She woke up gasping, her heart pounding furiously against her thin ribs. Another nightmare to add to the list. The young woman stood up in the middle of her body, trying to regulate her breathing and her heart. She noticed that she had been sweating, and the wind that came through the open window made her feel a bit cold, so she got up to close it. She was going to return to bed when the sight outside caught her attention. The family resort was beautiful. The night only managed to beautify itself with the tender, silver light of the moon. She watched her. It was a full moon.
She decided to go to sleep now; trying to fall asleep to rest would be of vital importance for tomorrow, when she would be appointed as the leader of the Yugai clan.
Just thinking about it carefully made her dream disappear.
A bouke member knocked on her door to tell her it was time to get up. She hadn't rested at all. It was as if she sensed that something bad was going to happen.
When she arrived at the compound where the most important members of the clan were, Nayla placed herself in her position. Her father began by reading some codes from her clan, and when he finally finished, he would call her to take her place as her new leader.
"I trust that her brave and strong leadership will bring honor to the Yugai clan. I trust her completely; she is my daughter. Please stand up, Hana"
That? One second. Had she heard correctly? Had her father called her Hana?
Her sister was mainly perplexed, but she didn't show it for more than two seconds. Her expression returned to being cold and unceremonious; she stood firm and raised her face, stood up with finesse, and walked towards her father.
No member in that room was confused by what her father had said, she noticed. So everyone knew what was going to happen; that's why no one complained or asked for explanations. No one would fight for her. Always the weak, deficient sister of hers. Always the useless daughter.
However, she knew herself. Why deceive herself? She honestly never saw herself as a future leader of the clan. Her father would never recognize her, and she did not blame him for her decision, since she was solely to blame for being so weak, for not trying harder in training, and for being so kind, tender, and innocent in that corrupt world.
She didn't stay to watch anymore. She silently rose from her place and left the compound with the utmost stealth without being discovered, leaving her sister to take her place as leader of the clan.
XXX
Meanwhile, somewhere else...
Kirishibi number one, mind tormentor, was bored while he was waiting for her meat order at the restaurant. He was beginning to get desperate there without doing anything. He thought that perhaps it would have been better to order the food and have it taken to her office; however, throughout the week she had had a lot of work and wanted to go out for a moment.
There was only one problem, and it was the ridiculous women who were screaming and talking about men like they were teenagers.
He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. Those two girls who were sitting behind were a total nuisance. In the fifteen minutes that he had been waiting for his food, they had not stopped talking about the young officers.
They were just boys! He didn't see the point in commenting on them down to the most unlikely detail; they weren't pieces of meat, for God's sake.
Those fucking screams and laughter were driving him crazy!
If he heard another damn comment again, he was going to use mental torture on him, and he didn't care if they were just civilians. Another little scream, and they were dead!
"Girls!" A black-haired woman ran in and headed behind him. What was missing? One more screamer: "You don't know what I found out!"
Of course, they don't know; they're here, stupid. Jose thought he was annoyed.
"About what?!" the other two fools shouted.
"Nayla Yugai, the princess, was not named leader of her clan"
"But why? How horrible! Poor thing!
"I think she's fine; she's very stupid, and she blushes at everything. The other time I ran into her, she asked me the time, and she apologized for being so annoying. She apologizes for any nonsense."
"You're right about that. Poor girl; she has no self-esteem at all. She spent her time spying on the sexy Okami when they were kids.
"Actually?!"
"Oh, what a strange girl!"
And immediately, the three of them began to laugh out loud. Enough. Jose had made up his mind, he was gathering his magic to silence them when he was interrupted.
"Your order, sir," a cheerful young lady said, arriving with her plate of meat with vegetables and the drink she had ordered. "Enjoy it," the waitress wished him and left.
Jose smiled sideways and was about to eat when…
"Hello Jose," a woman came to sit in front of him.
Jose just clenched his fists tightly under the table and looked at the brunette in front of him.
"Kure, I didn't expect to see you. I thought it was someone from the office," he said, surprised.
"Hello, Jose. Long time no talk, right?" She smiled sideways, even though his eyes dictated otherwise. She was worried. It was easy to read.
"What do you need?" he asked without hesitation.
"Always so strict... But it's okay; I'll get to the important thing. I don't know if you've realized it yet, but I think the whole village knows it. My student, Nayla...
"Wait a minute," he said, stopping her and turning back. The three young girls were quiet and waiting for what their friend would say. "I see that you have already finished eating, ladies, so why don't you pay the bill and leave here? With all due respect, of course."
One of the girls was blushing, and she was staring at him. Jose felt the need to pay the bill and run, but he remained firm, he was the leader of the interrogation and torture force in his town, and some little girls wouldn't bother him.
The young girls, a little nervous about not getting what they wanted, left there, paying the bill.
"Jose, why did you do that?" her friend asked, confused by her.
"It doesn't matter; what were you saying, your student...?" he urged her.
"Well, Nayla was rejected as the leader of her clan. In her place was Hana, her younger sister, as leader. If she decides to stay within the clan, they will impose the seal of silence on her; otherwise, she can withdraw from the clan, leaving her surname and heritage. I asked him to stay with me, but an S-rank mission has come up, and I am really needed for my skills, plus he has very good pay, and I couldn't refuse a job like that, so I am asking you to please take care of Nayla for a while.
"No. And that's my last word."
"Jose! Please!"
"Couldn't you think of someone else?" She got upset. Why the hell, him?
"I did! But you are the best qualified to take care of her."
"Why don't you choose a woman? How about Kuno?"
"Too sadistic and crazy; she will scare her"
"And Yuki?"
"Special operations, many missions, and little free time"
"Mesut!"
This was already serious; his options were running out.
"Not! She has had enough of the headache that her son has."
"Well then Yami"
"She is on a mission abroad."
"Shikari"
"No way, he's a pervert, and who knows what things he could think of with my girl under her roof" she said, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.
"Garson"
"Too flirty"
"Subiko"
"He is a total pervert and a disaster of a person."
Jose thought for a few moments, but he couldn't think of anyone else.
"See? You're the one. You're responsible, seriously, you're not perverted, you have a few free hours a day, and I heard that the torture department won't have much work these weeks."
"How long will you be gone?"
Starting to let our guard down, huh?
"Three months"
"You are crazy!" he shouted. And it was strange because he never lost his cool. But his friend was crazy. Some nut in her brain had come loose.
"Three months ago, when you learn what life is from the perspective of an innocent officer with mixed feelings, Nayla is so cute. You will adore her right away; she knows how to cook delicious and clean food, and she is very organized and quiet. Say yes! And you will; I will invite meat for a month."
"I'm not a glutton," he said, looking at her with a grim expression.
"I know," he said nervously. "I'll do whatever you want. Paperwork! You hate doing it, right? I'll do it for you. Three months or however long my mission lasts, okay?"
Jose continued to see her with a look of injustice.
"Come on, Jose. Nayla has nowhere to stay; you can learn from each other. Maybe you can teach her to have more confidence in herself, and she can teach you to smile from time to time."
The restaurant bells at the entrance rang, and he instantly turned to see who she was. The young woman with long hair and white skin was entering and heading towards them with a nervous step and a little blushing.
"Teacher? What's wrong? Why...?... Ah, how impolite I am. Please excuse me for being so rude. Good afternoon, captain.
Jose just nodded slightly.
"Nayla, do you remember that I told you that someone would take care of you while I was away on a mission? Well, surprise! I will present him to you; it's about Jose... I think I'm late; have fun," he smiled and ran away from there. That Jose could not demand anything from him or give him a No for an answer.
Nayla was left with her mouth open at such a quick farewell to her teacher, and then she turned to look at the man.
"Sorry for bothering you, captain. Please take care of me," and immediately, with a big blush and a nervous and unstable voice, she bowed to the officer.
Jose let out a huff of stress and started eating his food.
It would be the longest three months of his life.
