章 22: The boy

Haruki keeps holding the boy as he is having a nightmare and groaning, "should I wake him up? What if I bother him…" Haruki frowns as he's worried.

Haruki gently shakes the boy to wake up, "Hey wake up everything's okay, I'm here. Everything's okay…"

The boy slowly opens his eyes as he's sweating intensely, "hm…. Where am I? Who are you?" The boy asks as he gets afraid of Haruki.

"It's okay, I'm here." Haruki says as he's still holding the boy.

"Why am I here? Who are you?" The boy looks around the room.

"You're here because I found you in the warehouse beat up. I brought you to my home and cleaned you up. My name is Haruki. Can you tell me your name?" Haruki asks as he lets go of the boy.

"Oh… so those people. What happened to them?" The boy asks as he looks at Haruki.

"I'm not sure." Haruki frowns.

"To answer your question, I don't have a name. But thank you for helping me. How did you find me?" The boy asks as he's fidgeting his fingers.

"My boss sent me to get you, to be honest he wanted me to kill you. But I don't want to do that to you. I'm willing to open my home to you and let you stay with me. If you would like that." Haruki says as he smiles, "also I can change you not having a name, would you like that?"

"Oh. Really? Why would you open your home to me. I'm a stranger." The boy asks as he makes a confused face.

"Because I want to help you." Haruki continues to smile at the boy.

"Then I will stay with you? Is that really okay? And I'll get a name?" He gets excited and happy.

"Yes, you're name can be Kaito." Haruki says.

"Woah! I like that name!" The boy laughs and smiles wide, "Kaito is my name!"

"Kaito, do you remember what happened for you to get into this situation?" Haruki asks as he's been curious.

"Mm…" Kaito goes quiet.

A presence from Kaito's body surrounds the room. A dark presence such as Haruki's when his yokai form is revealed. The darkness of death and blood shed. The presence that Haruki forced to be his home. The safe and dark place he would go to, to get away. Coming from a little boy…

"I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me. Can I check something." Haruki says as he leans towards Kaito.

Kaito moves back and tries to slash Haruki as he's uncomfortable, "GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU'LL GET HURT!"

"It's fine, breathe…" Haruki says in a soft tone as he touches Kaito's hand and hugs him, "it's okay.."

Kaito calms down fast, "how can you…"

"Can I see your wounds." Haruki asks.

"Yes…" he says quickly.

Haruki takes off the bandages, "hm, your healed already."

Kaito looks down as he's scared, "I don't know what's happening to me."

"You're a yokai, but your powers haven't settled. I can help you." Haruki says.

"How can a human help me." Kaito says as he's backing away.

"I'm a yokai too, I just can't get hurt. Nothing can penetrate my skin. And I've never been injured." Haruki says as he lets his yokai form out, "you feel my presence? It's like yours. I can help you. I will train you."

Kaito feels the pressure of Haruki, the depth and strength that he has. It's a lot more powerful than his own, "okay. What can I do in return?"

"Nothing, be nice to Rei and that's all. I will do the rest." Haruki says as he smiles.

"Who is Rei?" Kaito asks.

*knock knock*

"HEY HARUKI YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING ME AND IM STILL HERE YOU KNOW! OPEN UP!" Rei yells angrily.

"That's Rei, haha…" Haruki says as he looks at the door scared.