"Bakit ka andito, Shou?" Yuki asked with confusion hoping na masasagutan lahat ng katanungan niya with only one question.

However, he just smiled and snatched the glue gun from her. "I'll borrow this for a while." She got annoyed but she kept quiet. The deadline was today and no one was helping! No time should be wasted.

But then, she got more annoyed when Shou went to Rica and about to give it to her.

"Here Rica."

What the hell?

He was just smiling while doing something that was obviously making his groupmate angry!

However, to her surprise, Shou did the same thing as Rica did to her. "Putek! Bakit mo yon ginawa?!!" Confusion and anger was plastered on Rica's face. Pero sa kalagitnaan ng namumuong tensyon, Yuki remembered something important and immediately snatched away the glue gun from Shou.

"Kailangan kong gamitin! Thanks!" She was about to turn around and finished her project but then she got stopped by Shou, holding her wrist and pulling her onto him.

She panicked. Kamuntikan na siyang madapa. Buti na lang, binibigyan siya ng suporta ni Shou. Despite that, she didn't bother to remove the annoyance on her face and just sighed, trying to suppress that negative feeling inside her. "What?"

And Shou noticed that. Then, he smirked and leaned his head near her ear. He whispered something that despite of many people watching them, it just cannot be heard.

"Wag mo ko dedmahen!"

There should be something outrageous going to happen especially from Yuki. But nothing happened. After the romantic move of Shou, Yuki did her own things and the crowd followed. They also did their own things.

The moment she gave the finished project to the assigned teacher, that was when her mind tried to process everything.

"Let me open your eyes to see your surrounding, Yuki."

The moment when he leaned near Yuki, she saw Rica that was previously got blocked by Shou's figure.

"Yes, my friend!"

Things happened so fast. And she cannot see Rica anymore. But an another figure. Not Shou's. It was an unknown figure. A monster.

A pale man, drenched in red liquid. Bulge eyes focused on her. He has really a big grin.

"Welcome to the real world." And Shou let go of his wrist. The monster slowly removed his previous stance. Maybe he was not a monster?

And there, she confirmed that what was she seeing wasn't human. It was a man with a lower centipede body. And following the track of its tail...

It was connected on Rica, Rica's back.

Yuki blinked and with just few seconds, so many things passed into her mind. But in short--

If this is not a dream, then turn around and finish your project!

Shou was surpised. He was expecting something since he was the cause of it. But Yuki already passed her project and everything, and yet there were still no strange response from her.  

So he came up into conclusion, leading him to glare inside his pocket. "What, my friend? I did what you told me to!"

It was the same voice as awhile ago and it was coming from his pocket but no one seemed able to hear it.

Was the pocket speaking? No one reacted. Everyone was still busy fixing their things, preparing to go home.

The bell rang, signalling that classes for today was finally over. As soon as her adviser left, she grabbed her things, ran away and went home!

... was what she expecting. But a hand stopped her wrist from running away, and that hand led her to Shou.

"At last, you noticed me." He kept panting until he reached his normal breathing. He followed her from the 4th floor of the building to the parking area for bicycles. No wonder he was tired.

"Shou bakit ka andito?"

A lot of questions popped into her mind. First was the voice that sounded exactly like him. Second was the strange actions for the seating arrangment. And third, was the monsters!

Nababaliw na ba ko?!

"You're spacing out again!"

Ano nga ulit ang sinasabi niya?

She cannot remember. So out of her embarassment, she apologized.

For the nth time!

"Yuki, Aren't you seeing something like demons-like, angels-like? Or rather to you, it's some weird creatures and monsters, right?"

I hope she already heard it!

She blinked twice and tilted her head. She became pale and then, gave a blank face. She narrowed her eyes before getting surprised. Her eyes widened than the previous one.

Shou cannot get a proper response from Yuki and he was obviously getting out of patience. He was about to say something but he got cut off by a loud... loud voice.

"EEEEEEEH!!?" She shouted near his ears!

"What the hell is your problem?! Suddenly shouting at me! It hurts!" He covered his ears pertaining it was aching.

"Sorry, nagulat lang talaga ko..." He sighed, indicating that he was calmed down.

"So you are really seeing monsters?" She nodded, deciding that she will shut her mouth as possible.

"Hey, stupid HCD."

Sino kinakausap niya?

Yuki began to thought that 'stupid HCD' was her new nickname in her school. She was about to speak when she heard a familiar voice.

"Aye, my friend?" She panicked especially when she realized that it came from below her. She slowly looked down as she kept telling herself to calm down.

Something was wrapped around on her wrist. A bracelet and... there is a mouth! It was smiling!

She didn't move an inch. She was starting to become conscious of her breathing. When did she wear this kind of bracelet? She was not the type of person to wear accessories.

"Make her a DH already." She immediately looked at Shou obviously with a shocked amd confused face.

He noticed that and, he paused before speaking. "DH is a short term for demon hunter. And you will be one if... you pass."

In the peripheral vision of Yuki, she noticed a strange motion, a picture around them.

Madami yatang taong papasok sa school at sa ganitong oras?

It is quite a lot... is there an event right now?

She squinted her eyes and she realized something. There were not only people...

Meron ding mga halimaw katulad ng nakita ko kanina!

"I'll cover for you, so just do your thing." He sounded so uninterested, not even a bit worried.

But what did he mean by that?!

"Don't disappoint me, Yuki." He glanced at her then, before she can react, Shou was swift like a wind running towards the crowd.

"Aye sir!" Yuki watched Shou's back getting smaller until a voice interrupted her.

"Searching memories..." She felt a sudden rush starting on her wrist until that feeling enveloped her whole body.

She can see things in slow motion, how Shou fought the monsters surrounding him. He was holding two guns. The sound was ringing inside her head, the sound of released bullets, the rustling of leaves, the wind blowing softly, the abnormal breathing, the sweat falling from his skin, and the sound of him when struggling.

"Verifying..." She blinked but her expectations betrayed her. She was not at school. Instead, it was a very dark place. All alone. Alot of memories entered into her mind all at once! She hated this!

Her breathing started to become abnormal. She started to tremble, forming water on her eyes.

Get me out of here!!!

"Wake up!" She was back.

She was at school. Shou was still fighting and she was still wearing this bracelet.

"Yukiii! Listen!" She stopped spacing out.

Then, she placed her wrist in front of her face to indicate that she was listening. But she kept quiet.

"To be a full-pledged human contractor, one must create a bond to their demon hunter! A cooperation is needed between two parties!" The bracelet smiled, not minding of Yuki's response.

But the bracelet's tone was starting to ease down and sound gentle. "I know it is difficult for you but I'll not fail you. My specialty is to find two beings with 100% compatibility from each other. Among billions of humans..."

"You are the only one who can save Shou Suzuki." At that moment, it felt like she was talking to a different person.

Suddenly, the bracelet illuminated. Yuki closed her eyes as a reflex and when she noticed the lights eased down. She slowly opened her eyes.

The bracelet didn't have a mouth anymore. It was only a black beads of bracelet.

"That stupid HCD will not talk anymore." She looked behind to confirm whose voice was that. And she was right. It was Shou's.

He looked different right now. Awhile ago, he was panting heavily and full of sweat.

But... he didn't look like tired anymore?

"Make use of that weapon of yours. I'll not cover for you anymore." And he left again to fight those monsters.

But what weapon? Just at that time did she realize, the cold metal on her right hand. It was a long metal and at that highest point, there was a blade, curved blade pointing downward.

It was a scythe.

Just as when she was mesmerized by the weapon, she heard a very deep voice that resembled the static noise of a television.

"WAG MO IHARAP ANG LIKOD MO SA KALABAN. BITCH."

-Cold metal-

END