To avoid confusion: This takes place almost seven years after the prologue, and in a way could be seen as 'set-up'. You'll understand why in due time.
Chitaru rolled over and reached across to her bedside table to turn the alarm off. Then, she got up and went over to the window to pull the curtains, yawning as she did so.
"Ah, it's another sunny day." She mused as light streamed into the room. She paused to look out of the window, before yawning again and going to brush her teeth, before going into the girls' room.
"Sachika, Mami! It's time to get up." She pulled their curtains, letting light into the room. Sachika woke up straight away, but Mami didn't. Sachika started to make her bed, all the while looking over at Mami.
"Go brush your teeth, Sachika." Chitaru said, even though she knew there was no point. Sachika would wait for her sister until she woke up.
"Uuu…" Mami's eyes slowly opened. "Mama….I was having a nice dream….." she sat up, and rubbed her eyes. Chitaru held back a laugh. Mami really wasn't a morning person. It would be interesting to see what she was like as an adolescent.
"I know that, Mami. But you have school today."
"Oh…I forgot." After a few moments of blinking dazedly, Mami also got out of bed, and then the girls went to brush their teeth, and Chitaru went to get changed.
She was just trying to tame her bed-hair when Sachika came in.
"Mama, can you tie my hair into those twisty buns?" she asked, brandishing her comb and a fistful of hairbands.
"Of course. What about Mami? Does she want her hair done?"
"She's doing it in ponytails, but I wanted it in twisty buns."
"Okeydokey then. Come sit on the bed." Sachika obliged, and Chitaru worked on her hair, marvelling at how silky and bright it was. Almost like a piece of the sky.
"Which hairbands did you want?" Chitaru asked, getting ready to tie up one side.
"I'm wearing purple, Mama!" Sachika sounded as if Chitaru had asked her the silliest question. Chitaru smiled to herself.
"Of course, silly me. "
After that, it did not take very long for Chitaru to finish Sachika's hair, and after hugging her as a thanks, Sachika dashed out of the room to go find Mami, and then the two rushed down to get their bowls of cereal. Chitaru soon followed to make them cups of tea, and fix a slice of toast and cup of strong coffee for herself.
20 minutes later, all three of them were wrapped up and ready to go. Mami and Sachika went and sat in the back of the car, and Chitaru, naturally, went and sat in the driver's seat.
"What song do you want to play?" Chitaru asked, flicking through the CD collection.
"Mama, you know what song! " Mami then sung a few lines of the song, and Sachika joined in.
"Okay, Okay. I shouldn't have asked. " Chitaru put the correct CD in. Sachika and Mami were both utterly obsessed with this mixed-gender band, which had started out as a YouTube group covering songs, but now had a few hits of their own. Even Chitaru knew some of the words to the song they had been listening to, and sang along with them as she drove along.
"Kimi da yo, kimi nandayo, oshiete kureta….kurayami mo owaru k-Oh, Mami, Sachika, we're here!" Chitaru stopped the CD, and parked the car, but the girls continued singing until they had all got out of the car.
"Okay then, Sachika, Mami. I'll see you later. "
"Yeah, bye-bye, Mama!" Sachika and Mami said in unison.
"Will you say hi to Tokaku-san and Isuke-san for us?" Mami asked.
"Of course I will. Quick hug?" They launched themselves at Chitaru, grinning, and then took off down the street. Chitaru stood and watched them until they could no longer be seen, and then she went into the police station for another day at work.
…
When she got into her office, and put her coat and bag down, she decided to remind herself of the schedule for the day. It turned out she had two appointments in her office, one over at the nearest courthouse, and then there was the department meeting. Not too bad a day, but she had a feeling Inukai would disagree with her, especially as they had the department meeting.
After checking her emails, she decided to go to the canteen and get herself another cup of coffee. As she passed the entrance, Azuma came in, looking very tired.
"Lieutenant. You're normally early." Chitaru commented. "Did you oversleep?"
Azuma glared as she made her way to Chitaru, but Chitaru didn't take it personally. Azuma was the type that needed her sleep. And when she said 'needed sleep' she meant 'really needed sleep'.
"We had to get Otoya sectioned again." Azuma said abruptly. Chitaru looked at her with sympathy.
"Talk to me about it. I'll get you a coffee." They walked to the canteen together, and Azuma explained.
"She's been stealing scissors and other sharp items from her workplace, and then we found out she hasn't been on her medication after she started raving about wanting to kill Haru, and Tatsuya, and me…when we confronted her about the stealing, she actually tried to attack Tatsuya….nothing too different to the other times she's relapsed, but a lot more violent, and bloodthirsty. " Azuma paused for breath, and then added. "For once, I'm glad that Haru's drama troupe requires so many residential school trips."
"It can't be helped, I guess. I suppose Tatsuya doesn't want her permanently institutionalised."
"Of course not. He still feels guilty for not having known about her in his childhood. That, and she does actually love Haru…I'm convinced that once she recovers, she's going to feel so bad."
"Well, Takechi isn't a bad person. Just incredibly troubled. She's done well to get to this point in the first place. Ah, here's your coffee."
"Thanks. Don't you think I know that?!"
"It's something worth repeating, Lieutenant. In any case, if you think Tatsuya wants someone to talk to, I'll set some time aside to make an appointment for him. Or I can give you the numbers of some counsellors who specialise in family issues."
"I'll think about it." Which was Azuma's way of saying 'thanks, but let's change the subject now.' So, they spent a few moments talking about Haru, and about Sachika and Mami. Inukai arrived, soon followed by Inoue and their forensic scientist friends Mika Takanashi and Ryou Watanabe. They all chatted for a few moments more before they went their separate days to start work.
…
"Ah, sorry!" Chitaru stepped back and held out a hand to help up the young woman she had bumped into. The woman smiled, and accepted the hand.
"It's OK; you seem like a nice person. And I'm in a bit of a rush, so I wasn't looking where I was going."
"I'm in a rush, too. Anyway, I'm glad you're not hurt. Have a good day!"
"You too, Miss!"
And so that is how Chitaru ended up smiling as she approached the courthouse. But it was just a fleeting encounter, and so she forgot about it soon after she met up with the bereaved family she was supporting.
…
"Oh. My. God. How can Kaiba talk THAT MUCH for SO LONG?!" Inukai complained when the department meeting ended at 7:30. Chitaru sympathised. Their chief really was something else completely.
"I've never been so tired listening to just one person talk. " Mika said. "But don't get me wrong, The Chief's pretty awesome."
"Takanashi, you've said that the last 3 times we've had department meetings." Azuma pointed out.
"Eheheh, is that so…?" Mika scratched her head absently, looking sheepish.
"Argh, let's get back to talking about me! I was going to re-do my nails today as well…but he took so long…"
"Inukai, your nails look fine." Chitaru said.
"Yes, but they've been the same colour for three whole weeks!"
Even Azuma laughed at that one. Inukai really could be a bit of a princess.
"Anyway, I should get going." Chitaru said when they had reached her car.
"Oh, you've got to pick up your twins, right?" Inoue said.
"Yeah. Mami and Sachika are at a neighbour's place, but it is getting late for them." In conversation, Chitaru never referred to her daughters as 'the girls'. She didn't want them to be lumped into one category just because they were twins.
"Gah, lucky you. We still have to go back after getting dinner." Ryou complained, jokingly.
"That's not my fault, that's the fraud department's fault." Chitaru said, smiling. "See you later."
"Bye!"
Chitaru drove off, turning on the radio and absently listening to the news until she reached her house. She parked the car in front of it, then walked up to the larger house at the very end of the road, and rang the bell the same way she had done many, many times throughout her life.
The door opened.
"Ah, Chitaru-Chan, you're back. Come in for a few moments, won't you? I gave Sacchan and Macchan their dinners. Beef ravioli. I hope you don't mind. "
"No, no, its fine, Suzu-san. They'll probably be going to bed a bit earlier. "
Chitaru smiled, and took off her shoes before going into the living room. She had known Suzu since she had been a little girl. Suzu had been elderly back then as well, but Chitaru counted her as one of her best friends, even now. And most people wouldn't believe Suzu was old as she actually was. There was no mistaking she had been on the earth for a long time, but she had aged well. And her vitality and spirit made her seem very youthful. In short, Chitaru treasured Suzu.
"I assume Sachika and Mami are upstairs. Did you get them to do their homework?"
"I managed to, yes. Sacchan was a bit more reluctant to, though. Some of it's 'not due for ages' according to her. I let them go and play with my old clothes now. Macchan in particular seems to like Meiji period dress." Suzu chuckled.
"That sounds about right. Mami loves clothes, and stories."
"Anyway, Chitaru-Chan, tell me about your day."
And so Chitaru did, for a little while. Then, she got up.
"I should really get Mami and Sachika now."
"Of course, let me go and get them." Suzu got up carefully and went to the staircase.
"Sacchan, Macchan! Your Mama's here!"
Almost immediately, Sachika and Mami came rushing down the stairs.
"MAMA!" they rushed at Chitaru, knocking the breath out of her. She laughed.
"You guys ready to go home now?"
"Yeah!" Sachika said. "Our bags are in the kitchen!" they went off to get them, and came back.
"Mami, what are you holding?"
Mami sheepishly held up a fancy but old-looking hair ribbon.
"It's so pretty!" she said, as if that was a defence.
"You can't just take things." Chitaru explained. "Put it back, please."
"Oh, it's fine. Let Macchan keep it." Suzu said.
Mami turned to her, wide-eyed.
"Can I? Really? Really really really and truly?!"
"Of course. I have no use for it, except letting the two of you play with it."
"Oh my gosh, yay! Thanks, Suzu! Mama, I'm wearing this in my hair tomorrow!"
"Okay. Thanks, Suzu-san."
"Not a problem." Suzu paused, as if changing gears in her mind, and then said. "So, you're picking up the girls tomorrow, right? So they won't need to come here, then?"
"That's right." But Chitaru could detect the loneliness behind Suzu's words. It was hard outliving most of your family members. So she added:
"But we'll come to yours for dinner, if that's OK?"
Suzu smiled gratefully.
"Of course it is. Now, you get home safely."
"Of course. Bye, Suzu-san."
"See you later, Suzu!" Sachika and Mami chorused.
The three of them walked the short distance home, and Sachika and Mami brushed their teeth and changed into nightclothes. Then, Chitaru read a story to the girls before they finally went to sleep. Then, Chitaru looked for last night's leftovers, and ate them in front of the television, before also brushing her teeth and changing, and then going to bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, looking forward to starting the whole process again in the morning and getting to spend another day with her girls.
As an aside, can anyone guess the name of the band Sachika and Mami like?