Chapter 35 – Birthday Bash
The next school week after the trip was agonizing for everyone. They had a lot of homework to catch up on after missing Friday, and the teachers didn’t consider the fact that the mountain ambiance was still very vivid in everyone’s mind. The next couple of days locked in the classroom seemed to be the longest of the entire year.
“Finally! Lunch break!” Ayako shouted to her friends as the bell rang. She jumped up from the chair and ran over to Mika’s desk very ready to be out of the classroom. It was the Wednesday after the trip, and she still couldn’t think of anything else but the beauty and freedom of the mountain.
“I see that you’re very overly excited about lunch, as always,” Kaito remarked as she approached them.
“I’m just tired to being in this stupid box of a classroom, and I know you are too!”
Kaito shifted his gaze out the window, and didn’t reply to the statement.
“It was a wonderful trip,” Mika said standing up. “I wish we could go back, but thinking about really doesn’t do anyone any good.”
“I agree with Mika,” Kana replied as she joined the group. “It was nice, but now it’s over.”
“How can you two be so boring?!” Ayako teased. “Oh well, we can talk about it after we get to the roof for lunch break. I’d hate to miss my eating time!” Ayako twirled around and marched out of the classroom with the others a couple of meters behind her.
“What’s got her in such a good mood?” Kaito asked raising an eyebrow.
Kana shook her head, and then said rather suddenly, “What is the date of today?”
Mika thought for a moment before replying, “It’s November eleventh, right?”
“I see.” She offered no elaboration, although she could feel Mika waiting for her to.
If today is the eleventh, I know why Ayako is so excited. It was when they were settled on the roof with their lunches in front of them that Kana asked, “What are you doing for your birthday Ayako?”
Ayako opened her mouth to respond, but Mika cut her off. “What?! You never mentioned anything about your birthday being soon!”
“I try not to make a big deal out of it, but my dad always turns it into this huge fiasco.” She turned to address Kana, “I think we’re just doing the normal. Dad wants to host a huge dinner, and invite everyone that I’ve ever met in my entire life,” she said with a long sigh. “I’d really just be happy with you guys spending the night or something, but my parents would never let it be that simple.”
“You should be happy,” Mika replied. “My grandmother and my two childhood friends were the only ones I ever celebrated with. It was a nice little party, but I wouldn’t have minded having a couple other people come.”
Ayako was quiet for a moment before she responded. “I guess it’s okay, but I hate having to deal with those old ladies that are always like, ‘Look how much you’ve grown! I remember you when you were a baby!’ They drive me nuts! ‘Well I’m so glad you remember me,’” Ayako imitated a conversation, “’because
I certainly don’t remember
you!’” she broke off panting slightly while the other two laughed at her imitation of a conversation between herself and an old woman.
“So when is your birthday Ayako?” Mika asked.
“The actual date is this Sunday, the fifteenth, but dad’s having the party Saturday night, and of course I’m inviting you two to save me from the madness of old people that I don’t remember. I hope you’ll be able to come... I know it’s short notice –”
“Of course I’ll come,” Mika answered with a warm smile.
“You know that I will be free as well,” Kana replied with a nod of her head.
Ayako beamed. “Yay! I get to have two friends this year! I think dad rented the Shibuya Recreational center for it. All of those people wouldn’t be able to fit into our house. Then after that, we can go to my place and spend the night!”
“Sounds awesome,” Mika said. “What do you want for your birthday?”
Ayako thought for a moment before answering, “I don’t need anything. I just want you to be there.”
Mika was about to argue that she had to get Ayako something, but the lunch bell ended before she had a chance to get the words out. She spent the rest of the day and evening pondering the conundrum, but thinking of nothing.
What would Ayako like? Candy? Games? I know she wouldn’t want anything girly... Mika didn’t have a large allowance to spare on buying gifts either. Probably by the end of the year, she would be forced to get a good-paying job, but she didn’t want to think about that right now.
The next day she resolved to ask Kana what she was planning to get Ayako, so while they were walking to school, she brought up the subject. “Hey, Kana, I was wondering what you were thinking about getting Ayako for her birthday... I just can’t really think of anything good, so I was wondering if you had any ideas.”
“I normally just give her a bit of money,” Kana replied. “It does not matter how many times I ask over the years, she never wants me to get anything. After a while, I simply stopped asking and gave her a thousand yen every year.”
“I see...” Mika wanted to ask more about what Ayako liked, but they were already reaching her road. She wasn’t particularly satisfied with the idea of just giving her money. She always tried to find presents that the person would treasure.
That afternoon after school, Mika headed downtown and browsed through numerous stores. She still wasn’t any closer to deciding what to get, but she figured the right thing would jump out at her when she saw it. She was in a small general store, when a sign caught her eye.
'Special Offer: Buy a Teddy Bear today and customize it for only ¥2000.'
Mika walked closer to the shelf that the sign was hanging over and found five rows full of the stuffed animals. The aforementioned teddy bears were already somewhat specialized. They came in numerous sizes and colors. The only similar thing amongst them was the ribbon tied around their neck.
Although Mika looked at several shades of blue, purple, and green, she decided on the standard yellow-brown colored one with a red ribbon. With a smile at the bear, Mika carried it up to the counter. “I would like to purchase this, please,” she told the male cashier.
“Would you like to customize it?” he asked.
“What kind of customs do you do?” she asked after a moment.
“You can get your name stitched into the ribbon. There are also numerous accessories –”
“I would love to have a name stitched in!” Mika interrupted. “Ayako Hanashi is the name,” she said with a smile.
The cashier nodded and took the bear to the back of the store. Mika waited for a long five minutes before the man appeared again, and gave it to Mika to look over.
She nodded in approval as she ran her fingers over the fancy font. The letters were etched in golden thread which matched the color of the bear very well. She handed over the money, and walked out of the store feeling accomplished with herself.
I can’t wait to give it to her. I really hope Ayako likes it! With teddy bear in hand, Mika hurried home as the sky began to darken on the horizon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Well this is definitely the right place.” Mika stood before a large two-story, brick building. It was ornately decorated with lights and balloons. Through the large window on the left side, Mika could see that the inside was just as fancy with a DJ, a mountain of presents, and a large food buffet.
“Ayako’s parents have always liked parties,” Kana commented following Mika’s gaze.
They walked side-by-side up to the entrance where a security guard stood with a clipboard of what Mika presumed was a guest list. “They certainly did go all out,” Mika agreed. “It’s like the parties you see in movies.”
Kana nodded, and moved forward to stand before the security guard. “Kana Tsuyoku,” she stated without looking up at the man.
He glanced over the long list of guests, and upon finding her name, nodded and moved out of the doorway. “Name?” he asked glancing over Mika.
“I’m Mika, Mika Minamoto.”
The guard showed no emotion as he glanced over the list and moved aside when he saw her name. Without so much as wishing her a good time, he turned around and went back to his job.
“That man certainly doesn’t seem excited to be at a party,” Mika whispered to Kana.
“He is probably from the police force. Ayako’s father is a detective for the General Police Force of Tokyo.”
“I think I remember her mentioning that once before,” Mika said with a nod.
Kana and Mika headed to the present drop off area first to set down the two smaller packages they were carrying. Kana only had a small bag which contained a card and cash, while Mika had a slightly larger box with the teddy bear. Compared to some of the presents already there, the two seemed very tiny.
“Where do you think Ayako is?” Mika asked spinning around trying to locate her friend.
“Probably where there’s the least amount of people,” Kana replied turning around slowly to look over the big area. “There,” she pointed to two large, glass doors which led out to a courtyard in the back of the facility. “I will bet she is outside somewhere, away from attention and noise.”
“Sounds like Ayako.”
The two fought their way through the quickly growing crowd and arrived on the other side of the large room. Mika hesitantly opened the door and stepped back outside. With the setting of the sun, the air was quickly becoming cooler and she involuntarily shivered.
Compared to the inside of the building, the outside was disappointingly small. It was surrounded by hedges which created an area of about a twenty square meters. There were a couple of smaller sakura trees, one of which had a table and bench under it, and a larger one in the back right corner. Under that, was a gazebo.
Mika and Kana exchanged a look of agreement before simultaneously moving off toward the gazebo. Their eyes immediately fixed on the lump of a person sprawled out on the bench. She was facing the opposite direction and thus, didn’t see them.
“You look like you’re having fun,” Kana spoke.
Ayako jumped at the sudden noise, and without turning around, she said, “Come on Kana! That wasn’t funny.”
“I thought it was rather amusing,” Kana said with a kind smile.
Ayako rolled her eyes good temperedly and sat up to face them. “So how many people are here now?”
“A lot,” Mika answered. “Have you been out here the whole time?”
“Nah, I came out here a few minutes ago. The noise was already beginning to get to me. Did you see the DJ? I can’t believe my dad actually hired a DJ!” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “I told him not to go overboard this year.”
“You should be happy Ayako,” Mika said with a small smile. “He really loves you.”
“But gosh he can be so annoying! Sometimes I wish I didn’t have parents at all!” Ayako’s eyes met Mika’s and it was at that moment she remembered that she was talking to someone who had lost her parents at a very early age. “Oh, I’m sorry Mika... I didn’t mean –”
“It’s fine,” Mika replied. “I know that parents can be annoying at times.”
Ayako returned her smile, and for a moment they let silence wash over them. “Well, I guess we can go back in now,” Ayako said as she stood up and stretched. “It’s getting a little cold out here anyways.”
She led the two back inside, and almost as soon as they entered the door, a flood of people swarmed over them congratulating Ayako on her sixteenth birthday. She dipped her head and plastered a small smile on her face.
“Ayako! Come over here a moment!”
Recognizing her father’s voice, Ayako quickly slipped through the mass of about twenty people, dragging Kana and Mika behind her. Ayako scanned the crowd for a moment before her eyes locked on her father who was waving in her direction. “What’s up?” Ayako asked as she reached him.
“Hello Kana,” her father said with a small nod as he recognized her. “And you must be Mika.”
“Yes sir!” Mika said immediately bowing.
Her father looked like a very ordinary person. His hair was beginning to gray around his temples, and the steel gray of his eyes matched his hair almost perfectly. He had a slender build and wasn’t very tall, but he had a very commanding aura about him. Mika knew immediately that those that got on this person's bad side would really regret it.
“What did you want?” Ayako asked again, this time a bit more loudly.
“To introduce you to Kondo-san.” He waved his right hand to indicate the man beside him which Ayako hadn’t noticed until now. He was completely bald, but despite that, appeared to be rather young. “He is the new director of the investigative department. He started last week, so be kind to him.”
The man offered his hand to her with a wide smile. “It is nice to meet you Ayako Hanashi-san.”
“Yeah.” As they shook hands, Ayako observed him. He seemed like a pretty nice guy, but there was something about him that seemed...off. She couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was, but she made a mental note that it was probably best to avoid this man if she could.
“If that’s all you needed, I’m going to go show my friends around some,” Ayako nodded to both men, before grabbing her friend’s arms and hauling them off again. “I think it’s going to be another half hour or so before dad breaks out the cake and lets me open presents,” Ayako began, “so I guess we can just walk around and chat for a while.”
“Sounds good,” Mika agreed with a nod.
They walked around the wall looking at and joking about all the decorations that had been set out. “It looks like your father brought a whole house worth of decorations,” Mika said with a small laugh as she gazed at the table full of pictures ranging from Ayako’s infancy to present day. There must’ve been at least twenty.
“I know,” Ayako muttered rolling her eyes. “I swear that man... He goes absolutely crazy. I mean, he even brought a decorative sword set.” She thrust her arm to the right indicating the sword stand on which a katana and a wakizashi were resting. “He did that just because when I was six, I took kendo for a year.”
“So the uniform above that...” Mika pointed to the white martial arts uniform pinned to the wall above the sword stand.
“I took aikido for three years,” Ayako replied nodding.
“Ayako,” Mika said.
“What?”
“I think your parents have way too much money and free time,” she said with a laugh.
“I’ll agree with you on that,” Ayako replied also laughing.
“The parties get more elaborate every year,” Kana spoke up. “It will be interesting to see what they do for your eighteenth birthday.”
“Oh gosh,” Ayako said rolling her eyes in an overly dramatic way. “I don’t even want to know.”
“Hello everyone!” came a voice over the microphone. The girls turned to find Ayako’s father up on the stage addressing the crowd. “Thank you for coming! As you know, we’re here to celebrate my daughter’s sixteenth birthday. Come on up here Ayako!”
Ayako hesitated for a moment, but with a long sigh she moved forward through the immense crowd which parted for her as she made her way to the stage. As soon as she had made her way onto the stage and faced the people, her father led a chorus of “Happy Birthday”.
As soon as it was over, Ayako leapt off the stage to rejoin her friends and moved them over to the table that the cake was now being brought in on. As per tradition, Ayako got the first large slice and then everyone else filed in after her.
“I got way more than I wanted,” Mika said with a slight frown as she broke away from the group around the cake.
“I did as well,” Kana spoke up.
“Aww, come on guys. It’s just this one day, enjoy it a little!” Ayako rallied them.
“Well, I’ll do my best,” Mika replied with a smile. “So where are we going to eat at?” Despite the vastness of the floor, there weren’t any tables set up to just sit down and eat.
“It’s all upstairs.” With that, Ayako led the way up the stairs. Two heavy, white metal doors were propped open revealing a nicely furnished room. About ten plastic tables had been set up and were covered with nice table cloths.
“I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised, but this is really nice,” Mika said taking in the pretty carpet and large potted plants placed in the corner. “Look! There’s even a fish tank!” she announced as she caught sight of it.
“This room was already like it was before we came,” Ayako said defensively. “The tables were the only things we set up.”
“Regardless, it is still very nice,” Kana spoke as she sat down.
“Are you opening presents after this, Ayako?” Mika asked.
“I guess I am. Hopefully I can do that and then the party will be over. I’m tired of all the people already.”
“You haven’t even been around them,” Kana reasoned.
“I know but still!” Ayako whined. “I hate people! Except for you two of course,” she added as an afterthought.
Mika and Kana giggled at her expression which Ayako joined in on after a moment.
They finished the cake quickly, and headed back downstairs. Ayako located her father quickly and ran over to him. “Otou-san(Father)! Can I open the presents now?” she bounced slightly on the ball of her foot with her hands clasped together pleadingly.”
“Alright, alright,” he said smiling down at her. “Go for it.”
Again, Ayako was on the move dragging her two friends behind her to the present mountain. “Where should I start at?”
“I don’t know,” Mika replied with a shrug. “Kana’s and mine are over there.” She pointed to the two small presents off to the side.
“But I told you not to bring anything!” Ayako said with a slight whine to her tone.
Mika held up both her hands as her friend turned to her. “I couldn’t just bring nothing. I mean, it’s not much but –”
“Oh well, I’ll save the best for last,” she said with a wink. “I guess I’ll just start hacking away at this.” She grabbed one of the slightly smaller presents at the bottom of the mountain, opened it, and upon finding clothes, pushed it off to the side. The next present contained several different games that she glanced at before adding it to the stack of opened things.
The next half hour was dedicated solely to opening the presents. She got many different things ranging from clothes, to candy, to electronics and games. Finally she got to the last two, and opened Kana’s with the first genuine smile since she had begun opening the presents. “Thanks Kana,” she said happily before moving on to the bag Mika had brought.
“Oh wow!” Ayako exclaimed as she pulled out the bear. “You even got my name on it. How’d you do that?” she asked running her hand over the letters.
“One of the stores I browsed through offered it. I thought it might be something that you would like. Do you?”
“Of course I like it!” Ayako replied snuggling with the bear in her arms. “It’s way better than all this other stuff,” she added more quietly. Ayako tucked the money Kana had brought into her pocket and set her new bear in a corner where she knew no one would bother it.
As Ayako had predicted, as soon as the opening of presents was completed, the crowd began to thin down significantly. After fifteen minutes, only about ten people were left, and they were so engrossed in talking to each other, they hadn’t even noticed the depletion of the crowd.
“I’m never going to be a talkative old lady,” Ayako muttered as she observed a group of four older women chatting. “I think they’ve been talking for a couple of hours already!”
“Ayako that’s rude,” Kana chided. “They must just have a lot to say to each other. Perhaps they have not met for a while and are catching up.”
“Still though...” They watched the groups of people for several more minutes in silence before Ayako broke it. “Well I’m going to get more punch! Do you want any?”
Kana and Mika answered that they did not, and Ayako went running off in the direction of the punch bowl. She was so focused on it, that she didn’t even notice Kondo-san over by the adjacent table, and ran right into him with her punch as she turned around.
“I’m sor –” she began, but she stopped as she looked up at him. His face showed anger sure enough, but that wasn’t what caught her attention. It was his eyes. They were a redish-brown which in and of itself was a bit unnatural, but what she noticed were his slit-pupils.
Ayako flew backward several steps in astonishment. “You – You’re not... No, I know what you are,” she said as she collected her thoughts.
“And what is that Ayako Hanashi-san?” Kondo asked with an overly cheerful smile as he moved several steps closer to her.
Ayako jumped back with yelp. “Get away from me, demon!”
Kondo stopped cold for a mere second before regaining his composure. Ayako had already gotten the attention of everyone else in the room and her friends and father were running over to her while everyone else just stared as if she’d gone crazy.
“Ayako what’s wrong?” her father demanded as he neared her.
“It’s this man!” Ayako pointed an accusing finger. “He’s not human!”
“What are you –” Her father’s eyes passed between Ayako and his colleague dumbfounded and unable to get a grasp on the seriousness of the situation.
Mika and Kana had already gathered behind Ayako staring at the man with a horrible realization.
“You mean... he’s another demon?” Mika whispered barely audibly.
Ayako nodded seriously. “Dad I want everyone out of the building now! EVERYONE OUT!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Ayako!” her father protested. His eyes held only concern for Ayako’s mental well-being which was frustrating her to no end.
“Whatever do you mean Ayako Hanashi-san?” Kondo asked, still with that overly friendly smile. “You’re father is clearly very concerned about you. Perhaps you should relax –” He went to reach out toward her and on defensive reflex, Ayako swung her arm as if to bat him away. Her nails connected with his skin forcefully enough to draw blood, but the skin healed over immediately as if nothing had happened.
“Ah ha!” she said pointing an accusing finger at him. “You can hide your appearance all you want, but not your ability to heal!”
It was at this point, Kondo seemed to realize that Ayako knew what she was talking about and dropped his act. He frowned and sent a death glare in Ayako direction. “You little –” He grabbed for Ayako, but her father restrained Kondo’s arm with both of his.
“What are you doing Kondo? What does Ayako mean –”
“Get off of me you old man!” Kondo snarled. He thrust his arm outward with such great force that Ayako’s father was lifted off the ground and flew into the table only a meter away.
“Dad!” Ayako yelled at her unmoving father. She whirled around to the rest of the few guests who immediately responded by screaming and running to the door as best they could.
“You little brat. You little brat...” as Kondo muttered this phrase, his body began to transform. His head elongated as did his body. Dark green scales sprouted on his skin until he took on the appearance of a giant lizard.
He must’ve been at least three times the weight of the human body he was using, Ayako reasoned.
Or maybe even more. But now wasn’t the time to think about it as the large Kondo-lizard moved with surprising swiftness toward them.
“Run!” Ayako screamed to Kana and Mika who seemed to be frozen in place.
At her voice, the two seemed to regain their senses and scattered. Ayako was in the process of running to the far end of the room when the sword stand caught her eye. She stopped and hesitated for split second before grabbing the katana on the top rack.
Please still be sharp!“Ayako!” she heard Mika screech.
Ayako whirled around to find the lizard almost on top of her, but as it lunged, a knife imbedded itself in beast's left arm. It let out a horrendous roar, and turned toward the direction that the knife had been thrown. It’s eyes found Mika immediately who was frozen with her arm outstretched. As it moved toward her, the beast’s long, sharp, forked tongue shot out of it's mouth and toward Mika.
“Don’t you dare touch my friend!” Ayako unsheathed the sword and sprinted toward the lizard as fast as her legs would carry her. When Ayako was close enough she leapt into the air, swung the katana downward, and cut clean through the monster’s tongue.
Again it screeched and reeled backward.
“Kana!” Ayako shouted to her friend, who had flipped over one of the food tables and was using it as a shield. “There’s a loaded gun in my dad’s police jacket. Go find it!”
Kana nodded numbly and ran off toward the coat rack at the entrance. After looking around a bit panicked, her eyes focused on the navy blue coat with ‘Police’ written in white letters across the back. She ripped it down and grabbed the gun out as she ran back into the chaos.
The beast had knocked Ayako down and was leaning over her while Mika pounded on the side of the lizard trying to get it away from Ayako. Of course the beast wasn’t unscathed either. It’s tongue had stopped bleeding but hadn’t grown back, and it was bleeding from shallow cuts in several other places.
“Get down!” Kana shouted as she held up the gun.
While the beast was distracted, Ayako got to her feet and ran while Mika dived sideways under one of the few tables that was still upright.
Kana took one quick, deep breath, aimed for the lizard’s head and shot several times. At least two of the bullets hit, and the lizard wailed as it fell to the ground and then dissipated to dust.
A long silence elapsed as the trio just stared at the space on the floor where the ashes of the beast had fallen. It was several long minutes before the trio could begin taking in what happened. “Are you two alright?” Kana asked walking over on shaky legs toward Ayako and Mika.
“It scratched me, but I think I’m okay,” Ayako replied getting up.
“I my body feels a little numb, but I think I’m okay too,” Mika replied.
“Did it hit you?” Kana asked looking at a small graze across Mika’s upper right arm.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “It grazed me with its tongue at the beginning before Ayako cut it off. Which, now that I think about it, is really gross,” Mika said with an attempt at a small laugh.
Ayako smiled, and then swiftly turned as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye at the entrance. “Ah, look, Kaito showed up.”
Sure enough, as the other two turned, Kaito ran through the door panting slightly as he gazed around at the wreckage. His eyes locked on the trio.
Ayako ignored his words and shouted, “You’re late! We already took care of it.”
“I see that,” Kaito answered as he walked over to them, “but at the expense of yourselves and the whole facility.” Kaito bent down to examine the wound on Ayako’s shoulder and after dictating that it wasn’t serious turned to glance over Mika.
“It got me with its tongue,” Mika stated simply as he looked at the small scratch. “I feel a little numb now...”
“That type of demon uses a paralysis poison that it emits through its tongue,” Kaito answered the unspoken question. “It’ll wear off and you’ll be fine. Why is it though you three are always the ones that find yourselves in the midst of trouble?”
“I’d like to know the answer to that myself,” Kana replied.
“But we did it though!” Ayako shouted elatedly jumping up in the air. “We beat a demon! Three normal people with a katana, knife, and a gun!”
“And you’re incredibly lucky you’re not dead,” Kaito added. As he spoke, a low groan came from the corner of the room.
“Oh yeah! Dad got knocked out!” Ayako remembered cursing herself that she had forgotten her own father. “Hey dad, you alive?” Ayako asked as the man sat up among the wreckage.
“W-what happened? Where did Kondo go?” He rubbed a hand over the side of his head which was bleeding slightly from hitting the table and glanced around at the wrecked room. “Who are you?” he asked as he saw Kaito.
“Um... Kondo... well he...uh...” Ayako glanced at her friends for help, but neither of them had any idea what to tell the man. Finally Ayako’s eyes settled on Kaito demanding he do something about this situation.
With a sigh, Kaito reluctantly walked over. “Hello Hanashi-san,” he greeted with a bit of a smile. “Unfortunately everything that went on here is not something you should be concerned with nor will you remember it in a moment.”
“But – wait – what?” Ayako’s father stuttered. Before he could get any further in understanding what had transpired, Kaito touched his head with two fingers, and the man passed out once more.
Ayako watched quietly, for once, not protesting at Kaito’s actions. She had had a full day, and now just wanted to go to bed. Plus, her shoulder was beginning to feel bruised and stiff from the scratches. “So... what now?” she asked finally.
Now that she had time to glance more around the room, she saw how much of a mess it was. The table with the punchbowl had been turned completely upside down, and the punch now covered the majority of the room. Two of the three food tables had also been turned sideways down leaving food scattered the floor. Broken glass was everywhere. The presents had, amazingly, remained untouched and intact.
“Gather up everything you can I guess,” Kaito replied. “I assume your father drove you here?”
“Yeah he did,” Ayako replied. “He parked out back –”
“Then get whatever you’re taking home into the car. He’ll wake up soon, in hopefully just enough time for us to clean up the majority of this.”
Kaito walked toward the worst of the mess and began to pick up what had been knocked over. After a couple of glances at each other, the girls followed suit and began to pick up the loads of presents and cart them out to the SUV out back.
As Kaito had predicted, several minutes after they had loaded the car, and cleaned up the worst of the mess. Ayako’s father groaned and sat up.
“Hey dad, the party’s over let’s go home now!” Ayako said forcing a normal, cheerful tone.
“Okay...” he muttered, and walked off toward the back door as if in a trance.
“Hey, what’d you do to him?” Ayako whispered urgently to Kaito. “When you knocked Jun-kun out, he woke up immediately awake and aware of his surroundings, so why isn’t dad?”
“I’m sure he’ll be aright in a couple of minutes,” Kaito said with a shrug. “His brain might just be a bit slower to recover from the shock.”
“He’d better be alright,” Ayako said narrowing her eyes at him.
“He’ll be fine.”
Ayako cast one last glare in Kaito’s direction and ran after he father. Sure enough, by the time she got out there, he seemed to be alright.
“Are you ready to go home now Ayako?” he asked.
“Y-yeah,” she nodded. “And you remember that my friends are spending the night right?”
“Of course I do, honey,” he said with a smile. “I’m not that old yet!”
Ayako laughed awkwardly at the irony. “Yeah, I know dad. Are you ready?” she asked turning to Kana and Mika. They nodded and all four of them climbed into the truck, and left with Kaito waving a farewell behind them.
A/N~ I mainly wrote this chapter because up until now, the girls have always been saved by Kaito, so this is kind of my tribute to show that they really aren't all that helpless. The girls can really take care of themsevles. I also kind of needed this chapter as a base for later events. ^^
<==Chapter 34
