CHAPTER 2

  Lightbringer on Leave

  by Ogawa Kimiko for Tokyo Today

  In a shocking twist of events, Lightbringer’s personal guardian agency, The Skylight has announced his first official leave of absence from Guardianship duties in his entire career. After twenty-three years in the spotlight as the number one guardian with the highest approval rating and number of cases solved, the Symbol of Hope and Guardian of the Future is finally taking a well-deserved week-long break.

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  r/guardians

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  posted by u/powersurgenerds

  Lightbringer on Leave — or aiming for retirement?

  Listen, I’m not a pessimist by any means, but isn’t the guy old? I love Lightbringer. He was my favourite guardian growing up, and he’s my number two now, but we’ve got to face the facts. The guy is over 40. He’s getting up there in age, and I know that if I were as loaded as he has to be, I would be handing in that resignation letter and calling it quits to coast on my life savings in Tahiti. I think he’s preparing the public for his retirement, and he’s doing it now.

  Comments

  ↑↓ moonsnooze 11.2k points

  don’t let the lightbringer stans find this. they’re going to eat you alive bro.

  but, for real, have you ever thought about the fact the man just loves his job? have you read the article going over all the facts of his career? he’s done this for twenty-three years with barely any breaks and he’s constantly doing charity work. the most time he’s taken off before this was two days, and that was because he had to attend a weekend long charity gala. the man is dedicated. i don’t think he’s retiring, and if he is, it’s not of his volition.

  View entire discussion (6.8k Comments)

  Japanese Guardian News @japanguardiandaily ? 10h

  The Skylight announces Lightbringer’s week-long vacation. Let’s talk about what that means for the public and society at large as we watch the streets and crime statistics for the next 7 days closely.

  41k retweets 1.5k quote retweets 91k likes

  replying to @japanguardiandaily

  stream matsuri or die! @sunxstarstan ? 3h

  does it scare anyone else how we’re so conditioned to be reliant on one person to keep the streets safe??? i mean i get it he’s lightbringer but he can’t do everything??? do the crime rates really go up that much when he’s not around???

  3.5k retweets 1k quote retweets 12k likes

  replying to @sunxstarstan

  Isamu Saito, PhD @doctorisamusaito ? 2h

  It’s a shame how often people forget what Lightbringer did for society when he first debuted as a Guardian. Look at how he managed to suppress the crime rates of our country to under 5% within the first three years of his career.

  13.5k retweets 4.8k quote retweets 39k likes

  The Tokudaiji Estate was a sprawling, secret faux-village hidden in the western end of Kyoto, far enough out that it was nearly out of the city's boundaries. Their chauffeur had to take them through a private winding road sealed off by an iron-wrought gate, and they drove by kilometres of untouched forest before breaching the perimeter of the grand residence.

  Yumi could see why her grandfather referred to it as a compound.

  The main house was a palatial indulgence that mimicked the Meiji-period castles of Japan, and the surrounding buildings looked like mere toys in comparison. Several detached buildings dotted the extensive acres of moss-green land guarded by a fence and secured gates that required an internal approval for entry; it looked like an unimaginably wealthy suburb that borrowed design inspiration from the Edo period.

  Butler Furutani had explained that she would live in one of the houses closest to the main building as it belonged to her mother. Her parents had stipulated in their will that everything, and that meant everything, they owned belonged solely to Yumi. People would try to dispute it, most likely her father's family, but the Tokudaijis began in law and politics. She didn't understand the full scope of what that meant, but she knew it was worth fighting over considering how much work her uncle had to undertake to safeguard her.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The armoured SUV pulled up the main road leading up to a large roundabout that broke off into separate roads and a driveway attached to the main house. Yumi craned her head to pick out the details of the other houses.

  The other main branch Tokudaijis lived in those houses.

  Her mother's family.

  She never quite had extended family in the way other children did. Her parents had friends she called aunt and uncle, but outside of that, they kept her well-guarded from others. The incident with her father's family still lingered long into their memory, despite the fact it happened when she was five.

  The chauffeur parked the car by a whole line of similar black vehicles that she assumed were also armoured. Yumi's eyes darted between every other person in the car and shrunk in her seat when no one made a move to exit.

  "I will speak with the Clan Elders," her grandfather said as he opened the car door. "Ensure that she is comfortable."

  "Of course, Tokudaiji-sama," Butler Furutani said.

  Her grandfather looked at her, a strange and unreadable expression on his severe face. "Be good, Yumi."

  She startled at the direct address, but she nodded shyly and hesitated on what to say next.

  "Yes, Ojii-sama."

  Polite and respectful; that couldn't possibly go wrong.

  A frown wrinkled his face before he nodded sharply and left them to accomplish whatever goals he had with the Clan Elders.

  Butler Furutani sighed when the car door shut behind him. He reached over to help Yumi unbuckle herself, and he guided her to the doors where her personal guard waited with an outstretched hand. Takenaka helped her out of the tall SUV and deposited her onto solid ground.

  "Thank you," she said, clutching onto her black cat plush.

  "You're quite welcome, Yumi-sama," Takenaka said.

  She frowned, but remained silent.

  Butler Furutani reappeared out of thin air, not a single movement wasted as he stepped into his place at Yumi's side as if he never left it. He held out his hand toward her with a gentle smile on his face. "Come, Yumi-hime, let's see your new home."

  .

  Her grandfather hadn't lied about wanting to keep her close.

  Butler Furutani guided them down a well-trekked but paved footpath, and a bevy of colourful wildflowers, shrubbery, and greenery almost overran the trail they walked along. It was a single and meandering pathway that led to a serene and picturesque scene.

  The once-home that once belonged to her mother was a three-story house tucked away into a far corner, but somehow, it remained the closest to the main residence. They had clearly taken inspiration from the Edo period for the architecture, but no one could deny it was a modern build. The house boasted the traditional dark wood exterior, sloping tiled roofs, and an all encompassing veranda. A prominent swathe of blossoming trees swayed over the small man-made pond carving out the centre of the courtyard while a mature garden of vegetables and flowers wrapped around the property.

  The modern additions to the home came in the details of the sharper edges, heavier materials, and less worn exterior. She supposed the interior would show more of the contemporary touches in the designs.

  "I will take Yumi-sama's things into the home," Takenaka said, and he lifted up the suitcase and bag in his hand.

  Yumi bowed awkwardly. "Thank you."

  "Of course, Yumi-sama," he said before he left.

  "What do you think of your new home?" Butler Furutani asked softly.

  Her mother often reminisced about the koi fish Butler Furutani and Doctor Furutani liked to keep in the pond beneath the peach blossom trees. There were a few nights her mother told her stories about the childhood within the Tokudaiji Estate, aching with the want to return to Japan, but never truly being able to.

  Yumi wanted to explore every inch of the property to imagine the places her mother once stood and embed every story into the building so the memory of her would never leave it. She wished she could do the same for her other parents.

  "I like it," she said. "Are the koi still alive?"

  A brief flash of surprise lit up Butler Furutani's face before he smiled at her, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Your mother told you about that, did she?"

  She nodded, and she swung the hand holding his. "She missed them."

  Butler Furutani swallowed. "I wish she got to see them one last time."

  Yumi sneaked a glance at his pained face and glassy eyes. She inched closed and squeezed his hand tighter, unsure of what to do. He offered her a weak smile in response.

  "Would you like to see them?" he asked, clearing his throat.

  She nodded and pretended that she didn't hear the wispy wavering underlining the fragility of his voice. He guided her towards the clear yet dark waters where she could see the svelte bodies of the carps cutting through the waters. A variety of the koi populated the pond, from pure pearl white to brightly spotted vermillions to onyx black. Yumi let go of Butler Furutani's hand to crouch down and look at the shallow pool as she hugged her black cat plush. The water was clear enough that she could see the glimmering bedrock and her reflection despite the rippling waters due to the swimming fish.

  Were these the same fish that her mother watched swim in the pond all those years ago? Had she witnessed them grow from palm-sized babies to full-grown fish?

  Butler Furutani's other hand dropped onto the crown of her head and jostled her out of her thoughts. "It seems that you have your first visitor."

  Yumi stood up to dust herself off. She followed Butler Furutani's gaze to the path leading up to the main residence, and she almost dropped the cat plush in her arms. Her body moved before she could think, and she began to clumsily sprint across the courtyard.

  She heard his rich laughter just before she found herself snatched up and airborne.

  "Now, who would this little peanut be?" Takahiro said teasingly as he caught her.

  "Takahiro-ji!" Yumi threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder.

  He smoothed down her hair. "I believe that's my name."

  "You know my name," she said, voice muffled by his blazer.

  He smelled like the cologne she helped her mother choose for his birthday gift last year. It was a spicy and warm scent like the candles her mother liked to burn during autumn. Yumi's eyes watered against her will, and she couldn't help the tears flooding her face. A sob rattled out from her chest and shook her entire body. Her cat plush slipped out of her grasp and hit the ground.

  Takahiro wrapped his arms around her tightly, and he rubbed her back. "It's okay. You can cry now. Let it all out."

  Yumi shook her head, but she could feel the stray wet spots on her own shoulder. She dug her fingers deeper into her uncle's suit in response and burrowed her face harder into his shoulder just so she could try to control her crying.

  "I'm here, peanut," Takahiro said.

  He held onto her as if she would disappear, and Yumi couldn't help but do the same.

  Mama, Baba, and Dad may be dead, but she would always have her uncle.