Mikoto never met the other side of his family. So, when his mother said they were invited to lunch at his uncle’s house, he was naturally happy.

It was a shame that his father was abroad.

He thought his mother would be happy with the invitation, but she looked kind of worried for some unknown reason.

The lunch was scheduled for Saturday.

“That’s amazing, Mikoto”! Mikoto’s childhood friend Yuki said on the phone.

Yuki knew Mikoto always wanted to meet the other side of his family, but he never got the chance.

“Yeah, but my mother is acting a little weird. As if she was just fulling an obligation”…

“Does she have a problem with your uncle”?

Mikoto didn’t know. He had already asked, but his mother was always evasive in her answers, so he gave up.

Even so, he was ready to maybe find them at that lunch, or at least try to make a good impression on your uncle.

With that in mind, Saturday came.

*

Mikoto took his only suit from the wardrobe. When finished dressing, his mother appeared and began to comb Mikoto’s black hair.

His mother was dressing in her best dress too. A glamorous black piece, that gave a ghostly air to her overly pale skin.

 “Let’s go”? Shirayuki asked forcing a smile.

Maybe she wanted her husband to be there with them. Mikoto had no way of knowing, but he took his mother’s hand and smiled.

“Yeah, let’s go, mom”!

The two left the apartment and called a taxi; Aobara was deserted, with no people or cars on the street thanks to the weekend and the summer vacation. Most families were traveling or in Tokyo.

Some university students had come back to spend the holidays with their family as well, but these were inside their own homes.

Aobara was a quiet town, nothing extravagant, and for some reason, Mikoto liked that.

 Minutes later, they arrived at the residence of Shirayuki's brother.

Mikoto was never there; it was a beautiful two-story house. With two large trees between the entrance as if they were acting like gates. Shirayuki took a deep breath, gathering courage.

They paid the taxi driver, Mikoto walked forward; his mother soon followed him to the front door.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

In front of the door, a butler was waiting for them. Mikoto had the confirmation, his uncle was rich and suddenly felt his suit was not such a beautiful piece of clothing.

The butler guided the two to a living room, where an old man was sitting on a sofa; his wrinkled face lit up when he saw Shirayuki and Mikoto, the old man wearing a kimono stood up to greet the two.

Shirayuki´s face stiffened.

“It’s been a while, sister”.

“Yeah… it’s been a while, Suoh”. Shirayuki hugged her brother.

Then Suoh shook hands with Mikoto, the boy was surprised to see that his uncle despite being old, was very strong.

“And you are Mikoto, right? Nice to meet you, boy”. The grip on the boy’s hand intensified to the point of being painful.

“Ye-Yeah, nice to meet you, uncle Suoh”...

The old man, after some seconds, left the boy’s hand and waved for Mikoto and Shirayuki to follow him.

*

At the table, Suoh’s family was gathered, all dressed formally. Mikoto frowned, thinking the dark colors of the suits and kimonos looked a lot like a funeral, and he ended up sitting next to an unfamiliar cousin.

His cousin looked at him disinterestedly. He had black hair, just like Mikoto, but he was disheveled as if he'd just woken up.

Mikoto noticed something strange.

“Uncle, I’ m the only one who doesn’t have a dish”…

He glanced at his mother, just to see that she didn’t have one either. At his side, his cousin started laughing hysterically.

“You are an asshole, old geezer”!

“I couldn’t mess up the preparations”! Suoh said in response to the man next to Mikoto.

The next thing Mikoto realized was the cold embrace of the floor. His chair fell next to him.

“Mikoto”! Shirayuki left her place and went to her son’s side, kneeling to help him.

Mikoto stared at his cousin when he got up; the man just waved at him.

“Shirayuki, you already knew this was going to happen, right”? Suoh asked sighing.

“I thought you were sorry”…

“Bullshit, the only thing I’m sorry on my life… is having you as a sister”.

“Mom, what the hell is going on”?

Shirayuki glanced at her son, the face contorted in pain, a tear running down her left eye.

“I’m sorry Mikoto”…

Suoh snapped his fingers, a hand went through Shirayuki's chest, staining Mikoto's suit with his mother's blood. Everything was so sudden; Shirayuki only had time to let out a ragged breath before falling to the ground.

Mikoto felt something inside of his body breaking…

“It was nice to meet you Mikoto Nakiri, or rather, host of the queen of shadows”!

Suoh and his family, including the butlers, formed a circle around Mikoto. Singing a song he couldn’t understand, but that started to cause an immense amount of pain inside him as if his heart was being crushed.

Blood started to run down his lips.

“Guren, finish him off, so we can have lunch”.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Mikoto saw his cousin approaching with a sarcastic smile. His hands were on fire.

So that’s it. Mikoto thought.

He was going to die not understating the situation…

He alternated his gaze between Suoh and Guren, the corner of his lips lifted up as far as possible in a twisted smile.

He decided in his heart that he would come back to kill Suoh and Guren, even if it was like a demon.

And in that desperate, maddening moment, the flame in Guren's hands went out, as did the chants.

“You won’t need it, child”. A melodious voice spread through the room like thunder.

A girl emerged from Mikoto’s shadow; she had a graceful presence, dressed in a gold-adorned kimono.

When she opened her golden eyes, the temperature in the room dropped.

Suoh grunted.

“You”…

She looked thoughtfully at the elderly man, smiling sweetly afterward.

“Are you the bag of bones that Nakiri warned me about”? She asked pretending innocence. “I have to say; the quality of the exorcists in the Hoshino family dropped a lot”.

After saying those words, the girl turned to Mikoto; a genuine smile graced her lips.

“Sorry, I was late, Mikoto”.

Guren couldn't get close, Suoh's family couldn't sing...

“Who are you”?

“I am the person, who has been with you since birth; who saw you cry, love and laugh. I am the queen of omens, Nayuta”.

Mikoto didn't understand but seeing the back of that strange girl who appeared in his worst moment, and the black hair as night, gracefully falling down her back. He felt safe and good.

As if he’s known her forever.