Chapter 2: Hunting Season(ing) Part One

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Are you okay with this?" Mob sat on a bench with Tome, the head of the Telepathy Club. Mob wasn't part of the Telepathy Club, but he had a good relationship with the members since they shared the room with the Body Improvement Club (which Mob was a part of). So naturally, when Tome aggressively insisted that he help her hunt aliens or telepaths or telepaths that were also aliens, Mob felt like he had no choice to agree.

But unfortunately, despite having four investigative meetings (this one was number five), they had thusfar failed to find anything.

Maybe aliens or telepaths weren't as common as either one of them thought.

"Maybe it'd be better for us to try again later in the year. Maybe aliens visit only during certain seasons." It didn't at all seem implausible to Mob. People always hoped for the weather to be a certain way when they went on vacation. If aliens were even a little like humans, Mob was sure they'd feel the same way when they vacationed on other planets.

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[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Oh?" Teruki turned to sit on the windowsill, his attention fully back on Mob. "I wasn't expecting that. What do you do?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"I work for a master exorcist as his disciple." Did that sound cool? Teruki seemed to think it was cool that he had a job, at least.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"...Seriously?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Yeah. I've been doing it for a few years now."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"So you've been doing that since elementary?" Teruki laughed, kicking his feet a little. "No wonder you're so strong! You're way too humble for a guy that applies himself this much!"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"I-it's not like that," Mob said, embarrassed. He was aware he was embarrassed but if anyone asked him why, he wouldn't be able to tell them. "It's just a little part time work. Master Reigen does most of the hard stuff."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Kageyama-kun..." Hearing Mob make himself this small was ridiculous--offensive, even. "I don't believe you...actually, it'd be better to say you're totally wrong."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Huh?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teruki was leaning in close again--the only time he'd been closer was when he'd put his hands on Mob. "You're really strong...it's not because of your psychic power, either. Your conviction. Your discipline. No one cultivates that kind of strength by just showing up for a paycheck every other day."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob was pretty good at determining what fights could and couldn't be won. He got a good feeling that he wasn't going to win this one, no matter how much he contested Teruki's opinion.

"Thanks," he said instead.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"You don't believe me, huh?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Um." Mob didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to admit the truth, either.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Yeah, you don't. You're really obvious." Teruki pressed his finger into the little dip beside Mob's lip that furrowed when he was trying to hold his words back. "As long as you don't think I'm lying. Whatever you think of me, I actually really hate liars."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob had his hand held and his face touched all in one day. He wasn't used to this much physical touch... at least not from someone who wasn't related to him.

"Okay." He didn't think that Teruki was lying about it, but he did think that if he got to see his job, he might think differently.

"If you want, you should stop by sometime. It's called Spirits & Such."

[mp_npc]

Mrs. Kageyama usually delegated dinner announcements to one of her sons or her husband, but today was quite special! Shigeo--her Shigeo--had brought over a friend. And such a polite one and sporty one, too! That could only bode well for her wayward boy. Water that seed. Water that seed. That's all she could think as she walked up the stairs to ensure Hanazawa was getting a good impression.

So, she didn't wait to make her announcement until after she slid the door to her oldest's room open. "Boys! Dinner is...ready..."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob's head immediately swiveled to look at his mother as she entered the room; she had a second to catch Teruki's hand on his face. Even Mob was aware what she might think of it. That prolonged silence said everything without saying anything at all.

"M-mom!" He tried to push the word out evenly, but instead it came out with a slight stutter. Somehow, he managed to regain his composure to spit out a few more words. "We'll be right down."

[mp_npc]

"Oh...well. You've had a long day. Just take the time you need." Mrs. Kageyama delicately slid the door shut--and opened it one more time. "Oh, but not too long, alright? It really will get cold." Then she finally shut it for good.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Once his mom left the room, Mob turned to look at Teruki. "Um, we should go downstairs."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Understood." None the wiser to what had just taken place, Teruki hopped off the windowsill to follow Mob's lead.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Before long, all of them were seated, bowls of nikujaga in front of them. Mob was all too aware of his mother's glances. It really made him feel anxious.

26%... 27%... 28%...

"Tome-senpai and I went out today looking for telepaths," he said, desperate to fill the silence with something. "We weren't successful, though."

[mp_npc]

"Oh...you weren't with Hanazawa-kun all day?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"No, we met up after she left." Mob took a bite of his nikujaga, focusing hard on the actual act of eating so he wouldn't inadvertently mess up his spoon again.

[mp_npc]

"I see, I see." She wasn't trying to embarrass her boy--really, she wasn't, but she just needed a clearer picture of this...development! "Hanazawa-kun, please feel free to take some home with you."

Teruki swallowed his latest mouthful quickly. "Really? Thank you very much. It's delicious, Mrs. Kageyama!"

"Oh, it's just my old stand-by, but it goes a long way in keeping a house full of boys full."

"You used Suigei Tokubetsu Junmai sake, right?"

"Eh? Oh...well, yes!"

Teruki took another small bite of meat and swallowed. "I could tell by the acidity and the texture. Much more than you get with a honjozo. Ah, and fennel. Those really complement the flavors of the meat."

"...My! You're so cultured!" The laughter that came from Mrs. Kageyama was equal parts delight and disbelief. That was the most thorough compliment she ever remembered getting on her cooking. "To think middle schoolers these days know so much about sake..."

"Ah, no, no. Not at all. My father is an enthusiast. That makes him rather...discerning about these kinds of things."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Wow. Teruki really did know just about everything, didn't he? Mob had no idea what his scores at school were like, but he was sure they were closer to the top than they were from the bottom. As for Mob, his scores were always right near the middle.

"What does your dad do for a living?" Mob was curious about what kind of job he'd have for Teruki to live alone. Now seemed like a good time to ask it.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"He does hedge fund management." Teruki took another bite.