Extra #1: The Flow of Time, no. 1
"You do know you're my favourite teacher, right Mr. Hiyama?" —Kaai Yuki
The teacher breathed a sigh of relief as he marked his last paper. Another successful day.
‘Yuki’s birthday is tomorrow,’ he pondered. ‘What am I going to give her?’
An image of the young, cheerful girl flashed through his mind and he smiled. The girl was a living orb of happiness that brightened up the class whenever she came. She was also the most interactive and always tried her best in her studies.
But that was months ago, the young girl’s attendance dropped rapidly after the death of her parents due to her guardians doing a very poor job of taking care of her. Within the space for 2 months, Yuki went from the best child anyone to ask for, to a withdrawn, quiet girl just because of some negligent people and it all went downhill from there.
‘If only I could punch them in the face, I would.’
Kiyoteru sighed and locked his drawer. Taking one more look at the picture on his desk, he got up and made his way out of the school.
“Oi, Yama-yama! Over here!”
He looked towards the car park and noticed a guy standing by his car. He slowed his steps as soon as he recognised who the person is.
“It’s been a while, sensei,” the guy said when Kiyoteru drew near, “For a second, I thought you were going to walk home and leave your car here.”
“That was the plan…” Kiyoteru answered, tightening his grip on his messenger bag, “Why are you here, Natsuki? I’m not a part of the band anymore, I’ve cut my ties with you guys.”
Natsuki’s smile faltered and his shoulders dropped. He looked at the ground and shook his head. “Hey, you may have quit the band but I’m still your friend, no matter what happens.”
“That was 4 years ago,” Kiyoteru said, “You didn’t come to visit, hell, you didn’t even call me, and now all of a sudden you show up? Cut the nonsense, why are you here, Natsuki?”
Natsuki sighed and pull an envelope out of his pocket and stretched it out to him. “Open it.”
“What is it?”
Natsuki looked him in the eye with fierce determination. “Open. It. Kiyoteru.”
Kiyoteru frowned and took the envelope from him before opening it. Inside was a single key and a sealed letter. He took out the key and suddenly dropped it in horror. Or was it surprise. Maybe a mixture of two. Natsuki simply stooped down and picked up the key.
“If you think this is surprising, hurry up and get to the letter,” Natsuki said flatly.
Kiyoteru looked the still sealed letter in the envelope to the key in Natsuki’s hand and back. His hand, shaking, took the letter out of the envelope and stared at the wax seal. The same insignia that made him drop the key laid embedded in the wax, taunting him. He looked up at Natsuki and he nodded, urging him on.
Everything suddenly went still. The cool autumn breeze stopped as if a wall blocked its path, the heat from the sun didn’t reach the ground anymore, the temperature steadily dropping. Even the chatter of the birds near the road stopped as if they held their breath, awaiting some unknown force to make its presence known.
Kiyoteru ripped the seal off and a gust of cold air rushed around him. Ignoring it, he took the considerably aged letter out and began to read it.
Esteemed reader,
If you are reading this, I'm already dead. That much you can see by the seal I've used for this letter. I'm sorry to put you in such a predicament, but I must request of you something that is of the utmost importance.
Enclosed in this envelope is a key, the sole key to my crypt. I'm sure you remember where it is located and what you need to do when you get there. I'm truly sorry to place such a huge responsibility on you, my son, but you must do this.
I would be lying if I said everything will be fine after you do this but there couldn't be anything else further from the truth. Your life will never be the same again, you'll be hunted just because you knew of my existence and the things I did in my life.
Forgive me. I know you want nothing to do with your old life anymore but this must be done. For the betterment of all mankind, and the entire universe. I hope you do the right thing.
Good luck, son, and may God protect you along this journey.
Father Kiyoshi High Seal of the Sixth Church
Kiyoteru looked up from the paper that was now stained with this tears, the ink starting to muddle and words looked unrecognisable. His hands gripping the paper as if it was his lifeline.
“Na… Natsuki, please tell me this is a prank,” he looked at Natsuki with pain in his heart, “Please tell me this isn’t real.”
Natsuki looked at him with pity. “I wish it was but we all received the envelope as well, all of them saying to make sure you got yours… but it took us longer then we thought to actually decide on actually doing that.”
His breathing hitched and he wiped the tears from his face. “How long did you all have this letter for?”
Natsuki looked away from him and answered with a voice so small that it was barely audible. “3 years.”
Pain surged through his chest and Kiyoteru cried out in pain as he dropped to one knee. As if that was a signal, nature itself resumed where it left off. The Silence that he first thought wasn’t supposed to be here but now he knew why it was close.
Father knew.
That one day he will have to return to The Pit.
And that day was today.
The first chapter of a small arc in commemoration of Kiyoteru’s (and Yuki’s and Miki’s) 8th Anniversary. In collaboration with #Kiyoteru7ate9 this December, celebrations start from now until the 9th. That means they’ll be a new chapter every day for the remainder of the week!
This really wasn’t what I had in mind when I wanted to write something for his December celebration. I wanted something happy and cheerful but the characters have a mind of their own so this was the result lol.