Chapter 6: Punishment

I was standing there like an idiot for five seconds, fifteen. The car had disappeared into a haze. I crumpled the photo and stuck it into my pocket, I ran back inside sliding across the floor and ran up to my room. I called Yukinoshita twice, the call couldn't connect. Typical. Three things were obvious right away. The perps knew where we lived. They knew I had the CD. And someone had to tell them that I found it. But I repressed that idea, for now.

I kicked open the door to the garage and unlocked my bike, then I flew out and almost crashed with it because of the snow.

I had to get to Yukinoshita.

Driving there was out of question. Dad let me use the car just once for a while and I couldn't test drive it in these conditions. And trying to wake him up and explaining to him would take forever. Knowing him even then he still wouldn't go. I called the police. They said they'd look into it and that my number is registered to a fake call yesterday - they told me nicely to go fuck off.

I drove on the road taking any shortcut that I could.

"Damn! This is taking too long."

I had to cut off the main road, and drive down three sets of stairs. But I was too fast, too distracted. My wrists couldn't handle the constant kick back of the front wheel fork and I slipped.

I jumped three sets of stairs with the bike and crashed down hard down under it.

I got up.

My bones felt like someone rammed a car through them and my palms were grazed down to the meat. The bike bent in the middle and the wheels broke. With shaky fingers I fumbled around in my pockets for the phone and called Yukino again. No answer again. I limped the rest of the way.

I got to her apartment building faster than expected and rang the doorbell. I pressed the button three times then I pushed it until Yukino answered.

"Who is it?" It was her!

"It's me Hachiman let me inside!"

"W-what alright," she sounded as if she just woke up. "Wait a minute."

She buzzed me in and I slammed the door open, then I ran through the building corridor. The elevator stopped and I ran to her door. She opened the door a crack at first, saw it was me and let me in.

She semeed okay more shocked by seeing me than other things. I ran around her flat and checked the windows. I checked every room. No signs of any suspicious activity at all.

"Hachi what's-"

Then I went to her and hugged her, thank god.

"What's going on, you're acting weird," she said and got out of the hug. "Your eyes are like a crazy man's and what... that's blood!"

I looked into a mirror. Under my eyes I smeared oil from my bike by accident and my hands were bleeding from the cuts.

"We need to call an ambulance!" She said going to phone.

"Wait no, it's just a scratch," I went to her and gave her the photo the perps put into my mailbox. "We can't, not until you're somewhere safe."

She looked at it, her eyes narrowed.

"Why do you have a polaroid photo of Yui-san?"

"Excuse me?" I said. "It's you isn't it?"

She showed it to me and there it was, Yuigahama Yui walking her dog outside her house. Same polaroid photo. I snatched it out of her hand and it was real. On the photo was written: 'Your choice, punk.' Then I turned the photo around and I realized that it was two photos glued togheter. I was in too much of a rush to notice it before.

"Damn! We have to get to Yuigahama!" And I moved to the door.

"What?! Why!?" Yukino tried to stop me. "What is going on Hachi?"

"It's those guys from before they put this into my mailbox after I went home."

"Oh god. Yui-san..." Yukino froze in shock.

"Come on!" I grabbed her hand, "Let's go."

It was safer this way. Better take her with me than leave her here alone. First Yukino tried to call her, but no reply.

"Why do women always call themselves about pointless stuff for hours and when it's importatnt they don't answer for god's sake!" I said putting a towel over my hands.

Yukino made a face, "You've dated one for less than a day and you are already expert in the subject it seems."

She tried it two more times, no answer.

"I'll call Jean he can get us there!" Yukino said calling again.

"Jean?"

"Our family driver, he'll drive us over."

"Right."

After a minute she said, "He'll be here shortly."

Then she looked on the ground, "Hachi... what about the police?"

"This isn't time for bad jokes Yukino," I said.

She nodded weakly.

Minutes later we were in the limousine on the way to Yuigahama's place. There was a fucking frenzy in my head. For the first time in my life I wasn't scared for my sorry ass, but for someone else. Inside the car nobody said anything. Jean concentrated on the road and Yukino watched the scenery on her side. On the radio there was some obscure talkshow running. Yukino said Jean always listens to stuff like this.

"Similar incidents were reported from Tokyo Akihabara and Shibuya. Now we have the same ones in Chiba too."

"Oh come on doctor I don't buy this. What are you saying? That this is somekind of disease spreading across the country?"

"It is an addiction. An addiction to fantasy which in later cases creates this mass hyteria and terror which we see in the streets."

"But please this is real physical world we're talking about."

"All kinds of mental states depression for example are real in the exact same way as this real physical world."

"But that's some complete nonsense you talk about doctor."

"We're here," Jean the driver said and I spun around and opened the door.

I ran to the door bell in front of the house and rang it a few times. A light went on inside the house. I brushed my shirt clean a few times and wiped my face with the towel I had from Yukino. Yukino herself was standing beside me.

Yuigahama's mom opened the door, "What is it at this hour?"

"Hello we know this is sudden, but we need to talk to Yui-san," I said. "Call her down please I'm her friend from school Hikigaya."

"Yes I remember and Yukino-chan, but she walked our dog a just a minute ago," she said, but the confusion on her face was visible.

"We forgot something for school project and need to check it with her," Yukino reasured her.

"Okay then, come in," Yuigahama's mom said and let us inside.

Seconds later she came down, without Yuigahama.

"I don't understand... she's not here, but this was on her bed." She said as if in shock and gave me a piece of paper. "I need to get my husband and call the police then..."

And she disappeared inside the house. I took the paper and it said: 'Call this number before 10:00pm if you want to see her again' under that was a phone number.

"Fuck!" I cursed loud.

I looked at a clock it was 09:30pm.

I immediately dialed the number with my phone. It rang five times, fifteen. Time grew narrow again, physical. Seconds felt like hours.

Then male voice answered, "Took your sweet time didn't you Hikigaya Hachiman."

It was Harry one of the perps who were after me. I couldn't answer and chocked.

"Cat got your tongue? Whatever, meet us at 10:00pm at the old parking lot in south Chiba in the outskirts and you better have the stuff with ya or..."

"Hachi please they-!"

Yuigahama shouted something incoherent into the phone, then it was him back again.

"I warned ya, but you didn't listen boy... well you reap what you sow."

And he hanged up.

"What did they say?" Yukino pressed me.

"They want to meet and they want the disk..."

"Then let's give it to them, Hachi." She said.

"But I don't have it!" I threw away the towel. "I gave it to Hiratsuka yesterday!"

Then I saw their family Hi-Fi system in the living room with rows and rows of music cds on the side. And I got an idea.

Here I am, it's payback time. I dare you to, come and get me.

And again crappy movie lines went through my head.

Yukino's driver took us to the place Harry specified before. Empty parking lot, south outskirts of Chiba. It even had a derelict shopping centre on the left. It was long dark already. The streetlights of the parking lot iluminated a few abandoned run down cars here and there. This wasn't the part of town that was the face of tourism boards. I stepped over the trash and moment later we were in the middle of the parking lot. Yukino was with me. I insisted she stayed back with her driver, but she latched onto me and haven't let go of my hand since. And I couldn't persuade her otherwise. Jean said he had to call the police, I protested and he gave us a few minutes headstart before he did. I felt like we were walking into a trap, I felt guilty like I was about to get caught. I never should've taken that disk, I should've listened to Yukino and give up before. And now she was with me walking into a certain trap and they had Yuigahama as a hostage - if she was still alive. And I was the problem trying to be the solution. Before I could protest again to Yukino we heard an engine in the distance.

"Here they come," Yukino said and squeezed my hand tighter.

"Yep..."

The car stopped a few meters ahead of us and it kept the engine going. The headlights were set to distance and they blinded us. With a hand in front of my face I could barely see Harry and Marv get out of it. Marv dragged a third person her hands tied behind her - Yuigahama.

"Yui-san!" Yukino tried to go to her but I stopped her.

She was dressed in her pajamas. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes were red, tears running down her face. Her mouth shut close with a duct tape.

Other than that I couldn't see a damn thing.

"Well, well, well," Harry began slowly walking to me. "Our protagonist finally decided to show up. And he even brought his girlfriend to the party. Isn't that nice."

"Hehehe, lost a bet to that," Marv laughed beside the car. "Thought he'd choose the cute one."

Then Marv sniffed beside Yuigahama's ear and she flinched crying. I grit my teeth and began grinding it back and forth. Yukino looked at me, her face a pure terror.

I took out the CD disk and flashed it to them.

"Leave her alone you creeps, I thought this is what you wanted." I said.

"Relax we didn't touch her... yet, now come here and give it to me."

"Let her go first."

Harry made a gesture with his head, Marv nodded and let Yuigahama go. She ran up to us and Yukino hugged her. She seemed in shock, but fine. Yukino removed the duct tape and untied her hands.

"I-I thought they... We... I-I could..." She stumbled tears flowing.

Yukino continued to hug her, stroking her head, "Shhh, it's alright now."

I threw the disk to Harry and he caught it.

"Expect that we don't exactly have any means to know that it's the one you stole from us," Harry said. "Or that you didn't read what's on it."

He pulled out a gun out of his jacket.

"It wouldn't matter anyway," Harry aimed at me. "If you played it... we wouldn't be standing here having this merry conversation."

"If I told you why exactly we're sweating our asses and going with these plastic shits around the city, you wouldn't believe me at all. And... You'd think I'm madman if I told you who's behind it all."

Then he shrugged, "Oh well, look at the time and now I'm gonna kill ya and leave your sorry carcass to rot over there in the gutter you stupid fuck."

Marv closed his eyes and pluged his ears with his fingers, "Always hate this part."

Looking down the barrel of the gun, seconds seemed like ages. Time really is relative to the eyes of the observer. It was the cartoon moment when gravity waits for the coyote to realize his mistake before the plunge.

"Nothing personel kid," Harry said. "Boss's orders, this is strictly bussiness."

WHACK!

It wasn't the gun, Marv went down and crashed to the ground.

"What the-"

WHACK!

Before Harry managed to turn around he too went to the ground hard. A middle aged guy holding a rusty jack stood above him, wide grin on his face.

"Hey there Hikigaya!" He waved at me. "It's me Takeshi!"

Harry started to move on the ground, WHACK another hit with the jack from Takeshi and now he was out cold for sure. Then he kicked the gun out of his hand. Behind him a middle aged woman checked Marv.

"You helped me and Tsugumi a few days ago with our car don't you remember?"

I was still caught in that cartoon moment.

"Yeah? Did I?" I turned to the girls beside me.

Yukino smiled, still holding Yuigahama, "And that's Hachi for you. He doesn't even remember he helped someone."

"Well I was around with Tsugumi here," Takeshi turned to her.

"Hii~!" She waved at us.

"We smoothed things up and I decided to throw this jack away to that scrapyard over there," He pointed to a dumpy looking building a kilometer away.

"And here you are having trouble so we decided to help you! Right dear?"

"RIGHTO~!"

"Who are these guys anyway? Some criminals?" Takeshi asked.

I shrugged, "Remember 'home alone'? They got their inspirations from there."

"Wet bandits? They look the part."

Then we saw police lights in the distance and this was the first time in a while when I was glad to see them. The police came down and arrested Harry and Marv. Not only they were suspects in kidnapping, blackmail and violent assault. They were also criminals wanted across the coutry. Yuigahama was okay, Harry wasn't lying in that they didn't touch her at all. The cops first scolded me again, then after a while they praised me for a good job.

Then Yuigahama hugged me, "Thanks Hikki."

She hugged me closer, "You're my hero..."

Her eyes watered and she was inches from my face, she started to close that distance.

"Ehm!" Yukino cleared her throat. "Your parents are here Yui-san."

Yuigahama blushed and ran to her parents, they hugged each other crying and laughing for a while. Her parents bowed to me. But I told them to stop it. Then they went home after paramedics checked Yuigahama. She was waving at me and I waved back, then she blew me a kiss that caught me off guard.

Yukino nudged me with her elbow, "Your girlfriend is getting jealous over here Hikigaya Hero-kun."

"Whatever is the reason to that?"

And I pulled her over to me and we kissed and it was nice.

Later that night when everyone went home and I thanked Takeshi and Tsugumi for saving my life Jean took me home. We fist-bumped and I went to the door of my house. The door flew open when I neared it and Komachi jumped at me, hugging me.

"Ahhh oni-chan I was so scared!" She cried.

Then mom noticed the comotion and joined Komachi and also hugged me.

"What were you thinking Hachiman!" She cried.

Then we went inside and dad was standing there smiling, "You got them good tiger, I'm proud of you."

And he patted my head.

TV was running in the background. It was news about what happened in the south outskirts of Chiba earlier tonight. They talked about the criminals themselves, but mostly celebrated the heroism of certain Hikigaya Hachiman. Who decided to tackle the threat instead of calling the police. Then the journalists swarmed our house and we had to close the blinds. Even though it was night, they insisted for me to give them an interview.

"We can talk to them if you want to," Dad said to me, but I shook my head.

"Nah, I'm no hero. I didn't do anything."

Dad opened the blinds for a second. Hundreds of people swarmed the driveway to our house. And there were news vans blocking the road.

"They seem to think otherwise," Dad said.

"And they're not the only ones," Komachi showed up her phone.

On Instagram and on Facebook and on Twitter and on other social media. Everyone regarded and celebrated my heroism. There was even an interview with Takeshi and Tsugumi who said I was the best thing to happen in their life. Even my classmates were on it, boys said how they knew me from high or middle school how I was their best friend. Girls swooning over me how dreamy I am, how much of a hero I am or straight up confessing their love to me.

"There's much more oni-chan, trust me," Komachi said and gave me my phone.

I'm not on any social media or anything, to me that's just propaganda. So there were just messages, but there were hundreds of them. All from some girls unknown to me, confessing love, inviting me on dates and asking for my photo. Even some from my class.

"When did my number become a public domain?"

"Wipe off that creepy grin of your face first onii-chan," Komachi chuckled. "I know you're enjoying all this attention."

The only messages I replied to were from Yukino and Yuigahama. Then I wished Yukino a good night and went to bed.

When I tried to sleep, my head was overloaded. There was so much to think about. All those new experiences and the mass hysteria about me left almost no space to think about all the terrible things that happened.

And maybe it really could be done.

If I worked hard enough. If I learned enough. Ran fast enough. Did the things that I most feared. Everything would turn out right and my life would finally amount to something.

And for the first time in a million years I fell asleep and I knew I wouldn't have that dream anymore.