TAP—
The leather shoes easily crushed the charred corpse of a Ghost Human on the ground.
One hand flicked a trace of blood off his pants, while the other shook the embers from his hand.
A handsome face bore a faint expression of disgust.
Pale blue eyes casually swept over the nearly hundred Ghost Human corpses scattered on the ground.
A light blue braid swayed gently behind his head.
Suddenly, he seemed to hear something. He turned his head toward the fortress wall.
The next moment, he leaped into the air, his figure accelerating sharply as he flew toward the wall.
Such a long distance was crossed in the blink of an eye.
TAP—
The leather shoes landed on the ground atop the concrete high wall, producing a crisp sound.
The young man with the light blue braid looked down at the black-haired youth crouching beside him, whose gaze was fixed on the main building area.
“Shaochao.”
“After finally deciding to take a break, you bring me to a place like this to clean up these small fry?”
“Heh.” A slight smile appeared on the black-haired youth’s face. He casually tossed out a bottle.
“Leader of the People’s Coalition Party, Lord Saiyonji, thinks these small fry aren’t enough for practice?”
The young man with the light blue braid caught the shochu, a hint of helplessness flickering across his handsome face. “Come on! Don’t tease me with that kind of talk.”
“Yuki, it’s because none of you want to get involved in politics that I reluctantly entered politics! Graduating high school? Hilarious.”
“Haha…”
Under the bangs that covered half of Yuki Asahi’s face, one could faintly see his eyes narrowed in relaxation and a natural smile on his face.
Saori Saiyonji pulled a new Japanese yen note from his pocket, and in the next instant, the note vanished from his hand.
A small table appeared between them, set with appetizers and sake cups.
“So Imai went off to college, studying liberal arts of all things.”
Saori Saiyonji sat down at the edge of the high wall, skillfully pouring sake while complaining.
“Ah… A politician’s daughter not doing politics? She was pretty impressive when she served as Minister of the Supernatural Department, though.”
“Compared to real politics, that little post is nothing.”
Yuki Asashi also relaxed his body and sat down.
“If it weren’t for that kid Shimada giving up college to come help me, I’d be really alone. Lonely.”
“And Makino is still dreaming of being an idol.”
Saori Saiyonji set down the sake bottle and sighed.
“Do you ever miss your days as an idol?” Yuki Asashi asked with a hint of playful teasing.
“Damn it, what are you saying? That’s a darker piece of history than my hostessing days…”
Saori Saiyonji shook his head with a laugh and a curse, but clearly no longer took that “unofficial history” seriously.
“And then there’s Onishi. That photo of hers resisting the old government—the one that won the Pulitzer Prize—was adopted into the new textbooks. She’s already etched in history.”
Saori Saiyonji picked up the small sake cup, already tipsy before even drinking. “And now she’s gone and become a vlog blogger. She really wants to be a big star.”
“I heard her ‘America Recovering’ series, which she shot during her trip to North America, has quite a few viewers.”
“I heard she’s coming back to Japan soon. Next stop: The real hell… Central Africa.”
Saori Saiyonji narrowed his eyes, sipped the sake from his bowl, and glanced meaningfully at Yuki Asahi.
The smile on Yuki Asahi’s face stiffened slightly. The chopsticks holding the edamame paused mid-air.
TAP—
The sake bowl was set down. The smile on Saori Saiyonji’s face also receded a bit. He said softly, “Are you… still waiting for her?”
An evening breeze blew, softly stirring the strands of their hair.
The chopsticks with the edamame hung suspended in the air for a long time.
Saori Saiyonji couldn’t see his eyes; he could only see the chopsticks trembling slightly.
“It’s only been five years.”
Yuki Asashi finally spoke, stuffed the edamame into his mouth, picked up the sake bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.
“Ah… yeah…”
Saori Saiyonji turned his head to look at the two giant buildings in the core zone.
“It’s all because of the Time Distortion Incident… Our perception, along with the rusting of the whole world, accelerated.”
“It feels like pre-war and post-war are as far apart as the old world and the new world.”
Saori Saiyonji lowered his head, looking at his own still smooth and delicate hands. “I’m only twenty-three, but I feel like… a man in his thirties or forties. It’s terrifying.”
Yuki Asashi didn’t dwell too long in memories. He let out a scoff and turned his head away. “People in politics in their thirties and forties aren’t old men at all. It’s their prime.”
“I’ve heard you’re a famous beauty of a politician.”
Yuki Asahi looked up at Saori Saiyonji. His bangs slipped aside, and his somewhat dim golden eyes held a teasing glint.
“Huh? You’re just pushing buttons all day, and you still have time to ‘hear’ things? You brat, you’ve been secretly keeping tabs on us.” Saori Saiyonji flipped him off in return, a vein bulging on his forehead.
“Haha, hahahaha…” The laughter spread far and wide.
After a few more bowls, Saori Saiyonji shook the empty bottle and said quietly, “Yuki, I…”
“I’m getting married soon.”
Yuki Asashi held a yakitori skewer at his lips, hesitated for a moment, then twisted the meat off and chewed while asking, “Congratulations. Who’s the lucky lady?”
“I told you before.”
Saori Saiyonji pursed his lips, a faint, happy smile spreading across his face. “There’s someone I like.”
He pulled out his phone from his pocket. On the lock screen, a woman with pink hair, wearing a kimono, was smiling at the camera.
“My childhood friend… Kirishima Ren.”
“Yeah, she’s a nice girl.” Yuki Asashi gave a flat evaluation, then nodded. “I’ll come to your wedding banquet.”
“That’s great…”
Saori Saiyonji put away his phone and turned his gaze back to the main building. “Yuki, honestly, I… I’m a little scared.”
“Huh? Scared of getting married?”
“Yeah. When I think about what I’ll have to face in the future, I feel a bit…”
Saori Saiyonji lowered his eyes, looking at his own palm. “Uneasy? Nervous? I can’t really describe it. I feel like I’m not ready. What if… in the future, we don’t love each other anymore? When I think about that, I feel… terrified.”
Yuki Asashi placed the skewer back on the plate.
In his mind, he remembered a girl who had once been just as anxious about the future.
Back then… he hadn’t answered.
Later, he never found the answer to that question.
Maybe it’s an unsolvable problem in itself. No one can escape weariness.
Why do those immortal gods always cheat and sleep around?
Perhaps it’s really because not a single shred of “love” remains.
How terrifying…
With no “older and wiser” experience to comfort and guide Saori Saiyonji, Yuki Asashi pondered for a moment and shook his head.
“If… if someday you two get tired of each other, you can come to me.”
“Huh?”
Saori Saiyonji was startled.
“I’ll use my ability to amplify your love and passion for each other. That way… love can last forever.”
“Hey… That’s even more terrifying.”
“Is it?”
“Of course it is!”
“Haha, hahahaha…”
“Don’t just gloss things over with a hearty laugh! Who taught you that!”
After a bit of roughhousing at the edge of the wall, Saori Saiyonji suddenly restrained his smile.
He pulled out his phone from his pocket again. “Sorry… I need to go.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Saori Saiyonji stood up, looked down at Yuki Asashi hunched over with his back still bent, sniffed, and forced a smile.
“It’s good that you’re resting. Go see your old friends more. Everyone’s almost forgotten who you are.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.”
Yuki Asashi didn’t look back. His gaze was fixed on the distant wall, or rather… on nothing at all.
Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Saori Saiyonji hugged him tightly from behind, crossing his arms over his own chest.
“Take care… brother.”
Whoosh— The weight on his shoulder was suddenly gone.
The wind of his departure swirled around him, making his hair flutter gently. His dim golden eyes still stared straight ahead.
“So cheesy.”
……
“Wake up…”
“Kazama Yin…”
“Wake up!”
So noisy.
Kazama Yin felt like he had been sleeping for a long time, or maybe having an endlessly long and chaotic dream.
But… what kind of dream did he have?
He didn’t know.
He just felt… so noisy!
Kazama Yin’s eyes snapped open. Pale blue eyes were full of vigor. He turned his head.
He found Hanyu Suoluo and Kagegaya Tsubaki standing by the bed, both with red-rimmed eyes, staring at him.
“What… what’s wrong?”
Kagegaya Tsubaki was crying her heart out, sobbing loudly. “Yumeko, Miss Yumeko is gone… The wounds on my body are all healed. It must have been… Miss Yumeko sacrificing herself to heal me…”
Beside her, Hanyu Suoluo turned his head away, closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and trembled all over.
Part of him was grieving the passing of Hattori Yumeko.
And on the other hand… he had also missed his chance to ask about his uncle’s whereabouts.
“How… could this be…”
Kazama Yin’s nose stung and tears as big as peas fell onto the bedding. They had only just met that gentle older sister. Why…
“I said, I’m really touched that you’re worried about my safety, but don’t spread rumors that I’m dead! And I don’t even have that ability!”
Hearing this voice, Kazama Yin’s heart leaped with joy. He turned his head and looked around the entire bedroom, but couldn’t see Hattori Yumeko’s figure.
And the other two didn’t seem to have heard the voice either. They were still crying sorrowfully.
“Huh?” He pressed his palm to his eye, crying while wearing a blank expression. “A ghost?”
“I’m not a ghost!”
Yumeko’s voice sounded a bit exasperated, then she calmed down to explain. “I’m currently possessing your body. No one else can hear my voice.”
“Oh… I see…”
“Hey-hey-hey—”
It took a good while for Kazama Yin to get the other two to accept the idea of a possession.
“Miss Yumeko says, you, you.”
Kazama Yin pointed at Hanyu Suoluo. “You were awake last night, weren’t you? Didn’t you tell me before you went to sleep that she took Kagegaya to the medical capsule? Oh, there was still power? I see… it was a diesel generator.”
Hanyu Suoluo looked a bit embarrassed. He pouted at Kagegaya Tsubaki. “It’s all this one’s fault. She made a fuss first thing in the morning, crying a river, and I forgot all about it.”
“You can blame me for that, too? I’ll bite you to death, meow!”
“Alright, enough…”
Kazama Yin quickly reached out to stop the two. Then, seeming to be talking to Yumeko, he murmured, “I see… that’s it.”
“Alright!”
Alright… Alright what?
The two beside the bed tilted their heads, huge question marks floating above them.