Chapter 2: Everyday
It was a lovely day for a man to be walking on the street drunk. Well, four hours of hearing your boss yelling at you and letting you know how idiotic you are could do this thing to anyone…well not anyone but someone like him. Takahano Shinta used to be the best detective agent in his time; actually he could have still been the best if he hadn’t digressed into a pitiful drunkard after an accident that took his wife and daughter’s life. He had lost everything after that and was meaning to end his life if not for a man who passed him by on his road to his premeditated death. The man was a budding detective and he was the one who gave Takahano a second chance to prove his worth, and in all the time that Yamada needed him, he always went through for him. There was no time that Takahano failed the young detective, may it be for legal or illegal information, for Yamada, Takahano is his man.
Except right now…
He has scoured all possible places where he could find or even gather information about the missing girl Fujino Shizuru. Her pictures were pinned in every corner of his room to make sure his brain identifies her in case he bumped into her by accident. But the girl was missing for two months already and he hasn’t found even a single clue as to the girl’s whereabouts. The first time Takahano failed Yamada, and he failed his most important case. Fujino Shizuru the sole heir to Fujino Corp that is based in Kyoto, a seventeen year old girl has eluded him for this long.
He was trekking the road outside of Kyoto Gakuen University drunk after a night of binged drinking. He was asked to look further into Kyoto prefecture for a chance to find something concrete about the missing girl. Universities brought unwanted memories to the old man but seeing girls in school uniforms brought a feeling of nostalgia to him that he was willing to see them students despite the bad memories it resurfaced. It was then upon passing by the school’s main entrance gate that he heard a male student called out a name
“Viola-san! Viola-san!” The male student ran towards a chestnut haired girl, the girl’s back was on him as she seemed to be walking away from the school, probably on her way home.
Home? It’s only… He looked at his wrist watch and frowned when he saw that his watch wasn’t working, he shook it and put it close to his ear to inspect it, funny its working. He said then shook it again. He looked up at the scene before him and his eyes widened when the girl turned around, Kami-sama…it’s the Fujino girl!
His drunken state was soon washed away as if the girl’s face served as an antidote to his alcohol infested brain. He started walking faster, closer to the now talking students and wait for the right time to speak to the missing girl. He once again looked at his watch and frowned when he saw the time 4:30 p.m.? Have I been walking that long? I went out of the bar at 6 a.m., he asked himself and shook his head, pushing his worry aside not wanting to let the girl slip his eyes once again.
He smiled when the male student finally left the chestnut haired girl alone…
XXX
Who is he? What is he doing here? Kiyo was standing on a shaded area holding two purple umbrellas close to her chest. She was patiently waiting for her Onee-sama from school. The sun was too intense and she doesn’t want her onee-sama to suffer from first degree burn from it (A/N: Sun burns are classified under first degree burn). But her quiet time was distracted by the sudden appearance of a drunken man, an old drunkard. At first, she didn’t pay attention as the man wasn’t doing anything suspicious, he was clearly just passing by, but his action changed as soon as her onee-sama came out of the school. Damn that boy for stopping onee-chan on her way home! She angrily thought but what does that old drunkard want from onee-chan now?
Kiyo once again reformed her face into the smiling, sweet girl her onee-sama knew and started walking towards her, fast…before the drunkard could even get his hand on her onee-sama.
“Onee-chan!” she called out gleefully as soon as she closed the gap between them. The drunkard was already near them, she could see his hands tremble as he tried to touch her onee-sama’s shoulder. She turned her head and looked at the man sternly…
XXX
This is my chance to redeem myself to Yamada-san; this is it…wait who is this little girl? Who cares…what’s important is that I found Fujino Shizuru
“Fujino-san…” he called out but stopped as he suddenly felt a deathly cold feeling run his spine what is this? His gazed accidentally fell on the little girl that now clings to the chestnut haired student and he jerked back, he felt his limbs went stiff why am I like this? What is happening to me?
Takahano might be a man of science, being a detective and all, but at his age, he knew when something more powerful than science is around or is being used what are you? He asked himself while he kept his eyes on the two girls that were now walking away from him. He winced when the little girl looked back at him again, she was smiling but her smile was something not akin to a young girl her age.
“Better get this documented!” He whispered, he brought out his mobile phone and took a picture of the girls. He smiled when the chestnut haired one looked at her side to talk to the little girl giving at least a shot with concrete evidence. “Better call Yamada.”
XXX
“What is it?” Her wayward blue mane was almost obstructing her face, she was still on her bed, her face a bit haggard looking and her eyes was surrounded by large eye bags.
“You should answer happily Kuga-san, Takahano found your princess.” Yamada said flatly though Natsuki knew that he was wearing a smirk in his lips as he talks.
At the news, Natsuki Kuga bolted out of her bed causing the blue haired girl to fall on her ass, “Where the hell is she?!” she screamed.
“Calm down, she’s not with Takahano, but the man found out where Fujino is studying.” He said smugly.
Natsuki frowned, what the hell is he talking about? First of all, Shizuru should have graduated from high school a month ago if she didn’t disappeared and secondly, it’s vacation time and no school is open unless she’s not in Japan right now “So she’s not in Japan?” Natsuki asked as she clumsily took things from her closet to ready herself.
“She is, what made you asked that question?”
Natsuki stopped whatever she is doing, “Shizuru’s studying, which means classes are ongoing and it’s vacation time in Japan.” She said flatly. She heard loud cussing on the other line before Yamada spoke once again
“Takahano said he took pictures of Fujino and a little girl. The little girl was calling Fujino onee-chan.”
Shizuru doesn’t have a sibling, Natsuki thought once again.
“Takahano is coming over at Fuuka, meet us at Linden Baum, I guess you know where that is.”
“Hai.” Natsuki said then without saying goodbye flip over her mobile and started changing, once done she called Mai and told the fiery haired girl to meet her at her work place. It was Mai’s day off but her friend agreed and even told Natsuki that she’ll be bringing Mikoto with her.
It took Natsuki 15 minutes to reach the restaurant. Yamada was already sitting on the far corner of the restaurant, opposite him was on old man Natsuki assumed to be the man he called Takahano. Looking around she found her fiery haired friend at the restaurant’s bar talking with Akane, Mikoto was sitting in a chair near Mai. Without a word, the busty girl turned her head and smiled when she saw Natsuki. The blue haired girl waved her hand and motion for her to follow where she is going which the fire bearer did.
“Yamada.” Natsuki called out then bowing her head to acknowledge the other occupant of the table. She looked at Mai beside her, “My friends Mai and Mikoto.” Natsuki said before she let herself relax beside Yamada. Mai decided to take another chair to sit while Mikoto took the space beside Takahano.
“I want Ice Cream Mai!” Mikoto said grinning. The red head nodded and motioned for Akane to bring the ice cream for Mikoto.
“What did you get?” Natsuki asked Takahano directly.
Takahano hasn’t been intimidated by young girls, but right now, all his nerves were telling him that he should be. He started massaging the nape of his neck, a sign of an agitated state, “I took pictures of them…”
“So where is it? Show me?” Natsuki said sternly.
The old man brought out his mobile phone and opened the gallery folder and zoomed in a picture and gave the phone to Natsuki, “I took a total of five pictures so just press forward for the next picture.”
Natsuki was frowning as she looked at the picture, Mai leaned sideward to looked at it too.
“There’s no head, how can we tell that it is Fujino Shizuru-san?” Mai asked. Natsuki continued on forwarding the phone and rewinding, “Natsuki…”
“It is Shizuru.” Natsuki said then she looked at Takahano, “Where did you find her?”
“But Natsuki, there was no head!” Mai exclaimed.
“It’s Shizuru!” Natsuki confirmed, she was serious.
“Tell me how do you know it is her?” Mai asked, daring the blue haired HiME.
Instead of replying, Natsuki chose the picture with Shizuru’s head in an angle and zoomed it in then she showed it to Mai, “The earring.” Natsuki pointed out.
Mai chuckled, “Come on Natsuki, its an earring!”
“I gave it to her during her birthday last year.” Mai looked at her in bewilderment, “That was my mother’s earrings and it was unique because that came from my Mother’s mother’s mother’s mother.” She said
Mikoto scrunched her forehead, “Isn’t that the same with great-great grandmother?” she asked.
Silence.
“Where did you find her?”
“That picture was taken outside Kyoto Gakuen University, after class.”
Mai frowned, “After class? Your phone said the picture was taken at 7:00 a.m., and Kyoto Gakuen is on vacation right now.”
Takahano frowned, “7 am?” he asked, Mai and Natsuki nodded, “The phone must made a mistake then.”
“What do you mean?” Yamada interrupted this time.
“It was clear that I took that picture at around 4:35 p.m., I even looked at the school’s clock to confirm it.”
Natsuki, Mai and Yamada looked at each other, “Didn’t you find something odd?” Yamada asked once again.
“Well…I had a binged drinking session the night before and left the bar at 6 am, I was shocked to find that I was walking too long that it took me until 4:30 to arrive at Kyoto Gakuen.” He said nonchalantly.
“6 am from a bar? What bar?”
“The one near the Fujino Corporation.”
Yamada scowled, “Fujino corporation is just 15 minutes away from Kyoto Gakuen with a ride, 40 to 50 minutes on foot.”
Silence.
“I am going to Kyoto.” Natsuki said, “Whatever is happening, I have a feeling that it’s not good.”
“I’m coming with you.” Mai said and Mikoto nodded.
Yamada looked at the blue haired girl, “Call me if you need anything.” Natsuki nodded her head.
XXX
The wind blew passed the opened window causing the woman to shiver despite a thick blanket covering her slim body. Her eyes began to move once the sunlight hit her face. She smiled when she heard the soft, lovely voice from the kitchen singing an unfamiliar song
“Onee-sama!” the voice stopped singing and without looking at the woman on the futon started speaking, “I have prepared your tea just as you like it, and I made a special vegetable salad for your breakfast. Can you get up now and prepare yourself? You don’t want to be late for school right?” The soft voice ended her tirade causing the older woman to laugh.
The woman pulled her long, wavy chestnut hair into a pony tail and stood up. She started folding her futon and once done kept it inside the small wooden cabinet at the corner of the small room. Now awake, she strutted towards the kitchen and pulled a small folding table and placed it at the center of the now empty room where her futon used to lie.
Going in the kitchen she saw a wooden tray where two empty cups and a tea pot rests. She took the tray and brought it to the room where the table was now prepared, followed by a small girl who is now carrying two small plates of vegetable salad.
Crimson orbs met crimson orbs as the two seated themselves opposite each other in seiza position. The chest nut haired woman smiled at the little girl with silky raven hair, “Ookini Kiyo-chin, you’ve been taking care of me very well!” she said smiling,
“Onee-chan! I really should take care of you we are all that’s left.”
The older woman sighed, “Hai, you’re right, but sometimes I think you’re over doing it!”
“I do?”
“Ara? Doesn’t Kiyo-chin notice it?
Kiyo shook her head no, “I just want my Onee-chan to be well and happy!” she cheerfully said.
“Well I am, especially if you take good care of yourself and stop worrying too much about me.”
“Then I shall take good care of myself, if that’s what Onee-chan wants!”
“Good!” The older woman then looked down on their breakfast, “This looks delicious Kiyo-chin!” Kiyo nodded excitedly, “Itedakimasu!” they chanted and Viola started eating.
Kiyo was just watching her onee-sama something’s not right… she thought as she carefully studied her surroundings then back at her onee-sama. Her eyes widened at what she saw when did onee-chan buy those earrings? When?
“Ara Kiyo-chin! Your vegetable salad really tastes good, but can Onee-sama request for something?” Viola asked smiling sweetly at her sweetly.
Request? Since when did she start thinking of making a request? This should not happen…life should go on as usual! Change should not be welcomed, change can hurt and I need to protect Onee-sama… “Iye! Don’t you like my salad anymore?” Kiyo said with a teary eyes.
Viola scooted closer to the younger girl and embraced Kiyo, “I love Kiyo-chin’s salad. Then forget Onee-chan ask okay?” she said and smiled when the bothered girl nodded, “So can we eat now, I don’t want to be late for school.”
They ate happily…how did you get that earrings nee-chan? She asked with trepidation but did not voiced it out
XXX
The bullet train arrived at its destination. Natsuki, Mai and Mikoto got off and started walking out of the station I am taking you back Shizuru…at all cost.
-end chapter 2-