__Part 5__
to Part 4; to Tobajan Mahjong 3; to Part 6


Rakushi: N- No...!


Rakushi: Ahhn! I- I can't move my body...!


Rakushi: Ahhn! Ahhhn! I- I can't take it any more...!!



''Wahhhh, I lost. My Master is going to scold me.''

''Somehow...I feel sorry for her.''

''Hey! Are you saying that it would be better if I had lost?''

''Er...No, I don't think so.''

''Okay...Let's ask her about her Master.''

''Wahhhh, p- please forgive me.''

Rakushi suddenly flew into sky and disappeared.

''Ah!!''

Now that I think about it, it's not surprising that she can fly because she has wings...but at that time it was something that we never thought she could do.

So we were slow to react.

''Damm it... She got away.''

''Her Master's true identity...we still couldn't find out after all.''

''Even though I want to know...there's nothing I that can do now.''

''Master, let's go back to the office. It's possible that Mika's there.''



We came back to our office.

''Oh, Master. There's a message on the answering machine.''

Kumi quickly ran to the answering machine.

''Who left the message?''

''I'm checking, so wait just a minute, please.''

''Mika says that she probably can't come here today after all...''

''Hmm.....''

''Then there's no need to stay here. Let's take a break before going out again.''

''Okay, then I'll make tea.''

Kumi runs to get the tea ready.

''Here you go, it's hot Japanese tea, Master.''

''Wow, thanks.''

The tea that Kumi makes is always exquisite.

''Master...''

''What?''

''All we can do is to ask people one by one...right?''

''Our only clue is that picture.''

''Moreover, it's just a snapshot that was taken inadvertently, not a photograph of anything useful.''

''This is harder than I thought...''

''Do you understand how harsh reality is now?''

After we finish drinking tea, we went out to work again.


We arrive at Showa Dori.

''As the sun goes down, it's becoming more and more crowded here.''

''Because an entertainment district flourishes more in the night.''

''This place is filled with energy that Hitokata like.''

''I wouldn't doubt it.''

''You may not be able see them, Master...but this place is filled with low level, filthy spirits that can't even become Hitokata.''

''...It's lucky that such things cannot be seen.''

''Human minds call the evil, which then draws Hitokata and evil spirits.''

''You called them by yourself and then you became afraid of them...''

''It's not that I am afraid of them.''

''Nothing will get accomplished if we keep talking. Let's start asking around.''

''Yes, I'll do my best.''

''Excuse me...''

Man: ''Hey, Miss, you're very cute.''

''Eh?...Really?...teehee...''

''Master. That man over there said that I'm cute.''

''And...the results of your investigation?''

''Eh...? Oh, dear!''

''I completely forgot. I'll go back and ask again.''

.......................................

''I asked, but he doesn't know.''

''I see...''


We're back in Okubo.

It's like a ghost town around here, no sign of humans anywhere.

''Master, there's no one here...''

''Yes...but there must be someone who still lives around here...''

''Humans have an amazing ability to adapt.''

''Well, it's not that amazing. Just second to cockroaches, remember?''

''Oh, Master...tee hee...''

''......Tee hee?''

Kumi suddenly turns, and starts looking around nervously.

''.............................................''

I followed Kumi's gaze, but couldn't see anything around us except for the garbage around us.''

''What is it, Kumi?''

''...My neck muscles were twitching.''

''Twitching...?''

''Yes. When I feel someone watching me, my neck muscle twitches.''

''Doesn't your neck do that, Master?''

''No, not really.''

''So who's watching us? I can't see anyone around here.''

''Yes, that's true. How strange.''

Kumi's head is tilted to one side with a puzzled expression on her face.

''But I'm not imagining it. I did feel something.''

''Hmm, maybe they ran away?''

''That makes me worry...but I guess there's nothing we can do about it.''

''Yes...''

''Let go somewhere else...''

''Okay...''



This is the Central Square. It connects Showa Dori to the Train station.

Kumi doesn't seem to have calmed down. She is fidgeting.

''Kumi, are you worried about something?''

''Worried about something...well, I got the feeling that we were being watched a little while ago...that's why I couldn't calm down.''

''...What about now?''

''It might just be my imagination but...''

''Let's forget about it for now, and ask some more people about Mika's father. Don't speak to people that look like they're in a bad mood, or it will be just like what happened earlier today.''

''Yes sir. I'll carefully examine their faces before asking...''

..................................

..........................................................

...................................................................................

''Wahhhh. Master!''

''What happened?''

''The only people there are people who look like they're in a bad mood.''

''......Just do your best.''

..................................

...........................................................

...............................................................................................

''Everyone says that they don't know.''

''It seems that the only thing in their minds are the people they're waiting for.''

''Those people didn't even pay attention to the photo, from what I could see.''



This is the game center.

Bustling lights and sounds are whirling around the room.

''It's always so noisy here. I'm getting hearing problems.''

''Really? I like this place, though.''

''Do you hate games, Master?''

''It's not that I hate them...just that I don't want to waste my money this way.''

''There is a proverb that says 'you have to worry about necessities before luxuries', right?''

''So before enjoying any entertainment, people must fight to live first.''

''...Now that you mentioned it...you are fighting very hard just to live, Master...''

''Well, blame it all on me, why don't you!''

''Wahhhh, sorry.''

''Even if I can't play games, I'm living well, got it? Those things will only damage my eyes anyway.''

''Master, I am talking about the future, okay? Let's earn a lot of money and then play a lot.''

''.............................................''

''Guess we should start asking around, right, Master?''

''Be careful not to get scolded, okay?''

''Okay. This time I won't ask people who are playing games.''

..............................

...................................................

...............................................................................

''Wahhhh, Master.''

''...............................''

''What is it this time?''

''I was waiting for someone who was playing until he finished, but when I started talking to him after he was done, he scolded me. Sob!''

''You just have bad timing. That guy was still mad at losing.''

''Well...cheer up and try to ask someone else, okay?''

..............................

............................................................

.........................................................................................

''Nothing at all, Master.''

''...It seems that everyone is suspicious of us.''


We're back at Showa Dori.

''......................!!''

Suddenly Kumi turns around again.

''What is it, Kumi?''

''No...just that I felt someone watching me again.''

Kumi seems to be very worried about the gaze that she felt. She starts to look around cautiously.

I also look around, but I didn't see anyone suspicious...

''Could it be...a pursuer from the Organization...?''

''No...I don't think so.''

''Do you know something, Kumi?''

''Yes.''

''Even though I get the strong feeling that someone is watching me, I don't feel any battle aura.''

''It wouldn't be like this if it's an assassin who wants your life, right, Master?''

''Well, that's true.''

''Besides...''

Kumi looks nervous and quickly scanned the area around us.

''It seems that...the one being observed...is not you, Master, but me.''

''...Don't leave my side, okay?''

''Yes...''

Since I believe that leaving Kumi alone would be dangerous, I went with Kumi asking around.

Man: ''You there! For only 4000 yen, you can drink all you want. How about it?''

''My policy is to never drink before I finish a job.''

Man: ''Hey hey, don't be so serious. You're just making your life boring by saying things like that! Everyone needs to take a break from time to time, don't you think so?''

''It's my life so, just leave me alone, will you?''

''Rather than talking about my life, have you seen this man before?''

I showed him the picture of Mika's father.

Man: ''Hmm... Sorry, nope.''


We gave up and went to the hamburger shop.

This place is crowded with students that just got out of school, office workers that just got off work, and many other people.

''Business looks good, doesn't it.''

''Doesn't look too bad.''

''Master...''

''What's up? Want to eat?''

''It's not that...there are too many people here so I can't pinpoint it...but I can feel that gaze again.''

''I don't know who could it be, but...maybe he's watching you because you're just too cute?''

''Oh Master, stop it.''

CRASH!!

''Eh? Master?''

''Don't crash into me like that, okay?''

''...Who could be watching us? Or maybe he's following us...''

''...............................''

''Regardless, let's ask around.''

''Yes, you're right.''

''Excuse me, have you seen this man before?''

Salaryman: ''Hmm...I may have seen him before...but maybe not...I'm not sure...I guess my memory is deteriorating...''

''Excuse me, have you seen this man before?''

Female High School student: ''Er...No, I don't know him.''

''There are a lot of people...but we came up empty handed again.''

''Maybe the person in this photo isn't from around here, but just happened to come here for that event in the article...?''


Empty handed, we head toward Showa Dori again.

It's becoming dark around here due to the nightfall.

The sky is turning red, like the color of blood.

''Dusk...''

''Yes?''

''It's the time when humans and demon get closer together.''

''Humans and demons...?''

''Accidents also happen most frequently during this time, right?''

''...........................''

''.........!!''

Kumi suddenly bends her body backwards as if she received a electric shock.

''What's wrong, Kumi?''

''My neck muscles were really twiching that time.''

''But it's not just twitching this time...I think it's sprained...''

As Kumi says that, she turns around...

''Ah...''

...and she froze.

I follow Kumi's gaze. And I see...



A girl is standing behind us with her arms folded. She's looking at us with a challenging expression.

Many people are passing by, but no one seems to notice us.

!...It can't be...a barrier?

Despite the noise around here, the space around us is becoming frozen with tension. The bright scarlet hair color, the long ears covered with soft hair, and the horns that looks like accessories decorating her hair...

And red eyes as brilliant as flames...this girl possesses beauty that humans don't have.

Hitokata!

The girl is looking at us with fire in her eyes.

Still, this girl...reminds me of someone...

Her hair and eye color, ears, and those clothes .........Kumi!?

''Little Kumi...I finally found you.''

''.........................................''

''Someone you know, Kumi?''

''..............................................''

''Related since birth, right, Kumi?''

''..............................................''

''Kumi?''

''Koukaku...She is my older sister.''

Ah...no wonder she looks like Kumi.

''I was worried that you may have been brainwashed and manipulated by a human...but it seems that I worried needlessly.''

''You still remember me, right, Kumi?''

''.......................................''

''To tell the truth, I still don't know exactly what's going on...so how about if we go to my office to talk and have some tea?''

When I said that to her, she looks at me, and shouts out with undisguised hostility.

''Don't be ridiculous! I don't want to be friends with humans.''

''I didn't mean that we need to be friends...''

''Shut up! I am talking to Kumi. Humans should just be quiet.''

Even though they are sisters, it seems that their personalities are quite different.

Since I don't know the situation that well, I decided to wait and see how things go.

''Koukaku...what do you want from me?''

''Oh...You are so naive. The big sister who came to such a place far away from her hometown to look for the little sister who selfishly left her hometown.''

''Jeez...what a clueless girl. Because of a little sister that left her hometown selfishly and then lost contact, I had to come to a place like this to look for you. And now you have to ask me that?''

''.......................................''

''Do you know how worried our family was about you? I kept telling you how dangerous humans are, yet you ran away to be with them!''

''I'm sorry, but...''

''I was worried sick...and just when I thought I finally found you, you've gone out of your mind and are the Shikigami of a human male.''

''Hanging out with the likes of this one...''

''...My Master is a wonderful person!''

''See? You've really gone out of your mind. You can't even think rationally now!''

''No!! Koukaku, you don't know anything!!''

''If you cool down, you would understand how foolish you've been.''

''...Come, Kumi. Let's go back home together.''

''No!''

''Kumi...if you don't control your selfishness, I'll get angry!''

''No, no, no!!!''

''.......................................''

''I guess I have no choice...although I didn't want to resort to this...''

Koukaku's scarlet hair wavered as if it's reflecting her rage.

''Hey, human. It looks like if I don't beat you at mahjong, my stupid little sister won't want to come home. Don't hate me, okay?''

''Master...I'm sorry to involve you with my problem.''

''I...I'm sorry. But I'll do my best!''

''Interesting. Kumi, have you ever won against me?''

''......We won't know until we try!''


__Part 5__
to Part 4; to Tobajan Mahjong 3; to Part 6