Shina wasn't home, and I let myself be tempted by Kagami's persuasive offer to stay for dinner. While she was cooking, I went to Akeno to play Sega. After twenty minutes of playing, Kenta joined us and took a position beside his son. That's not because he was his son, but because I was better at it. When I played against his son, Akeno balanced out the game by helping him out.
I don't know when Shina came back, but in an hour and a half, she came in the room to let us know that the dinner was ready. Then she came back again, in another half hour.
'Grandpa!'
'Huh? Has something happened?'
'The dinner! It was done half an hour ago.'
'Is it there yet?' Akeno asked.
'Yes, for now.' Shina said through her teeth.
'Keep it safe for us for another twenty minutes,' Kenta said, looking at the position of the chips on the board.
'Pft.' Showing her attitude towards the situation, Shina closed the door partition, leaving us to finish the game.
'They won't eat without us,' I asserted the obvious, staring at the board. Today was clearly not my day, so I had to wisely retreat.
'Hmm,' still looking at the board, the old man uttered thoughtfully.
'Not sure about Kagami-san, but the girls are probably hungry as lions after their clubs.'
'Hmm,' - Akeno responded this time. 'I think you might be right. We can finish the game later.'
'Then let's not make the women wait,' Kenta said.
The old man estimated that I'd have lasted only twenty more minutes. Twenty minutes that the family could suffer without dinner. Unfortunately for these guys, I knew their weak sides and wasn't planning on losing tonight. I just had to think of a reason for leaving before they would want to continue the game and have enough time to talk to Shina before that happened.
What I like about dinners at the Koyamas is their homey environment. I've been a regular guest for six years now, during which time I had gathered that they are more than a close-knit family. I don't know about other head families, but this is the way the Koyama had it. Shina pretended to be a grown-up lady while Mizuki played a role of a little kid. Akeno asked the daughters about what happened at school and flirted with Kagami. Kenta goofed off, and Kagami constantly called to order, while bringing in family gatherings the coziness that only women, wives and mothers, could create. I didn't feel like I was a stranger, which would have been impossible if I made at least one family member tense. I might be a cynic, but the reason could also be that I don't eat there every day. I don't want to think so, but I don't want to be disappointed either.
After the dinner, noticing Akeno and Kenta's hinting looks, I apologized and said that I had to talk with Shina about school matters. The young girl was going upstairs to her room when I stopped her.
'Shina-cha-a-an, are you free now? Do you have 10 minutes?'
'Sure,' she replied, sounding suspicious. 'Ten minutes of my precious time is yours.'
Shina's room, just like her sister's, was designed in Japanese style. The room was... How can I describe it better? Well, Shina wasn't a clean freak. No, the room wasn't messy or dirty. However, there was a light chaos. For instance, that stocking on the chair clearly did not fit into the overall picture of the clean room. And where was the second stocking, I wonder?
'Have a seat,' she said, pointing at a chair that was free of clothes. She plopped down on the bed. 'Shinji, if you only knew you how hard I have to work at the club just to be able to eat mom's concoctions.'
'A girl's life is tough.'
'Exactly. It's nice to have someone who understands you.'
'I was actually going to talk with you about the clubs.'
'Huh?' She lay on her tummy facing me.
'You see, my problem is that I have no time for clubs. In Dakisyuro, to my great regret, they are obligatory. Could you help me pick out a stress-free club?? Ideally, one that doesn't take much of my time.'
'Why do you think I'd know? I've never looked for one like that. I found mine right away and wasn't interested in any others.'
'Fine, if you don't know, that's okay. I thought that you'd know more people than me because it's not your first year in school. Perhaps, any of them know?'
'Firstly, one of the main purposes of school is to make friends and build social connections. Communication—have you heard of such a word? Secondly, do you really think I'm gonna ask around about such things? Run around the school and ask people where the club for a lazybones is?'
'Who's lazybones? Okay, I got ya. But you don't have to run around the school. Just your good friends and acquaintances. I don't even ask you to keep it confidential. You can just say that your neighbor asked you to find out. However, I'd prefer you didn't announce it all over the school.'
'Shinji,' she asked after a moment's silence, 'What are you busy doing that you can't even find time for clubs?'
'Baby, I'm not asking you what kind of underwear you have, so don't ask me personal questions either. I have things to do.' Blushing after my words, the girl raised herself, but not saying anything, she just breathed out the air she’d collected in her chest.
'I'll punch you. Many-many times. Instead of vulgarities, you should just admit that you're simply lazy.' Oh, my.
'Shina, you know how much my school uniform costs?'
'Why are you changing the topic?'
'Just answer.'
'No, I don't know for sure. Not cheap. Probably as much as mine.'
'Right. That's because I like quality and comfortable clothes.' Not as much as Stylish, of course. 'The money sent by my parents wouldn't cover it. Now let me ask you a question. Where do I get the money?'
Shina didn't know what to say. 'I don't know,' she said carefully. 'Do you have a side job?'
'Correct. Believe me, I am a fairly wealthy person. However, having a job requires time. School takes half the day, and a club will take another half.'
'I...' Shina looked away. 'I'm sorry. I didn't think that you...'
'Stop, stop. Are you going to feel sorry for me now?' I asked, watching her sit up on the bed and hesitate. 'You're silly. But pretty. Don't pout. Trust me, I don't need to be felt sorry for. I'm not a longshoreman. I like my job. And I like my pay, too.' Make hay while the sun shines, Max. 'Will you help me?'
'Yes, of course,' she mumbled in response. 'What's your job?'
'Web design.'
'Is there good money in it?'
'It depends on many things. I make a fine living out of it.'
'Why haven't you told me earlier?' Look, she already sounds offended. It didn't take long for her to come to her senses.
'Did you ever ask?' I answered with a question. 'You didn't ask. I wasn't going to brag. I just make money like many others.'
I wondered if Mizuki had noticed that I was living on a large scale. The elder Koyama had already put two and two together. They only knew about the club though.
'Ahh.'
'Shina, cutie, let's not talk about the job, okay?'
'But I'm interested!'
'Well, I'm not going anywhere soon so you can ask your questions later.'
'Are you in a hurry somewhere?' she asked lifting her eyebrows and grinning.
'Your father and grandfather want to finish the sega game with me.'
'And?'
'I don't really want to. So, to be clear, can you help me with the club or not?'
'What choice do I have? Yes, I will.'
'Excellent! Thank you, baby.' She just pulled the corners of her lips trying to hold a smile. I know she liked it. 'I'm gonna go then. Do you mind if I use your window?'
By the way, she didn't say anything about the conversation in the cafeteria.
* * *
The next day nothing happened, but on Wednesday, they came for their revenge. They caught me after school, when Rydon, and Shina had gone to their clubs. They were waiting for me right outside the main building, four bulky-looking guys. One of them was the moron from the cafeteria. What was his name?
Oh yeah, Sugovara Kuro. He came up to me with an evil grin, while his retinue surrounded me.
'Well hello, little freak. You don't look like you're in a hurry to get home. That's too bad.'
Why does everyone have to be mean about my height? I noticed a couple of curious looks and looked at Kuro. The resolution was not going to be peaceful either way, so I needed to make sure there were minimum witnesses. I looked at his retinue demonstratively from head to toe, shifted my gaze to the instigator and started to grin:
'That's smart. I don't have enough chopsticks for all of you.' I noticed that one of the two guys, who stood on the right side of me, grimaced.
'Too much honor to make a fight because of you. You'll be beaten up like a dog, a poor, homeless, stray dog.'
'Like a dog,' I said, pondering. 'What does that make you then?'
'Animal control service.'
'Well, let's go. Animal control service. Let's talk without witnesses.' I turned around and headed towards a yard behind the main building. The place was not very populated, especially after school. It was located at the end of the building on the side with no windows.
I didn't go out to the center of the courtyard but stopped next to the wall, along which I was walking. Turning to the aristocrats, I grinned. War dogs. Valiant gait, smirks, and demonstrative knuckle cracking. The moron had not learned his lesson in the cafeteria. Only one of the guys seemed not to like it. He still had the same frown into which he had drawn his forehead when he first saw me. When everyone stopped, he stood behind his friends and somehow did not seem to aspire to take part in the planned beating. Looking at these schoolboys who imagined themselves to be, god knows what, I suddenly remembered my unpaid debt and the one freak who had been hiding in Germany for a long time. Should I kill his dad?
'I'm just curious. What are you going to do with Koyama Shina when she finds out about all this? No, no,' I lifted my hands up. 'I'm not going to tell anyone about anything. But it so happens that you caught me in a place where half the school could see us, right after school, when there are crowds of people outside.
'Do not worry, plebeian, we'll find a way to pacify the girl.' Who? Shina? They're so naive.
'Well, in that case,' I said, slowly pulling Glock-17 out of my belt holster on the back, 'let's start having some fun.'
The kids got a little nervous. As they were all Warriors, I seriously doubted that they had sufficient experience in handling ‘spirit armor'. Mizuki, for example, was also a Warrior, but she had learned to use the 'armor' to its full potential quite recently, shortly before the start of the school year. Before that, she could only defend herself using it at an average level. I can't comprehend how Shina, just a year older than her sister, managed to become a Master. She was, indeed, the genius of the Koyama clan.
On the other hand, these jerks had not yet escaped and had not begun to translate everything into a joke, which means that they could at least defend themselves against firearms, but hardly for long. My two clips won't be enough for all four of them, but I'll shoot the legs of at least two of them.
'You wouldn’t dare,' Kuro began. 'No one will let you shoot a pistol at school. Besides, it's illegal.'
'Illegal? Maybe if I did not have the rank of Disciple in shooting. But since I do, I can store and carry a gun on quite legitimate grounds.'
'But you can't use...'
'Moron. The use of firearms by me will be considered in court. Considering that there are witnesses of me being taken away by four warriors... You are Warriors, right?' I specified. 'So, half the school are witnesses... well, even if it's a little less, I have nothing to be afraid of. Self-defense, that's all.
In this world, thank God, the laws were easier. There was an eighty percent probability that I would not be found guilty. However, nobody would deal with this case. Why?' Sugovara Kuro answered that question himself.
'We are all aristocrats here. No one will start a case. Our families will take care of you.' 'Or I turn their lives into a living hell. A moot point.'
'Put the gun away amicably and all you'll have is a couple of broken bones.'
I disliked people like him. I could have answered, but I decided to cripple them and take care of the families that had given birth to such crappy humans. I didn't care that their families might be nice people. They'd pay for their inability to raise good kids. I'm no angel and have many negative qualities, so I could vent my anger on their families or whoever I chose.
'I couldn't care less about you or your parents' revenge. I can take a revenge on anyone I want. People like you, Kuro-kun, need to be exorcised, otherwise, the State will rot, and at best, others will swallow it up. But let's end this conversation and finally begin having fun. I'll cripple at least two of them before anyone who’s heard the noise can get here. So who wants to be first?'
'Huh? Are you out of your mind? My father will rip your heart out!'
What a child. That was one reason I still hadn't attacked him. Let me remind you, I’m no angel. But in the Cold War, that's how we lost six warlocks. There were too many corpses, and a lot of them were children. Those six just lost the ability to kill and joined the zombies. I have kids on my conscience, even younger ones. I didn't want this ... But ... it happened. All right. That was the past, Max. I doubt these guys will stir up any feelings in me, but being a warlock, you never know.
'Our families will make mincemeat out of you!'
Another one spoke up but I wasn't going to respond. I just stood there grinning and looked at them with my arms crossed.
'You're jerks, you know that? Move over, idiot!' Oh, the grumpy one opened his mouth. The last words were addressed to sidekick Kuro, who was standing in his way, and whom he just pushed aside.
'Be careful with your words, Vakia-kun,' said Kuro. 'You might hurt my feelings.'
'I don't care about your feelings. Are you gonna threaten me with your family too?' Vakia replied mockingly. 'Perhaps you think that you're such a big deal that the whole clan will stand up for you?'
'My brother will be enough to handle you,' the lead dog of the pack hissed through his teeth.
'Wow. You think so, huh? Let me remind you, I have a brother or two as well. Is your brother willing to deal with them too? Or should we arrange a war between the families?'
'Calm down, Vakia, calm down,' Kuro even raised his hands up. 'No war. Admit it, it's pretty stupid to get into a fight over some mongrel.'
'It's too late, Kuro. We've already gotten into a fight. You’re acting like a mongrel, and I don't like it.'
'Watch your mouth,' he squinted in response. 'You're asking for a trouble. Why did you come with us, anyway?'
'You said we were going to teach someone a lesson so that they didn't act like a beggar on horseback. I had no idea he'd be alone without the help of a clan. As soon as he stood up for himself, everyone started threatening with their families. So who are you afterwards? Do you want the whole school to find that out, Kuro-kun? I can help you with that. After that, I doubt you'll get help from your family.'
'Dream on!' the guy hissed in his defense. 'What do you want?'
'I want you to get out of here. This ends here and now. You know my family, Kuro, we always go all the way. I'll make your life hell if you don't keep your word.'
'You'll make your life hell, too.'
'I'm gonna say it again: I don't care.'
'Because of some mongrel...'
'It's no longer about him.'
After a several-second pause and intently staring into Vakia's face, Kuro finally replied:
'Go to hell. This scumbag isn't worth it. Let's get out of here,' he waved at his retinue. He gave me and Vakia an evil look and marched towards the school gate.
When the muggers finally disappeared, the guy turned to me. Checking me out from head to toe, his gaze rested on the gun, the handle of which I was using to scratch my forehead.
'My name is Vakia Tejdzho, and I have the rank of Warrior in hand-to-hand combat. Though I don't like this sit
uation, the challenge was made and accepted and I want to find out who is better, the Disciple with a gun or me.'
After a moment looking at this weido, I gathered my thoughts.
'Right here?'
'Why not? No one will bother us here.'
He's nuts. Well, if he wants a fight, he's gonna get it. I think I can make myself look like a regular, well-trained, adult man.
'This is Glock,' I raised it with my hand, 'it's .45 caliber. High impact, low penetration ability, and very loud. The mess it'll make won’t be worth it when the teachers come running. It'd be different if it was me against four jerks, but a duel is just meaningless.'
The guy looked confused. He can’t have been not brain-dead, after all.
'Yeah, but... We could...'
'If you are so eager to fight,' I interrupted him, putting the gun away, 'we can fight. I am an Apprentice not just in shooting.'
* * *
'Father?'
Changing Masks Page 25
