__Part 1__
to Story ; to Tobajan Mahjong 1 ; to Part 2
Mahjong.................
I hate dreams. I love to sleep, though, and I'm always trying to think of a way to get rid of my dreams, which keep coming back like door to door salesmen.
My dreams revive the past I don't want to remember. They place my memories in front of me, and don't allow me to forget...
I wonder how comfortable I'd feel if I could sleep without dreaming...
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Shin: ''My name is Shin, what's yours?''
Jango: ''I...I'm Jango.''
Shin: ''Hmmm...Are you also training to become a Shikigami Master?''
Jango: ''Yes...but I'm always getting reprimanded.''
Shin: ''Haha.. I'm an apprentice Shikigami Master as well. Pleased to meet you. Let's be friends.''
Jango: ''Y- Yes, I want to be friends as well. Pleased to meet you.''
..........................................................................................
On the streets of Demon City Osaka, second city to Demon City Tokyo, in the middle of the night.
In the middle of a storm, rain is pouring down in torrents and thunder is rumbling loudly.
Having no umbrella, we've gotten really wet.
Shin: ''Be alert, Jango.''
Even then he didn't forget to care about me.
Behind him, his Shikigami is following behind him like a second shadow.
Jango: ''Yes, I know.''
After I answer, I turn to speak to my Shikigami beside me.
Jango: ''Kourou, can you feel anything? Any danger here?''
Kourou: ''No...not right now.''
My Shikigami shakes her head nervously.
...........................................
Oh...not again....this dream again...even though I regret what happened, I can't get it back...I can't change anything...it's in the past...
Please stop...I don't want to see anymore...
...........................................
But the scene continues...
This isn't a dream, this is a movie rerun...
It happened a long time ago, but rather from fading with time, my memory actually becomes clearer with each replay of the dream.
My view turns crimson...the rainwater that flows on the pavement turns red with blood.
Shin's face was covered with blood used to protect me...
And...laying in the rain, unmoving, is my...Kourou......
Flashback from the scene that is literally a nightmare.
This is a nightmare...but not a dream...a long time ago, it really happened ...everyone...died...and left without me...
Shin, his Shikigami, and my Shikigami, Kourou...
That time, several years ago, I lost my best friend and my Shikigami simultaneously.
I cry in the nightmare, and I curse fate and the Organization that took everything that was important away from me.
..........................................................................................
.....KNOCK.............
.........KNOCK.......
................KNOCK!!
...Mmm...what's that sound...?
The knocking sound brought me back to reality and the waking world.
This is my most recent home and office.
This place is located in an old building that hasn't been rented for long time, so I got this room at a low rate and outfitted it with the minimum living necessities.
I've been living here for several months now.
The desk and chair were picked up from the garbage dump. They're a little dirty, but still sturdy enough to use.
I can live anyway I please, because my job only requires my own body as capital. So I'm like a plant that has no roots.
I look around, still confused. It seems that I'd fallen asleep in my chair.
I feel pretty stiff. Probably because I slept while sitting on the chair.
I'm just too lazy to move my body, so I continue to stare at the ceiling and call out to Kumi, who is somewhere in the room.
''Hey, Kumi. Sounds like we've got a guest.''
I wait for a while, but there's no answer.
''......Kumi?''
It is as quiet as a grave.
Slowly, I look around the room.
She's not here...?
Kumi...you went to town again while I was sleeping, didn't you?
She's so full of curiosity. Though she's a Hitokata, she's very curious about the human world and wants to have a good relationship with humans...a really odd Hitokata.
She almost got herself killed because of that, but it seems she didn't learn from it...
Oh well, she's with a human like me because of how she is.
''Kumi. You're not just hiding, right?''
There is no answer. It seems that she's really not in the room.
True, it's very boring to be in this dull room waiting for a client that may or may not come, but still...
To wake myself up, I get up and stretched.
KNOCK...KNOCK...
Someone is knocking on the door continuously and patiently.
Dealing with clients is normally Kumi's job...but since she's not here, I'll have to do it.
I walk to the door slowly, then open it carefully.
''Ah...''
''H- Hello?''
The person standing outside is a cute girl who looked very out of place around such a dirty building.
A little perplexed, I invite her into the room.
The girl looks confused and worried as she stares at my face.
''Um...''
''Yes?''
''......Were you crying just now?''
''C- Crying?''
''No, I mean...because your eyes are wet.''
I rubbed my eyes in a fluster.
A man should not let strangers see him cry...even worse, I was seen by this young lady...it's a total defeat.
..............................................
''I wasn't crying. I just...fell asleep, and...''
''Oh...I apologize for saying such strange things.''
An awkward silence fills the room.
Shit...that stupid dream about Shin.
The girl is looking at my face with regret.
''Never mind. Please don't worry about it.''
''O- Okay...''
That awkward silence comes again.
''Um...Can I help you with anything?''
''Oh, yes...!''
The girl opened her eyes wide with a start, and looked at me.
''Er, um...you're...Jango Abe, aren't you?''
''Yeah...that's right...''
''I am Mika Koizumi.''
''Would you play mahjong with me, please.''
''You want to challenge me...at mahjong...?''
''Yes, please. I'll pay you, of course.''
''I don't play mahjong for fun. You know that, right?''
''Yes......''
''...And still...''
''I'm sorry...but I can't tell you why.''
''Don't ask me why...please just play mahjong with me. I beg you.''
Strange girl...she shows up here all of the sudden, and without telling me why, asks me to play mahjong...It seems she also knows that I play Tobanjan, that is to say, Battle Mahjong.
Could she be...an assassin from the Organization?
But...
I examine the girl in front of me.
I can't feel any evil or hostile intent from her...
I don't think that there are many people that can hide their intentions to kill so perfectly.
Maybe I'm thinking about it too much...?
''...Will you play with me?''
''You did say that you know playing mahjong with me isn't for fun, right?''
''Yes, I know.''
''If you lose, you know what will happen... Are you really prepared for that?''
''Yes, I do understand.''
Just to make sure, I'll ask her one more time.
''To win in Tobanjan means to take energy from an opponent.''
''An amateur that plays Tobanjan just out of curiosity may have to stay in bed for many days recovering.''
''...Are you sure it's okay?''
''Yes.''
''Fine.''
I must be thinking too much...
I don't know why she wants to play with me...oh well, it's a very big world.
Besides, this is Demon City Tokyo...
If it's a job, I'll take it.
Kumi isn't here...it means I have to play alone...
That shouldn't matter since I'm playing with a girl this young and inexperienced.
__Part 1__
to Story ; to Tobajan Mahjong 1 ; to Part 2