The sound of scissors cutting hair annoyed Haruki, eventually waking him up like an alarm blaring in his ear.
"Yawwwn~~~" He stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and wondered who was running a salon. The snipping sound had been going on for a while, and Haruki was starting to get curious.
"Good morning Haruki-san!"
Hori greeted with a warm smile, her cheerful voice loud as always. Haruki paused then rubbed his eyes, they widened in horror as he stared at Hori's hair. "OH MY GOD...?!" he exploded, his voice echoing through the room. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?!!" He looked like he'd just witnessed a catastrophe, his face contorted in shock and dismay. Hori had ruined it with a scissor!
"Oh, pay no mind to this Haruki-san, it was simply time for my yearly trim." She answered casually. And returned to disfiguring her hair.
"What the hell is a yearly trim?!"
He asked coming closer to stop her from going any further with the haircut.
Hori explained that her father always cut her hair every year.
"He usually does it on my birthday. Thus the name 'Yearly trim' "
Hori said with a beautiful smile, contrasting the terrible haircut she had given herself.
".... so if you would excuse me...."
She rose the scissors to continue, Haruki stopped her with a sigh
"You should've asked for my help."
He said disappointedly, Honestly wondering where she even got a scissor from.
Hori's confidence was unwavering, she pouted saying, "I shouldn't trouble you for every little thing. Surely I can cut my own hair!" beaming with self-assurance. Her gaze drifted away from the mirror, deliberately avoiding the reflection of the botched haircut that now sat atop her head.
The narrator's voice chimed in, dryly observing,
Narrator - But... it looks... like crap.
Hori, however, was in denial. 'It's not that bad.' she thought to herself, attempting to stifle the growing doubt.
Haruki let out a slight yawn, still shaking sleep from his body.
He said tiredly, stretching his right hand, "Give me the scissor."
Hori complied without hesitation, truth be told, she actually wanted some assistance from her friend but was worried about being a nuisance.
Haruki told her to follow him as he brought a stool to the bathroom. Hori trailed behind him, wondering what he was doing. He dropped the stool on the tiles and pointed.
A warm smile appeared on Hori's face.
She settled obediently onto the stool, facing the bathroom mirror, which suddenly looked like a miniature salon. With a smooth motion, Haruki draped a towel over her chest and secured it with a gentle knot at the nape of her neck. His hands moved with a practiced ease, as if he'd done this countless times before.
The scissors glided through Hori's hair with precision, snipping away the uneven lengths with skill. Haruki worked efficiently, his hands moving in a soothing rhythm as he occasionally swept away the fallen strands with a gentle brush.
----------------------
With a final flourish, Haruki completed the haircut. He spritzed a hint of perfume at the nape of her neck, followed by a gentle brush stroke to settle her newly trimmed locks. With a smooth motion, he removed the towel, revealing the finished hairstyle.
Haruki stepped back for a bit, admiring his handiwork, and asked, "What do you think?" As he walked forward to gently comb her hair into place, a warm smile spread across his face.
Hori's eyes widened in amazement as she gazed at her reflection. "Wow, I look... like a different person," she breathed, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch the new style. The transformation was striking – her once long, silky locks were now a chic, spiky cut that framed her face in a bold new way.
"I'm.... beautiful...."
Hori said in astonishment.
The hairstyle was an extremely short boyish design that contrasted with Hori's beautiful face, it gave her a confident look and looked a little odd being dark blue.
It simply oozed with personality, much more memorable than her original one, the bland falling style most girls had.
"....thank you Haruki-san, again I am in your debt..." She said bowing down.
"You're welcome."
He said with a big smile caressing her head.
"But woah, you look so different, you asked for a simple trim but I think I overdid it."
He said worryingly, girls do not joke with their hair. And Haruki might have made it a little too short.
"It's okay! l can feel so much fresh air entering my head!"
She said as she fluffed it up and down. All boys could relate to that feeling of cool air touching their scalp.
"Time to get moving! Let's bathe, get dressed, and head to SHO!" Haruki exclaimed.
"Yes, sir!" Hori replied, her voice laced with mock obedience.
Haruki chuckled and corrected her, "Don't call me sir!"
As they stepped out of the bathroom, he asked, "So, do you want to bathe first?"
Hori shook her head, "No way, you go first!"
Haruki stood for a second wondering her quick decline, but paid it no mind.
Hori went to sit on the bed to wait for him to finish.
Her posture was elegant and face neutral, she slowly placed her hands on her face not obstructing her eyes.
'This is terrible!!!! I don't have any clothes to wear!!!!'
She panicked.
Narrator - Why don't you wear the clothes you wore yesterday?
Her face scrunched, 'Those are dirty! I can't walk alongside Haruki-san looking unkempt!' She argued.
Narrator - What will our protagonist do now?
'sigh... I don't know, and what do you mean protagonist?' Hori's eyes scanned the room for a solution, before stumbling on Haruki's luggage.
Emerging from the shower, Haruki tied a towel around his waist and ran another one through his hair, finally done with his bath. As he stepped into the living room, he came to an abrupt halt as he saw Hori.
"....are those my clothes?" He asked dropping the towel used to dry his hair on the couch.
Hori's eyes darted up to Haruki's, a hint of embarrassment on her face. "Oh, I should have asked first... you see, clothes were dirty, so I was hoping you would lend me yours," she said, nervously fidgeting with her hair.
Haruki's response was casual, "Aight."
The oversized white sweater with dark green stripes fell loosely on Hori's frame, paired with a simple black pair of shorts. The outfit was decidedly masculine, but her delicate features and striking looks still shone through, basically looking like a pretty boy.
"But shouldn't you take a bath first?" Haruki reminded her.
"Of course!" Hori did so, and they left the room. With a few hours to spare before checking out at 8 PM, Haruki suggested they leave their luggage behind and head to SHO to complete the enrollment process first. Afterward, they would pick up their bags and head to his house, the inn in the forest.
---------------------------
As they emerged from the streets, the grand hotel loomed before them. Hori squinted, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the bright morning sunlight. The traffic was calm with pedestrians going about their daily routine.
"So do you even know where to sign up?"
Haruki asked with concern, "Are we just gonna walk? Or travel to SHOs main branch which is in Tokyo?"
Hori replied with a witty accent.
"SHO registration is extremely easy, they usually have several stands that collect aspiring members names and addresses.
The compiled list is then collected and the applicants are notified by Mail when the date arises."
She paused.
"To partake in the worst test known to humanity....the 'Sabbath Exams' " Hori spoke with dread.
Narrator - Ahhh, yes. The "Sabbath Exams".... apart from Sins and Sinners constantly devouring humans. The deaths from this exam contributed to such a low population in this verse.
Haruki on the other hand wasn't scared. Unlike Hori, he hardly knew anything about SHO despite being a Sin himself.
He placed his arms behind his head and said.
"So we just write our names and addresses then submit it?"
"That is correct, SHO spends 1 full month each year to collect new applicants. Conveniently enough, the month for this year's collection is September, so we still have time."
"The dates 28th." Haruki said after checking his phone.
"That means we will be notified to partake in the Sabbath Exams 7 days from the end of this month. That's....2+7, that's 9 days from today!" Hori answered.
Haruki's smile grew as he said, "You're really knowledgeable about SHO. Your dad must have worked there, huh?" He was genuinely impressed by Hori's insight.
Hori's cheeks flushed a deep pink as she looked away, "Y-yes... our family... founded—" She slapped her hand over her mouth with high force, as if trying to physically stop the words from escaping.
"Are you alright?! Why'd you do that?!" Haruki asked with fear, that must have hurt.
Hori cleared her throat.
"As I've already told you. He is just a high ranking Priest at SHO."
She continued, ignoring what just happened.
'That was close! I almost told Haruki-san about father!'
She stared at the him sweating.
Narrator - Hori's Father, Honourable Father Tabata Jiro, is not only the Prime Minister of Japan, but also a scion of the Tabata family. They're lineage commands the utmost respect being the founders of S.H.O, at least in Japan. He is believed to be the strongest Priest known to mankind....
"Aha!" Hori exclaimed, brushing off the narrator's ominous tone. Her eyes landed on a stand with a desk bearing the unmistakable cross logo of SHO, making it easy to spot.
"Wow, that easy?" Haruki said almost disappointed, he thought they'd at least go to the vibrant city, Tokyo. But it was a normal looking stand about 20 meters from the hotel.
As they approached the desk, Hori greeted the woman with a polite smile. "Good day, ma'am," she said, bowing respectfully.
It was a middle aged woman with jet black hair dressed in a suit, a simple formal attire.
"Please we would like to take part in this year's Sabbath Exams."Hori wasted no time and stated their goal.
"Okay, please write your name here, sign here and fill in your address here." She instructed them, pointing at a black form. Resembling a death contract.
Hori picked up the form and quickly read it. Everything was legit until the closing paragraph.
"Please check this box indicating official compliance in the case of forfeiting your life to the Sabbath Exams."
Hori's hand hesitated momentarily over the box before she checked it with a swift motion. The exams seemed daunting, but this was her only option.
As she moved to fill in her name, she accidentally wrote "Tabata Inori" before realizing the mistake. She hastily crossed it out and scribbled "Inori Hori" instead - her current alias. For now, this identity would suffice. Just as she was about to write her address, her pen hovered over the paper, and she paused.
She looked at Haruki and asked for his house address since she would be living with him from now on.
He did so and as well filled his own form, but wrote his email address instead.
The Woman collected the two documents and put them in a brown folder that had many more.
"Thank you for putting your lives on the line for the Sabbath Exams. In the continues effort of battling Sinners and Sins, Priests are highly respected."She bowed.
'That being said, don't these two look two young to enroll at SHO?!!' She thought to herself, sure the rate of minors becoming Priests was high these days but they looked too young!
SHO always prioritized skill over age so anyone could become a Priest, given they survived the exams of course.
Hori bowed once more and they excused themselves.
-------------------------
"That was easy," Haruki said with a smirk, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Hori's expression turned serious. "That's the only easy part, Haruki-san. The Sabbath Exams are... tough." Her voice trembled, as if regretting her registration.
Haruki chuckled and patted her back reassuringly. "Don't sweat it! We've got nine days to go. I'll whip you into shape."
Hori's eyes widened. "Really?!"
Haruki nodded confidently. "Yeah, I'm pretty strong – an assassin and a Sin, you know." He said it casually, without a hint of modesty.
Hori tilted her head, genuine curiosity in her voice. "What's an assassin?"
Haruki's expression turned sheepish. "Uh, well... we... uh, file taxes." He answered honestly.
Hori's face remained innocent, and she bowed deeply. "Then I'll be in your care, Haruki-san."
Hori's stomach growled loudly, ruining the moment as usual. Haruki chuckled and said, "Guess we didn't eat breakfast yet – it can't be helped."
Hori's face turned bright red as she muttered to herself, "Why do I always have to embarrass myself like this?!"
Haruki gasped as if remembering something. He reached in his pocket and brought out ¥1,000
"Here you go." He handed it over to Hori.
Her hands waved frantically in refusal, her eyes wide with confusion. "What is this for?" she asked.
"Consider it payment for your services. You carried my luggage to the hotel, after all. And let's be real, you weren't exactly convincing when you said they weren't heavy." The hint of teasing in his voice made Hori's face flush.
"Arigatou gozaimasu," Hori said softly, bowing her head in gratitude. She accepted the ¥1,000 note with a quiet murmur of thanks. Despite her family's wealth, her father's strict upbringing meant she'd never received pocket money, making this small amount feel significant. She tucked the note into her pocket and bowed again.
'I can pay for all those onigiri I stole! But what where exactly was the shop' Hori contemplated, she detested stealing but had no choice in her brief time being homeless. She wanted to atone for her Sins.
"Welp, I'm broke right now, so we can't eat out. Okay, I'll just buy some ingredients and whip-up something." He thought out loud with a hand on his chin. If only he hadn't spent so much money on that unnecessarily expensive hotel.
Now thinking on what exactly to cook. He snapped his fingers as he finally decided.
"Okay Hori! I have good news and bad news. The good news is, you get to eat my cooking today!"
Hori brimmed with excitement! For some reason, she felt a meal from Haruki held promise.
He continued with a lower voice. "The bad news is, you have to carry all my luggage back from the hotel to my house."
Her smile immediately faded.
"C'mon! I'm paying you so don't look sad!" Haruki nagged.
It was true, Hori apologized for complaining and agreed, for the time being she was Haruki's maid of some sorts.
He ruffled her hair and spoke with enthusiasm of his own.
"Trust me, it'll be worth it! My cookings pretty good." He winked.
-----------------------------
As they left the hotel, Haruki finalized the checkout process while Hori struggled to manage the sprawling luggage. The bags seemed to have multiplied overnight, and she strained to keep them upright.
The weight was crushing, and she couldn't help but wonder if the clothes had somehow bred last night.
Once they stepped out into the bright sunlight, Haruki led the way into the forest. The path wound through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground as they walked toward their destination – a secluded house or inn, hidden away from the world.
Hori wondered why he lived in such a place, secluded from society. She decided it would be for the best not to ask.
"This is...so heavy! It wasn't as heavy yesterday!" Hori whined, carrying the luggage on her shoulder as they passed trees and such.
"Oh, that's because I asked a friend of mine to drop off female clothes."
Hori's eyes widened in surprise. "You got me clothes?"
Haruki nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, I asked Hana to drop some off. You said you didn't have any, and... well, you gotta look pretty now, right?"
Hori's expression softened, understanding dawning on her face. So that's why he'd claimed to be low on funds. She glanced at the luggage, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. He'd spent a significant amount on her, and the realization warmed her heart.
Hori went silent for a bit.
"You're so kind Haruki-san, thank you for the clothes."
She appreciated with her heart racing. At this point, it looked like Haruki had feelings for her, doing so much until now.
She smiled, a little excited to see him that way.
Haruki casually dropped, "Oh, and she even picked out some underwear for you."
Hori's face turned beet red as she let out a mortified shriek, "Ehhhhhhh????!!!!"
Her reaction was priceless, and Haruki chuckled, clearly amused by her embarrassment.
----------------------------
As they reached the heart of the forest, the trees parted to reveal Haruki's residence. Just as Hori was about to take in the sight, Haruki abruptly stopped in his tracks. Hori, unaware, bumped into his back, her luggage wobbling precariously.
"Haruki-san? What is the matter-
"Shh!" Haruki whispered abruptly, his finger pressed to his lips. Hori paused for a second but her eyes widened as she caught the scent too – the metallic tang of goat blood.
A high malevolent voice drifted from the inn, sending shivers down their spines. "For the wages of sin is death!!!" The haunting words seemed to echo through the forest, laced with an otherworldly menace. The voice was familiar, yet unsettling, making Hori's skin crawl.
they immediately hid in the bushes, only peeking to observe.
"Sinners of Idolatry! About three!" Hori half yelled, her voice urgent as she instinctively moved closer to Haruki.
As she warned, a figure slowly emerged from the inn. Sinners of Idolatry were twisted, grotesque creatures – their hands clasped in prayer, palms melted together in a macabre gesture.
Their hunched back and contorted posture aimed at bowing, was a sickening contrast to its otherwise humanoid form.
Of course with the usual black and red poko-dot design Sinners were iconic for having.
Narrator - Hori's knowledge of Sinners was rooted in her unusual upbringing. As the daughter of Father Jiro, head of the mysterious organization SHO, she'd grown up surrounded by concise and forbidden knowledge about these ex-humans. This had led her to devour her father's books on Sinners, studying their twisted forms and identifying features.
"Not now Narrator!'' Hori snapped, cutting off the narrator's intrusive commentary.
"Who is Narrator?!" Haruki yelled, telling her to keep quiet.
His gaze flicked back to the scene, worry etched on his face as if disgusted.
'tch, What do I do... I really don't feel like eating THREE Sinners!' he thought, clearly unenthusiastic about the prospect.
Narrator - An ordinary human can never kill a Sin or Sinner. But a self proclaimed Sin like Haruki can, through eating them.... however, they taste like rotten meat.
Hori's face scrunched up in distaste. 'Gross!' she thought, now pitying Haruki.
The two hid behind a bush, assessing the situation. As Hori peeked out, she caught Haruki staring at her, his expression unreadable. '....hmmmm~'
A devilish grin appeared on his face. Haruki's voice dropped to a whisper. "Hori, I have a job for you."
Hori leaned in, "What is it, Haruki-san?"
Haruki's eyes locked onto the Sinners. "I want you to take them down." Hori's eyes remained calm, "I beg your pardon?" She must have misheard.
Before she could continue, Haruki added, "I want to see what you're capable of. Ordinary people can't kill Sinners, so it's the perfect chance for a sparring match."
Hori's face contorted in disbelief. She sprang to her feet, her voice rising in a furious yell, "Are you serious?!?"