Two days after the incident at the Grand Opera House…
"Mr. Shirogane…"
Mira's voice was low, laced with unease.
"The incident at the opera house is still unsolved. What in the world could've caused that much collateral damage…?"
A brief silence followed.
The two sat across from one another inside a quiet office, the air heavy despite its calm setting.
"Well… we don't know yet," Makoto replied casually, lifting his cup and taking a slow sip of his latte. His expression remained unreadable.
"Maybe it was something supernatural."
He glanced at her.
"What do you think, Mira?"
Mira fell silent.
Her brows knitted together as concern clouded her face.
"I… I don't know," she admitted quietly.
"Everything happened so suddenly. The damage left behind- it was like a massive tornado tore through the place."
Her hands clenched slightly.
"And you, Director… you were completely unharmed."
She hesitated, then looked straight at him.
"What really happened that night?"
Makoto gently set his cup down onto its saucer.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"…Like I said," he finally answered, his voice lower now, measured.
"I survived by staying in the gallery. I was shaking, and then, poof."
He made a small gesture with his fingers.
"Suddenly, everything was gone."
He paused.
"No one was hurt. Not a single casualty," he added calmly.
"…It did feel strange, though."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Whatever saved us that night was… quite an adept"
Mira let out a slow sigh, her eyes closing briefly. As she opened them, she noticed the telephone, its red indicator blinking insistently.
She stood up as Makoto continued calmly sipping from his cup.
"Hello?" Mira said, lifting the receiver.
"M-Miss Mira- this is reception," a female voice stammered from the other end.
"There's a lady causing trouble here, and… I didn't want to involve you- especially not the Director, but she's being very persistent. She's demanding to see him personally. I'm so sorry!"
Mira's expression hardened.
"Alright. We'll head down there," she replied curtly before placing the phone back onto its cradle.
Makoto, unfazed, took another sip.
"And what disturbance has decided to bless this fine day?" he asked, his tone lightly sarcastic almost imperceptibly so.
Mira sighed.
"Someone's making a commotion at the reception," she said.
"And apparently… she's demanding you."
Makoto's cup paused midair.
"Demanding, huh" he echoed softly.
Kiss X Reaper
Chapter 2: An Unknown Visitor
The Beginning of the story's first part: Theater's Encore
Act I - A Dual Dance
"I am requesting your manager's presence. Immediately."
The woman's voice rang through the reception hall. It was fierce, yet refined, each word measured, dignified, and sharp enough to cut through the chaos.
The staff stood frozen.
Some lowered their heads, overwhelmed by the tension. Others wore strained smiles, a bead of sweat trailing down their temples from sheer embarrassment.
"M-Miss, you must calm down--" one of the staff began.
Her words were cut short.
The woman cast a single glance sideways cold, piercing, and absolute.
The staff member fell silent at once.
Then, The glass doors at the rear of the hall slid open. Footsteps echoed softly. Mira and Makoto emerged, walking side by side, their movements unhurried as they approached the center of the disturbance.
Silence followed them.
As they arrived at the scene, the two stepped out from the shadows of the hallway.
Mira let out a weary sigh and began to speak.
"Alright, let's settle this without any shouting or destruc--"
Her words faded.
The woman had turned.
Her attention shifted instantly. Decisively, her gaze locking onto Makoto the moment she saw him. Nothing else seemed to exist. Not the staff. Not the tension in the room. Only him.
She stared- unblinking, intent. Makoto met her gaze just as steadily. Calm. Relaxed. Almost indifferent. Around them, the world fell away.
The murmurs, the staff, even Mira herself became nothing more than background noise distant, irrelevant, as the air between the two figures grew taut with unspoken recognition.
Noticing the woman's unwavering gaze fixed on Makoto, Mira's eyes widened. She stepped forward abruptly, positioning herself between them and cutting off the silent exchange.
"Hey!" she snapped.
"I'm talking to you."
Her voice echoed through the reception.
"And why are you staring at Mr. Shirogane like that?"
Mira continued, her tone sharp with suspicion.
"You'd better not be planning anything."
Seeing the scene unfold, Makoto let out a faint smile. He gently placed a hand atop Mira's head.
"Relax," he said calmly.
"I'll take care of this."
As he stepped forward, his hand lingered for a brief moment, giving her head a reassuring pat before he passed her.
Makoto walked straight past the woman as well, only stopping once he reached the glass doors, the entrance to the opera house. There, he paused. Turning his head slightly, he spoke without looking back.
"Follow me," he said evenly.
"We can discuss whatever business you have while walking to the park."
A brief pause.
"It offers better security, after all."
With that, he pushed the doors open and exited.
Outside, the two walked side by side beneath the open sky, Makoto leading slightly ahead and his cane tapping on the ground each step. The woman followed a step behind, her gaze fixed on him, sharp, doubtful, never wavering.
A single petal drifted down from above.
Before it could reach the ground, Makoto noticed it. He opened his palm, allowing the petal to settle into his hand, slowly, gently, as if guided there.
The woman suddenly stopped.
Makoto halted as well.
"I witnessed your actions against the Sylph.
Or rather, I perceived them. The surge of power you released was such that it felt as though I were present myself."
she said. Her voice was quiet, controlled, yet carried a subtle pressure beneath it.
She took a step closer.
"Tell me, Hunter- or should I say, Shirogane Makoto, how much do you truly understand of this side of the world, given your status as a renowned one?"
Makoto turned his head slightly.
"You're not human," he said plainly.
"Hmm?"
She didn't deny it.
"You are correct. I am no longer bound by humanity.
I am Yukie Saku. the Deity of Snow. An Ancient Eye"
Makoto turned his gaze forward once more, falling silent.
"An Ancient Eye huh..."
After a brief pause, he spoke again, turning back to face her.
"I did sense a presence far more transcendent than that of ordinary humans," he said calmly.
"But you, in particular…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're quite the unique case, at least, from what I can feel."
Yukie's lips curved into a faint smile, confidence resting effortlessly in her expression.
"That is precisely why I sought you out.
I require one who possesses understanding beyond convention… beyond normality"
The two locked eyes. Makoto's gaze burned with fascination, curiosity edged with restraint. Yukie's eyes held quiet dominance, her confidence unshaken. Neither looked away.