Warning: This Chapter contains bothering and uncomfortable scenes that depicts violence and certain mental health conditions. If you don't like it, please skip the chapter, if possible.
Case 12,
Hell Hounds
***
"Hey, do you remember Bach?"
"Ah, the one with cute dogs!"
"Yes! I wonder what will happen to his pets... I hope we can help take care of them..."
"We can take them to a shelter and help them daily. Those dogs became a therapy to me, you know!"
***
Hajime's POV
Unlike the others, I haven't seen pasts from Fiona or Genny. However, they seemed to get along well inside me.
As far as Carol informed me, when I formed a contract, a space is formed inside me that continuously expands whenever I form contracts with other spirits, which becomes a "home" for them inside my body.
Another, I learned that I they can't use their power whenever they need to. Betty and Carol will exhaust my body mentally when they overuse their power. Eres and Dior will consume physically. In Genny and Fiona's case, I don't feel much of a negative impact, probably because of the type of contract we have (said Carol, too).
"Hey, get up, I made breakfast." Kise came crawling into my space. "How long are you gonna holler into my room?"
I glared at him, half my body still tucked in the blanket. How could I forget that this insane so-called exorcist threatened me to stay with him...
"Ok." I struggle no more. No use reasoning with someone who only cares for themselves.
"What?" His eyebrows furrowed, almost meeting each other in the process.
"Nothing." I spoke with empty words, and directed myself towards the kitchen and checked what he left on the table.
Plain. Betty has it better than these. Just a fried egg and a few slices of bacon and hotdogs. I want rice.
"Eat up, I've got work to do." He came after, dressing himself up.
A cotton shirt with lose pants. Plain but carried. "What are you gonna do?"
"Oh, it's noth—" He paused after looking at my face, "I'm meeting Chief Hanare today. I'll be back by noon."
I nodded off. I knew he was lying, he was just trying to assure me at the very least. I don't see any reason to lie, it's not like I'm in control of his life. Then that, I watched his shadow disappeared into the hall
"Brother, I think we should just try to—" Yuu spoke as soon as he reached inside the house, stopping once he saw no trace of his brother.
"You aren't doing anything here, weren't you?" Aoi spoke from behind.
"...no." Such siblings he have.
"How about cleaning the house? I heard he's letting you stay rent-free. A work and a home for free. Man, what a lavish life I wish I could have." The other spoke insensitively.
Were they always this rude...?
Heavy shoes came from behind while a delicate touch came in contact with my shoulder, "I'm cleaning as you're speaking right now." It's Betty, my savior.
"I didn't knew Kise hired a new maid. You just started working?" Aoi looked at us with distrust.
"Kise? Maid? I work under Hajime. I could care less about that person." She walked away with a duster in hand. I guess she couldn't take that much.
"How foolish." Aoi gave a glare before storming into his brother's room(which I consider my own, now).
"Just don't stir up a mess into this house. Considering the generosity my brother gave, I doubt you will, right?" Yuu came after his twin.
I silenced myself, refraining for more words. My eyes focused into the void while pondering about things. They're always as rude as Kise—their voices somehow comes out weirdly oppressive and controlling, while Kise is very much like a kid who would run a tantrum whenever he didn't get what he wants; controlling and attention-seeking.
"Fiona, give me some ice." I whispered, audible only for myself.
"There's none left?"
"No. I don't want trouble." My words left her silent. Was she baffled, or was she speechless? Nonetheless, I must not care about such trivial matters.
As I pour the water into the glass, ice came dropping out of nowhere, just above. Each has distinct and cute shapes that floats up and down in a slow motion. It tastes sweet and relaxing.
"Did you know where I left my bag? I'm going somewhere today." I whispered into Betty.
"O-oh, I know!" Genny interrupted.
"Okay the—" Just before I could finish, my feet moved into its own accord, pulling my body without my control.
"H-hey, what's happening?!" I panicked.
"Don't worry, it's Genny." I faint, child-like voice whispered like gentle breeze into my ears.
My feet stopped once it reached the door into Kise's room. I stood in silence, wondering how I'll get inside without making contact with the brothers.
Before I could drop a know, the door opened; Aoi glaring at me with his cold eyes, then came storming out of the room as if I was there to be the blame.
I scanned inside, no one's present. Yuu must've been inside the other room, probably busy about another thing. Then again, my feet went on until it reached the bed, a little messy with the bag inside, half open. Aoi must've done it, but I don't think there's anything inside to be a reason for his rage.
My head couldn't help but throb just thinking about things so deeply. I grabbed my bag and relied on a taxi to get to the police station where chief Hanare is.
"What do you need?" His eyebrows furrowed as I reveal myself.
"I need information. On the cases Kise is pursuing, his true objective, his capabilities and who is 'that' person we're taking about." He fell silent.
"Honestly, I don't know anything. His background is unknown which means he's probably from an influential family. The only thing I'm sure of is that he's been too serious about these paranormal cases we've been tracking." He looked sincere.
"I can help with that. Just give me the information I need and I'll deal with those paranormal cases you've been pursuing. Just follow one deal."
"One deal?" His hand crossed, eyes stern and ready for a serious talk.
"Never let Kise know. I can deal with all of those within a single night. Tracking, removing and cleaning. All in one package, in exchange for keeping this all from Kise." I try to hold my face.
His face stood still, unwavering and determined. With this, I can potentially make a deal out of this, and escape Kise's grasp. Just to remind him, I hate people who always try to control me.
"I can do that, but you know Kise can get as scary as you think he could. Though I doubt he's harm you—is that your reason?" I shook off.
"No. It's true, probably, but just so you know, we're never in good terms. We have no ties whatsoever, and does the question of why I stick with him never found its way towards your doubt?"
He opened his mouth, while I waited for another reply that never came. He looked satisfied for some reason, and handed out a paper to me. "I trust you, but you shall take all the blame once you angered him. This is the latest report we received. Informants said that there's been a body found on the orphanage. Since it was beside the animal shelter, people assumed that there's a wild animal that targeted the people."
"And?" I waited for the upcoming answer.
"Coincidentally, the man that died was a thief on a run past midnight after a 24/7 store was robbed by the very same person."
"Okay, I'm done."
He paused, "What?"
"I said I'm done. I'm going back now, I'll deliver the results by tomorrow." I didn't mind his words furthermore.
"What the—" I cut him off once I left the door, the tension still carried until the moment I left in silence.
I wasn't pondering about anything in particular. Just some random thoughts that constantly changes every moment I could find; like how I think it'll be fun to fly once I saw a bird, but eventually moves to questioning whether a random guy was just a random guy or some celebrity I don't know. Countless events, countless imaginations that only lives on delusions.
Eventually, I come to question, "Does Kise ever feel overwhelmed that he doesn't mind me felling it?" But I had no choice but to disregard those emotions. I should never hope for love and belonging as someone who doesn't have the rights out of it.
He's selfish, arrogant, condescending, negatively assertive and... possessive! He's basically the manifestation of all my hates.
"Snooping around, aren't we?" A familiar grinning face welcomed me out of nowhere. Well, he ain't technically grinning, I just pictured it out. It's Aoi.
"I don't understand what you mean." I move with haste, trying to evade him as much as possible.
A sudden light feeling ran through my shoulder. I check to ensure but my bag containing the important information to track the next target was nowhere to be found. My eyes acted on its own, knowing who's potentially responsible.
"I wonder... Someone who left without a word, met with an officer brother has connections to and probably demanded a file. What could the content be if it isn't about my brother's work?" His lips curved into a sly smile yet his eyes looking at me as if they were degrading me.
"It's none of you business." I snatch it desperately which he evaded flawlessly.
Frustration and worry covered my thoughts as I continue to miss every aim and his hand slowly slipped the envelope open.
Nothing but perplex covered his face when he looked inside. I'm doomed, I know, but I can reason this to get my foot off of Kise's shoes.
His brows furrowed. "There's no way you'll be carrying a random empty envelope that suspiciously." He glared, though I felt somewhat assured even by not knowing how it turned out that the papers had no texts.
That given, it didn't last long either. A sinister aura dropped as if it's peeling into my existence every second that passes by. I feel like he's looking at me everywhere and not just "looking" but he's more like trying to peek into my very existence. I can barely move myself.
"What the hell?!" He glared, hands somehow not holding onto my things anymore. Fiona forced his hand to let go by faintly freezing the tips. He's scary, but I shouldn't let these brothers boss me around for all I care. I left because I couldn't, so I'll leave if I can't.
After freeing myself from whatever power he had, I grabbed my things and ran away in front of him. Those brothers are the worst brothers that could've existed!
God, to think that I have to get back to that house before I start my ghost hunt covers me with unknown possibilities. Will he be that playboy I see in school? The scary guy who orders me around? The attention-seeking idiot? Or perhaps the gentle and worrisome Kise? I guess no matter how hurt I become, I still come back hoping for something good out of it. I don't see it as being optimistic, but I do think it's just me trying to understand everything that happens as I know the more I did, the more complex it ends up to be.
"You're here." I was welcomed by his intense stare and scary voice. Undoubtedly. What surprised me isn't his face nor reaction, but the guy beside him.
"You have weird tastes for people, brother. Your little 'assistant' here even tried to frost my hand." Aoi, beside him, spoke as if he's looking for a fight. Not to mention that annoying tone of his.
"I don't remember doing anything like that."
"Aoi, he's a ghost." Kise defended.
"But he did, look!" He reached out his reddish hand.
Kise's eyes turned to me. I can tell he's suspicious of something, and he must have connected the dots by now. "Hajime, where is that girl?" He's glaring got worse.
"For all I care, I don't know." My words just worsened him more.
"Fuck, Hajime, just tell me!" He crashed out, a shed of light and emitting that almost hit me. I know it could be dangerous if it touched me, especially considering that I'm housing multiple spirits around. I can't believe it'll hurt this much getting cursed by someone who never did that to you before.
Unfortunately, the light triggered Fiona. A sudden ache temporarily pierced through my heart and small shards of ice somehow grazed his hands.
"See? I told you so." Aoi shrugged, adding fuel to the fire.
"How many times do I have to remind you not to let them!" I can see his frustration, but it doesn't give him any rights to order my decisions in life!
I can't feel my heart. It's gone numb from the ice... He stared into my chest with widened eyes, the cold frost reaching my collarbone.
I can't feel any emotions. There's nothing but hollowness inside me. "I'm not a ghost, I'm not your assistant, I'm not an outsider, I'm not a Muno, I'm not who you decide I get to be—I'm just Hajime and I make the decisions myself. You have no rights to trample into my existence."
He fell silent; everyone did. It's too deafening and I feel myself heavy. What should I feel? What should I do? I guess at the very end, this is the best choice I could make.
Loud sounds of glasses echoed through the house, things shaking turbulently and continuous beeps from machines all over the place went on in a low sound, but high frequency. The shoes on the racks running all over the place while countless footprints appeared all around the walls to the ceiling.
Now, Kise's clean clothes came to be scribbled with black taints of ink and words filled with malice. Since I can't feel emotions, my spirits had been releasing the negative energy I've been piling up inside.
Without a thought, I barged out the house and ran towards wherever my foot could lead me. No traffic, no hindrances. Although I'm like this, it doesn't seem like the world is against me. In fact, it seems like it doesn't mind me for whatever I do or become. It's only them that is.
Rain poured yet no tears fell off my empty eyes. Only the incandescent glow of the street light served as my sun while the city light became my starry night. Before I could've known, the sun already left and not even the moon dared to see me. Do I seem that pathetic that even the clouds did the honor?
As I rest under the sad small bride, warmth covered my body as a fur of an animal touched my skin. The animal wasn't warm itself, but the fur was cozy enough to make me feel warm myself.
"You sure are getting cozy out here." I pat its head. "Are you husky or a German shepherd? Why do you look like a combination of both?" His head tilted in confusion.
"I'm neither." I paused. DID THE DOG JUST SPOKE?! Okay, Hajime, calm down, this must not be a human.
"That's our target." Dior came out of thin air. Somehow, I don't get surprised by them anymore. Well, that's unless they have another trick ready for me.
"So he's the hound? I thought he'd be like more gore and three-headed like Cerberus."
"He sure is wild." A shoe came talking beside me. A shoe. YES, A SHOE. I'm definitely not down with Genny appearing like this.
"So, why don't you attack me? Don't you do that with your victims?"
"Because your just like me." I paused. I quite couldn't understand his point.
"Because we both reek of evil stench?"
"No. Because we're both lonely." Everyone never dared to speak. I understand why. It's complex, it's deep, yet somehow, it's kind.
"I love cats over dogs, but I'll make this exception." He snuggled closer, keeping warm despite the cold bodies together. If I ever looked for a family, then I would be blind because it's been here with me all along.
"It's time to eat. I had Dior get the ingredients for me." Betty came out with utensils on hand.
Everyone came out, each of us enjoying our life like a new family. Betty and Dior would be the mother and father, Genny could be my older brother while Fiona is my older sister, and Eris as our little sibling. Somehow, this dog here is willing to become our little pet. It's like playing house, but we're an actual family. I never dreamed of this before, but now that I'm here, I couldn't be happier.
A family...
***