Chapter 26: Job

"A boy left a message for me?"

The soft chime of the store’s clock signaled the passing of another late evening.

Outside, the once-lively storefront had grown quiet, the flickering glow of the nearby streetlights casting long shadows on the empty pavement.

It was later than she had expected to leave, but there was nothing she could do about it—unexpected things had a way of happening.

Standing at the doorway, just about to head home for the night, Sawa suddenly remembered something—Shido’s message.

She had nearly forgotten to deliver it. A good thing it had come back to her at the last moment, though the details were a little hazy…

"What was the boy’s name? Or at least, did he mention where he was from?"

…

She was certain he had told her a name—but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t quite grasp it.

"Ah... well... Sitsu... um, no, it was Insu... Katsu... No, that’s totally wrong..."

In front of her stood an old woman—the one who had hired her to help run the store.

Small and frail, time had whittled away at her figure, yet there was a quiet strength in the way she carried herself.

A faded scarf was wrapped around her neck, draped over her back, the ends gathered in her hands as if shielding herself from a chill that never truly left. Her thin fingers, lined with wrinkles and veins, held the cloth gently against her chest.

Her face, too, bore the unmistakable touch of the years—deep lines tracing her cheeks and forehead. Yet, despite the passage of time, warmth remained in her features, a softness that had never faded.

She blinked at Sawa’s fumbling words, her gaze steady, patient.

"Do you at least remember anything unique about him? His appearance, perhaps?"

"Ah!"

A flicker of realization crossed Sawa’s face. She snapped her fingers.

That’s right—his hair. It was different from most. Not black, not brown… but a distinct shade of blue.

"He had blue hair."

At that moment, the old woman’s eyes widened—just slightly. Her expression shifted, not in shock, but in a quiet, almost nostalgic warmth.

"Oh… it’s probably the boy from the Itsuka house."

"Itsuka... Yeah, that was it."

Sawa repeated the name—exhaled in relief as if the name had been lingering just out of reach.

"Mm, his sister used to visit me often, even when the store wasn’t open. It’s been a long time since I last saw him..."

"Yeah..."

Nodding in quiet satisfaction, the old woman reached out, gently grasping Sawa’s hand before pressing something into her palm and curling her fingers around it.

"Then, good night, dear. Watch your step and get home safely."

"Huh?"

Blinking in surprise, Sawa slowly opened her hand.

Three slightly worn bills rested in her palm—three 10,000-yen notes.30,000 yen (~$300). She recognized the amount instantly.

The realization hit her, and she looked up.

"B-Boss—"

But before she could protest, the old woman had already turned away, adjusting the scarf around her shoulders.

"It’s your overtime pay, dear. No need to argue—I’m too old for that."

Sawa hesitated, pressing her lips into a thin line. It felt unnecessary to accept, yet...

She quietly tucked the bills into her pocket and bowed slightly. "Thank you."

The old woman simply hummed in response.

"I’ll make sure to be on duty early tomorrow. Good night, Boss."

"hm, good night dear"

Sawa stepped out into the cool evening air, closing the door softly behind her. She took a few steps forward before pausing, glancing back to make sure she heard the click of the door locks and saw the lights inside flicker off. The shop now stood dark and quiet, blending into the stillness of the night.

Satisfied, she turned and continued down the empty street, a plastic bag swaying gently in her hand. Inside were a few leftover pastries from the shop, along with some household essentials she’d picked up during the day.

"I wonder if Kurumi is still up..."

Taking a turn into a narrow hallway, she reached up to the back of her head, scratching it absently.

No, she’s definitely still up, probably curled up on the couch with a blanket, engrossed in another detective movie. Was it Fargo this time? 

"She’s really addicted to this stuff," 

It was endearing, though she often worried about Kurumi staying up too late. It wasn’t just about the lack of sleep—Sawa had read somewhere that too much screen time was bad for the brain and eyes. 

She made a mental note to remind Kurumi about it again, though she knew Kurumi would just roll her eyes and promise to "be more careful" without actually changing her habits.

Emerging from the other side of the hallway, Sawa quickened her pace slightly up the hill. Though her living quarters were deep in the heart of the city, she had something to take care of before rushing to catch the last bus.

Missing it wasn’t an option—the last time she had, she’d been forced to call Kurumi for a ride. And by "ride," she meant her sister’s... unconventional method of transportation: Shadow.

Shaking her head at the bitter memory, Sawa reached a spot under a streetlight and knelt down. The faint glow of the lamp illuminated the plastic bag as she placed it on the ground, reaching inside to pull out its contents.

Another small plastic bag, this one containing chicken and meat leftovers—mostly bones with bits of meat still clinging to them. Sawa carefully unfolded it.

Bringing her eyes up, she whistled lightly. Not too loud, as she didn’t want to disturb the night’s peace or the residents sleeping nearby, but just enough to carry her signal into the shadows. It was a call, one she knew would be answered.

From several dark spots—whether from the nearby narrow hallways, the gaps between buildings, or the backs of the surrounding houses—came a series of soft footsteps.

Sawa smiled faintly, her gaze scanning the darkness. Slowly, shapes began to emerge—small, cautious, and deliberate. Dogs. Stray dogs, their eyes glinting like tiny lanterns as they stepped into the faint circle of light cast by the streetlamp.

They moved with quiet grace, their tails flicking as they approached. Sawa recognized a few of them—the scruffy gray one with a torn ear, the sleek black dog with a white-tipped tail, and the small one that always lingered nearby. They were regulars, familiar faces in her nightly routine.

"Here you go… Today’s meal isn’t as fancy as yesterday’s, but it should be enough for all of you if you share."

One by one, they crept forward. The scruffy gray dog was the first to reach the food, sniffing cautiously before digging in. The others followed, tails swishing as they ate. A few even brushed against her leg before joining the meal.

Sawa watched them eat, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she rested her hands against her cheeks.

"Hm?"

Just as the moment lingered in her mind, something at the edge of her vision caught her attention—a poster on the wall.

"Tenou Festival..."

Plastered onto the worn brick surface, its edges curled slightly from exposure to the evening breeze, the poster stood out with bold, vibrant letters announcing the upcoming Tenou Festival. An illustration of fireworks bursting over a lively cityscape accompanied the text, while smaller details below outlined the festival’s schedule—food stalls, stage performances, and, of course, the grand fireworks display to close the night.

Sawa tilted her head, scanning the details until her eyes landed on the festival date.

"I have a job at that time..."

Her gaze lingered on the colorful flyer for a moment before she turned back to her friends. Crowded places weren’t really her thing anyway, she reminded herself.

…

As the idea drifted, Sawa stretched out her arm, reaching to scratch behind the ears of one of the dogs nearby.

BOOM!

“!!”

An explosion ripped through the air. Nearby cars blared their honks in unison piercing the once-quiet night. 

The dogs, who had been happily eating just moments ago, scattered in all directions, their tails tucked and ears flattened in panic.

The very earth seemed to tremble, and Sawa lost her balance, falling hard onto her butt. Her hands instinctively braced against the ground, palms wide open. 

For a moment, she sat there, stunned, her ears ringing and her mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened.

For a moment, everything was still—a strange, suspended silence that followed the explosion. 

Then, as her mind began to catch up, her eyes snapped toward the source of the noise. At the head of the hill, a trail of thick, dark smoke rose into the night sky, its origin a small family-sized house.

Her thoughts raced, scrambling to make sense of the situation. Was it a gas leak? An accident? Her mind cycled through possibilities, but as the initial shock faded, a more urgent thought took hold: What if someone’s hurt?

She needed to call for help—an ambulance, the police. Her hand fumbled for the small, folded phone in her pocket, her fingers trembling as she tried to steady herself.

But before she could dial, a voice cut through the chaos.

"Kotori!! Shido walked in on Tohka changing again!!"

It was casual—almost routine—spoken as if the speaker were commenting on the weather rather than the aftermath of an explosion.

Sawa froze, her phone halfway out of her pocket.

"That stupid brother!"

"Oi, Kotori, your brother is dying."

"Notice: That is quite a lot of blood. I'm impressed, Shido."

"S-Shido, w-we have to c-call an ambulance!"

"SHIDO, I'M SORRY! I DIDN’T MEAN TO ATTACK YOU! DON’T DIE!!"

...What on earth is happening over there?

However, Instead of trying to figure it out, an idea instantly popped into Sawa’s mind.

I should get out of here before I get involved with those people. Who knows what kind of trouble I’ll bring on myself if I stick around…

As she rose to her feet, slipping her phone back into her pocket, it suddenly rang.

Hm?

Opening her flip phone, she checked the caller ID: BOSS (5).

It was her boss from one of her many part-time jobs—her job as a flagger (traffic controller).

“Hm? Wasn’t my shift until mid-day tomorrow— I hope he not calling to fire me suddenly … I really hope not…”

Hesitating for a moment, she accepted the call and was about to bring the phone to her ear when a deafening scream erupted from the other end, forcing her to jerk the phone away.

“BOY!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” A voice boomed, loud enough that she could hear him even without holding the phone close.

“Ah, um, Boss, I—” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “I-I thought my shift was tomorrow… W-What is happening—”

“DON’T GIVE ME EXCUSES!” he roared, cutting her off. “There’s a MASSIVE traffic jam at the city entrance! We’re short-handed, and I need you here NOW! Do you understand?!”

Sawa’s grip on the phone tightened, “B-but, Boss, I—”

“NO BUTS!” he screamed again. “If you’re not here in 30 minutes, don’t bother coming back at all! You’re FIRED!”

The line went dead before she could respond.

Sawa stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. She glanced at the time—it was already late, and the city entrance was at least 40 minutes away by train. Her chest tightened with anxiety, but she knew she had no choice.

“Y-yes, Boss… I’ll be there,”

“Good. I expect you here in 20 minutes… OR YOU’RE FIRED!”

“AH! B-But you said 30—”

Before she could finish, the call cut off. For a moment, she stood in stunned silence, slowly lowering her phone and staring at it in disbelief.

With a deep breath, she flipped it shut and shoved it into her pocket.

It was clear that regular transportation wouldn’t get her there in time. Calling Kurumi for help also was out of the question—she’d only lecture her about juggling too many jobs again.

…

That left her with only one option.

She glanced around. The neighborhood had already stirred awake, the explosion drawing people out of their homes in a panic. Their voices buzzed with confusion as they scanned the area.

Quickly, she slipped into a dark, narrow alleyway.
“Please…let no one notice,” she whispered.

A bright glow suddenly enveloped her, and in an instant, her clothes vanished, replaced by a completely different outfit. Without hesitation, her form blurred and shot into the sky, leaving behind a shimmering trail of light—like something out of a fairy tale.

It had all happened too fast, too quietly. No one in the crowd had noticed her retreat… or so it should have been. Among the people gathered near the explosion was a special agent.

Thought, Just like the others, She hadn’t seen the girl transform.

But a device in her possession had detected the anomaly.

“A new Reiryoku reading…” 

A girl with piercing blue eyes and short, silvery-white hair. She stood at the edge of the crowd, careful to stay out of sight—specifically, to avoid being noticed by a certain boy who might suspect her of stalking.

Her gaze narrowed as she stared at the night sky, where the reading grew stronger.

 “This isn’t from any of the spirits Shido sealed…”