k59: i'm sooo tired.. i'm struggling with the workload that the teachers gave me.. so, i'm sorry that this took so long.. hopefully i can take lesser time for the next chapter.. thanks for those who are still with me in this.. enjoy^^~!
to Millenia-hime: i had fun, thx^^ u'll see in this chapter actually.. i had a feeling that this chapter was a bit rushed.. but, well.. it had happened (^_^;).. thx for readingXD
to abc31 : i would love to watch if that happened in the drama^^~ but, since there's next to nothing in reality, we'll just have to make do with this, i guess (^_^;).. happy very late new year to you too n thx for reading :D
to MissRei24 : glad u luv it.. me too:D we can hope, can't we? thx for reading^^~
Episode 1 – Part 6 'Making Amendments'
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His fingers clenched, tightening the grip that he had on his brother's sleeve.
He didn't know what had made him do it. All he knew was just that he was so tired. Too tired and miserable to care that his brother would've wished that he was asleep when he came to his bedroom. He hadn't wanted for his brother to go. Not like yesterday. So, he had acted on impulse and grabbed his brother by his sleeve.
From the moonlight that shone through the window, he could see the worry and dread on his brother's face. Seeing his older brother's face for the first time in three months, he couldn't help the tears that had gathered in his eyes.
"Don't go."
He saw how his brother's eyes widened at his plea and how his jaw tensed. Using the grip he had, he tugged his brother's arm, trying to get him sit back down on his bed.
It had felt nice.
Being near his brother again.
He felt hand on top and his and he looked up to look his brother in the eyes. What he saw, however, made his heart weep bitterly. It was that determined look again. The one he had seen for a flash second the moment his brother laid his eyes on him in that police station.
He was going to leave again.
And true to his fear, the fingers – gentle though their touch was – were prying his fingers off the material of the shirt he was clutching on. He clenched his fingers tighter, tears threatened to fall any time now.
"No. Please, stay."
His brother blinked at him and he watched with growing trepidation as his brother seemed to freeze because of his action.
"Please… Sta–"
He stopped abruptly when he felt hand gently rested on his cheek and a thumb on his lips, preventing him from talking. Looking up, he nearly cried right there at the tender expression that his brother was regarding him with.
"Stop it."
His eyes widened at the plea his brother's voice was laced with. He looked at his brother closely, as well as his could in the dim light, and was surprised at the deep sadness and longing there. But…
Why would his brother be sad?
Yesterday, too, his brother had sounded like that.
The hand on his cheek started to move slowly, caressing the fever flushed skin underneath it gently. This action alone seemed to be enough to bring him close to tears. Never had he thought that he would again receive any affectionate gesture from his brother.
"Stop it."
He looked at his brother in confusion at the repeated whisper.
"Stop looking at me like that."
The whisper was so soft that if it was not so silent in the room he was sure he wouldn't have heard it. He looked at his brother in desperation, not knowing what that meant. Then, just as he opened his mouth, a soft breeze blew past him, making him shivered lightly. This night was particularly cold and his fever didn't help any.
Something warm engulfed him and he blinked at his brother's hunched figure who was in the middle of the process of tucking him in. His brother noticed the confused look he was having on his face and smiled softly, swiping his fringe away from his eyes and caressing his hair gently.
He sighed contently and closed his eyes, leaning into his brother's touch. Something was amiss though. But he couldn't pinpoint what…
His eyes opened suddenly in fear as he realized that he was thoroughly cocooned in his blanket. It meant that his brother had successfully pried his hand off his sleeve.
There was nothing he could do to keep his brother from leaving.
With the limited light, he could just make out his brother's silhouette walking away from him.
He started to struggle, panicking. But, weakened as he was from his fever, his attempt to free himself from his own blanket was futile.
A helpless sob escaped his lips as he continued his effort to break free. He needed to get out of there. He had to–
A lingering kiss on his forehead stunned him enough to still his movements. He stared blankly at the hovering face of his older brother, realizing for the first time the hand that was resting gently on his cheek.
The silence stretched until he let out a distressed sound and was back to sobbing.
The hand started to caress his hair and he felt a comforting weight settled beside him.
"Shh… You aren't well. Just relax."
He peered up at the owner of the voice whom he found was looking at him with concerned eyes. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks and onto the pillow. His brother's hand move to wipe them away before resuming to caressing his hair, making soothing sound all the while.
Gathering his courage and strength, he squirmed under the blanket, wriggling his hand free. The moment he succeeded, however, he hesitated.
What if his brother shook his hand off? He didn't think that he would be able to face that, didn't think that he could handle any rejections. His heart was hurting too much already. But...
Peering at his brother once again, he could see the tender expression that his brother was giving him and he felt his confidence grew a little.
He slowly moved his hand closer and closer to his brother's unoccupied one. His fingers curled around his brother's long ones with all the strength that he had.
Relief washed over him when he felt the hand moved to hold his properly, squeezing reassuringly.
He rolled over to his side, facing his brother. With his other hand, he clasped his older brother's hand between his smaller ones and drew it closer to his chest.
His brother's hand was cold, but he didn't mind. It was a reminder for himself that his brother was here now. That thought alone was enough of a reassurance for him to fall back asleep.
xxx
Yoshida smiled as he watched the scene unveiled before his eyes.
Both Yumeto-san and Ainosuke-kun needed this. He could see it in their eyes that they needed each other, just as badly as the other did.
If only their situation was not this complicated…
He hated it that he could do nothing to help other than watching over Ainosuke-kun as Yumeto-san had asked him to. For the first time in his life, he wished that the organization did not exist.
Sighing tiredly, he reached for the door handle and closed it firmly. It wouldn't do anyone good standing there. He might as well use this time to make broth for the sick child when he was awake.
Ever since Ainosuke-kun moved in, he had rather quickly learned that it was easier to coax the boy to eat when presented food that required less chewing.
(flashback)
He sighed quietly with disappointment as, once again, the boy refused to even look at the meal that he had brought in.
The child had gone a full day without anything other than water going into his stomach and he was more worried that he had ever thought he could. At the rate this was going, the child would have collapsed before he could help him if he didn't do something.
Taking the tray, he stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He put the tray on the kitchen counter and sat down on the chair tiredly.
What should he do?
He had no experience with taking care of a child… teenager… whatever. The point was he had never had to take care of someone before and this whole thing was new to him. That did not mean that he wouldn't do his best though.
He went through the foods that he had brought to the boy so far. Eggs, breads, pancakes, pastas, pies, cakes…
Groaning at his own stupidity, he stood up and walked to the cupboard. How could he forget about that? It should have been the first thing that he thought of, but yet, it wasn't.
He took the cream soup powder out and started preparing the meal with new vigor.
Half an hour later, he was back sitting at the side of the bed near the silent boy.
"Ainosuke-kun…"
The boy gave no sign that he heard him and just continued to stare right ahead of him. Reminding himself not to be discouraged by the lack of response, he decided on a more direct approached.
He took the Ainosuke-kun's hand and – ignoring the flinch that the boy gave – push the bowl full of warm soup into it. The slight heat on his palm seemed to stir some reaction out of the boy. Supporting the limp hand with one hand, he reached out to the other and wrapped it around the bowl too.
He let go of the hands and was relieved when the boy didn't drop it.
"I know you don't feel like eating anything, but you can at least drink, right?"
He waited for a few moments, but Ainosuke-kun didn't look as if he was going to move, instead just staring at the bowl. He was just about to coax him again when he noticed the slightest twitch of his fingers.
Then, slowly, the boy lifted the bowl up and, after a slight hesitation, brought it to his lips.
Ainosuke-kun drank slowly, with a slight pause in between his sips, but he waited patiently with a smile on his face.
It was a great improvement compared to the previous day.
(end of flashback)
"Yoshida."
The ex-bomber turned around with a frown. He had thought that Yumeto-san was going to stay a bit longer than this with Ainosuke-kun.
"You're leaving already?"
The younger man nodded gravely.
"He's getting even worse. He started coughing a few minutes ago and his shivering became more noticeable."
He noticed the worried glint that had entered his leader's eyes as this was said. He was quite sure that same glint could be seen in his own.
"What are we going to do?"
The crime planner shook his head.
"We are going to do our own duty."
The older frowned at the hard tone that had entered the younger's voice. Yumeto gave no reaction to this and continued speaking.
"You are going to look after Ainosuke."
He could only watch as his leader turned around and started marching at the direction of the front door.
"And I am going to make some amendments to my plan."
xxx
Kato sighed as he entered the flat again. He had searched the parks, every suspicious looking vehicle, but…
Nothing.
He still couldn't find Mai-chan.
Looking at his watched again, groaning as he realized that one hour had gone by. Now, he only had an hour to find the child and he had absolutely no clue.
"Kato-san! How is it?"
He looked at Sayama – she had insisted to come with him as she was again at the police station when he got an emergency call, stating that she could help calm Sano-san – and then at the hopeful expression Sano-san was giving him, hating himself for delivering a bad news. He shook his head.
Both women's face fell at his answer and Sano-san started to cry anew. The younger woman moved to comfort her.
He grimaced and was about to do the same when his eyes caught something that looked familiar. His hand immediately seized the paper that was laying on the counter at the corner of the room and his eyes widened at what he saw.
"Sano-san, where did this come from?"
The distressed mother looked at him and then at the paper in his hand. Sayama's eyes widened when she released what that was.
"A boy claiming to be Mai's friend. He came yesterday and drew that."
His eyes widened and he cursed quietly.
Ainosuke-kun did come here after all. He must have been out chasing the doves when the boy came and didn't get to meet him. Again, he was left with the boy's drawing instead.
He shared a look with the school nurse, both wearing the same disappointed expression.
Pushing his annoyance aside for missing the chance to find the boy for the third time, he concentrated on the drawing.
The left side of the paper was the symbol of a delivery service company, the Sea-lion delivery service, to be exact. On the right side was a picture of one of the windmill at the wind power system.
He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as the answer laid before his eyes.
The animal hint.
Cannot get out by herself.
Will die within 2 hours.
It all fit. He knew where Mai-chan was!
She was in the Sea-lion delivery's warehouse near the wind power system!
"Come on!"
He gestured for the two women to follow him.
"I know where your daughter is!"
xxx
Yumeto sighed as he walked out of the warehouse, the little girl wrapped securely in his arms. He could just make out the sound of police patrol car's siren getting louder and louder.
He had headed straight here the moment he heard the announcement of the location where the girl might be kept. He didn't know how had the police managed to find out, but he was thankful nonetheless. It would make him less suspicious this way.
His eyes found the stretcher and he quickly laid the girl down on it. He then stepped back, allowing the girl's mother to see her daughter.
He felt a hand tapped his shoulder and turned around.
Standing in front of him was a police officer he knew Ainosuke had made acquaintance of three months prior. Next to him was Ainosuke's school nurse. He resisted the urge to raise his eyebrow at her as he was not supposed to know who she was.
"Thank you, for finding her."
He recognized that voice. So this was the man who had figured out the girl's would have to ask him how he had managed to solve the hints. But for now, he still had a role to play. He smiled pleasantly.
"It's no problem at all. I just happened to be patrolling near this area."
"Well, whatever your reason is, you really saved Mai-chan's life. I am detective Kato, from Tokyo jurisdiction."
He bowed a little.
"Sakisaka."
"Kato-san!"
All three of them turned to the police officer who had called out the name.
"Sano-san wishes to thank you. Ah! You two too!"
He could see a glint enter the school nurse's eyes and she urged Kato and himself to go quickly. He snorted at the thought of being thank for this, since he was literally the one who planned the kidnapping in the first place.
A heavy thought weighed down his heart as he ran along.
This was a bit rushed, he knew, but he had no time to lose. He had to finish this quickly if he was about to carry out his new plan as soon as possible. It was necessary if he wanted to make sure that his little brother could get the attention that he needed to recover.
And this was the only way he could think of to make that happen.
~End of Episode 1~
