Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Shinigami and Puppet Master:

-August 18th-

Watari sat in an internet café, waiting. He looked at his phone. Orphan was supposed to show up at one. But, would it really be him? How many of him were there? What secrets did they hold? Watari had his questions ready. He would treat this like an interrogation.

12:47 p.m. now. Just a little more.

“Excuse me,” a young man said. Watari looked up. A young man in a black hoodie and jeans stood at this computer. The blonde scientist adjusted his glasses.

“Orphan?” he asked.

“Yes,” the young man said. Watari turned his chair.

“Let me see your hand,” he said. Orphan held out his left hand. Watari inspected the rose tattoo.

“I see,” he said. “Shall we go some where private?” Orphan nodded once.

“Very well,” the blonde scientist said. “Follow me.” Both men head out of the café.

-------

They came to the roof. Watari turned to Orphan.

“I only have one question,” he said.

“Okay,” Orphan said.

“Why?” the shinigami asked. Orphan shrugged.

“Why not?” he asked.

“It goes against nature.”

“So? What exactly goes with nature? Who determines that anyway?”

“It’s not normal.”

“What is normal?”

Watari narrowed his eyes. “Why did you really do this? Tell me honestly.”

“Death bores me.” The way he spoke sounded like he was talking to an old friend. Watari couldn’t make out this guy if he tried.

“Why can’t I see your face?” he asked. “Are you hiding from something?”

“No,” Orphan said.

“So why hide your face?”

“Why show yours to me?”

“Heh. Fair enough.” He could’ve sworn he saw Orphan smile for a second.

“Go on,” Orphan said. “Ask me more questions. I don’t have anything to hide. Go on, ask me.”

“Okay…” Watari said. “How did you come up with this ring of yours?”

Orphan smirked. “I did my homework. It took me years to perfect creating the core outside of a human body.” Something didn’t sound right.

“Wait, are you doing this alone?” Watari asked.

“Of course not,” Orphan said.

“Then how many of them are you?”

“More than you can count.”

“Well, are really Orphan?”

The young man broke into a huge, twisted grin. “We all are Orphan!” He held out his arms and broke into loud laughter. Watari narrowed his eyes.

Just as I thought.

Watari recorded the whole conversation on his phone. Meanwhile, Orphan watches the shinigami with his own questions.