Chapter Twenty-Two

Over the next couple of hours I heard things like "We should make her.." "We should have her do.." "I think it would be best if we...." Jackson isn't on his territory so he can't participate in the conversation but he does have the final say on what happens. He is responsible for Seoul and myself and vice versa but at this moment I'm sick of hearing about my "gift."

I pull on Seouls shirt and am met with a confused look. I jerk my head to tell him that we are leaving. Before we could make it too the door Mitilda was on her feet blocking our exit.

"Where are you going?" She asked with a panicked look on her face. I know the reason for her worry. We are a huge target. Alpha Verner is looking for us. Grant and Finn could be looking for us. They can't protect us if we are not on her territory.

Luckily for me Jackson speaks up.

"All of this has to be stressing her out. We are asking a lot out of her. I mean she really has just gotten back to the states and hasn't had a moment to breath. Let me take her and Seoul out, go to a few stores, get some food and then we will come back." Jackson asked with out really asking. We were leaving regardless even if it was just for a few hours.

"That's fine take my two hooligans' with you. Three of you should be able to protect the two of them." Alpha Foster said tossing Elixer a set of keys to the cars outside.

"Lets go!" Elixer barked as he walked out the door. His mate trailing close behind. I pick up Seoul letting his legs wrap around my waist before following them out the door.

"Where do you guys wanna go?" The gamma asked as he clicked his seatbelt into place.

"Well Rin use to like going to the manga shop when she was younger. Its in a strip mall. So, there is more their than just that." Jackson offered.

"Sounds good to me." Elixer said throwing the car into reverse.

"Grant said that you had ordered a few books before you left and when he went to the store to talk to the owner they were still their. I thought you might like to go see her." Jackson said smiling. That is very thoughtful of him. The music store that I just to play at is nearby too actually with in walking distance of the manga shop but I don't wanna push my luck.

"Is this it?" Elixer asked gesturing towards the older strip mall.

Was I that deep in thought that I missed the car ride here?

"Yeah, this is it." Jackson said.

"It looks scary." his mate commented.

"Its not , its just a lot of older people own these shops. Its a cheaper place to put up shop." He explained.

"Lets go." Elixer said and we all hurried out of the car. Seoul looked around with wide eyes. This is all so different for him. Its become foreign territory for me too but this strip mall was better than home.

When the entrance door opened, the delicious smell of matcha cake wafted through the air. I felt like a dog begging for a bone.

"Mommy it smells like home." Seoul said breathing in the scents around him. A huge smile appears on my face hearing the excitement in my child's voice.

We walked down down the corridor looking at the ethnic shops that are on the booming with business. This place is very misjudged.

My feet stopped in front of the manga store. The windows advertising the newest releases of major series. Waifu cut outs hang out in front of the shop doors. I see a few male hero window clings. This place has always looked like something you would see in a huge mall but its family owned.

"You ready?" Jackson asked offering me his hand. I take his hand and let him lead me into the store. Going into anime stores was something Seoul and I did regularly in Korea. A lot of the Japanese manga series had been translated into multiple languages. I was able to keep enjoying most of the series I had started before I left.

The store hasn't changed. Five huge book shelves housing everything that you could ever want in alphabetical order. I close my eyes and dance my fingers down the spine of the books. I can see the old me. Fourteen years old dressed in a school girl uniform. I looked so out of place. I didn't belong in a place like this.

I had to escape my reality.

I opened my eyes to see that my hand was on the book that gave me the courage to leave home.

"Tanya the Evil."

Tears filled my eyes. Tanya's ideals, beliefs and her drive to accomplish everything that she wanted to do while being the best at it is why I adore her.

"Rin." Jackson softly said pulling the book from the shelf. My eyes met his and I knew that he was going to help me start over. That this book was my starting point and it will be a key in finding the solution to our current issues.

We followed Jackson up to the counter. The teenager that stood behind the counter was the same child that ran it five years ago. She just looks older, more mature and slightly bored.

Jackson laid the book on the counter and she lazily looked up from her phone. She glanced down at the book and her eyes narrowed.

"This all for you sir?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said pulling out his wallet. Her eyes glanced past his huge frame and her eyes locked with mine. Asuna should remember me. We use to hang out together all of the time.

"Rin is that you?" She asked in her home language Japanese. My head automatically fell forward. A wide grin takes over my normally serious expressions.

She lets out a loud squeal before coming across the counter to pull me into a bear hug. She had completely over looked Seoul even though he is sitting attached to my hip.

"Is he yours?" She asked. I nod confirming her suspicions.

"Is that why you disappeared?" She asked gesturing towards Seoul.

I shake my head.

"She had been kidnapped. Then she escaped and fled the country." Jackson said guessing the topic of the conversation.

"So, he isn't his father?" She asks arching her perfect eye brows at him. I just offer her a shake of the head.

Asuna grabs the matte novel off the counter and hands it to me.

"Its on me." She says to Jackson gesturing for him to put his wallet away.

"Some guys showed up here almost a year ago looking for you." Asuna said turning back to me.

She must be talking about Jackson and Grant.

"They were really shady. They looked dead inside. Their eyes showed no emotions. It was like looking for you was just a task for them." She continued.

"What do you mean?" Elixir asked.

"They looked dead inside duh." She said sticking her tongue out.

"They were ordered to search for her." Elixir whispered to Jackson.

"Girl, go stop in and say hello to Mr. Laws. I'm sure that he would love to see you. He still has your koto you know." She said flashing me a set of pearly whites.

I nod pulling her into an awkward hug. The book is cradled close to my chest. Jackson is at my right smiling happily.

Its a moment of happiness.

The only thing that could make me any happier than I am right now is to be reunited with my first love. The Koto.