Borderline (
Short Summary[]
Yukine gives into temptation to steal money and items. Yato teaches Yukine learns to draw a borderline, and he later has the chance to use it against an ayakashi to protect a loose spirit.
Extended Summary[]
As Yato repairs a flat tire for an elderly couple, Hiyori and Yukine observe as Hiyori's inner monologue notes her newfound respect for Yato. Before they leave the old woman gives Yato a box of onigiri and tea, while the old man gives Yukine 10,000 yen.
At a different location, Yato teaches Yukine about a special skill Shinki have called "Boundary" using a tiny ayakashi as an example. It's then Yukine tries to leave the building they're in when Hiyori stops him. She tries to persuade him to give the money to Yato or better yet return it to the old man. On the other hand, Yukine refuses to do so. Feeling dejected by Yukine's remark, Hiyori returns to Yato who shows her the bite wound he received from the tiny Phantom.
Meanwhile, Yukine goes to a store and buys some second hand clothes. During the check out, Yukine pilfers a wristwatch, which gives Yato a painful sensation as the two are "connected" with each other. When asked where, he was earlier Hiyori claims that he must be out window shopping. Yato then notes that Yukine is stuck at a difficult age where his mind starts to develop. Elsewhere, Yukine admires the new watch he stole and then decides to go into a manga cafe.
A flashback showing both Yato and Yukine at a shrine explaining that whenever it's dark out and a storm starts to brew, they stay at a shrine. It's noted that Yukine can tolerate the cold and hunger, however, he's afraid of the dark. Back in the present, Hiyori notices a little girl who is apparently dead. The little girl immediately approaches Yukine after she sees that he's able to notice her. She goes onto say that monsters are after her and that her mother has yet to pick her up. Scared, the girl asks Yukine to wait with her until 6 Pm as that's the time her mother should pick her up. Reluctantly, Yukine agrees to do it.
An elaborate monologue detailing Yukine's fear of the dark and how disturbances in Shinki's heart causes pain to their master. Yato is notably anxious as at that moment Yukine's fear of the dark was affecting him. Switching back to Yukine and the girl, Hiyori regroups with him. A curt remark from Yukine saying that the girl's mother won't come for him causes the girl to walk away and be approached by some ayakashi. Using the Boundary Line, Yukine manages to repel the ayakashi back. While a disconcerted Hiyori manages to repel the ayakashi, the little girl is shown to be infected with the Blight. Shocked by this revelation, Yukine pushes away the girl from him and into a group of ayakashi. In a drastic move, Hiyori manages to rescue Yukine, but, in turn, the little girl couldn't be saved from the ayakashi.
Awakening in the lap of Hiyori at a bus station, she details that while she was able to save Yukine, she wasn't able to rescue the girl. Although Yukine was okay with this, he regrets pushing the little girl away. When the two return to Yato, they find him in a languid state. Hiyori then punches him for being lazy and not searching for Yukine and decides to adopt Yukine for herself. Much to Yato's dismay, Yukine agrees to this and leaves his master.
Characters[]
Character Debuts[]
- Yukine's sister (flashback)
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Yato
- Yukine
- Hiyori Iki
- Yukine's sister (flashback)