just a guy who's a devil hunter for fun

Chapter 37: Hold on and let go

"conversation"

(interior monologue)

4 days since Reze's bombing

Reze, disguised with a cap on his head, slowly walked through the packed crowd. Reze walked past a group of patrol officers and donated to a familiar-looking charity group. The girl in the charity group gave Reze a free flower and Reze accepted it.

Reze grabbed the flower, stared at it, stood in front of the train's wing that allowed her to escape the country.

Reze stopped to look at the flower, the image of a bald idiot taking out a similar flower from his pocket appeared in her mind.

She sighed.

A high-speed train left, speeding past and leaving Reze behind. She stood there, took off her hat and left the train station.

She walked, she kept walking on familiar roads, she passed a phone booth - where she met Denji that rainy day.

Reze walked away, going into an alley that he used to use as a shortcut to get to his part-time job.

Reze started running, she wanted to run quickly out of this alley. Reze wanted to go into that store where she used to work, wanted to run there quickly, to the place where she thought the boy she loved would be waiting for her, but...Reze...suddenly stopped...didn't run anymore...and backed into that alley...she saw no sign of Denji

She backed away and the alley was dark enough that no one could see her, enough for her to observe the store and Reze began to wait.

Who are you waiting for?

Reze is waiting for Denji.

Why wait like that?

Because Reze naively thought that Denji would as usual...come to the shop to see her. She wanted to meet Denji, just to say sorry, to say that she really loved him, to say that she had never been to school.

She stood in the alley and waited...continued to stand and wait...and wait...Denji never came...her legs got tired so she sat down, leaned against the wall and continued to wait. Waiting forever...waiting forever, it was late afternoon, the sky had changed color to orange, Reze was still sitting in that alley...hugging her legs and leaning her head in, she had waited too long.

Reze started to stand up, dusted herself off, turned around and walked towards the path that led her to this alley, but before leaving she still looked back at that store with lingering eyes. She looked at the flower in her hand, her face looked like she wanted to cry. Even though it wasn't the flower that Denji gave her, it would remind her of the boy she loved and would always love. Reze left, blending into the darkness.

A moment after Reze left, a familiar figure appeared, wearing a familiar blue tracksuit. The bald young man walked to the store where Reze used to work, grabbed the door handle and opened the door. go out.

Before going inside, Denji turned his head to look at the alley across the street and then entered the store.

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4 days since Reze's bombing. In the ghost city

Denji, lying in his apartment in the ghost city, since Reze's bombing, Aki's apartment was completely destroyed. Even though he didn't want to, Denji had to invite Aki and Power to his apartment. , although there is a bit of controversy with Aki, it is not too big.

Pochita was taken to work by Aki, so Denji had a rare day alone today. He lay on the floor, absentmindedly looking at the ceiling without any expression, he suddenly turned over and went to the wardrobe, took out his blue gym clothes and put them on, opened the door and walked out. outside.

Where is Denji going?

He didn't even know where he was going, he just kept walking, unconsciously walking out of the ghost city. Entering and blending into the crowd, Denji still kept his head down and walked. Sometimes he didn't care if he bumped into some people. Just keep walking... keep walking until it gets dark.

"We are raising money for children who have suffered from demon damage! Please support the children!" A girl in the charity group spoke loudly, but no one on the street seemed to care.

Denji looked up and recognized this street. He reached into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out the largest denomination he had and placed it in the charity box.

"Thank you, everyone who donates will receive a flower" the girl said and gave the flower to Denji, but he ignored the flower and continued on, this made the girl in the charity group extremely confused. .

Denji continued walking and accidentally saw a phone booth on the side of the road. That phone booth was where he met Reze and fell in love with her. Seemingly realizing something, he started to go to the store where Reze used to work.

Arriving there, Denji grabbed the door handle and opened the door. Before going inside, Denji turned his head to look at the alley across the street and then entered the store.

"Sorry customers, our shop is about to close" The shop owner exclaimed, turned around and saw a familiar customer that surprised him. "oh! is that you? come in here and drink some water"

"Hello, I'm sorry to bother you" Denji greeted the shop owner, went and sat on a table in the shop.

Subjective: "so what to drink"

Denji: "give me a cup of green tea"

The owner immediately got Denji a cup of hot tea and placed it on the table. Denji picked it up and took a sip. He stared at the cup of tea in his hand as if thinking about something.

Shop owner: "Denji, it hurts to say it, but I'm telling the truth, you shouldn't wait for that girl, you can see that you've been tricked."

Denji: "no... I'm not waiting... just a little longing... then I'll stop by to visit... that's all..."

"Is that so...right, there's also this" The shop owner reached into the pocket of his apron, took out something and gave it to Denji. Denji received the object. The object in his hand was a flower placed in a transparent plastic bag the size of just two fingers.

Shop owner: "Sometimes she tends to absentmindedly look at it. When you see her, remember to give it to her. Drink quickly. I'm about to close. That cup is a treat."

Denji: "thank you"

Denji took the cup of tea, drained it all in one gulp, then he walked out of the store.

The sky was completely dark but the city was still bustling, the shrill sirens of cars passing back and forth on the roads, street lights, and lights from buildings still illuminated the whole city. Denji sat on the edge of the rooftop of a certain building, looking at the flower being vacuum-pressed on his palm. Suddenly, he gently took the flower out of his pocket, he looked at the flower with indescribable emotions in his heart. heart, and then, Denji opened his palm, letting the wind blow the flower away into the air. Following that flower, Denji stood up and went home.

-end of chapter-