From Him to Her. 003

It was sharply five-o-clock when school ended for the day. I was asked to be at the school front gate by Mrs. Kendra sharply at five thirty. So I got about thirty minutes left. I usually reach home at around 5:15pm but today I guess I should delay it. I was standing at the school entrance as I watched all the other students walk up to the school front gate and leave for home. 

"Hey Keiko, what are you doing still standing here?"

"Nothing to be honest. I am just thinking of going home a little later."

"Oh, why is that? If you don't mind telling me about it."

"Nothing much in particular, you need not worry."

"Oh okay then. I better head home quick. See ya then, take care!" Lana said as she went ahead towards the gate. I am sure you have questions in your mind such as 'Hey, why is Keiko talking to another person so comfortably?', 'Is it a friend of hers?', 'Didn't she mention earlier in the story that she'd rather not befriend a single soul in this school or in general this society?' The answer to this is simply that Lana happened to be just a docile acquaintance of mine. It all started when she was a simple coordinate in a group activity of three. I wasn't familiar with the third person at all, but Lana was really cooperative back then and helped me with the project. She was pretty much the one who had approached me and it is finally time for me to reveal that Carrie is not the only one in my contacts except for my parents but Lana is also part of the list. Though, we barely call or text each other (even if we do, it is always she who calls or texts me). 

Apart from that, we aren't really 'friends' or anything of that sort. "Ah, it's already 5:10pm, I guess I should just go ahead and wait at the gate." I looked at my watch and muttered to myself as I walked towards the gate. Looks like there is no sign of Jacob because he usually gives me this big ugly wave which is supposed to mean 'bye bye!'  But today it's already part five when he should've given me that wave. He always gives me that wave at sharply five. Could it be that his eyes didn't catch my presence? Might be the case but I am not too sure. Well, not that I care about that bastard. Anyways, I stood there at the gate and after sometime Mrs. Kendra finally arrived at sharply 5:30pm. She was actually running towards the gate from the school building entrance. What haste at her age. I usually feel like adult women aren't that fast. Unless….

"Whew, that took me a while, sorry if I was late."

"Um, you are right on time."

"Oh, haha, nevermind then."

"...…"

"Well anyways, about what I wanted to inform you about, here take this letter home with you and read it as soon as you reach home."

"Hm, alright. What is it about though?"

"I honestly have no idea. Tom restricted me from opening it and told me to give this to you after school."

"I see. Is it something really important?"

"Yes. That's what he said. It is something reallyyy important."

"I see."

"Anyways, I forgot to ask you. What might be your name? Also, if you don't mind me asking you, you don't seem to be belonging to this nationality so where are you actually from?"

"My given name is Keiko. My full name is Keiko Andro Marion. Birthplace is Germany, but I am half German and half Japanese." I answered like some robot with the blandest expression I could give.

"Woah, interesting. Anyways, sorry if I wasted your time, you better head home now because the school is almost empty at the moment. Bye-bye and take care dear." She said as she headed back to the school building. What a funny woman. Not that I was laughing on the inside as I was bland on both sides. Now it seems like I should go to Autre restaurant (was it?) and meet the sender of this message. I am starting to have bad feelings about this as I am not sure whether this person is someone I know, or perhaps some guy from my school or maybe an adult man. Okay, the adult man assumption seems a bit exaggerated, if it's going to be one of the teachers from the school then I don't really think so. Why would a teacher randomly invite me to a restaurant? That sounds absurd. I hope it's just some student from the school. I decided to head home, change into something else because I don't wish to go to that restaurant in what I was wearing to school. Also, I need to check where the restaurant is at through my phone. I better bring my phone there as well. I reached home at around 5:45pm changed to different clothes, took my phone along with me and headed downstairs.

"Um, mom?"

"Yes? What is it dear?"

"I'm deciding on going to the nearby library right now, don't worry, I'll be back home soon."

"Sure, but make sure to return home at sharply seven o'clock."

"Uh, sure sure. I will, I won't break the curfew."

"Good. Take care, Kei."

"I will." I said as I took my leave, opening the front door. It seems like Autre restaurant isn't that far. Going to take approximately ten minutes to reach there.

As I was walking, my pace suddenly increased and my legs felt lighter for some reason. Could it be another doing of the necklace? Perhaps it is in the mood to help me this time. 

"Keiko Andro Marion, I sense danger."

I heard Makkura's voice as my necklace was glowing. Danger? As I am walking to the restaurant now? "What's wrong? What kind of danger?" I asked it.

"Something so dire. I advise thou to not go there, something doesn't feel right."

"The sender told I'd face dire consequences if I am not there."

"Don't worry, I'll taketh care of that if it ever happens. Just listen to me and don't go there."

"B-But…."

"I am serious. Don't disobey me. This advice is now an order."

"....." I decided not to listen to Makkura. I want to know who this person is. My curiosity is unquenchable. 

"Keiko Andro Marion, art thou there?"

I decided to give Makkura the silent treatment and didn't stop walking. After sometime of silence I finally disembarked at Autre restaurant. It is sharply six o'clock. I was just inches away from opening the restaurant door. It seemed to be a small one. I looked up at the beautiful dusky sky as I heard Makkura's voice again after a while.

"Thou shan't enter the restaurant! Go back to thy house!" It said as I felt something holding my right shoulder blade. "Listen to me or I must make thou go to thy house by force." There came a gust of black smoke and Makkura's cold presence was behind me. Right behind me. "Only thou can see me. No other human being hither can even sense my presence. I am only felt, heard and seen by thou." It said as it grabbed my left shoulder blade too now. "Thou shalt return to thy house right this instance or thou shalt face dire consequences by me and shalt be dragged home by force." It repeated once again in a rather suggestive tone. 

I am not going to head back home just because some huge intimidating beast is asking me to, or now more like it is threatening me to. I held the handle of the door as I pushed it. As soon as I stepped inside of the restaurant, just as when I stepped on the welcome doormat at the very entrance, I felt a drag behind me. Makkura's humongous right arm was pulling me behind. It is trying to drag me home I assume. No, it is trying to drag me home, no assumptions. I held onto the handle of the door as I am being pulled outside by this beast. I am currently standing outside the entrance door. The man at the register wore a puzzled expression on his face as he scratched his almost bald pate. I could still see him as the door's top portion was made of glass. He kept staring at me cocking his head. I now looked like a dumb mime who came straight to America from France. A one-way flight ticket to just perform this, whatever it should be called, trick (because I look more European). Nobody can see, hear or feel Makkura and it is only me who can see, hear and feel it. 

"Um, Miss, are you fine?" 

"Nghh…..Uhhhh, yes yes, I am totally fine. You don't h-have to worry about it."

"I don't think so. You don't seem to be fine at all." said a fine-looking young man. 'Man' doesn't seem to be the word as he looked like he was around my age. His face was awfully familiar for some reason. 

"No no, please, I am totally fine—you don't have to worry about m—" Before I could finish the full sentence the door handle broke. Yes, the iron handle attached to the wooden door broke. I was now lying on the ground face down. Makkura then grabbed both of my legs and pulled it once more which made my face scratch perfectly on the rough surface of the ground. The friction between the skin of my face and the rough surface was actually so hard that with just one pull there were already scratch marks embedded on my face. I wanted to scream so bad in pain but I couldn't. 

"Oh my goodness, are you alright?!" He asked as he turned my body over and now I'm lying face up. "Oh damn, we better get you some first aid, the skin on your face is in all tatters now, you are bleeding! You are totally NOT fine!!" He said as he asked the man at the register to get the first aid kit. A small crowd of people were now looking at this scene, I just realized. I couldn't see it before as I was, you know, lying face down. I was brought inside of the restaurant and now my face is being treated.

"Urghhh…." 

"By the way, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" He said as he looked at my face, smiling, "My name is Denis. Full name, Denis Pub." Denis Pub? Now that rings a bell even harder. "What might your name be, Miss?" He asked in a rather polite tone.

"K-K-Kei…." I was struggling to mouth out my name at that moment. "It's K-Keiko….." I finally huffed it out. "Keiko…..Andro Marion."

"Oh."

"...?"

"Ohhhhhhhhh. Keiko, it's you." He said as his eyes widened.

"Yes…do I know you?"

"If you are still wondering, I am the one who invited you to this place through that letter."

"Eh? So it's you? Denis Pub???"

"Yup."

"I am sorry, I can't remember who you were at the moment right now…."

"It's okay, I am quite popular in Jarret View School."

"W-Wait, aren't you that guy who is being renowned as the 'Most Handsome Boy' in our school."

"Yes, that's me. But to be honest I despise being handsome, too many fangirls and I feel like locking myself somewhere."

"Fair enough."

"It's funny how you haven't fallen for me."

"...." I didn't know what to say. I'll be completely honest, I didn't have anything for him, to me he is just another guy who goes to the same school as me.

"Hm? Fallen for me now?"

"No, not at all."

"I see. I can just tell by looking at your face that you are being honest here right now."

"That's good. Anyways, what business might you have with me? Please don't tell me that you have fallen for me instead….."

"Haha, I knew you'd say that but no. It is something even more important." He said as he stood up. "Should I lend you a shoulder or you could stand up and walk by yourself?"

"I prefer walking by myself, I am fine now."

"Good to know. Glad you are doing fine now." He said as he led the small way for our reserved seat. He had a pretty slender figure, tall for his age (I still don't know his exact age), dark blonde hair till about the nape of his neck. He seemed to have been wearing a sky blue shirt on the inside as he was cloaked in a light grey jacket with some black jeans at the bottom. His outfit overall seemed pretty suited for such a place that is here, a restaurant. He had reserved a table for two and it seemed to be one beside the window. "Excuse me, two glasses of water please." He called and asked a nearby waiter. We both took our respective seats as we both received a glass of water. "You better drink some water, Miss."

"What's up with you being so formal and respectful towards me."

"I respect all women."

"Well, you could simply call me by my given name, Keiko."

"I don't really like calling women by their given names without any honorifics. That just seems too disrespectful to me."

"Oh and I was wondering, how old are you??"

"I am fifteen-years-old."

"You are a whole two years older than me! I should be the one respecting you now."

"Please just call me Denis, m'lady."

"M'lady?! This is going somewhere else now."

"Just kidding, I prefer calling you Miss."

"....."

"Miss Keiko sounds good."

"Oh, come on." I said as took a small sip from the rim of the glass of water.

"We better not waste any time, so I invited you here regarding something very important." He said as he took a sip from his glass. "The thing is, I want you to help me with something. This could perhaps be dangerous or life-costing. You have two options, whether you help me in this and I will definitely reward you don't worry or you are free to decline it."

"Hm…..what is it about though? The job that is. If it's something related to slaughtering someone, drugs, etc. and involves dirty money then I am definitely not going to accept it."

"Don't worry, it is nothing of that sort." He said as he took another sip and joined his hands together in a rather introspective way and placed them on the smooth wooden table. "It involves the use of magic. I will tell you a big secret here, this should be between us and us only, words should not go out to anyone, not even to your family or close friends."

"Okay....involves the use of magic eh?"

"Yes. Believe me or not, our world is not an ordinary one. There exist demonic entities in our world and people, no, to be more precise they are the demonic entities themselves under the skin of a human being." 

"....." I was blandly silent. Is he talking about my necklace and Makkura? Wait, don't tell me...

"Keiko Andro Marion, whatever thou do please do not trust this boy." Makkura said in a suggestive tone once again. I didn't respond to it because if I do Denis might get an idea of me being a literal lunatic to be talking to myself with no context. Sorry Makkura...

"Let me be clear, I am sure you are feeling all puzzled at the moment. Monsters under the cloak of human skin thrive in our world. There are demonic entities that dwell inside of mystical objects. Those objects could be necklaces, bracelets, brooches, chokers, etc. The only way one can identify whether they are mystical or not is by checking whether there is a rhombus shaped material at the very center of such accessories or not."

"I don't get it….." I tried my best to pull and keep a confused look, raising my left eyebrow and playing dumb as if I didn't know about this.

"Be patient. I'll make it fully clear. The job I want you to help me with is in exorcising them. But don't worry, you are not going to be the one who is going to be executing them. Leave them all to me."

"In short, we are going to team-up and slay the users of those mystical objects."

"Yes, pretty much." He said as he pushed a small white rectangular card to my side of the table. "Here, save my number in your contacts, I'll call and inform you about when our first mission starts. But before that, are you really willing to help me here?"

"Y-Y-Yes.....I am willing to team-up with you in this."

"That's good to hear, anyways I better take my leave, looks like it's already 6:45pm." I looked at my watch as he said this.

"Yeah, I better head home too."

"Yeah so, let's meet again soon! Bye and take care." He said as he got up and left the restaurant. Looks like he knows the secret behind them as well, I better get my guard up. Hold on, did he just say that they can be any kind of accessory and that there are quite a handful of people, no, he said that they are monsters cloaked under human skin, who know about this? Do they have those eerie monsters residing in their accessories too? I better get to the bottom of this using him. 

Four to five bandages were stuck to my face. As I was walking home I removed all of them as a result it might make my mother get suspicious of me and would never let me out alone again. I reached home at around 6:55pm which was good since the deadline was 7:00pm. I took a quick bathe which was followed by me taking a look into the long vertical mirror placed at one corner of the bathroom.

The scars on my face disappeared. There was not a single red patch nor was there a small wound at any part of my face. They all seemed to have dissolved. Could it be another doing of the necklace? If so, then it is once again trying to help me. My mom didn't notice my face at first when I entered the house, which seemed to be a good sign since the beginning. Nevertheless, I didn't expect this to take place at all. She was in the kitchen when I entered the house and I just sneaked upstairs to my room after voicing out to my mom that I was back home. Now at present, I went back to my room and that is when I found my phone to be constantly vibrating on the nightstand. I picked it up, unlocked it only to find about five messages from one single person whom I have recently added to my contacts. 

It was from Denis. Denis Pub.