Family Bonds

The brothers walked together out of the cave and back up the stairs, eyes on the graveyard the whole time.

“Well she was nice. She looked like she hadn't slept in days though,” Takada commented.

“Yes,” Iguchi replied, “She indeed is a nice woman. I’ve asked her for help many times, especially when I needed scrolls. You’d be surprised how often you need them as a teacher.”

“...”

Iguchi turned his head.

“What’s wrong?”

Do I tell him?

Takada stared intently at the headstones, trying to avoid his brother’s gaze.

“Um… I guess I’m just proud that you managed to become a teacher at the academy.”

“... Really? Is that so?”

Takada smiled. “Yeah! I guess it’s because I look up to you.”

Liar.

“Then I’m pleased as well. It means that I’m hopefully setting a good example for you and our sisters.”

Just smile.

“Well I think you’re doing a great job—taking care of us after father passed…” Takada trailed off.

They reached the top of the stairs, both looking down at the sea of headstones once more.

“Is that why you were looking out there? Remembering father?” Iguchi asked.

Takada turned away and started walking off, saying, “Yeah. That’s why.”

You damn liar.

“Well, I’ll see you after your class, brother.”

He put his hand up and waved without looking back.

* * *

Takada walked around the campus, taking his sweet time getting to the treasurer’s office. He roamed around, grumbling to himself. Students passing by him practically froze up in fear. The gloomy look on his face was deadly enough to kill.

He finally muttered something under his breath and entered the building he was looking for.

“L-look! It’s master Takada!”

Two female students—probably third years—saw him approaching. He looked up and flashed a grin.

It’s important to be polite. 

Doesn’t matter how down you feel, he thought to himself.

“Eep! Um, l-let’s get to our next class!”

The girls plastered obviously fake smiles on their faces and hurried past him.

“What’s their problem?” Takada muttered to himself.

Am I that ugly?

“I guess even smiling doesn’t fix that. Whatever… Just breathe in… and out…”

He did this a few times, and the temperature inside the hallway dropped. Continuing onwards, he reached a woman at desk who was wearing southern attire similar to Zisel.

The higher-ups must have a thing for foreign women.

“Hello sir! I am the quartermaster for the academy. What may I do for you?” the woman looked up from her papers, enthusiastically greeting him.

“I’ve had it with smiling women,” he muttered under his breath.

“Did you say something?”

“Not at all. Sorry about that. Good afternoon!” he said warmly.

They all remind me of HER!

“I’m here to collect payment for my latest assignment. Do you need the information and details?”

The woman nodded.

“Yes, if you don’t mind! I’ll just need the mission number, and your name.”

He gave her the information and she asked him to sit down and give her a moment. After waiting for close to two hours, she called him to her desk. On it, several envelopes rested next to her papers, and one of them was red.

Sigh…

“Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!” he said.

He collected his envelopes, putting them into his bag next to the psycarrion. Then, he unbuttoned his jacket partially, and pulled out the red envelope from the bag. Takada put it into his jacket, then buttoned it right back up.

Of course she’d do the budgeting part for me!

He left the building afterwards, staring up at the sky.

“What a lavish waste of money, resources, and even her life.”

He trudged all the way to the campus entrance, then looked for a bench. After finding one to sit on, Takada sat down and felt the weight of the coins in his pocket.

“What a cruel bind fate has locked me into…”

He sat there, under the harsh sun, until the sun went from being white to orange.

The sun shines brightly.

My blood runs cold as ice.

“... Let my soul escape,” Takada said, finishing aloud.

He heard footsteps approaching and turned his head to see who it was.

“God… Are you writing another haiku?”

He sighed before even seeing who it was.

“Hello Zashi. I take it class went well?” he replied.

A girl with blue hair—the same color as his—waltzed in front of him, leaning over and getting in his face.

“Uh huh. So what is it you’re depressed about this time?”

Rolling his eyes he replied, “Nothing. Anyway, where are the others?”

Zashi twirled a few times, her dress-like uniform flapping as she did. She put her palm out and began to blow into it. Tiny ice chunks formed, then grew larger until they became a flat stick.

“How would I know? I know they’re on their way, but I went ahead.”

She fiddled with the stick as she blew, forming uniform spikes. When she finished, Zashi put it in her hair and gently pulled it through, combing her hair.

“I see. I get why you’d leave those two behind… but they’re still our siblings! Please don’t do that!” he scolded.

She knocked her fist on her head and stuck her tongue while winking at him.

“Sigh… What will I do with you?”

There were more footsteps approaching and they both looked expectantly.

“Are you ready to leave?” Iguchi asked as he walked over to them. He was holding some scrolls under his arm.

I see he paid her another visit.

“Unless he already had it,” Takada muttered.

A girl identical to Zashi but with red hair popped out from behind Iguchi. She was Zashi’s near identical twin. The only difference between them looks-wise was the colors of their hair. That, and Zashi didn’t have the look of a quiet, introverted insomniac. 

“Oh. Hey brother.”

He smiled and waved.

“Hey Maki. How was class?”

She grabbed some strands of her hair, twirling them around her finger.

“It went okay, I guess… But brother is always picking on me for sleeping during class,” she said softly.

“You’re just a lazy student. I’m not going to favor you just because you are my sister,” Iguchi retorted.

Maki pouted and pinched Iguchi’s arm.

“Well, let’s get going,” Takada declared as he got up. “We can take a carriage to get home.”

Together, the four siblings departed from the academy. They started walking down a street shaded by trees.

“It’s this way,” Takada pointed. “We’ll have to pass through Takeishta Street.”

The siblings rounded the corner after it was clear.

“I don’t like the idea of becoming the next clan head,” Iguchi said, breaking the silence.

They all looked at him with confused faces. His face was the only one they couldn’t read.

“See, as the strongest Psycho Hunter, it’s my job to make sure the rest of the Psycho Hunters catch up—even surpass my level. That’s why I became a teacher. I can only do so much by myself.”

You’ve hardly done anything for me. Acting all high and mighty…

Takada tried to make sure his thoughts didn’t show on his face.

“You say you’re the strongest, that everyone isn’t up to snuff. But we both know that’s not true…” Maki said softly. “In fact, I’d wager to say that Takada is getting close to your level. His magic is pretty powerful.”

Takada sighed thinking, I remember when she used to call me Taka-chan. He shook his head and said, “I don’t think I’m anywhere close to brother’s level yet. I can’t even cast a subconscious dominion yet.”

The girls nodded their heads in unison.

“Yes, I guess that’s true.”

“Right, he’s just weak and posing.”

“Oh come on!” he protested.

The girls giggled, then the three of them burst out in laughter. As they their laughter died down, Takada looked at his brother and frowned.

“Hey, what’s with the look of pity?” he asked sharply.

“Well, it’s just that—”

“You’re like a cat who takes everything too seriously!” Zashi interrupted.

“That’s not what I was going to say,” Takada started. “But yeah. You act like you’re totally estranged when you’re around us. It makes me kind of sad to see you left out.”

Maki put her hand to her face and said, “Besides… You always have a mask on. It’s been so long since I’ve seen your face.”

She yawned and began slouching as she walked.

“It’s been a while since any of us saw your face. Bet you think you’re pretty hot under there,” Zashi added.

“... What the heck are you talking about?” Iguchi asked.

He finally responded to something!

“Could it be that he’s embarrassed about his face?” Maki asked.

“… You kids these days… Not a care in the world. Able to joke and play.”

What’s his problem?

Takada cleared his throat and pointed. “Look that way. That’s the carriage we need.”

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

If you have any thoughts, theories, or feedback, I'd love to hear them in the comments!