The Fallen Shinki [Yatori (Hiyori x Yato)]

Chapter 9: A proposal

"Hiyorin!" Kofuku exclaimed as she threw herself at Hiyori, knocking her to the ground.

"Hi," she replied hugging her back.

"I heard what happened! How are you doing?" She asked worriedly.

"I guess I'm fine," she vaguely replied. To be honest, she wasn't very happy to talk about it.

"We still have some curry that we made for lunch," Daikoku informed. "Do you guys want some?"

"Are you kidding me? We would love to!" Yato replied excitedly.

"I was talking to Hiyori and Yukine," he hissed.

"But you've got to give some to Yato! For me?" Kofuku asked Daikoku to which he sighed and immediately agreed.

Before he could fully stand up, Hiyori volunteered to do it as a thank you for the offering. He agreed and gave Hiyori instructions to where it was. As she headed for the kitchen she felt someone tailing her. To confirm her suspicions, it was the dark haired god she had been next to for the past year.

"I'll help you," he said. "You'll need help serving all that curry."

"'Kay," she agreed.

They both did their chores quietly as they arrived to the kitchen, and naturally, and awkward silence was made. Hiyori couldn't help but think about what had happened in the hospital, and that thanks to Yato she was saved.

"Did you really mean what you said back at the hospital?" She curiously asked.

"Would I ever lie to you about that?" He replied with a retorical question. He didn't really give much to it, and opened the drawers to get a spoon to serve the curry. Hiyori didn't respond, and instead, her cheeks reddened.

"Say, Yato," she tried saying.

"Yes?" He replied turning his full attention to her.

"How much time can it take for you to serve curry?" Yukine interrupted impatiently as he barged in the kitchen.

"As much as it's served right!" Yato replied as he took the huge pan and handed Hiyori some plates.

Between the three of them they served the three plates and sat down right away. They enjoyed the curry while they had a delightful conversation with Kofuku and Daikoku. Although Hiyori couldn't shake off this weird feeling she had inside of her.

After spending a fair amount of time of the evening with the misfortune godess, they said their goodbyes and the three left.

+++

Hiyori walked herself home after the sun went down. Nothing was heard in the street besides the footsteps of that teenage girl and the wind, that made the sakura petals fall on the wet pavement. This silence was later interrupted by Hiyori's humming when she recalled a song her mother used to sign to her when she was little. It was about a little girl who had turned into a bird and flew away.

"Hiyori," she remembered her mother's words, "you shall spread your wings and fly one day."

She still didn't get what her mother meant by that but she hoped she would understand one day.

As she tuned some joyful melodies, she thought she heard some footsteps right behind her. Thinking it was just her imagination, she kept going casually. But the eerie sounds kept making their way behind her as if every step she took echoed on the hard pavement. This made her glance at her back, but there was nothing to be seen, so once again she kept going. The noise sounded again, to which she reacted faster this time. She got a glimpse of something's shadow.