I'm Back [xxxHOLIC One Shot]

I'm Back

Opening his eyes, Watanuki turned his head to the right and smiled sadly. He entered the dream World and next to him was his best friend, Doumeki. The decades that passed, could have easily been centuries. The new shopkeeper has lost track of time throughout the years.

“Good afternoon, Doumeki,” greeted Watanuki.

“Yo,” Doumeki replied, “How’s the shop?”

“The same as ever, Maru and Moro have extraordinary amounts of energy.”

The two sat silently on the porch and Watanuki smoked his pipe. He missed Doumeki’s company. Although they meet frequently in the Dream World, they were limited to an amount of things they were able to do. Watanuki couldn’t cook for him, nor tease him as he did before. All they were able to do was meet as spirits and talk.

“So,” Doumeki begun, “Are you planning on waiting forever?”

Watanuki glanced at his pipe, smoke slithering out of one end, “However long it takes.”

“What if it never happens?”

Watanuki flinched the moment Doumeki finished his question. He wanted Yuuko to return, it was his desire. However, he already thought of the multiple “what ifs” and the possibility of Yuuko never returning.

“Watanuki?”

Biting down his bottom lip, Watanuki took a breath and faced his companion. He opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly woke up. Squinting at the bright light, Maru and Moro was standing at his side laughing and giggling at his groggy expression.

“Watanuki!” The twins sang, “A customer! You have a customer!”

Sitting up, he rubbed his heterochromia iridium eyes and motioned the girls to leave the room. As they left the shopkeeper stood up, adjusted his robes, and prepared to meet his guest. Once his hand reached for the sliding door, he felt a familiar presence. It was sweet and caring, an aura he hasn’t felt for over a century. However, it wasn’t the same as before. 

Taking a deep breath, he slid the door and exited to the porch. In the blooming yard, a teenage girl sat quietly at the table. She looked no older than thirteen and had pitch black hair braided into two long braids. Watanuki strolled over to the chair opposite of hers and saw sad brown eyes behind her long bangs. 

As Maru and Moro dropped by with tea and snacks, the pale girl stared blankly at a tree while a butterfly landed on its trunk. Watanuki observed her actions and sipped on his tea before beginning. 

“You have a wish,” he asked, “Isn’t that right?”

Slowly turning her head towards him, she stared into his eyes and nodded.

“I have the power to grant it.”

“I want to have a friend,” the girl mentioned.

The shopkeeper lifted an eyebrow and listened to her continue.

“For a long time, everyone I became close to, excluding people blood related to me, disappeared, and no one remembers them. I’ve tried avoid everyone to prevent it from happening again, but it never works. Then I stumbled here…”

“There are no coincidences in this world, there is only the inevitable,” Watanuki replied, “So what is your wish?”

“My wish is to have friends. Friends that whatever curse I have won’t affect them.”

“I’ll grant your wish, but you’ll need to pay an equal price in return. No more, no less.”

“What can I pay with? I doubt cash would be able to do anything.”

Standing up, the Dreamwalker went to the girl’s side and kneeled down to her level. He placed his hand over hers and smiled.

“By visiting this shop whenever you like, you’ll find friends here who’ll never disappear.”

Her eyes widened and tears formed in the corners. 

“You’ll be my friend?” she whispered.

“Yes. I’ll be your friend for as long as you like.”

“That’s all I need to pay?”

“That is all.”

“Thank you…”

“Kimihiro. Watanuki Kimihiro.”

“Yuuki. Ichiyuu Yuuki. Thank you Kimihiro-kun.”

Happy tears rolled down Yuuki’s cheeks as her new friend invited her inside. Maru and Moro peeked out to see their customer holding Watanuki’s hand. Seeing his contented expression was all they needed to jump up and drag Yuuki around the house to play.

Watanuki watched as the three laughed together and played games. Then he turned to the tree blossoming outside. Taking a long swig from his pipe he smiled to himself.

“There are no coincidences in this world, there is only the inevitable.

Isn’t that right? Yuuko-san.

Welcome back. It’s been a while.”