Bokutachi wa Akuma: Chapter Twenty-Six

Inside the small strip mall underneath a large skyscraper, the three of them sat on a cushioned bench, waiting for Maruki quietly. He walked in through the large set of glass doors, looking around from side to side looking for his friends.

“Maa chan!” Aiya called out, darting at him quickly. Aiya threw his arms around Maruki's waist, hugging him tightly. “Are you okei? What did they want? Who were they? What did they ask you?” he was obviously over ecstatic to see that Maruki was unharmed.

Maruki gripped to Aiya's shoulders stiffly, holding him in a state of reality.

“I'm okei. Look, Ai.” Maruki hugged Aiya warmly again. “They just wanted to talk, nothing serious.” His calm, soothing voice tamed Aiya instantaneously. He rubbed Aiya's back softly, feeling his shoulders relax slowly.

Walking, not running like Aiya had, the other two came over to see if Maruki was all right. Folding his arms loosely across his chest, Daichi peeked around Aiya to see him.

“So what did they want?” Daichi questioned cautiously, hoping it was nothing serious. “Did they do anything?” Though it was not, Daichi somehow felt that it was somehow his fault that he was forced to talk to them.

Maruki pat Aiya on the back addressing him that he was going to be letting him go.

“No, nothing. They just wanted to talk. He paused a moment. “Actually, Raike and Yutaro kun left with another person, leaving me to talk to one other. It was Kyoukei of H2O.” he paused again, licking his dry, full lips.

“Didn't talk about anything special.” Maruki thought for only a second. “I didn't really want to talk to them.” Maruki knew what the group was up to and he did not agree with it whatsoever.

His age as a vampire was young, still a newborn to the seniors such as Kyoukei and Akira. Though he found Kyoukei quite likeable and kind, despite the fact that he was not as he appeared. It would only be a short amount of time that Maruki would find out a way of stopping them. Maruki knew deep down inside that he wanted to tell his friends about who they really were, but there was no good time that he could tell them.

The three surrounding Maruki relaxed quickly in hearing that nothing had happened to him at all, or nothing serious had been discussed between him and his seniors.

“Well that's good Maa chan.” Daichi had let out a soft sigh of relief, happy that those men were gone, and leaving a good friend of his alone.

It was obvious that, that would be the most exciting thing that they had all experienced all day. Remaining in the mall for a while, making sure that no one else would come looking for any of them, they all finally departed, carrying small bags of impulse buys while they waited.as his name fit him, Daichi bought small candies and pastries. Aiya was very content with his small bag of decorative knick-knacks.

Aiya was digging through his bag, looking at his shinny, glass, standing ornaments, analyzing as to where to place them in their apartment. Ryota walked behind with Aiya quietly; letting the other two talk amongst each other. He was the good boy of the four; he did not waste his money and purchase useless items like the rest of them had.

Chatting amongst each other, Maruki and Daichi walked ahead of the other two, talking about nonsense. After getting the current events out of the way, all was silent until the distracted Aiya had spoke up.

“Ano...” he paused after everyone had looked at him questioningly. “I don't work today. I should go in and tell my manager I will be leaving.” He looked to Maruki who stopped abruptly in from of him, Daichi stopped just as abruptly, causing Ryota to bump into him.

Maruki furrowed his brows cutely, concerned that Aiya had finally decided, and so suddenly. He pivoted on his heel, leaning his cheek over his shoulder.

“Did you want me to come with out Ai?” he spoke softly, very parental in his case. “ We aren’t doing anything, ne?” he looked to Daichi, nodding cutely.

Aiya dropped his arms to his sides, shaking his head slowly.

“No that's alright Maa chan. I need to be brave.” After working for the small company for a few months, Aiya had to decide to be loyal to the small company of which was his part time job, or the group. Aiya had put in his resignation with the owner today. He was a grumpy old man who acted like a war veteran, speaking solemnly and bringing everyone down with his snide comments.

“You go on ahead of me. I’ll be home later, okei?” Aiya smiled softly to the two boys in front of him.

Daichi's wide smile beamed just as brightly as Maruki's did. He had known Aiya long enough to know he was a shy, quiet person who didn't like conflict.

“Ne, Aiya.” Ryota placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling down at him cutely. “I’ll go with you Ai. I need to go there anyways.” Ryota had known where Aiya had worked since the day he started. It was a small shop he would go to for small knick-knacks and small hygiene supplies. Ryota went to the store often, for he was the one who shopped for the household needs whereas Daichi was the one that shopped for the groceries.

A smile appeared on Aiya's rosebud lips when Ryota offered to come with him. He nodded happily, knowing would not try to send him encouraging words and leave him alone with his resignation.

“Thank you Ryota!”  He looked to Maruki again, a bright smile over his rosebud lips. “Ittekimasu Maa chan. Jaa Dai chan!” he grabbed Ryota by the arm and dragged him off down the road, waving over his shoulder to the chibi boys behind him.

After Ryota and Aiya were out of sight, Maruki and Daichi headed off again. Both looked very small and chibi, but both of them were very protective over their roommates. They turned to each other, shaking their heads gently at the other for their actions, though they mimicked the others.

They turned and headed off down the road again, going home to Maruki's house from a strangely eventful day. The two shorter boys looked like small children down the road, their baby faces and petite bodies did not show their real age at all. Maruki was a twenty-two year old man, whereas Daichi was a nineteen-year-old young man who was more masculine in bodily shape then his older accompaniment; they were anything but children anymore.

Maruki and Daichi were on the short bus ride in the direction of their home in upper Shinjuku, as Daichi was readying to get off on his stop when Maruki stopped him, grabbing his arm.

“Ne, Ryota will most likely be bringing Ai home, did you want to wait at my house for him?” Maruki had grown adapted to living with Aiya for the past few years; he knew that Aiya didn't like being alone for a long period of time, or at all.

Daichi turned back in his seat, facing forward again. There was a bright smile on his feminine lips.

“Yes, that sounds like fun. I haven’t been over to your house for a long time.” Daichi seemed very excited to go to Maruki's apartment, like a toddler going over to a babysitter’s house while their parents were out. “We haven’t done anything together for a long time.” He was excited now; his skin was tingling with excitement.

“What do you want to do?” Daichi's age of maturity had instantly dropped from his age of nineteen to a five-year-old.

Nii chan Maruki chuckled lightly at the baby Daichi's response to being asked.  Nodding at the baby he beamed his award-winning smile at him.

“That's great.” He agreed so quickly; maybe Daichi didn't like being alone for a long period of time either. “We will definitely have fun.” Aiya and Ryota shouldn't have been gone long, no longer than an hour, even that was long for just talking to a manager. Whatever nii chan Maruki was to choose to do, it had to be a short-term fun entertainment.