《Devil summoner: Emotion》


 00. Dearest

    One moment.


    It''s all it needs, just one moment. For a child of a man daily life to change. Sometimes is a good change, sometimes is a bad change, maybe not even slightest change at all or it would rock its world completely upside down.


    What happened to me is the latter one.


    My lives changed from a normal life with a normal family into a grey dull life.


    That day is a normal one, no cloudy sky or a clap of thunder with a raging storm in the horizon just clear blue sky as my eyes can see. Few birds can be seen flying and the clouds paint the sky perfectly.


    That day our family was going out to the beach, it is such a one of that rare time we don''t usually have. My dad works as a civil worker, my mom works as a florist slash housewife. Dad mostly busy with his works and can''t get free time, even sometimes he must spends the weekend at works. So we really looking forward to these kinds of outings where the whole family can gather together. Our house located in the commercial district and have a flower shop upfront that managed by us, mainly my mom. I have three siblings, two sisters and one brother. Me as the oldest.


    Both of my sisters are a 4th and 5th grader. My brother is a 2nd grader. Myself is at the 2nd-year middle school.


    It was such a nice day. That day mom cooks a lot of our favourites food, she know all of us siblings preferences on food.


    I like sweet and sour things. My sister both love spicy and salty food. My brother that has sweet tooth just will become hyperactive when given sugar and I thought that will never going to stop moving at all when the sugar get into his system.


    My dad is a coffee lover, a heavy one, he is an addict but because of health reason, he changes his drinks to white coffee lately.


    My mom always loves honey, she always likes to add honey to her food and she always drinking coffee together with our father with honey mixed in it. They always spend their evening sitting on the couch and drinking coffee together in a comfortable silence.


    Right now dad is checking the car outside that parked on the lawn. The car itself already as old as me but still packed some power and never failed to drive us anywhere.


    We already took a seat in the car. My mom sits in front with my little brother, I sit in the back alone and both my sister claimed the middle seat. We have a great chat at the road, some father joke, some snide at each other, giggling sometimes and full-blown laughter at other times.


    Such a great time. Such a nice time. Such a little happiness that our family can have.


    But suddenly I felt a shock and then being embraced by darkness.


    ***


    I woke up from the pain, my whole body aches and burning. Over the pain, i could feel a blanket over my body and smell of disinfectant in the air.


    Slowly I open my eyes but I shut it down immediately. The shine of light burning my eyes too strongly.


    Then it comes to me slowly but surely, confuses and panic strikes me.


    Why am I here? Where am I? How can my body hurt? What is happening here? If something did happen where is my family?


    I try to speak but what is coming out is not my voice but a parched groan. Like a rustle of dry paper.


    Again slowly but surely I tried to open my eyes and trying to adapt my eyes to light.


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    The first things I saw is the white cellar and a lamp. Then I see an open window. Then a desk with vase flower with some flower in it. Then a nurse that checking an iv drops beside of me.


    This is a hospital. I''m in the hospital.


    The nurse eye then landed in me.


    "Oh, it seems you wake up! I will fetch you a drink, your throat feel dry isn''t it?"


    looks like the nurse already used to this kind of situation, but i am not sure. The nurse goes to the desk and takes a glass of water that just by the vase. It seems my mind still foggy if I passed an object that clearly.


    She helps me sit up on my bed. With some groaning on my part. Before helping me drinking the water.


    "There, try to drink the water slowly. It will not help your dry throat if you drinking it fast."


    True from her part, the water did help to ease my dry throat but the first and the second chug of water feel unpleasant for me.


    She watches me drinking with a soft gaze. After I finished drinking I try to say something. But again what''s coming out is just a groan.


    "Easy there your throat is still parched. Take things slowly." She says concerned


    But I just not letting up and still trying to speak and that worried her, but after a few groans and wheeze, I finally said what''s has been bothering my mind.


    "My.. fa.. mi.. ly... where are they..?"


    Suddenly she fell silent and frozen up before her eyes started to soften, her eyes changing from concern to pity almost instantly.


    "I''m sorry but your family does not make it..."


    I fell silent for a few seconds until her words slowly sunk in into my fuzzy head but I denied it.


    "W-what?"


    I mean it can''t be true right?


    "What.. are... you talking about? Is.. it.. a stupid.. joke? We are.. going to the beach.. my father is a great driver and never have broken off any driving rule! My mother will scold him if he doing it!!! My brother there so my father will take extra cautions when driving!! So stop joking!!!"


    I don''t know why I start screaming but I did and really loud, I try to convince her to stop her joke. Because my father will not do some mistake when driving and he never goes up to gear 4th when driving. And it''s too sudden.


    But her tear still fell down and she looking at me with the sad eye.


    "I''m sorry but it''s the truth... your family does not make it up... you are the sole survivor..."


    Slowly my mind going blank at what she said.


    "It''s not true..."


    Dad still not yet let me drive that old car... he said it dangerous for me because I am still underaged and will let me drive it when I get my id card...


    "You''re lying..."


    Mother is cooking our favourite food and she has prepared all of it with hard work...


    "This is a not real..."


    My sisters are really looking forward to this... they using their favourite dress... they''re so happy...


    "This is a bad dream..."


    My brother is jumping around and even more active than any other day... I believe he will not stop moving at all... his smile is so dazzling...


    "No..."


    It is supposed to be our little happy moment...


    "NO!"


    It is supposed to be our dearest moment!!


    "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"


    ***

 01. dangling feet

    ***


    I stand in front of my family grave.


    To tell you the truth everything is like clicking fast forward on video for me, all blurry and focusing in and out.


    I remember a few police officer came to my room after my outrage and filling me in about the accident.


    It''s a case of hit and runs they said. Yeah, of course, it is, isn''t it?


    A truck driver is speeding up at the four-junction our car passed and looked like he didn''t see the red light because of he to drunk from all the alcohol he drank before driving. All is cliche for the glory.


    Both my parents and little brother died instantly. Something I grateful tough, they didn''t need to felt the pain.


    But both of my sister not that lucky, or in fact, they are lucky that they don''t die instantly? but is still the same result in the end. They die because pain trauma and that needs to hurt a lot and thinking about that made my heart sunk colder.


    The police not going into details of the condition of my family body, again something I think because of my condition. I don''t know why but I felt that is better if I do not know about it, to stop my agony further.


    Actually, the police said they have some clue of the truck driver identity but they said it will be hard to track and crack the case.


    After some information asking and filling from they part were over which are not much, they went out from my room.


    I remembered that I suffered fractured limb and ribs, some crack on my scalp and some nasty wound that scattered inside and outside of my body. For walking, If I can that is, I will need a wheelchair or the assist of a crutch.


    Almost all of my body wrapped up in bandages. And for your information it hurts and itches at the same time, most of the time itch overwhelm the hurt. All of the wound felt hot and warm sometimes too, maybe one of the quirk of body attempt on regeneration.


    I remembered it''s really hurt to walk, each steps felt like I torn my wound open but I need to bear the pain to attend my family funeral.


    After two days in the hospital, I push my body to stand on my own feet. I will not disgrace their funeral by sitting even if I still need the crutch. I will stand by my own legs, at least to convey to my family that is ''okay'', they must not worried about me. In fact, it is my duty to worried about them.


    And that needs one week to be actually realized.


    I remembered my distant relative is helping with the preparation of the funeral. They already cremated when I still hospitalized but the funeral held after I gone out of it.


    All of the cost is covered by the insurance money, with a lot to spare for my future needs, some lawyer said that to me when I ask about the payment and it''s looks like my uncle will hold off the money until I old enough to manage the money by my own.


    Really.. a lot of things happen around me at a really fast pace. I felt overwhelmed by all the information that suddenly crashing in, too many things for me to process. It''s felt this is just a dream, it''s not felt real for me.


    I just standing with a crutch on my left hand and my family portrait on my right with a blank look on my face.


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    There is a lot of whisper from the funeral attended.


    "Such tragedy... I can''t imagine how his future will be... such a poor child..."


    Whisper of pity.


    "How can this happen! How many accidents have been taking good people!"


    Whisper of anger.


    "No Shinobu... Rina... Nanashi... Yuri... Akira... Why did this happen?.."


    Whisper of agony.


    It''s all heard by me. Until all of them go away gradually leaving me standing alone on the grave.


    I looking at the grave and each name carved at them and then looked at the portrait in my hand.


    Tendou Shinobu... my father. He wears black-rimmed glasses, a black almost grey hair because a white strand of hair mixed in and the hair is pulled back. He has warm brown eyes.


    Tendou Rina... my mother. Her brown hair is tied into a bun on her head, not completely bun like usual but dangling a little at her neck. Her eyes are blue because she is half Japanese. She had fair skin but not pale, her skin has a healthy glow in them.


    Tendou Nanashi... oldest of two sisters. Has a higher height from an average height her age. She has brown hair until her shoulder and a light brown eyes. She is kinda tomboy but has the girlish bubbly charm.


    Tendou Yuri... my youngest sister. She has long dark hair that reaches her hip and her eyes are brown like chocolate. She is a calm and quiet type, a girl that will prefer a book than hanging out.


    Tendou Akira... my little brother. Our little sun that always moving from one place to the other place. He had brown hair and blue eyes like the sky.


    And lastly, a teen standing on the portrait beside the car is me.


    Tendou Shin.


    I have black hair and blue velvet eyes.


    I can see a warm smile on our faces at the portrait. It''s taken the morning before the accident.


    I can feel that I holding the crutch handle really tight until my knuckles look so pale from the pressure taking away the blood in my hand.


    I don''t know for how long I standing there watching the picture. I think I will stand there forever if not for my uncle calling me off that is already night.


    "C''mon Shin-ya. We need to prepare and move on, on our life. It''s maybe cold and thoughtless to say but it''s da truth."


    I see a rather young man with long black hair and blue eyes like me, but his eyes are like aquamarine instead of a velvet blue. He is a rather laid back person and looked unreliable. But he is a reliable man nonetheless despite his looks.


    "I know uncle. Give me a sec..."


    I giving one last longing look at the grave and holding the portrait tightly before walking away to follow my uncle.


    He is already sitting in the car and waiting for me.


    I walk to him holding the crutch tightly. It is slow but surely I walking to the next destination.


    With my dangling feet.


    "Let''s do it."


    The wind is blowing as if answering my call and I swear I can hear a whisper. Not like the whisper that I hear all day. It is a pleasant one.


    It''s said.


    "Go..."


    ***

 02.steps

    ***


    Our drive smoothly going on the roadway to home.


    It''s truly confusing for me. I still cannot clear my mind but like my uncle said I cannot dwell too much on it.


    But I still in lost and that''s cannot change that easily, like with a snap of finger all of this will go poof and gone which of course it does not work like that.


    Maybe I can act as if nothing happened and looked like everything is alright but that didn''t change the fact that a part of me has already gone, a big part of me were gone.


    We drive in solemn mood and no words are thrown out to lighten it. It may be because of my inability to respond to anything right now or maybe a polite understanding on my uncle part, I don''t know for sure what makes this solemn mood drifting in this car.


    But it''s looked like my uncle cannot stomach this situation any longer.


    "Y''know Shin-ya? Your every day will not chang''n much y''know. The same old''y school, the same old''y home, the street. Everything will not change much with your loss, no matter you hate it and reject it. It''s the truth. That''s is a reality."


    My uncle said it with a straight face but at the same time sorrowful.


    I know how the world works. Even if my uncle did not say it I already realize that truth. If not then I really must be dense as diamond and blind not seeing other people act after the funeral.


    then it hits me. This my own problem. No matter how bad it is, it''s still my own problem, not other''s and they not caring what''s my problem is no matter how justified it is because it''s simply not their''s. In fact, in their eyes, I am just a stranger, a nobody.


    "I know uncle, I know. World and time wait for no one, I realize that, painfully so. But still it does not mean I cannot reject it, maybe time will heal it or maybe it will worsen over time? I don''t know. But for sure is it acceptable if I am not my former self for a few days, right? People just can''t expect me to be like my old self after experiencing all of this. That''s just absurd."


    Hearing my answer my uncle just hummed and giving me a small thin smile.


    "I''m glad you know it. But still don''t let yourself brooding too much and suddenly grow out a duck butt hair... Wait. That actually felt so wrong. And I know for sure your late family will not like that either ya?"


    I shuddering at the duck butt part. But well there is a point there actually about my family will not like me brooding.


    "You got it, right uncle. Maybe my parents will not too hard on me if brooding, they just gonna think that it''s just puberty... but I sure my sisters will scold me to no end."


    My uncle chuckle a little when he heard my answer. A kindred spirit of abused brothers huh?


    "Haha... Nanashi and Yuri are really hard on ya huh?"


    He glancing at me when he said that and giving a smile.


    "You''ve got no idea uncle... there is one time-"


    That night on the road we spent some talking about my family. For most of the time, I''m the one talking and my uncle just hearing me or giving a comment like ''your sister really got that from ya mother'' or ''welp, your mother done that to me too''.


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    Uncle is my mom only sibling. He is around eight years younger than my mom, he is 28 right now and still single. When my mother is asking the reason why he does not go out to find a wife yet he always answers ''haven''t found one yet'' with a nonchalant attitude. Such an irresponsible answer, my mother and I have the same opinion on this.


    Uncle is working for a magazine publisher and he works as a writer there. He usually writes about plants and how to take care of it, the material for this were are all from mom. But that''s not his main speciality for when writing. He just writes that as a side job and a breather for his main topic writing material.


    His main topic is a mystery, crime and rumour that had something around the former topic. He always goes to work to find material in the morning and back late at night. Sometimes I always think his writing topic is so out of his character.


    Without my knowledge, we already reach home.


    I got out of the car and looking at my home.


    The house felt like usual, nothing wrong with it. It''s as if my family is not dead and they still live.


    With that thought, I had an imagination that maybe they are still alive and just pull a prank on me.


    When I got home they will give me a surprise and said that they were hiding from me all this time... of course, it''s just my parents, my siblings already tucked on their bed because is it already late.


    But... it is just only an imagination. The bitter reality were in front of me.


    My house is empty and felt cold. It sure felt spacious without people in it.


    Now I will not live here together with my uncle. My house will be rented out for people. The one that will manage it is my aunt from my father side. Aunt Tsukiko Aokou.


    All of my late family belongings will be kept in the storage. My mother flower shop will be managed by my aunt too, well not her all the time but with my cousin too, aunt Aokou daughter Tsukiko Miya.


    Aunt Aokou husband already passed away when Miya still elementary school. He passed away because of sickness, he has brain cancer and cancer win the fight. I remember that time aunt Aokou and Miya was really devastated when it happens.


    Miya is one year older than me. She is attending the same school as me, that I gonna attend this semester. So she is my senpai at the same time she''s an older sister figure for me and my late siblings.


    The school that I will attend have an elevator system. So almost all of the student already know each other from elementary or middle school.


    I suddenly felt stomachache. It''s gonna be a hard start for me to familiarize my self to a new place.


    Oh right. Miya-nee is the head club for the tea ceremony and flower arrangement. and with her personality and black long silky hair, she is one of that Yamato Nadeshiko.


    "Shin-ya! I will take your clothes and all of your miscellaneous belongings! Make sure all of ya important things is not left behind!"


    "Yes, uncle!"


    I gazed at my home and take the steps inside and face the reality.


    ***

 03. settle ups

    ***


    Two years.


    A long time has passed in a blink of eyes. Maybe the saying ''time pass over your eyes'' has some truth in it. This two years just passed like that, nothing particularly worth mentioning happened.


    Well, maybe one or two. The first thing is I live with my uncle and has been helping his lazy lifestyle since. it can be said rather than a nephew I felt like butler instead. The second, now I am a high school student.


    I have much or less already accepted the reality or the truth, which one you deemed proper to use, and passing each day as my usual self. Well not exactly like my old self though, from what my uncle said I became a stoic person where most of the time my emotion was flat. It''s fine by me and I have not got a problem with that either, I even didn''t get complaints from other people aside from uncle so everything is good as far as I concerned.


    Now if I may add one more thing that worth mentioning is today is my first day going to high school. My high school now it''s the same as Mayu-nee. It''s nice to have a family member in a new environment.


    "Hey, uncle Ren! I''m going!"


    If you wondering why I must shouting, the reason is my uncle just came back from his so-called investigation this morning and he is not a morning person either. You know the rest... we have a grumpy old man here.


    "Ya ya ya... just go..."


    His reply is more flat than usual... no matter what not my problem either.


    "Then I go."


    "Be safe..."


    Damn, he must be really tired. Well, I just have to let him get his deserved sleep and go away from his old breath as soon as I can.


    My school is not far from my uncle apartment. it''s just one station away that need just 15 minute by train and 45 minutes by bus, for walk distance is more or less 2 hour top.


    On my way to the station, I musing myself with my uncle situation. Lately, he has been going out more frequently than he usually does and he has been muttering to himself a lot these days. It''s scary so I told him to stop it.


    From what I catch from his murmuring, he is investigating the apathy phenomena that occur around the world recently. A lot of people losing their will, they suddenly changed in a day and until now there is no correct reasoning for why they go to doll-like state or a vegetable.


    At the start of this phenomenon only one person per month got this apathy syndrome, but with time the number of victims rose every month. Now every one month almost 30 people per month get it and that just counting in Japan.


    It''s the supreme scoop for my uncle section. If he manages to gain something that is.


    "Train to the shinanami region will come in five minutes. Train to the shinanami region will come in five minutes. Please, for every passenger to step behind the yellow line."


    Oh, that''s my train. Shinanami region is an island that only has school in it, it''s a man made an island that built 19 years ago by shina corporation for education purpose only. Well according to people though not my uncle though, my uncle said to me ''it''s kinda strange for a machine and technology company like shina corporation to made a man-made island just for education purpose and not for profit, it''s kinda fishy''.


    A weird train came and stop at the station.


    This train is the only train in the world, owned by shina corp of course. The weird part of this train is the train has an old steam locomotive design. Yep like the one usually found in the museum or the movie where wizard going to school and fighting freaks here and there. But obviously this train not running with a steam engine and nope no magic either, it''s like any other train, it''s running with electricity and I must admit it''s kinda fast too.


    The train name is an oldy geezer. What an apt name...


    So without further adieu, I got on the train and take a seat in one of the empty seats.


    On the train, I could see a lot of student from my new school.


    NiiJyuuTen academy or twelve heaven academy in English. A cliche name for an escalator school like this, where the school system allows the student to grade up from elementary to high school without a test but to do that the student must fill the criteria or standard that put by the academy. And I assure you the standard is no kidding matter. Only the college is the normal one, where even the alumnus of the NJ must take the test too if he wants to enter the college.


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    Our uniform is a white shirt with a black blazer. A badge with a different number can be seen here and there. The badge like you can imagine, it is to show what years the student is in. Like mine is number ten in Roman number to show that I am a first-year high school student and it is located in my left arm.


    Another thing to differentiate each grade is the tie for boy and bow for girl. From elementary to high school in order, the colour of the bow is blue for boy and pink for girl, yellow for boy and red for girl, and black for boy and white for girl. Oh, the pants are black and for girl is a long or a short skirt one with a little trim line that goes with the bow colour.


    And the academy school have a lacking strictness to the uniform. So there''s a lot of students that modified their uniform with accessory and other clothes attire such as a hoodie or t-shirt.


    I myself not doing such thing that extreme though. I just unbuttoned the upper button and loosening the tie, the shirt is not tucked in either.


    Well, you can say my attire is not that messy and not that proper either, I just go with what comfortable for me.


    Enough with these talk about fashion, well if it can be said a fashion talk. Just now the train just passed the shore and going to the manmade island.


    The train has an individual road from the normal traffic line. So you can see the sea on both sides and I must say the scenery is great. It''s looked like out of fantasy picture with those sparkling sea water.


    From what Mayu-nee said the train frequently used as movie shooting location a few times.


    Because I mesmerized by the view, I didn''t notice that the shinanami station can already be seen from afar.


    "To all passengers, we will shortly arrive in the shinanami station. To all passengers, we will shortly arrive at the shinanami station. Please to check your belongings."


    Let''s get prepared, shall we?


    ***


    From the station actually, need another walking to arrive at the school. On the way to the school, there is a lot of stores opened, like a minimart and food vendors or work office related goods. Almost all the store is selling things that student need or can afford. So it is a great friendly store for student budget allowance and a few stores have a great place to hang out with friends after school too. Another merit in school specialized island I suppose.


    The school itself is a building with renaissance style back when it''s the golden age for Romans or what I like to describe it as a castle. In my opinion, the school was more castle-like than a school the more I when looking at it.


    The school building is eight-story high and has a big schoolyard. The reason the yard built so big is that because it''s to host an event at a school like class meet and school festival or any other school program and event.


    Now the first important thing to do is to search for my homeroom class. Like any other school, student entrance list is put on the big board near the receptionist desk for the student to see at which class they ends up in.


    Is not that hard to found my name on the board and it looks like i am in class1-3.


    The student in the classroom usually is around 30 people on average and with some odd classroom have 31 or 32. I send a condolence to the classroom that has 31 students, there is bound to be an outcast there.


    Luckily my classroom has 30 people in it. Looking at my personality if my classroom has 31 students in it without a doubt I will be the one that cast out and no thank you with that, I don''t want to be labelled as emo, I already have enough brooding as it is.


    ***