in his eyes, no life and no preparedness. Eyes that were far too familiar to Kaname. Silent rage. That's what his eyes were filled with. The air chilled when the murky smoke whiffed up in Kaname's eyes, unknown disgust crawled up his throat. Yukio put his glasses back on, as if masking his visible rage.

For a man who wishes to be a mystery, he sucks at making himself a secret.

Yukio was like a broken constellation, he held his purpose and meaning, yet the dots that connected to the core of him were missing. The fury of silence was replaced with a dread of terror, cold and dark. As if searching to swallow whole something to fill his hunger. “You've been requested Kaname.” Yukio's voice was but a whisper, crawling down the hole of his ears, down to the ribs of his chest, a discomfort of itch tightened Kaname’s chest. Kaname took out his phone from his pocket, the beads on his wrist clanked together making an echoing sound. The only other sound after the wailing of the couple, the cinders of the chimney and the beating of their hearts. Kaname opened a chat box, showing the screen to Yukio, a text from an unknown number.

We ask you to hold the Sōji and Hōji ceremony. We would also like you to bring your friends, Hikari and Yukio to the ceremony to personally make up for the inconveniences you all had to face due to our incompetency. The details will be sent to you via email.

-Kira Kanzaki

The message was straightforward enough. Yukio's lips stretched, forming a thin smile. His smile didn't reach his eyes. Kaname knew instantly that Yukio knew something that he didn't, he could see the calculated glint in Yukio's eyes. As if he had predicted the death unfolding. Like it did last time, exactly how he had wished for it. His frost mint hair crowded his eyes from beneath the thick glasses.

“You know something that I don't, don't you?” Though he didn't answer verbally, he nodded. Both stood there in silence, once more watching the smoke emitting from the chimney. So grey and… suffocating. As if the colour of the smoke itself was sucking the life out of others. A question crossed Kaname's head, a question that Yukio had been holding on to for years.

“I wonder who will be the next person to turn into that murky smoke next…” Kaname murmured, a voice lacking of life and a presence of mind. Lost in thoughts that he would never voice. Yukio's hand felt the tremble that he had been holding onto, avoiding it’s invasion in his veins. He clenched his fist tighter, avoiding creeping fear.

Who will turn into ashes next…

The words echoed in his head. It was the right question, What Kaname asked was the right question. The beads in Kaname’s hands made a sound again, when he put his phone and Yukio couldn't help but gulp, for his mind had conjured up a question he wished it didn't.

What if… it's Kaname who turns to ashes next?

No. Not again. This time will be different. His thoughts bundled together to be a positive light in his head and yet, the murky grey in the air seemed to have zapped the colour from Kaname's face, Yukio's heart raced, his throat felt dry, as if vines were pricking his flesh from inside his chest. Feel of cold sweat covered his nape and he couldn't help but reach out to hold Kaname's wrist. His breath felt short, though a chill in his eyes Kaname didn't pay it any mind. It was not like Yukio was dying. Whatever he was dealing with, was none of Kaname's concern. He wanted nothing to do with Kaname, not even help him.

“Let's all go together…” His hoarse voice managed through his dry throat. And his grip on Kaname's wrist tightened, if it was a girl it could've been painful but Kaname hardly felt it. “You want to know why Hiroshi was killed right? We'll find everything out there.”

Kaname had too much on his mind, 5 people were dead, their killer was killed by another killer. The said killer was not a first time killer, a Kanzaki contacted him but why? He wasn't even a full fledged shaman, why would the Kanzaki wishes for a shaman instead of a priest? Why would Yukio suddenly changed his torn and why…

Rustle.

The usual colourless sky felt more drained of life than on any other day? Why did it feel like there were always eyes on him? Why did it feel like he was alone?