On one such evening, Sakurako and Himawari had just departed to school and were on their way back to their home. It was the most significant relief that Sakurako was finally allowed to return to school a few days ago after such an event. Her friends found it quite a surprise that Sakurako could recover that soon. On the other hand, Himawari understands where Sakurako was coming from with Misaka's tale of that incident at the store and what had happened back in that café.
Still, recounting what Yui told her of what she did at the café, she shudders a little to even think that she is capable of such a thing. Himawari quickly shakes her head and focuses on their walk. As far as their day goes by, none of them even said a word along the road. Although Sakurako had already eased up and her temper was not as bad as before the incident, Himawari still noticed that Sakurako remains distracted in her school and home life. There was another thing Himawari noticed when she was distracted, but she could not really pinpoint what expression Sakurako had during those times. She could ask her straight, but she's confident that Sakurako would not want to say anything about that.
While the both of them enjoy the silence, it is also a little bit uncomfortable to the blunette's liking. For how many days were spent in the very same evening walking back home without having anything to talk about, not even a single jab at a bad joke or mockery? Himawari takes a deep sigh and looks at her oblivious face. Sakurako felt her gaze and turned at her.
"Is there something wrong?" Sakurako asked.
"Just wondering," Himawari paused. "What was the title of the book you just borrowed from Chizuru?"
"Oh, it's called Mudblood," Sakurako replied. "She said it's a horror novel."
"That does sound scary, alright," Himawari nodded in agreement. "What's the novel all about?"
"According to the book's synopsis, it's about a Georgian agent who is stranded in the middle of a vast rainforest after a failed mission to rescue a hostage VIP from an organized separatist," Sakurako explained. "But the agent soon finds out there is something more dangerous in the muddy rainforest than it meets the eye. Was it a supernatural force at work or a terrible accident that changed the way of life in the rainforest? That is something he needs to find out by himself."
"Somehow, I feel half-inclined to read that book."
Sakurako raises an eyebrow. "Is it because it's a horror book?"
"Partially," Himawari rubbed her arm. "There's an agent in this story."
"You want someone who is inexperienced and never fought before to be in a horror story?"
"As long as he's smart, I'll buy that," Himawari shrugged. "Having someone who knows how to fight and somehow can deal with that kind of threat just… kind off kill the tension considerably."
"I thought the movies do that even worse," Sakurako replied.
"Well, you're not wrong about some of that," Himawari cast her eyes away from her. "Even though I don't watch horror movies that often."
"I don't think you're one to bear watching a horror movie," Sakurako replied.
"That's true."
Sakurako looks at her curiously. "But can you bear reading one, though?"
"It'll be a bit difficult for me," Himawari responded. "I can manage that, however."
"Maybe I could ask Chizuru to recommend you a book to read."
"Oh, don't worry, I can ask her myself about it," Himawari assured her. "Say, I don't think I noticed it yet, but does Chizuru has collections of books?"
"She said she had three different shelves dedicated for different genres."
"That many?!" Himawari widened her eyes. "Wow, I envy that she has her own little library."
She sighs after breathing the fresh air that happens to breeze in their direction. Though, when she looks toward the rice fields next to them, she can't help but let her mind drifts aimlessly, not even paying attention to how beautiful the fields are in the evening light. Her right hand wanders unconsciously to her left shoulder and then to her recently healed stomach. The blunette notices her distraction but is more focused on her hand wandering about—specifically, the first spot before touching the stomach.
"Were you shot in the shoulder before?"
Sakurako snaps to reality and turns at her. "What?"
"Were you shot in the shoulder before?"
Sakurako takes a deep sigh and looks forward. "Yes."
"…. Was it at the store?"
Sakurako doesn't turn but nods.
Misaka did mention she was shot. Though, don't know how Sakurako patched up that wound. "How did you take care of that injury?"
"Well, it was rather painful," Sakurako frowned. "After my sisters and mother left, I used a pair of tweezers in the bathroom to pull the bullet out of my shoulder."
"Wait, you did what?!" Himawari almost asked aloud. "Isn't that painful?!"
"It was. I had to bite the chopsticks to muffle my scream," Sakurako replied. "But I did it. After that, I cleaned up the blood and used all the medicines and bandages I could find within the house to shut that wound. Then, I clean everything up so that my family won't find out what I was doing in the bathroom."
Himawari frowns her eyes. "For how long did your shoulder heal?"
"Mm…. For almost a week, I think," Sakurako replied. "And then another few weeks, I think, for the scar to disappear."
"I'm glad to hear that," Himawari replied.
They go back into silence once more. After a while, Himawari once again looks at Sakurako and finds that she isn't yet content with just this. Himawari pats onto her shoulder.
"Yes?"
Himawari then reaches an open palm toward her. "Can we hold hands together?"
"…. Yes," Sakurako took her hand. "If only Misaka were also here today."
Himawari smiles, though her eyes furrow. "I know…."
They continue on with their walk as they watch the snow begins to melt before their eyes. Winter is almost gone, and spring will soon prevail this month. Though the day was still cold to bear with, and that's why they were still wearing jackets in the first place. Not only do they feel the warmth within the confines of their coats, but Himawari also enjoys the warmth against Sakurako's hand. The intimacy that she endured from her was just overwhelming that she couldn't even speak, nor could she hide her red cheeks.
It won't be long till they finally arrive at Sakurako's house; Himawari even wants to stop by her house for a while. However, they noticed two different vehicles in front of the house. Sakurako recognizes both vehicles, one being George's car and the other being the white van used for infil and exfil, in Shiba's own words. Just by this sight, Sakurako knew something else was up.
"That's George's car, right?" Himawari asked. "And that van…. I wonder who stopped by your house."
Sakurako glances at Himawari before they then enter the house. Sakurako didn't bother to announce their presence; the first thing she had in mind was going straight into the living room. Her sisters and mother are sitting at the table on the floor alongside a few guests. George was the first she noticed, then Maru, Riko, and finally Shiba, who are all currently enjoying their teas.
"Shiba-sensei?" Sakurako called.
"Oh, Sakurako! Himawari!" Shiba greeted back. "Good to see you. Did you just get back from school?"
"Well, we did," Himawari nodded. "It's rare to see you all be here. Um…. I don't think I knew you, misuta."
"Ah, right, you must be the bluehead Sakurako was talkin' about!" Maru stated. "I'm Maru, and this is Riko. We're Sakurako's friends."
"I see," Himawari turned to Sakurako. "You didn't tell me you know other friends. Adult ones too."
Sakurako glances only at Maru, then turns at George and Shiba. "Why is Maru here?"
"Why do you sound a little ungrateful, Sakurako?" Nadeshiko asked with a rough tone.
"You haven't realized yet?" Shiba asked. "This guy likes speaking dirty."
"I'm a bit surprised you can bear someone like him," the Oomuro mother replied. "I mean no offense, Maru-san."
"That's alright," Maru lifted the tea cup at Sakurako. "Hope ya' don't mind us barging unannounced, blondie."
"You should've told me first," Sakurako then looked at her family. "I hope their presence hasn't bothered you much."
"We're doing pretty much fine, Saku-onee-chan," Hanako assured after sipping her tea.
"When you did come over, though?" Himawari asked.
"Just about half an hour ago, Ms. Furutani," George replied.
"I see."
"You have quite a rich tea, Oomuro-sama," Shiba complimented; Sakurako just noticed she had lipsticks on. "I hope you can share some of your tea so I can enjoy it in the evenings."
"Oh, I would love to, Shiba-sama," the Oomuro mother replied.
Himawari goes ahead to sit with them. However, Sakurako still stands there and crosses her arms in doing so.
"Shiba-sensei," Sakurako called. "You didn't only come here for a friendly visit, did you?"
"Huh, what do you mean, Sakurako?" Himawari asked.
"Oh, right!" the mother remembered. "Shiba-sama and the others here wanted to tell us something important, but they wanted to wait for you to say it."
"Now that she's here," Nadeshiko looked at her guests. "Can you tell us what this is about? Why it's worth waiting for Sakurako first about it? I dearly hope she hasn't caused any trouble."
"Do not worry, Ms. Nadeshiko. She didn't cause any trouble," George replied. "However…."
Maru puts down his finished tea cup. "Well, newsflash. Trouble comes her way. You guys are all in danger."
The whole family and Himawari glare with confusion at the announcement.
"Wait, danger?" Nadeshiko asked. "Shiba-sama, what's he talking about?"
"What he's saying is that someone is out hunting for someone," Shiba replied. "And that someone is Sakurako herself."
"Sakurako?" the mother slowly stood up and glared at her second daughter. "Sakurako, what did you do?"
"Okaa-chan, I-"
"What did you actually do?" the mother now asked aloud. "Is it about those gangsters you killed? The time you saved Misaka?"
While Shiba and her men didn't expect her to know that, Himawari turned at the blonde in surprise. "You already told them?"
"Just half of it," Sakurako took a step forward. "Who's hunting me?"
Shiba stares at her for a second. "I think you know who."
Sakurako slowly widens her eyes. "You have found the last one?"
"The last one?" Nadeshiko asked. "Sakurako, what are you-?"
"Yes, but I'm afraid that time is short," Shiba replied. "Riko here told me that he already sent some people on the way to find you and perhaps your family as well."
"Saku-onee-chan, is she talking about bad guys?!" Hanako asked in her agitation.
"Shiba-san, who's hunting her?" Himawari asked. "What's going on?!"
"You can ask that later when we're safe," Shiba replied. "For now, we have to leave this house. Including yours, Himawari."
"What?!"
"Since you're related to Sakurako. God knows what they'll do to you if they find out."
"What the-!" the mother rushed to the kitchen. "I'll call Sumida!"
Shiba quickly stands up. "Don't!"
"What do you mean don't?!" the mother retorted. "She's the detective! She'll help us with whatever is going on now."
"She cannot know of this. Not now," Shiba answered. "If those men caught wind that you're relevant to her, they'll be sure to hunt her down as well."
"What, you're telling me that they can track phone records as well?!"
"They have the capability to do so. Please, Oomuro-sama."
The mother looks at the phone in the kitchen once more before exhaling. "Fine. I won't call her. Now, what do you want us to do?"
"Now, I need all of you to pack your bags and bring the necessary essentials," Shiba replied. "We have to leave soon."
"Also, I need you all to give me your phones," Riko added. "I need to make sure that no one can track your phones."
"You're going to destroy them, aren't you?" Nadeshiko asked.
"Don't worry, I'm not that drastic. I'll just need to check if your phones cannot be tracked by anyone else."
"Fine…," Nadeshiko relented.
Sakurako already runs ahead to her room and grabs her bags. She packs what clothes and items she deemed necessary into her luggage. George happens to come into her room, and she motions him towards the heavy black bag that contains her firearm and equipment. They both soon move downstairs and sees that her family has already packed whatever items they need for this journey. Of course, the mother didn't forget to hand over the gun she locked in the kitchen to Sakurako. The Oomuro family hands over all of their phones to Riko and soon moves outside to put their bags in the van with George's and Maru's help.
Shiba already comes back with Himawari and her family with their own luggage. Understandably, the Furutani family is as confused as Oomuro's, but they pack their things inside the van. After ensuring everything's accounted for, they all soon jump into their vehicles, the families in the van, and soon the two vehicles depart for an unknown destination. Both the Oomuro and Furutani mothers ask where they are going, and Shiba merely replies that they're heading for a safe place.
It was another slow day for Sumida and thankfully was done for the time being in this late evening. She wanted to go home but thought to herself that she could go pay a visit to Sakurako's house. Unannounced, of course. Getting to play with Sakurako and her mother was something she found so fun to do.
It didn't take long for her to reach her house. However, she notices some oddity before her that she parks her car a little far from the house. There was a grey car in front of the house with seemingly legit Takaoka's driver's plate. As far as she knows, the mother never said she owned a car of that kind. She soon spots someone by the porch, a couple of unknown men waiting by the open door.
Something ain't right.
Sumida soon gets out, walks across the street, and confronts the two men.
"Hey, excuse me."
"Hmm? Who are you?" one of the men asked; the other soon entered back into the house.
"I'm asking the same to you."
The man soon flashes his badge. "Detective Nakoni Marimuya, Takaoka PD. What's your business here?"
"I'm visiting the family of this house," Sumida restrained herself from her badge. "What's going on?"
"We were here to ask this family some questions, but it seems they disappeared. Do you know this particular family?"
"Yes, I know this family. Can you tell me what's going on? Do you have a warrant to enter their house?"
"Listen, young lady, we're-"
"Hey, Nakoni!"
The said man turns at the other by the door. "Yeah?"
"Come here. I need ya to check something here."
"A'right," the detective turned at her. "Just wait here, miss."
He soon enters the house, leaving Sumida alone outside. The badge he showed seems legit, but there was something off about those two. Sumida whips her phone out to call a friend at the station.
"Hey, it's me."
"Ah, Sumida! Was wondering when you call me. You usually come over to the records department. How can I help?"
"I need you to check on someone. Is there a detective Nakoni Marimuya in this department?"
"Why'd you ask?"
"There's this guy at Sakurako's house who claims to be detective Nakoni, but I just want to be sure."
"Alright, one moment…."
After a few seconds, the receiver replies. "What the hell? That's odd."
"What do you mean odd?"
"Detective Nakoni Marimuya already retired ten years ago. Are you sure that's the guy's name?"
Sumida widens her eyes. "Kuso! Send any nearby officers to my location. I got persons impersonating as police members at the Oomuro residence!"
"Got it. I'm alerting nearby officers. Don't be reckless!"
Sumida cuts off the phone call and pulls out her handgun. She then walks over toward the door.
"This is Detective Sumida from the Takaoka PD! Come out with your hands up!"
She could hear the two men inside swearing at the sudden plot twist.
"You are charged with impersonating a member of the authority. Don't make this hard, and come out with your hands in the air!"
She doesn't hear any noise inside. She swears to herself. "Alright, you bastards! I'm coming in!"
She enters, checking her left and right doorways. She then aims her gun towards the stairway and to the second floor-
*DOR-DOR*
"Kuso!" Sumida jumped to the right, barely avoiding oncoming bullets.
She hugs her back against the wall and pulls out her walkie-talkie off her belt. "Any station, any station, this is Detective Sumida. I spotted two armed suspects inside the orange house. Inside the Oomuro residence. I'm currently engaging."
"Detective Sumida, this is Arufa-Hanami 6," a police officer responded. "Are you in that orange house just across the apartment block?"
"Yes, that one!" Sumida blind-fired her gun in that direction. "How far out are you?"
"We're a minute away! Hold tight!"
"Make it quick!" Sumida holstered her radio before peeking out and firing again.
After firing three rounds, she had to reload her empty gun as the suspects fired their guns carelessly at her. It was somehow inconceivable that she was unable to hit either of them while they were standing behind the railing that lacked any cover. Luck, stupidity, or boldness, you take a guess on that. However, when she heard the clicks coming from the two suspects, she returned fire. She aims carefully for a second and pulls the trigger.
*DOR-DOR-DOR*
"AAAAGKH!"
The teammate of the supposed Nakoni was taken out, and the fake detective immediately ran down the hallway, dodging four more rounds from Sumida. Sumida reloads her handgun as a couple of officers enter with their revolvers drawn.
"Where are they, detective?" one of them asked.
"Up the stairs. I got one of them. The other went down that hallway. I'll take point."
"We got your back."
They carefully walk up the stairs, and Sumida sees the man she had neutralized. He was still breathing, the injury looked a bit critical, and he was about to raise his loaded gun. Sumida went ahead and stomped his gun, kicking it away from his hand.
"Dispatch, we got an injured suspect," the female officer radioed in. "We're moving now to find the next-"
*DAR-DAR DAR-DAR*
"Shit! Get back! Back!"
Sumida and her fellow officers back off the walkway as bullets fly in from the hallway. Sumida fired her pistol as the male officer fired his revolver in that general direction. They got a glimpse of the last suspect firing blindly at them from a nearby room. That suspect runs out of that room, deeper into the hallways, until he enters a particular room while under fire. The police members stay put before they reload their small arms.
Sumida checks on her teammates. "You guys alright?"
"We're fine," the female officer replied.
"He's holed up in that room," the male officer stated. "Let's get moving."
"Alright, be careful," Sumida nodded. "Take point."
"Got it," the female officer responded.
They check on the critically injured suspect, only to find that a round from the fake detective shot his head. Sumida curses at this, but nevertheless, they proceed down the hallway in a V-formation, Sumida being behind the two officers. In each room they passed by, one of the officers would carefully aim into it just to see no threats in it until they reached the door the suspect barricaded himself in. They stack up at the door, and Sumida yells.
"We got you surrounded! Surrender yourself. Don't force us to make this hard!"
"Go ahead and try!" the suspect yelled. "I'll shove my gun up your ass!"
Sumida turns at the male officer. "Kick it."
*BRAK*
Moments after the door broke down, the suspect fired wildly at it. The officers had a hard time firing back at him as the door frame is splintering out their shrapnel. Out of instinct, Sumida drops onto her back and aims into the door. As the bullets flew three inches above her, she shot the suspect thrice before falling.
"Go! Go!"
The officers run in toward the suspect. However, he manages to shoot back once, hitting the female officer. In a panic, the male officer shoots him again, neutralizing him. Sumida gets up and runs to the female officer's aid. Sumida finds that officer is wounded in her stomach.
"Kuso. Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah, I'm fine," the female officer grunted in pain. "Was that all of them?"
"Yeah," Sumida turned at the male officer. "Hold her wound."
"Got it."
While the male officer comes to her aid, Sumida walks over to the fake detective. Kicking his gun away, she keeps aiming at him, crouches, and presses two fingers on his neck. No pulse. Such luck.
"Dead… damn," Sumida used her walkie-talkie. "Dispatch, this is detective Sumida. All suspects neutralized. I need officer reinforcement to secure the Oomuro residence and trailers for downed suspects. Be advised, requesting IMT for an injured officer, over."
"This is dispatch. Copy that. Any signs of civilians?"
"Negative. I'll keep looking around the house. If there are any, I'll let you know. Out."
Sumida looks at the officers again. She shakes her head. What the hell kind of day she encountered today?
Half an hour after the shootout, the house has been locked down with an arc of yellow lines and officers barricading its premises. A couple of ambulances are already waiting as the second team, 'trailers,' moves out the dead suspects and brings the injured officer into the paramedic's care. Sumida finds herself sitting at a wall of the neighbor's house facing the Oomuro residence. Sumida tries numerous times to call the Oomuro mother's phone, then Nadeshiko's, Hanako's, and finally Sakurako's.
None of them picked it up. Something was just not right.
An officer walks over to her, the one she met from the love hotel. "Detective."
"Officer," Sumida stood up. "Everything's clean in there?"
"Everything's untouched and cleared of dead suspects," the officer responded. "The department's gonna try identify who those guys were while we find out what made them come here in the first place."
"Have you checked the house yet?"
"Top to bottom. Just a simple skimming."
"Did they grab anything of value?"
"Oddly, no. The first floor's been ransacked a little, but they didn't get to search much on the second floor. Not even a cent they grab."
"… Were they looking for something in particular…?"
"Dunno, that's your job to find out. I have checked the other rooms upstairs, especially the family rooms. We found open cupboards and drawers. Looks as if they left in a hurry."
Sumida raises an eyebrow at that. "Did you find anything else interesting?"
"Well… I did find something. Follow me."
Sumida follows him to the same room where the last suspect was killed in. A couple of officers were still keen on keeping everything untouchable. The officer then points at the drawers on the desk. After wearing her gloves, Sumida opened the particular drawer he pointed to and looked inside.
A bullet projectile is discovered inside.
"What the-?" Sumida widened her eyes. "This ain't a prank, is it?"
"You tell me. Did any of you hide a bullet projectile here for any reason after that shootout?" he replied. "Damn thing seems to be here for quite a while."
Sumida takes a look around the desk and notices one of the notebooks sitting in the corner. She looks over the name.
She jerks her head back.
"You alright?" he asked.
"I'm-I'm fine," Sumida nodded.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll get back out front."
Sumida only nods at his leave, though she is more focused on the bullet and the room she's in. A lot of things are going on in her mind, and very few theories come up. She finds only two questions at this current finding.
Was Sakurako unaware this was a bullet and took it as a souvenir, or did any of those family members know what this was and not want to bring it up for her to know?
She shakes her head at those questions. Then again, it might be related to their calls not getting picked up. She needs to look more than these-
"Detective!"
She turns to find a different officer coming over to her. "What is it?"
"I have questioned the neighbor next to this house," he responded. "The brother was home alone back then and said that he spotted a black car and a white van parked in front of this house. He couldn't see the number plates. But he did claim that he spotted the Oomuro Family packing their luggage and entering the white van before both vehicles left the premises."
"Was there anyone else with the family?"
"He said that there were four people who owned those vehicles. Out of the four, he remembered two of them. One of them was a muscled black, bald man, and the other was a violet-haired woman in a red dress."
Sumida keeps her glare at him for a few seconds. "Say the last part again."
"One muscled black, bald man, and a violet-haired woman in a red dress."
Sumida then casts her eyes to her right bottom corner. "I see…."
"Oh, he also mentioned that another family was also leaving with the Oomuros. The Furutanis were with them too."
Sumida jolts her eyes once more. "That's- alright, thank you for the information, officer. I'll start looking into it. I'll call you if I need anything."
"Yes, detective."
The officer soon leaves her to her own devices, and she starts her investigations throughout the house. After an hour of investigation, there wasn't much she could find within the house besides the alcoholic beverage that belonged to Sakurako. She soon leaves the crime site to take a breather and stands just a little far from the yellow lines. She wasn't stressed out from the shootout and the investigation, but she was dead worried that the family was gone. She finds this as an excellent time to call that wench, Shiba. She whips out her phone.
*TING-NING-NING*
Oh, Shiba called her first. She answers it.
"Shiba, I was about to call you."
"Oh, you actually sensed me."
"Cut the crap, trash bag. Were you at Sakurako's house?"
"I assure you, detective. They are in good hands-"
"Don't you give me that shit! Where the hell are they?!"
"Calm down, detective. They're here with me. Sakurako is fine. Perhaps we should talk this out in person."
"How do I know you won't set another trap to kill me?"
"Hey. Do you think Sakurako would turn a blind eye to that? Tell you what, I'll send a set of coordinates to your phone. You can find us there. And please, don't bring anyone else with you."
"Why, you scared that I'll foil whatever thing you're planning?"
"Sumida. It's Sakurako who asked me to tell you that."
The detective widens her eyes. She feared the latter question she had in mind must be true.
"Fine. I'll finish things up here for a moment. I'll meet you there."
"Thank you, detective."
Cutting off the call, she exhales her weariness. Can this day just get anymore better?
An hour later.
The coordinates she was given brought her to the western part of the city. The area, in particular, is near a complex of slums and is mostly quiet in the late evening. The coordinates brought her to a second-story building flanked by third and fourth-story buildings. This building, however, has a wide garage door dominating the bottom left corner of the building underneath the second floor. The sole door next to the garage has a slit for eyes to see through.
Sumida wears her cap and exits the car. After ensuring her surroundings are clear, she knocks on the door twice. The slit was opened, revealing a pair of eyes scanning her. Sumida even has to lift her cap a little for him to see. Soon, the man opens the door, revealing the doorman to be Maru.
"Wassup, hot shot?"
"Ugh, really?" Sumida snorted. "Shiba's here?"
"Yep, she's waiting upstairs. Follow me."
Sumida follows him up, and eventually, they find themselves inside a place similar to a dormitory. A bunch of individual and bunk beds lined perfectly in a row while the cupboards stand before them and the drawers place between the beds. Sumida finds Shiba, George, and another man talking with both families, thankfully looking fine and well. They all turned and smiled at the oncoming detective; she could see they were as dead worried as her.
"Detective! I'm glad you came!" Himawari spoke out.
"That's the detective?" Kaede asked.
"Finally, you're here!" the Oomuro mother asked. "What the hell's going on here?!"
"I could ask the same to you," Sumida turned at the black man. "And George, I didn't expect to see you here. I have to say I'm disappointed that you are on Shiba's bandwagon."
"I apologize for that matter, detective," George replied.
"Sakurako, Nadeshiko, Hanako, you guys alright?"
"We're fine," Nadeshiko answered. "We're just a bit confused. But…."
"Saku-onee-chan knows something we don't," Hanako replied. "Shiba-sama seems to know about it too."
"Wha- oh, for God's sake!" Sumida responded in exasperation. "Is there anything else I do not know, Sakurako?"
"Please, don't yell like that to her," Shiba reminded her. "She's still a kid."
"Sorry… I just had a bad day," Sumida rubbed her head.
Sakurako looks over her stressed face. "Did you get into a shootout?"
"Well, I just did," Sumida answered. "In your house, no less."
"Oh my God!" the Furutani mother gasped. "It happened?!"
"Wha- they were snooping around our house?!" the Oomuro mother asked, bewildered.
"Yes, they posed as detectives, but I know better."
"I always knew you could handle that," Shiba said with a smile.
"Did you expect this to happen?"
"I expected them coming over once we left, but your involvement in that surely surprises me."
"Oh…," Sumida tilted her head. "You didn't plan that?"
"Well…," Shiba shook her head awkwardly, smiling. "No. Why'd you ask?"
"Oh…," Sumida then frowned. "That's good then."
Maru leans over to see her face. "You… you really disappointed she's not pulling strings on you?"
"Ugh," Sumida waved him off. "Forget it. Now I need to ask you, Sakurako."
"Yes, Sumida-san."
"And I need you to be truthful. Can you do that?"
"….Yes."
"Alright, I need to ask you," Sumida sighed deeply. "I found a bullet projectile in your drawer. From where did you get it?"
Both families are surprised by this revelation.
"And don't say it's from that shootout at that café, and you somehow grab it from the hospital. That's impossible for you to do."
"I did get it from a shootout."
Sumida sighs in annoyance. "What did I just tell you?"
"I know, but it wasn't from that café."
"Huh?" Nadeshiko asked as Sumida raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
Himawari ponders for a moment. "Were you talking about Bakimura Store?"
Sumida snaps at her. "Wha- that store? What are you talking about?"
"Sumida-san," Sakurako called. "I'm sorry that I haven't told you, but… I was in the shootout at Bakimura Store months ago."
Sumida stands up. She just can't believe what she's hearing, and it seems she isn't the only one. Both families are stunned at Himawari's and Sakurako's answers. But the fact that they were kept in the dark for at least 5-6 whole months, they have no words to describe their shock. However… Sumida finds Shiba and her men not in the slightest bit appalled at the truth. Sumida glares at Shiba.
"You knew, all along?"
"Well, yes, I've known this long ago. That's why we evacuated the house in the first place."
Sumida remains to glare at her and is understandably pissed.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't ask her to keep quiet about it when we met for the first time."
"How the hell did Sakurako even meet you in the first place!?" Sumida asked in retort. "Some coincidence?!"
"Sumida-san, please, keep your voice down," Sakurako strained her face as her eyes cast to the ground. "I don't want to shoot another bullet just to ask you to be quiet."
Sumida looks at her, puzzled. "What do you mean another bullet?"
Sakurako pulls out her P99 pistol, unloads its magazine, and pulls the slide to eject the chambered round. The Oomuro family keeps their distance, whereas the Furutani family jumps at the sight of the real gun. Such gun and knowledge that Sakurako had possessed put the detective's mind in catastrophic acceptance of nonsense truth, feeling herself a little flinched at this moment. It now dawns on her that this was possibly the missing gun from the store, remembering the cartridge found in the store after forensic results got out. And possibly, she found the true witness of the Bakimura Store shootout.
"Sakurako, you must tell me everything you remember during that faithful day."
From there, Sakurako tells her tale of how she expected this as a simple run to the store to become chaos within minutes. Sumida has written down everything she said, from meeting Misaka, watching a stand-off between suspects and store owner, surviving a shootout, up until the aftermath of the shootout itself. It appalled both families and Himawari to acknowledge that Sakurako pulled that bullet out by herself with a couple of tweezers and strong willpower.
Sumida then asks her a few key questions that might be helpful in her case. She asked for the suspects first, and to her surprise, Sakurako remembered the specifics of their appearance. It did occur to her for a moment that one out of three, Jin Mikey, who's dead at the port, has that specific appearance. Then the motive why she didn't report the police, to which she replied she was afraid that anyone would hate her if they knew what she had done; she killed people. A thing that Sumida understands, considering she is still a kid who's heavily affected by emotions. Then she asks about Misaka and Buro and finds out Buro was the one who tampered with the CCTV to cover her tracks due to concerns if those suspects will track her down.
She can't deny Buro's prediction is more or less correct.
"I see. That would be all my questions for now," Sumida exhaled her fatigue. "You should've told me sooner."
"I know. I'm sorry about it," Sakurako examined her unloaded gun. "I just…."
"Take it easy," the Furutani mother responded. "I think you should get some rest. It must be difficult to recount all of that."
"Yes… I guess I should…," Sakurako looked at Sumida. "You're going to take my gun anyway, aren't you?"
Sumida contemplates with a frown. "Just keep it for now. Until this is over."
"…. Alright."
"Saku-onee-chan," Kaede came closer. "Can I take a look at the gun?"
Sakurako shows doubt and looks to Sumida, who gives a careful nod. "Alright, I'll show you."
Sumida stands straight and turns to Shiba with a resenting glare. "We need to talk."
"I know. We'll talk in the other room," Shiba crossed her arms. "George, Maru, Riko, would you please prepare dinner tonight?"
"What's the dinner?" Riko asked.
"Anything we have in stock."
"Got it, boss," Riko responded before the three left the dorm.
"Follow me."
She follows her into an office room located next to the other end of the dorm. After shutting the door, Sumida sits lazily on the desk while Shiba stands in front of her.
"So tell me, Shiba," Sumida began. "When did you meet her the first time?"
"Odd you ask me that question now."
"Just answer it."
"Fine. I met her a few days after that incident."
"Where did you meet her?"
"At a small café. Not CocoDEs, the unpopular one near the fifth-story red building on the north."
"That one? What, you meet her by chance?"
"You could say that," Shiba replied. "The place was a bit more packed than I liked, so I asked if I could sit with her. She's quite an interesting company."
"Does she even know what your occupation is?"
"Well, yes, but actually no."
"You're still stuck with that security consultation crap?"
"What kind of idiot do you take me for? I don't even trust a kid to keep quiet about it."
"Right, right," Sumida replied. "And she told you of that incident?"
"After some convincing, yes," Shiba frowned with discomfort. "Such a poor little thing."
"Has she told you anything else about it?"
"The suspects she mentioned, as you called them," Shiba replied. "I started some digging of my own about them for her. Even though she doesn't know it."
"Out of compassion?"
Shiba takes a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. "I've been to other countries. And believe me, I've seen a place where children are harmed and mistreated. I don't want to see it again."
"Sounds naïve for a naughty gun smuggler."
"I still have standards, if you haven't noticed yet."
"Okay, okay, the suspects, Shiba."
"Right. I found two of them fit the bill on Sakurako's descriptions. Jin Mikey was the first and fortunately killed off in that port."
"I kinda thought the same."
"And the second one, Matsuzaki Sungeo."
Sumida places a hand over her thigh with her right eyebrow raised. "Isn't that guy from the Yakuza? I heard he's making trouble over land takeovers or something like that."
"Yes, him. I assume you didn't hear much about him."
"Yeah, but what is a Yakuza doing at that store?"
"I don't know the details, and I don't really care about it either. But he's also dead."
"Huh? How?"
"The Sentinels. A few days after Christmas."
"Wait…," Sumida raised an index finger. "Are you talking about that massacre at the office with the warehouse behind it?"
"Precisely," Shiba nodded. "Before you ask, no, I did not meet with the Sentinels again. I don't even know how they found out he was a yakuza nor even his whereabouts."
"Right, let's say I believe you. So what about the last suspect?"
"We recently found his name. Sashiga Uchiyama."
"Never heard of him."
"Me neither. But it seems he has quite a reputation. Heard it from the grapevine he once robbed a big bank in northern Japan but got arrested for a number of years for armed robbery, released on bail, of course. From here, I found something interesting."
"And that is?"
"The phenomenon where many stalkers are following girls around, primarily blondes? He was the one who ordered that."
Sumida straightens her back. "For what reason?"
"From what Riko found out, they were looking for the same blonde who is acting as one of the Sentinels," Shiba pointed her head at the dorm. "And since the news broadcasted Sakurako's mess at the café, they're more or less convinced that Sakurako might be one of those Sentinels."
"And that's why you evacuated both families to this safe house. I honestly thought he knew Sakurako was a witness."
"With the video tampered with, I don't think they find out yet."
"Still, this is bad."
"I agree," Shiba replied. "I don't know what you will do with this information, but I would prefer to keep this as discreet as possible."
"What will you do on your end? You still have an empire of guns to run."
"Assuming that I run such 'business,'" Shiba emphasized. "Of course, I look for other ways to throw them off Sakurako's trail. Perhaps… I might have to deal with him personally."
"I hope you're not making this as some sort of competition."
"That would be an insult to our dear Sakurako."
"So we'll need to keep them here until all this blows over?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Sending any of those children to school wouldn't be recommended."
"I should talk this out with my partner."
"No, no, I said to be discreet. I also got wind that one of Sashiga's men is acting as an officer in your department."
"Well, there goes my plan out the window. What of her friends, her teachers?"
"I'll handle that problem. You should try to find a way to stop him, if it's possible, through your own methods. I'll keep them safe here."
Sumida dislikes the situation she got herself in, but how could she complain? At least the fact that this gun smuggler offers to protect these families out of compassion was a good change for her. Imagine if the department found out she was working together with a gun smuggler. It wouldn't only be embarrassing but also might be a one-way trip to end her career earlier than she liked. Sumida hops off the desk and pockets her hands.
"Fine. I'll do what I can on my end," Sumida replied. "If you let these families get harmed-"
"Don't worry about it," Shiba assured her. "If I failed, I would be more than willing to turn myself in for both my crime and failure."
"… Alright, I'll take up your word for it."
Sumida and Shiba move out into the kitchen to find both families, and Shiba's men are already eating dinner. Sumida was more than happy to eat among them so that she didn't have to bother to eat at home. After a while, Sumida bid farewell and left for home. The day soon gets much darker, and it is already time for both families to rest. However, they know they kept themselves from saying a crucial statement under Shiba's request.
Himawari and the Oomuro family have to wonder what Sakurako meant by, "you have found the last one?"
Himawari is about to resign herself to bed when Sakurako tugs her. "What's wrong, Sakurako?"
Sakurako bows her head and whispers. "Can I… sleep with you?"
Himawari stays silent, then replies with a smile. "Of course."
After the lights turned off, they all slept soundly in their individual beds. Himawari and Sakurako share a bed and blanket to accommodate them. Also, Himawari feels a little embarrassed to look at Sakurako's face. Though, that did not shake her concern.
"Will all of us be alright, Sakurako?" Himawari asked. "After all of this?"
"I hope so, Hima-chan," Sakurako partially looked away. "I'm sorry that I caused us big trouble with people hunting us now."
"Please, don't say that," Himawari assured her. "You didn't mean this to happen. If there's someone to blame, it would be those criminals who shot up that place and made you act this way."
Sakurako stares back at her. "Can I hug you?"
"Erm… sure."
Sakurako wraps her arms around her and drowns her head within Himawari's anomalous large bosoms. "Himawari-chan, I think your boobs have grown a little."
"Eh?! How do you even-" Himawari halted, then carefully wrapped her left arm around her while the other covered her mouth. "Nevermind…. Just get to sleep now."
"Okay, Hima-chan…," Sakurako trailed off.
Himawari waited until she could hear the cute snores of the blonde. She gently rubs her blonde hair and places a chin on her head.
"Rest well, Sakurako. Who knows what troubles will await us tomorrow."
Kyouko tip-toes along the halls of the school building, heading for the ground floor as she dances on the stairs haphazardly. She had finished her lunch at her class and went on a little journey to find a playmate. She eventually finds herself back in the locker area and about to exit the building. As she saunters around, she meets a particular four-eyed white-haired girl. And her eyes are green.
"CHIZURU-CHU-CHU!"
*DUAK*
Chizuru sends a mighty kick to her stomach, incomparable with a bull.
"BACK OFF!"
Kyouko grunts at the pain she receives but immediately shrugs it off. "Man, you really need some optimism in your life."
"Heh, I would've been fine if you didn't have to keep finding me to waste your time."
"I didn't try to find you, but I stumbled onto you anyway," Kyouko eased up with the energetic attitude.
Chizuru takes her time to examine her. "That's new."
"Hm?" Kyouko raised an eyebrow. "What's new?"
"You're usually too active," Chizuru remarked. "Something's up?"
"Oh, you actually cared about me!"
"I'm saying that because that's odd to see from you."
"Well, just thought I'll try to mingle with you in another way."
"Oh? And how are you going to do that?"
"I heard from Sakurako you like to read books," Kyouko leaned over her. "I thought I could ask you what book to recommend."
"Hmph. If it could keep you from pestering me, I can do that," Chizuru then crossed her arms. "That being mentioned, have you seen Sakurako anywhere?"
"No, I don't think so."
"That's a shame," Chizuru responded in disappointment. "I wonder where she went."
"Hey, excuse me."
The two girls turn in the direction of a male's voice, which should alarm them of strangers. Upon looking at the man dressed in postal uniform, they ease up. The postal worker scans his surroundings before looking at them.
"Are you Sakurako's friends?"
The girls jerk their heads back.
"Wha- y-yes, we are," Chizuru toughened up a little. "Who are you?"
"Just a postman," he grabbed an item from his knapsack. "Here's a package for you."
Kyouko shares a doubtful look at Chizuru and hesitantly takes it. "Thanks, postman-san."
"Listen. It's important. Sakurako sent me."
The girls deadpan at him. Chizuru asks. "Wait, you ser-?"
"Yes, now listen. I need you to gather everyone who is a friend of hers. You can bring the teachers as well. Make sure they listen to what is said in that package. And most importantly, do not tell anyone else. Not even the police. Got it?"
The girls look at each other with a sense of dread, to which then Kyouko nods. "We got it."
"Alright, I gotta run. Happy school day."
The shady postman soon leaves the school premises. Kyouko merely examines the small rectangle package in her hand.
"Kyouko, what's going on?" Chizuru asked. "Do you know anything about this?"
"No, but whatever it is…. It must be bad," Kyouko turned at her. "I think we all should meet up at my club."
"I'll let our friends know," Chizuru offered, immediately entering the building.
Kyouko stands lonesome outside and makes a call for her friends at Nagibara.
In the evening, both the entirety of the Amusement Club and Student Councils have gathered at the former tea ceremony building. The specific teachers, Nishigaki, Tsubasa, Kitamiya, and Shihoko, have also gathered in regard to the mysterious package. Then they all just realized that Himawari was also absent for today for no apparent reason. The teachers already suspected this must be Nishigaki's senseless prank, but she admitted she would never think of something like that. Even Rise, who was with her for the entirety of the day, vouched for her.
Before Kyouko opens the package, three other persons come in, revealing themselves in their Nagibara uniforms.
"Misaka, Furoda, Saoki!" Kyouko greeted. "Glad that you arrived."
"We came as soon as we could when you mentioned Sakurako," Misaka responded. "What's this important thing all about?"
"That's what we want to find out," Chizuru replied.
"Are you sure that's not a bomb, Kyouko?" Yui asked. "Maybe you shouldn't take the package."
"But he said Sakurako sent him," Kyouko restlessly replied. "And he said whatever in this thing is important for us to listen."
"I don't know about you," Tsubasa commented. "But it sure sounds like she wants to disappear from the face of the earth."
"Do you think Himawari-chan might know what happened to her?" Akari asked.
"Maybe," Ayano answered. "The problem is. She's not here either. I wonder if she's sick."
"Well, let's not waste more time," Kyouko replied. "I'll open this up. Chinatsu, give me that cutter."
"Got it."
Kyouko then opens the package carefully as if she were handling a package from a spy. They discover that the package contains a cassette tape—old-school stuff.
"Huh," Chitose placed a finger on her chin. "Nishigaki-sensei, didn't you have a cassette player in your office?"
"Never thought it would come in handy now," Nishigaki pulled out a small portable cassette player from her coat. "Here."
Nishigaki inserts the tape into the player and presses start. They shut their mouths, sharpen their ears and keep their eyes on the player. After a few seconds of silence, the cassette speaks.
"Hello, everyone. It's Sakurako. I'm so sorry that I'm unable to come to school and for sending my message this contrived. I just want to be cautious about it."
"What the-" Kitamiya soon cut off by the cassette.
"I know you're all confused, so I'll just make this as simple as I can. I'm sure you all heard from the news about a lot of stalkers following girls with blonde hairs around town."
"Oh, that," Shihoko commented. "We all know that."
"The thing was… they weren't just looking for any blonde. Shiba-san and I were convinced that they were looking for the blonde girl who is a part of the Sentinels."
They stare at each other at that conclusion.
"And since they watched in the news about what I did at the café, it looks like they're convinced that I am one of them, when in truth, I don't know anything about them nor even involved with them."
"What?!" Chitose gasped. "That's… kami-sama…."
"Just yesterday, Shiba-sensei, George, and their other friends urged us to leave our home, Including Himawari and her family. They're here with me."
"Oh…, that explains her absence," Ayano commented.
"I think it was after we left our home when Detective Sumida came over to find two suspicious men posing as detectives searching my house. Sumida-san tried to arrest them, but she said that they resisted by firing at her, so Sumida-san and the officers with her had no choice but to kill them."
Kyouko had to pause the record the moment she saw Rise speaking. "What did you say, Rise-chan?"
"I can't believe that actually happened in her house," Nishigaki answered. "Is what she said."
"That's pretty wild," Yui added. "To think those men came right after they left the house."
"I think I heard about this just this morning," Shihoko commented. "It was in Crime News."
"Damn, I didn't get to watch that," Tsubasa commented. "I don't think we all heard about this."
"I guess we can thank Shiba-san and George-san for getting them out from there," Furoda said in relief.
"Wait, how did Shiba and George know they were in danger?" Shihoko asked.
"Huh, I never thought about that. But I think we'll find out soon," Tsubasa replied. "Please, continue the record."
Kyouko presses the start button.
"We did meet Detective Sumida last night. Shiba-sensei sent her a message about where we were hiding now. Sumida-san and Shiba-sensei think they knew who sent those people to stalk blonde girls, and they'll look for a way to stop them from finding us. Me, Himawari, and our family, for now, at least, must hide from the public if we don't want any of those men finding us. We did suggest calling the police about this, but Shiba said those bad people had a spy in their department. I wished Shiba had told me how she knew about it."
Everyone expresses their disappointments but continues to listen.
"I don't want to imagine what they would do if they'd find us. But that's not all. Even if I'm not a Sentinel, there is another reason why they want to find me. Kyouko, Yui, Ayano, I'm sorry. During the sleepover, I lied to you, at least half of it."
"Eh?" the said girls leaned forward.
"The truth is…. I am a witness to the massacre at Bakimura Store months ago, and I remember the perpetrators of that event. I was also the one who killed a few of those criminals and even stole a gun from that mess."
"What?!" – Yui
"Erg- Did-" – Kyouko
"My God!" – Ayano
"No, this can't be…." – Shihoko
The rest deadpans at the cassette, at a loss to grasp this knowledge.
"Most importantly, Misaka was there. I was the one who saved her."
Kyouko has to pause this. The complete shock is unmatched by what other things she said before this. They all turn towards Misaka and her Nagibara friends, who are now unsure how to respond to their surprise.
"You knew this?" Ayano asked, soon narrowing her eyebrows. "You KNEW THIS ALL ALONG?!"
Misaka takes a deep breath and whispers. "Yes."
"H-how could you?!" Chizuru asked aloud. "You should've told us about it sooner!"
"We can't just tell you about it," Saoki replied.
"Why?" Chinatsu asked. "You know how important this is! You can't just withhold that information to yourself!"
"Everyone, please, calm down!" Akari tried her best to defuse the situation. "I'm sure you have a reason you didn't tell us, Misaka-chan."
"We made a promise to Sakurako," Furoda answered. "She didn't want any of you to find out what she had done back then. She was afraid if any of you heard what she had done that day, you guys would hate her and think that she was a cold-blood murderer."
"I've seen how scared she was back when I met her again," Misaka added. "She was… so distressed. I don't know how else I could describe it. I've seen how horrified she was that she killed someone, but we both knew she had no choice. I don't know what she would do if someone found out about it. So we made a promise to not tell anyone else about it, not even our own friends."
Nishigaki frowns. It might be the first time for the students to see her covering her mouth with apprehension.
"She's traumatic," Nishigaki turned at the girls. "Please don't blame them. I understand why Sakurako even made such a promise."
Yui contemplates her words. "Considering with what Kyouko and I witnessed at the café…. I guess I can understand her concern."
"I don't know about you, but I think I can see how Sakurako could kill those robbers that easily," Kyouko added. "Or rather, that angrily."
"She was shot in the stomach, right?" Chinatsu asked. "Did that trigger her trauma?"
"I couldn't see why it didn't," Nishigaki replied. "Trying to survive a shootout at that degree is no bueno, let alone to withstand a gunshot wound like a champ."
"Jeez, I didn't really realize she's that tough," Tsubasa commented. "Not even a workout regime could top that."
"Nevertheless, we need to hear the rest of it," Kitamiya replied. "Please continue."
Kyouko presses start on the player.
"Now, you all know my secret. I'm afraid that's all I can say on this matter. Sumida-san already told me that a couple of officers would come to this school this evening to ask about Himawari and me. Please, I need you to lie to them about me reaching out to you. Convince them that you all don't know what happened to me and even what happened to Himawari. If any of you try to call me, Himawari, or any of our family. Don't. Those bad guys have been tapping into peoples' calls for some time, whatever Shiba meant by that. As for this tape, store it away, destroy it; it's up to you.
Just remember. Don't try to reach us out. Don't try to find us. I don't want those bad guys to hurt you. We'll come back once this trouble is over. I hope that I can see you all again soon. Goodbye."
That was all the tape had to say. From the sounds of it, they all know this situation is bleak. All the girls were already too apprehensive in regard to this situation. As for the teachers, they are conflicted on which actions they should undertake, follow her advice or do something that they thought was good and just. The girls and the teachers had discussed this situation for some time until they came to a decision, which Kitamiya announced.
"Looking at how severe this situation is, it's best for us to follow Sakurako's directive for now until we hear anything else from her or from either Shiba-sensei or Detective Sumida."
"Very well, Kitamiya-sensei," Akari nodded. "What about the tape?"
"My first instinct would be to destroy it," Kitamiya replied. "But I got the feeling we might need it as evidence in the future. Kyouko, Yui."
"Yes, sensei!" the two girls responded.
"Can I trust you with hiding this tape?"
"Where do you want us to hide it?" Yui asked.
"Definitely not in this school, and not in your houses either. Knowing you're a mischievous sort, Kyouko, I think I can trust you on where to hide this tape."
"Do not worry; a pirate knows how to hide her booty! Arr!" Kyouko playfully replied. "You can count me on that!"
"We're going to dig a hole now?" Yui asked.
"How do you think pirates hide their treasure?"
Kitamiya sighs. "Just make sure you didn't make it so obvious."
"I will, for Sakurako's sake."
"So…," Misaka paused. "We'll pretend we never heard of this from here and out?"
"For now," Tsubasa shook her head. "Such a big mess she got herself in."
"What else can we do about it, though?" Nishigaki's phone rang. "Hm? Hang on…. Oh, it's from Sumida."
"What did she say?" Chinatsu asked.
"A couple of officers are five minutes out towards this school," NIshigaki looked at Kyouko. "Get rid of that tape."
"Right away!" Kyouko soon brought Yui along and exited the building.
"Okay, girls," Kitamiya addressed the students. "If you wish, you all may return home now."
The students, including the Nagibaras, bow their heads and thank her before they all leave. The teachers also left the building to attend to their work. The only ones still inside the building are Nishigaki and Rise themselves. There was another problem with Sakurako. The one thing all the other friends and teachers didn't know.
"Shouldn't we tell them that Sakurako is actually one of them?"
Nishigaki frowns and stares at her. "No. Not now, at least. God knows what will happen to her school life if they know."
"When do you think we will tell them about that?"
"Probably never. I hope it never comes to that decision when it comes."
"I see…."
Nishigaki rubs her head. "Your hair seems a bit rough today. Want me to comb it for you?"
Rise clasps her hands together and looks up with a warm smile. "Yes, please."
"Alright, come with me."
The former tea ceremony building is now empty of any inhabitants. The aforementioned cops soon arrived at the school and questioned the school staff regarding Sakurako and Himawari, alongside a few students who knew them. The teachers have succeeded in their attempt at lying to the authorities, and with the few students genuinely unaware of Sakurako's and Himawari's condition or whereabouts, the cops have no choice but to find it a dead end and eventually leave the school.
Nishigaki knows from this point onward. Sakurako's fate will be put forward in the decision of her own and others who aid her.