A Wishing Shadow

”You could have aimed for Shed instead of her. ”

”I could, but that won be effective. I need you to release it out of your will and give it to me. ”

That way, Sheds power won get weak.

If he forcefully cut the connection between them, Sheds ability will get affected.

”So thats what you after. What are you going to do with it? ”

”You will see it. ” He slowly closed the scissor. The blades were getting close to her neck.

”Brother, what is going on?! Why does he have the same face as you? ” She yelled, confused.

There was no time to respond. I gritted my teeth as I stared dagger at him.

”Fine! Ill give it to you but under one condition! ”

”… ” He silently observed me with his cold eyes, as if saying to me to continue.

”Don hurt her. No matter what you wish for, do not hurt her. ”

”Is that it? ” He opened his mouth.

”Yeah, thats it. ” I grabbed Shed and threw it at him. He grabbed it and I immediately reached out my hand to hers. I hurriedly pulled her in my way and after that, I immediately took a step forward, standing before her, and protecting her.

Meanwhile, after he got Shed. He cut it with his scissor. Strange enough, he wasn cut in half. Though, I felt that my connection to it was diminished.

After that, Shed blended into his shadow.

”Ill take my leave. ” He casually walked to the door, passing us. I watched him with a grudge.

After he was gone, I looked out at the window, to the sniper, to be exact.

In another building, a pro hitman was aiming for a youth. He received a command that his mission was completed. He complied and take a look at the youth through his scope one last time. He was curious why an amazing person like the brown-cloaked man wanted this mans Tsukumogami.

Looking at him through the scope, his target was looking at him. The hitman was startled and immediately crouched.

”Did he find me? ” His voice filled with shock and disbelief.

After gaining his composure back, he looked at him through the scope. The youth was holding a tiny kitchen knife. He frowned when he saw this.

In the next second, the youth threw it at him at an incredible speed!

Swoosh!

The knife traveled through the air like a bullet. The hitmans eyes shrunk in size. Before he knew it, it was already before him.

Splash!

The knife pierced his head and came out of the other side before hitting the wall behind him. The tiny knife caused the wall to cave in and there were web-like cracks around it.

Blood gushed out violently, dying the floor and the wall.

His body plopped to the ground with a light thud.

”Brother, what did you do? ” Masako wore a clueless face.

”Nothing, just a cockroach. ” I used a casual tone.

Masako didn get it but shell act as if she understood.

”So, what was that just earlier? Why is there a man that looks exactly like you? Why does he want your Tsukumogami? What do you mean when you say, do not wish something that might hurt her? ” She bombarded me with questions and each time she finished asking one, her tone getting intensified.

”Lets talk somewhere else. ” I shifted my eyes to the sleeping elder.

”Un. ” She understood.

We left the room and sat on a bench in the corridor. Next to the bench was a vending machine.

I was choosing a drink and after deciding which one, I tapped the button, and a can and a bottle fell. I grabbed them from the bottom.

Afterward, I sat on the bench and gave a warm bottle of tea to her, ”The man you just met is my clone. ”

”A clone? ” She accepted the drink with a baffled expression.

”Yeah, he takes my second personality in exchange for giving you a better life. ”

”Second personality? You have dissociative identity disorder? ”

”You know what it is? ” I turned my head to her, a bit surprised. She didn seem the type to know this kind of thing.

”Ive read books about it. But still, its shocking you have that. You look normal when we
e kids. ”

”I oppress him as hard as I could, but like an old dam. Theres a limit. As time passed, my control over my body got lessened. ”

”And thats how the clone comes to life. ” She drank the bottle two mouthfuls before adding, ”How did you find them? Did they come to you? ”

”Before we are separated from our parents. We attend a party, remember? ”

”A… party? ” She frowned, trying to remember. ”No use, I can remember it. ” She shook her head and continued, ”What happened at the party? ”

”Something terrible. ”

Flashes of memories played before my vision. People were screaming, choking, puking, and panicking, before they were falling, motionless. I saw despair in their faces, I saw absolute terror in that party, and above all. I was sitting on a staircase watching them with cold eyes and a glee smile.

After that was an eerie calmness before a loud round of claps descended from the people sitting on the second floor. Like a singer that just performed extraordinarily.

Who are they? I asked myself before the answer came out from the bottom of my mind, they were the audience. They wore strange masks, fancy suits, and sickening perfume.

The memory cuts there. Everything beyond that was like a static tv.

What are they watching? Why the people on the first floor is dying? Why Im watching people die with cold eyes? Wait, no, this is strange. How did I know I was watching them with cold eyes?

… Thats right, Im not on the staircase. At the time, I just came back from the toilet and found out people were dying. I was about to ask the people on the second floor for help. but they were clapping. That is also the moment when I saw that boy. Who is he? He has the same appearance as me. The same height, clothes, skin, everything.

Abruptly, something clicked in my mind. I slowly turned my head to Masako.

But that should be impossible! She wouldn be able to watch people dying with cold eyes. She wouldn be able to stay calm, even.

”Is something wrong, Brother? ”

”Masako, if you cross-dress, youll easily become me. ” My words were abrupt, and she looked at me weirdly.

”Well, yeah, because we
e twins. Whats with the strange question? ”

”No, nothing. ”

I must find out who is the child. Its possible that because of him, the Kokomi family mistook me for him. When I think about it, after that party, my life changed, but the moment when my life truly changed was when I get a split personality.

Split personality… when did I get it…