Chapter Eleven: Brother:

-August 13th, 2011-

6:00 p.m.

Wham! The bright yellow ball sailed across the net. A young man narrowed his eyes. Tennis became his numbing escape. When did this stop being fun? He used to love tennis. Now, he goes through the motions. The young man stopped swinging and sighed.

What’s the point?

Kyosuke watched him behind the fence. He put his hard to his chest. Mamoru. Why are you doing this yo yourself? This is not you. What’s wrong?

“You’re not thinking of becoming a vengeful spirit, are you?” someone asked behind him. Kyosuke whipped his head around.

“Gah!” he shouted. Watari stood chuckling.

“Don’t do that!” Kyosuke complained.

“I apologize,” the blonde scientist said. The younger shinigami sighed. Watari looked out towards the fence.

“So that was Mamoru?” he asked.

“I apologize,” the blonde scientist said. The younger shinigami sighed. Watari looked out towards the fence.

“So that was Mamoru?” he asked.

“Yes,” Kyosuke said. He dropped his shoulders.

“Something wrong?” his manager asked.

“I don’t know,” the younger shinigami said. “I want to help him.” He glanced up at Watari.

“Is that bad?” Kyosuke asked.

“No,” Watari said. “I understand your concerns, in fact.” Kyosuke breathed out.

“Thank you,” he said, bowing.

“How will you help?” Watari asked. The younger shinigami tried to think.

“I don’t know…” he said. Watari shook his head.

“That’s not good enough,” he said.

“I know,” Kyosuke said. The blonde scientist grabbed his assistant by the arm.

“Then get on it!” he shouted. Both shinigami vanished before the younger shinigami could say a word.

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-7:15 p.m.-

Mamoru boarded the train at the station. He clutched his gear at his side. Another long night. He could predict what was coming next. His cell phone rang.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Mamoru-kun?” a girl’s voice asked on the other line. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Oh good,” the girl said. “Are you alone right now?”

“I can’t keep doing this, Tsubaki.”

“Please? This will be the last time, I promise.”

“You said that last time. I can’t keep doing this.”

“I mean it this time! Please?”

Mamoru looked around the train. So far, it looked virtually empty. A middle-aged man in a suit stared at him. The look on his face made Mamoru feel liking hiding under a rock. He pushed his hair from his forehead.

“Fine,” the young man groaned. “But this is the last time!”

“Thank you, Mamoru-kun!” Tsubaki said. The young man groaned. How did this happen? Tsubaki used to be a good girl. She had dreams for her future. Tsubaki was great at tennis like he was. Everything looked great for her.

But then she met that boyfriend of hers.

Mamoru rubbed his forehead. Would they be stuck like this forever?

No, he had to stop this. So far, that was a failure. Her boyfriend gave him the creeps. Plus, Tsubaki stopped listening to reason. Mamoru lowered his phone.

“I’m just tired,” he said aloud. The middle-aged man stared at him with no emotion on his face.

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Mamoru made it home. He pulled out his key and unlocked the door.

“What’s bothering you, Mamo-kun?” a voice asked. The young man froze.

“No way! That can’t be…” he said. The young man turned around. His eyes widened as he saw Kyosuke standing beside Watari.

“Yo!” Kyosuke said, waving. Mamoru’s jaw to the ground.