𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐈 | 𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐖𝐀

𝟎𝟎𝟑.

THE ROOM WAS ENGULFED IN SILENCE AS BOTH OPPONENTS STARED AT ONE ANOTHER, WAITING FOR ONE OF THEM TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE. Aki broke the staring competition, lunging at Kanako at breakneck speed. Her shoulders tensed up. She slightly bent her knees, indigo orbs never leaving his approaching figure. Aki threw his right arm out. Kanako reacted by ducking, bending low to waist level, and swinging her right leg out to break his balance. Hearing a pained hiss from him tells her she managed to hit her target.

A gasp left Kanako's lips when her vision turned sideways. She bit her bottom lip when she fell to the ground. Before she could push herself up or even register what happened, she sensed a weight above her. The young adult raised her head to see Aki straddling her waist, looking down at her with his usual impassive look.

"You could have used the chance to make me lose my balance," he pointed out her mistake, getting off of her and running a hand through his messy hair.

"I could have, but I didn't want to," she answered and rose to her feet.

"And why is that?" Aki raised a questioning eyebrow.

Kanako grimaced when her fingers got tangled in her hair. She removed the black rubber band, retying her hair in simple and quick movements.

"Just because. Now, are we done for today?" She asked, resting one arm on the side of her hips and cocked her head to the side.

Two days passed since her first mission. Makima has given Aki the task of training Kanako in close combat and wielding the devils' powers. Kanako was only given a one-day break before she was thrown into a tiring and strenuous training with her squad leader. They would spend the whole day fighting one another, only stopping for water, toilet, and lunch breaks before resuming. First, they would fight one another with their bare hands. When Aki thinks it was enough, they will switch to their respective makeshift weapons provided.

The man frowned, hiding his annoyance, and sighed. "Yes, we're done for today. We can continue this tomorrow," he dismissively flicked her away.

"Great, I'll see you tomorrow," she nodded, bidding him farewell, and left the room without hesitation.

Kanako wasted no time returning to her home, desperate to get rid of her sticky clothes and the stench surrounding her. Her shoulders loosened significantly, and she heaved a sigh of relief at the soothing sensation of warm water droplets smacking her back the moment she entered the shower. She rested her head against the damp grid wall and closed her eyes. A part of her was tempted to jump into bed and sleep the rest of her life away. With her current life, that was only an unrealistic dream. She reopened her eyes and proceeded to wash up before stepping out of the bathroom, dressed in an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts.

The young adult made herself a pot of instant noodles, adding an egg and some sliced vegetables for extra flavor. She sat by the small dining table, turning on the television for background noise. The news was currently playing, and Kanako watched in boredom as she wolfed down on her hot piping noodles.

"Next up, we have some groundbreaking news to share with the world. Experts have noticed there has been an increase in devils being spotted. It's uncertain where they come from for now, but they have cautioned the public to be wary of their surroundings. Should they find a devil near them, they should call and inform the police force immediately, so the devil hunters can handle the case."

I don't see the point in informing the police force in these cases. It's not like they're helpful in any way.

She sighed, turning off the television and finishing the remains of her noodles. Once done, she moved to the sink area to wash the pot and cutlery used. It didn't take her long to finish washing, and she grabbed a can of beer from the fridge, making herself comfortable on the couch to continue reading from where she left off. Kanako enjoys reading since it allows her to be detached from reality and be swallowed into the world described by the book. There were times when she wished her life would be as interesting and thrilling as the protagonist's.