Kasumi took a sip of his beer.

  "Keep in mind, this was after I've known Kito for a while. I was in a rough spot to say the least. Just lots of personal shit happening. That aside, with all the training for bodybuilding, I would typically jog in the afternoon throughout the town I used to live in. I always passed this park in my route where I saw this old man frequently sitting on the bench. Obviously in the beginning I never thought anything about it. But it was when I started jogging later in the day that I noticed him staring at the bus dropping off children and watching them walk home.

  Looking back, I obviously should've registered this as an alarm but... I don't know. Maybe I was too in my own head to care about what some geriatric, dementia ridden old man was doing or looking at. And sometimes it is just an old man sitting down at the park staring into the distance for hours on end. That stuff happens, you know?

  Inevitably though, I started getting suspicious. Rather than cross through the typical route, I would slow down and hide behind trees. In the span of a couple days, it's like I saw the process unfold in slow motion. The old man would get up and greet this girl. They walked together down the route and into the girl's house.

  Obviously I was alarmed but maybe I was judging it too harshly. Maybe this man was the girl's grandfather and he was waiting for the bus stop. But then how come he never picked up the girl to begin with? But what if the girl was new to the school? Then why was the old man still staring at the park? But what if that was a coincidence and he was just minding his own business then? And I saw a car parked in the house, so maybe he actually was the grandfather and a parent was at home. Thoughts that spiraled into even more unsure scenarios.

  But just in case, I came prepared. My suspicions got the best of me, and I began bringing a mouth mask and sunglasses. I already wore a hoodie for jogging, and my training with Kito had reached a point where I could comfortably get away from scenes if it came to that point.

  There was one day where the old man didn't go to the typical route.

  I saw them slowly hold their hands and walk to the bathroom.

  I immediately put on my mask and sunglasses, and rushed to the bathroom. The door to the toilet stall was closed; I kicked it open.

  I was so fast that everything was in slow motion. As the soundwaves of the door opening hit the man's ear, he was in the middle of turning around. By then, I had already planted my hand firmly on his skull and smashed it against the wall. I remember hearing the distinct pop, as well as the squelching of the brain as it leaked down. Blood sprayed on the wall and my hand. But it wasn't that much. Nevertheless, the blood pooled out and a puddle formed underneath. It all happened in a fraction of a second. I was in automatic mode. Yet afterwards, my body stood still. I turned to my left.

  Thankfully, the girl didn't seem harmed or undressed. Yet she was paralyzed with fear. Blank reaction, eyes wide open, barely breathing.

  I turned around immediately and ran out of the bathroom. Within thirty seconds, I already ran 4 blocks away.

  It all happened so suddenly. Less than 30 seconds. Yet out in an open field, I hunched over. I retched until I got it all out of my system. I couldn't process what I just did. I took a life, especially without knowing the context. It all seemed too close to danger, but I was still acting ignorantly. I didn't have any right to take his life. I didn't know who he was. But no matter if I did the right thing or not, it was all too real.

  I ran away and hid inside my house the entire day. For the next 32 hours, I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I was too paranoid to do anything but think about what I did.

  I couldn't handle it anymore. And rather than ponder about some equivalent exchange of one life to another, I decided to not be a coward and face the consequences. But I wanted to say my thanks and goodbyes first.

  I texted Kito and asked him urgently to come visit me at A restaurant; a lot like this one actually.

  Stressed beyond belief, I ordered myself some alcohol while he was on his way. By the time he arrived, I already downed 2 pint sized beers.

  Despite my inebriated state, I was too shaken to feel anything but bewilderment and guilt. He was sitting in front of me asking me over and over about what happened, but I couldn't respond until after around 10 minutes."

  Kasumi looks up at the sky. "It's... odd how friendship works. He probably had better things to do. I'm actually not sure if he quit work that day just to check on me. I didn't look at him in the eyes for 10 minutes straight and yet, he still stuck by my side.

  After realizing that, that's when I actually told him what I did. Every detail. Every train of thought. Raw and to the point. And that's when I finally admitted to him that I wanted to let this off my chest before I turned myself to the police. I thanked him for lending his ear, taking time out of his day and just... being by my side.

  But the very moment I stood up, he told me to sit back down.

  He... he said..."

  As Kasumi reminisced about the conversation, he closed his eyes, and continued tilting his head towards the sky.

  .

  .

  .

  "Kasumi." Says Kito. "Sit back down."

  "Why should I?" I ask.

  "I...I don't want to insult your emotions by saying I know what you're going through because, I don't. However, I feel like there's a more rational way of thinking about this."

  I scoff. "Rational? Are you insane? How can this be rational when I just kil-"

  Kito lunges towards the table and covers my mouth.

  "What happened with your indoor voice huh? Not so loudly."

  I push away his hand from my mouth. "It doesn't matter if I'm going to jail anyway. So what if people can hear me? It's all pointless anyway."

  He scowls. "Will you just listen for five minutes?"

  I don't know what this feeling in my stomach is. Relief? It's either the perfect amount of alcohol that's soothing me, or it's the realization that after letting it all and accepting my fate, I don't have to worry anymore.

  "Five minutes," I say, getting comfortable in my chair.

  "What I meant by rational is that... in my opinion, it's all a matter of perspective."

  "What makes you say that?" I ask.

  "The way I see it, I think considering the situation and the intensity, it's the most rational thing you could've done; not just rational, but objectively moral thing to do. Because think about it: if you called the police, by then it might've been too late. With their response times, it doesn't take long for someone to do something bad in that span of time. Even then, did you have a phone with you at the time?"

  "No."

  "Well then that's another thing. How long would it have taken you to gain access to a phone? Were there payphones nearby? Or would you have knocked on someone's door begging to use the phone?"

  "I don't know. It all happened too fast."

  "Right. Regardless, given the situation, the circumstances were already too skewed. If you didn't do anything and only assumed that it's the girl's grandpa, especially without concrete proof, the chances that this old stranger walking with a little girl into a bathroom to do who knows what- that situation literally paints itself."

  "And what if that was her grandpa?"

  "Why would a grandfather need to go inside a bathroom- within the stall itself no less. That seems way too suspicious. Besides, grandfathers and pedophiles aren't mutually exclusive."

  "So are you saying that all grandparents are pedophiles?"

  "Are you stupid? I'm saying that with the evidence that you just told me, the chances of him being one are higher than not. Was the kid someone who looked like they needed help going to the bathroom?"

  "She didn't look that young- no. Maybe 11 years old."

  "Was she disabled? Was she blind?"

  I remembered her face. The shocked expression. I almost throw up on the spot.

  "No." I say.

  "Then there you go. The point is, the situation was already extremely suspicious and in the heat of the moment, you did what you felt was right. Probably not the force you intended but at the end of the day, you saved the girl's life. Even at the cost of trauma, this is preferable over what would've happened. Do you really want to risk the alternate situation and see what would've happened if you didn't interject? It's not a good situation at all but for what it's worth, especially in retrospect, I think it's for the best."

  I squint at him. There's a lump in my throat. As if someone is choking me. I try to say something yet I struggle for about a minute.

  "I want to admit something else, Kito." I say. "These powers you've taught me. The Ki training... It's true that I'm using them to improve myself. But I wasn't being completely honest."

  Kito leans in closer. "What is it?"

  "I use these powers to improve myself for competitions. I'm tired. I've been tired of trying and trying and trying, only to be nowhere near the top. I know that it's all a matter of discipline and being better than the others, but in this field, it really does feel like people are just born better- specifically for the sport you're in. Like that gold medalist swimmer who just happens to have the perfect body for swimming. And if it's not some mutant bred for the sport then it's surely someone who's been training longer than you by five years. And then the one beating that guy is the one who's been training for 10 years. All these books and speeches repeat the same thing. Just try harder. Try harder, don't be lazy, blah blah blah."

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  "Then why not just give up?" Asks Kito. "You clearly sound defeated."

  "Because I have nothing else." I say. "I spent my life dedicated to this. All the time wasted, training, limiting my diet, sleep, social interactions. If I don't have this... I don't know what to do." I flick the bottle down. It rolls down the table. "Not that it matters now."

  After a brief pause, just as I was about to announce the five minute timer, Kito interjects.

  "On one hand, you can give up. There's nothing stopping you from doing that. Find a new hobby, get a new job, go to college, etc. Ultimately, there's more to life than our passions. Yes, that includes the shitty stuff like taxes and jobs but, without that, we wouldn't find enjoyment in life. Without the contrast between the shitty and the good, life would be dull. So giving up isn't the end of the world.

  On the contrary, like you said, you can continue listening to the regurgitated advice of professionals. At the cost of diet, sleep, etc, you will improve. You- and many others forget not only where you started, but also the people that you've overcome along the way. When did you begin training?"

  "About six years ago." I say.

  He continues. "Within those six years, do you know how many people have given up? How many people retired? That number is much higher than you could imagine. So by giving up and forgetting those victories- even the ones you can't see, you're not only spitting on the efforts of others, but your own efforts as well. Don't do that. You're better than that."

  I feel that same damn lump again.

  "But...you're right." Continues Kito. "Technically speaking, through the aid of ki, you are cheating. What to do with this? You could simply not use it and continue at the rate you're going at. But again, I like to look at things at a different perspective.

  Everyone has an opportunity that is unique to them. For some, it's money. For others, it's innate talent of some sort; or as you mentioned, simply being born better for a specific niche. And for others, their opportunity is knowledge. You happen to bear that specific burden, as well as the luck to meet me. That's not cheating; that's just nature. It's no different than athletes, Performance Enhancing Drugs, and their dealers. The only difference is that our ki training is a lot more potent than whatever pills or syringes their bodies take. Ultimately, the world is unfair, so it's only natural to use whatever advantages you can get. As for the purpose well, it's a little petty, but I won't judge you. I'm not above ridding... obstacles out of my way with my powers. For me to criticize you, would only make me a hypocrite.

  That being said, I want to make things clear.

  In the end, do whatever you see fit. It's your life."

  I can feel my eyes water. I try to speak but that damn lump. That fucking lump.

  "Why... why did you come?" I eventually ask.

  Kito looks at me with a straight face. "Well, you asked me to be here. It was all of a sudden and urgent so I came. Not going to lie I was expecting you to be on a rooftop ready to kill yourself but, I'm glad it's a different circumstance. Better yet, why did you call for me here? Were you looking to be absolved of your crime? To let out your regrets before acting on some self-righteous atonement?"

  I stare at him. As much as I wanted to smack him right then and there, I paused. It hurt what he said. And then I spoke up.

  "I guess... you're right. I wanted to be relieved of this guilt. It's only natural for people to only say the most necessary things to a lawyer for a lighter sentence..."

  "Wouldn't that defeat the point of relieving yourself to the authorities to begin with?"

  "Well I'm still going to jail regardless. But I'm only human after all."

  Kito stares at me for a while before looking down at the table. Clearly he's contemplating something. As much as I want another beer in, I doubt it would last me the walk to the police station.

  "One last thing, Murobuchi." Starts Kito. "Though your actions were morally wrong, it's the logic behind it that counts. After all, killing in itself is only punished and absolved for the reason behind it. Murder is unjustifiable, yet self defense and war are fair game. To repeat it one last time, I think what you did was messy, but overall in the right. I could tell, you're a good person, it's just that that situation was fucked from the beginning. Like think about it, imagine if you just continued on with your day after seeing that. Are you really going to forsake that poor girl for your own convenience? Just because it's none of your business? I'm not saying you should be a hero, I'm just saying if you see something that messed up, wouldn't it be common sense to do something about it? You did, and that's that."

  "Kito." I respond. "There's a justice system for a reason. Killing some-"

  I then feel a hand cover my mouth from behind. Kito was no longer sitting in front of me. His voice lingers from behind.

  "Like I said," whispers Kito. "Not so loud."

  My heart quakes, as if rubbing against the rib cage. I knew he was more experienced, but I've never seen him move that fast before.

  "Alright." I mutter. "I don't think doing what I did- especially over a hunch, is justifiable. The justice system will put them in a trial, and deal with them appropriately." I whisper.

  Kito, still behind me, taps on my shoulder as if pondering. "I understand what you're saying." He says. "And you're right. However, when it comes to someone as despicable as that, do you really think they deserve a trial? Let's say they manage to live through their prison sentence and they're finally released back into society. A couple years paid off while the victim(s) have to live with that experience for the rest of their lives? I think that's disgusting. It won't undo their suffering, but at least to me, it gives me peace of mind knowing one less abuser is out and about, risking the chance to commit those crimes again."

  I don't say anything for a second. He goes back to his seat. And looks at me with a stern stare.

  "So what are you trying to say, Kito?"

  "In my opinion," says Kito, looking down at the table before glancing at me. "Sometimes, doing the wrong thing can serve a good purpose."

  I chuckle aloud. "Are you hearing yourself?"

  "Yes. And I mean it. I'd rather live knowing I did something wrong for a greater good, than know I let someone get sodomized without doing anything."

  I stop chuckling. I want to slap him. But I glare instead.

  "In a roundabout way," I say, "you're right. Morally wrong for sure. But we're only conditioned to think that way because of societal expectations and more importantly, the law. The law is what dictates actions. We fuck up, we pay the price."

  He finally starts to smile. "Now you're seeing it my way. With these powers, one could reign terror and do as they please. But do you plan to rob banks with them?"

  "No."

  "Do you plan to kill for the fun of it?"

  "Hell no."

  "So what do you plan to do with your powers, Kasumi?"

  "I... I just want to win."

  Kito chuckles.

  "Well," he says. "I already explained my stance on that. I understand it wasn't your intention for today to happen but, that's life. We do stupid things in the heat of the moment and the course of action only paves itself."

  I lean back in my chair. "But doesn't using my powers for my gain make me selfish?"

  Kito stands up from his chair, preparing his sweater. "Well, duh. We're all selfish. Life's a hassle so we have to do what we have to do in order to succeed."

  I continue to sit in the chair, staring as he's about to leave. I finally say, "so what do I do now?"

  Kito sighs. "Listen, whatever you do now, it's up to you. It's your life, and I won't judge you for what you choose to do. Whatever actions you do...you just have to live with them. Goodnight, Kasumi Murobuchi."

  "One last thing, Kito."

  "What is it?"

  "Will you see me in jail?"

  He laughs. "Well duh. You're my friend."

  He leaves.

  I sit there staring at the bottle.

  Life is unfair. Life is unfair.

  .

  .

  .

  "And from there," starts Kasumi. "I trusted him ever since. I never took myself to jail. I continued working on myself. And it's been like that for years."

  Tatsuki Harada blankly stares at Kasumi with a dreaded expression.

  "So Tatsuki, what do you think of the situation?" Asks Kasumi.

  "I...I..." Stammers Tatsuki. "I'm sorry but this is a lot to take in."

  Kasumi sighs and rolls his neck. "Yeah... Yeah, I can understand that. I do apologize for putting you on the spot on something like this but, all's I'm saying is that though the situation is fucked regardless. But if you think about it, this situation was brought upon by self defense and happenstance."

  "Yeah but..." counters Tatsuki. "When Kito explained this whole new world of magic, aren't we fighting teenagers?"

  "Not just teenagers, adults as well."

  "Adults I can deal with but, kids? I don't want to hurt them man."

  Kasumi shrugs. "Tough shit. It's not like we're aiming for kids- much less wanting to attract the attention of the Ordinance Academy in the first place. It's not our fault they got indoctrinated. In the future it would be nice if that system got dismantled but nevertheless, that's not our problem. And yet here we are."

  Tatsuki grumbles in frustration and responds. "Then I'll hold on to my conviction. There has to be another way. I'll rough them up and beat them unconscious and slip out of any situation."

  Kasumi leans in closer and stares deeply into Tatsuki's eyes. Kasumi continues. "I want you to understand that no matter if you want to refrain from hurting them or not, they will not think twice about killing you. If they went as far as bombing Kito's apartment earlier, what makes you think you'd be any different? With their years of experience over you, you cannot hold back."

  Kasumi leans back in his chair and comments. "Though, if you want some peace of mind, be glad that killing anyone would be an achievement in itself. I'd be surprised if you managed to kill anyone due to their experience over you but, just fight like your life depends on it... because it will."

  Tatsuki blankly stares. He lays his chin on the table and covers his head. His eyes then direct themselves towards Kasumi's beer. He then lightly smacks his lips, longing for alcohol.

  Kasumi rolls his eyes and pushes the beer towards Tatsuki. Tatsuki immediately springs up and begins chugging the beer.

  Kasumi sighs and gets up. "This entire situation sucks, but I hope you understand the opportunity we have here. You love your country, right?"

  Interrupted, Tatsuki stammers. "Y-yes."

  "Me too- we all do. And nobody in our team wants to hurt anyone, trust me. But it's as the adage goes, 'good intentions are paved with bad actions.' It's an awful thing. But as men, we just have to carry the burden, and live with it."

  Tatsuki, desperately tries to chug the rest of the bottle. Yet he had already finished it.

  Kasumi stares at Tatsuki and continues. "Stay right here."

  Kasumi drops down from the patio, picks up a rock from the ground, and gets up on the patio again.

  "Are you looking?" Asks Kasumi.

  Tatsuki nods his head.

  Kasumi then spots a large tree within the pond. He then winds up his arm and pitches the rock towards the middle of the tree.

  THUNK

  The rock, with so much force it explodes into shrapnel and dust, blows a hole into the tree, ripping a chunk a third of the tree's thickness. Creaking loudly, the upper half of the tree eventually succumbs to its own weight, toppling down. Tatsuki looks in horror. Kasumi indifferently looks back at Tatsuki.

  "As men, it's important for us to be responsible, no matter what. As such, vices, running away from our problems... escapism, in general, will be the death of us."

  Kasumi puts his hand on Tatsuki's shoulder and shakes him a little.

  "But you already knew that, hm?" Says Kasumi with a smile. He pats Tatsuki's back. "Goodnight, Tatsuki Harada."

  Kasumi then leaves through the front entrance.

  Tatsuki sits there, simply staring at the ground.

  .

  .

  .

  Eight minutes after Kasumi left the bar, he walks through the streets, trying to navigate his way back home. He sees a trash can. He looks around and sees that nobody is around. He shoves his pointer and middle fingers down his throat. He vomits. With the three sips of beer he took now out of his system, he continues walking. Remembering that Bara called him earlier, he picks up his phone. A text message appears.

  "Meet back with us ASAP. Big trouble. None of our bank accounts work. Does yours work? Please respond soon!"

  Kasumi looks at the message confused. He then remembers his card not working earlier and having to pay with Yen bills instead. Frantically, he checks the bank app on his phone.

  "Error: this account is suspended or does not exist. Please call us during open hours to resolve this issue."

  "Shit!"

  He blurs down the road, running back towards the harbor.

  .

  .

  .

  Two hour later, Tatsuki Harada is back inside his room in the manga cafe. 3 six-packs of beers scatter his room. 13 cans are opened; more than half of them are empty. The mat is wet with beer spills and tears. He lies in the center of the room, hugging his knees. Drool and a little bit of vomit spools out of his mouth. Every time he blinks, he no longer sees the owl man, but a new set of eyes. Lying still, the room spirals.

  .

  .

  .

  Not too far away, Keiji Nakamura is still at the police station. As they investigate Nowa's corpse, Keiji steps out of the room and calls Mishima.

  "Mr. Mishima, it's Nakamura. They're still investigating the body. I'm assuming who did it is pretty obvious, right?"

  "Without a doubt, it's Kito. I'm still a bit busy. But I made a couple of... urgent calls earlier. It should help out in hindering him. For now, I want you, Jin, and the others to investigate and track down where he went, where the rest of his crew were, and what they did."

  "Understood." Says Keiji.

  "That is all. In the name of the Rising Sun."

  "In the name of the Rising Sun."

  Keiji hangs up. He walks out the police station and begins smoking. It's going to be a long night.