Chapter 7: Why are you here? [3]

"Now then let's get into business shall we?" Rei uttered both in a amused and friendly tone.

"....."

Right before him was Shidou who he 'dragged' to the back corner of the school building.

Shidou who was acting nervous as a bead of sweat began to form on his forehead. And for Rei, his reaction could anything but called 'normal'.

Shidou was standing before a 'Spirit' after all.

And not a just a normal Spirit to be exact, it was the one responsible for those recent space quakes starting from a month before after all here in Tenguu city.

Rei wasn't even surprised if Kotori had warned and informed Shidou about his existence and how dangerous he was.

"You are the one who saw everything yesterday, aren't you?"

"...!"

Shidou who was suddenly asked out of the blue couldn't hide the surprise—and fear from his face. And it was then he noticed, that he made a utterly terrible mistake.

Seeing this, Rei couldn't help but chuckle in amusement thinking how naive and stupid Shidou acted there. Well, not that he expected him to act like a genius in the first place.

"You know, the answer was already a dead giveaway just by looking at your expression. Well, how is it?"

"....'How'? What do you mean?"

"Oh. I mean how's your experience knowing that what's before you was the very same kind of existence that causes those destruction all over the place? A 'Spirit'?" Rei asked rather seriously with a glint of excitement forming on his eyes.

"...."

Shidou in response didn't answer. He just stood there silently as if he was thinking something deep.

'Hm? Silence huh?' Rei mused in his mind.

Shidou remained silent for a few seconds as he stared at Rei.

The transfer student, Rei Ainsworth, could be described as a silent and decent guy in class... or at least that is what he and the other people thought so only after his transfer for a day.

Right at this very moment though, Shidou could see and know who 'Rei Ainsworth' is.... or not.

As Shidou gathered his composure, he slowly said.

"I..."

"'I' what..?"

"...I have a question to ask"

"Ho? And what would that be?"

"Are you, Spirits... intentionally causing those destruction all over the place when you arrive here in this world? Also, do you Spirits know that"

"Is that it?"

"Yes..."

"Pfft..."

"?"

"Pfft... Haha.. hahaha...!"

"...what's so funny about it?"

"No, what you just asked was just ridiculous in my opinion, for you already know the answer for that questions of yours," Rei pointed out. "And if I were to refuse to answer that? No, scratch it. If I were to confirm that we 'intentionally' do that? Could you even do something in the first place?"

"What...?" Shidou furrowed his brows at Rei's answer.

"Well, even if 'we' do that intentionally, what could you do? Its not that I care about it anyways. And to add, it's not 'your' business as well," Rei shrugged off the matter which caused Shidou to somehow snap from within.

"You! This involves whether the things you are doing are good or bad! What you do mainly affect peoples lives! Don't you care about that!"

"Quite bold of you to ask that. Not everything in the world could be sorted out with just the words good or bad. That is a naive thinking Shidou," Rei uttered blankly.

Shidou could see that Rei was just treating his question—like a piece of joke. His question literally involves his decision to judge whether what kinds of 'Spirits' that he would encounter to seal.

And if by any chance that all of them were like this Spirit before him, then it would somehow affect his resolve—but what's done is done. Shidou already decided to save them at any costs, and he would not back down on that.

Seeing Shidou's expression, Rei couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

"Don't look at me like that. Do you know that there are many possible answers to your question?" Rei said as he raised two of his fingers. "And as respect for your boldness, the answer to your ridiculous question which someone like you could understand. It could be a 'yes' or a 'no'... No, there could be 'maybe' as well"

"What do you mean?"

"If you can't understand that much, then go back to your sister. I think she and her crew would explain it well to you"

"!!"

Shidou was visibly surprised as for why Rei knew something about Kotori. This fact made him panic and quickly took a sudden step back.

'How did he know about Kotori?!'

"Ha.... Another bad move Shidou. Surprised? You know that your actions almost reflect what you think. That's how easy it is to read you..." Rei sighed.

'Am I sounding too much of a jerk right now?' Rei thought as he suddenly felt concerned for himself.

It wasn't like he had something against Shidou Itsuka. There is just something that irks Rei about this whole fall-in-love and sealing Spirits. For all Rei knows, Shidou was sa good person, and he even openly accepted the fate of saving these Spirits even with the risk of losing his life.

In the end of each process, the results were apparent. Shidou had made the Spirits fall in love with him, but there is this fact that Shidou doesn't 'love' them in first place.

Don't get him wrong though, he does 'care' and 'likes' the Spirits to a certain degree, but not up to the point where he would gladly take all of them as the woman he would love for his entire life.

And that's what bothers Rei the most...but that wasn't his goal on dragging Shidou here, did it?

'...Why did I drag him here again...? Ah, right, I am here just to confirm some things...' Rei pondered in his mind ignoring the glare Shidou was pointing at him.

As for what Rei tried to confirm, he would leave it as blank for those who would want to know. Right at this moment, he concluded that he is already done here.

"Well, just say hello for me to Kotori for we are...yeah, acquaintances just the other day"

"You... did you do something to Kotori?"

Shidou asked out of caution with a glint of anger and wary on his eyes as he grabbed Rei's collar which even he was surprised about.

Seeing the state of his sister yesterday reminded him that something definitely happened. And by thinking of the things he found on this conversation, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to point out that Rei was involved to that.

So it was an impulse out of anger that he did that action. Shidou wasn't the type of individual who would resort to force yet—It's something that Shidou couldn't control himself at that moment.

Even though Rei's involvement about what happened to Kotori was unconfirmed, he still didn't back down from his actions which led to his current situation right now.

'Ah... I'm so dead...' This passing thought flowed in Shidou's mind.

This only reminded Shidou that the person before him could just literally—wind him up dead.

On the other hand, Rei couldn't help but commend Shidou's bravery—or rather, recklessness.

'Did you forget that what's standing right before you was a Spirit?' Rei thought.

"I don't know what you are talking about"

"Wha—?"

"And even if I did, why do you think so? Where's the proof to your claims?" asked Rei.

He was just twisting words here for those who know what really happened, but Rie wanted to see what Shidou would do next after this.

"....."

No there isn't. And Shidou's silence only confirmed that solidly.

Noticing that, Rei sighed.

"I see... Let's end this conversation. And to be honest, I don't want to antagonize you and all in that

'organization' since it would not be worth the time in increasing enemies in the first place," Rei shook off Shidou's hand on his collar as he slowly adjusted it right after and added a thought in his mind.

'Well, I could just render them out of action if they were to get in my way...'

But Rei knew that Ratatoskr wouldn't do that but instead, they would even give him some help or assistance if Rei played his cards properly.

Manipulation of some of the future events,

Going with the flow of the story,

Adding some twists here and there,

Rei just couldn't help it knowing that he is very knowledgeable of the matters of this world—or rather, 'story'. But changes occured and so the story would change as well.

The Butterfly Cause-Effect theory could be the best term described on this time where he was the 'cause' and the diversions would be the 'effect'.

Back to the topic.

"..." Shidou kept his silence for a while.

Rei on the other hand couldn't help but think that Shidou has

"Take this as a friendly advice, Shidou Itsuka, I recommend you not to poke your nose on foreign matters of Spirits of you don't have the resolve in the first place," Rei said as he sighed.

"The path you are going to take would only be filled with sufferings and helplessness if you go like that"

"I have it," Shidou promptly replied as he stared at Rei.

"Have what?" Rei replied as he tilted his head slightly.

Rei already knew that Shidou has the resolve... that's just how he was built as a character and a living individual. He is just like that.

"The resolve to do what I need—and promised to do," Shidou closed his eyes as he then continued, "And even with all you have said to me, I already decided. I decided to save all them—the Spirits"

"Hm... And by what ridiculous means would you execute in order to achieve that? What? Date them and make them fall in love?"

Shidou wasn't even surprised anymore about Rei knowing these facts. He didn't care anymore as his resolve was being tested right at this very moment

"...Yes. And other than that, you as a Spirit, I'll save you too"

"..."

"..."

Rei couldn't help but frown—in disgust as he looked at Shidou. It was as if he was looking at him like some... trash or something.

It was then Shidou noticed how misunderstanding those words he muttered were.

"The hell are you talking about? Ugh, disgusting. I don't swing that way you bastard... So the rumors about you being homo was correct huh. I praise you to make me even take a step back out of fear, Shidou," said Rei with a slight frown of disgust on his face.

[A/N: Damn you guys.... no Shiori ROUTE! That's it! All Hail Waifus!!

... wait? Isn't Shio— gahah!]

"Wha—?! No! I didn't mean it like that!"

Shidou immediately declined the claim. Of course, he wasn't like that at all! He even wondered why people came down to conclusions like that about him!

"....."

Rei who was still looking at him with disgust slowly narrowed his eyes as the aura he was emitting from his body began to show seriousness.

"I see.... I get it, you won't back down would you?" Heaving a sigh, Rei put his hand on his temple.

"...yes, I won't"

"Haa... Is that so..." Rei tilted his head as he sighed again with a slightly tired expression.

"Yeah"

"Tsk. Well, I can say that you're sincere and all in all, you have the qualifications to 'save' them more than me to be honest. That's why I'll let you do what you what you want. Save them if you could—no, you should"

'Because it's you role in the first place... well, I already decided to partake on a portion of it though. Not that I didn't like it in the first place,' Rei silently thought.

"Then...!"

"But don't get carried away, Shidou.

As I said, I will let you do as you want, which is to save them, but that doesn't mean you should push your luck..."

Rei then released his Spirit aura which emitted pressure that caused small tremors on the place. "So be sure to don't get on my way, Shidou Itsuka"

"Ugh...!"

Shidou then fell down from the pressure and feel that he was feeling on his body. The primal instinct of fear surged on Shidou's well-being as he fell and knelt on the ground.

"There are some that I also decided to 'save' some them as well due to my selfish desires..."

Rei solemnly said as he slowly walked passed him as he tapped Shidou's shoulder.

'...or rather, learn about them in order to save myself—or them saving me instead... what a joke. Aren't I the bad guy here...' Rei added mockingly in his thoughts.

"...!"

It was then, Shidou felt the pressure weighing down upon him vanish for an instant. It was as if it wasn't there in the first place.

"...Well, I am sorry for that sudden thing I guess. My curiosity got the best of me for I wondered how you would react. Normally, a 'human' would faint from pressure or at least feel extremely unwell right now..."

It was then, Rei's next words made Shidou slowly widen his eyes.

"But you know, that's the case if you're a normal 'human' in the first place"

"...Wait! What do you mean by—"

Shidou who was released from the pressure composed himself quickly and asked Rei in a hurry forgetting about the fact about what Rei just did to him a moment ago.

Rei who heard it halted his steps and looked but as he said in an amused manner, "Ah, be sure to keep this short conversation in secret. I apologize again for that, and as for your question, find the answer yourself"

With those words, Rei left Shidou who stood there silently with a complicated expression on his face.

Shidou doesn't know whether this Spirit is an ally or not. But truthfully, he wished it to be the former for he really doesn't wish to do any harm at all.

His conviction,

His determination,

And his desire to save Spirits—were clearly tested right at that very moment. In the end, Shidou knew that he won't back down.

Yes, he wouldn't quit this desire to 'save' them which Shidou—and also Rei knows it best themselves.

The bell then rang throughout the school, signifying the end of recess.

Hearing that, Shidou immediately turned his back from the place and returned to the classroom.