I wake up with a headache. I feel like I didn't sleep well... I guess I didn't with all theses flash backs swirling around my head... It's pretty annoying.

I get covers stopped my feet and that's how I hit the floor, head first.

I lay there. At least I wasn't sick. Which kind of surprised me.

I pry myself up. I look around the room with sleepy eyes. I turn my head towards the calendar hanging on the door. I go over there.

It's Sunday... Wasn't there something I had to do today? Well if it was important I wouldn't have forgotten.

I went in the bathroom taking a towel with me.

I entered my bathroom and walk to the tub. I start the water.

Yesterday... I almost died again... That or maybe I would have been what both Mariko and Aiyaka became, If that's how it works of course. I still don't know...

My head starts to ring. I held it in pain and it was gone. I touched the water. Nice and warm. I turn the shower head on. I don't feel like taking a bath. A shower will do.

I start to take my shirt off. Yesterday... Alice-San got hurt... Maybe I should go visit her after I'm done.

I put my necklace on the counter.

Yesterday Orihara-San said he told namie about us. If I see her again some day... Will it be awkward? I'm sure it will... But for me.

I stand up and enter the water. It soothed my body. This is what I needed. I touched my hair. I'm sure I had a bad dream last night. The question is... Was it about last night?

I looked at the floor. Water falling from my face.

How does the slasher and saika fit? How does it fit with mikado, Orihara-San, the dollars, and the black rider?

Now I really think there was something I had to do today...

Once my shower was done I brushed my teeth. I then got out of the bathroom and checked the time. It was 8:37.

I normally don't wake up so late...

I walk back to my bed trying to dry off my hair. I put on my necklace.

... Necklace... Wait... I did have to do something!

I checked my phone. Out of battery.

I put it in charging and wait... Come on!... Ok!

It turns back on. I open it up and check my messages...

1 unread message from Kanra... It was sent 7:31...

Now I remember.

I read the message.

'You can come over at 9:00. i'll pick you up so don't worry.'

I see... He told me in the bathroom yesterday that I would come today to learn about the slasher...

Wait... It's 8:54 right now... I have to get ready!

I close my phone and go up to my closet.

I reach in. I pull out a black shirt. It'll have to do...

I put it on.

I reach in and grab some black skinny jeans.

No skirts since he got mad at me yesterday. I even find a grey sweater.

I go to the mirror and put my hair up in one single pony tail.

I even add a small heart clip.

I walk to my phone and once it's half full I put it in my pocket.

I go to the door and look around. Mom and dad... We're they asleep? They weren't downstairs...

I sneak my way down.

I poured milk in a glass and drank it all.

I checked my phone.

8:58.

Ring.

A message.

'Im here. I parked a little far though.'

I text back that it's fine and put my glass in the sink.

I race to the door and leave.

What he will tell me is what this saika guy is. Is he just some guy telling people when he will attack until its too late?

I have to know. I'm tired of being the only one not knowing anything.

I walk around the corner and sure enough I saw his car.

I looked around. It's his car right?

A loud beep.

Yea... It's him.

I walk over to the car and he gets out.

He goes next to my door and pulls it open... Like that one time...

I smile weakly. I enter while mumbling 'thanks'.

He goes around again and enters his side of the car.

He waits there. We wait there.

The engine was turned off when I came. Was he waiting here?

"Here." He said.

I turned to him. He was handing me a plastic bag.

"What's this...?" I said.

"I didn't brought you flowers so this will have to do." He said.

I looked at the package. I take it and put it on my lap.

Flowers? I wasn't expecting anything today... Only information of course.

Lots of things happened yesterday. And some of the events that happened need explaining.

I look at my package.

He starts his car and drives out of the curve.

I run my finger along the wrinkles of the bag.

"May I open it?" I say. It comes out quieter then I thought.

"Go ahead." He said.

I put both hands on top of it. I then start to fiddle with it. I see an opening and tear that open. What was inside was a soft cloth.

I gently pulled it out.

It was a scarf. It was blue and had black stripes.

I blushed when I saw it.

Yesterday... Orihara-San kissed me on the neck... It was soft and fast and so not a big deal but... It was warm. I was pretty cold.

I put the scarf next to my cheek. It really is soft.

I put it around my neck wishing I should have brought my blue sweater instead.

"Thank you..." I said. I was really great full... He really is too good to me...

"You're welcome. I thought you would really start to get sick with the way you've been treating your body..."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You should have a balanced breakfast everyday... Not just an apple."

I looked at him wide eyed. How does he...

"How do you know all this...?"I asked.

He smiled.

"I just do... I took interest and now I'm using what I learned."

This is such an Orihara answer.

And here I am... Not knowing a single thing about him...

"You really didn't have to get me this.." I said.

"You didn't ask for it... So it's ok to accept what people offer you." He said.

I'm pretty sure I learn more manners from him then any other human being I ever talked to.

I think it's because he's met so much rich people wanting the dirt on something that he decided to act mature around them and then stab then in the back.

"Namie is there you know.." He said.

I grip the scarf. She is?! How will I face her?! To be honest the whole brother obsesses thing got me thinking about how scary she really is... And that's jerk of me I know but...

At least I don't have to worry about any relationships going on right?

"The black rider even came to visit earlier when namie wasn't around."

The black rider?

"What was the black rider doing there?" I asked.

"She came to ask the same question you did. She wanted to know about the slasher and I told her everything that I know. She even told me interesting things about herself."

So I was right... It is a she...

"What did she say?" I asked.

He smiled. His eyes on the road.

"I'm telling you about the slasher... Not about her."

I nod. I look out the window.

It's better to leave other situations alone.

I noticed how the ground moves under the car. It's like you can't see details on the road... And yet you know it's still there.

I look at Orihara-San. Today he is wearing his fur coat and those normal clothes he always wears.

A thought came back to me. That time when he entered the room I was in. When he looked so young...

He still does but... He seems to think older.

One day I'll push a subject on him. I want to know more about him even if it might hurt something in me.

We take a turn.

I just remembered about something else... I turn to him.

"Orihara-San... Can you maybe take me to the hospital later today to check on someone?" I asked.

"You mean that girl that got sliced last time?" He asked.

"Yes... I want to make it up to her for not helping..." I said.

"What were you suppose to do? The slasher would of hurt you first if you would of told it to stop."

I take one end of my scarf and put it over my mouth.

"I'll take you..." He said.

I smiled. "Thank you!" I said.

I didn't notice that we were already parking.

I reach for the handle and open the car door. He does the same.

We both go directly to the door where the lobby was.

I stood behind Orihara-San while he walks towards to elevator and gets in. I go in too.

"You can start if you want..." I said.

"No not yet... Wouldn't want people who are trying to get in the elevator the wrong idea." He said.

I nod.

He puts his hand on my head and tugs at my tail.

"Is this going to be a forever hair style for you?" He asked.

"No... I put it on again because you seemed to like it.." I said.

I can tell I made him quiet. Once the doors opened I looked at him.

He lets go of my hair and begins to walk. I do too.

"I know two sides of you, rio..." He said. "The bratty one and the honest one."

I guess it depends on my mood but... I really didn't notice it.

"When you're troubled you become honest... When something can't leave your head and you're thinking of too many things then you get bratty and confused."

I really didn't see it this way... But I think he's right...

He takes his key out and goes to the door once we got there.

I put my hand over his hand.

He looks at me confused.

"Namie won't eat you..." He said.

Can he read me that easily?

I let go of him and he continues.

He opens the door and goes in.

I peek in the room. She wasn't there...

I look at Orihara-San confused and he pointed up.

She must be cleaning the shelves...

"Namie I'm home!" He said.

I heard a book drop from upstarts.

"Stop doing that! You scared me!" She said.

He smirked.

I was under the balcony so she didn't see me yet...

Orihara-San was still looking up at her. I couldn't see her reaction... But I can tell she was annoyed.

Oriahara-San nodded at me. Like a sign to her that he didn't come home alone.

"You brought her didn't you..." She said. I then see her head peak out of the balcony.

"Hello..." I said.

Namie went back up. I heard her coming down the stairs. I stood still.

I looked at orihara-San and he made his way over to his desk.

I finally saw her appear. She was wearing a green long sleeved sweater and a red skirt.

"How old are you again?" She asked.

I jumped back as if the question inflicted me pain.

"I'm..."

"Namie... Can you go get some doughnuts from that one coffee shop?" Orihara-San said. He was already typing away.

She looked at him and then back at me.

"Can I take her with me?" She asked.

I looked up at her surprised.

Orihara-San laughed a little.

"There's a reason why she's here... She wants to know about the slasher. One of her friends got slashed last night..." He said.

She stood there. I looked away from her.

I could see her from the corner of my eye. She was getting her keys.

She walked up to me. I moved aside. She opened the door and said-

"Maybe next time."

The door was closed.

Next time would be good... I want to learn about her too.

She's interesting.

Now that she's gone I felt more relaxed...

"See this?" Orihara-San said. He was still looking at the computer and pointing to a couple of papers on the desk.

"That's all the documents assorted and alphabetized. Shinra helped that one time when he called you and namie did most of the work." He said.

I walked towards his desk. While walking I looked around the room. Still looks the way it did when I came here.

I looked at the papers. I picked one up.

Was he expecting me to read all this?

"Ok... In short I think it's best if I summarize the same way I did for the black rider." He said.

He turned off his monitor and walked up to the papers.

"Saika... That's the name of the mysterious person who was in the dollars chats... Correct?"

I nod.

"Saika is also the name of a sword..." He said.

Sword?

"I'm sure the sword the slasher is using is in fact saika itself."

I looked back down at the paper I was holding.

"Where are you going with this?" I asked.

He smiles.

"In other words: Saika is a cursed blade that lives here in shinjuku. It's a katana empowered by dark magic."

"So... You're saying is... Saika and the slasher are the same thing?"

"I'm not sure about the saika in the chats... I'm looking into this as we speak..." He points towards the monitor.

"Now tell me... What did you see when you were almost killed?" He asked.

I didn't really want to remember anything... I want it all to be forgotten and away from my life for good but... In some cases.. That can't happen.

"You can tell me while you eat." He said.

I looked up at him. Eat?

"Go sit on the couch. Ill be back." He said. He takes the paper away from me and places it with the rest of them. He walks past me and goes to the back. He enters another room... Kitchen maybe.

I look up on the balcony. I look at the door that was labeled in my head as 'Orihara-san's room'.

I look at the door. That's where he pinned me down... Where I saw his eyes being nothing but the color red.

I walk over to the couch still looking at the door.

I sit down.

Saika... It's a mystery.

But at least I know that much. It kinda cleared things sip for me...

I looked back and saw orihara-San walking out of the other room. He entered with a plate that had... Surprise sushi?

He set it on the table.

I looked at him. "Where's your food..?" I asked. I ain't believe he remembered my little outburst I said when he embraced me like that I front of my house...

He sat down across from me.

"Surprise tuna isn't my favorite." He said.

"If you don't like it then I would have been ok eating whatever you would have wanted to eat..." I said.

He smirks.

"I'm just not hungry." He said.

"Maybe you should consider eating a balanced meal..." I said. "Practice what you preach." I took a bite.

"You're the one to talk..." He said."You're always lying to me."

It was my turn to smile.

"When?" I said. Now that I think of it... I shouldn't have challenged him.

"Yesterday for example." He said.

"Ok... I get it.." I said.

He smiles.

"So you understand that it was you who kissed me first?"

"So about the slasher." I said.

I stabbed my tuna.

"You're such a kid." He said.

Of course... I did what all kids do... I shot him a look.

"What happened yesterday...?" He asked.

I looked at the unfinished tuna.

How should I start?

"Do you know anything about being possessed?" I asked.

"No... But if you're talking about that black magic then you should fill me in."

"Well" I said. "When I didn't listen to those people they turned ... Emotionless. Their eyes were painted red... They kept saying things like 'mother wants you' whose this mother they were talking about?"

Orihara-San made a confused look... That's a first.

"Possessed... Are you saying that maybe whoever made contact with saika... They turned into living zombies?"

"I guess that's the only way to put it... I mean... I knew one of them from my english class... No one knows what happened to him after he stopped coming to school. Do you think he was attacked at some point?"

"I'm sure the black rider took them to the hospital... The only way to find out is to ask..." He said.

That's right... We have to ask... They can't just forget how badly they assaulted me...

I took a bite from my tuna.

"They were also strong..." I said.

"Strong?"

"Yes... Maybe that's part of it..." I took another bite.

"I'll have to research a little deeper..." He said. "Things are just not adding up."

I nodded. He's right. What does it have to do with anything in our daily lives. The slasher is a person being possessed by a magic katana that is out hurting other people possibly to make a group and to possess other people... That sounds pretty crazy.

I reach for my green tea. I put it up against my mouth.

Still... Why does it tell the dollars about its victims?

What is it trying to achieve?

"After Namie comes we can take a ride to the hospital." He said.

"We should go now if the visiting hours leave and-"

"It's fine... It's too early to not let people in." He said holding up his hand.

I didn't realize that I was sitting up from the couch. I sit back down.

"Ok... Ill wait." I said.

He smiled. "Good girl."

I look at my food. I'm too shocked to eat anything anymore...

"While we pass the time... Do you mind telling me bout you..?" I said quietly.

He went back on the couch. He put both arms relaxed on the top of the sofa rims.

"You really want to know, huh?" He said.

I nod.

"What do you want to know?" He said.

"I um... " I never thought he would say yes... I honestly have nothing to ask now... Wait maybe I can start with the basics.

"Was I..." No I can't ask him...

"We're you what?" He asked.

It's an embarrassing question. It'll make him think I'm a jealous type... I have to try...

"Was I the only person to be convinced by you to disappear with?" I asked.

Silence... Awkward silence.

"No."

I looked up at him. He was smiling with pleasure.

"No...?" My voice was shaking.

"Anything else?"

I looked back down.

I gripped onto my scarf.

"You never fell in love with anyone right?" I asked.

"That's true." He said.

I can't get the thought of him lying out of my head... I can't!

Why does he make me feel this way though?! Why does it bother me so much that he was with someone else when he was in high school or just plain at work?! I don't like this feeling...

"Do me a favor.." I said.

He tilted his head side ways.

"If I ever tell you I love you.. Can you lie to me and tell me you love me back...?" I said.

Where am I going with this you ask? Well... For some reason I feel like it would be awkward of he doesn't say anything at all...

"Promise" he said.

I was still looking at the ground.

I want this to be another moment like the one when we were in that big living room. Like the one where we walked home, hands locked together.

I truly wish to find out what he does to me... This is more thinking then I've done all year...

"What's wrong? You still have some more food left." He said.

"I'm not hungry.." I said.

"I see... You're waiting for the doughnuts to stuff your face..." He said.

I looked up at him. He was smiling of course. He was lucky this isn't my house.. Other wise I would have thrown something at him already.

He stands up. My eyes were still on him.

"I feel like... A part of me says you deserve better for the way I make you feel." He said.

The way he makes me feel? Am I not suppose to feel like this?

"But I still want you to stay though..." He said. He looks at me.

I see what he means... It's because of him on why I've been going through so much terrible, shocking, hard to believe, feedback from friends, family, and people that I don't know at all.

It was all him.

I stopped seeing it this way though... He is all I want.

"I'm not going anywhere.." I said. "So don't worry about it." I looked at the windows.

My eyes searched for him.

He smiled. He walks towards me and plops himself next to me. I turn to him.

He takes an end of my scarf and puts it over his shoulder.

He leans in. He kisses my cheek like always.

And also... I blushed.

"It's embarrassing to do this to you, you know..." He said. " I don't do this to just anyone... I just wanted you to know that."

He puts his arms around me. His head leans on my shoulder.

'To just anyone.'

I put my hands around his neck.

I'm lucky enough to even hug him...

Here's one thing: I shouldn't get carried away... He makes fun of me later on...

But it's his fault for being the way he is.

We both hear keys on the other side of the front door. He lets go of me and takes my arms off him gently. He gets up and picks up my plate.

"Here... I didn't know which doughnuts to get so I..." Namie walked in and saw the tuna. "So you didn't wait for the doughnuts..."

"You know I don't like sweet things..." He said.

"Then why did you made me go out and get these?!" She said.

"Rio likes them." He said.

I looked up at him. His face was apologetic. He didn't mean to get up so rudely... Like in the party.

I smiled. As long as he gave me warmth I don't mind.

My attentions turned back to namie who was closing the door.

"Ok... I brought them mostly chocolate... I think at least one has strawberry filing." She walks around the couch and places them on the coffee table.

I reach for one.

"Rio and I will be heading to the hospital." Orihara-San said. He was walking to the kitchen to place the dishes in the sink.

"Right now?" She asked.

"We were kinda waiting for you so... Yea right now." He said as he came back.

"Fine.. In the meantime... What do you want me to do?"

He pointed to a book shelf next to his desk.

"Clean that side up... Break anything and there goes your paycheck."

'Break anything'?

Namie looks at me quickly. Like I heard something I wasn't suppose to hear.

Orihara-San put his hand I front of her face.

"We'll be back." He said.

I couldn't see her anymore... But I can tell she was confused.

Orihara-San went up to his fur coat that was hanging on the door.

I see this and get up.

I walk to the door. He was already out. I looked back at namie. She was still.

"When can we have coffee?" I asked.

She turned around. She must have thought I was joking but my face was serious.

"It doesn't matter anymore.." She said. "I wanted to ask you questions for my benefit."

"Then why don't you?" I said.

She turns to the shelf again.

"How innocent do you think the people you know are?" She asked.

I looked at the floor.

"Not at all.." I said.

She nods and walks towards the shelf. As if to say- 'ok' or... 'Good answer' or...

'He's waiting.'

And he was. I closed the door behind me and I was in the hall way again.

When I go to the hospital... I'm going to say sorry to some one...

I'm also going to interrogate two others...