Void • Memoria

12. Premonition

Overcast Memoria ( Yuki's Point of View Part 3 )

Leo stared at me silently before standing up from the kitchen table and gathering his dishes to walk them to the sink.

The atmosphere quickly grew tense after I explained what happened at Isao's house earlier.

Once Leo finished washing his dishes he put them away, stared at the sink, and grabbed onto the counter as he took a deep breath.

"Do you still have the drawing?" He asked with a hesitant tone.

"Yeah," I responded nervously. Leo was often serious and stern, to see him genuinely scared or upset was a rare sight. I felt confused, scared like there was so much I could never understand.

But I wanted to.

"Bring me it."

I stood up from the kitchen table and walked to my room to get the paper from my bag. When I returned Leo was staring down Kurai as if he said something to her, I didn't want to upset him more so I just stayed silent.

Kurai glanced at me and looked down as if she was guilty of something.

I held out the piece of paper to him and he took it quickly from my hands.

He held his hand against the bottom of his face, his thumb under his chin and index finger against his lips. As he studied the drawing his eyebrows furrowed, his amber eyes dark as he looked at Kurai and slid the drawing over to her.

"Is it something bad?" Naito asked worriedly. Leo waved his hand to dismiss him as if to say to leave the conversation to him and Kurai.

Kurai licked her teeth and huffed as she put the paper down and covered her face with her hands.

"You see why I told you it wasn't a good idea?" Leo's voice was sharp as he tapped on the drawing with his finger angrily.

Kurai glared at him as she put her hands down, the tension between the two became suffocating.

"It's probably a coincidence. You can't blame me for wanting to protect her by teaching her the basics." She responded coldly.

"You still think that's protecting her? Drawing attention isn't protecting her, it's not protecting them. We were assigned to protect them, not teach them magic."

Kurai took a deep breath in agitation, the look on her face felt as if she was fighting back the words she wanted to say.

She quickly got off her seat and made her way to the front door.

Leo stood up and walked after her angrily. "Where are you going?" He slammed his fist to the wall, demanding an answer.

"For a walk. I don't wanna deal with this right now." Kurai responded bluntly with no emotion in her voice.

I awkwardly looked at Naito and watched him sneak off to his room. He was visibly uncomfortable and I felt bad, even if I felt the same.

We both didn't know what to say or how to act, confrontation wasn't something either of us was good at. On top of it being rare Leo and Kurai had a serious fight.

They would both bicker and scold, but nothing with true anger or annoyance with us or each other.

I slowly walked my way to the door to see Leo watching Kurai leave the house. I wanted to help, even if I didn't understand why they are the way they are.

My whole life I desperately wanted to understand, but if I brought up any topic about my past or magic they'd get distant. I just wish they were honest with me.

Why can't I know what's going on?

"I'll follow her," I said softly, quickly putting on my shoes and avoiding Leo's gaze. I exited the house as fast as I could, tightly holding onto my hoodie. It was oddly colder than usual for this time of year.

I looked down the street to see Kurai walking, I quickly caught up to her but didn't say a word so it wouldn't look off speaking to the air. Or at least, that's what any passerby would see.

She glanced at me, her frustrated pink eyes quickly turning sad as her breathing picked up.

Was she gonna cry? I frowned softly looking at the expression on her face. Kurai has always been a strong role model for me since I was a child, I don't think I've ever seen her cry before.

"Forest?" I said softly, hoping she'd understand me. She took a deep shakey breath and nodded. It was a sad silence as we made our way to the forest at the back of the town where I would usually hang out with my friends at. A certain tree in the woods became our special spot to hide away as kids.

Kurai began to speak as we walked, "I'm sorry, Yuki," Her voice sounded as if she recollected herself a bit, but the sadness still leaked through.

"I understand why Leo is mad at me, and I should've listened just in case... But since the start I guess I only trusted myself."

I wanted to respond, but I knew asking questions once we arrived at the forest would be a better decision.

So I decided to just let her vent with no interruptions.

"But I mean, I had reason to think that way, right? I mean with the circumstances we were assigned to you two, it would only be rational-" Kurai cut herself off and gulped as if a lump formed in her throat.

"Circumstances?" I said soft enough for only her to hear.

There were circumstances? Leo said it was an assignment right as I and Naito were born, something planned by the gods since day one.

"Yuki. Don't tell Leo but... I think it's time I told you about how we came into your lives. You're old enough to know now," Kurai took and deep breath and looked at me directly.

"When you were 7, was the real day we-" Kurai froze and looked to her side, I followed her gaze to see the black cat from earlier staring at us from across the street.

Without a word, Kurai began to walk faster in silence to the direction of the woods.

I followed her close behind, worried and confused.

"Kurai?" I finally asked as we entered the woods.

"What-" Before I could finish asking what happened Kurai cut me off.

"Nothing. Forget it." She said quickly to dismiss me.

I watched as she glanced around us as if scouting the area.

"Stay close," Kurai said, grabbing onto my hoodie firmly and pulling me close to her. It was something she'd often do when I was little if she felt something wasn't safe.

It ended up being a habit to grab my hoodie to keep me close to her if needed. I looked at Kurai before looking in the direction where rustling leaves were now heard.

"Yuki? Why are you here?" A voice called out.