Chapter Text
The sky turned a pale pink as the sunset approached. The days had grown longer, but their work had increased as well. The cherry blossom season was nearing its end and summer was right around the corner. Their pure human customers usually increased around this time of the year. However, their magic customers were increasing by the day as well. Which is why Suguru found himself closing the tattoo parlor at seven instead of five. He wasn’t the one who did the binding this time, but that left him to clean up after.
The wind picked up and Suguru zipped up his jacket. The evenings in Tokyo were still crisp and chilly. He would hear people complain about the unreliable weather forecasts; snow one day only for it to rain, sun one day only for it to be gloomy. The news channels would broadcast about the strange disappearances of pets and children. Mothers would warn their children to return before dark or else. Pet owners made sure their exits were secured. And yet the cases seemed to pile up. The papers would have articles on strange figures being seen by survivors before accidents, others unable to tell their story if it was fatal. There were strange acts of vandalism. None of the perpetrators were found; no evidence for any of these happenings being done through natural or human means.
It was a strange position to be in, Suguru concluded. The whole city seemed to be trapped in a cacophony of a circus. The chaos seemed to increase and yet he felt as if he was suspended on a tight rope. He was a performer, pausing to study the faces of the audience, hearing their gasps and cheers. It wasn’t a surprise that something more sinister was emerging in Tokyo. The shadows were growing more powerful and magic seemed to be at a disbalance. Binding sessions were not seasonal. At least not for Nohebi. And yet they were getting increased calls by the day. Two recent cases turned out to be from the more prestigious magic families. The world under him was tilting. The Council had sent letters addressing every magic user to be aware of the increasing dangers. Reminding them of their duty to remain diligent and protect the ungifted when necessary.
Suguru wondered if he would miss on his next step and lose his balance. There was so much he could do without risking his own life. How long would it be till it was his turn to fall?
Fall and fall till the world around him grew dark.
As the sky turned from pink to orange to a deep indigo, Suguru found it trickier to maneuver around. He reluctantly took out his glasses and put them on, hating the way they made his vision clearer. He had used too much magic in the past few days. The thought of going blind slithered behind him like a snake and he shuddered. He felt his tattoo burn under the layers. He couldn’t afford to use it recklessly.
A couple halted in front of him to take a selfie. Suguru shifted a bit away from them and made his way around them, avoiding to glance in their direction. Mika’s face flashed in his mind and he shook his head as if that would throw the thought of her. And yet his traitorous mind wandered to the conversation with Mika’s friend after she got her tattoo.
“I don’t know what happened between you and Mika-chan- but she still cares about you. Ever think of catching up?” Chiyo casually brings up the topic as if she is discussing the weather.
Suguru didn’t know why, but he feels himself relax. This should not be happening. He was out of Mika’s life and it should stay that way. He shrugs, trying to look as if her words didn’t shake him to the core.
“And how do you know she cares about me?”
“She swore and kicked her couch.”
Suguru frowns while Chiyo barks out a laugh. The image is so stark in his mind: Mika cursing when a friend is about to make a bad decision, her cursing when Suguru told her he can’t join her to university, kicking the bed and hurting herself. Laughing bitterly, asking why and Suguru tongue tied because he does have a reason. A reason he is not allowed to tell Mika.
He shakes his head, the image dissipating like steam. He must leave it in the past.
“We decided to breakup. Couples do that. Quite often.”Suguru pointed out as he lead her out to the exit. “You do remember the care tips I told you right?”
“Yes, yes. I love the design. And I just thought I’d tell you. Exes can still be friends. Exes can still care about each other.” She shrugged.
The problem lied in the fact that he couldn’t afford to care for her. At least not in such close proximity. His line of work could not have an ungifted human interfere in the affairs of magic. Even if he wanted to, the rules wouldn’t allow him. He could still remember them barked out by his father on the day he announced Suguru was to take up the binding ceremonies. He counted them in his mind once more.
Do not defy the guidelines laid out by the Council.
Respect the Council.
Protect the true humans and your own.
And never get a true human involved in magic.
He dragged his feet to climb the stairs to his apartment. He fumbled with his keys before unlocking the door and closing it behind him with a loud bang. The sound echoed off the walls and he groaned as he switched on the hallway lights. He took off his shoes only to flop onto his worn out couch. His back sunk right in and Suguru vaguely remembered the argument he had with Kuroo on replacing it. His flat mate was adamant on keeping the couch while he had pointed at its condition. He remembered calling Kuroo a spendthrift, not focusing on the important aspects which had Kuroo avoid him for a week.
Uncomfortable with the sofa seats still sinking under his weight, Suguru sat up straight instead. He tapped his fingers on his knees and checked his watch. He still had two hours till Kuroo returned. He reached for the remote to switch on the television and settled on an action movie playing in terrible quality. At least he could still make out the voices.
And yet he still felt restless. The conversation with Chiyo replayed in his mind like a broken record. Yes, he had to forgo the university he had been preparing to enter with Mika for this work now. Yes, he had to leave abruptly because he didn’t have a proper reason to give her. It was as if Mika stood across him, studying him with her arms crossed. He wanted to laugh. What was the truth exactly? Only one thing came to his mind: he was a coward. He was afraid of facing her properly. He feared so much. He didn’t want to hurt her, and yet he couldn’t defy his parents, nor the Council. He didn’t want Mika to be wrapped up in this warped up side of the world.
He had told himself he wanted to protect her. But in all honesty, he was afraid. With the lines becoming blurred after every use of magic, Suguru was terrified.
Would Mika stay if the world around him went dark forever? Of course not. She didn’t deserve this and she would choose the easier option. Just like he had chosen to keep her at an arm’s length and disappeared from her life. This was a better option for both of them. Because she deserved so much better and he was a dying coward.
And yet to hear that she still cared for him had rattled him. His mind was a muddled mess now. It wasn’t fair that he was thrust with this position and had to leave what could have been. What had been going on when he was gone? What had he missed out? A thought began to form in his mind and he wanted to crush it. It was wrong. The act would require him to use his proper powers. It would require a sacrifice and it was plain intrusion of one’s privacy. Despite of his reasonings, his eyes fell on the side cupboard in the corner of the room. Its polish was scraping off at the end while its intricate crevices were filled with dust that none of the men could clean off.
It was a dusty cupboard. The contents would be dustier and he was tired. He should turn to the kitchen instead and prepare dinner. He could try a new dish. There was still an hour and a half till Kuroo returned. Suguru gave himself reasons upon reasons to avoid the cupboard and yet his traitorous body walked towards it and opened it. The contents revealed a ceramic bowl and a cluster of multicolored vials. Another section had a stack of candles and different types of incense and dried items.
Cursing himself, Suguru reached out for the bowl and a purple colored vial which he was most familiar with. He placed the bowl on the small table before the couch and kept the vial beside it. He then took out two candles, a set of dried herbs that had a faint musky scent. He also took out an incense stick. He went to the kitchen to retrieve a match box. He lit the incense stick and let the smoke fill the room. He placed it in an empty vase used for this very purpose. He then lit the candles and used the melted wax to keep them steady on each side of the bowl. Next, he poured the contents of the vial, murky liquid filling the bowl to the brim. The last step involved him burning the dried herbs and letting their ashes fall into the liquid, focusing his magic on them.
He felt a tug from within. It was as if he was at a festival, faint chants filled the atmosphere, people and their faces passed by him. It took him a second to find a familiar face within the crowd. He reached out to Mika and as soon as their hands touched, he felt something rip his side. Gasping, he cupped the bowl and leaned in, letting the murky liquid transform into a clear picture. He saw himself facing an angry Mika with a tear stained face as she demanded an answer for him leaving.
Suguru willed for the image to move forward. The scenery changed, the image fluttering to cherry blossom leaves falling gently on the ground. He found Mika under one of the cherry blossom trees. She was smiling, her face flushed with the cold as she took a selfie. Suguru saw her then meet up with unfamiliar faces with a smile. She laughed with them as they entered the university which Suguru and Mika had seen on the website for more than half a year.
Heart heavy, and yet feeling relieved that she made it, Suguru willed the image to go further. He saw her take her classes, stress over projects, run to work at a nearby café. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw her sleep in the library. It was a relief that she was living her life well. She didn’t have many days where she fell sick. He smiled at her while she sat on a bench waiting for someone.
His smile froze as he saw another boy approach her. She beamed up at him and a flush spread on both of their faces. Suguru felt his heart sink at the sight of them holding hands and whispering sweet nothings that he wouldn’t hear. He steadied himself. He had to let it go. This was what he was prepared for. Mika would obviously move on. Who was he to stop her? And didn’t he want this for her?
The scene changed to her graduation. He saw her move into a new apartment near her work. She began to spend more time with her colleague Chiyo. He saw the boy from earlier visit her as well. Suguru decided he was content to know at least this much. She was not alone for the part four years. She spent the most of it smiling. A part of him felt a little disappointed, but he shoved the feeling down. He wouldn’t be seeing her again.
He decided to move even further from his meeting with her. Will she get married to that guy from before? Will she have children? Will she grow old and content? He expected the next scene to be greeted with a cozy home. Instead he found himself in a poorly lit street. There was snow piled on the ground. He realized this was still Tokyo with the familiar surroundings. He found Mika walk briskly past him. She kept glancing behind her shoulder, as if she was being followed. She turned to a dead end and gasped as something cluttered and clanked.
She turned around and screamed.
Suguru heard someone else scream as well. He was numb as he saw a shadow beast emerge from the corner with blood red eyes and jagged teeth. Dark liquid dripped from its body as it ripped out its claws and cornered a screaming Mika. Two claws shredded the girl and the beast began to devour her. Suguru felt his head grow heavy as the scene settled in his mind. He saw her arms grow lax in the creature’s clutches. Those were the only comprehensible features of her body left.
It took him a while to realize that he was the one screaming. Two strong hands shook him as he tried to claw out the now overturned bowl. The candles were blown out and the smell of smoke filled his nostrils, replacing the tang of blood. The lights of the room were switched on and they temporarily blinded him.
Suguru closed his mouth and his throat was raw and burning. The figure that held him was blurred till he blinked furiously. It took him a second to realize the tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Why would you that?!” the figure, now cleared to be Kuroo, had roared. “You fucking idiot! You know how this affects you? What did you see?”
Suguru didn’t know what to tell him. His throat was burning, his cheeks were wet with his tears. He was shaking in Kuroo’s hold, and he faintly thought how pathetic he must look. For how long had he been screaming? When did Kuroo find him in this state? What had he been screaming? He saw her, he saw Mika full of life. He just wanted to look into how she had spent the last four years when he was gone. He was so sure of them not crossing paths that he wanted to see whether she lived a fulfilling life. His powers specifically helped in looking into a person’s future. It required a bit of sacrifice on his part, but for Mika and his own heart he wanted to look further.
And what did he see? He saw Mika being killed ruthlessly and devoured by a shadow beast. The very beast his ancestors had helped to free and break havoc into the world. He wanted to scream again in frustration. He grabbed at the little bits and pieces he could from the vision. When will she meet that demise? It had been snowing. She had been somewhere near the Tokyo Tower. How long did she have? Was it this year? Next year? What should he do?
“Daishou. What. Did. You. See.” Kuroo punctuated, his brow furrowing.
Suguru could see the changes in his sight. The lines were fading at this point. He had lost his balance. He was falling. He was falling and falling while the audience turned their backs on him.
It was a matter of time till he met the pitch black darkness.
“Nothing.” He croaked out and laughed. He laughed till his throat burned, clutching onto Kuroo. The smell of blood seemed to rise up. His eyes began to water once more as he realized how bleak his situation was. How powerless he was. Protect Mika? It was a joke.
Silence hung between them for what seemed like eternity. Kuroo held him in his arms and carded his fingers through Suguru’s hair till he felt his eyes droop. He was going to pass out soon. It was a strange feeling. He had seen worse deaths in his visions. Mika’s was still a merciful one. At least it was quicker than the rest.
His heart still felt like lead, weighing him down. He had never felt so frustrated in his life. He wanted to grab something and break it. He wanted to find the shadow beast and obliterate it to bits so that it could never lay its claws on Mika. But even if he decided to kill every single beast he could find tonight, it wouldn’t change a thing. Nothing could change his visions. He had tried several times and had failed every single time.
“I’m going to lose her, Kuroo. What do I do?” his voice came out in a shaky whisper.
He felt Kuroo stiffen under him. “You were screaming out a name… Mika. Did you see something about her?”
“Mm.” Suguru replied. “What do I do?”
He was answered with silence. There was nothing either of them could do and Suguru felt himself drift away. He was tired and drained. It took a few moments for his surroundings to go completely dark.