Chapter 38: Fallen Leaves

Mio

Nana’s white hair was tangled, the strands spread like a virus. A cracked pot of moonpetals sunk at her knees, dirt spilling onto the sheets. Kagami didn’t say a word.

Mio could see clearly now, that or the Engine was messing up its calculations—millions of bloom. She didn’t say anything to him, couldn’t. Dismissed him because that’s all she could do.

She crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside the bed.

“Nana. I tried calling you. Why didn’t you pick up?”

“They took it.” Nana’s eyes stayed on the flowers. “The old man and… him.”

She pointed at Kagami.

“You’re lying,” Mio said. “I can tell when you’re lying.”

“No you can’t!”

“Yeah I can. When you look away and scratch your left ear, you’re ashamed of the lie before it even comes out.”

Nana’s hand froze halfway to her ear. She pulled it back down, scowling at the moonpetals.

Mio pushed herself up onto the bed beside her sister.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Nana didn’t say anything.

A knock at the door interrupted them.

Kagami opened it, letting Segawa’s voice enter unbidden.

“Briefing tomorrow. You’ve been allocated quarters on the second floor.” His eyes moved to Mio, then Nana. “Your agent badge and the one I gave Nana have clearance. 1200. Don’t be late.”

Just like that, he left already.

He didn’t mention the threat, or the way she had told Mori off. She didn’t care.

“Hey.”

Nana didn’t look up.

Mio reached out to brush ash off her sister’s cheek.

“Stop treating me like a baby.”

“Sorry,” Mio said.

But she couldn’t help it, not when she had heard their apartment blew up. Not when the image of Nana under rubble drained her color more than the daemon did when it gutted her insides.

Mio took off the bloodied suit jacket and tossed it to the floor. It landed near Kagami’s shoes.

She’d just remembered he was standing there.

“Can you leave,” Mio said. “You’re ruining our moment.”

Kagami stepped out.

Huh, easier than I thought.

“It’s what mom used to do,” Nana piped up as Kagami closed the door behind him.

“What?”

“Brush my cheek like that.” Nana’s brown eyes met hers. She raised the cracked pot, the green buds still nestled in the dirt. “I don’t know if they’ll grow.”

“It’s only been a day.”

“Still.”

Mio slumped onto the hospital bed. Nana did the same, their hair a stark contrast intertwining like fallen leaves.

“You saved them, at least.”

Nana’s grip tightened on the pot.

“Made a promise with my sis.”

Mio remembered planting them. The balcony. Nana complaining about dirt under her fingernails.

That balcony was rubble now.

“Nana, what happened?”

Her small face tilted to meet Mio’s. She could see water building in the corner of her little sister’s eyes. Mio could feel the swell in hers too.

Another knock interrupted them—softer this time, as if hoping not to intrude.

Who is it now? Can’t we get any privacy here?

“OG!” Nana suddenly gained energy from nowhere.

Mio turned to the woman. She immediately recognized her from before. From when she first arrived for assessment. Specifically, the woman with twenty thousand bloom who had invited her gaze.

Nana let her in. She was faster than Mio thought. She blamed the lack of sleep.

“Apologies for the intrusion,” the woman said. She bowed once.

Mio raised an eyebrow. No one had ever bowed to her before, let alone in a place like a government building. Sure, waiters did, receptionists did. But that was just their job.

So she had every right to be skeptical.

“Who are you?”

The woman straightened her spine. Her hair was blonde, flowing past her elbows. One would assume her for an American if not for her accent — rural, southern Japanese, the kind grandmothers used.

“We’ve met, Mio-san. My name is—”

“OG.” Nana was tugging at OG’s right cuff. She whispered it, but Mio heard loud and clear. “Did you get the snacks I wanted?”

“Ah, you didn’t ask for any.” She paused. “I’ll make sure they send some up to your new room.”

That was enough for Nana. She sat back down on the bed, counting the dirt in the pot. She was getting tired, the way her eyelids weighed heavier by the minute.

“Mio-san,” OG continued. “Sorry again for the intrusion.” She took out an envelope. “I’ve got something for you. Open it when you’re in your room.”

She stepped forward. Mio tensed just the slightest. Even with a bloom lower than Kaito had, she could tell this woman was dangerous.

“Please be mindful of the last suggestion; there are many eyes here in the Bureau.”

She left before Mio could say anything else.

Mio held the envelope in her hand, feeling the weight. Just paper. A letter? Who would write a letter? Everything was getting stranger.

Regardless, she could collapse any minute from exhaustion.

“Come on. Let’s get you to the room,” Mio said, half-yawning.

Nana’s eyes were already closing. She scooped her up and hoisted her over her back. Her arms looped around Mio’s neck, face pressing into her shoulder.

She was heavier than she used to be, even after clearing two incursions back to back.

Mio had to hold the pot in one hand, the other awkwardly keeping Nana from slipping off her back. She thought about kicking the door down, but that meant paperwork.

She sighed.

“Can, help me out please.”

A mass of sludge pooled out from her arm and materialized into the same little knight she’d met since the first solo incursion.

[Active Form: Chimera]

It saluted.

Good. Nana will be happy. Can is still here.

Can jumped up surprisingly high for its size and wobbled the doorknob open.

She ignored the Agents and people staring, whispering to each other. Especially the gasps and little screams when Can kicked away random trays and carts.

“The Tamei girl killed a B-grade.”

“Alone? That’s insane.”

“No, the boy with the artifact weapon did.”

Kaito. I wonder how he is.

Kagami was nowhere to be seen. She was actually relieved.

Mio scanned the badge on the elevator, clicked the button to the second floor.

Ignored the scrawny man standing in the corner of the elevator, prodding Can with his pen.

But she invited the System messages back.

[Unallocated Points: 30]

[ENGINE: REWARD AVAILABLE]

Claim at any time.

[Rare Lootbox ×2]

Tomorrow, when Nana is awake.

Ding.

She stepped onto the second floor.

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