An Epilogue-ish Prologue
SLAM! The door was flung open and I watched as a brunette girl entered. She was a few paces shorter than me, rather frail looking and had determined eyes. Every time I made my way along the hallway, I had the fleeting suspicion someone was watching me - this brunette kept on appearing trying to grab my attention without sticking out like a sore thumb. I didn't really pay her much attention out of respect - third years and second years aside, Sumire's friends were more than enough as haters and frankly, I didn't want that number to increase. The moment I heard the brunette speak though, I went bonkers.
"You're going to help me with my mother. Ren trusts you for some inane reason and I want to do the same." It can't be…she's got a load of guts but no way she'd ever be this brazen! There's just no reason to risk so much to come here and for what?! Pulling off the wig and taking out brown contact lenses, I watched as the auburn ginger locks escaped their hold from the wig's clips. And it was no longer a mystery who the odd brunette who I kept on getting odd glances from was.
"Futaba?! In what world did you think it was- I'm supposed to just- You're here! In Shujin! Where the hell am I supposed to begin?"
"I don't know how you couldn't tell from a glance or two, dummy." Seeing her wear the girls Shujin uniform and shoot me such an inviting smile, it honestly felt like she was a first year in the school alongside us. Whether her presence here was bravery or recklessness, though…
"What about Sojiro?!" I yelled. How would Sojiro react to his daughter breaking into a high school, not to mention my school? I didn't bother to continue down that rabbit hole.
"What about Sojiro?" she defiantly shot back. Was this one of her Alibaba moments? No doubt, she definitely would've needed a lot of moral courage to pull this off and I'd need to address the ladies and the guys in my life about this.
"Does he know you're here?! What does he think you're doing?!"
"My god…you're overprotective at the worst times, you know!" Fixing his glasses, Maruki turned to look at Futaba with a stern gaze.
"Sakura-san. It's peculiar how no one seemed to clock onto your impersonation of another student throughout the day, not to mention the fact the student you're dressed as happens to be absent - I will be speaking with security to ensure tighter measures are put in place, addressing that young girl's parents on her truancy and reporting you to the authorities if you ever break into this school again. Understood?"
"Loud and clear. I won't be coming back again anyway." Futaba remarked, feeling conflicted. I had no clue how she felt towards school - no doubt, it would be a real challenge for her socially. The face-to-face interactions she currently dealt with were fleas on a buffalo's fur compared to what she'd need to go through each day. I had no worry about whatever work was thrown her way but her genius intellect paired with her cool beauty would attract all sorts of envy from boys and girls alike which would be her biggest obstacle yet. Then again, the overwhelming progress she's made from being the girl who could barely utter a word without Sojiro being there to trusting several new and unfamiliar faces, going out into the world to see new places and making friends of her own efforts…I figured she'd knock school out of the park if it was what she wanted.
"However, seeing as it is after school hours, technically I can approve you being here as Amamiya-san's moral support. Are you interested in heading to Shujin Academy? If so, I can provide an application form for your guardian to fill out." Maruki suggested, probably not about to do what he threatened. Futaba didn't waste time chiding his distraction.
"Don't change the subject, Maruki. I'm here for one thing only. Well, two!" The doctor scratched his brown locks, sighed as his rounded glasses fogged up shortly and then turned to look at us both.
"…There was no avoiding this, was there?" Maruki contemplated. He hoped that, regarding Wakaba, I'd eventually stop harassing him about it and instead, my partner was here to take up that mantle.
"I want to trust in you so that I can be comfortable for him to continue coming here. What better way than to come here and check you out myself?" She really went and took my words to heart…As his gaze turned interrogatory, he began to try and piece together what Futaba really wanted to do should that information leave his mouth.
"We'll cut to the point. Why should I put myself in danger for your sake? It's a losing battle as it is, proving Wakaba's innocence, and if she's on the run…there's far more sinister consequences awaiting me."
""What?!"" We yelled. Of all the damn things…I was completely bamboozled at this nugget of information. I didn't know just how badly Futaba would react to hearing that though…
"Don't you dare lie about my mother like that!" She yelled.
"Maruki-san, that's highly uncalled for. Or do you not want to establish a better impression in front of my little sis?" He chose to stay quiet and let me continue:
"Futaba's opinion is an opinion I value as much as my dearest's opinions, sometimes far higher. She is indispensable to everything I do and I'm still here in these walls, not in a cell, because of her. Naturally, you can understand just how much it hurts our relationship when I refuse to heed her advice on you because I want to believe you are worth your salt." He grinned. Then let out a chuckle.
"...No wonder. The missing puzzle piece has finally been filled." He spoke in such a conclusive way.
"Come again?" As I sat in front of Maruki, arm interlocked with Futaba, he looked assured and we'd soon find out why.
"There was something that we never covered, Amamiya-san. While the circumstances leading to Kamoshida's change in heart are a complete mystery, how you obtained the information in the first place was suspicious. Ms. Sakura here was the one to put it together, wasn't she? Wakaba's background means it's not too much of a leap to assume Sakura-san followed in the same steps. Your resolve is phenomenal, Sakura-san." As we neither confirmed nor denied his accurate suspicion, I had to give Maruki-san the credit he deserves - he really was an astute observer to have retained the facts for so long.
"As I suspected. We're under privilege so this won't reach the ears of the police or other persons of authority. Even so, I can't tell you any other story you want to hear about Wakaba." Wakaba on the run? I had no clue whether she was a resourceful enough person to do that and Futaba as a reference was a little inaccurate and biased even. Sojiro…god knows how he'd keep a tighter leash on that info than the Crown Jewels.
"I can't believe you. I DON'T believe you." She stated coolly.
"Think about it. The research that could have saved her…wiped despite both the prosecution and the defence requiring its submission into evidence to allow for examination and cross-examination. She was never the type of person to let something as careless as that happen and not have backups, right?"
"..." I didn't need any confirmation from Futaba to know that was the case.
"Unless of course, her research does incriminate her. Better to remove every trace so that one's innocence can't be disproved so easily, right?" Speaking to what Futaba probably practiced, she vehemently denied.
"Mom was always an honest researcher!"
"Is that so? Did she ever tell you where she worked? Better yet, did she ever let you know about who she worked with? Was there a trial date or a court notice? WHAT has been shared with you?" Seeing the difficulty Futaba had in putting an answer together, I stepped in.
"Can we have some sort of guidance as to where this is going?" I asked, rather rattled.
"What did your guardian tell you both about Wakaba? Because I'd expect you'll need to speak with him first before I continue with you on those lines." We looked over at one another. I wouldn't just disregard the blanks such as these if this was about my own mother.
"Whilst you deliberate, would you like something to drink you two?"
"I'll go for peppermint as usual, thanks."
"What hot chocolate you got?" Futaba rudely barked.
"A brand called Options by Twinings."
"It better not taste like crap…make it taste nice and sweet!"
"Believe me, you'll enjoy it, Sakura-san." As Maruki went to fill up the kettle, Futaba leaned over to whisper into my ear - she probably didn't want Maruki to hear her thoughts.
"We can't begin doubting Sojiro - he's the best guardian we've both ever had." It seemed she was lying to herself.
"You needn't say that to me - of course he is. Sorry that I didn't just listen to you." Futaba puffed her chest and smiled warmly at me.
"...Hmph. Let's just see where this hack goes…" she replied. There's many an event that has occurred these past few weeks beforehand. I didn't even mention the state of the damned school…and just how did this doctor fellow come about, one would wonder?
