And once again I'm back. Waaah, I hate it when I'm gone for such a long time, but I had exams and stuff, so writing was sadly no option + inspration was lacking.
This chapter is talk, talk, talk. Means lots of crappy writing and rewriting. No real action but Sayanee teaches Minami some lessons on life and Atsuko and Mayu have some kind of a "deep" conversation and we get Umechan's background story! (she sounds kinda psycho though)
But I'm not satisfied with my work here. Something is just- meh. Sucks.
Ah, well. I got a wonderful long break now, tomorrow I'll be going home, maybe a 6-hour train ride will level up my creativity? There's so much snow, it inspires me (I still got an unfinished YukiRena OS about Snow laying around)
Anyway, hope you still read it after all I told you just now.
@ ikun1216: That was a sea of emotions? Please don't die after this chapter! Tomochin's motives are Tomochin's motives. 'nough said. They don't sell alcohol at gas stations where you're from? Ah, well as a german I'm probably spoiled when it comes to the accessibility of this kind of stuff. About Ume and gas stations... Read through this chapter!
@ arrow27: I still feel bad when I don't update. I have an ending and a basic storyline but it develops while I'm writing so I'm always really curious what is going to evolve while I write the next chapter.
@ FlameHazeKatsu: Glad you like it so far. I hope you still have the patience to keep reading.
@ takamae: Haha, that will tick her off as soon as she's not distracted by other people's problems anymore. But in this chapter she got other stuff to deal with...
@ KojiYuu44: Sayanee! I just noticed that my oshimen (Yuihan&Sayanee) are kind of the villains in this story or didn't really appear at all (Jurina). Huh, I wonder why...
@ Haruko: Ah, sorry. Not much Atsumina we got going on at the moment. But the feelings are strong, don't worry.
@ cisda83:Well, there is a bunch of people in this story who would risk a prison break for that midget, so...
@ chibiusa: The undefeated duo.
@ miayaka: Atsumina is drawn to each other. Just not in this chapter yet... But if we consider the timeline it's only a few hours, so it's okay, right?
Chapter 9
Takahashi Residence, 07:50 AM
Atsuko made her way through the basement window. She had discovered that Minami left it slightly open all the time and for someone as stretchy as her it was no problem to get into the house this way. Everything was quiet so Atsuko decided to sneak into Minami’s bedroom. Maybe she was still sleeping, after all the night surely took a toll on her as well.
Maybe I can sleep in her bed a bit, I’m just so tired… Or she’ll make breakfast for me. Pancakes. Maybe she can make pancakes.
Atsuko hummed inwardly as she opened the door.
“Miiiinami-mouse!” she whispered teasingly and tiptoed to the bed. “Let me cuddle with-“
She stopped abruptly as she found the blank white sheets staring at her. The bed was empty. She furrowed her brows as she hadn’t noticed Minami downstairs. If that clutz was walking around the house she would have heard her without doubt.
But… even she wouldn’t go to work after such a night. Maybe she went shopping? Ah, now that I think about it, she might have gone shopping. After all we left that cat of hers alone for quite a while… I’ll wait for her.
Atsuko sat on the bed and rested her head in her hands. After 3 minutes she got bored though.
Okay Atsuko this is not right. Something is… Am I worrying?
With a sigh, she stripped off her jeans and got under the covers. Staying awake all night was no problem for her but after the alcohol she had consumed with the other assassin she was indeed tired. So she could as well rest a bit. The mattress at COF’s backup house was really not that comfortable.
Maybe I should just come here to sleep all the time…
“Not even that stupid cat is around to keep me company” she mumbled, nuzzled her head in Minami’s cold pillow and drifted to sleep.
A hospital, 07:52 AM
Minami stared at the unexpected visitor. She seemed to have another face everytime she appeared, at Kuramochi Travel’s she had been an elegant woman, at The old coin a sloppy, disheveled regular. Today she was wearing a plain t shirt and a simple leather jacket that reminded Minami way too much of Acchan.
“Takahashi-san” Sayanee smiled brightly. Then she nodded in Miichan’s direction. “Minegishi-san”.
“Detective Yamamoto!” Miichan’s voice sounded enthusiastic and Minami couldn’t help but gape at her. As far as she remembered they had met only once, when COF had been attacking Sayanee and back then Miichan had been close to do something outrageous because she hadn’t paid her meal.
“H-how do you… know… each other?” Minami laughed nervously.
Sayanee grinned, grabbed a chair and pulled it close to Minami’s bed. She sat down and stared at the bed-ridden woman intensely.
“She saved you!” boomed Miichan’s cheerful voice from the other side of the room.
“Saved me?” Minami exclaimed, desperately searching her memory.
“That’s a bit far-fetched. All I did was pulling you out of that car” Sayanee grinned sheepishly, still not taking her eyes off Minami who was a bit uncomfortable.
“Aaaah” the smaller girl stuttered. Sayanee’s face was way too close and the fact that she was tied to the bed made her feel even more cornered.
“Indeed” the investigator leant back in her chair. “You shouldn’t be too thankful though. I also happened to call police and ambulance which is basically the reason why you are tied up right now”
“B-but… you still saved me. I am very thankful. Besides you’re only doing your job as a protector of the law”
I think I remember now. She did really pull me out of that car I just thought she was Yuko or Ayaka.
Sayanee smiled sadly.
“Protector of the law… I wish my aims were this noble. I fear that I tend to be a bit selfish though”
“You’re not selfish!” Miichan protested from her bed. “You saved my best friend! You even ordered your co-worker to take care of my restaurant even though I chased her with a knife. You and Sashihara, you are truly good people! Right, Takamina?”
“Of course” Minami could hear herself that she didn’t sound honest and she hated herself for it. Normally she would just thank her savior, but in this case…
Her relation to COF is certainly not good. I don’t want her to hurt them. Although this version of her seems so much more honest than her other faces.
“You flatter me too much” Sayanee lowered her voice and leant forward. “Takahashi-san, I know that you know some things I’d be desperate to find out. I’m not sure if you fully realize what this entire… game… is about”
“I… I” Minami blushed bright red. Her conscience didn’t allow her to lie to the person who had saved her but at the same time she couldn’t bring herself to say something that would be harmful towards Acchan.
“You’re tired. Of course” Sayanee said loudly. “It’s probably my fault for visiting so early. I was just a bit worried. After all there are so many problems you have to face. You ran off with a criminal who, in addition to all her unproven murders, caused a dangerous accident and killed a saleslady at a gas station”
“What?” Minami stared at Sayanee who shrugged. “Killed who?”
“Oh you didn’t know?” The investigator smiled mischievously. “Matsui Rena, a young woman has gone missing. The police found traces of her blood on the pavement in front of the gas station which Maeda Atsuko messed up. They are searching for her body right now”
“They won’t find her body!” Minami protested. “Acchan wouldn’t have done anything to her!”
“You shouldn’t get so worked up everytime someone accuses your lover of a crime or you will have bad chances in court. I guess you will need my advice”
She’s not my lover. She’s just a person I miss. A person who means so much to me that everytime I think of her something arises inside of me. It’s so painful and yet so warm… This is not love right?
“Takamina, think about it!” Minami could catch Miichan’s voice.
“NO!” she protested with all of her might. “No”
“Takahashi-san. I would be lying if I said that all want was to help you, but trust me it’s one of my aims”
“But… you are not helping”
Heck Minami, do not cry. No. Don’t cry.
“Then hear me out, alright?”
Minami nodded. She really wanted to trust Yamamoto but she just couldn’t. Not after knowing that Acchan wouldn’t trust her.
When did I turn out to be so depending? Ever since I lost my family I’ve been fine on my own. Why would I suddenly start questioning my own abilities when she’s not with me?
“Well, Takahashi-san, here’s the thing. I’ll get information out of you sooner or later anyways, so I’m not questioning you right now. I will not stop going after COF, but I’ll help bail you out. Do you want me to ask Asuka for help?”
“Asuka?”
“Your boss. She has excellent connections and the kind of money you and I can only dream of. I’m sure she’s willing if it’s for you”
“I couldn’t do that! That sounds like corruption!”
“It is corruption”
“But you’re part of the police! You shouldn’t do these kinds of things! It’s not right” Minami mumbled utterly confused.
“Technically I’m not. I’m a private investigator. My freedom is limited considering things like arresting or even stalking people. On the other hand hat means that nobody mirrors my activities too closely. I get them what they want and they don’t ask questions”
It would be wrong. If what I did was a crime… I have to pay for it. If it wasn’t I won’t need anyone’s help.
“I’m sure the judges will be fair”
“I’m not”
“What?”
“It’s corruption. Trust me Takahashi-san, they won’t be nice. COF is after Yokoyama Yui after all. Her father has great influence and will do anything to get everybody who knows only about the existence of his illegitimate daughter to shut up. In that case that’s you. Oh, and Minegishi-san now”
“Me?” Miichan exclaimed. “Now that’s just not fair! Did you tell us to get us into trouble?”
“Miichan! She wouldn’t…” Minami looked at the investigator. “Maybe… No”
“You’re learning not to trust me, right? That’s good. I may not be a bad person but I do what I do because I have reason to”
“Reason” Minami blinked and studied Syanee’s face intensely. And although her lips were still curved in this evil smile her eyes were undoubtedly honest.
“Reason, yes. It’s personal”
If it’s like this… I could understand. But I don’t want to… I don’t want her to hurt COF even though they are wrong in so many ways.
“Yamamoto-san, I am a weak person” she blurted out.
“Excuse me?”
“Weak. Even though… I lost my brother because of his illegal actions and even though what COF does is wrong, even though my friends are worried about me… I cannot give up on them. To be overwhelmed by those feelings is what makes me truly weak”
Sayanee smiled bitterly.
“If that’s the case we all are weak. I’d kill your beloved girlfriend for the sake of my aim, you know? To die for someone, wouldn’t that be easy? A heroic death with the confidence that you saved what you loved the most and no regrets afterwards. It is simple, really. But to kill for somebody Takahashi-san? Would you kill me right here right now if I threatened to kill Maeda Atsuko and there was no other way to stop me?”
“I…” Minami stared at the investigator with her eyes wide-open.
“Would you?” Sayanee smiled sadly. “You haven’t thought about it, right? That there would be a moment were you’ll have to turn everything you believe in upside down. It’s something you’ll have to learn Takahashi-san. You’re playing with fire”
“Let her be” Miichan butted in loudly as she had obviously gotten that something was wrong, even though she could only occasionally understand Sayanee’s low-spoken words.
The investigator turned round and gave her a sad smile.
“You would kill for Takahashi-san, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would” was the prompt reply.
She didn’t even hesitate. And I am nothing but a mere friend to her.
“Would you Detective Yamamoto?” Miichan asked cheerfully.
“I already am”
“What?” Minami shrieked but didn’t get a repetition of the words which she was somewhat thankful for.
“Well, excuse me then” Sayanee said cheerfully. “I’ll contact Asuka in your name, Takahashi-san, leave it to me”
And with that she was gone.
Minami stared at the door that had closed behind her.
What was this all about? I cannot comprehend… a single thing. I don’t understand anything at all.
“Oi, Takamina, don’t beat yourself up over this, okay?”
“I’m not beating myself up over anything”
“Yes, you are. It’s the same expression when you allowed me to steal your first kiss in a truth or dare back in seventh grade, you remember?”
“Miichan!” Minami blushed furiously. “That has nothing to do with that!”
“Sure not. I just wonder … I mean you stayed at your girlfriend’s place for quite a long time… and she doesn’t seem like the good girl type…”
“What are you implying?” Minami asked sharply.
“I knew it!”
“What?”
“That!”
“What?”
“Well, that! If you were really as innocent as you’d like to be you wouldn’t get all my implications, right? But you get every dirty joke I make, every single time”
“No, I don’t”
“Oh yes? Let’s see… Okay, here we go. Three boys were walking into the woods. Soon enough they got lost and couldn’t find anything to eat-“
“Miichan! Shut it! That joke is not only dirty, it’s completely tasteless!”
“I didn’t even get to the point were this is anything else but innocent, yet you remember! I knew it!”
Minami blushed furiously. She tried to pull the blanket over her head, but her tied up hands wouldn’t allow it. So she just closed her eyes, trying to shut out her best friend’s teasing voice.
A friend that would kill for me and tries the next second to cheer me up by embarrassing me.
Takahashi Residence, 09:30 AM
Atsuko woke up and knew immediately that Minami hadn’t come home. A furry ball had made himself comfortable on her chest, purring as she automatically raised her hand to pat the cat’s head. She furrowed her brows and stared at the ceiling above Minami’s bed, trying to imagine it in different colors.
Midget, were the heck are you? You’re starting to get me worried.
“Okay, get off” Atsuko brushed the cat aside that protested with a loud ‘nya’ and disappeared under the bed, probably pouting. “I’m gonna look for your owner, you know? Gosh, where are my pants?”
Why would I be possibly talking to a cat?
“Nya?”
And it replies. Wow, that’s messed up.
“Yes, whatever you say” The assassin put on her clothes and rushed downstairs. She saw Minami’s spare key hanging on a board next to the door and decided to leave the house in style. Without knowing the reason she started to run as soon as she left the house, as if something was pulling her towards an unknown destination. Panting she arrived at the train station.
I just ran… Without a specific place in mind, without saving any power for the fight as I usually do. I didn’t even clear my surroundings. If someone was to attack me now I would be completely defenseless.
Atsuko panted, wondering how a short distance like this could have cost her so much energy. She leant against a wall and tried to catch her breath as she noticed something wet trickle down her face.
I’m crying because I’m worried. How outstanding.
Her panting became worse. Atsuko buried her head in her arms, turning her back to the noisy station. A train came in, the doors opened and closed. People’s footsteps were heard, but no voices because they didn’t talk. They were alone, on their own. Everyone was always on their own.
No, Atsuko snap out of it. What are you worrying about? There’s nothing wrong, there’s nothing you should care about.
“Maeda-san?”
Atsuko spun around, her hand automatically flying to the knife she hid in her jacket. She came face-to-face with a girl in a school uniform.
“Watanabe Mayu” she said coldly. The name shot in her head without thinking first. “What a coincidence”
“I don’t think so” Mayu tilted her head. “You came to check on Takahashi’s house, right? Shouldn’t you be scared of getting caught?”
“Nobody could catch me” Atsuko stepped forward, closer to the tracks, signaling that the conversation was over. Mayu wasn’t going to give up this easily though. She grabbed the assassin by the arm.
“I wanted to see you. I was hoping to meet you” she whispered.
“What?” Atsuko tried to jerk her arm away, but the school girl held onto her jacket tightly.
“It’s not fair that she would get kidnapped by you, you know? I should be the one who gets hurt!”
A hint of desperation was swinging in her voice.
“You’re sick” the assassin sighed. Mayu shook her head furiously.
“You kill for money, right? I’m from a rich family, if I pay you, will you kill me?”
“There are the tracks. The next train will arrive in 3 minutes, your opportunity is right there” Atsuko answered dryly.
“Idiot” Mayu’s voice was dripping with disgust. “If I killed myself, they would know that they won. I want to disappear, but I want them to think that I was strong until the end”
“Coward”
“What should I say? I don’t have the guts to really do anything, neither do I have the passion”
“That’s sad but really effective. That attitude will get you far”
“Who cares?” Mayu sighed. “You wouldn’t want to live like that, right? You kill and you feel guilty yet you wouldn’t give up like that. Is it because you have friends? Because you love Takahashi and you know that she loves you back?”
“It’s not like that”
“Yes it is. You went to her house to feed the cat and do all the things a good girlfriend does when she almost let her lover die”
What?
“What are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
“What do you mean, ‘let her die’? She was never in real danger”
“Really? When Minegishi called Myao this morning it sounded different. Like your girl almost died in that car. After all she’s still in the hospital, right?”
“Hospital?”
What is she… she can’t…
Before Atsuko knew what she was doing she had freed herself from the fragile girl’s grip and instead taken her by her wrists, pressing her against the wall.
“You didn’t know?” For once Mayu seemed genuinely surprised but she regained her composure quite soon. “Ah, of course. The police are observing her so she couldn’t contact you in the end”
“This is…” Atsuko bit her lip.
“Your hands are shaking” Mayu observed.
“Shut it or your death wish will come true sooner than you think” Atsuko growled. She smirked as she saw the school girl’s eyes widen for a moment.
So you don’t want to die after all. You’re just a rich bored girl with an emotional problem.
“If you kill me now you’ll have to ask around in every hospital in town before you find were your girlfriend is. If you do so the police will get to you sooner or later. So it’s only logical to keep me as your informant” the school girl reasoned. Atsuko gritted her teeth.
“You really got some kind of a problem, don’t you?”
“Maybe” Mayu shrugged. “Otherwise I wouldn’t ask somebody like you for help, would I?”
“So this is a cry for attention” the assassin sighed. She had to resist the strong urge to just land a punch on the pretty face in front of her.
She’s not going to talk about Minami, I know it. She’s too sly for that. Still, Minami would want me to help her…
With a sigh she turned around and started to walk towards the train that had just stopped in the station.
“Where are you going?” Mayu took a hesitant step towards her.
She shrugged and left the school girl to decide whether she wanted to follow.
CoF Backup house, 10:18 AM
Atsuko stepped into the house unwillingly. Not knowing where she was supposed to go her feet had dragged her back to CoF. Sayaka greeted her with a nod. She was sitting on the edge of the couch, seemingly cooling the head of the girl who Atsuko had picked up at the gas station.
“She’s still alive?”
“Mariko-sama doesn’t want to be in the position where she has to get rid of the body while Yamamoto is on our heels. Besides… If we did something to her we would have some serious trouble with Ayaka. You hit that poor girl’s head pretty hard and the alcohol and the night in the cramped trunk weren’t that nice on her either”
“She looks dead though” Atsuko stepped closer and examined the face of the salesgirl.
“I would have thought so too but Yuko thinks that she just has a really bright skin tone. One could get jealous, right?”
“Probably”
Atsuko shrugged as she watched the older woman place the ice bag softly on Rena’s forehead.
“Hey Sayaka…”
“Huh?”
“Why are you so nice?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re always so caring and motherly towards everyone, how do you do it?”
Sayaka blinked.
“I don’t think I understand” she said slowly. “I just do what I think that should be done. It’s a cruel world and I’m not part of the good guys but I want to… I want everyone to leave this world in dignity”
“If some coward would want me to kill her because she’s afraid to commit suicide, would that be a dignified death?” Atsuko wondered. She had never tried to deal with any moral questions so she was not sure how to think about this kind of a problem.
“No. That’s selfish. Suicide is always selfish” Sayaka’s voice was firm.
Such a righteous person. It’s a miracle that she can live in this world.
“That’s not true”
Atsuko spun around to find Yuko standing in the doorframe of her sleeping room.
“It’s not?” Sayaka furrowed her brows.
“I once had someone die for me. Don’t you dare to taint her memory” Yuko strolled over to the fridge. She grabbed a carton of milk and placed it on her lips. Her hair was still ruffled from sleeping, her cheeks glowing.
Atsuko threw Sayaka a look who simply shrugged.
Not even her underlings know… I see.
“I’m sorry” Sayaka bowed her head. Yuko wiped the milk from her mouth.
“Where’s Sae?” she changed the topic.
“Went outside with Ayaka to calm her down”
“Calm her down?” Atsuko asked not believing her ears. “Why the fuck would she need somebody to calm her down? It’s my girlfriend who’s currently in the hospital!”
“Hospital?” Sayaka asked clueless.
“Girlfriend?” Yuko grinned. “Does she know about that?”
“What does it matter? Why does Umeda get special treatment?”
“Ask her” Yuko ordered carelessly. Sayaka pursed her lips into a thin line, obviously not approving.
“But do it gently” she addressed Atsuko.
“Sure not” grumbled the assassin. “They are in the backyard?”
Sayake threw Yuko a look who simply nodded.
“Sure go ahead”
Okay, that’s… weird.
Atsuko sighed and pulled back the curtains in front of the patio door. The backyard was small, more like a flower bed, a lawn and a tiny path to separate those two elements.
“Oi, Umeda!” she yelled out as she pushed open the door that was left ajar.
Ayaka spun around. She was standing on lawn, with Sae patting her head.
“Maeda-san!” she exclaimed, wearing this surprised yet defiant expression that Atsuko disliked so much.
“Indeed. Sae, leave us alone, will you?”
“Huh?” the tall girl’s gaze wandered to Atsuko’s face and back to Ayaka. “Will you be alright?”
“Sure” Ayaka straightened up. “If Maeda-san wants to talk to me, it’s no problem”
“Well then…” Atsuko waved her hand to shoo Yuko’s underling away. With her concerned gaze still focused on Ayaka, Sae disappeared inside the house. The door clicked as she closed it.
“Ah, we’ve been locked out” Ayaka laughed nervously.
“We are probably supposed to settle this once and for all” Atsuko raised an eyebrow, trying to predict Ayaka’s reaction to her threatening tone.
“Sure” the less-experienced assassin shrugged stiffly, yet she raised her head to make eye-contact. “Sure”
“Ah”
I’m not good with conversation when I’m not allowed to hurt my opponent verbally.
Ayaka nodded awkwardly.
“You got a problem with gas stations?” Atsuko finally asked, recalling Ayaka’s srange behaviour the night before.
“Quite the opposite I’d say” Ayaka smiled sadly. As she kept silent afterwards, Atsuko’s impatience started to grow.
“Well?” she urged but seeing that she still got no reaction she finally realized that the subject was obviously not as shallow as she thought at first. “It’s a touchy subject, right?”
“It is, yes. I’m glad that you understand Maeda-san”
So you can’t talk about it.
“Okay then” Atsuko said flatly and was about to turn around. “I’ll just…”
“Ah, no!” Ayaka grabbed onto her sleeve tightly but let go a second later as if she had burned her hand. “The others know and it wouldn’t be fair if you were the only not to”
Fairness, eh?
“When it’s about your feelings there’s o such things as fairness. If you can’t tell me, don’t bother”
I sound like Yuko in serious-mode, right?
“No, please stay Maeda-san. It’s just… I really want to do my best concerning CoF so I’m willing to talk back at you or to stop you if I think that you’re acting stupid. That’s why I didn’t approve of your… fling”
“It’s not a fling” The protest slipped out before Atsuko noticed.
Ah, stupid. Of course it’s a game Atsuko, just a game to comfort you.
Ayaka sighed and finally tore her gaze away from Atsuko.
“Yes, but that could be worse. You see… For me CoF should be a place for those who have nothing else. I believe that only those who have no other choice, that only those who have already been to hell can take lives without going crazy and making stupid decisions”
“I had no real choice” Atsuko protested against that accusation that was swinging in her opponents voice. “Haruka and I came from an orphanage. One of those gloomy and poor ones were they throw you out on the street once you’re suspected to be able care for yourself. I was afraid to sell myself like many girls did, neither did I believe that I was worthy to find a job, but I had to take care of Haruka who was so…” Atsuko rubbed her temples. “Naïve! She would just trust anyone who promised us a place to sleep or a meal and all I could do was rescue her. She managed to get us involved with some gang who were at that moment targeted by CoF and when Yuko showed up, ready to kill anyone who was not on her side… Argh!” Atsuko kicked a stone away out of pure frustration. “We had no choice”
“Yes you did” Ayaka spit out the words. “Do you think that’s pitiful? You had a friend by your side, the entire time. Coming from an orphanage, there’s nothing you really lost, is there? You had the freedom to go wherever you wanted to go, you could have done many things! That’s not hell, Maeda-san, that’s not hell!”
Is she crying? Is she really…
“Then… what is? What’s your personal hell, Umeda?”
“Hell is the loss of paradise. The total absence of anything that held your happiness. You know… I was married. I had… a son. I had a son once”
Atsuko stared at the woman in front of her. The picture of Ayaka, holding a bundle surfaced in her imagination. She could picture the bright smile that would light up her features whenever she was cooing to the baby.
It’s still there, that smile. I can still see it dancing on her lips but it’s been crooked by the tears she must have cried.
“He was…” Ayaka shook her head. “My father worked at a gas station and after my son was born I decided to work part-time because my husband didn’t earn that much. I took on the night shifts because the child’s crying would keep me up anyway. There were nights when I had nothing to do, nothing at all. It was just me and the baby, since my dad was my boss I was allowed to take my son to work with me. When my shift finished in the early morning my husband would always stop by when he was on his way to the construction side where he worked. As a family we would have breakfast, sometimes with my father joining when he was early for his shift. It was one of these mornings…”
Ayaka inched closer to Atsuko reflexive gripping her clothes as if she needed support for what was about to come.
“I can’t recall anything that happened but the sun was just about to rise. There were a few low-life robbers… god with the skills I have now I could have defeated them so easily, but back then I… I couldn’t. They wanted money and we gave them everything there was in the register but they were not satisfied. So my father told me to run home and get our savings. He kept them under his pillow, you know…”
Atsuko was not sure how to handle Ayaka who was shaking rapidly but still talking, talking even faster.
“I ran. I never ran that fast before because if I wasn’t back by sunrise, I, I made it in time, you know? I would have made it! And they would have been alive if those robbers… So dumb! So incredibly dumb! To smoke at a gas station! They knew that one should not do so, but they were dumb! I saw it explode, you know? I was back and I thought I made it and then all and everyone I had went up in crimson flames! Boom! Hell!”
“Hell” Atsuko agreed.
I bow to you, Umeda, but I won’t lose to you.
“And then they said I did it because the robbers blew up with the building and I was the last one standing. To know that my families ashes were mixed with those of their killers and that I was supposedly the one who was at fault… If I can’t trust the good guys, the judges and the policemen, what should I do? Those stupid people, they have to go! If I can’t get rid of them while I’m living as a faithful citizen, somewhere behind bars I had to choose this way, right? That’s why all my passion and all my motivation rest in CoF. For now this is my only way Maeda-san. I won’t let you become one of those careless people as long as you carry a gun or a knife. I won’t let you mess things up because of an affair that’s only distraction. If the loss of your secret love is your hell you won’t escape, you know?”
“I understand. But you know… you could team up with Minami. She’s experienced her personal hell because of careless people who killed her brother. Yet she’s so different from us with our base motives. She’s in the hospital at the moment and it’s my fault yet I don’t regret to have met her. I don’t regret. And if selfishness will save me as well as her from this pain of losing someone that you call hell… than it shall be. And if CoF gets taken out by Yamamoto, if the police locks all of us up, if Yokoyama’s lapdogs splash our blood on the walls of this lovely house… I’ll be sad and guilty, yet I could never defeat those innermost feelings that tell me that for her everything is alright. For her I’d kill”
I can pity you Umeda and I can actually feel ashamed. But if you want to stop me from doing what I do you have to try harder.
Topic: (Feb 12) Killer Queen: Chapter 9 (Atsumina) (Read 59276 times)