Chương 2: Mystery in Daylight
"Morning, sleepyhead," Mrs. Akane called out with a grin.
Hiraku took two steps down the stairs and looked in amazement at his mom. She was so full of life and energy. Many days, Hiraku often wondered how his mom exuded so much positivity, even after all the tragedy they had faced as a family.
"Today is your brother's birthday," she said with a weak smile. "When you get back from school, let's go visit him, okay?"
"He will be happy to see us," Hiraku said as he pulled out the dining chair to sit down.
"I miss him," Hiraku's gaze softened as he looked at his meal.
"Don't be sad, dear," she said, holding his left arm across the table. "Today, we should be happy," she added, attempting to comfort him.
Hiraku nodded approvingly and began eating. Once he was done, he dressed up and headed to school.
The sun's rays had a soothing effect on Hiraku's face, and the thought that "light overcomes darkness" made him smile heartily, even though his heart still hid the pain of the past. A stranger suddenly bumped into him
"Sorry! I didn't notice you. I'm so sorry, so sorry!" A girl of average height apologized repeatedly, even though Hiraku was at fault.
"It's alright. I'm sorry too; I wasn't paying attention," he said as he knelt down to pick up the book that had fallen from her hand. However, she quickly bent over to grab it at the same time, and they accidentally head-butted each other.
"Ahhh!" they both exclaimed.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry," she said frantically, as though afraid he might get angry and curse at her.
As Hiraku hurriedly picked up the books, he noticed one of them had the title Clavis Salomonis. He froze, shocked and bewildered, and looked at her. But before he could ask, she snatched the book away.
"Sorry," she muttered hastily. "Your shoulder needs care, senior. Bye!" she added quickly before running off.
Hiraku stared after her in wonder as she disappeared into the distance.
**
"We are our own gods. I don't care if you're religious, but in the world we live in, there's no otherworldly being," Mr. Park said with a rudeness that was hard to forget.
Hiraku sat still, listening in repulsion to his teacher's words. He sighed inwardly, wondering how many people shared Mr. Park's beliefs. Once, Hiraku remembered, he too had been filled with disbelief in the supernatural. He was ignorant of the fact that the world is built to serve the spiritual plane. But a certain incident had changed his perspective on the world—and also brought him a lifetime of sorrow.
Hiraku's thoughts suddenly drifted to his encounter with the strange girl. He recalled how beautiful she was. Her hair was a little messy, but the pointy curve of her chin, the cute dimples, and her blue eyes made her look attractive. Her quirky voice held its own charm, though he felt she carried much suffering in her heart.
"My shoulder," he said slowly, barely audible. He immediately remembered that she knew he was injured—not physically, but spiritually. Though his right shoulder no longer hurt thanks to his healing powers, it had been slowly recovering when he bumped into her. What was strange, however, was that it wasn't a physical pain. How did she know he was hurt? He set the thought aside and continued listening to Mr. Park talk about his distaste for religious matters.
His focus was abruptly cut short.
"What's this feeling?" Hiraku muttered, gripping his chest with his hands. He looked out the window and sensed that someone needed help. A powerful dark aura was nearby. But how was this possible? Demons always manifested at night—some at the stroke of midnight, while others, more impatient or in the midst of battle, appeared as early as seven in the evening.
"Sir, may I use the bathroom?" he asked, his tone laced with discomfort.
"Oh, sure, boy," Mr. Park said with a grin. Hiraku's fame as a top student earned him many privileges.
Quickly leaving the classroom, Hiraku made his way out of the school grounds in secret, moving with haste.
**
Hiraku ran toward the source of the cry for help, the pebble-like object residing within his spirit guiding him to the enemy. He looked up to see dark clouds forming, accompanied by the menacing roar of thunder.
Reaching his destination, he leaped over the wooden fence and landed roughly on the green grass. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was in what appeared to be a soccer field. In the distance, he spotted a girl levitating into the air. Her body was arched backward, and her eyes were void of life.
Quickly, Hiraku activated his spirit eye, allowing him to peer into the spiritual realm. A massive, red demonic figure came into view. It had enormous wings, five-inch talons, and two sharp, tiger-like fangs.
The demon lifted the girl higher and higher, almost reaching the troposphere. Then, with a deafening howl, it let her go, dropping her from the sky before vanishing into a dark portal.
"Alae caelestes" Hirakus voice echoed with a command.
Hiraku knew he was breaking the rules of the natural order. Humans who used the power of the heavens in their physical form would face punishment—either having their lives shortened or suffering painful retribution. But this was a matter of life and death. He had no choice but to save her.
Wings glowing with a brilliant white light emerged from his back in spiritual form. With a powerful flap, he took to the sky, each beat bringing him closer to the girl.
She slowly regained consciousness and looked at her surroundings. A scream tore from her lips before her thoughts could catch up to the fact that she had been near death's door. In an instant, she found herself in someone's arms. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes and shut them tightly in fear.
"What just happened?" she wondered. "Am I dead?" she thought, clutching her savior tightly. Her hands rested on his shoulders, and she could feel his arms wrapped securely around her legs and back.
Hiraku gently landed on the ground, his feet touching down softly. She still didn't let go.
"You're safe now. No one will hurt you," he said soothingly, his voice calm and reassuring.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and realized she was still in his arms. Her instincts told her she should let go.
"I—I'm sorry," she stammered, quickly dismounting from his embrace. She looked down at the ground, weariness clouding her expression. Before she could say anything more, she fainted from exhaustion.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực