109 Gathering at the Gates (2/2)

Mark felt dizzy with her circling around.

”Gege, this girl is?”

Mei who was standing behind Mark could not stop herself from asking. Mark glanced at her.

”Well, I don't really know her. I only know that she was related to that huge tree at the City Hall.”

Then, Mark looked at the middle-aged woman who was approaching while carrying a four year old boy on her arms. The little boy also had green hair but his hair had a darker tint compared to his older sister. Another noticeable thing about the little boy was the small part of his skin under his jaw and the back of his hands had tree bark like texture and color.

Upon arriving, the woman tried not to look at the gruesome seen of Janette eating the brain of the dead man in front of her as she called unto the girl.

”Stop doing that Emika. You're disturbing everyone.”

”Hai~!

The green haired girl answered and skipped towards her mother.

The woman then looked at Mark.

”I heard from my children that you helped us. That bag of food left at the convenience store was also from you right? Thank you very much.”

The woman vowed sincerely towards Mark.

”You don't have to worry about it. It's just on a whim if you asked me. If I'm correct, that boy is that huge tree right?”

”Apparently, yes. This is my youngest child, Mikio. I'm Rosamie, their mother. This mischievous girl here is Emika.”

”Sakurano Emika desu~!”

Emika suddenly interjected by introducing herself in front of Mark even blocking her mother from his sight. Of course, she got pulled away and was scolded.

”Sorry for that, my daughter is really naughty. Also, my children said that you helped Mikio turn back to human. I really can't thank you enough for that.”

”Well, no need for formalities. You can say that your son is a friend of mine.”

Mark then faced Mikio.

”Right?”

The little boy hurriedly nodded while smiling widely.

What Mark and Rosamie did was a simple exchange of gratitude and other things but to others who knew of the circumstances at the City Hall, they were all stunned. They looked at the little boy and they could not help but feel shocked that this little boy was that huge tree back then. Furthermore, didn't that tree wither during the time the City Hall collapsed?

Likewise, they could not ignore one thing that Rosamie said. It was about Mark turning her son, Mikio, back into human.

Just how many mysteries did this man have with him?

The people who had lesser shock however were the people who watched Mark subdue that huge dog. If he could turn the dog back to something more 'normal' looking, it was possible that he could also do that to people with the same circumstances.

”Nee, nee~, uncle, you haven't introduced yourself yet.”

Emika pestered Mark and pulled his sleeves several times.

”Alright… Just stop will you. It's Mark, just call me Mark.”

”Heee? Why is it so short? Never mind, I'll just call you Mark-Ojichan th- Ahhh!”

Emika's ear was pulled by her mother.

Mark sighed with a bitter smile. This girl might be a little annoying but Mark could not hate her either. It was because he found this girl attracting. Not her looks but her mindset and the reigning emotion in her subconscious. It was actually, 'Happiness'.

Negative emotions get absorbed by Mark and he gets exhausted because of it. On the contrary, he found positive emotions quite attracting and they somehow give him positive energy.

With this girl's inherent positive emotion, it would be hard for Mark to hate her.

At this moment that Emika was complaining to her mother, Mark turned his head back towards Janette. It seemed that she was already done eating and was now licking the blood off her palms. Glancing behind him, Mark spoke.

”Mei'er, can you get me the hand sanitizer and the water spray from the vehicle. Ah, also some tissue. We need to clean Janette before bringing her back inside the car”

”Alright.”

Mei who was still having her time digesting the information she just heard snapped out of her thoughts and hurriedly replied before making her way towards the vehicle.

Everyone was still immersed at the peculiar happenings in front of them. About Janette's existence, about the mysteries around Mark, the truth about that huge tree back in the City Hall and also about the Emika's appearance. It was quite a huge amount of information for the people's tired minds to digest.

The mysterious Mark in question however was waiting for the items he needed so they could clean Janette's face and hands.

”Mark?”

It was then that he heard a familiar male voice from behind making him turn back in surprise. Seeing who spoke to him, he could not help but feel a bit elated. There was no way he would not recognize this person.