His Spark | YanSim

Ayato carefully slipped out of the locker room, trying not to disturb the cooks in the kitchen. Ayato's focus on discretion was central to his sleuthing. He wanted no one to have any idea of what he was doing, even if this phone call amounted to nothing important.

As Ayato slipped out the back door, his lurking unnoticed, he quickly stepped towards the familiar voice in the alley behind the shops. As he tiptoed closer and closer, he could start to make out the words in the one-sided conversation that Manager Hikaru was having.

He leaned against the wall, Hikaru just around the corner of the alley, so close to the harbor.

"...know I promised you a healthy specimen but I can't let you take this one."

The voice on the phone talked, the syllables jumbled to Ayato's ears.

"I get that we have a deal, but, I like him! Please, I'll find you another, just let him go!"

Hikaru sounded desperate. Who was he talking to? Who was he talking about?

"Please, give me some time!"

More words came from the phone, sounding very angry and forceful this time.

"Okay, no extension, but, what about a girl? I mean, who needs so many guys?" He choked out a laugh, trying hard to stay calm.

Hikaru looked close to breaking down, he was sweating profusely.

"Please, I love him. Don't take him from me. I can give you Hana's address right now, she lives alone. She's an easy target, please."

Woah.

Is he talking about Hana-senpai?

What is he going to do to her?

Just then, Ayato's phone pinged. The loud alert caught Hikaru's attention, and made him stop talking. Ayato heard footsteps coming towards his position, so he fled the scene.

He ran down the cavernous allies and appeared in front of a random shop, something hidden from even locals as Ayato had never heard of it.

He heard Hikaru coming down the alley to follow him, but the footsteps suddenly stopped. The person on the phone must have asked what the commotion was, as he heard Hikaru try to explain and fail.

Something good must have happened, because Hikaru sounded very relieved and heaved a very heavy sigh of joy.

"Oh thank you, thank you thank you thank you! I promise, I can get you on schedule next month! Yes, thank you sir, I promise, you won't be disappointed."

Hikaru ended the call and fell back against the wall of the alley, looking sweaty and exhausted. Ayato felt he intruded on a private moment, but this was necessary, Hana-chan was in danger.

Now that he wasn't being chased, he felt comfortable enough to see the message that made his phone bring attention to him. Walking towards the cafe, he got out his phone and searched for it.

'I told you😾'

'Now you're in
for it!😜'

Info, that son of a-

Ayato's thoughts were interrupted by a wall of chest bumping him back into the brick walls of the shops lining the street, his death glare on the ready, he was almost to the shop and now this?

That was when he saw him, and his long, intricate dragon tattoos. His long mullet, his garish attire, and his gold jewelry. What an odd man?

"Watch where you're going little boy." He said, his breath held the stench of cigarettes and a hard alcohol. He walked away briskly.

"You bumped into me." Ayato retaliated, raising his eyebrow in defiance. "Don't call me 'little boy' either."

The man furrowed his eyebrows and scowled and turned to face Ayato once more. He scaled the distance between them quickly, and got in Ayato's face.

"You wanna repeat that?" He got eye level with Ayato by putting his hands on his hips and leaning forward. "Little boy?"

Ayato was about to snark back when a familiar voice called his name. Bringing his attention to the voice, he saw Manager Hikaru down the street, looking much worse for wear and very obviously trying not to look at the man Ayato was talking to.

"Ayato-kun! What are you doing out here? You should be in the cafe?" Manager Hikaru said, looking very confused. He seemed to be keeping his distance.

"Oh, Manager! I'm sorry, my mother called, she was checking up on me and I just started walking!" He gave Hikaru an easy smile, his persona back at work. "I'm sorry for leaving! I'll make it up to you!!" He all but squealed out.

Hikaru blushed at his words, and looked away. He seemed to be willing his blush away and tried to look as professional as he could in front of this man.

'I wonder why he was trying to look professional,' Ayato thought, 'he looks too disgusting to be anything right now.'

However, Ayato was broken from his train of thought from the tall, garish man beside him laughing exuberantly.

Ayato raised his eyebrow at the man in question, 'What is this bozo laughing at?'

"Oh man! This kid is a riot! He work for you, Shin?" The weird guy asked, he used his height to his advantage and put his elbow on Ayato's head as an arm rest.

This made Ayato's blood boil, the stranger's careless touching on top of his conspicuous manner made Ayato hate every little thing about this man. He all but bit back a growl and snarl at the contact, for keeping his image with Manager Hikaru.

"Yes, he does. He's....new." He meekly answered. It was weird to see such a strong man be so scared of this random stranger's presence. Ayato wondered what kind of power this man had to make Hikaru tremble in fear like he is now.

"Oh! So this is the new hire!" His smile and laugh seemed sinister now. Though it was meant for Hikaru and not Ayato. "I was so interested in the reason why we were off schedule, and I'm so glad I was granted permission to come see." He looked back at Ayato, silently fuming under his elbow. Everything must be funny to this guy, because he seemed to know what Ayato was feeling and he snickered at his misery.

"Yknow, I see it." He took his elbow off of Ayato's head and stared him in the eyes. He seemed to be analyzing him, taking in every detail and flaw. After a while, he stood back and looked at Hikaru. "I get it. I like him." He put his hands in his pockets and turned to walk away, pulling out a carton of cigarettes in one hand and a lighter in the other.

Before Hikaru could take Ayato away though, the man called out behind him. At his call, Hikaru pulled Ayato behind him, as if he could protect him from the stranger's words.

'Like that would do anything.' Ayato thought as he looked up and down at Hikaru in disgust from behind him, since Hikaru wouldn't be able to see his face.

"I think Oni-sama would like him too." And then he signaled goodbye, his smug face covered by the cigarette smoke and the fog seemingly making him disappear without a trace as he walked on.

Hikaru's face blanched.

What did Ayato get into this time?