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Taku was in the room, sleeping. His snoring was like a thunderstorm. He seemed very exhausted. He lay like a log of wood.
Riku came in. He was flabbergasted at the sound of the snore, which shook the building and made his posture unstable. He went closer to Taku, who was lying violently on the bed. His mouth was open. Riku closed his mouth, but it opened again. It opened like the mouth of a cave.
Riku saw the bruises and cuts on Taku's face and body. His eyes were blackened. He looked at him. He shook his head sympathetically. He turned to leave when Taku woke up.
"You are awake. I didn't want to wake you up," Riku voice was gently, he touched Taku's shoulder delicately
"Ouch!" He grimaced in pain.
He removed his hand from Taku's shoulder. "I'm sorry. What happened to you? Don't tell me you got into another fight. It looks like you were beaten up, not really a fight." He peered at Taku, raising a suspicious brow.
Taku sat on the bed lazily. "It was a fight," he objected weakly. His voice sounded like it had lost all the strength in it which perhaps it did.
"You should learn how to defend yourself properly from me. Or better still, take me to those bastards so I can finish them up. They can't do this to my twin brother and go free, and I'm sure they were smirking after doing this," he retorted. His jaw clenched, he smacked his fist against his opener palm in anger.
"It was just a classmate. Just one. I like to get into a fight, although I know I'll be beaten up," Taku lied.
He quirked his brow "Taku, take me to the boy. You can't have a big brother like me and be going through this. No one is supposed to lay their filthy hands on you." He yelled. His eyes was blazing in fury.
Taku sure didn't want to escalate things. He cleared his throat, "we are just kids, you know. You fight demons, not humans. Face what you fight and don't get involved in this. It's just kid stuff," then he changed the subject. "How are you doing? No demons to kill yet? Because you haven't been going out lately."
Riku gazed at him, astonishment crept out of his eyes.. "You seem to be getting interested in demons."
Taku chuckled, then shrugged. "That's most of the conversation that revolves around you; there is no way I won't talk about it, although I still don't believe in their existence."
Riku gave a slight smile. "For now, there aren't any demons to kill. The city is peaceful."
Taku nodded. "I think seeing is believing. When I see one, I will believe it."
"You might not live to tell the tale. So, I advise you not to pray to see any unless you are prepared for it or you are with me. I would love to take you on any of my future missions, but that would be risky. I wouldn't risk your life for you to believe demons exist. If anything happens to you, I won't be able to forgive myself." A breath of melancholy made itself felt like a chill and sudden gust from some unknown sea crept out of his voice and facial expression.
"Demons," Taku scoffed.
Suddenly, he didn't see Riku again in a twinkle of an eye. What happened? Riku was there with him. Where did he go? He didn't see Riku going out. What happened?
"R-Riku?" Taku stammered. "Where are you?" he whispered fearfully.
"I'm here with you." Riku then became visible.
Taku gasped. His eyes widening, fright glistened in it. He looked at Riku with stupefaction and astonishment written all over his face. He was like an ocean that became frozen from the trembling of fear.
Riku touched his shoulder lightly. Taku felt a chill ran down his spine. Riku started laughing. "Why are you suddenly this frightened?"
"How did you do that?" His eyes widened more, almost pulling out from their sockets.
"It's something new I learned. That was how I was able to kill that demon. He wasn't able to see me while I was fighting him. There are lots of things you can do as a demon slayer."
"So, can you disappear to some other place?"
"I can only become invisible," Riku revealed.
"Wow!" He ran his hand through his head. "My two friends said something about my other friend Midori."
"What was that?"
"They said her eyes turned light red in class. I wasn't there. Is such a thing possible? If you could make yourself invisible, maybe I'd believe what they said. Although," he shrugged, "initially, I didn't believe it."
Riku gave Taku an intense stare.
"What? Why such a look?" Taku was curious as a cat, craving to have an answer. If curiosity could reveal the heart, Taku's curiosity would have done that long ago. So, he had to wait for Riku's answer.
"Was she angry when she did that?" He inquired.
He shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't interested in what they were saying. My friend Midori didn't believe them. She wasn't aware of it."
"Mmm. That could be a sign of a demon."
"You say what?"
"I said that could be a sign of a demon. Demons always have that: their bloodshot eyes, thirsty for human flesh."
Taku burst out laughing. His laughter melted down all the fear that had consumed him. He laughed like a wild hyena. He clapped his thighs. The corners of his eyes crinkled and tears streamed down from excessive laughter.
"Midori? Demon?" He laughed once more. Then he tried to keep a straight face.
Riku sighed. "I said that's a sign of a demon. I didn't say she is a demon. For her to be able to walk under the sun without being burnt and eventually dead, she might not be. All the same, be careful of her. Try observing her. There is something supernatural about her. It could be good, it could be bad. But most commonly, it is only demons that have such eyes. I really don't know what she is."
"Midori is the nicest girl I've met. She is a very kind person. Why would she have a sign of a demon? If you knew her, you wouldn't say what you just said. I've told you about her, but if only you knew her personally."
"When you realize what's happening, I hope it won't be late." His eyes were misted with the glow of tears. It was drenched with pity.
"How could she be a demon? It's hard to believe," he reasoned.
"I never said she was," Riku snapped.
"Observe her, Taku. Learn to know who she truly is. She could be something and not even know it. Soon, she won't be able to control herself. I've never seen a demon who could work under the sun. So, there is a possibility she isn't a demon, but all demons I've seen had red eyes. Their eyes taste for more human flesh. The more flesh they ate, the darker the red," he carefully stated.
"This is really strange. If the story is true, I think she is something else, not a demon. Midori is a saint. Or probably the story isn't true. It's just a rumor. My school is good at spreading rumors. They once spread a rumor about a girl Rena that she was a single mother. It turned out to be a lie," he considered.
"Then your other two friends who witnessed it are rumor mongers," Riku pointed out.
Taku's brows snapped together. Emotions flashed across his face like the sweep of sun-rent clouds over a quiet landscape. He was quiet for a while, then sighed. "I don't know who to believe anymore."
"The world is not a playground; it is a war ground. Watch your back at all costs," Riku counseled.
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