Family Restaurant

 

Reiki and Uragiru were sitting around a dining table in the corner of the restaurant. Reiki was pretending to go through the menu as he used it to hide his face, he said. “Kussata-san… Are you sure this is a good idea?” A waiter walked toward their table and placed a tall glass of water with ice near them, Uragiru gave the waiter a polite nod and said. “Thank you.” The waiter gave the two young kids an odd look and returned to his job. Uragiru moved his gaze onto the back of the menu Reiki was holding. Uragiru said. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

He thought. Since I have no intention of paying… I’ll order the most expensive thing on the menu and escape while pretending to go to the bathroom. Reiki flipped to the next page of the menu, he said. “Not that… Won’t you get in trouble for skipping school?...” Uragiru casually waved his hand in dismissal, he said. “It’ll be fine, I have the day off today because my older brother asked for a hand for something.” Reiki flipped to the next page of the menu, he thought. Oh yeah… I forgot his brother is in charge of setting up the venue for the upcoming campaign… Can’t forget to sabotage that by revealing sensitive info.

 

Uragiru’s eyes had a hint of disdain in them as it quickly vanished, he smiled at him and said. “Have you made up your mind on the order you want?” Reiki pretended to hesitate, he said. “... I-I don’t think I should say…” The smile on Uragiru’s face grew bigger, he said. “It’s fine, I know about your current situation. I don’t mind paying for both of us.” Reiki turned the menu to face him as he pointed at the most expensive thing on it, he said. “Then… Can I order this extra large hamburger steak stuffed with cheese?”

 

Uragiru saw the price of it, he thought. Oh? They have a seasonal item that costs nine thousand yen. A hint of mocking appeared in his eyes that quickly disappeared, Uragiru nodded and said. “Sure.” He pressed the red button on the side of the table while Reiki placed the menu on the table. Reiki said. “What are you gonna order?” Uragiru grabbed his glass of water, he said. “I skipped breakfast today, so I’m going to have the same thing as you.” He took a sip of his glass of water as the same waiter from earlier made his way back to their table.

 

The waiter said. “Have you two decided on your order?” Uragiru placed his glass on the table, picked up the menu, and quickly slipped through the pages. He said. “Two extra large hamburger steaks stuffed with cheese, please.” The waiter took out a pen and notepad from his breast pocket and quickly wrote the order down. He said. “And for drinks?” Uragiru placed the menu back on the side, he moved his gaze onto Reiki and gestured at him to speak first.

 

Reiki avoided making eye contact with the waiter and said. “I’ll stick with water…” Uragiru looked up at the waiter, he said. “I’m also fine with water.” The waiter nodded at them, finished writing in his notepad and said. “Let me repeat your order, two extra large hamburger steaks stuffed with cheese.” Uragiru grabbed his glass of water, he said. “Yes.” The waiter gave them a curt nod and said. “They’ll be ready in five to ten minutes.” The waiter tore the page in the notepad he was holding as he made his way toward the counter.

 

Uragiru watched Reiki nervously look around the restaurant while fidgeting in his seat. Uragiru took a sip of water as he placed it back on the table, he said. “Reiki… What happened? You’ve been missing from school for days.” Reiki shook his head sideways as a moment of awkward silence passed, he let out a sigh and said. “... The usual…” Uragiru hid his mouth which was slowly forming into a smile with the back of his hand while pretending to think, he said. “... All I want to do is help you, Reiki.”

 

Reiki stared at the table, scratched the back of his head, and said. “I-I still need some time to think about it.” He thought. Last time I accepted your ‘help’ it turned my school years into a living nightmare. Uragiru stared at him for a couple of seconds and slowly stood up from his seat, he said. “I understand, it’s hard to make a decision. Excuse me for a couple of minutes, I need to use the bathroom.” He made his way toward the bathroom and walked past Reiki while giving him a pat on the shoulder. Reiki picked up his glass of water and took a sip.

 

Ender’s voice rang in his head, he said. [So, that’s the guy you tortured before jumping off that building.] Reiki gently swirled the glass he was holding, he thought. Yep, I found out he was living the perfect life. It gave my mouth a bitter taste. He took another sip of water and ate one of the cubes of ice as he started chewing on it. Ender said. [Out of all the things you’re capable of, you tortured him for a couple of hours, cut the tendons to all four of his limbs, and had a group of men rape his wife.]

 

Reiki took another sip of water, ate another cube of ice, and started munching on it. He thought. Yep. A few seconds of silence passed by as Ender’s voice rang in his head, he said. [How did you manage to get them to do it? They look around to be somewhere between their forties to fifties.] Reiki placed his cup on the table as he glanced at a couple leaving the restaurant, he thought. Debt, the kind that makes people commit suicide. That holds especially true for people who’ve indulged in luxuries for their entire life.

 

Reiki took out a tattered pouch from his pocket and placed his hand inside of it while Ender’s voice rang in his head. Ender said. [What happened to not crossing the line?] Reiki took out three talismans that were exactly the same as each other, he thought. Other than that bitch who cost me five hundred million worth of stock and his wife in the old world. Those two are the only special cases where I had people assault them, I’ve never committed those kinds of crimes. I may be the farthest thing from a hero, but that doesn’t mean I shoot innocent people and force myself onto women for laughs.

 

He placed the other two talismans back into the pouch and quickly put the tattered pouch back in his pocket along with the talisman. The waiter was carrying a tray while making his way to the Reiki’s table, he placed down two large hamburger steaks that were on top of hot sizzling plates. The waiter said. “Your friend?” Reiki kept his eyes on the food as he spoke in a soft and meek voice, he said. “... Bathroom…” The waiter nodded at him as he made his way back to the counter.

 

Ender’s voice rang in his head, he said. [Your younger self speaks differently.] Reiki stared at the large hamburger steak on the table as it let out sizzling sounds, he let out a long tired sigh and thought. … The only silver lining about my younger days is that I wasn’t dumb enough to defile a girl… From the corner of his eye he saw Uragiru making his way back to the table, he sat down on the opposite side of the table from Reiki. Uragiru stared at the large steak on the plate, he said. “That’s one big piece of meat.”

 

Reiki took out the talisman from his pocket and made sure to hide it under the table while Uragiru clasped his hands together. Uragiru said. “Itadakimasu.” Reiki thought. I asked Asami for a few talismans… Let’s see what it’s capable of. Uragiru reached his hand to pick up the knife and fork on the table that was on top of neatly folded tissue while Reiki applied some mana into the talisman he was holding.

 

[System: User has applied 10 Mana into the talisman.]

 

The talisman faintly glowed as everyone else in the restaurant vanished. From the corner of Uragiru’s eye, he saw a person disappear as he turned his head and noticed there was no one else but the two of them in the room. Uragiru stood up from his seat, he looked around the room with narrowed eyes and didn’t notice Reiki sneak up behind him. Uragiru said. “... Reiki… Any chance you know how to-.” Before he could finish his sentence Reiki smashed his fist against Uragiru's lower body.

 

[System: User has dealt 18 Damage.]

 

Uragiru gritted his teeth and let out a sharp breath. He turned his head to the side, gave Reiki a cold glare, and said. “... What are you doing?” Reiki made some distance between him, he said. "I punched you." Uragiru gritted his teeth as he gently rubbed the spot Reiki hit him. Uragiru said. "You think this is funny?" Reiki's eyes were covered by his unkempt and scraggly hair, he gave Uragiru a plain smile and said. "Hilarious." Uragiru took one step toward him as he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He placed his hand on one of the chairs and leaned on it, Uragiru thought. I got hurt without magic?... 

 

He looked at the area where he was hit while his hand was still applying some pressure to ease the pain. While Uragiru wasn't looking, Reiki easily vaulted over the table above the separation wall. Uragiru gritted his teeth as he slowly moved his arm away from the chair and turned his head toward where he last saw Reiki. Uragiru thought. Where did he go?

 

Reiki vaulted over the other side of the separation wall between the tables and chair as he appeared behind Uragiru. Without making a sound Reiki landed on the table and kicked the vase in the center of the table that had a fake plant in it. The vase flew at Uragiru as it hit the side of his face.

 

[System: User has dealt 19 Damage.]

 

The vase shattered against Uragiru's face giving him a small cut on his forehead, he let out a scream while his upper body was drenched in water. Reiki jumped off the table, landed on the floor, placed his left hand on Uragiru's lower back, and used his right hand to grab his head. Reiki pushed him closer to their table as he made Uragiru kneel on the ground and smashed his head against the side of the table.

 

[System: User has dealt 22 Damage.]

 

Uragiru's vision slowly turned dark, he was on the edge of passing out while Reiki raised his right foot and slammed it against the side of Uragiru's ankle making it bend at an awkward angle.

 

[System: User has dealt 24 Damage.]

 

Uragiru let out a scream at the top of his lungs as his vision turned back to normal. From the corner of his eye, he saw the steak knife on the table, grabbed it, and started to randomly slash it at Reiki. Reiki took a few steps back while Uragiru used the table as support to slowly stand back up while pointing the steak knife at him. Uragiru said. "Your dead Akihito Reiki!" 

 

He pulled the knife back and threatened to throw it at him while glancing at the chairs beside the table. Reiki kept his eyes on the knife while Uragiru's mouth curled into a smirk, with a wave of his hand a couple of chairs flew toward him.

 

[System: User has received 32 Damage.]

 

Reiki was flung by the two chairs as he landed on a couple of chairs that broke from the impact and onto the ground.

 

[System: User has received 25 Damage.]

 

Uragiru let out a long sigh as he threw the steak knife he was holding back onto the table, he thought. ... Last sparring session he didn't put up a fight with them... He gently touched his forehead which had a visible bump as he flinched from the pain. Uragiru continued his train of thought. Change of plans, I'm going to ask my brother to kill him. Once I give him a picture of Reiki's older sister he'll do it for-. Before he could finish his train of thought Reiki slowly started to get up while Uragiru tried to run but slipped onto the floor. 

 

Uragiru glanced at his right leg and saw that one of his feet was dislocated, he quickly took out a leather pouch from his pocket and placed his hand inside of it. Uragiru thought. Where is it?! Reiki struggled to get up as he let out a soft grunt while Uragiru took out a vail with red liquid in it. Uragiru thought. My brother is going to kill me for wasting this. He took the cork off the vial and drank the potion in one go. Uragiru gritted his teeth as he desperately pulled himself up using the table. His foot fixed itself into place as he limped toward the front of the restaurant.

 

The moment Uragiru made a right turn Reiki casually stood up and dusted off some dirt on his clothes. He thought. What a waste of a potion... Using it to relocate a joint.

 

________________________________________________________________________________

Front Of The Restaurant

 

Uragiru quickly limped toward the entrance, he thought. I'm almost there! Akihito can't lie his way out of this... One... The closer he came to the double glass doors the slower he limped toward the entrance, on the outside of the doors was a valley of grass as far as the eye could see. Uragiru thought. W-Where am I?... What kind of talisman did he use?... He placed his hand on the handle of the glass door and tried to push it open but couldn't even make it move. 

 

Uragiru grabbed both handles with a hand each and desperately shook them to try to get the door to open, he thought. It'll wear off! Magic like this can only be sustained for a short amount of time! As long as I make some distance between us-! Uragiru's heart dropped when he heard the sound of footsteps getting closer.

 

He let go of the handles and quickly looked around his surroundings as his gaze stopped at the door behind the counter. Uragiru limped his way toward the staff door, went in, and started limping past the doors. He thought. Where is it! Where is it! Where is-. From the corner of his eye he saw a door with the word kitchen on it and went inside. Uragiru gave the medium-sized kitchen a quick scan and started to go through all the drawers. 

 

He limped his way toward the drawers and started pulling them out of the cabinets creating a mess with tableware all over the floor. Uragiru pulled a couple more drawers out of the cabinet and saw the knives on the counter in a knife holder. One by one he pulled the knives out and threw them on the countertop. Uragiru pulled out a large meat cleaver as he saw a faint reflection of himself on the knife, he smiled and thought. I win!

 

He limped his way toward the door he came in and waited, Uragiru thought. I have the advantage-. He heard the sound of a faucet being turned on followed by flowing water. Uragiru slowly turned his head and saw Reiki by the sink beside the knives he threw on the countertop. Uragiru said. "H-How did you get in?" Reiki turned the faucet off, reached into the sink, and picked up a drenched hand towel. He said. "There's a door beside the fridge." 

 

Uragiru leaned to the side and saw a door that was hidden beside the fridge. He quickly pointed the large cleaver at Reiki, Uragiru said. "I'm warning you, Akihito. I will cut you." Reiki used his thumb and index finger to pinch one upper and lower corner of the towel as he made his way toward him. Uragiru swung the cleaver once as he missed and said. "Get away from me you freak!" He glanced at the wet hand towel Reiki was holding and thought. What's he going to do with that? While holding onto two corners of the towel Reiki spun it and flicked it toward Uragiru's face.

 

[System: User has dealt 19 Damage.]

 

The edge of the towel hit Uragiru's eye as he reflexively placed his hand on top of his face. Uragiru said. "You fuck!" Reiki flicked the towel at him again as it hit the back of Uragiru's hand making him drop the cleaver.

 

[System: User has dealt 21 Damage.]

 

The cleaver landed on the floor as Uragiru panicked, squatted down, and tried to pick up the knife. Reiki made his way toward him while placing the wet hand towel over his shoulder as Uragiru placed his hand over the handle of the cleaver. Reiki stomped his foot on top of Uragiru's hand that was on top of the handle of the knife.

 

[System: User has dealt 28 Damage.]

 

Uragiru let out a scream as the sound of something breaking came from his hand while Reiki grabbed him by the hair and kneed him in the face.

 

[System: User has dealt 26 Damage.]

 

Uragiru's nose was pointing to the side while both his nostrils were consistently pouring out blood. Reiki leaned down and picked up the cleaver, he dragged Uragiru by the hair toward the countertop that had the stove along with the knives scattered around it. Uragiru was gasping for breath while the tableware on the floor was pushed to the side as he was being dragged across the room, he thought. If he was so good at fighting, why did he let himself get beat up during the spar? It doesn't make sense…

 

Some of the blood from his nose dripped onto the floor and got all over his shirt. Reiki let go of Uragiru's hair as he turned on two stoves and placed one side of the cleaver directly on top of the flame on one of them. Uragiru's gaze wandered onto the cabinet on the bottom of the stove as he glanced at Reiki who was staring at the cleaver on the stove. He carefully opened a cabinet, took out a frying pan, and slowly stood up.

 

Reiki took a few steps to the right as he placed the wet hand towel in the sink as Uragiru slammed the frying pan at the back of Reiki's head.

 

[System: User has received 57 Damage.]

 

Reiki's entire body went limp as his forehead smacked into the sink. Uragiru raised the frying pan over his head and smashed it against the back of Reiki's head.

 

[System: User has received 81 Damage.]

 

Uragiru was gasping for air as his left eye was half open as it slowly started to turn red along with signs of swelling. He threw the pan onto the ground as he glanced at the back of his hand which had an outline of the sole of Reiki's shoe along with a bright red spot. Uragiru said. "That's what you get for letting your guard down! Fucker!" He let out a hysterical laugh that filled the room as it slowly died down. He leaned on the countertop and glanced at the cleaver on top of the stove. 

 

Uragiru let out a scoff and thought. What kind of cookbooks does he read? He used the counter to support himself as he limped to the stove. Uragiru reached for the dial of the stove as he felt his heart skip, from the corner of his eye he saw Reiki casually stand up straight as he froze in place. Uragiru thought. What is he-? Before he could finish his thought Reiki grabbed him by the hair and moved Uragiru's face closer to the gas stove that was turned on.

 

Uragiru placed both his hands on the stove as he tried to prevent his face from going near the flame. He glanced at the cleaver on the other stove and thought. Should I-. Reiki suddenly smashed Uragiru's face on the stove as he felt the flame burning his face.

 

[System: User has dealt 17 Fire Damage.]

 

[System: User has dealt 19 Fire Damage.]

 

[System: User has dealt 21 Fire Damage.]

 

Reiki kept his hand on Uragiru's head as he leaned his upper body back and thought. God, burnt flesh and hair still smell awful no matter how many times I get exposed to it. Uragiru's horrific scream filled the kitchen as he flailed his arms around and did everything he could to struggle out of Reiki's grasp. Reiki thought. One thousand one… One thousand two…

 

[System: User has dealt 22 Fire Damage.]

 

[System: User has dealt 15 Fire Damage.]

 

Reiki continued his train of thought. One thousand three... One thousand four......... One thousand five. He pulled Uragiru's face off the stove revealing blisters, severe burns, and charred skin all over his face. Uragiru's breathing was raspy as he slowly inhaled and glared at Reiki from the corner of his eyes. Uragiru said. "You think you're going to get away with this? I'll make sure my brother locks you in prison-!" Reiki reached for the cleaver on the stove and firmly pressed the side of it onto Uragiru's cheek.

 

[System: User has dealt 44 Damage.]

 

Uragiru let out a scream from the top of his lungs while Reiki moved the knife away from his face along with some skin off his cheek. He placed the knife back on the stove heating the other side of the cleaver on the stove.