I'm Probably Living A Normal Life Now

"Do you like her?"

"Huh?"

"Are you, like, even slightly interested in that person?" 

What once was awkward silence's walk breaks into more intense atmosphere. I try to give Ayane a confirmation look. It's very rare for her to ask me an out of nowhere question like this. But maybe it's because she's trying to open up a conversation for the important ones.

So I play along.

"Who?"

Ayane moves faster and pokes her frowning face at the side. "Don't pretend to be oblivious."

"I'm really not trying to."

"Just answer the question."

"I really don't know who you're referring to, though."

She might be too embarrassed to say it. I know I have to guess her question because I have been with this tsundere long. "The officer from before?"

"Yes."

"The… one who I hit with the dragon?"

"You weren't the only Exorcist to learn this world through the internet," Ayane groans. "That humor won't get me."

I shrug. "Worth a shot."

She gives me a gentle kick.

I let myself to look like I almost trip.

"Don't just let my question hanging awkwardly," She touches her black guitar case hanging around her shoulder. Inside is no guitar. It's what slain the two ghouls earlier and other exorcism tools.

I pretend to rub my chin as if thinking, "The officer, let's see… she's ambitious and nice. If 'do you like her,' you meant as would I get her as my friend then, yes."

But in somewhere in the middle of my answer, her glaring eyes substituted as if drowning. What's with her now? She looked fine just earlier. Did she skip her ramen day? Well, that's surely not the case. In fact, I could smell the cute fragrance lingering under her plump lips.

The cherry lips open heavily. "So you do like her."

I know what response I'd get but I can't help but to ask, "Ayane… Are you perhaps jealous?"

"Are you perhaps retarded?" Her eyes flat, gazing at me with a 'seriously' gesture.

Yeah, that's the response I was expecting. "You know, if you really try to be a normal middle-schooler, you should at least be red or flustered about it."

After a while, we jump back into the same conversation.

As if her look wasn't enough to express her feelings earlier, she uses words now. "You were kidding, right? If anyone, you should be the one who's jealous of me. I'm younger than you."

"Age is pointless to think about," and that sounds like an old man saying. I'm not that old.

"I'm worried about you—sarcasm intended," Ayane says, putting a lot of emphasis on her last word. She then continues: "You're saying things like pedophile now."

I can hear a shattering behind my forced smile.

The neighborhood is staring at us for making too much noise this blind morning. Doesn't want others to look at me with a 'oh, wow, look, pedophile,' I decide to use whisper and close my head toward her.

"Look, I know you want to talk about something else. Let's just go on with that," because my reputation, which I've built for the past years in this area, is at risk if we're to continue this pedophile talk.

She lets out a heavy sigh, "Sensei, don't you ever want to return as an exorcist?"

Oh, so this's all it's about… As if the messenger every month seeing me isn't enough.

"You've really changed… you have a job and a normal human friend," with a tone of disappointment and hesitation, "Now you're even thinking about getting a partner now."

Since when did we talk about I'm getting a partner?

I am tempted to say that… but with Ayane looking like biting the inside of her cheek; I decide to approach the situation better.

I pull out my hand, intending to pat her. It's what I've done. She gladly would take it. It's a sign of our trust back then.

But everyone changes. I get the feeling I will once again, too, sooner or later.

Ayane glares at my hand, freezing it in mid-air. I clear my throat as I pull my hand. She's no child anymore for me to do such a thing.

"What I'm doing now, you may understand later on."

"You're doing literally nothing now," her voice pressured, "B—But we can turn it back again. Back to your former golden day. I—Imagine how many lives you'll be saving if you're him again!"

"What? But I saved you from a ghoul just now remember... using only my human strength."

"Not only exorcists can save people, you know?" I continue, "And not only by fighting we can be a useful."

She shakes her head. "No, but they can only do so much. Sensei…" Her light footstep disappear.

I turn around, ready for anything she'd say which, seeing her lips already quivering, it'd be heavy conversation.

She tightens her body and raises her chin. "I'd like you to return to us."

Sigh first, "Ayane, are they asking you to do this?"

"Even so. Sensei. It's just the better for… everyone."

Everyone? Or just you guys?

My answer is obvious. "I'm sorry, Ayane."

Her throat pulls down, "B—But The Doomsday is coming, Sensei."

"Doomsday?"

"The prophecy, Sensei." Ayane explains, "The Elderly are visioning it."

The elders? Now, if I recall correctly, they're the descendant of the Great Sage who predict the future of the world? I'm not sure whether my ear twitching in happiness or disdain of the old words. So the world's safety at stake?

My heart feels like a whirlpool. A voice telling me I should get back. My duty is not over yet. And another reminds me why I shouldn't pick up the sword again. "I leave this one to you guys," I say—apathetically. 

She steps forward, her hand moves around as if to paint an image, "Sensei, the exorcism world is crumbling. And before long… even this world."

Man, I hope that will not happen. I adore both worlds. But there's no way what Ayane said is true—maybe she's just exaggerating it. The Exorcists have been winning every battle in history. No way they think this time it'd be different. Almost all the prophecies tell a win to them. "The Divine One is on our side," after all.

Her next words sound as if a hiss, but I've been with her to know the words coming out, "We lost a Master."

A Master. Only the powerful warrior can be crowned with the title. By powerful, I meant a warrior that could take an entire army of demons by himself. I know because I was one. Who died? Not like I was one of their friend back then. I cough. "If that's the case, don't lose hope. Remember, there's a lot of Masters. One fall would not mean it's the end," I say as if meaning they don't need me. I am replaceable, after all.

"It was father," Ayane says. Both tight fists on the side of her frozen legs.

That stung my throat. My composure breaks.

"Ayane."

This is all too sudden. All I can think to say is, "I'm sorry for your loss."

I can see she's upset.

She shakes her head as if to dismiss this. "Don't be. I know he died in honor. It's not like he wants me to see me grieving right now. Also," she releases her grip, "you know how my father is like."

The Golden Man who wields a thunder. For someone like that to lose a battle had to be a High-Demon. Or an Abyssal.

"Even you can't predict this. That's why the world is in panic," she pulls her finger up toward me, "So we thought you join us back will relief it." 

"Ayane…"

she's right to step closer to my face and try to convince me more because I was about to say no. "It's a vampire!"

A vampire? As if one surprise is not enough. Ayane adds, "Y—You know what this meant, right?"

There's only one prophecy that's left unfinished and told by the Great Sage. Where the Vampires rise once again to put chaos into the world. 'He shall rise from his coffin once again to change the world we once knew.' I also remember about a human who'd betray his kinds to be on his side. The prophecy ended with the Great Sage questioning. 

"We'd win," is all I have to say.

Ayane's head faces down, "Is that you rejecting us once again?"

I hate to do this. I nod.

"Is there anyway else I can change your mind?"

I'm exhausted. My morning is nothing close to normal nor was it good. It's as if I'm not even speaking to my favourite teenager here but them. I feel I am once again in the hall of Judgement.

So I say the same thing as back then, "Get me out of here."

And saying that is a mistake. The ones who heard my same exact words were the Ten Judges and now it's just Ayane.

I try to explain her, I don't mean to say it like that.

But the girl shakes her head. "I get it."

"Ayane."

"We'd be late. I'll go first."

After that, the Exorcist trainee disappears. I couldn't even see the scar I've done on her face.

The hell did I do?

Maybe, just maybe, my life is not really normal. I'm only acting as if it is.