CHAPTER 5 - Dachte [Thoughts]
Espionage missions were her forte.
'So Reina, how's your grandma?' Kei asked out of the blue one day, as they walked home after school. Kei and Reina were schoolmates at Hosei University, Kei taking up computer science, Reina taking up engineering. They basically had the same schedule except for Tuesdays and Thursdays when Reina finished earlier than Kei.
Unknown to Reina, Kei's classes lasted shorter than hers. For instance during Fridays, when Reina and Kei would seem to be both dismissed at 5 pm, Kei was dismissed an hour earlier. There were certain things Kei did, which her best friend knew nothing of.
Reina grinned. 'She'll be leaving the hospital in two days,' she replied. 'Arigatou.'
Kei remained quiet.
'You look deep in thought,' noticed Reina, looking at Kei worriedly as she stopped in her tracks. 'Daijoubu? Is there something wrong?'
Smiling weakly, Kei replied, 'Nani?' She shook her head. 'Iie, I'm just tired.'
'Kei-chan…' Reina wrapped her arm around Kei's shoulders. 'Hontou ne?'
'Hai hai Reina-chan,' she insisted, nudging Reina on the ribcage. 'Say, you didn't walk home with me yesterday! Where were you?'
Reina burst out laughing. 'Kei-chan, you are not feeling well. It was a Tuesday yesterday. We don't walk home together on Tuesdays,' she reminded her friend pointedly. 'Look Kei-san, you can trust me. Tell me.'
The events three days ago reran itself in her mind. 'Nothing, really.' Kei flashed Reina cheerful smile, forcing it to look as genuinely believable. 'So…where did you hang out yesterday? You know…I've been noticing something about you lately… You seem blooming…'
A blush rose up Reina's cheeks. She giggled. 'Kei-chan!'
'Is there a guy involved?' Kei teased, grinning mischievously. 'Huh? Is there?'
Reina giggled even more. 'Uhm…sonna…' Her voice trailed off. Kei could see her friend's eyes were twinkling dreamily. 'Well…'
'Hmm…let me guess…' Kei squinted and pretended to think, although she already knew who it was. 'Yo…Yoshi? Youjin? You…'
'Yohji,' Reina interrupted, suppressing her laughter. 'Kei! You know me too much!' she squealed in delight, causing the bystanders to stare at them.
The horrid image of Yohji twisting the cord around Saigo's neck, before lynching him up the ceiling flashed itself in Kei's mind. Shivers raced up her spine as goose bumps pinched her skin.
The afternoon air blew slight gusts across the bustling terrain. She stole herself from the chasm of her thoughts.
She forced a laugh. 'Sou ka…how long have you two been together?'
Reina flushed deeper. 'Not long really…we just…you know…' she stammered, barely trusting herself to speak.
Kei nudged her friend at the ribcage, a teasing glint in her eyes. 'C'mon! Speak!'
'Stop strangling me!' Reina exclaimed. 'Kei-chan!'
'Hai, Hai Reina-chan. So, you wanna visit them or something? Don't you have a date lined up for tonight?' Kei asked, moving away from Reina and putting her hands on her hips.
'Actually we scheduled it three days ago, unfortunately for me, he cancelled for some unknown reason,' explained Reina bitterly. 'Oh but that's okay, he shifted it to tomorrow. Besides you won't be there to walk me home so he volunteered.'
*Three days ago...* Kei's mind wandered momentarily again. She kicked herself mentally for not thinking straight. Kei frowned. 'So…ditch me for some flower guy?'
Reina laughed. 'Oh Kei-chan…look, can we visit him tonight?'
'Sure,' Kei replied. 'Won't their shop move somewhere else?'
'Iie. He said for about a week or two they would stay there.'
*
'Yohji-kun!' Reina sang as she peered into the flower shop with a bright smile on her face. Night was creeping fast, and a few stars could be seen dangling in the velvet black skies.
Yohji appeared from inside the shop, half startled to find Reina there. 'Reina-san!'
Reina's smile widened. 'Hai.'
'I see you've brought your friend along,' noticed Yohji as he saw Kei hiding behind Reina. 'Moshi moshi!'
'Oyasumi nasai,' greeted Kei curtly, bowing. She smiled mischievously. 'I guess I better leave you two alone.'
*
The target was at the tip of Omi's hands.
He had doubts about Saigo being the brains behind the drug smuggling operation. He felt as if some more powerful force was behind it. And it turned out he was right.
He had cracked smuggler's database and was currently copying the important files into his system. Evidence was needed…of course.
*
Reina had called her back, however Kei refused. She had better things to do than mingle and meddle with two people she had rather not disturb. Lovers…yeah right. Her only purpose was to pry around...as tasked by Falke.
She rounded the corner where the wheeled flower shop was parked. She found a small street in the middle of two brick-buildings on the other side of the road. The lane was murky and slightly damp. The faint scent of rotting garbage and moisture filled her nostrils. She winced lightly as she carefully made her way through the shadows, her steps creating soft, squishy noises under her feet.
There was pale light at the end of the path. Hurriedly, she walked towards it, peering for the unexpected. A sudden rush of excitement surged through her body.
*
Fujimiya Ran reclined on his back, upon the supple, green grass, which covered the riverbank, and gazed impassively on the stars glistening in the skies. Thoughts swarmed profusely in his mind: about life…life and more of his life.
In his silence he envied the other three Weiss.
Omi's character slowly unsheathed itself in his mind. A computer genius…or rather a computer freak…a whiz archer…or rather a hawk-eyed kid… Omi was so defined. His abilities were so carved intricately in him that he could not be mistaken for another Weiss member.
Next was Ken. The soccer player…with immeasurable sweetness which made Ran doubt if Ken really was fit to be a Weiss…the charming gentleman which attracted ladies of all sorts… And again, a personality so unique…and a talent distinct in only the gifted ones. Like Omi's talents.
Then Yohji. Girl-hunter and vice versa, the bad-boy, the debonair-boy… If getting which girl he wanted was to be considered a skill, Yohji was certainly full of it. He lived in the limelight such as the other two, because of such endowments sole to themselves.
Followed by Ran himself. Stayed in the shadows…assassinated the hounds of Japan…avoided all sorts of attention…never smiled…did he really want this?
Resentment swelled in Ran's heart.
Espionage missions were her forte.
'So Reina, how's your grandma?' Kei asked out of the blue one day, as they walked home after school. Kei and Reina were schoolmates at Hosei University, Kei taking up computer science, Reina taking up engineering. They basically had the same schedule except for Tuesdays and Thursdays when Reina finished earlier than Kei.
Unknown to Reina, Kei's classes lasted shorter than hers. For instance during Fridays, when Reina and Kei would seem to be both dismissed at 5 pm, Kei was dismissed an hour earlier. There were certain things Kei did, which her best friend knew nothing of.
Reina grinned. 'She'll be leaving the hospital in two days,' she replied. 'Arigatou.'
Kei remained quiet.
'You look deep in thought,' noticed Reina, looking at Kei worriedly as she stopped in her tracks. 'Daijoubu? Is there something wrong?'
Smiling weakly, Kei replied, 'Nani?' She shook her head. 'Iie, I'm just tired.'
'Kei-chan…' Reina wrapped her arm around Kei's shoulders. 'Hontou ne?'
'Hai hai Reina-chan,' she insisted, nudging Reina on the ribcage. 'Say, you didn't walk home with me yesterday! Where were you?'
Reina burst out laughing. 'Kei-chan, you are not feeling well. It was a Tuesday yesterday. We don't walk home together on Tuesdays,' she reminded her friend pointedly. 'Look Kei-san, you can trust me. Tell me.'
The events three days ago reran itself in her mind. 'Nothing, really.' Kei flashed Reina cheerful smile, forcing it to look as genuinely believable. 'So…where did you hang out yesterday? You know…I've been noticing something about you lately… You seem blooming…'
A blush rose up Reina's cheeks. She giggled. 'Kei-chan!'
'Is there a guy involved?' Kei teased, grinning mischievously. 'Huh? Is there?'
Reina giggled even more. 'Uhm…sonna…' Her voice trailed off. Kei could see her friend's eyes were twinkling dreamily. 'Well…'
'Hmm…let me guess…' Kei squinted and pretended to think, although she already knew who it was. 'Yo…Yoshi? Youjin? You…'
'Yohji,' Reina interrupted, suppressing her laughter. 'Kei! You know me too much!' she squealed in delight, causing the bystanders to stare at them.
The horrid image of Yohji twisting the cord around Saigo's neck, before lynching him up the ceiling flashed itself in Kei's mind. Shivers raced up her spine as goose bumps pinched her skin.
The afternoon air blew slight gusts across the bustling terrain. She stole herself from the chasm of her thoughts.
She forced a laugh. 'Sou ka…how long have you two been together?'
Reina flushed deeper. 'Not long really…we just…you know…' she stammered, barely trusting herself to speak.
Kei nudged her friend at the ribcage, a teasing glint in her eyes. 'C'mon! Speak!'
'Stop strangling me!' Reina exclaimed. 'Kei-chan!'
'Hai, Hai Reina-chan. So, you wanna visit them or something? Don't you have a date lined up for tonight?' Kei asked, moving away from Reina and putting her hands on her hips.
'Actually we scheduled it three days ago, unfortunately for me, he cancelled for some unknown reason,' explained Reina bitterly. 'Oh but that's okay, he shifted it to tomorrow. Besides you won't be there to walk me home so he volunteered.'
*Three days ago...* Kei's mind wandered momentarily again. She kicked herself mentally for not thinking straight. Kei frowned. 'So…ditch me for some flower guy?'
Reina laughed. 'Oh Kei-chan…look, can we visit him tonight?'
'Sure,' Kei replied. 'Won't their shop move somewhere else?'
'Iie. He said for about a week or two they would stay there.'
*
'Yohji-kun!' Reina sang as she peered into the flower shop with a bright smile on her face. Night was creeping fast, and a few stars could be seen dangling in the velvet black skies.
Yohji appeared from inside the shop, half startled to find Reina there. 'Reina-san!'
Reina's smile widened. 'Hai.'
'I see you've brought your friend along,' noticed Yohji as he saw Kei hiding behind Reina. 'Moshi moshi!'
'Oyasumi nasai,' greeted Kei curtly, bowing. She smiled mischievously. 'I guess I better leave you two alone.'
*
The target was at the tip of Omi's hands.
He had doubts about Saigo being the brains behind the drug smuggling operation. He felt as if some more powerful force was behind it. And it turned out he was right.
He had cracked smuggler's database and was currently copying the important files into his system. Evidence was needed…of course.
*
Reina had called her back, however Kei refused. She had better things to do than mingle and meddle with two people she had rather not disturb. Lovers…yeah right. Her only purpose was to pry around...as tasked by Falke.
She rounded the corner where the wheeled flower shop was parked. She found a small street in the middle of two brick-buildings on the other side of the road. The lane was murky and slightly damp. The faint scent of rotting garbage and moisture filled her nostrils. She winced lightly as she carefully made her way through the shadows, her steps creating soft, squishy noises under her feet.
There was pale light at the end of the path. Hurriedly, she walked towards it, peering for the unexpected. A sudden rush of excitement surged through her body.
*
Fujimiya Ran reclined on his back, upon the supple, green grass, which covered the riverbank, and gazed impassively on the stars glistening in the skies. Thoughts swarmed profusely in his mind: about life…life and more of his life.
In his silence he envied the other three Weiss.
Omi's character slowly unsheathed itself in his mind. A computer genius…or rather a computer freak…a whiz archer…or rather a hawk-eyed kid… Omi was so defined. His abilities were so carved intricately in him that he could not be mistaken for another Weiss member.
Next was Ken. The soccer player…with immeasurable sweetness which made Ran doubt if Ken really was fit to be a Weiss…the charming gentleman which attracted ladies of all sorts… And again, a personality so unique…and a talent distinct in only the gifted ones. Like Omi's talents.
Then Yohji. Girl-hunter and vice versa, the bad-boy, the debonair-boy… If getting which girl he wanted was to be considered a skill, Yohji was certainly full of it. He lived in the limelight such as the other two, because of such endowments sole to themselves.
Followed by Ran himself. Stayed in the shadows…assassinated the hounds of Japan…avoided all sorts of attention…never smiled…did he really want this?
Resentment swelled in Ran's heart.