Chapter Thirty-Four: Mutual Slump:

-Last Night-

She knocked on Tsuzuki and Anna’s front door. The couple hadn’t expected this tiny thing on their doorstep. She had to be about sixteen or seventeen. Tsuzuki blinked at her.

“Uh… can I help you?” he asked. The girl started screaming in Chinese. The shinigami looked so confused.

“What are you saying?” he asked. “Calm down! Calm down!” He looked around for help as the girl tried to push pass him into the apartment.

“Stop that!” he shouted. “Hey! What are you doing?” The girl’s shouting did little to resolve the situation.

“Baby, what’s going on?” the two heard behind them. They looked up to see Anna walking into the living room with Kirika-chan in her arms.

“What is this?” she asked. The curved girl tried to run towards the baby, but Tsuzuki held her back.

“I don’t know,” the shinigami said. “She just started yelling and tried to get into the apartment. I can’t understand what she’s saying!” Anna tried to listen to the girl’s yelling.

“Excuse me,” she said in English. “Can you understand Japanese?” The girl shook her head.

“English then?” Anna asked.

“Yeah,” the girl said. The woman breathed out in relief. Well that’s a start.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Anna asked.

“I’m here to get my niece!” the girl said.

“What?!” the couple shouted.

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Minutes later, they all sat in the living room. Tsuzuki and Anna observed their “guest” sitting on the couch. Despite the frown, she looked kind of cute. Her long black ponytails to her hips. Her jeans and t-shirt looked damp from the earlier rain.

“So, what is your name?” Anna asked.

“Daiyu,” the girl answered.

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

Anna tilted her head. “Do your parents know where you are right now?”

Daiyu gritted her teeth. “That’s none of your business!”

“Look, you’re the one who came to us! We deserve answers!”

Daiyu followed her arms across her chest. She muttered under her breath in Chinese. Anna gave Tsuzuki a quick update on what was unfolding.

“So, why does she want Kirika-chan?” he asked.

“Where is my niece?!” Daiyu demanded.

“What niece? What’s going on here?” Anna asked.

“I don’t have much time!” the girl shouted.

“Try us!”

Daiyu drew in a breath. “That baby is my sister’s daughter.”

Anna raised an eyebrow. “Why should we believe you?”

“I’m a yaoguai too,” Daiyu said. She flashed her long, skinny fangs. Anna folded her arms across her chest.

“Okay, but will you submit to a DNA test?” she asked.

“Yes!” Daiyu shouted. “I don’t have time! I need to get my niece back home before they kidnap her for testing!”

“What do you mean?” Anna asked. The girl clenched her fists.

“It’s too much for you to understand,” she hissed.

“Try us!” the woman said. “We’re not turning Kirika-chan over until you tell us the truth.” She whispered what’s going to on to Tsuzuki in a shortened version. Daiyu clenched her teeth.

“Fine,” she hissed. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know!”

“And the DNA test?” Anna asked.

“Whatever!”

“Very well, come with us.” She nudged Tsuzuki to follow and headed to the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Daiyu asked, turning her head. Anna glanced over her shoulder.

“We’re going for that DNA test,” she said. “Get up. Let’s go.” Daiyu rolled her eyes as she followed behind Tsuzuki with the baby out the door.