Chapter 18: Rohan

“Uhggg.” I was shot in the right shoulder.

Nitsuji used the Acupunclysis (Acupuncture Paralysis, one of Hashimaru’s gadgets, it’s a sharp metal pin that can paralyze the body when pricked in any part of the body of the target) to immobilize the kidnapper.

“Jen’s shoulder was shot!” Nee-chee came to my aid. He caught me as I was about to fall down.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a scrape.” I said, while holding my bleeding shoulder.

“But you’re losing too much blood, Jen!” He said. 

“Gosh, Jen! What happened?!” Shy and others came.

“Are you okay? There’s blood on your shoulder, Jen.” Ace asked me.

“The bullet just grazed me. It’s fine.” I replied. 

“Jairo, we need to bring Jen to the base clinic right no—!” Nee-chee was about to call Jairo for aid, but he noticed Jairo like he was going to kill someone.

Jairo’s face darkened.

“Jairo, what are you about to do?” Nitsuji grabbed Jairo’s shoulder.

“Let me go, Nitsuji.” Jairo said.

“Crap! This is bad! Ken, hold on to Jen for me.” Nee-chee reacted.

“When Jairo’s like that, no one could stop him. I’ll help Nitsuji.” Nee-chee explained.

“Nitsuji, if you don’t want to get hurt, let go.” Jairo said with a face of a demon.

Nitsuji didn’t react.

“Really? Then I guess I really want to be hurt right now.” Jairo punched Nitsuji.

“Whaa—!” Shy reacted.

“What wrong with you, Jairo!” She added while she’s assisting Nitsuji.

“Stop, Jairo.” Jennifer was holding Jairo’s hand.

“Jennifer, don’t approach him! He’ll hurt you!” Nitsuji yelled.

Jairo was about to slap Jennifer, but Nee-chee hurried and pulled Jennifer towards him.

“Stay away from him, Jenni.”

“But—!”

“Jairo’s a former assassin. He kills.” When I heard that, my eyes widened... out of shock and anger.

I stood up.

“Jen, you’re still—!” Nee-chee tried to stop me. 

“I could still remember him trying to gouge out Shinsui’s eyes when they had a fight just before you guys became agents. He might kill yo—!” I slapped Nee-chee’s face.

“J... Jen?” Ace called.

“He’s not going to kill anyone. Shut up.” He shivered when he saw me like that. I was really furious.

Jairo was about to strangle the one who shot me.

“Jen, you’re still in no condition to—!” Nitsuji exclaimed.

“I can stop him, Nitsuji. Let me do it.” Using very cold eyes, I said that to him.

He’s a lot like me.

He’s always alone and sad.

He’s someone who doesn’t have something to protect.

“Ugh!” The strangled kidnapper reacted.

“Is Jen going to be okay?” Nee-chee asked.

I put on the FB Hand Protector. I tapped Jairo’s arm.

“Stop it, Jairo.” I looked at him ferociously.

“Let go, Jen.” He said.

His gaze... it’s like a monstrous aura was going to consume me.

But oh well, you knew me? I got angry.

“Let go. I’m going to kill this guy.” Hmmm ? He won’t listen to me?

What blood lust! Guess I’ll be doing this the hard way!

I clenched my fist out of anger.

“WAKE UP, YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!” I punched him so hard that the ground split up. There’s a little tremor around the area.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?” Everybody’s shocked of course!

“GOSH! HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME EXERT ENERGY, YOU ONE BOORISH PUNK! YOU WANT TO DIE THAT BADLY? COME ON, I’LL GIVE IT TO YOU! I’LL CLOBBER YOU FOR GOOD!” I guess I'm too scary that everyone got afraid of me. 

“You already did, Jen.” They reacted. 

“Whaaa—! Jairo’s knocked out!” Nee-chee said while crying.

“He’s alive, isn’t he? He’s alive, isn’t he? Waaaaa!” He added. He’s like a kid! 

“JEN, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?! YOU WANT TO KILL ME? WHY USE THE HAND PROTECTOR?!” Jairo recovered, and said that angrily.

“Oh? So you’re alive?” I asked.

“OF COURSE I AM!” He replied.

“Ahahahahaha...” Nitsuji laughed.

“Did you bump your head on a rock, Nitsuji?” I asked him.

“NO!” He smiled.

“It’s just that... both of you need each other.” Nitsuji said.

“Hahaha! Yeah, why don’t you guys marry each other?” Nee-chee added.

CRASH!!!!!

“Suoryy fuor muokuong fuon uof yuouo, Juon. Uo wuon’t duo uot uoguouon.”*Sorry for making fun of you, Jen. I won’t do it again.*

I clobbered him for good! 

“So, where are the children?” I asked Ken.

“They’re outside with Shinsui and Hashiko.” Ken answered while pointing the way.

“Thank you for saving us.” The children bowed.

“These children are being held captive by kidnappers. How tragic.” Ace said.

It was then that I looked at the boy once again. He looked like exactly Dylan.

I was holding on my bleeding shoulder.

“You got shot, Jen?” Hashiko asked.

“Yeah.” I answered.

“This might take for awhile. Why don’t you rest under that tree, Jen?” Hashiko insisted. 

“Okay.” I agreed though. 

“But we need to take Jen to a hospital, Hashiko!” Shy insisted.

“No, it’s okay. The children are more important. This is just a scratch. No big deal, Shy.” I reasoned out.

They seemed to believe me, but honestly. THE WOUND REALLY HURTS LIKE HELL! I really can’t show others my vulnerable side. Heh.

I leaned on the tree, while Jairo was standing beside me.

“Jen...” He called my name.

“What?” I felt so irritated. 

“Thank you for punching me earlier.” Hmm? He said. He liked getting punched?

“You’re not angry on my behalf, right?” I asked him, and then he seemed to understand what I mean.

“Yeah.” He answered.

It’s not his fault that he was born as an assassin. He was raised in a very different environment. He was open to killing and violence, let alone his silence. How terrifying.

As I looked at him, I couldn’t help but to be sad.

I’m sure Nitsuji noticed that too.

That time... when I stopped him...

“Let go. I’m going to kill this guy.”

Jairo was about to kill me too. If I didn’t hit him that time, Jairo might have killed the kidnapper. Of course, me too.

I can’t help it but ask myself... how can I save him? How can I make him live like a normal person?

It was then that the boy we saved, Rohan, came close to me.

“Are you okay, sister?” He asked.

“I’m fine.” I smiled at him.

It was then that he lifted his hand and tried to reach my shoulder.

I happened to notice that my shoulder’s not hurting anymore.

“That kid—!” Jairo noticed.

He just healed my injury, by touching it.

I’m not wrong about this child afterall...

***

When we reached the base...

“I’m going to take back Jairo as my partner.” I said to Hashimaru.

“Haha, I knew you’d say that!” Hashimaru said.

“Then what about Jennifer?” Ken asked.

It was then that...

“No, no! It’s okay!” Hashimaru said.

“Mission complete.” Jennifer said using a robotic voice.

She’s a robot?!

“She’ll deactivate by the time Jen wants to work with Jairo again. Pretty good, ain’t it?” Hashimaru explained.

That pissed me!

“So you knew that Jen’s alive afterall way back before?!” Shinsui asked.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Ace asked.

“I didn’t know. It just like felt like Jen’s not yet dead for me. It’s an intuition.” He smiled.

I can tell from him that he’s very relieved that I’m alive. Oh well, even if he looks like that... part of me wants to believe that he treats us like his own kids too.

“So? Can I have lunch with you, Jen? Maybe tomorrow?” TSK! FORGET WHAT I SAID!

THIS OLD GEEZER WAS A TOTAL SCUM!

“Can I kill you, Hashimaru?!” I glared at him. 

“Ah, she snapped.” Nee-chee reacted as if he knew what was going to happen. 

BOOM! CRACK! SLASH! CRASH!

“Tsk! You never changed, Hashimaru!” I half-killed him.

“I... I... I’...m... th..e bo...ss.” Everyone’s scared.

“Sorry! I got my memories back, Hashimaru. That’s for flirting with me when I was still 4 years old.” I smiled at him. 

“Ah, by the way! I’m going to look after Rohan.” I added. 

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!” I knew you'd all react like that. 

Because Rohan... 

That boy... is Dylan’s reincarnation. I think?