@mirurunky, your insight is quite a spot on, but you will find out more in the chapter!
@vickystar, thank your for founding the story interesting and reading it!
@junchan48, indeed troublesome... some trouble is around the corner already
I'm back with next chapter, as I'm still not disappearing with this fic (even if I can't upload it often), so I just hope I can keep on like that, even with rarer posts.
Chapter 5 - Expect the Unexpected
“The eyes are the mirror of the soul” — Yiddish proverb.
Rena regained her consequences after few hours. Maybe it would have happened sooner, its not like Jurina used a lot of her force, but older Matsui body was tired after these days and required more attention than ever.
Other things that the girl really needed at the moment was a shower, some food or just sleep in a comfy bed. Even on the ground would have been a better option than on this chair.
Rena realized that her abductors probably forgot about her again. Or it seemed that way as they haven’t appeared for at least couple of hours. Something told older girl that maybe something mayor is happening. After all, they’re dealing not simply with her parents but also her cousin. Nothing good could come out off it.
But as Rena had a lot of things to consider and enough of time to think about every little single decision in her life, she thought about her abductor as well. This girl who’s face she has seen not so long ago.
Has the girl told the others that they will have to kill Rena after getting the money because she saw her face, or did she keep that information for herself.
For some reason, Rena came to the conclusions that she’s the leader and probably withhold the information even thought it might change the game and their plans.
Something else kept creeping into Rena’s mind. It got bothersome to think about it but she couldn’t just stop. Unfortunately that’s not the option when you sit in a dark (in the middle of the night), when no one is around and you can barely hear any sounds.
Some people, who hates loneliness, might even go insane. That’s how intense it could get.
Those eyes… why they looked so familiar? They weren’t hostile. Quite the contrary. Those were the eyes of someone who doesn’t want to hurt… someone who feels pushed into a corner and sees no other way.
Also, the girl looked mature for her ago but certainly she’s younger than Rena. Older Matsui noticed that and started wondering what could force someone to do stuff like that. Did someone push her to this corner? What kind of life the girl would prefer to have if not… Matsui had to stop herself from further thoughts realizing that no one would try to understand their abductor.
That’s someone you should fear and hate. All the fear that Rena felt before somehow disappeared after she saw those eyes.Eyes that ought to protect instead of hurting.
Hearing the steps Rena recognized the person that was coming her way. With this little time she learn to separate the people without even knowing who they are. Maybe that’s how blind person (someone who had seen his whole life but got in some sort of accident) has to adapt and senses thing that are happening around them.
The girl took the strap from her eyes and put today’s newspaper in Rena’s lap smiling coldly and shortly. “Need a proof that you’re still alive”.
Rena raised an eyebrow curiously. The girl didn’t even try to hide her face anymore. She probably realized that there’s no point in that. “No more hiding?”
“You won’t get to see other faces so don’t worry. You might just get out off this alive. Stranger thing had happened”
“But if I do…I would remember your face very well…I could describe it perfectly and they would have a sketch of your face. It wouldn’t be easy to hide after something like it, right?”
“Well that’s my problem. Maybe I will fled the country…or maybe I’m really good at hiding. None of that is your business. Don’t move” the girl raised the camera ready to capture a picture.
But using the moment Rena had to ask one more time “should I look distressed? scared? angry? do you have an image for your photo?”
The girl sigh with annoyance. For some reason Rena instantly thought that the girl is actually used to hiding her emotions and shows also some sort of front created for other people eyes.
“You can smile as if you’re on your honeymoon for all I care. I just need a picture that you’re alive…that’s all”.
Rena opened her mouth to comment on it again but saw the flash (which was caused by Jurina’s phone) and opened it after noticing a smug smile on younger girl face.
“It looks like you’re angrily screaming or asking to let you out…perfect”. Jurina even walked out closer and showed Rena that photo.
All Rena could do was to roll her eyes but at the close proximity she had a chance to glance at the girl one more time.So instead of looking at the photo Rena took the change to give a better look at her abductor.
She wasn’t very subtle so Jurina noticed the stare. “Am I that pretty or I have something on my face?”
Jurina stepped back while older Matsui gathered her thoughts. And being completely honest Jurina hasn’t expected to hear this kind of answer. “I remember you”
“Excuse me?”
“I remember your eyes. You’re that girl”
“That girl?”
“You have saved my life…”
Looking at Jurina who stared back at her dumbfounded Rena felt the need to explain it “the car…fire…explosion…the driver… died instantly while I… you took me out… I barely saw anything but I couldn’t… forget those eyes”
They stared at each other for few more seconds. Rena just couldn’t read Jurina’s face as it didn’t gave out any signs or recognition, confusion or surprise.
After a long pause younger Matsui finally commented coldly “I think you’re confusing me with someone else”
Jurina looked back at the photo in her phone and turn around walking out of the room without commenting. Leaving Rena confused and questioning herself. That maybe… maybe she just confused those two people… this girl… can she be the one?
It was hard to believe that the same person would both save her and then… abduct her for money with slight torturing and without showing the slightest care for her well being.
Rena kept on waiting and hoping that maybe the same girl could come again. Usually they checked on her every few hours. Next time she heard the steps she knew that’s not the same person.
Also, this person used voice changing device as the others. Only Jurina didn’t hide anymore as like she mentioned there was no point in doing that.
“I brought you water to drink…as we might leave you in peace here for some time, without disturbances”
“Why?” Rena couldn’t stop herself from questioning. She hasn’t spoken with other a lot. Not like there was a lot to talk about expect ‘let me go or you might regret this whole operation of yours’. Not even once Rena said these things trying to scare them off or intimidate them. All of those times she was deadly serious. No one just take care seriously — until now.
“Some trouble… none of your business”. Rena thought that maybe she heard some hurt in that answer but not like she could have keep on asking about the issue. No one cared about her that much.
After giving Matsui her water Mayu turn around and left the room locking in behind herself and going straight to Jurina “what are going to do now?”
“I don’t know… I have called Akane… she’s on her way. After all, she mentioned that she’s going to return the favor and that’s as good time as ever”.
Mayu nod without questioning “I will check on them”, walking to the other room and leaving Jurina alone with her thoughts.
No one thought or even remembered about Matsui Rena for the rest of the day.
The reason for everyone forgetting about older Matsui was a serious one. While Rena remembered her life alone with her thoughts, Atsuko health worsened. It happened before few times… but never to this extend.
Seeing Takamina going crazy about the situation while laying down pale Acchan kept repeating in a quiet and weak voice that she’s feeling alrightand soon she will be on her foot going around was unbearable for both Mayu and Jurina.
That’s why Jurina instantly called someone from her past that is conveniently a nurse. Takayanagi Akane. She help out the girl before more than once and decided its time for Churi to return the favor.
All of those times were money related, as Akane needed it for her studies and Jurina didn’t mind seeing at least one person reaching its full potential.
“I’m here…” Akane announced walking inside after she finally found the place that she has been looking for quite some time. Jurina send her a message with confusing notes, comments and not very direct locations in case at some point someone else would find out about the message and use it to track the place.
Akane look around instantly and didn’t seem happy about it “you’re hiding in here? Don’t tell me you’re plotting something big again? Or you’re already doing something? I really… don’t like it”
“You didn’t seem to complain when you needed my help in the past”, Jurina commented coldly while walking Akane to Atsuko and Takamina’s room.
“Everyone should leave…I need to check on her properly…talk and find out about the symptoms… you know doctor — patient confidentiality”.
“You’re no doctor”, Jurina once again commented a bit sarcastically as Akane only qualified as a nurse but still walked out with going out of her mind Takamina and just as well worried Mayu.
They waited impatiently and quietly. No one knew what to say and that’s what not a good place for some random conversations. Even Mayu decided that she’s going to spend the rest of the night here instead of going back home.
After about an hour Akane finally left Acchan sleeping and went to the girls “I brought some medicine… you know I can take too much or they will notice and I will be in more trouble than you can imagine. It should be enough for at least a week. It simply depends on pain… but I need to be honest… I know you want me to be honest… its not getting better…and without the operation…”
Akane fell silent noticing how everyone looked at the ground realizing what she has in mind without girl even voicing out her thoughts. She decided its better to skip that sentence.
“I know I have said that I owe you only one favor so you…could call me only once… but if the time comes… give me a call again. I can’t do much…but still… I will come running”
Takamina stood up instantly going to Akane and hugging her while whispering (loud enough for everyone to hear) “thank you”.
The rest of the evening and night was spend in silence as Takamina’s crying face was the saddest thing you get to see and Jurina and Mayu couldn’t actually done anything about the situation.
Luckily in the morning Atsuko felt a little bit better which at least give her girlfriend some hope. Even if false hope it was better than nothing.
Atsuko handled the pain better by now as the medicine probably started working again and Jurina with Mayu left those two to spend some time alone.
“We need to get on with this as soon as possible…” Jurina commented remembering about Rena and looking at her direction. “We send the confirmation that she’s alive and all that… what’s wrong?” Matsui asked a bit annoyed after she noticed that Mayu isn’t listening to her at all.
Instead she was looking down at Takamina’s phone. “That’s weird…” the sound was off but both girls saw that the number that was shown there belong to Mayu.
“You still haven’t found your phone, right?”
“Well…yeah…I have been searching everywhere for few days… Yukirin even tried to call few times when we were back at home…but nowhere… maybe Yukirin found it and…”
“Yukirin doesn’t have Takamina’s number”, Jurina commented saying the most evident fact but some worry could have been seen in her face as she forgot to hide it“I don’t like this… maybe you shouldn’t answer…Mayu…Mayu!…”
But her reckless friend couldn’t be stopped. Instead she answer the call while putting on speaker “hello?”
Both Jurina and Mayu heard unfamiliar voice. But from the tone of it the person knew about them enough and felt contempt about it “Watanabe Mayu, I assume? I tried to call you few times before… unfortunately that’s the first time I managed to reach you through the night. Oh… I guess, we should start with introductions. You have probably already heard about me… Itano Tomomi”
“Okay…?” Mayu answered a bit confused while sharing a look with Jurina that seems just at loss at it was her friend.
“Good… we know each other already… so I can go straight to be point…or you would like to say hello to your dear girlfriend first?”
“What?”
“Oh sorry… Yuki right? Please give your best for Mayu here”
They heard some chocking sounds, whisper in the background and finally few short words that Yukirin got the change to say “Mayu don’t” after that it could have been assumed that she was hit in the face.
“WHAT THE HELL? LET HER GO!” Mayu looked as white as a paper and as panicked as Takamina just few hours ago.
“Oh…I will… you have 12 hours to kill me beloved cousin. When you do and I get a proof of that I will let Kashiwagi Yuki. If you don’t… you will have to deal with the consequences and can bury your girlfriend instead”.
Mayu didn’t get a change to say anything else as the call ended and the number was untraceable.
For more than 5 minutes Jurina and Mayu just kept on looking down at the phone without even saying a world. Not that it there was anything that could have been said… as they finally realized that all Rena’s words before were not said in vain and they truly had no idea in what kind of situation they got themselves into.