Chapter 11: Mission Hashiko

I was frozen all day. 

“Where is that young man? I'll murder him myself!" Then, I finally recovered.

“Eh? Where’s everyone?” By the time I came to my senses, everyone was already gone. Where did they go?

I found the room’s air conditioner open, and since nobody’s here. I decided to turn it off. I was not that tall, so I moved the chair and stood using it, for me to reach the switch of the air conditioner.

“Jeez, these rich kids don’t know how to conserve energy.” I finally turned it off but as I was about to go down the chair, my shoe slipped. I almost fell but Jairo saved me from totally hitting the ground.

“Oh!” I was obviously surprised.

“What are you doing?” Jairo asked.

“I just turned off the aircon.” I awkwardly replied.

“Why don’t you just let it be? The university’s paying for that.” It was then that he let me fall.

“Ouch!” I reacted.

“You’re heavy!” He said.

“WHA—!” He really knew how to make me mad.

“I thought my arm’s going to break.” He added sarcastically.

“What’s your problem, you bastard?!” I said.

“You just called me bastard again?” He said seriously.

“Huh?” What the—! It’s not his normal weird self.

“I’ll buy you books... as many as you want.” He said.

He just touched my face, and had his face close to mine.

“So...” He whispered something on my ears. Huh? What the hell was this guy’s saying! He’s nuts!

“Stay away from me!” I pushed him away. I felt his cold voice.

It was then that the floor of the room flipped, and we both fell on it. This was Hashimaru’s work. Damn, couldn’t he read the flow of the atmosphere? That old geezer!

“Ahg!” We fell down in soft pillow bed.

“Haha! Welcome, Jen! I was expecting your arrival!” Hashimaru popped his face right in front of me.

“Well, well, I didn't expect your sudden kidnapping!” I yelled at him.

***

“You guys have another mission.” Hashimaru said.

“So who’s the client this time, Hashimaru?” Nitsuji asked.

“Are you okay, Jen? You didn’t get hurt in the fall, right?” Shy asked.

“Hey, Hashimaru! Jen’s just recovered from the last mission you know!” Ken said to Hashimaru.

“Hahahaha, I’m your client.” Hashimaru said like he’s joking.

“Seriously? He asked us to bring someone to him?” Ace asked.

“That person lives in the Nozama forest.” Nitsuji said.

“Nozama forest? It’s my first time hearing that name.” Shinsui said.

“Our mission is to bring the boy living in there to him.” Nitsuji explained to us. 

“Ok, we got it.” We all agreed.

***

When we arrived at the forest...

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Actually, we’re running.

“HOW THE HELL THAT THIS FOREST HAS LIONS, VULTURES AND OTHER CREEPY CREATURES IN IT?!” We asked.

We recalled Hashimaru's words awhile ago before leaving the base.

***

“Haha! No worries! The forest is safe!” Hashimaru said, while laughing.

***

“That damn geezer!”We were running from the wolves that were chasing us. It was then that I stumbled on a rock and fell.

“Ah?” I reacted. I was really clumsy.

“Waa! Jen fell!” Nee-chee said.

That time Jairo saved me. He managed to kill all the wolves in just a glance. I couldn’t believe it. I’ve always thought that he’s amazing but he’s really incredible. It was then that I remembered what happened to us not so long ago. I just suddenly turned silent.

“Are you alright?” He asked and I couldn’t answer.

“Amazing, Jairo!” Ken said with her sparkling eyes.

“That’s really something. What are you made of, Jairo?” Ace asked him.

“Eh? Don’t you know already?” Nee-chee seemed shocked.

“Know what?” Ace asked.

“Jairo is a professional assassin.” Nee-chee added.

Professional assassin? It made me remember Warrod, from the witch mission incident. He’s also a professional assassin, right? Was it possible that Jairo also know him?

“You didn’t have to mention that, Nee-chee.” Jairo pinched Nee-chee'scheeks.

“My bad.” He said.

“Assassin? Then, how did you become an agent?” Ace curiously asked.

“Long story.” Jairo answered. 

“Jairo Kyuen is just an alias. Jairo’s true name is Jairo Clyde.” Eh? When I heard the word Clyde, something in my head felt disturbed. It started to hurt so bad.

“What’s happening, Jen? Are you okay?” Nitsuji said.

“My head hurts.” I touched my head.

***

“Jen, remember her? She’s from a Clyde family.”

***

Whose voice was this?

***

“Hello. I wanted to meet you. He really talks about you a lot.”

***

“Jen! Jen!” Shiru called me.

I was totally spacing out.

“I was worried, so I asked Hashimaru about your location. And here I am.” He said.

***

“Hold my hand, Jen.”

***

This voice won’t stop playing in my head. I felt like I had forgotten someone so dear to me, but...

I couldn’t remember who it was.

“Sh... Shiru.”

I felt like I was about to cry.

“What happened?” Shiru tried to hold my hands.

“You sure got here so fast, Shun.” Nitsuji said.

“Are you okay, Jen?” Shiru asked again.

“Yes, I’m... fine.” I was barely okay.

“Thank you for saving Jen back then.” Shiru thanked Jairo.

“You shouldn’t thank me, Shiru. She’s just a weakling, so I just saved her.” Jairo explained.

The both of them felt like they’re having a war between them. I didn’t know, but it just felt that way.

“They’re fighting because of you, Jen! Haha!” Nee-chee jokingly said.

I glared at Nee-chee.

“Could you shut that bloody mouth of yours, Nee-chee?” I felt like the devil in me was totally awakened every time Nee-chee annoys me.

“She... she’s scary.” He had gone to Ken.

It was then that someone approached us.

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” A guy, the same age as us, approached us.

“I’m Nitsuji. Are you, by chance, Hashiko?” Nitsuji asked.

“Yes.” He replied.

“We were asked by your father to bring you back at the agency.” Nitsuji said.

“Eh?” Most of us reacted to that.

“Hashimaru has a son?” Ken asked.

“So someone really managed to marry him?” Shy asked too.

“Poor wife. I can’t imagine her misery.” Ace said.

“I won’t go back to the agency.” Hashiko replied.

“But, Hashimaru said—!” Shy tried to repeat it again.

“That agency killed my friends and my mother! I will never go back to that place again!” Hashiko looked so sad and said that.

We were all shocked.

“So you guys, are the new agents? Are you sure you really wanted to become like that? Or were you forced to?” He asked.

Yes, he blackmailed us on the top of that! I, myself, wanted to kill him for that!

“You’d better leave that stupid old man!” He added.

Hearing that from his son made me snap. 

I slapped his face with my right hand. Everyone was panicked.

“You said that the agency killed your friends and your mother, right?” I asked him.

How many times did I consider him annoying just because he’s smiling almost everyday?

“That stupid old man of yours...” He actually listened to me.

“He lost his former agents, his wife and his son, yet he can still manage to smile. Now tell me, how can that stupid old man be stupid?” I asked Hashiko.

“You...” He seemed shocked after he listened to me. I wondered why.

“Okay. I’ll do it.” He agreed so easily.

“In one condition...” He added.

“What condition?” I asked.

“Date me.”  Our minds crashed a little.

“Like father like son, I guess.” Shy said.

“More importantly, is he still alive from Jen’s punch plus the impact of FB Hand Protector?” Nee-chee asked.

“Yup, he’s totally dead.” Shinsui said.

“You’re coming with me!” I said while pulling him on the way. He fainted.

“May you rest in peace, Hashiko!” Shinsui and the others prayed.

“I’m still alive!” He kept getting off.

“Let me go! I’m not going if you’re not going to date me!” He said.

“You little—!” Just when I was about to turn my head to see Hashiko’s face, Shiru and Jairo was on our back. They looked like serial killers.

“Stop forcing her to date you, will you?” Shiru really had something to say.

“The mission’s to bring him back. It doesn’t mean he has to be alive, right?” Here come Jairo The Assassin!

What the hell!

“Stop it, you blighted creatures!” I used blighted creatures there because they’re ninja and assassin. Both were included in a world of bloodbath.

Just when I was about to push the both of them back, Jairo touched my hand and suddenly, I was flustered so I freed my hand from his grip.

“Don’t touch me!” I pushed him away.

“Oh? Did you guys fight again?” Nitsuji asked.

How rare for him to ask that. He never really cared about us fighting each other before. Neither the two of us answered his question.

“Hashiko, I’ll just introduce some girl to you, and then you can date her.” I suggested to Hashiko.

“Jen, he wants you. Introducing him to another girl will hurt his pride. That’s too harsh for a guy who just confessed his feelings for you!” Nee-chee exclaimed.

“Introduce her to me, okaaaaaaay~?” Hashiko said with a very pleased face.

“You’re saying something, Nee-chee?” Nee-chee plopped on the ground.

“Just how desperate are you to date someone?" Nee-chee asked Hashiko.

“Any pretty girl is fine.” Hashiko replied.

“That’s not the point!” Nee-chee yelled at him.

On our way back to the base, we noticed that the main gate was already open. It’s so mysterious. Only certified agents could access the main gate, so why?

When we arrived at the base, Hashimaru was already on the ground dripping with blood.

“What the hell happened here?” Shinsui asked.

“Hashimaru!” I came close to him.

“Hey! Wake up! What’s wrong? Who did this to you?” Shy continuously asked.

“How did this happen?” Nitsuji asked. He was very worried.

The whole base was wrecked like someone’s been on rampage all day.

“Girls...” Hashimaru regained consciousness.

“Thank goodness you’re alright! Who did this to you?” Ken exclaimed.

“You... need to... go now.” Hashimaru could barely utter some words.

“What the hell are you talking about? Tell us who did this!” I yelled at him.

“You guys are... in... trouble. Flee... this instant.” He was barely talking.

It was then that the agency soldiers came inside the base, and have all of us surrounded.

“Don’t put up any resistance! We all have this base surrounded!” They said.

“What are you talking about?” Nitsuji asked.

“Surrender Jeinivive Genesis if you don’t want to be killed!” One of them said.

They’re after me? Why?

“You’re a threat for the agency!” They said.

“What? I didn’t do anything.” I said.

“We were ordered to kill you!” They added.

“That’s not a good joke! Jen’s an agent too!” Nitsuji exclaimed.

They were after me but they involved Hashimaru in this? And now, everyone?

“You only need me, right? Please don’t involve anyone anymore.” I stood and walked right through them.

“Jen, what are you doing?” Ace asked.

“I can’t involve you guys. At least, run away from here.” I said to them.

“You didn’t do anything wrong! Why give up yourself?!” Ken asked.

“Please, Nitsuji. Run away with them. I know you’ll do it.” I looked at Nitsuji with a very sad look.

“But—!” Nitsuji seemed troubled by it too.

“Now’s not the time for you to waver. Your orders are absolute. They’ll follow you, Leader.” He seemed to have understood what I mean.

“Okay! Everyone, go out now!” He ordered. He grabbed Shy and ran away. The same thing with Nee-chee to Ken, and Shinsui to Ace.

“D... dad.” Hashiko said.

“So, you’re... okay. Thank goodness... Hashiko.” He smiled.

“Hashiko, I’m sorry. I can’t fulfill my promise to you, but I can still save your father.” I clenched my hands.

“You can?” I presented and gave him the pearls that the guardian gave me. I still have three of those. I gave him one of the pearls.

“Let him swallow one.” I said.

“This is—!” I cut Hashiko off.

“Now go!” I let them go.

“Thank you. I’m grateful, Jen!” He said and ran with his father on his shoulder.

How the hell did that Hashiko knew my name when I still haven’t introduced myself? Whatever. It’s not the first time so I guess I was not shocked at all.

“So? What are you two still doing here?” I mean Jairo and Shiru. They still haven’t move a step away from me.

“Could you tell Jairo to run too, Jen?” Shiru said sweetly.

“I was basically going to ask her the same thing, Shiru.” Jairo said.

“Could you stop calling me ‘Shiru’? Jen’s the only one allowed to call me that.” Shiru argued with Jairo.

“So that’s why, you asked the girls to call you ‘Shun’? Too bad, I want to call you Shiru too.” They started arguing.

Although I felt so happy that time.

“Hey, I’m referring to the both of you.” I said.

“I can’t leave my best friend behind, can I?” Shiru added.

“I can’t leave my partner behind, can I?” Jairo also added.

They started staring at each other this time.

“I can’t leave my fiancée (made to piss Jairo actually) behind, can I?” Shiru started anothe fight.

“I can’t leave my fiancée (made by Nitsuji to piss Jen actually) behind, can I?" Jairo also joined in. Are you kids? Yeah, they started competing with each other. 

I wanted to laugh that time but I couldn’t.

“You guys don’t need to sacrifice yourselves to protect me, okay?” I pushed the button that was in Hashimaru’s table, and that made the floor that Shiru and Jairo were standing flipped.

“J—! Jen!” Yep, they fell.

“I’m really sorry.” I said.

The soldiers grabbed my shoulders.

“You need to come with us!” You’re already grabbing my shoulders, you morons!

“Where are you taking me?” I asked one of them.

It was then that I realized something weird. The soldiers were acting weird. They dragged me to where the artifact was.

“Why did you bring me—!” I was cut off, when I saw someone who looked like someone I really know.

“Who are you?”