Warning: Curses ahead.Happy reading!
Home
by Louise-sama
Our lives are different from each other, but the red strings of fate weaved our paths together.
Chapter 4
“Your hands are trembling," Sayaka pointed at Sae's hands which are holding a gun, “Scared?”
“I never get scared," Sae answered calmly. "I'm just feeling ecstatic is all. It's been a while since we've handled an interesting mission, you know." It was her usual reply.
"I beg to differ," Sayaka chuckled as she pulled out a knife from its sheath. She knew Sae so well. And to see her shaky hands as now, Sayaka could tell how terrified Sae is. "This Keita might be the one you've been looking for," she paused while examining the blade of her knife, "what are you gonna do, huh?"
Sae paused and stroked the mouth of the gun. "Whether it's my own hands or other's bullet gets him, he must be stopped."
The two's eyes met, both sizzling in anticipation for the upcoming encounter. The two officers of Tokyo Metropolitan Police smirked and bumped their fists as if reading each other's minds. That’s what you get from partners working together for three solid years.
Sayaka casually placed her knife in her pocket and tied her hair in a sleek ponytail. "Cover my back, will you?"
Sae smirked and clutched her gun. "Aye, Captain!""Shit."
Sae was known to have the strongest sense of promise among the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. But that was until an hour ago. She was separated from the pursuit squad when she chased after the serial killer Keita alone inside the estate owned by his exclusive prey for the night, deliberately disobeying Yuko's strict command to stick with the group. She could recall the way Keita raked his hair with his hand. She was taunted. And she fell for it.
It was dark in the storage room she is currently in. The surrounding area is hauntingly quiet—too quiet that she could hear drops from the distant leaking pipes, and the blood from her own wound splattering against the ground. Making unnecessary movements could bring her fatality, knowing that she is alone with a professional serial killer who had been under the close watch of the Japanese Police. It aches but she knew it was not the time to complain.
Her eyes suddenly landed on the lifeless body lying two meters beside her. It was the head cook of the estate who was shot in the head twenty minutes earlier. Sae cursed under her breath. Her clumsiness took the poor cook’s life away. The security measures of the estate had been utterly destroyed. Even the maids and gardeners were slain. The only room untouched by the killer was the main bedroom where the target and his wife sleep.
Sae slowly crept away from the storage room and went past to the kitchen. She landed the floor badly as she was tripped by something on the floor. Bending slightly, she looked down and was welcomed with an unpleasant stench of dried blood when she saw another corpse lying on the ground with a knife stabbed on its chest.
"Happy Halloween to you too," she muttered dryly under her breath.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps getting louder and louder, indicating someone's approaching. She ducked down and used the kitchen counter for cover. She clutched her gun tightly, waiting for the person to draw nearer… nearer... patiently waiting for her prey to reach a favorable distance.
Just when the sound came to a halt, she quickly pulled the trigger of her gun—"Fuck," she hissed when she missed—the gun was kicked from her hand. Fortunately for her, the target was someone she knew so well.
"What were you thinking, Sae?!" hissed a tall woman with her long, black hair held up in a ponytail.
"...Sayaka," Sae identified the person who was now grabbing her collar. "You scared the hell out of me!"
"And what—you think you didn't scare me when you rushed inside here alone?"
Sae forced herself out of Sayaka's grip and stepped a foot back. "I couldn't wait for that Oshima's damn orders! That officer doesn't even know what she's doing. This estate is near-dead! See? Just look at the corpse behind you. They talk about her like she’s a god but I can prove it all wrong. That girl's a coward, Sayaka!"
"You're not being professional here. Now don't be so stubborn and let's get back to rest of the squad!" Sayaka gritted her teeth as she yanked Sae's arm.
"No! I won't leave until I avenge my father!"
"Don't act rashly!" Sayaka growled back. "We don't know how strong Keita is but Oshima does."
"You're just saying that because you weren't the one who got her father killed!"
BANG!The gunshot stopped their bickering. The two officers pulled away immediately. They crouched and leaned against the marble counter for cover.
"He found us," Sayaka whispered, making Sae roll her eyes. Of course. With their heated argument moments ago, even a near-deaf grandpa could have notice them.
"Oshima to Akimoto. Akimoto. Do you hear me?" a voice from Sayaka's radio roared. Sayaka picked it up and brought near her lips.
"Go ahead. This is Akimoto," she said.
"Have you found Miyazawa yet?"
Sayaka glanced at Sae and found her partner crunching her eyebrows when she heard the voice from the other line. "Yes, she's with me."
"Good. Hold your position. I'm coming in for you. We're commencing Plan B."
"He's alone. We could get him now," Sayaka retorted.
"No! stick to the plan. He's a cunning man. We cannot let him get away this time."
Sayaka paused. She didn't respond right away but then she heard Sae click her gun. Sae is being stubborn again. She knew she had to do something to stop her but their leader on the other line was demanding an answer. Confused, Sayaka decided to give in. "...Roger," she said.
She considered relaying the message to Sae, but even before she could end the call, her impatient partner had already rushed her way up the staircase.
"Shit..." Sayaka murmured and threw the radio away, missing the last words of their leader.
"Don't step out of your cover! He's right behind—!"
As she chased after Sae who was aimlessly running, she heard someone behind them and she turned around, only to see a gun pointing at Sae's direction.
"Sae, watch out!"
Without thinking twice, Sayaka got in the way and used her own body to cover her short-haired friend.
The sound of a gunshot roared throughout the estate and Sae found herself shutting her eyes in shock. When she opened her eyes, she saw Sayaka, clutching the side of her head, blood oozing out like a spilling milk.
"...Sayaka?" Sae whispered, voice shaking in mixed horror and fear.
She turned around and saw Keita pulling out a pistol aiming at her direction but as the mixed anger and adrenaline overtook her, Sae triggered her gun towards the masked man.
"GO DIE!"
Three gunshots roared as one against the estate's hall. Several footsteps grew louder as bodies collapsed on the cold, bloody floor.
"Captain! Miyazawa is down!"
...
...
"Sae... don't die!"
"NO!""No!"
Kashiwagi Yuki woke up and found herself screaming her heart out. Her body was bathed with her own sweat, and her hands clutched tightly onto the sheets of the mattress. She turned around and found that she was alone in the room she shares with her girlfriend.
"Sae..." she mouthed breathless. "Oh, God," she cried and buried her face on her hands, "please don't let her die..."
The picture of Sae getting hit in her nightmare entered her mind.
"Sae, please be alright..."
...
...
"Actually, I have someone that I like."
"...You do?"
"Can I trust you about it?"
"Who is she, senpai?"
"I like Yukirin, Mayu."...
...
Mayu opened her eyes as the sun crept up to her face from the window. She just had another dream that she had been dreading to recall. Surprisingly, there was something today that she didn't feel angered about it for the first time. She rolled over the bed and got up to find her slippers with her cold feet. In an instant, her nose was filled with a pleasant smell of toasts and butter coming from the kitchen. She wore her slippers and walked to her door. Just when she was about to turn the knob, she went back to check herself in the mirror, brushing her slightly messed up hair quickly. It’s been a while since she felt this fresh and satisfied. She stepped outside her bedroom and walked to the kitchen.
There she saw a taller woman wearing a blue shirt with its sleeves rolled up perfectly to reveal her toned arms under her apron. Mayu watched her taste the broth and smile in satisfaction. She wondered why she had trusted someone so easily to allow her inside their sharehouse. Indeed, it was a sharehouse—welcome for anyone who is willing to share the rent and bills—but Mayu still gets to decide whom she can co-reside. And today, she finds it amusing that the new housemate is already being comfortable with using their kitchen for the second time.
"Good morning," Mayu greeted from her spot as she leaned her slender back against the wall.
Jurina turned around and smiled to acknowledge the smaller girl's presence. "You're early."
Mayu nodded slowly. "Nightmare."
"Doesn't seem to me," Jurina replied as she motioned her duck lips to Mayu's face, "you're smiling, in case you didn't know."
Mayu touched the sides of her lips and found that she was, indeed, smiling. She chuckled lightly and joined Jurina in the kitchen. "What are you cooking, dear chef?"
"I was thinking of making an omelette," Jurina replied.
"Oh," Mayu nodded. "Need help with that?" she motioned to the potatoes.
"Yeah, I could sure use some help, but..." Jurina paused and gave her a doubtful smile. "...You...uh...can you...cook?"
"Nope!" Mayu replied quickly in a precise proclamation, "it doesn't interest me at all!"
Jurina laughed and lowered the heat of the stove. "You made it sound like you're proud of it."
"Not really. But at least I can help you chop the potatoes," Mayu proposed.
Jurina stared at her for a moment, deliberating in her mind what to answer. While a company seems tempting, the idea of entrusting the chopping of potatoes to a rich woman with no interest in cooking definitely presents trouble. Mayu brushed her hand against Jurina ever so slightly. Yep. She smells trouble.
"Well...?" Mayu asked as she wiggled her eyebrow playfully.
Jurina was too hesitant to give her a chance but she did it anyway. She carefully handed the knife to the petite beauty. "Okay, ojou-sama. Try to impress me."
Mayu rolled her eyes with Jurina's remark and snatched the knife from Jurina's hand. "Brace yourself 'cause you're about to witness the smartest way to chop these potatoes," she said, making Jurina stifle her laugh.
Jurina checked her broth for a moment and went back to attentively watch Mayu slice the peeled potatoes. "Ooh...not bad," she noted. Mayu does know how to slice the potatoes, with incomparable...style, for a lack of word.
"I told you, I can do it," Mayu proudly said while turning her gaze away from the potatoes she was chopping.
"Fine. Just be careful not to cut y—"
"Ouch!" Mayu suddenly cried, taking Jurina by surprise.
"As I was saying..." Jurina murmured before walking to her side.
"B-blood...blood...I'm draining...oh, my..." Mayu was mumbling in panic. She was holding up her cut finger away from her while shaking furiously.
"Hey, hey, calm down first, will ya," said Jurina while rubbing Mayu's shoulders to ease her down.
"Wipe it off...wipe it off... Please, I don't want to die just yet!" she started crying and Jurina couldn't help but laugh at her.
She's so cute, she mentally noted.
When she first met Mayu, she noted her to be a cold, emotionless girl who thought she held all the bitterness of the world. But now, she looks like a kid who is afraid of her own blood. Mayu sobbed and Jurina thinks her heart just melted.
As much as she wanted to see the girl at her current state more, she didn't want to be a bully and let her whine all day. She reached for Mayu's hand and brought it closer to her face.
"H-Hey, what are you doing?" Mayu shouted as Jurina dipped her head lower until Mayu couldn't see her own finger anymore. She felt an unfamiliar soft pair of muscles suck the wounded part gently. Mayu started to feel hot on her cheeks as Jurina closed her eyes, as if enjoying the least of their situation, which was—for Mayu—the most uncomfortable situation she could never have imagined she would take part of at the moment.
Sensing Mayu's shaking finger inside her mouth, Jurina glanced up to Mayu and saw her furiously reddened face. Smiling, she gave the smaller girl's cut one last kiss and pulled away. Making sure Mayu saw her lick the smudged blood on her own lips to further tease her. "There, all clean."
Mayu's reddened face burned even more as Jurina grinned sheepishly. "What have you done just now?!" she growled.
Jurina scratched her head as she tried to contain her laugh. "You were begging for me to wipe it off but I had no napkin so I used my mouth instead."
Mayu eyed her scornfully. What kind of sane person would use her mouth to wipe of blood in place of a napkin or cloth?
"H-hey, don't give me that face. It's not that big deal," Jurina stuttered while waving her hands in retreat. Mayu pounced her but Jurina blocked her assault. Mayu continued assaulting her and Jurina was protecting herself while giggling.
"What's wrong with the two of you? Shouting at each other this early," Milky called from the other side of the kitchen while yawning.
Mayu quickly pulled away from Jurina when she realized their close proximity and turned around to greet Milky. "G-good morning!"
"My, my, are you two cooking?" Milky asked as she approached the two.
Milky's door opened and Sayanee stepped outside. "Sweet! I smell breakfast!" Sayanee yelled as she entered the kitchen gleefully.
Mayu and Jurina greeted her and Sayanee leaned over the counter allowing Mayu to notice her outfit.
"That smells really tasty, Jurina. Are you done yet?" Sayanee asked as she grabbed a slice of toast.
"Almost. Do you girls want coffee? You drank too much last night, I bet your heads still hurt," Jurina said.
"Don't worry. Sayanee and I are used to drinking alcohol," Milky said as shep playfully clung to Sayanee's arm.
"Wait a second," Mayu raised her voice to get the attention of everyone. She had a knack of calling everyone’s attention. Suffice to say, everybody kept silent and turned their eyes to her. "Was it just me... or did I see Sayanee exit your room?" she asked Milky.
Silence befell the kitchen as eyes swept from Mayu, to Sayanee, and Milky.
"...Yeah, so…?" Milky answered slowly while scratching her elbow, which Mayu noted as a sign of her discomfort. Years of co-residing together, Mayu wouldn’t be wrong on this one.
"And why is Sayanee wearing your shorts?" Mayu further asked while pointing at Sayanee's legwear. She was absolutely sure that it was Milky's. In fact, it was her present for Milky's admission to a lingerie brand. Milky never really allowed anyone borrow or even touch her clothes before especially if they're from Mayu. So why is Sayanee wearing her shorts? Was Mayu missing something?
"E-Eh?!" Jurina shrieked. "Did you two happen to...?" she couldn't finish her own words because ...the idea was choking her. If her suspicion was right then she’s definitely not cool with that. Because she’s jealous.
"Um...we..." Sayanee and Milky exhanged looks at each other.
"Well?" Mayu and Jurina asked in unison with impatience and cruriosity.
Awkward.
The sound of the boiling dish, however, brought contrast to the stiff atmosphere. It was until then that Yui stepped into the kitchen and broke the silence.
"...Jurina, your dish is boiling over."
Everyone turned their gazes to Yui—who seemed clueless about their topic by the way she walked in between Sayanee and Miyuki and casually rubbed their backs—then all eyes turned to Jurina.
"Oh," Jurina snapped from her confusion and turned to her cooking. "I'll be done in a minute. Someone, please set the table."
...
...
After Jurina left for her ...daily business, the four remaining girls in the table were still silently eating as if talking will take away their lives. But Milky doesn't seem to be so entertained by the way everyone's eyes would occassionally steal glances at her and Sayanee between their eating. She then turned to the person beside her who shares the same discomfort as her.
"Does it still hurt?" Milky asked Sayanee in the most silent whisper possible. Little did she know that the straight-faced Mayu could still read from her lips what she was saying.
"What hurts?" Sayanee whispered back.
"Your foot. I think I stepped on it last night while..."
"Oh," Sayanee said in realization, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."
Mayu cleared her throat, earning the attention of the whispering girls.
"So… tell us, why did you two come out from the same room again?" she asked. It seems like she had no intention of dropping the topic right away. On the other hand, Yui, who was sitting beside her grinned all knowingly.
The two girls subject to the question looked at each other, communicating in their minds how to answer. "We don't quite remember."
"Oh, please. Don't try to cover up now," Yui interjected. "I saw what happened, you know," she said and winked at the two.
"Y-You did?!" Milky and Sayanee shouted in unison.
Yui smirked and nodded. "Yep."
"What part¬ did you actually see?" Milky nervously asked.
"Hmm... Try guessing then," Yui taunted. "It's somewhere in between... Mariko and Haruna had gone home a little tipsy. Mayu and Jurina had gone to their own rooms after talking about some things we didn't know and you two were the only ones left in the living room. I understand you hadn't seen each other for how many years—let alone you never mailed or called each other. You missed each other, I know that too well. It was dark and quiet except for the sound of the chimes. A very romantic atmosphere, definitely. You were both so intoxicated and I can say that you were just caught up in the moment," she narrated, drawing random figures with her chopsticks in the air in the process. "So basically, I saw everything. I know everything. I couldn't possibly blame you though," she finished, sounding all compassionate.
Sayanee and Miyuki stared at her with their mouths agape. On the other side of the table, Mayu had dropped her carrot sticks on her plate while gravely staring at the two.
Miyuki stole a quick glance at Sayanee and bored her eyes down at her plate in embarrassment. "I can't believe you actually saw us having sex..."
"Wait a minute. Sex?" Yui bobbed her head and everyone's surprised stares landed on her. "Apparently, I didn't see that. I just knew that you two kissed but, I
didn't know that you got that far! My, my, what an interesting way to reunite," she said while smirking all the way. The two girls knew that smirk so well—the Yokoyama smirk of victory.
"EH?!" Sayanee and Milky exclaimed in unison. They couldn't believe that Yui had just made them spill what they were hiding under.
"So you two really..?" Mayu eyed them with a scandalous look on her face.
Then, the air was once again, stiff.
Jurina's cooking was good. That was what the girls' taste buds noted. But the spilled revelation suddenly became jucier than the sausages. Then Yui spurted a laugh, indicating that she had been holding it in for the past five minutes when the dining room fell silent.
"I'm sorry about that," she said, resisting her laugh all the way. "The food is nice, you know, but I better get going. I still have work," she said and stood up. "Sayanee, don't forget your work shift, alright? You'll start tomorrow."
"Ah, t-thanks. I'll keep that in mind," Sayanee said and waved at Yui.
As soon as Yui left the house, Mayu cleared her throat.
"That was really...disturbing. I didn't know you had that kind of relationship," Mayu remarked. She took her glass and drank the water wishing it was alcohol instead.
"We're just friends!" Milky quickly reacted. Sayanee glanced at her with hurt eyes.
"Friends...with benefits?" Mayu questioned almost innocently. She had a sweet, melodious voice, but at the moment, it was irritating to Sayanee's ears. That was very judgmental of her.
"We were just drunk. We don’t have that kind of relationship," Sayanee defensively raised her voice but still managed to keep her cool.
"Not because this is a sharehouse, it doesn't mean that you can do everything you wanted. We're adults, and we have to bear responsibility of our actions," Mayu continued, silencing the two girls. She turned to Milky. "Milky, you do know exactly what I mean," she sternly said.
Sayanee turned to look at Milky who had flinched upon Mayu's words. What is she talking about, she wondered.
"Hai...I'm sorry," Milky replied softly and submissively. She must admit, she felt guilty. She has a boyfriend and she cheated on him with a friend.
Mayu sighed heavily, still unconvinced with Milky's answer. "Nevermind that. We'll figure this out some other time," she said. "I'm going to school."
...
...
Yui released a heavy sigh. Her head still hurts from drinking last night. If it wasn't for her good control in drinking, she would definitely end up like Sayanee and Milky. She can't afford to let that happen. There were just so much at stake if she had given herself in to Sayanee's nagging to drink all the glasses alcohol she offered her. She stopped in front of her flat's entrance, suddenly recalling what happened last night.
They were laughing. She couldn't honestly recall what they were laughing about but she could remember the smiles on their faces. Then all of a sudden, Sayanee turned serious and stared at Yui intently.
"Yuihan..." Sayanee called her and touched her hands. Her tone was soft, in contrast to her cool and uptight facade. "...I missed you so much."
Yui stopped laughing and stared at her. Their eyes met, talking to each other in a language that only their hearts knew. "...But -- Milky missed you so much too,"
she replied while withdrawing her hands from Sayanee's touch.
Sayanee paused for a while. Her mind was still processing what she had just heard. Then after a few seconds, she laughed weakly. "I know..." she reached out for the wine bottle and poured herself another glass. "Of course, I missed her too. For three years, we hadn't seen or even talked to each other, afterall."
Yui listened to her carefully and poured herself a glass of wine. "You should really let her know," she said while shaking the glass on her own hands, "or at least make her feel that."
Sayanee swept her glance across the room and spotted Milky who was having a conversation with Mayu in the corner. "...Do you think she can still forgive me?" Sayanee asked her friend. Her friend. Her everything kind of friend.
Yui nodded stiffly in response. "She loves you. There's no way she can't forgive you.""Sorry, Sayanee...it was partly my fault too."
"GO DIE, YOU CRIMINAL!" A raging shout snapped Yui back to her senses. She turned to her side and found an old man holding a knife in front of a girl—the thin girl who was her neighbor.
"Excuse me," Yui interjected, "Ojii-san, what's the problem?" The old man glanced at her and Yui saw his unusual eyes.
"This girl over here is a daughter of a criminal!" he yelled.
"What?" she asked in confusion.
"Her father killed my son!"
"Calm down, mister. How did you know it was her father?"
"Everyone from this neighborhood knows about him,” the old man said as a matter-of-factly. “He hardly goes home because he's hiding from the authority. He is a murderer!"
Yui sighed. "So?"
She doesn’t know if it’s because of the recent happenings or because she couldn’t bring herself to believe in the man’s argument.
"What kind of reaction is that?" the old man scoffed.
"Rumors aren't evidences. Unless you have a proof that this girl's father committed those atrocities you mentioned, then I can sympathize with you. But since your reasons are all hear-says, you have no rights to hurt this girl,” Yui argued and glanced at the thin girl. She doesn’t meet her eyes. “Besides, if it was really her father, then it's still not her fault, is it?"
"It's all the same! A murderer's blood runs through her veins. I should stop her before she turns like her father."
"Do you really think this girl would do something like that?” Yui glanced at the girl again. She isn’t even reacting. “You said it yourself. Her father barely goes home. This girl's living all alone."
"Just why are you siding her? And why are you talking to your elderly like that?" the furious man must have given up and turned his anger to Yui instead.
Yui raised her phone to the man’s face. "If you still won't stop hurting her, I wouldn't hesitate to send this picture to the police. Sir." And there, she emphasized the ‘Sir’ to the man’s frustration.
The old man hissed. "I'll let it slide this time but I'll get back to avenge my son. Mark my word, kid!" he shouted before storming off.
"Nuts," Yui mused. She turned around and looked at the girl. "Hey, are you okay kid?" she asked.
She didn’t get a reply but at least the girl is now staring at her.
"Don't mind the old man. He was probably drunk. Or who knows, maybe he's facing alzheimers's. You know," she chuckled to herself since the girl was still silent. It felt awkward waiting for the girl's response so she proceeded to observe the girl's clothing. She mentally took note how baggy the girl's uniform was for her. She looked so thin and unhealthy. Her eyes looked so dark and hopeless. Maybe it's better to leave her now, she thought. She doesn’t look grateful anyway.
Before she could take a step, the girl's broken voice stopped her.
"Thank you..."
Yui's heart skipped a beat with the fragility of her voice. She turned around again and found the girl's eyes, staring directly at hers.
"You're welcome," Yui immediately responded. "You're welcome," she repeated as she recalled the voice of the girl.
The girl tried to stand up but fell down again.
"Are you okay?" Yui asked as she offered the girl a hand. The girl just nodded and stood up, this time, successfully. Yui's extended hand was left hanging and she pulled it back to her side.
The girl gave her a look of ‘you-can-leave-me-alone-now’ but Yui still wanted to look after her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. The girl turned around and approached the entrance of her house. Yui remained grounded on her spot, still unyielding to get a response. Fortunately, the girl made a quick glance at her and spoke before walking inside the house.
"Very."
...
...
Rena was shuffling uncontrollably in her seat. Her eyes were on the paperwork but on frequent times, she would sneak curious gazes on the thing that was on her table—an eye-catching, mouth-watering melon pan! She gulped hard while scratching her neck. What in the world is a melon pan doing in there? It was just two feet away from her, but she couldn't bring herself to grab it especially when she noticed a letter beside it. Maybe it was just a prank; maybe it wasn't really for her; maybe...there was a bomb inside it! She coudn't possibly tell without peeking at it. Finally, she decided to pause from her work and checked out the heaven-sent bread. Heaven-sent. That's probably the best way to describe it.
"You can't see me but I can. I'm your star in broad daylight," she read the note.
Weird.
Cheesy.
No.
Creepy.
Nobody knows she likes melon pan! Even if it gets obvious, she never told or admitted it to anyone—not even Yuki. Except for a person she knows.
"...Jurina?" she whispered, but as soon as her own voice reached her ears, she shook her head. "No, it can't be," she chuckled.
"I haven't seen her for three years...I wonder how she's doing?" she whispered to the wind while reminscing the promise they made on the day of her departure.
…
…
Meanwhile, Jurina was still hiding among the bushes. She had been waiting for Rena to show up from the window. I wonder if she noticed the melon pan, she thought. There is no way for her to enter the school. She looked too mature to be a student. Good thing a kind girl agreed to help her.
"Hm. Takamina-san is a little late today,” she mused. “Where could she be?"
“A-Ano…” a gentle voice stopped Jurina from her reverie. It was from the girl who helped her.
"Oi! Riku, isn't it?" Jurina asked while pulling her inside the bushes. The girl found her new position awkward as Juria tried to squeeze her in.
"Uh, no, it's.. Riho. Abiru Riho," she corrected the taller girl.
"Oh, Riho. Thank you for helping me out."
"It's nothing. Sory for bumping with you last time. I wasn't careful."
"Don't worry about it! And you can just call me Jurina," she winked.
"Ju-Juri-Juri-kun..." Riho muttered shyly.
"Juri-kun?” Jurina repeated and laughed. It sounded funny to her ears. She tried echoing it in her head and laughed again. “If you feel comfortable calling me that, then call me Juri-kun."
"O-Okay, Juri-kun..." Riho smiled. A very small smile. But in her head, she was squealing so hard.
Jurina drew her face closer to the girl when she noticed that the girl was staring blankly. "You're a little weird, you know. Why are you getting all red?"
And Jurina swore she saw steams escaped Riho’s ears.
...
...
"That's strange...Why isn't she there yet?" Maeda Atsuko asked herself with worry. It’s about time her midget of a lover shows up from her favorite view. It was a game they both agreed in. Staying from a distance. Smile and wave at each other. They’re not allowed to phone each other. Just do the same routine every day. Minami got the shorter end of the stick with the condition but she accepted it anyway. By this, Atsuko gave her promise that if she could pull it through for three years, Atsuko would give her a yes. Today was supposed to mark her last week of waiting. But today was her first absence. And she lost her streak.
"Acchan," Rena and Yuki called. In this school, only Rena and Yuki ever call her by her nickname.
"Oh, gracious!” Atsuko jumped from the window, very much surprised from the presence of her two faculties. “You surprised me there! Why didn't you knock on the door first?"
"We did thrice but it seems...you didn't hear us, did you?" Yuki asked.
"Oh..." Atsuko realized. Rena and Yuki sighed.
"...What are you peering at, Acchan?" Rena asked a little curious.
"T-That's none of your business!" the Principal answered defensively. It made the two girls taken aback and slightly confused. Rena was just asking.
"I mean.. that's nothing,” Atsuko forced a laugh, “don't mind it."
"You're acting a little weird today, Acchan."
"That's not true!" Acchan shouted defensively.
"Anyway, why did you call us for?"
"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot," Atsuko snapped and she shuffled the folders on her desk. She handed the folders to the teachers. "As faculties of Akibahara Middle School, I'm appointing the both of you for a special task."
"Task? What is it about?" Yuki asked.
Atsuko gestured them to flip the folder. Rena read the profile aloud.
"Shimazaki Haruka."
…
…
"Takahashi-san? Where am I?"
"You're in the hospital. You were hit during the mission, remember?"
The scenes from last night flashed back to Sae's mind. From the time she rushed towards Keita to the moment she fell to the ground.
"Where's Sayaka?"
The question thrown at the short General was like a rope, choking her. And as she stole a glance at the wounded police officer lying on the hospital bed, Takamina knew the pain she will inflict the moment she answers.
"She's still alive," she started and as she glanced at Sae again, she saw how her lips curved up to a small smile, "but there's no saying for how long she will stay alive."
This time, she didn't have to glance at the expression thrown at her.
"What do you mean?" Sae nervously asked.
"She was almost brain dead. Good thing her first aid was done by a pro," Takamina replied carefully. She doesn’t want to mention Yuko knowing that it will make her uncomfortable again.
"What about Keita?"
"He got away."
The revelation stomped at Sae’s heart. She can’t think of anything but regret.
"... I'm sorry. It was all my fault."
"Yes. It's a good thing that you know that. You basically blew out this mission,” Takamina replied trivially, hoping lighten the mood. As the head of the police, it’s her duty to moralize her allies. “But don't blame yourself. Anyway, he's badly wounded too with his hit."
"He was hit? I remember missing my bullet," Takamina saw the hope in Sae’s eyes.
"It was Yuko who did," Takamina replied.
"...Oshima-san?" Sae asked in disbelief. Takamina glanced at Sae. She thought it would make her mad. Sae was a little unsatisfied but she was calm.
"She may not look like it but she's really good. I've told you about this before, Sae. You need to learn to trust your leader."
…
…
"Oi, squirrel. What are you staring at?" Mariko scolded Yuko as she followed her stare.
"Nyan Nyan's oppai had gotten bigger again, don't you think?" Yuko spoke gently. Her eyes were locked to her heart’s desire.
"What a pervert," Mariko sighed. She feels like giving up on her perverted squirrel of a friend. But she didn’t remove her stare. She knew Yuko was right anyway.
"Aw c'mon. Don't tell me that you didn't notice! With a size like hers, there's no way you cannot mind to stare!" And that was Yuko’s bluntness that gets Mariko every time. A perverted. Squirrel. Of a friend.
Mariko turned her slightly flushed face away from Yuko. "Of course, I know that! But stop comparing me with the likes of you."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Yuko protested.
"Tokyo Metropolitan Police failed the latest mission last night, failed to stop the mysterious killer Keita. Five officers were injured including the station's elite officers, Miyazawa Sae and Akimoto Sayaka," the news reporter announced from the TV.
"Were you there last night too?" Mariko asked Yuko.
"...Yeah."
There was a pause before Mariko could get a reply. Yuko sounded serious. She wasn’t even looking at the TV screen. Mariko wants to cheer her up but she knows Yuko is very hard to please.
"What the heck,” Mariko started. “Failing your first mission after so long. Isn't this a sign that you should quit your job?"
Yuko remained quiet. "No," she firmly replied, "maybe it's telling me to keep going. After all, that bastard shot my new grunts."
"What's the deal with earning an army of grunts? You're definitely earning them as pawns in your and Takamina's stupid game. Let me remind you that all of your comrades before died because of your bad leadership. This might not be any different from your—"
There was something in the way Mariko worded her joke that Yuko found it offensive. "Will you stop talking like you know everything? You know nothing about the things Takamina and I do as peace keepers so better stay here and brew your suckish coffee in this suckish place!"
Yuko stood up and slammed her coins against the counter. "I'm outta here!"
Everyone inside the cafe remained silent as they watched Yuko kick the door before exitting.
"Yuko!" Haruna called and removed her apron to follow her.
"Haruna!" Mariko shouted firmly to stop her and she succeeded.
"Mariko, we should stop her!" Haruna said worriedly. The customers of the cafe were too stunned with Yuko's actions and suddenly, they feel like they're witnessing a television drama.
"No, let her go. She probably needs time to cool down," Mariko answered a little softer and leaned forward against the counter.
Haruna stared at her for a moment and witnessed how Mariko pulled her hair using both of her hands. The murmurings of the customers grew louder, making Haruna snap to reality. She apologized to the customers and assured them that everything's fine. The customers agreed and went back to their own business. Afterwhich, she returned to the counter and comforted Mariko.
"What happened?" she asked softly.
Mariko paused and rested her forehead against her hands. "...I think I said too much."
Haruna approached her back and massaged Mariko's shoulders. "Don't go blaming yourself," she whispered to her ears.
"I'm such an idiot, Haruna. I shouldn't have brought that thing up!"
Haruna hugged her from behind and rested her forehead against Mariko's nape. "Hey. It's gonna be fine, okay?"
Mariko nodded and reached for her hand.
...
...
Mayu has listed in her mind all of the things she has to and wanted to do. Not a bucket list. More like a happiness list. She won’t be dead anytime soon afterall. She can’t be. Her life is just starting to make sense. She listed things like going to parties, getting a portrait, singing in karaoke, dress up like an idol, going to anime conventions, and… falling in love among other things.
She was beaming. Until her eyes met their horror.
On the other side of the street, Yuki stood.
"Mayu..." she breathed, unsure of the sight blinding her eyes. As soon as the street lights shifted to walking signal, Yuki immediately stepped ahead of the pedestrians and welcomed Mayu with an earnest pace. Mayu on the other hand held the stare deeply while walking straight. The crowd began bumping their shoulders but the two girls didn't mind. Yuki had lots of things in her mind that Mayu cannot decipher. Her stare was a lot different from when they last met each other in the restaurant. Meeting half-way, they stopped walking.
"Mayuyu, I have something to tell you. About the other day—"
"Please look ahead. You might trip on your own feet if you keep staring at me like that. Kashiwagi-san," Mayu said. Cold and composed. She doesn’t seem bitter about their break up anymore. But Yuki noticed the icy gate she built up between them.
Yuki watched her walk away across the other side of the street.
"Ka-Kashiwagi-san…?" Yuki repeated to herself her ex-girlfriend’s remark. It stings.
Looks like she needs some explaining to do.
Just a little more, Yuki. I can finally move on. I hope you've found your happiness. I'm still trying.
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Louise-sama | Home | Chapter IV | つづく
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Topic: [Louise-sama] Home | Chapter 5 [Multiple pairings] (Read 18215 times)