Hitsuzen

There was a rumor going around Metro Manila of a shop that grants your wishes. When you find that shop, your wildest dreams will come true (but you have to pay a price).

Anyone might have heard it from their friends, coworkers or overheard it from strangers. Their interest might have been piqued and they might also wish that they'll be able to find the store that sells wishes.

Soon, the whole city was humming with desire and frustration.

When the Kambal shared the rumor to their Boss, Alexandra Trese's face darkened. Her eyebrows knitted together and she crossed her fingers together in deep concentration.

Her bodyguards stood in front of her, waiting. They knew that it was the right decision to tell her.

"Find the shop," Alex commanded them. "Bring the owner to me."

"Yes Bossing," the Kambal replied at the same time. They disappeared from her sight to search for their mysterious new foe.

She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. A shop that will grant your wish was dangerous. She could already imagine the repercussions on the wishers if they fail to pay the price.

There will be a lot of disappearances, freak accidents and mysterious events happening to her city. She couldn't afford to have a newcomer wreak havoc on her territory.

Alex knew that she should take care of it soon.

A week passed but the Kambal still hasn't found the mysterious shop and it's enigmatic owner. They'd scoured the entire Metro Manila and followed leads from fellow supernatural creatures.

They've even flown as far as Bulacan but they could not find a trace of it. They told her that the spells and magicks that protected the shop must be strong to make it invisible and impenetrable.

Alex simply smiled. She knew that they will say that. It seems that she will have to look for it herself.

She bade the twins goodbye so they could take an afternoon off. The young woman decided to take a walk in Luneta to clear her head. She wanted to be in a public place and in the middle of the crowd so she can gather clues.

When she arrived in Rizal Park, she walked towards the statue of the national hero. The crowd was always thick in that part of the park. As she passed through the throng of people, she realized that she was alone.

The crowds were gone. She was standing in the middle of a road and she was definitely not in Rizal Park anymore.

Wind chimes tinkled in the distance. The silence was broken. Alex slowly turned towads her right to see a peculiar house beyond the gate. Cherry trees bloomed around the house. Wind raced through the street so she was showered by pink petals and wrapped in the mild, sweet smell of cherry blossoms.

She walked towards the house purposefully. It was magic that transported her to this place. Very powerful and very old magic that she'd never seen in her city.

Alex's eyes drank in the house inside the gates. It was a mishmash of Eastern and Western sensibilities with butterfly, sun and moon motiffs. The house was beautiful but strange. She instinctively knew that she was neither here nor there and she was standing in a world that existed beyond time and space.

Her guard went up when a pair of twin girls came out of the house. They smiled at her brightly before bowing. "A customer for our mistress," they said in excitement before they rushed to her.

As soon as their hands came in contact with her arms, Alex shivered. They were not human. The two girls exchanged feline smiles before pulling her towards the house with unnatural strength. Alex knew that it was pointless to struggle when you've been captured.

They pulled at her arms as they walked through the strange but lovely house. She could almost swear that the butterflies stenciled on the paper walls moved their wings when she passed. There were odd objects on display. When they reached the sitting room, the twins released her and sat down on each side to open the sliding door.

"A visitor for our mistress," the twins declared in unison.

Alex didn't move as the door slid open and a sickly, sweet smoke escaped to the corridor. It made her eyes water but she did not show any weakness. She held her head high as she entered the room.

What surprised her was the woman who was waiting for her. She was tall and slim with the right curves that was shown off by her luxurious silk kimono. Her hair was very long and her eyes were red like apples. She was smoking a pipe and the room reeked of opium.

"Who are you?" Alexandra Trese asked, point-blank.

A small smile slipped into the woman's pretty lips before she blew a perfect smoke ring into the air. This child was very honest. She deserved the same treatment. "I am Yuuko Ichihara."

"What are you doing in my city?"

"I am the Time Space Witch. I am the Witch of Dimensions."

"What does that mean?"

Yuuko Ichihara smiled again. "It means that I am here because I have a client. It means that I run a shop that grants wishes."

"You're endangering the population. I am ordering you to leave." Alex replied coldly.

Small shoulders shrugged elegantly. "I cannot leave even if I wanted to."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked. Her voice was low and quiet. Her fists were clenched at her sides. She knew that she had to keep her temper in check.

Yuuko rolled over to her side on her chaise lounge for a more comfortable position. She fixed her gaze on the young lady who was also the protector of this city. Her sigh was soft. "It means that I will stay here until my client comes and I fulfill their wish. That is the magic of this place. I cannot change it or control it. I am merely a shopkeeper."

The young woman nodded, finally understanding.

"My shop will only appear to certain individuals who have a strong wish. That is the condition of my shop. Rest assured that not just anybody will be able to find it. Only humans with a strong will and a strong wish will find their way to me," Yuuko explained as she slowly sat up. "Why don't you sit? We can have a chat before my client arrives."

Alex nodded again and slowly sat down on the tatami floor. Her ears perked up when she heard a cart slowly entering the room. Then her eyes widended when she saw a young man pushing a cart full of food towards them.

Yuuko grinned at her. "This is Watanuki. He's my assistant."

"Hello," Watanuki greeted her shyly. He bowed respectfully to her before he started serving the snacks.

He was a tall, young man with effeminate features and wore circular glasses. Alexandra could sense a faint, aura emanating from him. She realized that he was also gifted with the same ability to see the supernatural.

"What's your name?" Yuuko Ichihara asked cheerfully. She looked visibly excited to eat turon with langka.

"Alexandra Trese." Alex did not eat even if it looked rude. She did not know them so she was still on her guard.

The witch looked even more excited. "You're Anton's daughter! What a pleasure. I am so glad to see that you've managed to escape the Balete Tree."

The young woman tried very hard to hide her shock.

Yuuko waved her hand at her. "Please eat or Watanuki will be offended. He had to learn how to cook those bananas in wrappers for you. I am a friend of your father's."

"How did you know my father?" Alex was shaking from shock.

"My shop opened here sometime in the '90s. He came to visit me and asked for help because he needed something to control a couple of children," Yuuko relished telling the story. She was very happy to see Anton's daughter all grown up and well-suited to her cosmic responsibility.

"Children?"

"Yes, he bought a pair of theater masks that can control bloodlust. That was his wish. I am glad to know that the masks are working well and the children are also well taken care of." Yuuko was always looking after the children of the universe. It was her maternal instincts that kept them out of harm's away.

"The masks came from you?" Alex looked shocked.

Yuuko's smile was gentle and tinged with regret. "Yes. They were for your father. I am just sorry that I wasn't able to give them to him on time."

Alex swallowed hard. She had to go. She didn't want to stay a minute longer.

"You may go, little Trese. I don't have any quarrel with you. I am merely a handmaiden of the universe. My job is neither good nor evil. I am merely here to fulfill wishes." Yuuko told her as she got up.

"Thanks for your time." Alex replied, still shaking. "I have to go."

Watanuki followed her outside. She didn't even realize that he was behind her. He called out to her and she stopped in her tracks.

"Yuuko-san is not a bad person. She's stuck here," he explained with a rueful smile. "So am I."

"Just leave my city when you're done with your errand." Alex gritted her teeth.

"Yes, of course. We had to pay our respects to the protector before leaving. Thank you again for your visit. Watanuki bowed to her respectfully before leaving her alone in the yard.

Alex blinked and she was in the middle of Rizal Park again. In the distance, she could see the twins had parked their car and they were playing Mobile Legends while waiting for her. The little children. The war children that her dad had taken in. The twins who were birthed by war.

She now understood why she met the Witch of Dimensions. In the end, the rumors of the shop that grants wishes died away. Alex also understood that she met Yuuko Ichihara and Kimihiro Watanuki under very special circumstances.

When news that Watanuki had replaced Yuuko, she was not surprised because someday Alex will have a child who will also take her place.

Her role in the universe was neither good nor bad and neither here nor there. Alexandra Trese was going to make the most out of this life as the protector of this city and as the Kambal's only family.