The Witch of Jousen

0703 - 17

"I'm sorry, it's not that I don't believe in your cause or don't trust you, I just don't think that I'm that up for it. Like how ready Ken is, and maybe Hyuk, too. But for me, I'm not sure."

Has it been a week already?

I've only gone to visit Ken one more time after that. I may be rude for doing that considering that they saved me but, all these make me unsure, uncomfortable.

Okay, honestly, I'm scared.

I don't know how Ken got so serious about this. Like he didn't fear anything at all. He just put himself out there and protected us.

Hyuk was kind of determined as well. He may look fragile but he was so brave, so much more than I could be.

I want to help, of course, be it a gesture of gratitude, and Yuuri seemed to be desperate for all the help she could get, but I know I'm not the right fit for what they do. I can't fight like them, I'd be an easy kill, I'm not up for that.

Thinking about what Hyuk said, not all of us makes it, I could be that one. I shouldn't be scared of dying at this point, though. I was supposed to die anyway. I just didn't want to waste this life spared in exchange for my Dad's.

The pavements were not fixed. Indentations remained everywhere. People were oblivious about this for they didn't know what happened, kind of like that day. But not me, every memory was vivid.

How Yuuri slammed her own body against Misa, that assassin, to save me;

How Ken fought so hard to keep the blade away from himself, shielding the weak Jin and ultimately taking the blow;

And How Jin ruthlessly crushed Misa's head to dust.

It was haunting.

Jin especially. Thinking of him still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand. He looked defeated for most of that night - getting dragged and thrown all over the place. But in those final moments, the helpless guy turned into a total monster, killing that girl off without a speck of emotion on his face.

"Reiko?"

Yuuri's voice got me tensed.

"Yuuri? Why are you here?" Well, I had to ask. It was dismissal time, and did she even have to go to school?

"I'm just going around. I keep hearing... things."

I studied her for a moment. "Things?"

"Mmm. I can't describe it well, though. Sometimes they're whispers, some breeze, animals, a constant ringing, ripples, all sorts of things."

I tried to listen around as well but I couldn't hear anything.

"Oh, you don't hear it, do you?"

"I don't," I answered honestly.

"Maybe it's just me. The boys don't hear it as well."

"Oh, Ken is alright now?"

"He got released a day ago. We mages heal a lot better and faster than the ignus and him, and also you, being gifted, you have that ability."