Aura: Koga Maryuin’s Final Battle

AURA 4

“Maaan, so in the end, it’s four dudes.”
“Boil it down, and that’s your fault.”
Clad in a negative aura, Kawai relentlessly retorted to Saitou’s lament.
“The hell. You were marching in enemy territory too. Singling out the queen is plain retarded.”
In the end, we went out with four boys. The mood of defeat still lingering. To whoever thought up the phrase ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ I’d like to have a word in that back alley. They could never have known the modern world.
“Well, whatever. Always a next time.”
Not if I have any say in it. I decided to hammer in the point.
“I think it’ll be a hard stretch in our class. The cute girls have already formed their groups.”
“That’s just Takahashi-kun’s women, right?” Well, that’s one way to put it. “Then do you want to play pickup? You think you’re capable?”
Our directionless sighs overlapped.
One train stop away led to a moderate business district. The destination was an accessory shop only Saitou knew about. Even if his dignity had crumbled, he would live by his word. The word accessories just wasn’t hitting home. Gemstones? Armbands? I grew anxious over what to do if we entered some full-blown jewelry store.
“We’re here.”
He came to a stop in front of a booth.
A stand at around waist-height, lined with small metallic ornaments glistening like the night sky. Necklaces, bracelets, rings. While few in numbers, some leather bands too. The tall and lean presumed shopkeeper sat on a pipe chair by the side, reading a magazine. An oriental pattern-embroidered long T-shirt, skinny jeans, and a strangely formal-ish black cap suited him to an unnatural extent. Hmm, so hats count as accessories, I mused.
“Kume-saaaan,” as Saitou called out, the shopkeeper raised his face.
“Welcome, umm… you’re…?”
Saitou was forgotten again.
“How mean. It’s me, Saitou,” his smile was stiff.
“Oh, Saitou, is it? Saitou-kun… sorry, sorry.”
“These here are my classmates, ‘n I brought them to see your stuff.”
He introduced us all together.
“Well then have a good look. Take your time… nah, I don’t have too much to look at, but do have a look.”
A bit bashful, Kume-san lightly lowered his head. He was, perhaps a little over twenty. I wouldn’t call him a peerless looker, but he had a good vibe around him and an amiable face. A good aura.
We silently bent down to pour our attention on the stand. I thought it was nothing but skull rings, and cross and angel wing necklaces, but those flashy items only made up a small portion. The rest were all simple but tasteful pieces. The price wasn’t anything crazy either. Regardless of whether or not I was confident I could properly wear them, I was fascinated.
“Are these produced by you, Kume-san?” I asked.
“Yeah, that’s right. Ah, but those ones are a consignment from a friend.”
He pointed out a corner full of skull rings, and blood-stained crosses.
“I thought so. They were giving off a different sort of feeling.”
“Ahaha. I wouldn’t doubt it. They’re made in a different style and all.”
“I’ve never worn this sort of stuff before… so I don’t know where to start.”
“Hmm. You’ll rarely be able to wear most accessories at school. But how about,” He pointed towards the leather straps.
“Something like that? That one’s to hang on a cell phone. This over here’s a wristwatch. Though I’ll admit, the clock mechanism was cheap.”
Both of them pulled at my heartstrings. The watch was especially night. A slender piece as if melded with a stylish wristband, and I took to it at a glance. One look at the price, and it was well within my range.
In the end, I was the only one to make a purchase before we left the stall. When I thought the day was going to end on a terrible note, my mood recovered with an unexpectedly nice purchase. I sure am cheap.
“Come to think of it,” In a diner booth, leaning in like a melting snowman, Saitou changed the topic. “About the girls, there’s still one we haven’t seen  yet, right?”
“You’re talking about  Satou, right?”
“Hello, need something?” I lightly barged in. Kawai next to me amiably pat me on the shoulder.
“Wrong one. I mean the Satou front left of you. Ladies’ Satou.”
The female Satou had yet to attend school a single time. No one knew what she looked like.
“There’s a chance she’s some super beauty,” posed Saitou.
“Like hell, numbskull.” “Drop dead,” he was unanimously hit down.
Whoever she was, if she hadn’t come to school for a weak, it was possible she would never come again. Something must have come up. She might quietly drop out or transfer somewhere else. It wasn’t too rare. It was pointless to think up a reason. Any number of changes can come to a teenage spirit.
… I was a prime example.