Foolish Child

“Huh?!” they cried in unison.

What the hell?!

“W-what? Y-you're just joking right? Hehe? Right?” Iome chuckled awkwardly.

Takada opened his mouth, about to say something—then stopped, clenching his pants. Iome’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean call off the engagement? Did I do something wrong?!” Iome panicked. Sweat started streaming down Takada’s forehead, and he could see tears were about to start streaming down her face.

“N-no! You’ve done nothing wrong!” he blurted.

What have I done?

“Then why? Why would you want to call it off? Our wedding was going to be just next week!”

He bit his lip, perhaps a little too hard. But the pain didn’t even matter to him.

“W-wait! P-please listen! I can explain!”

Tears started to trickle from her eyes, and her hands began shaking.

“W-why?” she cried silently. “What have I done wrong?”

“It… It’s not your fault…”

Iome looked away from him and clutched her chest.

“I tried my best… I wanted to be your wife… sniff… I j-just…”

This is what you wanted.

“Iome, I…” Takada started. “I just…”

Isn’t this what you wanted?

“You just what, Takada?!” she snapped. “What reason could you have that you had to wait until RIGHT NOW to tell me?!”

“...”

He looked down at his knees, struggling to find the right words. All he was able to manage was “Y-you… You aren’t the problem…” before Iome slammed her palms on the table and shot straight up to her feet.

“Then what is the problem, Takada?!”

“L-listen, Iome! Please!” he pleaded.

She shook her head violently.

“No, Takada! I went out of my way to become the ideal housewife just for YOU!”

You wanted this!

“I swear you aren’t the problem! P-please, just hear me out!”

She buried her face in her hands and wept.

“I’ve always loved you! I wanted to be a doctor, but I wanted to be your wife more!”

What?

“I didn’t realize…” he reluctantly admitted. “I’m s-so sorry. Please, I beg of you.”

Iome hesitantly raised her head, showing her red, puffy face.

“All I ask is that you hear me out.”

This is what you wanted. Now’s your chance to set things straight.

“I’m listening, Takada. I can only pray that you haven’t found another girl.”

You need to end this—Right now!

“I would never! That’s not the reason!” he protested.

“So then… Why? You seem so adamant about breaking things off… Why?”

“B-because, I—”

Whump!

“Huh?!” they exclaimed.

The door slid open with a quickness. Iome looked at the doorway and her eyes got wide.

This is bad.

Reluctantly, Takada slowly turned his head to follow her gaze, then his mouth fell open. There were two men in the doorway—one with white hair and a wooden mask, and the other with gray hair and a wrinkling face.

“I-Iguchi? Mr. Tsurana?”

What are THEY doing here?

Iome’s father slowly took a step inside.

“I can’t believe my ears…”

Damn it.

“If I hadn’t heard it for myself, I’d never have believed it,” Iguchi said, grabbing his mask with his left hand.

“W-wait! I can explain!” Takada stammered.

“Mr. Tsukiyuki, I believe you’ve explained more than enough! I want you out of my house this instant!!” her father shouted. He walked over to his daughter and they embraced each other tightly.

No—Not like this! Damn it!

“I…”

Takada made a fist with his right hand, then put it to his chest.

That’s right.

He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled out the red envelope.

“I sincerely apologize and offer this money as condolence. I shall take my leave now.”

Takada set it on the table and climbed to his feet.

“Mr. Tsurana, I beg for your forgiveness,” Iguchi said, bowing his head. “This man has brought shame upon my family, and dared to shame yours. I will return later to help ensure this is resolved quickly and quietly.”

Iguchi stormed out of the house, as Takada was about to cross through the doorway. Looking back at Iome one more time, their eyes met.

Such sadness…

“Goodbye, Iome.”

The Tsukiyuki brothers walked together in silence, back to their mansion. What was there to say, anyway?

* * *

They entered the mansion, greeted by a confused Amira. They passed by their sisters who were now awake; Maki was dressed in her maid uniform, sitting on the left set of the staircase sulking; Zashi was wearing a frilly black and white dress, drinking tea in the dining room while polishing her kunai; They both had questions—none of them were answered by Takada. Iguchi’s reply was merely, “Takada and I have to erect the barrier before the upcoming ceremony,” before moving on.

He ordered Takada to grab the psycarrion from his room and they departed for the family graveyard on the compound. They entered and Iguchi ensured that his little brother was following behind him every step of the way.

The graveyard wasn’t too different from the one at the Psycho Hunter Academy. The biggest difference was that this wasn’t next to a hill, and was a sea of gray; The walking paths were stone, just like the graves. There was indeed less green here.

The brothers walked until they stopped at a seemingly random headstone. The wind blew softly, with a few leaves getting swept away. Iguchi brushed the tall headstone with his hand, then read the name aloud.

“Saiken Tsurana. Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”

Takada nodded.

“Yes—though, they’re mostly unpleasant.”

“You two were… ARE very alike,” Iguchi said.

He’s not the type to mourn, Takada thought to himself.

So what’s he getting at?

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? Actually, no, I guess it wouldn’t be,” Iguchi stated. “Not to an immature child like you. You both were respectable young men with bright futures ahead of you—yet you both threw it away for whatever selfish reasons you claim!”

Takada was about to say something. He was about to argue—

He’s right.

—Instead, all he could do was stare at the letters carved into the stone. After what felt like an eternity, he felt the need to say something. To say anything.

“Look, Iguchi,” he started. “About Iome, I’m sorry. I—”

“Damn right you are…” Iguchi hissed.

Iguchi snapped around, his left arm swinging to backfist Takada’s face.

“I’m going to make you sorry if it’s the last thing I do, god damn it!!”

Takada quickly put up his arms to block dropping the box. It bounced a few times, landing onto the grave.

“What the hell?!”

Though his left had been repelled, Iguchi wasted no time throwing another punch.

A right!

Takada ducked, avoiding the blow.

Crunch!!

What he didn’t avoid, however, was getting kneed in the face. He got knocked back, and skidded until he hit a headstone.

Why’s he attacking me?!

He climbed to his feet carefully, wiping away the blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.

“If you want to fight, then so be it!” Takada yelled.

“Don’t play dumb,” he muttered to himself.

You know exactly why he’s doing this.

Iguchi hadn’t moved from his place even an inch.

“Here I go,” Takada breathed.

He didn’t have his sword on him, so he’d have to make do. Holding out his right hand open, he clenched it quickly.

“Manifest Pathos: Winter Katana!”

Crisssh!!

He now possessed a katana made of ice.

Iguchi put his left hand on his mask and pulled it off.

“You’re not just a child. You’re also a fool!”

His brother’s grayish blue eyes began to glow yellow. He too reached out his right hand quickly.

“Manifest Pathos: Solar Saber!”

A straight saber of light was in his hand a second later.

“You’ve brought shame to our entire family! I’m going to beat some sense—and some shame— right into you, Takada!”

Here we go…

“I didn’t want it to come to this,” Takada admitted. “But I have no choice, Iguchi!”

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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