Linked: The War of the Gems - Book 1

by Alexandra Johnson

  “Senpai . . .?”

  “You never showed up.”

  “Yeah. I asked about that too,” Reiji said, snaking an arm around Aoi’s shoulders. “Apparently she was off with some guy having a private moment. The guy’s shirt was off and everything!”

  “It wasn’t like that!” Aoi insisted. “It was the student council president. And a Linked.”

  “Aoi-san!” Mulan gasped.

  “But still a shirtless guy,” Reiji insisted. “And what’s a Linked?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Aoi replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

  Hopefully he’d just drop the subject. Reiji looked to Tatsuo’s cold face, and he didn’t follow up.

  Tatsuo was tenser than before, his brows furrowed and his lips sealed in a scowl. Aoi couldn’t figure out why. Was it because she’d had lunch with another boy? Because she saw a guy shirtless today? It wasn’t like she’d planned on that. Or was it because the newest Linked was someone Tatsuo already hated?

  Finally, Tatsuo spoke. “Did he hurt you?”

  “What?” His question caught her by surprise. “Of course not.”

  “Good.” he said, but that was it. Seemed he didn’t plan on saying a word further.

  What was he so worried about? Even though she didn’t know, she still felt a bit bad. She should have at least checked up with him in the few minutes before lunch ended.

  “Just like Aniki.” Reiji grinned at Tatsuo. “You’re always so worried about Arisawa-chan.”

  “I don’t worry about her,” he grumbled. The mere idea painted his cheeks red.

  “Then why’s your face all red?” The other boy teased.

  “I said I ain’t worried. Anyway,” he turned to Aoi, “we gotta getcha home ’n Reiji’s got practice.”

  Reiji hesitated. “Oh, yeah. Guess I do.” He walked past them as he waved goodbye. “See you.”

  “Yeah. Bye,” Tatsuo said.

  “Be safe!” Aoi called out.

  Once he was out of sight, Tatsuo turned to her. “We should get going, too. Do we need to pick up Nishihara today?”

  Aoi shook her head. “Nope. I’m pretty sure she started those supplemental lessons today.”

  It was crazy just thinking about it. Aoi had never realized Momoka was so smart, and she was kind of jealous. That bubbly brunette genius had done so well in her other classes that she had to take more advanced ones to actually be challenged.

  “Guess it’s just us then.”

  Tatsuo was quieter than usual on the walk home. Seemed nothing happened that was worth talking about, and Aoi was too nervous to come up with anything.

  “Did you . . . like my bento box?”

  Tatsuo nodded. “Yup.” More silence.

  “You okay?” Aoi asked.

  “Just fine,” he grumbled.

  She knew better than that. “You’re upset,” she said. “Is it because I didn’t eat lunch with you guys?”

  “I said I ain’t mad.” But he was. Aoi wished he’d just admit it. Maybe she could help then.

  “Midorikawa-senpai wanted to talk about being Linked.”

  “That right?” Tatsuo scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

  Why was he mad about that? Wasn’t having more Linked a good thing? “Yeah.”

  “Of course someone like that is one of us. He want to start sparring with us or something?”

  “No—At least, I don’t think so. He just wanted to see if I was like him. That was it, honest. His gem was between his shoulder blades. I didn’t know he’d take off his shirt to show me! It was awful!”

  “It was very rude,” Mulan confirmed.

  Stay out of this, please. Aoi didn’t want Tatsuo feeling like he was being ganged up on.

  “You don’t like Midorikawa-senpai?” Aoi already knew the answer before he opened his mouth. She just wanted to know why.

  “Course not.” But he didn’t explain himself.

  “Why? He doesn’t seem so bad.” He was demanding, sure, but he was kind of pleasant once you got past that.

  “Not so bad? Please tell me you’re joking.”

  “Why would I be?”

  Tatsuo didn’t reply. He just shook his head.

  “Is it because he scolded you?” Aoi asked. “I mean, you were kind of skipping class.”

  Her words made his shoulders tense up. “Arisawa, I thought you were supposed to be on my side.”

  “I am on your side,” she replied. “I just think it might be nice if you showed up to class every once in a while.”

  “I do show up sometimes.”

  “Do you?”

  “Of course I do. Just occasionally.”

  “Maybe once every two weeks. Otherwise, you either come after school or not at all. That’s not enough.”

  His shoulders slumped. “You’re killing me, Arisawa. I got my hands full with training and looking for that guy . . .”

  “But school’s important too.”

  “And I fear something terrible is coming. There are too many new Linked,” Mulan added.

  All of a sudden, he started walking faster. “I gotta get stronger so I can protect you. The others too.”

  She tried to keep up with him, but he kept walking faster. He had a bigger stride than she did anyways.

  “Senpai!” she called, but he wouldn’t stop.

  Where was he going? He was supposed to be walking her home.

  She ran until she was close enough to touch him. She reached out and grabbed his hand. “Please,” she said softly. “Wait for me.”

  His hand tightened around hers. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

  And then she realized. They were holding hands. Heat rose into her face, and she released him.

  “I’m sorry though,” she said.

  “Huh? For what?”

  “Not eating lunch with you.”

  He laughed and ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry about it. I was just worried about you.”

  “But why?”

  He smiled. “You know.”

  Aoi wasn’t sure she did.

  Chapter 18

  The school year was passing so quickly. In just a few, short weeks, summer break would be here. How had so much time passed so fast?

  So much time had gone by without her even seeing her old friends. They hardly even talked to her these days. When they did, she was the one starting the conversation.

  But she made new friends. She was on her way to see one right now.

  Tatsuo didn’t show up to school the day after Aoi met Touya, not even to pick her up. Even worse, he’d been showing up less and less lately. It worried her, but it couldn’t be helped. No matter what she said, Tatsuo would always do what he wanted.

  Momoka, on the other hand, always went to school. When she didn’t have after school plans or lessons, Aoi would walk her home.

  However, something was off that day.

  Momoka didn’t rush to meet her, nor was she alone. She leisurely made her way to the school gates while chatting with two kids her age. There was a boy and a girl with her.

  “Nishihara-chan?” Aoi called out hesitantly. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she wanted to make sure Momoka knew she was here.

  Momoka heard her name and glanced around. A huge smile spread across her face when she saw Aoi. “Onee-chan!” She ran over, her new friends following close behind her.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Momoka shook her head. “You didn’t. I wanted to introduce you to my new friends anyways.”

  “You did?” Aoi said after a moment’s hesitation.

  Why would Momoka want people to meet her? Aoi wasn’t special at all. But Momoka did admire her for some reason. Aoi wondered just what Momoka had told the two about her.

  The new girl looked at Aoi with a pleasant smile. She was pretty and elegant, almost like a princess. Her hazel eyes and long brunette hair only helped further establish the image.

  Without missing a be
at, the girl bowed deeply. “You must be Arisawa-san. Nishihara-chan’s told us a lot about you.” She rose from her bow. “I’m Asagi Tachibana.”

  Aoi returned the bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tachibana-san.”

  Aoi watched the younger girl. She stood tall, hands clasped before her. She seemed both pretty and smart—probably one of the popular girls.

  But the question was, how much had Momoka told her? Had she mentioned the Linked? Aoi couldn’t help but worry she had.

  But the boy interrupted before Aoi could think such things for very long. He had short curly brown hair and matching hazel eyes. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his face with lit with a cocky grin.

  “Arisawa-chan, huh?” He held up his fingers like he was framing a portrait of her. “Just as pretty as I thought. A lot more out of the ordinary though. You’re like a foreign princess.”

  What was he saying? He was definitely a sweet-talker of a boy. Momoka laughed.

  “I . . . What?” Aoi stammered, her cheeks flushed red. “I’m nothing like that.”

  “I bet you are though. Anyone lucky enough to be Momo-chan’s Onee-chan has to be special.” he said with a grin.

  “Momo-chan?” Aoi repeated.

  “Mm-hmm.” Momoka beamed. “Seiji-kun decided to give me a nickname.”

  Didn’t seem like Momoka minded. The two had to be really close.

  “Seiji Namakabe.” The boy winked.

  Aoi bowed politely. “A pleasure to meet you.” Then she rose and turned her attention to Momoka. “I see you made friends.” Good. She was worried the girl might get lonely.

  Momoka nodded eagerly. “Mm-hmmm. I’ve been working on a group project with them and we just kinda clicked.”

  “That’s great. How long have you been working on it?”

  “A few days now,” Asagi said with a small shrug.

  Wait a second. Only a few days? And Seji had already given her a nickname? That was something else. Aoi wasn’t even on a first name basis with Momoka yet, or even Tatsuo.

  Still, she was happy Momoka made some friends her own age. Better these two than anyone else, she supposed.

  “It really is great, isn’t it?” Seiji said with a smile. “To have made not only the acquaintance but the friendship of such beautiful ladies—is not youth kind?” He spread his arms out wide as he spoke. He was a strange boy, sort of a poet, but at least he seemed nice.

  “I suppose so,” Aoi said hesitantly.

  “Don’t mind him.” Asagi rolled her eyes. “Namakabe-kun is a romantic with an eye for all pretty girls.”

  “Some more so than others,” Seiji added with a wink, as if that helped his case. It didn’t.

  “Does that mean Nishihara-chan would be your type then?” Aoi asked playfully.

  Momoka’s cheeks were smothered by a deep, red blush. “What? No! Of course not!”

  Seiji shrugged. “I mean, we could be. If she wanted to.”

  Her blush deepened and she shook her head furiously. “No way!” she insisted. “We’re not together!”

  “At least not for now,” Seiji mumbled with a small smile.

  Aoi couldn’t help but laugh. “It was just a joke. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about them,” Asagi said, putting a hand on Aoi’s shoulder. Aoi flinched away from the sudden touch.

  “Sorry,” Asagi apologized.

  Aoi shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just a little shy.”

  “Don’t be,” Asagi said. “I’m just an ordinary girl. Nothing to fret about.”

  That’s right. Aoi was Linked. Asagi was not. Aoi could take care of herself if need be.

  “Y-yeah, I guess so.”

  “Arisawa, we should get home,” Mulan said suddenly. “I have some questions about the lecture today.” She’d been rather quiet this whole time. She must have been mulling over what they talked about in class: Mulan’s ballad and how it related to more contemporary “fiction”.

  Right. Let me just wrap this up.

  “Mind if I head out, guys?” Aoi asked. “I have to do some studying.”

  It wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth. That was happening more and more often these days.

  “Let me walk with you, Onee-chan!” Momoka said cheerily, before looking to her new friends. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow, ’kay?”

  Seiji winked at her and gave her a thumbs up. “I’ll count the hours, Momo-chan.”

  Asagi lightly hit the back of Seiji’s head.

  “Ow.”

  “Oh, leave her be, lover boy. We’ll see you then, Nishihara-chan.”

  That wouldn’t be the last time Aoi saw Momoka’s new friends. Over the next few days, Aoi often picked Momoka up after school, giving her a chance to hang out with her and her friends. Sometimes they’d go to the café or just walk around and talk. She wondered if she could consider Asagi and Seiji her friends as well. Aoi always felt a twinge of guilt when she thought this; it just reminded her how little she was seeing of Tatsuo after school lately.

  But, one day, Momoka ran to meet Aoi. The urgency in her steps made the blonde nervous. Even though her friends were trailing behind, Momoka refused to wait. Something had to be wrong.

  Momoka finally slowed to a stop before Aoi and grabbed her hand, yanking her down so she could whisper something in her ear. “Tachibana-chan is one of us.”

  One of us? At first, she didn’t understand. Then it hit her. Asagi was a Linked.

  “Another one already?” Mulan asked, clearly not sharing her enthusiasm.

  Already was right. The semester wasn’t even done, and Asagi was the fourth Linked Aoi had met. She couldn’t help but wonder just how many others there were.

  “This can’t be good,” Mulan said. “The crack in my village has gotten wider, and people are starting to disappear. So many holders, but not enough training.”

  Aoi tried to ignore her spirit’s gloomy words.

  “How did you find out?” she asked. She hadn’t seen a gem anywhere on the girl.

  “Well,” Momoka stammered. Her cheeks flushed slightly. “I saw a gem on her hip when we were changing for the pool. I kinda sorta asked about it and showed her mine, so . . .”

  Aoi chewed at her lip. How could they be sure Asagi was linked? What if that was just an accident?

  “Then what?” the voice in her head asked. “She wouldn’t have known anything without being a Linked herself. Relax.”

  Mulan had a point there. Maybe there wasn’t a need to worry.

  “What color then?” Aoi asked. Might as well learn all she could before her friends arrived.

  “Yellow.”

  Somehow that fit Asagi. She could imagine it now—a bright, golden yellow, elegant like a flower standing tall. Asagi was definitely yellow.

  And there she was, smiling that princess-like smile of hers. “You really were in a hurry, Nishihara-chan.”

  Momoka laughed. “Yeah. I wanted to tell Onee-chan about the thing.”

  “The thing?” Seiji chimed in. “Are you planning on dating someone?”

  Momoka shook her head. “No way! I don’t need something like that in my life!”

  Well, if there was one thing she had to say about the boy, he certainly was persistent. Though, whether that was a good thing or not, Aoi wasn’t entirely sure. Either way, Momoka could bicker with Seiji for now. It gave Aoi the time to talk to Asagi.

  “So,” she started.

  “Nishihara-chan told you what I am, I take it?”

  Aoi nodded. “I was hoping we could meet up some time to talk about the details.”

  Her smile grew a little. “That’s fine. Would your other friend be there? Akabori-san, wasn’t it?”

  She hesitated. “Oh. So Nishihara-chan mentioned him, huh?” Even if Asagi was Linked, it couldn’t be good to tell her too much too soon. It might overwhelm her. Aoi was certainly overwhelmed.

  Asagi nodded. “Just a few things.”

  “It’s okay,” Mulan agreed. “R
elax until you have a reason to do otherwise.”

  Mulan was right. Asagi had done nothing. She was just trying to learn more about others like her.

  Seiji glanced over at them. “Huh? What are you guys talking about?”

  “Oh, nothing much,” Aoi replied, perhaps too quickly. The confused look on his face told her, at the very least, she was acting a little suspicious.

  “Just planning a girls’ outing so we can get to know each other better,” Asagi added.

  He gave a small shrug, then turned back to Momoka. Asagi’s lie was believable enough for him. She mouthed a silent “thank you” to Asagi, but the younger girl just waved it off.

  “But, anyways,” Aoi said. Might as well take the outing idea and run with it, just in case Seiji was listening again. “When did you wanna do this? I need to know so I can invite Aka-chan.”

  Aka-chan. She’d never imagined that she’d called Tatsuo by such a name. It was also something she hoped she never had to call him again.

  Asagi smiled knowingly. She knew who Aoi meant. “How about Sunday?”

  “Like tomorrow?”

  “Sure, unless that’ll be a problem?”

  Aoi shook her head. “No. No problem at all.” They didn’t have school tomorrow, nor did Aoi have any plans, except for training. It was just really short notice.

  Asagi didn’t seem to mind. “Then I’ll meet you then.” She hesitated. “Though I don’t know where you live . . .”

  Aoi laughed nervously. “I’m bad with directions.” And she couldn’t just introduce Asagi to Mulan here either. Seiji might ask questions. Aoi didn’t want to risk that.

  “That’s okay,” Momoka chimed in. “I’ll tell her how to get to your house.”

  Well, that certainly made things a lot easier. Aoi couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Nishihara-chan. That helps a lot.”

  Now to get Tatsuo to agree to this last-minute request. At least it wasn’t as bad as last time, when he only had thirty minutes. Giving him a day was plenty of time.

  Sunday was bright and sunny, but terribly quiet. Aoi and Tatsuo sat side by side on the porch. Aoi stared up at the bright blue sky, clear without a cloud. Tatsuo just stared straight forward. They didn’t speak.