SPIRITPACT SEQUEL

SPIRITPACT SEQUEL Part 9

Chen is stunned, unable to say anything. "Chen san, I'm You Keika." He repeats. Chen snaps out of it and asks, "Is that true?" "Yes." Keika replies. "Then what about..." he starts to ask. "Jikan?" Keika asks. "What happened to him?" Chen asks. "Shall we sit first?" Keika suggests. Chen smacks his head lightly, "Where are my manners? I deeply apologize. Let's sit and talk." "Thank you." Keika says. "About Jikan... what happened?" Chen asks again. "It's a long story." Keika says. "I have all the time in the world." Chen replies without even thinking for an instant.

"I shall start then. When I was practicing by the river, I discovered Jikan's unconscious body along with the family banner. I took him home and dad nursed him to health. He told me that his grandmother had used up all of her last magic to send him to safety. He stayed with us and played his days away. He helped in the kitchen but never attended training. I hate to admit it, but he pissed me off. The younger twin of the You family. The one who inherited the secret spell. But being the younger one he never took his responsibilities seriously. Always playing around. I wasn't surprised to find out that his own father was happy to get rid of him." Keika pauses.

"What are you trying to say?" Chen asks accusingly. Keika shakes his head, "No, no. I didn't mean anything by that. Don't misunderstand. Anyways, soon after he arrived, our house was attacked. And he, being the dense idiot he was, came in front of me when I was attacked. He protected me with his life. And you know what he said?" Keika starts to crack up, "'This is the life that I'm returning to you.' He said that while smiling. That was the worst. I never wanted to owe him anything! I never asked him to sacrifice his life for me. I didn't want to be grateful to the guy I hate the most. Funny isn't it?" Keika stops to catch his breath and to calm down. "And?" Chen asks. "And what? He died and the only person who survived was me. I wandered around with the family banner and got some help from few kind people." Keika says. "Then what about his soul?" Chen asks fretfully. "You're worried about that huh? I am part of the You family, you know. I used the soul sealing spell and let it rest in peace. That was the last thing I could do to show my gratitude." Keika bows his head apologetically. Chen has clear tears in his eyes, "I'm glad you're alive." Keika only smiles. Ki silently listens to all of this noticing Keika's peculiar behavior. Chen pats Keika's shoulder, "Why don't you come stay with me?" he asks. Keika brushes off Chen's hand very roughly, "I'm sorry but I don't want anything to do with the You family anymore. I'm going to walk my own path." He says. "Cold as always. Even till the end." Chen says chuckling. Keika gives an icy smile and says, "I would prefer it if you tell nothing to Shouken. I will be leaving now." "Then let this be the last favor I do for you. Take care" Chen says. "Yes. The last. From now onwards, we have nothing to do with each other." Saying so Keika takes Ki's hand and walks out the door.

Keika and Ki walk towards the car and Keika is still holding Ki's hand. Ki silently walks. Keika stops in front of the car, "Thank you, Ki" he says. "Don't mention it." Ki replies. "You don't have any questions?" Keika asks. "Will anything change if I do?" Ki asks. "Maybe. It depends." Keika replies. "Then no." Ki says. "Aren't you even a bit curious?" Keika asks. "Not really. You must have your reasons." Ki says. "That's enough for you?" Keika asks. Ki smiles, he lets go of Keika's hand. Holding Keika's shoulders, Ki turns Keika and looks him in the eyes, "You are you. No matter how you act there must be a reason behind it. As long as you are by my side that's enough." Ki says. "Even if I was lying all along?" Keika asks. Ki nods and replies, "No problem at all." Keika smiles. "I'm so lucky to be loved so much." After a break he says, "I'm feeling nostalgic after recalling my memories. I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when we reach home." Saying so Keika slips into the car and falls asleep.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile Sekijin and Shouken reach Chen's house and enter it with their spare key. They find Chen sitting on the couch with only the night lamp on. Seeing Chen's dazed expression Shouken asks, "What's wrong, dad?" Chen looks up and smiles, "You're here. Come sit." He says gesturing them to sit. Sekijin sits next to Chen, Shouken sits opposite. "Nothing much. Just feeling nostalgic." Chen replies. "Dad, what sort of person was mom?" Shouken asks suddenly. "Your mom was very fond of you. Unfortunately we divorced and she... she died before I could get her back." Chen says regretfully. "You planned to get her back?" Shouken asks puzzled. "Yeah. I couldn't bear to separate you and Jikan. Also, I really needed your mother to make me feel alive." Chen says. Shouken feels touched at his father's words and glances at his necklace. He holds the ring tightly and suddenly gets an urge to see his mom. Suddenly the ring lights up with a blinding light. Sekijin and Chen wince at the sudden light and cover their eyes. When they open their eyes they see Shouken lying on the floor, unconscious.

Chen and Sekijin hurriedly lift Shouken and place him on the bed. Chen casts a spell on Shouken and wraps him warmly with the blanket. Chen sits next to Shouken and Sekijin sits on a sandbag in the room. Sekijin falls asleep while Chen stays up reading a book. Sekijin is awoken by a rustling sound coming from the bed. He immediately gets up and shakes Chen awake. They both watch as Shouken sits up on the bed, a weird light glowing in his eyes. The glow disappears and Shouken's eyes look out of focus. He says one sentence which leaves both Sekijin and Chen wordless. "Need to kill Tanmoku Ki..."

x-END OF CHAPTER 9-x

Published on 2018 (around August)

Edited on 26 May 2020

Thank you for reading!