Chapter 4 - That Oni Again

The ballroom is already filled with military officers.

Kujo: Can i leave you?

Nana: Ofcourse, father.

He moves to the front of the room, leaving me behind.

Officer 1: Miss Nana! You look beautiful tonight!

Nana: Thank you.

Officer 2: Miss Nana, can i get you a drink?

Nana: Oh.. Yes, please.

Here, everyone knows me as the daughter of the Oni Eradication Brigade leader. I look around the ballroom for Haru. He's standing with other officers who look to be around his age.

Must be the other new graduates...

One of the officers me a glass of white wine.

Nana: Thank you.

I watch as my father walks on stage. He makes his speech, congratulating the new members of the brigade. Then, he begins to hand out the assignment letters. Finally, Haru's name is called, a bright smile forming on his face. He approaches my father and bows before receiving his official assignment letter. When he walks off stage, he scans the room until our eyes meet. He rushes over to my side.

Haru: Nana!

Haru flashes the assignment letter to me.

Haru: I got it!

Nana: Congratulations! You worked hard for this.

Haru grins excitedly in return. He looks me up and down and smiles tenderly.

Haru: Nice to finally see you in that dress. You look amazing.

I can't help but feel sheepish under his wark gaze. Before i can say anything, he looks me in the eye.

Haru: There's something i want to tell you. I told you before that i'll never let you be scared like that ever again. I really mean it. I want to swear an oath to you. That i will protect you, even at the cost of my own life.

Nana: Haru...

Haru is such a good friend. But him saying this reminds me that i have to get stronger. I can't just depend on others to protect me.

Nana: Then i'll protect you, too.

Haru: Nana...

Nana: We'll protect each other. That's what friends are for, right?

Haru gives me a surprised look that softens into a small smile.

Haru: ...Right! Let's make it official, then.

Haru moves towards a table to get a glass of wine.

Haru: Let's seal our oath with a toast.

Nana: Alright!

We both take a sip from our own glass. Then, we exchange glasses and take a sip of each other's drinks.

Nana: With this, we'll continue to protect each other

Haru: For the rest of our lives!

Just as we finish up, a man calls out to Haru. I let Haru mingle with the other brigade members, stepping away from them. Just as i do this, i notice my father heading towards the back of the room.

Nana: Father?

He walks out the door, leaving the party early.

Nana: I wonder if he's okay...

Father is not a very social person. Social gatherings tend to wear him out quickly. But this is too quick, even for him.

I should go on check him.

Father is already far away when i make make it out of the ballroom. But it seems like he's heading to the office on the other side of the building.

Nana: Father!

He doesn't seem to hear me. I follow after him. But as i walk down the corridor... The power goes out.

How inconvenient...

I can't see father anymore. But i know the path to his office even without any light. I press on, paying the blackout no mind. I stick close to the walls, slowly feeling my way to my father's office. Finally, i reach the office door. I start to feel around for the handle when i hear my father's voice.

Kujo: So you're here on behalf of the oni woman from that night.

What? Oni?

Kujo: Have you come to take revenge on me?

Revenge?!

Without thinking, i push open the door.

•••

Nana: Father!

My father is standing in the middle of the room. His guards are all lying on the floor around him, injured. And with him is a blue-haired... ... Oni?!

I gasp.

The blue-haired oni looks over at me.

Kujo: Nana! What are you doing here?

Nana: I came to check on you! What happend here?

I instinctively draw my blade, pointing it at the oni. He shakes his head with an amused smirk on his face.

Blue-haired Oni: Are you planning to fight me with that?

Kujo: Don't touch her! It's me you want!

Father draws his sword.

Blue-haired Oni: Tsk.

I hold on tight to my blade. Like that black-haired oni, he's different from my expectations of what an oni should be like. I adjust my grip, readying to attack if necessary.

???: There's no time for this.

We all look to where the voice is coming from. There, another oni enters the room through the window.

He's the black-haired oni from earlier!

Black-haired Oni: Reinforcements have arrived. We will retreat for now.

Nana: Wait!

The black-haired oni look at me once more. His sharp eyes study me up and down.

Black-haired Oni: I see. So, you're Kujo's daughter.

In a flash, he disappears from sight and reappears by my side.

He's so fast!

He grabs me by the waist, lifting me over his shoulder.

Nana: Ah! Let me go!

Kujo: Nana!

Black-haired Oni: We'll be taking her for now. Kujo.. You know what we want.

He moves with such an incredible speed. Within moments, he's by the window again. I can feel the cool night air on my face as i hang from his shoulder. His blue-haired companion is already by his side. Meanwhile, i continue to struggle, kicking about as he holds on to me tightly.

Nana: What do you want from me?!

Black-haired Oni: You're not exactly what we want, but-

He moves away from the window, jumping out towards the garden.

Nana: Ah!

I let out a yelp, surprised by his sudden movement.

...

The black-haired oni clicks his tongue as he lands in our garden. The Oni Eradication Brigade has the place surrounded.

Black-haired Oni: This could be trouble.

Blue-haired Oni: Leave them to me.

Black-haired Oni: You should know i'm not going to leave you behind.

As the officer charge towards two oni, i make another attempt to escape.

His grip on me is loose right now...

With my blade, i slash his arm to weaken him enough so that he'll release me. His blood splatters on my body.

Black-haired Oni: Tch! What are you doing?!

I struggle against him, but i feel hot where his blood touches me. I try to ignore how my skin seems to be reacting to his blood.

It must be my imagination. Now is my chance!

But before i can try to free myself, i feel my heartbeating extremely fast. It feels like it's heating up. My heart- no, my whole body is burning.

Is this because of oni's blood?

My thoughts feel hazy. And my body fall limp.

Black-haired Oni: Hey!

What's happening?

My sight seems to show a different scene than the one infront of me. It's as though i'm no longer outside my home.

Where am i?

My eyes are drawn towards a bleeding young man.

Is that... the black-haired oni from earlier? No they're not quite the same person. Who is he?

His blood gushes all over me.

What's happening?

I try to shout for help. But i can't speak at all. I look to see why this man is bleeding. But instead, my vision goes blurry. I feel like my thoughts are being plucked away from me. Eventually, all i can feel is how heavy my eyelids are. They close, enveloping me in darkness...

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