Next chapter, already! I'm pumping this stuff out like gold now! XD
Chapter 7
Misaki and Aikawa wasted no time sprinting down to her car in the parking garage. Misaki's heart had stopped when he heard the news, but now it was beating uncontrollably from the fear. He thought it was going to beat right out of his chest. It was very difficult for him to breathe. All he could think about was saving his love.
Aikawa drove like a maniac to Marukawa. She was speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, and running stoplights and stop signs. She was worse than Usagi! Misaki would have been yelling at her if he wasn't so scared for Usagi's life.
Misaki felt like crying, but tears wouldn't come. Instead, his heart was breaking into tiny pieces. Were they going to make it in time? What could they even do when they got there? What if Usagi didn't make it?
Misaki was sobbing now, but still no tears were falling. He couldn't catch his breath and soon he found it impossible to breathe. He was having a major panic attack!
"Misaki-kun calm down!" Aikawa yelled in the tone of voice reserved for Usagi when he was passed a deadline. "Don't worry! Usami-sensei will be okay. You'll be with him again in no time."
"D-do you know?" Misaki stuttered when his breath finally returned. "About me and Usagi-san?"
Aikawa would have laughed if it weren't for the fact that they were in this dire situation. "Of course I know about you two. I'm not brain dead. I can see the connection between you guys. And I knew Usami-sensei. He doesn't let anyone he doesn't love with all his heart so close into life like you."
"Love with all his heart" echoed into Misaki's ears. He was immediately brought back to yesterday, thinking about how he couldn't tell Usagi that he loved him. He still didn't know why. And now, he had to face the reality that he might never get another chance to tell him.
"I… I lo… love him," Misaki spit out as tears finally began to drip. "I love him! This can't be happening!"
Aikawa placed her free hand on Misaki's shuddering shoulder. She didn't say a word as he continued to sob. Nothing she could say would make him feel better. And she was scared to death as well. All those years working for Usagi. He was her idol and one of her close friends.
"One of the mangakas went crazy," echoed in Misaki's brain.
"Aikawa-san!" he cried out in realization. "Was it Ijuuin-sensei?"
"Ijuuin Kyo? No he's away on business. Why?"
Misaki couldn't bring himself to recap everything that Ijuuin had done. "Who was it?" he asked instead.
"Haruko Isamu*, author of Ame No Naka de Odoru*! He went crazy, saying he couldn't handle the pressure anymore. Usami-sensei went in to the editing room Haruko-sensei was in to try to calm him down. That's when he pulled out the gun. I was outside the room, watching it happen. I didn't think. I just ran, along with many others. I was trampled several times trying to get out, but I made it. Usami-sensei and several others are being held at gunpoint in that room!"
Why? Misaki thought. Why my Usagi-san? He never did anything to Haruko-sensei! And Haruko-sensei always seemed so nice…
"Why was Usagi-san there in the first place?" Misaki asked. "He didn't even tell me he was leaving."
Aikawa shook her head. "I don't know. I saw him and was about to ask when Haruko-sensei had his meltdown and Usami-sensei went in to calm him down. He should have stayed at home with you like he was supposed to!
They finally reached Marukawa. The entire building was barricaded by police. A large crowd was beginning to form around the barricades. Aikawa parked the car on the side of the road behind the crowd. They both got out of the car and pushed their way through the crowd. They made it up to an officer who was talking to Isaka.
"Isaka-san!" Aikawa yelled. "I've got Misaki-kun!"
Isaka looked at her and nodded. "Let them both in!" he told the officer.
The officer moved a barricade a little so Misaki and Aikawa could squeeze through. Several police officers were pointing guns up towards a window. Several others were crouched down by the entrance door. Another officer held a megaphone in his hand.
"Our hostage negotiator is trying to talk him into letting the hostages go," the first officer explained to Aikawa and Misaki. "Haruko Isamu hasn't been answering us back. We can't get a clear shot of him up there." He pointed to a window on the third story. Misaki could faintly see outlines of people in the window. "We won't go in until he lets all the hostages go or shots are fired."
Misaki's heart skipped. Shots fired?
The other officer put the megaphone up to his mouth. "Haruko-san! Let the hostages go and then we can discuss what you want!"
Misaki could hardly believe this was happening. His Usagi was up there in that room, being held at gunpoint. What if he was shot and wounded? Or killed?
"He's at the window!" another officer yelled.
Haruko opened the window and stuck his head out. He pulled up a woman's head by her hair and held the gun against her temple. Misaki was shaking. What if that had been his dear Usagi?
"First, all you officers drop your guns!" he called out below. "Then I'll let them all go. Then only the captain can come so we can work something out!"
The officer with the megaphone looked at yet another officer. He nodded and the officer with the megaphone nodded at the other officers pointing guns up at the window. The officers lowered their guns slowly and placed them on the ground at their feet.
"There!" the officer called into the megaphone. "Now let them all go! Once they are all outside the captain will come up to speak with you."
Haruko nodded and let go of the woman's hair. He reached out the window and dropped his gun. He quickly ducked down and slammed the window shut. The gun clattered to the ground. No one went to grab it or any of their own guns, in case Haruko was bluffing. The officers at the door remained there with their guns, just in case. Misaki held his breath, waiting for everyone to come out.
Finally, a dozen people ran out the front door and into the arms of their loved ones. Officers surrounded them, wanting to make sure they weren't hurt. Misaki scrambled over the door to look for Usagi. His heart felt like it was going to burst.
"Usagi-san!" he called out. There were a lot of familiar faces, but not the one he was looking for. "Usagi-san!"
He turned around to look at Aikawa with pleading eyes. Aikawa turned to the officer with the megaphone. That officer then looked at the crowd of freed hostages and back up at the window.
"Haruko-san, is that all of the hostages?" he called out.
Haruko didn't answer. They couldn't see any figures in the window. But where was Usagi? Misaki's eyes were burning with tears. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the door. Misaki smiled, just knowing it had to be Usagi. The doors opened and out stepped Haruko.
The officers at the door quickly pointed guns to his head and he raised his hands up in surrender. One officer put his hands behind his back and cuffed him. Misaki, Aikawa, Isaka, and the officer with the megaphone were beyond confused, until Haruko spoke.
"Don't let anyone in! This was all Ijuuin Kyo's plan. He's still in that room with Usami Akihiko."
*Totally made up! The manga title roughly translates to Dancing in the Rain (source: Google Translate).
