Chapter 3 - Pyrgi Street


Luka sat on the living room couch with her hands resting on her lap. Her eyes were glued to the pink scarf on the coffee table. Gakupo was standing next to her, eyes going from his classmate to the garment and back.

Yuu came through the door. "Ok, they're sending someone tomorrow to fix your window. You should use the guest bedroom for now." She sat across Luka and crossed her arms. "And now you're going to tell what's going on. You turned white as a sheet when you saw that scarf."

Luka pressed her lips together for a few seconds. She gave Gakupo a quick glance, without even knowing what she expected to gain from it. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"So?"

The rose-haired girl suppressed a sigh in response to her mother's impatient tone. "It's nothing. I just thought…" Luka paused for a couple seconds, trying to find a plausible lie. Nothing convincing came to mind. "I thought I left it at school."

"Did you?" Yuu raised one eyebrow.

"I don't know," Luka said despondently. "Mom, I don't know what's happening!" That part was true, at least. It was all so bewildering she wasn't even sure how to feel.

Yuu's expression softened, and she reached forward to pat Luka's head. "It's going to be okay. Whoever it was up there, they're gone. I'll get us a proper security system like I should've done ages ago. We'll be fine." She leaned back. "I need to make a couple more calls. I have no idea if the police comes over when there is no loss of property, I guess it's time to find out." She stood up and gave Luka a brief hug before leaving the room once more.

After that, the only sound for an instant or two was the clock on the wall, and the constant but faint rumble of the vehicles rushing down the street.

"What's the real reason that scarf is freaking you out?" Gakupo asked in a low tone. "You left it at the clinic?"

Luka nodded.

"Why not tell her the whole story, then? If something or someone followed you home, she should be prepared."

"Prepared for what, exactly? I don't know what's going on, and you don't know either, no matter what your stupid stories say!" Luka stood up, swept up by a cold, helpless fury. Thanks to the sudden movement, her face and Gakupo ended up uncomfortably close.

"I…" Gakupo trailed off, caught by surprise. "Maybe I should go." He took a small step backwards.

Luka stared at him darkly. "You think so?"

The boy seemed about to say something else, but as soon as he opened his mouth he closed it again.

"Go away!" Luka snapped before she realized what she was doing. She immediately felt embarrassment at her tone, mixed with a small, contemptible drop of relief at being able to vent her frustration. Even if it wasn't enough to feel relaxed. And even if her new classmate had nothing to do with her strange plight.

Gakupo frowned, but his expression seemed more pitying than outright offended or annoyed. He mumbled something unintelligible and quickly walked towards the foyer and the exit.

Luka remained where she stood, her knuckles white with tension, long after the sound of retreating footsteps faded.


By the time Gakupo reached his home at Pyrgi Street, the sunset was beginning to paint the wild garden around it with shades of red and orange. Just like your eyes, said a voice in the bottom of his memories. He smiled slightly, wondering if it was a true memory or something he had fabricated. Perhaps it didn't matter, as long as it kept their presence alive within him.

Instead of going into the house, he went around it towards the back. Five minutes sitting quietly to organize his thoughts, that's all he needed. Then he would go cook dinner for his sister and himself.

He set down his backpack and sat crossed-legged on the stone path curving around the small pond more or less at the center of the garden. It had seen better days, like a hundred more things around the house that needed repairs. He absently pulled at the weeds lining its cracked border, but his mind was far removed from matters of gardening. The shadows of the foliage around him moved gradually as the sun disappeared under the horizon. When a cold breeze began to rustle the leaves, Gakupo got up and walked towards the back door that lead to the kitchen.

At no moment did he notice the dark shape crouched in a corner of the yard, watching him.

Almost three-quarters of an hour later, dinner was ready. Gumi was seated at the table in her green and white checkered pajamas and orange slippers. She was playing with the salt and pepper shakers and swinging her feet, when Gakupo placed a steaming plate in front of her.

"Careful, it's really hot," Gakupo said and sat across her with his own plate.

"Uh-huh." Gumi made the shakers bow to each other before grabbing a spoon. She scooped up a bit of curry and blew over it a couple of times.

"Maybe I should've cooked something softer for you," Gakupo mused with a smile. "Wouldn't want you to get sick again."

"I'm good," Gumi replied and shoved the spoon inside her mouth.

"Glad to hear it." Gakupo added some stir-fried vegetables to his plate. "Did anything interesting happen while I was at school?"

Gumi shrugged. Then, she seemed to reconsider. "Can we change the curtain rod in my room?"

"Why?" Gakupo had placed the curtains himself the day before yesterday, and it seemed in decent condition then.

A small frown formed on Gumi's face as she poked the curry repeatedly. "Don't laugh."

"I won't, I promise."

"The rod is too far from the window, when I lay down on the bed I can see outside, just a bit."

"Oh?" Gakupo tilted his head.

"I don't like it when it's dark, it makes me think someone is outside the window watching me," Gumi explained, a bit red.

Gakupo made a sound of acknowledgement. "It should be easy enough to fix. The curtains themselves are fine, right?" His sister nodded, already looking relieved. "I'll take care of it."

Gumi pushed the chunks of minced meat and rice on her plate with the spoon, perhaps trying to form a figure of some kind. It was the type of behavior that made their aunt mad, but Gakupo decided to let her eat at her own pace.

"You know, one of my classmates used to live on this street. I don't suppose you remember Luka?"

The green-haired girl shook her head.

"I thought as much." Gakupo drank from his glass of juice. "If you see a girl with long pink hair tomorrow, say hello."

"Is she pretty?"

"Very." Gakupo grinned. "She's a bit of a grouch, though."

"We're not at Auntie's place anymore, you can say bi-" Gumi started to say.

"We're not calling her that!" Gakupo cut her off. "Don't go around saying words like that at school or they'll call our family."

"Fine!" His sister replied somewhat petulantly.

"I don't like to boss you around. I just want us to have as little to do with the two of them as possible. You understand that, right? We shouldn't give the teachers any reason to pay too much attention to us."

The girl seemed somewhat mollified, as she took another bite of rice. She nodded as she chewed. Gakupo smiled affectionately. Perhaps in other circumstances they wouldn't have been as close, given their contrasting personalities, but reality being what it was, there wasn't anyone he trusted more than the tomboyish little girl across the table.


At some point during the night, Gakupo was roused by the creaking of the bedroom door. The light of the corridor hit his face, poking at his eyelids. With supreme effort, he managed to crack open one eye.

A silhouette stood by his door; an almost featureless blob of pure darkness framed by the creamy wallpaper behind it. His visitor stayed still and silent, just staring as Gakupo pushed his purple hair out of his face.

"What are you doing?" Gakupo mumbled. His mouth felt very dry, so his tired gaze wandered over to the nightstand, looking for a glass of water. There was none, but the alarm clock helpfully informed him that it was a little after three in the morning. He rubbed his face, groaning. "Gumi, go back to bed, please!"

The silhouette moved, but it went right towards the kitchen and living area, instead of going left, back to Gumi's room. Gakupo rolled back onto his back, letting his eyes close. I should go see if she needs anything, he thought groggily. In a minute...


The next morning, the alarm clock pulled Gakupo out of a weird dream about living with Luka in a flooded city. He sat up wiping the sleep from his eyes, genuinely confused at his surroundings for a minute. Admittedly, this room and house didn't register as 'his' bedroom and home, at least not yet. And to make matters worse, his head felt oddly swollen, as if his skin was too tight for his skull. He kicked the covers away and stood up, grabbing his forehead with a groan as his headache worsened. It now made Gakupo feel like someone had crept up to him while he slept and jabbed heated iron needles into his eyes.

Still, the only thing to do was to see if the bathroom was unoccupied. He had to make breakfast for Gumi and him and get ready for school. He barely processed that his bedroom door was already wide open, despite closing it the night before. He just crossed the threshold rubbing his eyes and turned left.

There were no sounds coming from the bathroom. Gakupo tried calling for his sister, and when there was no reply, he peeked inside. Empty, aside from a small pile of discarded clothes in one corner. He grabbed some painkillers from the cabinet and swallowed them with a gulp of tap water.

Once he exited the bathroom, he realized Gumi's bedroom door was wide open. He morosely approached it and entered after calling her name. Empty as well. He was about to turn and go to the kitchen when something caught his eye. Gumi had actually taped the curtain to the wall with many long strips of brown packing tape placed in a haphazard manner. Gakupo walked closer, blinking with disbelief. He scratched at the end of a strip with a nail and the glue on it left a small stain on the wall. I guess I'll go to the hardware store this afternoon, before Gumi decides to brick up the window.

Massaging his temples, Gakupo returned to the corridor and headed for the kitchen. Maybe Gumi was waiting there for him, although the house seemed altogether too quiet. He reached the end of the corridor and, as he expected, he found the living room and adjoined kitchen to be completely empty. Gumi's lunch bag was on the counter. The cartoon carrots gracing the fabric seemed to grin insultingly at Gakupo.

Was she really in that much of a hurry to go to school? No, not the Gumi I know. His throat began to tighten. With a brisk pace, Gakupo returned to his room and searched for his mobile. It was inside of his school bag, almost out of charge. He ignored the battery sign and called Gumi's number.

A happy synth tune reached his ears. Almost immediately he found the crummy old cell on her nightstand. He cursed and sat on her bed, grabbing his head with his free hand. Where is she? It was completely against her character to leave the house so early in the morning without warning.

I have to run outside and take a look… Or more accurately, shamble out. His whole head felt as if it was a kettle full of boiling water. But he tried to push the sensation aside, to suppress it as best as he could. He needed to find his sister.

The wood planks of the corridor creaked. Gakupo lifted his head in surprise and his vision swam for an instant. When his eyes focused once more, he saw that Gumi was standing in the doorway, looking at him serenely. She was wearing an overly large white dress, one that Gakupo didn't recall her having in the first place. Both her hair and dress were damp.

"Where were you?!" He'd been so certain she wasn't inside the house, just seconds ago. Was she playing in the garden pond? Why?

Gumi didn't reply. Instead, she approached him and placed a cold hand on his forehead. Like her hair, it was slightly wet and her knuckles were covered with mud. You've got a fever."

Gakupo pushed the hand away. "I'm fine." If anything, Gumi was too cold. "Where were you?" He repeated the question, stressing each word.

Gumi stared at him. "Where…?" Her eyes seemed to lose focus, and she abruptly turned her head towards the window, the way someone would when hearing their name. Gakupo turned to look as well, but there was nothing there to see.

"I had a dream. You came to my window and said we were going to the other house," she said dragging each sound.

"What other house? You mean back south?"

Gumi shook her head. "In the other place. I followed your voice past the fog, but you weren't you, so I ran back."

You weren't you… Gakupo bit his lip, as his mind made an undesirable connection. It couldn't be, could it? Reluctantly, he asked, "That other me…Did he look older?"

Gumi nodded.

For a second, Gakupo felt a sensation of intense unreality. But before he knew it, he found himself saying, "Get ready for school. I'll go get changed." The idea of going to a place full of people sounded very appealing. "Don't go anywhere, ok? Stay in your room and change."

"Okay."

In fact, the sooner they went outside, the better. "Tell you what, let's get breakfast at the burger joint by the bus station. It should be open by the time we get there." Gumi seemed to like that idea, her eyes gradually losing that disoriented look. She smiled. That was enough for Gakupo to feel some relief, despite the headache. He rushed off towards his room as fast as his body allowed, while Gumi grabbed a towel and began to rub her head.


"You don't need to come with me," Gumi complained. She and her brother were walking down the hallway that lead to 6th and 7th grade classrooms. "You're going to be late!" After copious amounts of junk food, she seemed completely back to normal.

"I want to talk to your teacher," Gakupo replied. Curiously enough, his headache had also somewhat benefited from the unhealthy meal.

"What for?" Gumi pouted.

"I just want to introduce myself. It won't take more than a minute."

"I'd certainly like that," a feminine voice remarked from behind them. Brother and sister turned to find a blonde woman standing a few steps away. She smiled politely and adjusted the pile of books in her hands.

"You're Miss Ann?" She kinda looks one like those old timey pin-up girls, Gakupo thought. Pretty young for a teacher, too.

"That's me." Her smile widened. "And you're Gumi and…"

"I'm her brother, Gakupo."

"Well, Gakupo, I hope you enjoy your time here with us." The chime signaling the start of classes rang. "Ah, you need to go to your classroom. Senior year, right?"

"Yeah, but I need to ask you something first." Gakupo said quickly.

Ann raised her eyebrows, caught by surprise for a moment. But then she smiled again and said, "Sure. Gumi, why don't you go ahead?"

The green-haired girl eyed her brother, but quickly decided to follow orders. A couple more late arrivals rushed by, then the hallway was deserted aside from the teacher and Gakupo.

"I'm all ears," Ann said jovially.

Gakupo considered for a moment what to say. Perhaps he was getting carried away by a series of incredible coincidences. But then again, it was better to be prepared even for something unlikely than to suffer the consequences. If there truly was something out there usurping his appearance, then he had protect his sister from it. That thought gave him enough inspiration to start saying, "Gumi and I, we live on our own."

Ann shot him a compassionate look. "I'm aware of your situation."

Gakupo lowered his gaze. It didn't feel right to lie to this woman, but he soldiered on. "Thing is, we have this uncle, he's...He's not a good person. The court said he's not supposed to contact us, but he's staying somewhere in the city, and I'm worried that he might try to take Gumi away by force. Could you, I don't know, keep an eye out? If you see him creeping around the school..." He trailed off. Actually, what could she do? What could anyone do?

A lightly-scented hand rested on his shoulder. "I understand. What does he look like?"

"People say he looks a lot like me, with longer hair. But he's around thirty, I think." A moment later, Gakupo wondered if it was odd for him not to know his supposed uncle's age.

He looked at the young teacher; there was nothing in Ann's demeanor to suggest she doubted his story. "I'll make sure the other teachers take precautions as well." Ann balanced the pile of books on one arm to pull a small notepad and pen from her pocket. As she wrote on the notepad, she continued, "I'd like you to come see me after classes at the staffroom to discuss this further, whenever you have the chance. But now you need to go to class. Give this to your teacher." She tore the sheet of paper off and handed it to Gakupo. "I'm taking responsibility for your lateness, you see."

Gakupo accepted the note and gave it a quick look. "Thank you. I guess I should be going now."

"Yes, you should. But don't run in the halls." The smile returned to her face. "I'll take care of Gumi, don't worry." As the young man started to walk away, she added, "It was nice meeting you."

"You too, Miss Ann."


As Gakupo was expecting, the class was well underway when he finally reached his classroom at the other end of the school grounds. The teacher, Mister Macne, didn't look particularly happy to see him, but accepted Ann's note and ordered him to go to his seat without scolding him.

Luka had her eyes on her notes, in a very obvious attempt to avoid his gaze as Gakupo moved through the classroom. I guess she's still mad at me, he thought. Truth be told, Gakupo was beginning to wonder if she would be his ally or not. If she was so set upon rejecting any explanation that wasn't mundane, would she even listen to him?

You know what? It's fine. I can take care of Gumi and myself.

The class passed by as boring as ever. Gakupo took notes mechanically, without paying too much attention. He still felt a bit under the weather, but as long as he didn't stare directly at any bright lights it was manageable.

The clock on the wall barely made any sound. Only during the pauses when the teacher was writing something on the blackboard could he hear the faint ticking. It almost made it seem like time wasn't passing at all. The pages of his notebook made such a noisy rustle in comparison.

Dates and names, treaties and battles, they all rained on him, without claiming permanent habitation inside his head. Finally, the chime sounded again, signaling the morning break. Macne left with his usual sour expression firmly in place and classmates here and there sprung from their seats. Gakupo stood up and went towards the windows, passing in front of Luka's desk. The girl had produced her cell and was presumably looking at her messages. They ignored each other.

Gakupo pushed open the window closest to his row of desks and leaned on the sill. His eyes wondered downwards, examining the gardens below and the street beyond the school. There weren't too many people around, aside from an old woman standing in front of the school gates, incongruously holding a pink umbrella above her pure white hair. Gakupo closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the fresh air.

"Don't look now, but Luka is trying to incinerate you with her eyes," said a voice nearby. Gakupo opened one eye and turned slightly to his right. The boy that sat at the desk next to his was standing there, smiling slightly. "You've been here for a day, man. Already in her black list? That has to be a record."

Gakupo straightened up. "I didn't mean to offend her."

The boy patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. There are several girls here that are way easier to handle." He not so subtly motioned towards a group that was chatting near the back of the classroom. "I've been thinking of asking out the one with short hair. Choose another one and go."

The girls noticed their gazes and giggled. Given the gleam in their eyes, some were definitely receptive to advances, Gakupo noted. Too bad that dating wasn't foremost in his mind, given the recent events. He turned back towards the boy next to him. "I think I'd rather get used to this city first."

"Hey, suit yourself," the boy said without losing his friendly smile.

Gakupo leaned one forearm on the sill, facing away from the girls. His gaze once more turned towards the street outside. The old woman was still standing there, now staring upwards.

Directly at him.

Once their eyes met, the old woman smiled warmly. Her lips moved silently and she reached to grasp a pendant hanging from her chest. Gakupo had the distinct impression she was either praying or reciting something, although no words reached him. Once she was done, she calmly walked away.

"That your granny?" The boy leaned next to Gakupo.

"Never seen her before. Maybe she mistook me for someone else." They both watched the woman take a turn right and disappear down an alley.

The boy stretched out like a cat. "I'm going to grab a drink. Coming?"

"Sure. Your name's Kaito, right?"

"Yup," Kaito grinned. "Let's go."


More classes came and went. Lunchtime arrived. Gakupo was about to ask Kaito if he could eat with his group of friends when Luka seemed to magically materialize next to his desk. She stared down at him, arms crossed and legs somewhat apart, looking more like a judge about to pass sentence than a high school girl.

"Hello there," Gakupo greeted her amicably. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"We need to talk," Luka replied. "Did you pack a lunch?

"Not today. Had to leave home in a hurry. Wanna guess why?" Although it wasn't a laughing matter at all, he couldn't help but smile a little.

Luka raised one eyebrow, but ignored the question. "Let's go buy something."

"Sure, why not?"

Luka immediately pivoted and marched towards the door, so Gakupo hurriedly got up and followed her. Before leaving the classroom, he glanced back towards Kaito. The boy twisted his face in a grimace that was probably meant to imitate Luka's severe expression. Gakupo shook his head, suppressing a laugh.

Luka remained silent as they descended to the ground floor. Instead of heading towards the cafeteria, she unexpectedly went towards the front gates of the school.

"Are we allowed to go outside at lunch?" Gakupo asked, surprised.

"No," Luka replied flatly.

A moment later, Gakupo realized there were some carts just outside the gates, and even some people unloading plastic containers from a car. Other students were coming closer.

"They have a better selection here," Luka explained, her voice slightly more animated. She approached the gate and quickly obtained two lunches packed in disposable containers. "My treat."

"Ah, thanks." Gakupo received the paper bag. "Is this common around here?" He examined the contents, finding it even had a plastic fork and napkin tucked inside.

"I believe so," Luka replied. From another seller, she obtained two colorful bottles. "Of course you can get sodas or juice from the cafeteria, but since we were already here..." She set out walking at an even brisker pace than before. Judging by the direction she was heading towards, Gakupo assumed she wanted to go around the main building and sit under the trees in the back.

Once they reached a sufficiently secluded spot behind some bushes, Luka knelt down and placed her bag on the ground. Gakupo sat cross-legged in front of her and waited. Luka rested her hands on her thighs and took in a big breath with eyes closed, as if preparing to dive into a pool. A moment later she released the air slowly, and met Gakupo's curious gaze with a determined look. "First off, I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Gakupo waved a hand in dismissal. "You were upset. All you wanted was a mundane explanation and here comes this idiot blabbing about ghosts?"

Luka's lips moved infinitesimally towards a smile.

"I do take this seriously, especially after this morning." Gakupo opened the disposable container and uncovered his lunch. Not bad looking at all. "It's like I said, I think it's better to consider all possibilities when facing something unknown. Even the silly ones."

Luka began unpacking her meal as well. "I guess I have no choice. The more
I think about what happened, the harder it gets to explain it all away." She uncorked the cap of the colorful bottle, but paused with the bottle halfway towards her mouth. "Wait. What do you mean, after this morning?"

Gakupo told her about Gumi's absence and reappearance as he ate. Luka did more staring than munching, but that was to be expected. Despite her attempts to remain stoic, her eyes widened when he described Gumi following an older version of him away from the house.

"She saw him," Luka said quietly. "She saw him too." Was there a drop of relief in her tone?

"So it seems." Gakupo pointed to her food with his fork. "Get eating or you won't have enough time."

"You seem awfully calm about this guy targeting your sister," Luka said bemusedly and sank her fork into her food.

Gakupo shook his head. "Because I need to be. I can't help her if I'm panicking."

"I suppose you're right."

"It's like a bout, you see? You have to keep a cool head if you want to outthink your opponent."

"Bout?" Luka frowned.

"Like a fencing match," Gakupo clarified. All too late, he realized that fencing analogies wouldn't be helpful with his current audience. "You get what I'm saying, right?"

"More or less, yes. Easier said than done, though."

"Sure. But I have to try. We have to try, Luka. We're in this together now."

Luka's features relaxed somewhat, settling into a more hopeful expression.

Encouraged by her reaction, Gakupo continued. "I'm going to get some answers for you, I promise."

Luka let out a slight chuckle, evading his gaze. "And how are you going to manage that?"

"Well, for starters, I'd like to speak with your friend. Miki, was it? Maybe she saw something that can help us."

"I can send her a message and see if we can visit her after school," Luka pulled out her phone from her uniform jacket. "I don't know how useful that will be. I think she banged her head when she fell, she doesn't remember the clinic too clearly."

"Talking with us might spark her memory."

"Worth a try, I guess." Luka typed into her cell. "I don't want to wake her if she's resting-" The phone dinged. "Nevermind, she's awake… She's okay with us visiting her after class."

"Mind if Gumi tags along? I don't want her walking home on her own."

"I don't mind." Luka took a sip of her drink and furrowed her brow slightly. "It's not going to be easy to keep her under watch all the time."

"You have no idea how right you are," Gakupo grumbled. "It's alright when she wants me to pay attention to her, but the moment she's had enough, then I'm being coddling and annoying."

Luka smiled and said nothing.

Gakupo watched her for a moment, then smiled as well, lowering his eyes. He suddenly felt very grateful that of all people from his past, Luka had been the one to reappear in his life. Even if the circumstances of their reunion were unusual.


"There's Gumi. I'll tell her to wait for us after class."

Lunchtime was about to end, but Luka and Gakupo took a detour on the way back to their classroom in order to find his little sister. After some searching, they found her sitting on a bench by the multipurpose court with a pretty girl with long aqua twintails. They seemed to be having such a pleasant conversation that it was almost a pity to interrupt them. Still, Gakupo approached them waving his hand. Luka stayed a few steps away, not really eager to engage the girls in conversation. It always felt slightly weird to talk to kids so much younger than herself.

"Remember how I said one of my classmates used to be our neighbor? Well, here she is." Gakupo turned around to make the introductions, only to realize Luka wasn't standing by his side. "Oh."

"That's the grouchy girl?" Gumi asked in a whisper, loud enough for Luka to hear.

Gakupo made a face, then shot an apologetic look in Luka's direction. His classmate shrugged. It was hardly the first time someone had commented on her personality in unflattering terms, and as far as descriptors went, 'grouchy' was a very innocuous choice. In fact, the word helped Luka feel more at ease. Sometimes other girls seemed surprised to find that she wasn't going to join them in gushy squeeing over the latest fashionable thing or artist. It was good that Gumi already knew what to expect from her.

"I'm Gakupo, and this is Luka Megurine," Gakupo said looking at the girl with the twintails. "And you are?"

"My name is Miku Hatsune," the girl said timidly. She probably wasn't used to senior students talking to her, Luka reasoned. Or maybe she found the specific senior student in front of her distracting.

"Nice to meet you, Miku. Before you ask, yes, Gumi has always been this way." Gumi stuck her tongue out at Gakupo, and he tousled her hair roughly, chuckling at her squealing. Miku just watched the spectacle with big eyes and red cheeks.

For her part, Luka shook her head, forcing her face to stay in a neutral expression. "Are you done bullying your sister? We need to go upstairs soon."

Gakupo stopped his movements, which gave Gumi the opportunity to pull at his hair. "Ow! Right, right. Gumi, I need you to wait for us after class in the entrance hall, ok?"

Gumi made a face. "Miku invited me over!"

"And you were planning to let me know that when?" Gakupo pulled back, suddenly serious.

"I was going to call you," Gumi said reluctantly. "I just… I don't want to spend the afternoon at home."

Gakupo glanced at Luka with pursed lips. She gave a little tilt of her head. I can't really blame her. Luka's bedroom was much less welcoming since it had been breached by whoever or whatever was haunting them. He scratched the side of his head for a couple of seconds, thinking.

"Miku, if you don't mind me asking, do you walk home on your own?"

"No, Miss Sachiko comes to pick me up," Miku replied. "Um, she can also drive Gumi home tonight."

"Pleasepleaseplease! Can I go?"

Gakupo nodded. "Call me if anything out of the ordinary happens, ok? I'll get there as soon as I can. And make sure-" He briefly eyed Miku, who was looking at him innocently, then continued, "Don't trust strangers, make sure it's me if someone comes knocking."

Gumi grinned in relief. "Yeah!"

Gakupo again tousled her hair, this time more gently. "Have fun, you gremlin. I'm going to visit one of Luka's friends, then I'll stop by the hardware shop if I have the time." At that moment, the chime signaling the end of lunchtime sounded. "Ah, time to go. Remember, any weirdness, anything at all, just call me!" The young man began to walk away with Luka at his side.

"I will!" Gumi shouted, as she and Miku ran towards the smaller building dedicated to the younger kids and were quickly swallowed by the mass of students heading inside.

"Your sister found a friend pretty quickly," Luka commented, hastening her pace.

"Can't say I'm surprised, she's always been good at making friends," Gakupo replied, easily matching her speed with his longer strides. "But it's pretty convenient."

"How so?"

"Well, I'm just going by the fact that Miku's family employs someone to drive her around, but it sounds like she's loaded." Gakupo smiled without humor. "A wealthy family must have cameras, guards, a nice tall fence…Then again, who knows if any of that will make a difference."

"She'll be safe," Luka said and squeezed his hand. "Besides, we're on the case, aren't we?"

Gakupo slowed down and stopped, which naturally made Luka stop as well. He examined her resolute gaze, then lowered his gaze to their interlocked hands. His expression brightened. "Yes, we are."