บท 4: Double Trouble
"You lose! You lose!" The arcade machine said.
"Oh come on! How could I lose against you again?!" I groaned.
Fujin flipped his hair and smiled. "Sorry, Yoshida but you're gonna have to do better next time~ As for losing, you should go on a date with yours truly."
"Not happening." I said nearly immediately.
"Wha- You reject me just like that?!" Fujin asked and pointed at me.
Orimi giggled a bit and watched us. "You two talk as if you've known each other since childhood~"
"Might as well. We've known him since Orientation." I chuckled.
"Yeah but you two were extremely antisocial. You would literally only hang out with and talk to each other. It was hard to break your shells but hey, look at us now." Fujin smiled and wrapped his arms around our shoulders.
I began to get a call on my phone. "Yello?"
"Yoshida! Where are you?" Mae asked on the phone.
"Erm...Kurosaki. Why?" I answered.
"Meet me at my place at 13:30." Mae said.
"You can just say 1:30.." I said.
"I'll see you here." Mae said then hung up.
"What the- Don't just hang up the phone! I never gave my answer!" I said then sighed and put my phone away.
"Who was it?" Orimi asked.
"Mae. Who else would make me react like this on the phone?" I asked and sighed. I looked at the time then scratched the back of my head. "I should get going. She didn't give me much leeway. I'll catch you both later!"
"Bye, Big Brother!~" Orimi waved.
"See ya." Fujin smiled.
After the events that happened a week ago, we decided to move to Kurosaki for a bit until Fujitori was restored. It was like a little vacation from everything that's happened so far.
"Hey! Where's Yoshida? I have to show him this new contraption I found!" Rimuri said with a bright smile.
"Ahh, you just missed him. He went over to Mae's." Fujin said.
Orimi looked at Fujin quickly. "Brooo..."
Rimuri had a slight annoyed look on her face. "Oh so he's still friends with his murderer?"
"What?" Fujin asked.
"Oh nothing! It was just a heated game of DnD! Nothing serious! Hahahaha!~" Orimi said nervously trying to keep the entire situation down.
"Yoshida! I'm coming with you!" Rimuri bellowed and dashed after me.
Fujin was impressed at how fast Rimuri was. "Huh...Yoshida really knows how to pick em huh..."
"Y-Yeah.." Orimi chuckled nervously. "He really does huh..."
------
I made it to th train station then heard my name being yelled. I looked back and noticed Rimuri running at me at full speed. "W-Wait slow down, Rimuri!"
"Yoshidaaaa!!" Rimuri bellowed and ran into me.
We rolled on the ground then she pinned me against the ground, sitting on top of me. I looked up at her and felt dizzy.
"I can't let you go to that witch's house! I refuse!" Rimuri said.
"Come on it's been a week. Let it go." I sighed.
"Never! What she did to you was unforgivable!" Rimuri said then puffed her cheeks. "Is it that you like her more than me?! What does she have that I don't?!"
"A calm button." I mumbled.
"What?!" Rimuri asked.
"Listen...it's not like that alright?" I said and rubbed her hair. "I'm not going to abandon you..~"
"Promise?" She asked.
"I promise." I answered.
Rimuri groaned softly then got off me then helped me up. I smiled at her then caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes and her ahoge swayed from side to side. We noticed the train arriving.
"Go back to Orimi and Fujin. I'll be back home after I get done meeting with Mae." I said.
"Okay." Rimuri nodded then gave me a hug. "Be careful..."
I hugged her back and smiled. "You too..~"
Rimuri smiled and let me go then hurried off back to Orimi and Fujin. She looked back at me and waved.
I waved back then got on the train. I took my seat and wondered what Mae could want. Maybe she wanted to talk about the events that happened a week ago. Questions filled my mind as we neared closer to Azamaki, the city Mae was staying in with the MHF.
------
The train came to a stop and I got off the train. I hurried over to the apartment complex Mae sent me the directions for. Once I made it to the complex I walked to the apartment Mae was living in then knocked on the door.
Mae opened the door and stared at me. The memory of her shooting me lived in her head. She closed her eyes. "Come in.."
I nodded and walked inside her home. "What's the occasion?"
"Do I need a reason to invite a friend over?" Mae asked.
I looked at Mae and crossed my arms. "For a woman like you, yes. I would very much appreciate a reason."
Mae grabbed my arm and lead me over to her couch. She sat me down then sat down beside me. I looked at her and noticed she was much more quiet than before. I could feel a bit of tension between us.
"Do you hate me..?" Mae asked.
"No, I don't. Why?" I responded.
Mae took a deep breath, still thinking about the event from a week ago. "I shot you. You saved that monster girl and took the bullet for her. You were dead so how could you still be alive?"
I could tell this was eating away at her. I made Mae look at me. "Even if I wanted to answer...I can't because I don't even remember being shot. All I remember is saving Rimuri and Japan from being destroyed by her void."
"How did you do it..? Just a simple kiss was enough to change her back to normal. Be honest with me, are you a monster?" Mae asked.
I smiled a bit at Mae and shook my head. "I am not. I am human just like you are. Earth is prone to having supernatural things happen all the time so maybe some miracle saved my life.."
Mae looked at me with a saddened expression. It was the first I've seen her look not stoic. I pulled her closer to me and she leaned against me.
"Listen...I don't hate you at all. I could never hate you. So stop worrying your mind about this okay? Everything is alright. I promise." I said and rubbed her hair gently.
Mae closed her eyes and nodded. "Affirmative.."
I smiled at her then held her hand. "How about tomorrow...we go on a date. Just so you can get out the house and do something with me."
'H-He finally asked me..! Yes!' Mae thought to herself.
"Mission accepted." She said in her usual monotone voice, but was blushing a bit.
"It isn't a mission..~" I chuckled and was about to get up, but she pressed her body against me to keep me from getting up.
Mae blushed even more and looked up at me. "Not yet...stay for just a little longer. Please..~"
I looked into her desperate eyes and my cheeks got a bit rosy. I could understand why she was feeling like this. It was the longest the two of us have been alone together. She obviously had a crush on me and I found her attractive, but the two of us were just so different.
Mae sat up then straddled me. She placed a hand on my chest and looked down at me. "Yoshida..."
I looked up at her and could tell her composure was breaking. I didn't even mind that she was on top of me. "What..?"
Mae leaned down to kiss me then my phone began ringing. She paused as our lips neared closer to each other. I exhaled softly and looked at my phone. It was Rimuri calling. I answered it.
"Yoshida! Yoshida! Orimi taught me how to use a cellphone! I can't believe typing in numbers can summon a Human's voice!" Rimuri said excitedly.
Mae heard Rimuri's voice and grunted. She snatched my phone out of my hand then put it on speaker. "YOU!"
"EH?!?! Why do YOU of all people have MY Human's phone?! Give it back! Give it back you witch!" Rimuri barked.
"Your Human? You're calling MY boyfriend!" Mae yelled at the phone.
"Wha-" I started then Mae covered my mouth. There was no way of de-escalating the cat fight.
"Boyfriend?! Orimi what's a boyfriend?!" Rimuri asked.
"E-Ehh? W-Well it's when a girl finds a guy to be in a romantic and sexual relationship with." Orimi answered.
"My my, Yoshida is quite the star huh?" Fujin laughed a bit.
"You bring MY BOYFRIEND back to me! I will come find you...and I will kill you. I have a particular set of skills. A set of skills I've acquired over the course of my life. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you-"
"You're just quoting a scene from Taken you big goo baby!" Mae scoffed and stood up. "Remember it was I who went toe to toe with you! I've trained since our last encounter! I will be the one to kill YOU!"
Rimuri laughed on the phone like a maniac. "Oh really?~ Meet me at Kurosaki Outlook. We will settle this once and for all."
"Fine! I'll meet you there you big blob monster!" Mae yelled.
"Robot Face!" Rimuri countered.
"Sticky Toothpaste!" Mae countered.
"Oh my God, you two are little kids!" I said then stood up and took my phone and hung up. "Are you two really planning to fight even after everything that's happened last week?"
"Yeah! There can only be one true love for you and it's me!" Mae said then stormed off and grabbed her keys. "You're coming with me!"
"Yippie." I said sarcastically.
-------
"Rimuri! Hold on! Where you going?!" Orimi asked, chasing after Rimuri.
"Oh this can't be good. She looks mad." Fujin said as he ran after them.
Rimuri made it to the outlook and waited for Mae to arrive. She noticed a car speeding to a parking space. She watched the person get out and noticed it was Mae. I sighed as I got out the car.
"There you are, Murderer!" Rimuri yelled and pointed.
"Oh you're the one to talk, Monster!" Mae said and walked over to Rimuri.
"Come on you two don't have to fi-" I started.
"Stay out of this!" They both yelled at me.
I raised my hands a bit then walked over to Orimi and Fujin.
Rimuri summoned her spear and twirled it around then got into her stance. "Prepare to die!"
"Whoa whoa whoa! Not happening!" I said.
Rimuri looked at me and rose an eyebrow. "What's the issue..?"
"Your Monster Aura. That's the issue. I've worked with you for too long for you to slip up. If you're going to fight, strictly close quarters combat!" I said.
"Hmph! I can do hand to hand combat as well!" Rimuri said then her spear disappeared then got into her stance.
"You're not as specialized as me when it comes to this. Prepare to lose!" Mae said and got in her stance.
Mae dashed toward Rimuri and struck her face, but Rimuri manipulated her head to have slime properties. Mae noticed the jumped backwards..
"That's cheating!" Mae yelled and pointed at Rimuri.
"Oh boo hoo! When you all JUMPED me, none of you gave me the faith of a one on one!" Rimuri bellowed.
"We jumped you because you were a Level 5 Threat! Now it's just me and you! So let's go!" Mae bellowed.
"Mae has never shown this much heart before." Fujin said.
"I know.." I said then watched the two.
Rimuri dashed toward Mae at high speeds and went for a punch. Mae grunted at Rimuri's speed then blocked the attack and slid backwards. Rimuri followed with a spinning kick and hit Mae. Mae groaned and was knocked backwards. She grunted as she rolled down the stairs.
"You're fighting against a Monster! I'm stronger than you in all aspects! Since I won, Yoshida is MINE! He kissed ME and not you! It's okay to be second best, number two isn't all that bad." Rimuri smirked and crossed her arms.
I sighed a bit and walked forward. "That's enough! Both of you fighting over me is stupid!"
"She killed you, Yoshida!" Rimuri said and looked at me.
Mae grunted as she stood up and held her arm. "It was an accident! My target was YOU!"
"I said that's enough!" I yelled.
Rimuri, Orimi, Mae, and Fujin looked at me. I looked at the two of them and frowned.
"I'm not that special for someone to be fighting over. Can't we all just get along? I've already forgiven Mae. It was my choice to take that bullet for Rimuri because of all she's done for me. I won't have any more of this. If we can't get along, then it's best that neither of you see me." I said.
Mae looked at me and sighed then walked up the stairs. She swallowed her pride and pointed at Rimuri. "I'm only ending this because Yoshida says so. Deep in my heart, you don't belong. All those people killed...my parents. My old friends and teachers. I'll never forgive you..."
Rimuri stared at Mae and looked down. "Like I told Yoshida...I never wanted this. I still don't know what purpose I serve being here, but Yoshida gave me a new purpose. To be by his side. If you don't want to forgive me, I understand...but at least respect his wishes."
Mae grunted and sighed then crossed her arms. "Fine. We can call it a truce then..."
I smiled at them and nodded. "How about we all go do something to get our minds off this? There's a mall nearby, I'll pay for everything."
"That's an amazing idea!~" Orimi smiled. "I've been thinking about getting some new clothes for me and Rimuri..."
"Yeah, if we all bond together, maybe we can see everyone eye to eye." Fujin nodded.
Rimuri and Mae looked at each other then turned away. This was only the start of their rivalry for my love and attention. Rimuri still had a lot to learn and Mae still had to work on her restraint. It was up to me to make sure the two never gets in a fight again. I was willing to do anything to prevent it.
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