Page 68 of The Red Collar
“Let’s not stop. We’re enjoying each other. You can’t deny that.”
“I don’t deny it. But it’s just casual sex, Shinji, you said it yourself.” It hurt to end it, more than he imagined it would.
“And if I tell you I want it to be more than casual?”
Teruo’s breath caught. He wished he heard those words in different circumstances. “Tell me the truth about what happened Saturday, then we can discuss.”
“What I’m part of is complicated. If I tell you, you might end up regretting it.”
“Then don’t tell me. But I’m done.”
CHAPTER 19
Shinji
A painful silence fell over them as Shinji drove to Yamato’s apartment.
For the first time since he’d become a police officer Shinji wished he wasn’t in the middle of an investigation, but home in his bed to sleep off the growing headache and frustration. He couldn’t believe just how stupid he’d been. Why the hell did he leave the paper with Yamato’s address in his notepad? He should’ve thrown it away the moment Suzuki told Teruo the address. Keeping important information and then getting busted was a sure way to lose Teruo’s trust and hurt his feelings.
He ended up with no ghosts, an irritated Teruo and no way to explain himself. And if the Onmyoryo found out Shinji spoke with a non-supernatural he risked getting hisreiryokublocked for a few months and his jurisdiction taken away.
Teruo had mentioned Shinji’s ‘rituals’, clearly referring to when he had searched Yamato, Ozawa and Ishida’s ghosts Saturday afternoon. Shinji went as far as to place a protective barrier over hisreiryokuwhile he searched for the ghosts as a Shinigami’s spiritual energy was dangerous to supernaturals.
And yet, Teruo, an alleged non-supernatural, sensed the Shinigami’s touch of death, the one thingno oneshould experience while still alive. Supernatural creatures avoided staying too close to Shinigami whenever they actively used theirreiryokuwithout the protective barrier. A Shinigami’s spiritual energy during these moments was a dreadful thing. It sucked warmth out of living souls, warping all sense of time and space for the living and it could drive people to insanity.
Non-supernaturals were rarely affected as they didn’t sense thereiryokuand Tokyo wasn’t a place rich in spiritual energy. So how the hell did Teruo feel it despite the barrier?
Shinji’s gut clenched with guilt for having inadvertently put Teruo through such an experience. On the other hand, he was in awe that Teruo was still in one piece and not gone completely mad. Knowing Teruo, he probably protected himself from the touch of death just through sheer willpower. He seemed the type of person to look death in the eye, give it a slap and make it cry.
Shinji needed to speak with the superintendent about this situation and decide what the next steps would be: keep quiet or alter Teruo’s life forever by involving him in the supernatural world.
Realization dawn on Shinji that, of all the things which had happened in the last few days, what bothered him most was Teruo ending their private encounters. But why? Teruo was right after all. It was just sex and nothing else. Shinji had insisted it should be casual, no obligations, no strings attached. They had a bit of fun and now it was over and time to move on, exactly as they’d discussed.
Or so he kept telling himself. So then why did he feel disappointed?
I can’t do anything right, can I?
Shinji took an abrupt swerve then slowed down when Teruo glared at him. Though they’d sent the list of students to the team of uniformed officers, Teruo was currently contacting them as well, cursing loudly whenever they didn’t answer the phone.
“Is there anything I can help with?” Shinji asked, doing his best to be amenable.
“Yeah. You could trynotkilling us in a car accident. Unless you can guarantee I’ll be able to work on the case as a spirit.”
“Well, the ghosts from HR are looking for new employees,” Shinji murmured to himself.
Teruo turned to him, brows furrowed. “What?”
“Nothing.” Shinji cleared his throat. “Just talking to myself.”
“Not to a ghost?” Teruo said, his attention focused on the list.
With a roll of his eyes, Shinji replied, “No, not to a ghost.”
“Too bad. Was hoping you could interrogate them for me.”
Shinji snorted. Of course Teruo wanted to interrogate ghosts. He did make a fair point too. If the spirits hadn’t been kidnapped—or whatever happened to them—they’d have more chances of finding useful information.
As Shinji took a left, approaching Yamato’s apartment, a thick fog enveloped them and Shinji shook his shoulders as the familiar sensation of ghostly aura prickled his skin. The car entered a neighborhood full of spirits. They all turned and stared at the car. Their translucent frames shimmered in the faint light coming through the thick rain clouds. Some were completely white, with distinctive marks of whatever had brought their deaths. A woman had a large dark spot on her chest, stretching down her dress. Others resembled living humans more, though still retained a white glow around them.
