[I didn't expect you to be there.]
[Be... Where?]
[At the Assessment, I mean.]
The old man scratches his forearm. A bit falls off.
[Don't worry, it doesn't hurt. Not anymore, I guess my nerves have been burned.]
Wrinkling his nose in disgust, the boy sits just a bit farther, brushing his legs with the cold stone.
[Then why do you even scratch yourself?]
[A bit of a habit. It was really stressful, being back at the IEM after a long, long recovery. Plus, I had to plan out the Assessment with those other three officials...]
For a few minutes, they sit in silence.
[You could've made the Assessment a bit easier.]
He chuckles.
[Even if I knew you were going to fail, I wouldn't, Hinozu. You have the potential to pass it.]
[Except the third part, that is. I can't even breathe properly, and I was met with that... hell of an obstacle.]
[Bah. You'll get something else next time, so don't whine about it.]
Quiet, again.
[I'm sorry, Friedrich.]
[For what?]
Hinozu smiles sheepishly.
[For... Wishing for your death, back then.]
Friedrich laughs, spraying blood on the ground.
[Well, you were a kid, after all. So? How are you holding up?]
[Fine, I guess.]
Friedrich lights up another cigarette.
[You?]
[Eh, I'm doing good. After this, I can finally rest.]
[Retiring?]
[You could say that, yeah.]
He chuckles.
[Why am I even lying? It's not quite like that. Do you see the condition I'm in?]
Hinozu nods, shifting on the ground as his back hurts.
[Don't have much left. I'll just spend the rest of my time smoking, or something.]
[It's a shame. You won't see me pass the Assessment.]
[Well, do it for me, then.]
[Not for you.]
He replies immediately.
Friedrich: [Alright, alright. Don't get so worked up.]
[Though... I'm glad you're doing well. Last time I saw you, you were just a lost kid, looking for something to cling to.]
[Now, you have goals, and a purpose you follow. Well done.]
Hinozu stands up, patting dust off his pants.
[... Was nice talking to you.]
Friedrich: [Sure thing. Live well, Hinozu. I'll be watching from below.]
His laugh turns into coughing as he covers his mouth.
Blood gushes out.
[Are you alright?]
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
[... Y-yeah... Don't worry.]
Friedrich falls to the ground, still coughing. Hinozu extends his arm by instinct, stopping a few inches away from the man.
[D-doesn't look so good... huh? Alright, you win... H-help me out...]
Hinozu's hands tremble.
He forces them to stay steady.
[Is it... easier for you to live?]
The question hangs in the air.
Friedrich's gaze meets Hinozu's.
[I guess... It isn't.]
Hinozu's eyes twitch.
[T-then...]
[Can I... leave you be?]
The old man struggles to breathe, too shocked to respond.
[M-maybe you... don't want to live like this anymore. I guess... You're tired of suffering, right?]
Hinozu's voice falters.
[So... So you don't like it, right? It hurts. You can't do anything. Even if you look at tomorrow, it'll be the same.]
[W-why would you want to... To see tomorrow, then?]
His face twists in agony.
Is this...?
[Wouldn't make much of a difference, right...?]
He says, his voice coming off as raspy. Exhausted.
[It doesn't.]
The man responds, helping himself sit against the wall.
[But... If I live until tomorrow...]
He smiles.
[I'll still have some more cigarettes to smoke.]
Thud.
The boy's knees scrape the pavement as he sinks to the ground.
[F-fuck!]
His hands travel to his face.
[Do I just... Keep going?]
[What if it doesn't work?]
[I won't be saved a second time.]
[Is it really possible?]
[Will it happen?]
[I... I don't know what to do.]
[Even though I do know.]
Friedrich listens attentively. His breaths become shallow.
[You won't figure it out.]
[So... Get up and do it without knowing why, or how. You'll find an answer after.]
[That's... Easy to say. To be honest, I did do everything without knowing why. No, I do know why. I just...]
[Won't accept it wasn't for her.]
[But I'll do it.]
[I know I can do it.]
[It's just a matter of time.]
[And effort.]
...
He stands up, reaching a hand out to Friedrich.
Though...
He'll never be able to grasp it.
You wasted time, Hinozu.
——
[I'm telling you! I swear I saw a demon! It was blue, and had almost... Three, no, four tails! That thing almost looked like it came out of a horror movie...!]
An old woman, her back scrunched. She stomps her walking stick on the tiles, rattling some pipes nearby.
[I'm sorry, ma'am... Isothes aren't blue...]
A soft voice replies.
[They're also far more terrifying than any horror movie monster. Also, are you colorblind or something?]
A boy asks, leaning back on his chair. He winces as the girl sitting next to him slaps his shoulder.
[Don't mind him, ma'am.]
[I'm telling you! That thing had 5 yellow tails out of it!]
The boy sighs.
[Get lost, wrinkles.]
[Ayumu!]
Ayumu: [What? I could've gotten free time if it wasn't for this crazy old lady!]
[Sorry, ma'am.]
[Don't worry, sweetie. What's your name?]
[Kanna.]
She says with a warm smile.
[Hannah? What a nice name, sweetheart. You'll grow up to be very beautiful one day. Just like me.]
Kanna's eyebrow twitches.
Kanna: [I... See...]
The woman slams her palms on the wooden desk.
[I'm telling you! It was horrendous, with his purple skin and long, slender arms!]
Ayumu: [Kill me...]
After a long, arduous hour of convincing, the old lady finally leaves.
Kanna: [It's been disappointment after disappointment...]
Ayumu: [The place may be run down, and... Not again, the pipe's bursting. Anyways, we may also have to sit for 4 hours a day receiving paranoid people, but the uniforms are really nice.]
Kanna: [The sleeves are too tight for my preference. I guess it doesn't matter... We're earning a lot.]
Ayumu chuckles, spinning on his chair.
Ayumu: [I can buy anything I want to!]
Kanna: [Not anything, you donkey.]
A bell rings at the entrance, and their gazes travel to the person entering.
[Still dying here?]
The girl approaches the desk in front.
Ayumu: [Prepare my funeral.]
Kanna: [No one's coming.]
She says before turning to the girl.
Kanna: [So, the usual, Exterminator Angell?]
Ayumu: [Just call her Anise.]
Anise: [She's just trying to be professional.]
Slamming a document and a pen on the desk, Kanna slides them towards Anise.
Kanna: [Details?]
Anise: [Just a 2nd Circle. Led a group of two 4th Rank Exterminators, nothing happened. We were able to exterminate it, though its body exploded, so nothing for research.]
Ayumu: [That's crazy. Did it stink?]
Anise: [Too much.]
She says, chuckling.
Ayumu leans forward, his whole upper body lying on the desk. His gaze focuses on the wall to his left, tracing the pipes running through.
[I'm so tired. I also want to fight demons.]
Anise: [If you stay long enough, you'll have a desk all to yourself in the central base.]
Ayumu: [Same thing, but with a better desk.]
Kanna: [At least it's something more than... Gray walls and pipes.]
Anise finishes writing, handing the document to Kanna. Stretching her arms, she walks around the desk, sighing deeply as she drapes over Kanna's back, hugging her from behind.
Anise: [I want to go shopping...]
Kanna: [Hey. I'm working here, stop bothering.]
Anise: [Don't wanna. Buy me something.]
Silence falls over again. Ayumu hits the lamp on the desk with his fingers.
Ayumu: [Kill me twice...]
Kanna: [Do it yourself.]
She closes her eyes, sighing.
Kanna: [Can you get off me already?]
Anise: [Nope. I'm sleeping.]
[... I give up.]
[So... When are we visiting the Center again?]
Ayumu asks.
[It's just our second week here.]
Ayumu: [Yeah... Need to earn the vacation.]
Anise: [Let's go shopping...]
Kanna: [Go to sleep. Or get off me.]
The lack of response irritates her.
[I guess we'll have to wait a few months here.]
She says.
[It seems so. It's better this way.]
[Why?]
Ayumu: [I'm not ready to see Hinozu yet.]
[He's... Not the same.]
