Chapter 36: Home
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Reiki and Arashi were both relaxing on the reclining chairs. With a thought Arashi said. "The weakest among their respective tiers going from lowest to highest is..." As trailed off as she placed a finger on her chin, she said. "Level 15, 45, 90, 135, 185, 265, and 500. This is the bare minimum to keep yourself alive when going on a mission..." With a peculiar look slowly forming on her face, Arashi asked. "Why all the questions Lil bro? You can learn everything from surfing the web."

Reiki finding a comfortable position to lay down on the recliner said. "I don't have that much spare time, since I spend most of it on training or studying some books in the nearest library and a few things here and there." Arashi made a small nod and said. "Fair point, I guess you have to sacrifice something now for your future." Using her neck to turn her head Arashi looked around the train and said. "I'll admit this is a good way to travel but the lack of entertainment is a bit of a problem."

Reiki rolled his eyes and said. "I have no entertainment. You on the other hand have a phone somewhere in that grey string bag." Arashi turned her head towards him and said. "How did you know?" With a small smile on his face, Reiki said. "Everyone is always staring at their phone in this day and age." Arashi had an odd expression and said. "Are you okay Lil bro? Everyone does have a phone but no one stares at it all day."

Reiki, realizing his mistake, said. "They don't? Onee-san did say, I should try to avoid them because everyone stares at them all day." Arashi stared into his eyes and said. "I'm going to need to talk to with your..." With a slight pause and through gritted teeth she continued. "Onee-san about a few things and I'm buying you a new phone." Reiki said. "Good luck talking with Onee-san." As he let out a small chuckle. Arashi had a small frown as she changed the topic and said. "What are the odds of Kiru declaring the card as stolen?"

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Inside A Luxurious Kitchen

Kanzei was carefully brewing some tea with a beef wellington in the oven that was close to done. He looked at the stone door on his right and waited for Kiru to finish, something in his breast pocket vibrated as he checked to see his phone he saw a text that one of her cards was charged with a ¥775,000 train ride.

...

Kiru was sitting on the ground with her foot crossed and was surrounded by numerous empty mana crystals of different sizes. The sound of lightning crackling around her as she slowly opened her eyes for a brief moment both her eyes glowed a blinding white before turning back to normal. Slowly getting up she opened the stone door as she saw Kanzei that had something to report to her. Kiru said. "What do you have to report?"

Staring at his phone once more to make sure he said. "Ojou-sama the card you gave to him-." Kiru interrupted. "Oh, and guessing by your reaction he already used it." As a knowing smile was on her face. Kanzei looked at his phone again, Kiru seeing this said. "What is it? I gave him that card for him to use." Kanzei passed the phone to her and said. "I think you should see for yourself Ojou-sama."

Kiru took his phone and started to read after she finished, she said. "A few minutes ago a blonde woman and a 10-year-old child with black hair used your card... Blah, blah, blah... He bought all the seats in Gran class... Little brother spent over ¥700,000 on a single train ride..." An odd look slowly formed on her face as she placed her hand on her chin. Just when Kanzei was about to say something Kiru with a smile suddenly said. "It's... Genius! Since I can't have a private train this was the solution Kanzei, make sure to write this down. Next time we're going to travel by train will be doing this."

Kanzei had a questioning look on his face as he said. "Pardon me for asking but, Ojou-sama... Aren't you wondering why he spent so much?" Kiru started to walk towards an elegantly carved wooden door with Kanzei behind her while he was carrying a tray with a pot of tea and the beef wellington. They entered a room that spelled rich all over the place long red rug, a couple of paintings here and there, and a large plasma screen tv inside the wall complete with chairs with large and soft pillows. Sitting down on the red couch as she tried to move a few pillows aside she said. "Not really, I gave him that card willingly. Whether he decides to use it or not is up to him."

Kanzei placed the tray on the dark brown coffee table as he passed her one teacup filled with freshly brewed tea. Kanzei once again asked. "Then please pardon me again, Ojou-sama, but I am curious how much was in the card you gave him." Kiru looked up to the ceiling, thought for a bit and said. "I don't know how much but I am planning on making sure his card stays topped up. But if you must know, there should be at least ¥34,000,000 inside it... And I'm planning to put an additional ¥1,000,000 every month."

Kanzei didn't seem to flinch at the amount and said. "Ojou-sama, aren't you worried he might turn out to be financially dependent on you in the future?" Letting out a chuckle Kiru said. "If only he will... But no I get a feeling I could use it as leverage sometime in the future in our second negotiation." With a sly smile on her face, Kiru picked up a teacup and took a small waft of the fragrance and with a small sip tasted the freshly brewed tea. She picked up the remote on the coffee table and started to browse through the channels.

______________________________________________________

Back At The Train

Reiki was staring at the ceiling of the train and said. "Hmm... With her somewhat fickle nature, I would've said most likely if it was another person. But since... We're talking about me, you shouldn't worry about it." Arashi was staring right through him but Reiki just ignored it and said. "Can I use your phone for a bit?" Arashi kept her stare said. "What for?" Reiki answered. "So we can watch a movie."

Arashi rummaged through her grey string bag as she said. "Do you even have an account for those?" Reiki had a smile on his face and said. "Nope, but I know a few sites where we can watch it in HD." Arashi pulled out a completely black smartphone. With a few taps, she unlocked it and passed it to Reiki. Staring at the smartphone at every angle possible he said. "What brand is this?" With a smirk on her lips, Arashi said. "It doesn't have one, this is just a phone mocked up in my clan. The shell is made out of a thin layer of steel, bullet-resistant glass, and most of the alloys in the circuit are made out of gold."

Reiki asked. "How bullet-resistant is it?" As he squinted his eyes and scratched the screen a few times. Arashi said. "Nothing too crazy, it's not going to protect you from a semi-automatic rifle. But it should be functional after a single shot from a Glock, the screen would be messed up but it'll work." Reiki stared at the phone for a few seconds and said. "You said you wanted to buy me a phone?" 

Arashi nodded with a sly smile on her lips as she waited for him to talk. He said. "Can you get your hands-." Arashi with her arms crossed proudly said. "Nope, my mother gave me this since I was going here for training. The only way she would give me another one is if it was an emergency or I broke mine." As she was Keeping her eyes glued to his face waiting to see how he'd react.

Reiki's expression didn't change as he said. "Yeah, I think I changed my mind..." As he trailed off for a few seconds, Arashi had an amused look as he continued. "If you did give me one, you'll probably put a tracker on it, know my number, and try to add half a design on it and put the other half on yours." Arashi's eyes slowly widened as Reiki tapped on the screen and started to search for something to watch.

In one movement she took the phone from his hands as Arashi started to text frantically. She suddenly stopped and said. "Wait, if I'm buying you the phone how come I don't know your number?" Reiki said. "Sim cards are cheap and it would be ideal to have a few of those in certain situations." With a few taps, she sent a message to her mother as she passed her phone to him and said. "Ignore that I had something to ask my father, and don't think for a moment I didn't know you just tried to manipulate me. Do this again and I'm going to dish out some punishment on you."

With her eyes narrowed as she stared at Reiki, who didn't comment and started to search for something to watch. The sound of faint footsteps carefully walking towards them was getting closer as the man was holding 9 Bentos in each hand with two sets of chopsticks. The man said. "Honored guest, what would you like to eat? A variety of sandwiches or a Bento-."

Arashi interrupted him and said. "We'll just take what's in your hands, and please bring us our drinks. I'll have some milk tea and hold the tapioca balls, please." Reiki took the bento on one of his hands and passed it to her and took the other one and placed it on his lap. He said. "And I'll have all your milk and a bottle of water." Arashi and the man gave him a weird look, the man quickly changed his expression and said. "Yes, right away."

As he walked back behind the chairs to get their drinks, both Arashi and Reiki turned the reclining chairs to normal as the movie started to play. Reiki couldn't find a place to put the phone down. With a smirk, Arashi pulled out a piece of paper as she let go of the paper floating in the middle of them at eye level. Placing the phone on the floating paper Reiki Removed the cover on the first bento with some white rice, a large croquette, some steamed vegetables, and a few slices of apples on the side.

Arashi opened hers and saw a variety of sandwiches with the crust cut-off that was either filled with ham, egg, or a mixture of vegetables and some sort of greenish sauce. With a couple of fairly large pieces of meatloaf and a few pieces of sliced pineapple and kiwi. Taking one of the sandwiches Arashi asked. "What's the plot of the movie?" Reiki who was slicing the large croquette using his chopsticks into more manageable pieces said. "Do you want me to spoil it for you?"

Arashi tapped his cheek and said . "Just give me a general idea." Reiki shrugged his shoulders and said. "Fine, her mother finds out that she, herself, is terminally ill. She then teaches her daughter all that she needs to know." Arashi, who was about to take a bite into the sandwich, frowned and said. "I said the general idea. Not the entire thing." Reiki said. "Don't worry you'll still cry at the end as long as you don't mind subtitles."

Arashi's frown deepens as she said. "Subtitles?" Reiki smiled as he started to eat when the moment the movie started. The man who went to get their drinks returned and placed it in the middle of their armrest and saw that they were watching a movie. Seeing this he walked behind the chairs as the window curtains gradually blocked the sun as the light slowly dimmed.

While the movie was playing Arashi was watching while eating, Reiki, on the other hand, was about to have his first bite but his vision started to become blurry he thought. Why am I getting sleepy? As he softly rubbed his eyes. The voice said. [Yeah that's the dragon meat kicking in, time for you to go out cold for an hour or two.]

With a small yawn escaping from his mouth his head was moving side to side ever so slightly. Arashi noticed this and took the Bentos off his lap. She said. "Can we take this to go?" The sound of footsteps hurriedly walking as the man took Bentos in her hands and went back behind. Just as she was about to make Reiki's seat recline, his head rested on her shoulder as he nodded off. Looking at his sleeping face she took her off from the floating paper and took dozens of pictures from different angles of him sleeping.

The man seeing this was stunned in place as he was holding nine disposable Bentos with different designs. Arashi's eyes turned dangerous as she coldly said. "What are you looking at?" The man immediately placed the Bentos on the chair on their right as he ran back behind them. Looking at all the pictures individually she had a smile on her face as she placed her phone back on the floating piece of paper and started the movie again.

~1 Hour and 15 Minutes Later~

Waking up, Reiki rubbed his eyes as he yawned, he said. "Where am I?" Arashi poked his cheek as she let out a small giggle, she said. "At a train riding Gran class." Slowly gaining his vision again Reiki saw the edge of her eyes had some red he said. "You liked the movie, didn't you?" With a small scoff and a smile on her face, she said. "Yeah, so?"

With a carefree smile slowly forming on his face without him knowing Reiki said. "I'm sorry I fell asleep." As he let out a yawn and stood up from his seat and said. "I'm going to the bathroom." The man was nervously standing in the corner as he pointed to which door leads to the bathroom. Sliding the door Reiki immediately washed his face with cold water and used a few paper towels to dry his face. Walking back while yawning with his left eye open he saw Arashi was in a daze waving his hand in front of her, she didn't respond. He said. "Nee-san, are you okay? Do you need me to take you to a hospital just in case?"

Arashi pressed her forehead on Reiki's to feel his temperature after letting a few seconds pass she mumbled. "His temperature is fine... So what's with his strange behavior?" Reiki letting out another yawn as he picked up all the Bentos on the right side of their seats and placed everything in his tattered pouch. He also saw a few cartons of a liter of milk beside it and threw it inside the tattered pouch. Sitting back into the chair he let out a yawn and said. "How long until our stop?" Arashi replied. "Not long, give or take another 10-15 minutes." As she sat next to him in her chair.

Pulling out a random bento that had sandwiches and a carton of milk from his tattered pouch Reiki started to eat as Arashi kept her eyes on the pouch. She said. "Do you also need a new magic pouch Lil bro?" With his right eye still closed he turned his head towards her and held the sandwich near his mouth and said. "Not really." As he ate the sandwich in a few bites and chugged down some milk. Arashi who was fidgeting in her seat had a worried look on her face written all over as she was staring at Reiki. He said. "What is it, Nee-san?"

Arashi looked at him for a few seconds and shook her head and said. "I was just getting nervous waiting for Dragons' message later for my arrangement." The train slowly came to a stop as the man slowly walked towards them and said. "Honored guests, this is your stop." As he tried to keep a smile on his face. Reiki, who only had his left eye open, turned his head to face Arashi and said. "What's with him?"

She ruffled his hair as he turned to face the man while behind him, Arashi's face looked like she was about to murder him as she spoke like usual saying. "It's nothing. He just fell and it's his first time working so he was worried he might lose his job... Or more." As she stared at countless deadly glares at him. The man started to nervously sweat as he said. "Yes, madam saw me drop something at the back, and with a family to provide I needed everything to be perfect today."

Reiki didn't turn around and stared at the man for a few seconds with his left eye only as he said. "Well, it's fine. It's not like anyone saw or got hurt as long as you're careful you'll be okay." Turning his head around Arashi's face quickly turned to a warm smile as she said. "It looks like my Lil bro has some faith in you. As long as your careful and 'nobody' hears what happened you'll keep your job." Reiki let out another yawn as he said. "That's an odd way to phrase it, but yeah. What Nee-san said." As he stood up from the chair and started to walk towards the door.

As the two of them walked out of the train station while Reiki was yawning he was walking beside Arashi on the way home. She said. "Are you okay Lil bro?" Slowly opening his right eye to give it time to adjust he said. "Yes, I am. Why are you asking?" Arashi said. "You slept like a log during the train ride. I was wondering how many hours of sleep you usually get."

With another yawn, while the two of them passed by houses he said. "8 hours if I want to grow taller." Arashi kept silent while walking down the street for a few seconds and said. "Last time you slept at the shop you were tossing and turning... You even woke up in the middle of the night." As she looked at the corner of her eye towards him, Reiki replied. "I had a vivid dream." Arashi said. "Then we'll put this conversation on hold." Reiki looked to his right and saw a truck was leaving around the corner. Stopping all of a sudden he said. "We're here."

On his left was a regular two-story-tall house and on the house's left was another simple building and on the right was a modernized multi-rent apartment that had four floors and took up three buildings worth of space. On his right, there was this one modern building that was three floors high and a small garden complete with a gate, that was in front of his home.

Knocking on the door as he opened it Reiki said. "I'm back." He felt something wrapped around his waist as the front of his shirt got a bit wet. Looking down he saw Shiro with her white hair reaching to her waist, she was wearing a simple t-shirt and pants in her size as she was hugging him. She said. "Welcome back." After reluctantly letting him go she saw Arashi behind him. Hiding behind Reiki's back she moved his arm to peek under his armpit.

Arashi gave a warm smile and said. "Nice to meet you. I'm Arashi, but feel free to call me Onee-chan." Shiro softly said. "I only have one Onee-chan..." As she moved his arm hid behind him again. Reiki chuckled and said. "Umm, Arashi-san feel free to come in and take a seat-." A woman suddenly said. "Who are you?" Arashi turned around and saw a beautiful woman with inky black hair in one long ponytail reaching to her waist. She had a blue baggy jacket, jogging pants, and a pair of running shoes but you can still see her large breast in her jacket and her pants were hugging her perky butt.

Ketsueki was holding a few grocery bags in her hands and saw behind Arashi that the door was open, she coldly said. "I'll ask once more. Who are you?" Reiki who moved beside Arashi said. "Welcome back, Onee-san." Her eyes instantly became soft and warm, she said. "Reiki!... Give me a few minutes and I'll go buy some more groceries. Let me just put this inside." Reiki sprinted the short distance and said. "It's fine I have some things I could use to cook while you wait... And this is Arashi, she's moving around here and wanted to have a look around the block."

Ketsueki narrowed her eyes as she looked up and down at her. Instantly changing her expression at Reiki she warmly said. "We have a few things in the fridge. I could make us something in 15 minutes." Reiki said. "It's fine I learned a few things while I was away, and I was hoping to practice at home." As he took all the grocery bags from her hands and started to drag Ketsueki inside the house. While dragging her inside the house he said. "Onee-san you don't mind if Arashi joins us right?" As he had a hopeful expression on his face. Letting out a small sigh she said. "Fine... Fine." As she gave Arashi a cold look at the corner of her eye.

Reiki made a gesture for her to get inside the house, seeing the inside everything was normal. Bathroom, living room, kitchen, and a room each for them nothing was out of place. Closing the door Reiki ruffled Shiro's head which messed up her hair as she let out a small chuckle, he said. "Shiro if you make sure Onee-chan and Arashi stay on the couch. I'll buy you some ice cream later."

Her eyes brightened as she nodded immediately and dragged Ketsueki inside the living room. Reiki with a small smile on his face said. "Feel free to relax, I'll make something to eat in a few minutes." A red talisman came out of her grey string bag and was suddenly floating in front of Arashi as she immediately grabbed it with one hand. Asami was telepathically talking to her. I'll make this short. I was able to get you a room on the right of his house but... It was supposed to be the house in front... All I can say is good luck, but hey if he is like other boys your three sizes can win him over. As the red talisman went inside her pocket.

The doorbell rang Reiki said. "I'll get it." As he walked to the door and opened it and saw Kiru. The moment it was open she said. "Hello, I moved a few hours ago across the street. If any problem arises I'll be sure to call for your help."

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