Storm Read Online Free PDF Page B

“It’s already true,” he said. “He’s done it once before.”
    It had been an accident, though. He hadn’t really wanted something to happen to his father. It was another part of the curse he and Tomo had to live with. Their actions could spiral out of control in ways they couldn’t imagine.
    I spotted Jun’s motorbike parked near the bike racks, and motioned at Ishikawa. “We can wait here. That’s his bike.”
    “Let’s just go in,” Ishikawa said, but he slumped onto the bench where I’d once waited for Jun’s help. “I want answers.”
    I sat beside him, wrapping my hands around the edge of the seat. “Yeah, but do you really want to question him in front of the music club? In fact, this whole thing is a terrible idea.” Tomo had warned me to stay away from Jun. Even I knew this was stupid. We were putting ourselves at risk by confronting him. He could be capable of anything.
    “You’re right,” Ishikawa said, tilting his head back to look at the sky. “But leaving him alone is worse. He needs to know that we know.”
    “Because when you confronted Tomo about joining the Yakuza that ended so well.”
    “Uru-se na,”
Ishikawa droned at me, shaking his hair from side to side and inspecting his fingernails. “You annoy me, Greene.”
    “Likewise, Maki Roll.”
    We sat for a few minutes in silence, watching the stragglers from the school as they got out of after-school activities and hurried home. The sun had started to set, the nights getting shorter as fall dragged on and winter drew nearer.
    I got to my feet and paced for a while in front of the bench.
    “You’re making me dizzy,” Ishikawa said, closing his eyes.
    It was like my whole body was buzzing; I couldn’t focus. “This is bad. We should go.”
    A voice sounded from behind me. “Go where?”
    Ishikawa opened his eyes as I spun around. Jun stood so close he blocked the wind gusting around me. He wore a dark coat over his school blazer, his motorbike helmet tucked under his arm. His eyes, forever cold, were unreadable as he looked down at me.
    “Jun,” I breathed.
    His voice was stone. “You shouldn’t be here.”
    He was right. I could hear my voice trembling. “I know.”
    “Does Yuu know you’re here? You should stay away.” He stepped around me, resting his helmet strap on the handle of his bike.
    “What kind of greeting is that?” Ishikawa drawled. He stood and put his hands on his hips, arching his back as he stretched.
    “Ishikawa,” Jun said, stepping toward him. “Is he giving you trouble, Katie?”
    Ishikawa narrowed his eyes and pressed his index finger against Jun’s collarbone. “The only one giving her trouble is you, Takahashi.”
    I tugged on Ishikawa’s arm, trying to pull him away as he and Jun glared at each other. I accidentally pulled him off balance and he stumbled backward, then ran a hand through his bleached hair, trying to act as though he’d decided to step back on his own.
    “What are you doing here?” Jun said quietly.
    Ishikawa gave a short laugh in reply. “Please. Don’t patronize her. You know why we’re here.”
    “Jun,” I said. My throat was dry and thick, my heart pounding. “I saw on the news...about...about Hanchi.” Jun was motionless, expressionless. “Hanchi is dead, Jun.”
    He wasn’t surprised, that much I could see. At the very least he’d heard the news. “Sou ka,” he said.
Is that so.
    “That’s it?” Ishikawa sneered. “You had all this talk of killing off Yakuza, you threaten to ‘make the world cry,’ and now the first Yakuza boss is dead and you say,
‘Sou ka’
? What the hell is wrong with you, Takahashi?”
    “What do you want me to say?” Jun snapped. “You know more than you should. The Kami aren’t a threat, Ishikawa. They’re not weapons to be handed over to the Yakuza. They are heirs of heaven. They are protectors of Japan.” Jun turned to me, gently wrapping his fingers around my elbows. The feel of his hands sent a jolt of