IT IS STILL WEDNESDAY, AT LEAST WHERE I LIVE! ENJOY THIS CHAPTER AS RECONCILIATION. And the grammar and utter lack of emotion is not the setting of the book, it's just Yukio's personality shining through.

There he went again, getting into fights and blaming others for his actions. It was infuriating how he acted, oblivious to the burden he's put on those around him. Dad's constantly reassuring him, but it's just a facade to cover the harsh reality of who he is. To be just, that reality technically involves both him and I. However, it'd be another lie to put myself in the same category as Rin; him and I are nothing alike.

"Nii-chan? You good?" He nudged me with his elbow and I let a smile slip across my lips. He huffed and scratched his head, his tone exasperated. "You won't get far with that blank look on your face." You won't get far with that attitude, either. His arm dropped and he looked away, "you'll visit, right?" I blinked a few times, surprised by the mood shift. He sensed my response and stuttered, "I-I mean, I'll be fine, but the old man's gonna be lost without you."

A small, genuine smile creeped onto my face and I took a step toward him. I reached up and flicked him in the forehead, his pink cheeks darkening. "I'll visit, don't worry. Who else is going to patch you up?"

I saw a sparkle in his eye and my animosity fizzled out. Even though he was a demon child, he was still my quirky sibling. Rin chatted with me for awhile before I excused myself to my room. Tomorrow was a big day, I'd be moving into the academy dorms, and I had butterflies. Yet, I wasn't worried about my upcoming school life, no, it was the situation here at home that had me anxious.

How would Rin fare without me to hold back the reigns? I knew Dad would be able to handle his outbursts, but for how long? It seems as though... I sigh, my eyes wandering around my empty room. I'd already sent my belongings on ahead of me. This vacant room was a drastic change from my inner monologue, as my thoughts were starting to jumble.

I close my eyes and lay back on my bed, a heavy feeling settling in my lower abdomen. I'm overthinking, obviously, this is what happens when you leave home. Things will sort themselves out eventually, even if they are chaotic at first. Rin just has to stay out of trouble...

.oOo.

"It'll be real quiet without you around," I turned and met crimson eyes. Dad was seeing me off, from home because I'd refused the idea of him coming to the train station with me. It was an unnecessary for him when he could just stay here and get more work done. "Are you sure you have everything?" I nod and he sighs, a frown on his face. "If you forget anything, call me, I can make time to drop it off."

I shook my head vehemently, "I didn't forget anything, and if I did, which I didn't, you can send it through parcel." His frown deepened and he walked toward me, ruffling my hair and grunting.

"Yeesh, you're only fifteen and you're acting like an adult. I don't know if I like that..." I glanced away, my gaze settling somewhere beyond the monastery gates. "Don't let you're old man wait too long between visits, got it?" I nodded and the air shifted slightly, my mouth opening to bid farewell.

"Yukio!!!" The front door crashed open and both Dad and I flinched, immediately turning in the direction of the noise. A frumpy and tired looking Rin sprinted out, his feet bare and his sleepwear still on. He came to a stop next to Dad, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "Leaving without saying goodbye to your older brother? How rude, Nii-chan, I'm actually hurt."

I resisted the urge to scoff at him, "You're the one outside with bedhead, how am I to blame for this?" He rolled his eyes and proceeded to point his finger at me, conjuring up a god-awful excuse for his tardiness. My eyes flickered slightly upward, catching the fond look father had as he watched us banter. I sighed, my lips curling upward at the ends. Rin blinked a few times, looking at the both of us dramatically.

"What?!"

I took a step forward and used my fist to lightly push his shoulder, "I'll miss you, too, Nii-san."

His face flushed red and he fidgeted about, "ah, don't get all gooey on us now, Yukio. I thought you became a man?" He gave me a dirty look and I stifled a chuckle, only making him more embarrassed. My eyes went from blue to red irises, my farewell coming out cleanly. And soon enough, I was walking passed the gates of my childhood home.

The train ride went smoothly, besides a few mutters and grunts from others when things got a bit cramped. I sighed when an older man stepped on my shoe, scuffing the top of it. Thankfully, I was smart and wore an older pair.

The fresh air was welcome after the subway doors opened, the people piling out onto the platform. My eyes were immediately drawn to a darkened corner where a man sat on the ground. His clothes were slightly wrinkled and his hair was dirty. When I treaded my way over to him, I noticed two things; he wasn't much older than his late teens, and there were coal tars surrounding him.

My jaw set and I reached into my back pocket, pulling out a few hundred yen before kneeling down next to the man. At first, he gave me a fearful look, and when he saw my hand, palm filled with coins, his eyes grew angry. "I don't need pity, especially from a kid." He turned his head as if to end the discussion and I sighed. Grabbing one specific item from my hand, I held it out to him. He gave me an irritated look, but begrudgingly held his hand under mine.

I let the charm fall from my grasp, and as soon as the blessed metal hit his palm, a few coal tars scattered. It took him a few moments to realize what it was, but when I saw it dawn on his face, more of the small demons fluttering away. I took that as my cue to leave, and I pushed myself to my feet.

Suddenly, a hand grasped at the hem of my coat and I cast a surprised look down at the man. He dropped his grip immediately, but his eyes held a shimmer of light. "Thank you, kind stranger." I nodded, keeping quiet as I walked away. That charm wouldn't directly help him get his life in order, but it would keep the demons from clouding his mind. Hopefully, he'll keep that small trinket and help himself: That's what I enjoy the most about being an exorcist; helping others help themselves.

I walked to the academy, my awe slightly dampened by the overcast sky. I'm sure this place looked astounding in the daylight. It had probably been an absolute nightmare for the architects, however. I chuckled to myself as I got my paperwork from the office. A kid handed me a a few stapled forms, a schedule with my class location and shoe locker, and a paper with my dorm information and key.

I decided to use that last form first, grateful they'd included a map of the campus, or else I'd already be lost. My dorm was on the right side of the academy, and I saw a few dozen kids as I walked along the corridors. A few greeted me and asked my name, I politely introduced myself and they looked impressed by my formality.

We exchanged pleasantries and they bid my farewell. I continued my room search, eventually finding myself on the second to top story. Pulling the key out of my front pocket, I slide it into the lock, turning it and feeling a small amount of satisfaction at the soft click it produced. Pushing open the door, I found the room empty, except for my boxed belongings. I glanced at my paper, noting my roommates name. He must not be here, not everyone decides to unpack a week before school begins. They should, however, procrastination gets you nowhere.

Sitting down, I started unboxing my things, hanging my meager amount of clothes in the closet. After awhile, my eyes caught a glimpse of the weather outside and my brows furrowed. The forecasters said nothing about rain this evening... walking over to the window, a thought occurred to me. I pulled out my cellphone and dialed a familiar number, listening quietly as the animatronic voice deadpanned that my call hadn't gone through. I hung up and called once more, sighing and closing my phone. My eyes wandered up to the darkened sky, my worries intensifying. "Rin..."

I blinked myself out of a trance, pushing myself away from the window and grabbing my jacket. I shoved my key into my pocket as I hastily threw the garment over my shoulders. I passed a few of my peers as my feet thudded down the flights of stairs. They tried to start a conversation with me, but I called my apology and continued down and through the main lobby.

When I exited the dorm, I almost collided with someone. I mumbled an apology and tried to move around them, but they reached out and grabbed the back of my jacket. "Good evening, you must be a new student," I threw a backward glance at them, inwardly groaning when I realized he was a teacher.

I hastily turned and bowed, "good evening, Sensei! I'm Okumura Yukio, first year student." I straightened up and gave him a look of contrite, "my apologies for being so brutish, however, I have some personal matters I need to attend to. Thank you for your time!" I turned on my heels and began a light jog toward the gates, my stomach beginning to churn.

Something was wrong, very horribly wrong.