Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 19: What Ryota Suspects

The classroom was noisy. Lunch had just started. Chairs scraped against the floor. Bags unzipped. Voices rose in a chorus of gossip and hunger.

Kaito sat at his desk. He kept his left hand in his pocket. The bandage beneath the sleeve itched. The burn from Akira’s blade was healing fast. Too fast. Human skin did not heal that fast.

Ryota pulled a chair backward. He sat facing Kaito. He straddled the chair. His arms rested on the backrest. He looked serious. Too serious.

Ryota said, I have compiled a list.

Kaito looked at him. He said, List.

Ryota said, Theories. About you. About why you look like you haven’t slept since 2021.

Kaito opened his bento. He picked up his chopsticks. He said, Eat.

Ryota said, Distraction tactic. Noted. But I am persistent. Theory one. Secret job.

Kaito ate a piece of tamago. He chewed. He swallowed.

Ryota said, You leave early. You come home late. You have money sometimes. Not lots. But enough. Are you a bartender. A bouncer. A spy.

Kuro’s voice echoed in Kaito’s mind. He said, Tell him spy. It is funnier.

Kaito ignored him. He said, No.

Ryota said, Okay. Eliminated. Theory two. Secret girlfriend.

Kaito paused. His chopsticks hovered over the rice.

Ryota said, Aha. Hesitation. Guilt. It is not Hana. I watch you. You are too awkward with Hana. It is someone else. Someone dangerous. A rival school student. A teacher. No. Not a teacher. That is illegal.

Jin sat at the next desk. He read a book. He did not look up. He turned a page.

Jin said, Stop.

Ryota said, You stop. This is important. I am helping him. He needs relationship advice. He has none.

Kaito said, No girlfriend.

Ryota said, Secret boyfriend.

Kaito said, No.

Ryota sighed. He slumped forward. He rested his chin on his arms.

Ryota said, You are a hard case. Okay. Theory three. Secret crime.

Kaito put down the chopsticks. He looked at Ryota.

Ryota said, Hear me out. Smuggling. Rare cards. Illegal imports. That explains the jacket pockets. Always full. Always hidden. Are you a card dealer. A black market kingpin.

Kuro laughed. The sound was dry. It echoed in Kaito’s chest. Kuro said, I like this one. King of the Silent King. It has ring.

Kaito tapped his pocket. Once. Silent command. Kuro quieted.

Kaito said, No crime.

Ryota said, Then what. You are hiding something. I know you. We have been friends for three years. You changed two years ago. You got quieter. You got tired. You got scars.

Kaito’s hand tightened on the chopsticks. The wood creaks.

Ryota said, I see them. On your neck. On your hands. You say you fell. You say you burned yourself cooking. You cannot cook. I saw you boil water yesterday. It took twenty minutes.

Kaito said, Burned.

Ryota said, Liar. But okay. I will not push. Yet.

Ryota stood up. He pushed the chair back into place. He looked down at Kaito. His eyes were not joking anymore. They were concerned.

Ryota said, Just know. If you are in trouble. If you need money. If you need an alibi. I am here. I do not need to know the details. I just need to know you are okay.

Kaito looked up. He met Ryota’s gaze. He saw the loyalty. It was bright. Unburdened. Real.

Kaito said, Okay.

Ryota grinned. The seriousness vanished. He slapped Kaito on the shoulder.

Ryota said, Good. Now. About the girlfriend. I still think it is someone from Class 3 C. The tall one. The one with the glasses.

Kaito said, Eat lunch.

Ryota said, Avoiding the topic. Suspicious. Very suspicious.

Ryota walked away. He joined a group of boys near the window. They started talking about games. About scores. About normal things.

Kaito picked up his chopsticks. He resumed eating. The food was cold. It did not matter.

Ember’s voice flickered. She said, He is nice.

Kaito said, Yes.

Ember said, He is wrong. But he is nice.

Kaito said, Know.

Kuro said, He is close. Crime. Secrets. Violence. He is not stupid.

Kaito said, He is safe.

Kuro said, For now.

Hana sat down at the desk beside Kaito. She had finished eating. She had a tea bottle in her hand. She watched Ryota’s back.

Hana said, What was that.

Kaito said, Questions.

Hana said, About what.

Kaito said, Everything.

Hana opened her tea. She took a sip. She looked at Kaito’s hand. The sleeve covered the bandage. But the stiffness was visible.

Hana said, He worries.

Kaito said, Know.

Hana said, We all do.

Kaito looked at her. He looked at Jin. Jin had closed his book. He was watching them.

Kaito said, Sorry.

Hana shook her head. She said, Do not apologize. Just be careful.

Kaito said, Try.

Hana smiled. It was small. It was tired. She understood more than she said. She stood up. She took her trash.

Hana said, See you after school. Do not disappear.

Kaito said, Will not.

She walked away. She joined the girls near the door. They talked about clothes. About music. About plans for the weekend.

Kaito finished the bento. He closed the box. He put it in his bag.

He looked out the window. The sky was grey. Clouds gathered. Rain was coming.

The cracks would open wider in the rain. The moisture conducted the energy. The barriers thinned.

He had patrol tonight. The Grey District. Near the old shrine. Akira’s territory. He needed to check the seals.

You are stretching thin. Yuki Onna’s voice was cold. It came from the Queen of Ice in his pocket. Fifteen cards. Three friends. One city.

Kaito said, Managing.

Yuki Onna said, You are not a machine. You are a boy.

Kaito said, Have to be.

Yuki Onna said, No. You do not. But you choose to.

She fell silent. The cold faded. The card cooled against his ribs.

The bell rang. The noise returned. Students rushed back to their seats. Teachers walked in. Chalk squeaked on the board.

Kaito opened his notebook. He picked up his pen.

Ryota turned around. He whispered.

Ryota said, I added a theory four.

Kaito did not look up. He said, Listening.

Ryota said, Alien abduction. You are a changeling. The real Kaito is on a spaceship. You are the replacement.

Kaito wrote a number. He said, No.

Ryota said, You would say that. If you were an alien. Keep your secrets. I will protect Earth from you. If you try to invade.

Kaito said, Thanks.

Ryota said, You are welcome. Just do not laser my brain. I need it for math.

Kaito almost smiled. He stopped. He kept writing.

The lesson passed. Math. Equations. Variables. X equals Y. Y equals danger.

Kaito solved the problems. He did not think about the numbers. He thought about the night.

He thought about Ryota’s theories. Secret job. Secret crime. Secret alien.

They were wrong. But they were close.

Secret war. Secret blood. Secret death.

That was the truth.

But Ryota did not need the truth. He needed the friend.

Kaito put down the pen. He looked at his hand. The bandage was hidden. The scar was hidden. The pain was hidden.

He would keep it that way.

For as long as he could.

The bell rang again. School ended.

Students packed up. They laughed. They planned. They lived.

Kaito stood up. He shouldered his bag. He checked his pockets. Cards secure. Knife secure. Phone secure.

Ryota walked beside him. He talked about a movie. About popcorn. About seats.

Jin walked behind them. He watched the corners. He watched the shadows.

Hana walked ahead. She hummed. She swung her bag.

They reached the gate. They split up.

Ryota said, See you tomorrow. Do not die.

Kaito said, Plan.

Ryota laughed. He waved. He walked toward the station.

Jin said, Be careful.

Kaito said, You too.

Jin nodded. He walked toward the library.

Hana said, Walk home.

Kaito said, Alone.

Hana said, Okay. Text me.

Kaito said, Will do.

She walked away. She turned the corner. She was gone.

Kaito stood alone. The wind picked up. It carried the scent of rain. Of ozone. Of blood.

He turned toward the Grey District. Toward the shadows. Toward the work.

They love you. Kuro said. It is a weakness.

Kaito said, It is strength.

Kuro said, It is a target.

Kaito said, I know.

Kaito started walking. His boots hit the pavement. Rhythm. Steady. Ready.

The sun set. The city lights turned on. The cracks began to glow.

He touched his pocket. He felt the Jack of Clubs. Akira waited. Fenrir waited. Kuro waited.

He said, Let us go.

The shadows lengthened. They swallowed him. He walked into the dark.

The secret remained. The friend remained. The war began.