Gloomy people are easy to misunderstand if you socially talk to them.
Akuya Shinji is running away.
Thinking that Yato had cast a curse on him, he kept running in fear.
(Who’s that guy…)
It was a spell that made him believe that he will die if he approached Kamaishi.
Being under that spell, Akuya wanted to get away from Kamaishi as soon as possible.
Pushing away everyone on his path, he kept on running until he started sweating in an unusual way.
When he finally ran out of breath, he hide inside a small alley and leaned on a wall to take back his composure.
(I should be alright now.)
Adjusting his breath, Akuya’s loath towards Yato started sprouting in his heart.
(Just why did things turn out like this…!!)
Biting his lips, he punched the wall behind him for a few times.
Meeting Kamaishi at that time was nothing more than a coincidence.
He moved to this city with his parents only recently, so it was the first time he saw her in this place.
At that moment, Akuya felt extremely glad to the point where he wanted to brag about his fate.
That’s because he met his crush from middle school.
Akuya was originally a timid person.
No matter how much he tried, his classmates often mocked him for his gloomy looks.
Due to that, he never had someone he could call a friend and spent most of his time alone.
But that was still better than getting bullied.
Akuya believed that his situation was still not bad, until he met her.
“Um, you dropped this.”
With a smiling face, Kamaishi gave back Akuya the handkerchief he dropped on his way.
Possibly at that time, all that he saw in Kamaishi was a gorgeous and divine light.
He never thought that there was someone who would talk to him gently like that.
Only with that small incident, everything had started for him.
Akuya started changing from that day on.
He wanted to become acquaintances with Kamaishi.
He wanted to be closer to her.
Making use of various opportunities, Akuya approached Kamaishi.
His feelings towards her became stronger day after the other.
However, one day, Kamaishi had suddenly moved and Akuya fell into the depths of despair.
(Right when I finally met her again!!)
Miraculously, he was able to meet her once again today.
He never felt this happy in his entire life.
He went directly to talk with her, but that hindrance didn’t let him do so.
(Because of him, Sayaka-chan is…!!)
Akuya’s expression changed to that of utmost loath.
Because of Yato, his Sayaka changed into a different person.
“I told you no! Stop following me!!”
Just by recalling what she said, he almost lost his reason.
He realized that he was rejected.
But he couldn’t accept that truth.
(It’s surely because of him!! He made her say those words.)
He thought that Yato forced Kamaishi to reject him beforehand.
And eventually, his thoughts turned into strong beliefs and his fear from Yato was overwhelmed by hatred.
“If only… only he wasn’t there.”
Akuya muttered alone and remained developing his loath towards Yato.
“Phew… I was about to die there.”
Gemra who escaped from Lina showed up from the other side of the alley.
Despite the hot weather, he was still wearing that black suit and antic mask which was enough for him to make Akuya notice his existence.
(who’s this guy?)
Forgetting his hate towards Yato for a moment, Akuya gazed at Germa who looked like a weirdo and then their eyes met.
“Oh my, you are…”
Instantly after their eyes met, Germa felt something odd coming from Akuya and decided to talk to him.
“I feel a good amount of hatred emanating from you. With such an amount, you could be an appropriate resting vessel for me.”
Akuya didn’t understand what was Germa talking about.
But still, he wondered.
Why could he hear Germa’s words clearly resonating in his mind?
Not saying anything back, Germa continued.
“You, do you have a wish?”
“A wish?”
“I feel that your hatred is deriving from your desires. Is there something you want for yourself? Try telling me.”
“No, what are you talking-”
“What would you do if I tell that I can grant that wish of yours?”
Akuya couldn’t let Germa’s last line slip away.
Usually, what Germa was saying should seem like nonsense, but at that time, Akuya didn’t feel that he was lying.
Akuya made his resolve and decided to talk about his wish, however, he recalled something before doing so.
He’s under a curse.
Even if his wish was to be granted, he will still die if he approached Kamaishi, thus, there was no meaning in his wish.
Recognizing that fact, Akuya stayed quiet again, though suddenly, Germa raised his voice seeming to have noticed something else.
“Hm? It seems you’re under the effect of some curse. Let’s see, I will dispel it for you.”
Germa approached and pushed his index finger against Akuya’s forehead.
Following that move, Akuya shivered and felt almost as if he was struck by lightning.
“How are you feeling now?”
Listening to Germa’s question, he checked his body.
And then he started wondering why he believed Yato.
There’s no why a curse could exist.
Making sure that nothing ran in his body, he pondered for a few seconds and then talked to Germa.
“About the wish…”
“You can tell me what you want.”
Hearing the mysterious words of Germa who seemed as if he was smiling under that mask, Akuya casted his eyes down, pondered for a while then looked back at Germa.
“I want Sayaka-chan!!”
“Is that all?”
“I want to… I want to kill the guy who changed Sayaka-chan with my own hands!!”
Pressed by Germa, he spat out all of his loath towards Yato.
Watching Akuya’s expressions brimming of hatred and desires, Germa’s started getting excited then spread his arms and said.
“Well then, let us grant your wish!”
Right when he spread his arms, Germa’s body suddenly turned into black smoke.
When he completely transformed into smoke, he wrapped up Akuya’s entire body.
“Uu…… uu…… Aah…”
Surrounded by that smoke, Akuya held his head while groaning and leaned on the wall.
He felt almost as if something was getting into his body. His head felt like it was getting consumed by something. It was an ominous feeling far away from that of pain.
“Aa… aaa……”
But abruptly, Akuya stopped groaning and lowered his arms.
“Fufufu, Haa-haha!! Success!!”
Germa’s voice went out from Akuya’s mouth.
His body that has been possessed started emanating a sinister aura and his gloomy face mixed up with an odd smile, making him look even more unapproachable.
“But still, as expected from this body. I feel I’m already used to it. At this rate, I think I can recover all my powers as well.”
Checking all over Akuya’s body, Germa talked in a good mood.
“For now, let’s grant his wish as a way to get more accustomed to this vessel. I’m a tolerant god, after all.”
With that, Germa disappeared in the gloomy side of the alley.
That was the moment that should have never existed. The moment when Akuya and Germa met each other.
——————————————————————————-
Bonus
Licking each other’s wounds.
“How was your childhood like, Kamiya-kun?”
“Well, I used to play with kids my age at that time.”
“As I thought.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think they’d remember me if they happened to meet me again.”
“Kamiya-kun, I will remember you no matter what.”
“Thank you, Kamaishi-san.”
Such a nice way to comfort each other.
TL note: so licking each other’s wounds means comforting each other about sorrowful things that happened to both parties, exactly like what Kamaishi and Yato were doing.
