The silence felt deafening as Shinichi stood in the orange light of the afternoon transcending into the eve in his staff room. Everybody had left already. And that was quite a normal scene in usual, but today in particular had been a strange one. Two of his rather odd students had taken him by surprise, and now he was looking at this note taped to his cubicle.
Written in distinct, but clear and neat handwriting, it read :
"I know you're looking for me. Don't. If I wanted you to be involved with me in any way, I'd have let you know a long time ago. The blood lust I expressed was momentary, and not meant to harm anyone for real. Leave me alone, or it may in fact turn into a blood bath.
-Tamura"
'What do you think?' he asked to his hand.
'She's up to something.'
'I know. But this note...'
Shinichi had long ago decided to find out the fate of him and his symbiotic companion. He'd taken up Biology and Chemistry as his major subjects and aced in them. With grades like those, he could have done anything he wanted, and it was a disappointment to almost everyone when he announced he wanted to apply for researching. Almost everyone. Researching was different. It didn't get you a lot of money. Plus, the tedious procedure. Teaching, Professing and then, finally if your talent is recognized by the seniors, researching. But nothing mattered. Nothing more than their fate. Satomi was there, true. Even his oto-san were there. And Minene. His little darling. But neither of them were bounded to him like Migi was. It was a connection far too complicated, far too deeper than words could ever account for. He would stay longer than any other colleague, work without breaks, and his mind had stopped working in parallel lines. He had applied in for Hoshinoumi High School, a sub-branch of the Japan originated chain of one of the biggest researching professing, and teaching institutes of the world, Chiseinoumi. He'd been instantly admitted, and moved to the position of "senior faculty" within a year. Next stop, professor for college students. He'd been sure of it until now.
But looking at the piece of paper made him crumble on the inside, his arm covered in goosebumps. Tamura had been scary. She'd shown a really, really soft spot in the end for the baby she had in her arms; but that didn't compensate for her horridious experiments. She'd created monsters. She'd almost killed Shinichi.
'Don't you want to not be involved with her?' Migi asked in his mechanical voice, observing Shinichi carefully.
'I don't but...' he searched for the right words,'she's...experimental? She's saying this probably because she has no use of us right now. Sooner or later, when she wants, she's going to involve us too. What's the point of dodging it away?'
'Well, you're right about that. But I thought you may have wanted to delay it, now that you have Satomi as well as Minene to worry for.'
'Right.' Migi felt an air of change around Shinichi, he suddenly felt different.
Calmer, Clearer, Lighter.
He sat down on his chair, and stacked the scattered papers around his desk in a neat pile.
'You know, Migi...' Shinichi began, 'Last night, I was thinking about all the while since you came along, and I realized I couldn't have been luckier.I was able to protect myself, and Satomi, so many instants, so many times; only because of you. But protecting Satomi was no use, to be honest. That day, when Uragami caught hold of her, she was trembling in his grip, she could have died from the fear she felt. At that moment, I realized if I hadn't shadowed her from the horrible things I'd seen, and let her accompany me and tell her the truth, she might have been braver. At last, it was only because she gave up everything she'd ever felt and put her trust only on me, was I able to save her. That day, she changed for good's sake. But she could have died. It could have been much, much worse.
That's why when Minene was born; the very first time I held her, I thought to myself "Not her too". I'm probably not going to be around here always, and at times like those, she'll have to protect herself. And how will she protect herself, if she doesn't know how harsh it really is? I'm going to let her see everything, and I'm going teach her to not to be afraid of it.'
Shinichi looked at Migi, his eyes fearless and intense, 'That's how I'm going to protect her. And to do it, I'll have to stop being scared myself.'
You've changed, Shinichi.
'...they are usually somewhere around here...' Shuuya scrambled through the small, stuffy storeroom for the mops, as Natsumi stood beside, leaning against the wall, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows.
'Check around the other side' She suggested.
'Never mind, I found them.' Shuuya responded, drawing out two buckets, mop handles popping erect out of them.
'So...' Shuuya asked as they walked, 'What was all the hassle in the morning about?'
'I don't want to do this alone. Simple as it sounds.'
'That's it?'
'That's it.'
'You don't sound very convincing.'
'Why so?'
'You're completely capable of doing this, with or without me. Then why...'
'Shuuya, look.' she said.
But all he observed was that she hadn't called him "Fujisaki-kun".
'I can probably do this alone. But you already have an idea of how Izumi-sensei works. His body language and all. I don't want to re-start from scratch again when I can be guided in a better way.'
'Natsumi, trust me. I suck at conversing- or speaking to anyone,in any situation with any reference.'
'Well, we're having a conversation right now.'
'That's only because...'
'Because?'
'...I don't know...I just seem to have adjusted to you.'
'Then conversing shouldn't be a problem with me, right?'
'...I wouldn't know.'
'Alright, you know what. Let's give this stalking a break. We should get to know each other better first.'
'...What?'
'Well, let's just have you become more familiar to me. Once you're comfortable, we can start.'
'Why are you so stuck up about me?'
'Because your intuition is sharper than mine when it comes to this. You live, eat and breathe this. It's your passion. To find out more about this guy. Mine is too. But not as strong as yours. I'll never be half as good as you.'
'Don't pave your way by flattery.'
'Does that sound like flattery to you?' she set her mop down, looking at him straight in the eyes, her gaze intense, her smug smile absent.
Shuuya took a deep breath.
'No.'
'Then say yes. Say you'll do it.'
Arguing wasn't getting him anywhere, was it?
'Fine.' he sighed, 'I'll do it.'
He looked at Natsumi who simply picked the mop up again and continued with her work, satisfied, her smile back on her face.
Maybe she's right. Maybe this is what I need to distance myself from the thought Tamura Reiko. Maybe she's...
'Natsumi?'
'Yeah?'
'Have you ever had a friend before?'
'I still do.'
'You do?'
'I call her Rei-chan.'
'Rei-chan...Reina Yuigahama? The one in our class?'
'Yes.' she replied, looking at him in amusement, 'You know her?'
Shuuya remembered her. Long light brown hair, and curious green eyes. She seemed to be the cheerful, friendly type who didn't want any bad memories from anyone.
'I actually know everyone in our class. I just need some time to tune it in and remember correctly.'
'Well, that's news to me. You do have some social conscience, meager as it is though.'
'Isn't she bothered by your taunts?'
'I don't comment on everybody.' Natsumi replied, 'Only some special volatile ones, that alone gets me the name.'
'So, Rei-chan...er...Reina talks to you despite whatsoever they say about you?'
'She's a bit conscious, so not publicly, but she enjoys me the way I'm. She's a good friend.'
'Wow, how do you two know each other?'
'Childhood friends. What about you though? Your friends?'
'Well, as a child I had pretty anti-social tendencies.'
'Have.' Natsumi corrected him, 'You still do.'
'Shut up and listen. My behaviour was pretty distinct so I had to be taken to a psychiatrist. After that, I had some study partners in middle school, but I can barely call them an acquaintance. My parents told me not to push it, so I didn't, I pursued a hella lot of hobbies, all boring till I met Izumi-sensei. After that, there was not a single moment I wanted to be unoccupied. I forgot how people get bored.'
'And then...? You got bored of that too?'
'I didn't...it's just...'
How could he tell her why? Shuuya pursed his lips.
'Well?' Natsumi was still waiting.
'I guess we're finished here.' he looked at the wet, phenyl-scented floor, 'I've socialized enough for today, haven't I?'
'Yep, you have. Time to recharge in isolation.'
They both laughed and Shuuya looked at Natsumi.
Maybe I'll in fact tell her someday about this.
