What Awaited Him
Around an hour later, Shugo went to school like usual.
Not long after his arrival, though, he wondered if he should have stayed home instead.
"Yeesh, what happened to you? You look like you got run over by a truck!"
As Kaito inelegantly pointed out for him, he may have been better off calling in sick for the day. While Shugo bore no outward signs of the events that had transpired last night, every other teacher and classmate who spoke to him commented on how exhausted he looked. Some asked him if he had gotten enough sleep the night before, or otherwise questioned whether he was feeling well.
"Really, sir, I'm fine," he told one person – their guidance counselor and club moderator – who expressed concern. "No sir, I did not lose my V-card, thanks for asking. Man, where'd that one even come from!?" he added, before the two of them shared a laugh.
Their lunch break came.
"I'm okay, thanks," said Shugo to yet another well-wisher who approached him just before he entered the cafeteria.
By that point, Shugo had grown weary of repeating the same words, or various permutations thereof, to nearly everyone who saw and took notice of him. While he was appreciative of the concern shown by his classmates and teachers, having to say the same thing over and over made him feel like a broken record.
'Why's everyone fussing over me all of a sudden? It's not like I got shot twice and nearly died or anything.'
He snorted despite himself. 'Oh, wait…'
It was with that in mind that he picked a table in the farthest and quietest corner of the room, where he could eat lunch without being disturbed. As Kaito had run off to the library to do an essay that was due in less than an hour, Shugo was left by himself. Not that he particularly minded, of course; on the contrary, a break from all the noise was precisely what he needed right now, at least until the bell rang for their afternoon classes and he had to bear with everyone again.
No sooner than he had finished his mapo tofu, however…
"Shugo?"
"Seriously, I'm just fine," Shugo began, just barely keeping the exasperation out of his voice. "I haven't been diagnosed with cancer or anything-"
…He trailed off and shut down for several seconds when he saw who it was.
'…'
'…'
'…'
'…'
'…'
'…What.'
"Hello? Earth to Shugo?" Rena pouted, waving her hand in front of his face. "This is ground control to Major Shugo, do you copy?"
Shugo was unsure whether to yelp, to stutter, or to laugh at the reference.
"Hi, Rena. What's on your mind?"
"I made a huge batch of brownies for the first time yesterday," Rena proudly proclaimed as she took the seat across him, before pulling out a moderately-sized disposable plastic container and putting it on the table right in front of them. "If it's not too much to ask, won't you let me know what you think?"
Part of Shugo wanted to just get up and get out of there. He was beginning to feel everyone's eyes on him, which was precisely why he chose to sit in that specific lonely corner of the cafeteria in the first place. Unfortunately for him, he learned for the second time in as many days that turning Amaki Rena down was an exercise in futility. He was unlikely to refuse her even under normal circumstances, but as it was, she gazed at him with what was commonly referred to as the 'puppy dog face' that made it beyond impossible for him not to give in to her request.
"Sure, why not?"
With that, Shugo took one of the brownies and chewed it carefully, Rena staring expectantly at him all the while. 'Double chocolate brownies, huh?'
"C'mon, Rena, are you sure this is your first time baking?" Shugo asked half-jokingly. "This is actually pretty good."
Her face lit up. "You really think so? Any tips on how I can improve it?"
"Not much, considering this is pretty good already," he replied, shrugging his shoulders, just before taking another piece. "Well done, Rena."
Her only response was to pout, evidently unconvinced. "Be honest, Shugo! We want me to get better at this, right?"
Shugo considered that as he ate his second brownie, even as his admiration for the girl in front of him grew. "It's not really a point for improvement if what I'm about to say is based on my personal preference, is it?"
"That's fine, go on," prompted Rena with a smile.
"Well, I personally prefer my brownies with chocolate chips instead of nuts," he began. "And I like this level of sweetness just fine, but others might not feel the same way."
As Shugo said this, he made eye contact with Rena and gave her a smile of reassurance. "Don't worry about it too much Rena, I'd still give this an A- if it were me."
Rena nodded energetically. "Got it, Shugo! Thanks so much!"
She then got up and turned to leave, only to turn back after half a dozen steps.
"Make sure you finish those, okay?"
Shugo watched as Rena returned to the table where her friends were waiting and were no doubt wondering what that little scene was all about.
------
Their afternoon classes came, and Shugo still had a smile on his face all throughout.
"Wait, what?" Kaito asked incredulously when Shugo told him what had happened that noon. "Rena sat with you for lunch and I missed it?"
"And then she gave you a box of brownies? No wonder you're not your normal miserable self," he quipped, before tossing one of those pastries in his mouth.
By that time, the bell had just rung to signal the end of the day's classes. While their classmates were just beginning to pack up and leave, the fact that they were too busy preparing to go home gave Shugo and Kaito some degree of privacy, allowing them to talk freely without worrying about being overheard.
"How'd you even get her to notice you two days in a row?" Kaito wondered in mock curiosity. "You put something in her food, didn't you?"
Shugo repaid the insinuation with a playful jab to his friend's shoulder; that said, it was clear from the look on his face that he took no offense at the joking accusation. "Really? That's what you think of me?"
"Besides, we both know that's your area of expertise," he added with a smirk. "If that's how I wanted to play it, don't you think I'd have gone to you first?"
The two laughed.
"Kidding aside, this doesn't look like a coincidence," Kaito commented thoughtfully. "First she invites you to her family's outreach program, and now she gives you a box of her homemade brownies. You don't think-?"
Shugo cut that train of thought off with a snort.
"Dude, be serious," he retorted dismissively. "It's probably just Rena being the ray of sunshine she is. Whatever you smoke after class, it's clearly not doing you any good."
"Yeah, suuuuure, Shugo. Why don't we place a bet on it?" Kaito suddenly perked up, an unmistakably mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Loser treats the winner to lunch for a week?"
"Have it your way, then," Shugo replied, unconvinced, as he shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.
Just then, Kaito's phone rang.
"Hello?" he said tentatively as he picked it up. "Rehearsal? What – oh shit."
He then got to his feet. "Hey, I gotta go. Word of advice – get a clue already."
And then he left, leaving Shugo to ponder on what they discussed.
------
Later that evening …
"Tread carefully," cautioned the spirit as he was finishing off the stir-fried beef he made for dinner. "Her involvement could become a cause for complication."
"I'm aware," Shugo replied, just before taking the last spoonful that remained on his plate. "You don't need to tell me to keep her out of it, but thanks, I guess."
"Unfortunately, it might not be up to either of us," she pointed out, undeterred by her contractor's pledge. "No doubt you mean her no harm, but you and I both know what could happen. Can you really carry out the task assigned to you while still keeping those close to you in the dark? More importantly, can you really keep them out of harm's way?"
Shugo considered that briefly. The spirit did have a point; as she said, the nature of the burden forced on him made it difficult, if not impossible, to keep his friends and loved ones from getting involved. Then again, that simply meant that he, Shugo, would have to be extra careful about maintaining the balance between his double life. And though the people close to him were likely to find out eventually, he would just have to keep that from happening at least until his contract was complete.
"Maybe not," he finally admitted. "Still, it doesn't mean I won't do my best. I'll do what's expected of me, and I'll do it while keeping all of them safe."
"That remains to be seen," replied the spirit in a tone of skepticism. "As you yourself learned last night, our best laid plans often have an unfortunate tendency to go awry. You simply acted on your urge to help someone in need, only to very nearly lose your life for it. As much as you wish to live as an ordinary youth by day while avenging those incapable of avenging themselves by night, such an arrangement may eventually prove to be both unrealistic and untenable. You can try to keep this contract secret, of course, but the time may come that those you hold dear learn of who you really are - and of the covenant that has bound the two of us."
"Yeah, well," Shugo replied, unconvinced. "I won't know if I don't try. It's not as if I'm gonna be shouting it out from the rooftops, right?"
"Perhaps so, but it would be highly unrealistic to hope our enemies never discover the truth behind the mysterious avenger thwarting their evil deeds and punishing them for their wickedness. And when - not if - they do find out, we would be wise to expect no qualms from them about attacking the ones you love. You would not be the first warrior or guardian to encounter an enemy willing to use those you call friends and loved ones against you, nor would you be the last."
The young man exhaled a sigh. "What are you suggesting, then?"
"If you truly love and cherish those people, you may want to consider keeping them at a distance," she advised. "Would loneliness not be a worthy price to pay in exchange for sparing them pain and suffering?"
Shugo was about to reject her advice and tell her off for even suggesting it, but he never got the chance. It was then that the hairs on the back his neck stood up as he felt something – or possibly someone –calling to him. The sensation only increased in intensity from there, and then…
For just a moment, Shugo saw himself standing in the middle of a deserted intersection as a sports utility vehicle careened down the street at breakneck speed, threatening to run him down-
"I sense sinful souls deserving of punishment," declared the spirit in a booming voice that was both urgent and insistent, recalling him to his surroundings in the process.
"May you show them punishment without delay and without mercy. Their wickedness has warranted nothing less."
Ten minutes later, Shugo was out in the street, clad in navy blue jeans and a matching black leather jacket as he swiftly ran to where the spirit was leading him.
And as he did so, he felt a rush of excitement, coupled with a growing sense of anticipation, at what awaited him and what he was about to do.